Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/92622
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE A slide in a Nov. 6 Florida House presentation to the County Commission shows the three-pronged approach to making the facility self-supporting. Image courtesy Sarasota County COUNTY COMMISSION AWARDS $100,000 GRANT TO THE FLORIDA HOUSE TO AID WITH REMODELING AND NEW STRATEGIES TO ENABLE IT TO SUPPORT ITSELF By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor After learning that Sarasota County's new lease with the Florida House could be termi- nated at any time over its five-year life, Coun- ty Commissioner Nora Patterson joined three other members of the commission in approv- ing a $100,000 capital improvements grant to the Beneva Road learning center. Commission Chairwoman Christine Robinson cast the lone "No" vote after hearing a Nov. 6 presentation on plans for developing a reve- nue stream to make the facility self-support- ing. At the outset of the discussion during the board's regular meeting in Venice, Rob Lewis, the county's director of planning and develop- ment services, had responded to a question from Robinson, noting the funds would have to be found from county sources. Nothing was budgeted for this, he said. In response to a later question from Robin- son, John Lambie, one of the founders of the Florida House, said the institute's board of di- rectors did not have a formal business plan, though it was working on the framework for one.