"I've noticed a big difference," responded DID
Chairman Ernie Ritz.
The group was also briefed on the Police
Department's new volunteer "ambassadors"
program. The group's coordinator, Michelle
Rinaca, said the participants would focus
initially on the lunch and dinner hours. With
distinctive blue polo shirts, the volunteers
will be able to answer questions, make refer-
rals and — with police radios on their hips
— report suspicious or troublesome behavior.
DID member Dr. Mark Kauffman was so
excited, he proposed paying $2,000 per
month to the Police Department to support
the volunteers. "You didn't come here to ask
for money, but we want to give it to you," he
said. A motion was approved unanimously to
transfer the sum to the Police Department for
a six-month period to support the ambassa-
dor volunteers.
DOWNTOWN GATEWAY REDUX
One of the DID's longstanding desires has
been to erect "gateways" to downtown. They
would be similar to the arches at Bayfront
Park pioneered by Mayor Jack Gurney in the
1990s. In an effort to accelerate the $100,000
A recent photo shows the palms the city wishes to replace on Palm Avenue. Photo by Norman Schimmel
Sarasota News Leader August 8 & 15, 2014 Page 33
