Longboat Observer 7.13.23

YOU YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOUR TOWN

New parking plan nixes

Puppy love

Love was in the air during the Hot Diggity Dog Contest at Freedom Fest this year.

Tinkerbell and Bisou met in Bicentennial Park while waiting for the butterfly release, and it was puppy love at first sight. They started playing together and didn’t want be separated.

Bisou’s owners, Michael and Medge Jaspan, said it was their first time at Freedom Fest. They heard about it a week before the fest and decided to go all out. The Jaspans dressed up their dog Bisou in patriotic attire with a red, white and blue top hat and an American flagthemed bow tie.

Bisou’s immediate luck in finding friends led to the two couples mingling at the fest. Tinkerbell’s owners are Frank and Martina Kinslow. Tinkerbell was dressed in a cowboy hat and overalls to match Martina Kinslow.

A day in the life

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a Realtor on Longboat Key?

Longtime Realtor Rae Hayo of Wagner Realty recently gave a high school senior the chance to find out.

Ben Barclay, a senior from New Jersey, shadowed Hayo for a week in June to learn the basics of the business. After his grandparents bought a house on Longboat Key through Hayo, Barclay expressed interest in shadowing her. She was thrilled to give him the opportunity.

“It’s just to kind of show that it isn’t all just going in there and selling a house yourself in five minutes,” Hayo said. “You will walk out of there and gain a really good relationship with your clients.”

During their time together, Hayo took Barclay to some listings, helped her write up a contract and got familiar with the day-to-day of being in a real estate office. A lot of the business is “go with the flow,” Hayo said.

Hayo has been in the real estate business for about 25 year and has been with Wagner Realty for 15 of those years.

Tryla Larson, Earl Larson, Cassie Yeager and Mimi Krouk

Longboat

Freedom

Petra Rivera Tinkerbell and Bisou

Town embarks on

The town manager hopes to achieve excellence in operations and training, with the goal of winning the Florida Governor’s Sterling Award.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Getting an organization from good to great can be a challenge, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton. But when it comes to achieving institutional excellence, Tipton is no stranger.

Over the coming years, Tipton and Support Services Director Carolyn Brown are spearheading a series of institutional changes to improve the functions of Longboat Key’s town government. The goal is to win the Florida Governor’s Sterling Award, a system used to evaluate and improve performance in organizations.

Based on the national Malcolm Baldrige criteria, the Sterling award has been used to evaluate manufacturers since 1992. However, the principles translate well to organizations such as town government.

“It’s a very organized way of elevating the performance of a company, or an agency in our case,” Tipton said. “Instead of manufacturing a widget, we manufacture a service, so you can use the same principles.”

In 2008, Tipton was a part of the team at the Orange County Clerk of the Courts that won the Sterling award. He said going through the process and then winning the award transformed the organization.

Key areas of focus for the town’s Sterling journey are: leadership, customer focus, workforce, work processes, knowledge management and measures/results.

According to Tipton, the benchmarks meant to evaluate the town will improve how the town can be more aware of citizens’ expectations, and then exceed those expectations.

Sterling criteria will also help the town build a framework to measure the performance of meeting or exceeding those expectations. Those measurements can then be used as a metric to compare Longboat’s town government to other governments and organizations.

A main focus for Tipton and Brown is to create a well-trained, cross-sectional team of employees. The foundation of this training, Tipton said, will be the Lean Six Sigma yellow or green belt training, in which Tipton is green belt certified. The Lean Six Sigma training teaches people how to ask a series of “why” questions to get the most desired solution from a problem.

Having a team of trained employees from multiple departments will allow them to see problems from different angles. For example, if there’s a problem in the Planning and Zoning department, a team of employees from departments like Police, Fire Rescue, Information Technology and more may be able to see the problem differently.

The idea is to have everyone trained on the function of the entire system, so no one is left wondering how the processes of the town work.

Vertical and horizontal communication then, said Tipton, are crucial. Realizing how individual actions work up the ladder and affect the system as a whole is the vertical communication. Horizontal communication is looking at those individual processes by themselves, like permitting and 911 responding.

