Sarasota News Leader

05/09/2014

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Marbut responded in a memo this week, call- ing the portrayal of the report, a "significant misuse of report data." The information, he said, was used internally to track use of Pinellas Safe Harbor. Barbetta pointed out that the distributed report was a "misinterpretation of statistics." "What should be printed is the drop in street homelessness from 2010 to 2013 [in Pinellas County] … in excess of 90 percent," Barbetta said. WHERE TO PARK THE TRUCKS? On April 22, during the last joint session of the City and County commissions, the boards voted 8-2 — with City Commissioner Susan Chapman and Vice Mayor Willie Shaw dis- senting — to further evaluate and compare the two potential shelter sites. But those par- cels have environmental contamination and other logistical problems, as revealed in a report conducted by consulting firm Cardno ENTRIX Inc. Those issues nonetheless were more fuel for Chapman, Shaw and other Sarasota residents who have voiced opposi- tion to a homeless facility in the city. On Tuesday, Barbetta called on city officials to try to find alternative sites where staff could park utility trucks and house storage bins that could be displaced if a shelter is built on the Osprey Avenue property the city owns. Hines and Barbetta both criticized the city's recent discussions to consider paying Florida Power & Light $1.6 million for a par- cel to accommodate the displaced vehicles and structures. Barbetta said the city should consider park- ing those trucks on a nearby city-owned lot on Goodrich Avenue. "One point six million for a lot is a little ludicrous and disingenu- ous," Barbetta added. However, city leaders already had decided against buying the site because it is in the city's planned economic redevelopment area, Applebee told the County Commission. Commissioner Carolyn Mason seemed to sum up her board's position about building a homeless shelter when she said it should be a community effort. "It's not just our problem … We are trying to be a good partner in this whole effort." % (From left) County Commissioner Joe Barbetta, City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo, County Commissioner Nora Patterson, Vice Mayor Willie Shaw, County Commission Chairman Charles Hines and Mayor Shannon Snyder listen to a speaker during the boards' joint meeting on April 1. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader May 9, 2014 Page 51

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