Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/336863
to continue looking for sites "in and out of the city." Vice Mayor Susan Chapman asked whether Atwell was considering a "regional facility." Atwell said she was concerned about use of the term "regional." The motion passed 4-1, with Chapman in the minority. But her comment clearly showed support for a site outside the city. Therefore, after the County Commission huffed and puffed but could not blow down the city's arguments, it then accepted them. Commissioner Carolyn Mason moved to have county staff work with the City of Sarasota "on looking for sites in or out of the city, leav- ing Marbut's recommendations in place." Barbetta and Hines were unmoved, but the motion passed 3-2. The afternoon ended with a major shift in responsibility for finding a site for the come-as-you-are shelter. While "Marbut's recommendations" remain in force, a major- ity of the County Commission accepted the political reality that the shelter site most agreeable to the city commissioners will be outside the city limits. Meanwhile, the county commissioners still have to grapple with finding the cash to either build a new structure or to rehabilitate an existing one. The $9-million figure obviously was a shock to them, and it may be the next bone of contention. Even if a site had been selected on Monday, the facility was about 22 months from open- ing, based on staff comments. Neither commission broached what should be done in the interim. In all, members of the public addressed the commissions for about two hours, and the staff presentation took almost another hour. That left less than an hour for the policymakers to actually discuss the hot issue of the day. % The County Commission Chambers was so full for the meeting, some people stood in the back of the room. Sarasota News Leader June 27, 2014 Page 54