Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/313059
the beach (dunes and buffered areas); do not chase or let your children chase beach birds, especially when the birds are feeding; and look out for chicks, particularly Snowy Plover chicks, which have been likened to cotton balls on Q-tips. "They run all over the beach looking for food within a few hours of hatching," the release explains. "One final tip: Leave your dogs at home," the release says. Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies on Siesta Key have joined Audubon volunteers in past years to remind the pub- lic that a county ordinance forbids dogs on the beach. Find out more about the Beach Nesting Bird Program or donate to the program at saraso- taaudubon.org. To attend the informational beach walk and/or sign up as a volunteer, send an email to sksnpl@gmail.com. Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer, who has a master's degree in public adminis- tration from the University of Central Florida, received the inaugural Outstanding Alumni Award from the university's School of Public Administration program, Sarasota County has announced. Harmer was honored during a Public Service Recognition Week Celebration on May 7 in Orlando, a news release says. In September, Harmer will be among eight people given the university's Outstanding Alumni Award, the release points out. "It's an honor to be part of a profession that focuses on public service," said Harmer in the release. "I am grateful for my experiences at the University of Central Florida and how [they have] helped me become a better public administrator." He has served as chairman of the school's Public Administration Advisory Board and as an adjunct instructor of local government and emergency management, the release notes. Awardees may receive the school's award only once, noted Mary Ann Feldheim, director of the UCF School of Public Administration, in the release. Feldheim, who has known Harmer for more than 17 years and at one point was his profes- sor, nominated him for the award. "Tom Harmer is an outstanding public servant who has served Floridians around the state," she added in the release. As a part-time UCF student, Harmer bal- anced course studies while serving as the fire chief for Titusville, the release explains. At one point, he was excused from class by then-Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles because he was coordinating the state response to mas- sive wildfires. Whether as a firefighter, a Marine or a county administrator, Harmer said in the release that one primary reason he has enjoyed all of his government jobs is because he is a strong believer in the importance of public service. "Sarasota County is a great place to work for many reasons, one of which is the caliber of the staff. I'm fortunate to be part of a group of employees that understand how important 'customer service' is in public service," added Harmer in the release. HARMER RECEIVES OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD FROM UCF Sarasota News Leader May 16, 2014 Page 81