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by the state; expanded room sought by the Supervisor of Elections Office for storing vot- ing equipment; and renovations to the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice to create a new South County courthouse, plus the expense of relocating other county offices from that building to free up space. Brownman noted that more details about expenses for those facilities would be pro- vided in a May 16 workshop. "We need to get those things priced out rel- atively quickly," Barbetta said, so the board could decide whether to pursue a bond or loan to cover the costs. Chairman Charles Hines concurred, espe- cially in regard to the Anderson Center. "What does it cost to build a courthouse these days?" The local option sales tax revenue mechanism — Surtax 3 — approved by county voters in 2007 is available into 2025, staff pointed out. The tax levy went into effect in September 2009 and will end on Dec. 31, 2024, according to county documents. "We do see more growth as we move outside of the five-year plan," Lafon told the board, referring to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal years 2015 through 2019. In a series of votes on March 25, the board unanimously approved about $4.1 million in expenditures for what Brownman described as extra "critical needs" — from new athletic field lighting to replacement buses and new shelters for Sarasota County Area Transit to up-to-date laptop computers for the Sarasota Chief County Engineer James K. Harriott Jr. (at right on the left side of the room) discusses road resurfacing issues during the County Commission's March 25 workshop. Photo by Norman Schimmel What does it cost to build a courthouse these days? Charles Hines Chairman Sarasota County Commission Sarasota News Leader April 4, 2014 Page 40