Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/96141
Sarasota News Leader November 30, 2012 His assessment "looked great," Patterson told the News Leader on Nov. 27, noting that Smith had presented it the day before to representatives of the major island organizations during their capacity as the Presidents' Council. Page 15 Barbetta was the most vocal about taking advantage of lower construction costs and interest rates to get the design finished and put out to bid. "It's taken so long," he told the News Leader She had attended that session, Patterson said. on Nov. 27. "In a perfect world, construction would start in May or June [2013]." "I thanked him profusely," she added. Much of the site work could be completed beReferring to his $13 million figure, Patterson fore the tourist season began again in earnest said, "He has both the knowledge and the dein 2014, he pointed out. tails to back it up. … I think Mark did a fabulous job for us … and I am very grateful." Referencing the minutes from the Sept. 14, 2011 meeting, Barbetta said, "Our direction Smith told the News Leader he plans to be was pretty clear." present for the Dec. 11 County Commission meeting. As the News Leader reported in its Nov. 16 issue, the commission approved the staff goal of CONTINUING CONCERNS completing the design work in the fall of 2012, In the meantime, Commissioner Joe Barbetta with construction to get under way in 2013. remains focused not only on the long delay in Another update was to have been presented getting the design of the project completed to the board in late October. However, that but also on what he calls "some misinforma- followup discussion did not occur until Dec. 7, 2011. At the conclusion of that presentation, tion out there" regarding the planning. the comDuring the missioners Sept. 14, voted unan2011 reguimously to lar County approve a Commiscontract sion meetamending when ment then-Projwith Kimect Managley-Horn er Spencer "for final Anderson design submitand limted an upited condate on struction A slide from a staff presentation to the County Commission on the beach phase serDec. 7, 2011 shows the next steps anticipated in the Siesta Beach project, vices for improvements project. Image courtesy Sarasota County