In spite of its law firm's assertion that the
business's owners and managers would keep
patrons out of a body of water that received
a Sarasota County Building Department per-
mit as a fountain, Bob's Boathouse frequently
has customers — including small children —
in the water, as documented by photographs,
The Sarasota News
Leader has learned.
Because the establish-
ment has not abided
by a Cease and Desist
Order from the Florida
Department of Health
in Sarasota County, department inspectors
erected signs around the perimeter of the facil-
ity on June 26, Tom Higginbotham, director
of environmental health for the department,
told the News Leader that afternoon.
In a follow-up interview on June 30,
Higginbotham pointed out that one of his
chief concerns has
been parents allow-
ing children into the
water. "That was over
the line," he added of
management not tak-
ing steps to prevent
A photo taken at Bob's Boathouse on June 21 shows two young children in the pool. Contributed photo
'PUTTING LIVES AT RISK'
NEITHER HEALTH DEPARTMENT WARNING SIGNS NOR THE BOB'S
BOATHOUSE MANAGEMENT IS KEEPING CUSTOMERS OUT OF THE
BODY OF WATER DESIGNED AS A FOUNTAIN
If I were there with my child, my
child would not go into that water body.
Tom Higginbotham
Environmental Health Director
Florida Department of Health
In Sarasota County
By Rachel Brown Hackney
Editor
NEWS
