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• Code Enforcement staff handled 2,635 cases from Oct. 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014, and 91 percent of the complaints were addressed within 48 hours. As soon as Harmer completed his first recita- tion of the facts, on Feb. 21, Chairman Charles Hines requested a copy of them. Many times when commissioners go out to speak to the public, Hines pointed out, they learn their audiences have little understanding of the services the county provides. Being able to offer those statistics would be very helpful, Hines added. " We ' l l s h a r e t h o s e w i t h t h e b o a r d , " Harmer promised. "I would actually like them fairly quickly," Commissioner Nora Patterson said, "because I have to give a talk and some of those would be dead-on." In a brief interview with The Sarasota News Leader last week, Vice Chairwoman Christine Robinson agreed with Harmer and Hines about the value of the "Fast Facts." "I think they're important to help people understand all the things we do," she said. Although the board members "frequently delve into one subject … at length" during a budget workshop, she pointed out, "these touch on a broad spectrum of [county matters]." Robinson added that Harmer's inclusion of them at the outset of discussions "sets the tone for the rest of the meeting." % THE SARASOTA News Leader Old school journalism. 21st century delivery. The award-winning Sarasota News Leader Sarasota County's #1 digital news weekly! Read it online today at SarasotaNewsLeader.com/current The most comprehensive, unbiased coverage of local news and government in the Sarasota County area. Read it on your iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Nook, Android, Laptop, Computer or other Smartphones Available for FREE every Friday Sarasota News Leader June 6, 2014 Page 58