Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/83745
Sarasota News Leader September 21, 2012 The second paragraph said, "Whereas, the Board of County Commissioners of Sara- sota County, Florida … is of the opinion that such creation of one new precinct and revision of one precinct boundary line is in the best interest of Sarasota County, Flor- ida, and the electorate thereof, and will fa- cilitate elections within Sarasota County, Florida." "We're making some distinct findings," based on that language, Robinson told her fellow commissioners. Yet, the packet Dent had submitted "was pretty bare bones. … I emailed the supervisor back and forth" over the matter, Robinson added, but Dent had declined to appear before the board to discuss it. Therefore, Robinson said, "I would like to amend the resolution to remove the find- ings [because] we don't have to make those findings." County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh ad- vised Robinson that the resolution could be amended to say the action was being taken on the recommendation of the county's su- pervisor of elections. Robinson then provided the other commis- sioners with written copies of her proposed revision of the first two paragraphs: "Whereas, the Supervisor of Elections rec- ommends the creation of one new precinct and designation of polling place, and the revision of one precinct boundary, "Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Sarasota Coun- ty, Florida upon the recommendation and with the approval of the Supervisor of Elec- Page 58 tions of Sarasota County, Florida in public meeting assembled:" Commissioner Jon Thaxton made the mo- tion to substitute the resolution Robinson had proposed. Commissioner Nora Patter- son seconded it. The motion passed unanimously. STATE FUNDING SOUGHT FOR NEXT TURTLE BEACH RENOURISHMENT Ever since Sarasota County completed a re- nourishment project at Siesta Key's Turtle Beach in 2007, county staff has been mon- itoring erosion at the site. More than a year before Tropical Storm Debby chewed off a big chunk of the beach, county officials already were fielding com- plaints about the loss of shoreline. Commissioner Nora Patterson, who lives on Siesta Key, has pointed out in public meet- ings that, unfortunately, Turtle Beach's geographic location creates a situation in which it suffers almost constant erosion problems while Siesta Public Beach tends to accrete sand. Laird S. Wreford, manager of the county's Coastal Resources Department, told this reporter in the fall of 2011 that just about the time a Turtle Beach property-owner as- sessment that is covering 8% of the cost of the last renourishment project ends, per- mitting for the next renourishment should be completed. On Sept. 11, the County Commission ap- proved a resolution authorizing County Ad- ministrator Randall Reid to proceed with an application to the Florida Department of