Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/92622
'A TERRIFIC MILESTONE' A new stormwater plan for Siesta Public Beach is designed to safeguard against any future closures to swimming because of unhealthful water conditions. Photo by Norman Schimmel WITH THE SIESTA PUBLIC BEACH STORMWATER PROJECT OUT FOR BIDS, COUNTY STAFF FEELS A WATER DISTRICT GRANT FOR THE WORK SHOULD REMAIN SECURE By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor While wrangling continues over the timeline for renovations of the Siesta Public Beach, one previously stalled part of the project is moving forward: the construction of the new stormwater system. Just as project engineer Curtis Smith had pre- dicted for members of the Siesta Key Associ- ation on Sept. 6, the $1.5 million project went out for bid this month, with all responses re- quested by 2:30 p.m. Nov. 28. "It's a terrific milestone to reach," he told The Sarasota News Leader on Nov. 5. The Sarasota County eProcure website also has set a mandatory pre-bid meeting for 1 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the Sarasota County Operations Center, 1001 Sarasota Center Blvd., to make sure representatives of firms interested in the project are fully aware of its scope. The eProcure website explains the project as follows: "[It] is an expansion of existing stormwater management facilities proposed to improve downstream water quality in the Gulf of Mexico along Siesta Public Beach. The work includes construction of roadway man- hole retrofits, removal of an existing stormwa- ter vault, construction of a wet retention pond