Right now, Brown is in the first stages of the path toward Sterling. This includes familiarizing herself and others with the process, and creating a dashboard to track the progress. In the fall, Tipton said one of the focuses will be on revamping the strategic plan to make it more robust. He wants it to be a more active document for every employee, rather than a binder only a few may be familiar with. Tipton said there may be costs associated with training and implementation, but those have not yet been identified.

But the Sterling journey isn’t something that is done in a month or even a year.

“It won’t be instantaneous, but I think we’ll internally see a lot of improvement as we make our way,” Brown said.

When Tipton believes the town is ready, he will submit an organizational summary to the board that reviews the Sterling award. This can be tough, Tipton said, because it requires summarizing all the processes and training in about 10 pages.

Once submitted, reviewers from other agencies will come to the town to witness the systems firsthand and interview employees. The reviewers will grade the town’s processes in accordance with the key areas of the award.

Both Brown and Tipton said the town is already doing a lot of “Sterling” things. One example is in the customer service surveys, which take feedback from residents. Another example are the meetings departments have to set goals and objectives. Tipton said the town already receives high marks in the customer service surveys.

“We’re doing good; we just want to be exemplary,” Brown said. “We want to be the best of the best.”

Another example is external validation, Tipton said. A recent example is the achievement of Building Official Patti Fige winning the Plans Examiner of the Year award from the Florida Building Officials Association of Florida.

Going from an A to an A-plus organization is a bit more difficult than one may think, Brown and Tipton said.

In the end, Tipton said going through the Sterling process will add a greater degree of transparency and accountability between departments, while continuing to provide great service.

“Even if we never get the award, which I think we will, we’ll be better than we were,” Tipton said. “It’s not about the award, it’s just about providing excellent service every day.”

THE STERLING AWARDS

use a systematic approach to improve performance and customer service. The steps involved in the system are detailed below.

APPROACH Plan, including the design of processes, selection of measures and deployment of requirements

DEPLOYMENT

The team executes its plans from step 1

LEARNING

Assess progress and capture new knowledge, including seeking opportunities for innovation

INTEGRATION

Revise plans based on assessment findings, harmonizing processes and work unit operations and selecting better measures

Source: Sterling Awards

Beach patrol

party with multiple alcoholic beverages, he most likely will only serve one citation.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The Longboat Key Police Department’s fourwheeler glided from asphalt to sand with ease at the Broadway Street public beach access.

It was a Saturday afternoon. The sun beat down, but the vehicle provided some shade. The noise of the motor overpowered the sounds of waves and nearby seabirds.

Officer Joe Ferrigine, 27 years old and from New Jersey, patrolled the beach. He was working overtime. He became an officer on Longboat Key about a year-and-a-half ago after starting his career in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and spending some years in Baltimore City, Maryland.

“I used to work in the worst city in America, so this is a big change,” Ferrigine said.

He started at the Broadway Street entrance and drove down the beach before exiting the way he came in. It was time to go to the next access point. The vehicle has a windshield of only 6 inches tall, so the wind blows aggressively while going 45 mph down Gulf of Mexico Drive.

“If you tilt your head down a little, your glasses and hat won’t go flying off,” Ferrigine said.  Gulfside Road is the next public access point. After entering this access point, Ferrigine made his first stop of the afternoon.

A family had open containers of alcohol, which a town ordinance prohibits on public beaches. Each violation can mean a $100 citation. Oftentimes, like in this case, Ferrigine cuts people a break. If there’s a

The ordinance has its own caveats. If individuals are in the water or on private property, they can’t be cited for drinking alcohol. Private resorts on Longboat Key also own the beach directly in front of the property to allow guests to bring drinks from the resort bars. In those cases, guests can’t be cited. Only if people have an open alcoholic beverage on the sands of a public beach can they be cited.  Coolers can’t be searched if they’re closed, but if Ferrigine sees alcohol in an open cooler, it’s “fair game,” he said.

“No one’s ever tested me for this before,” Ferrigine said.

That is, until a few minutes later.

GROUP TEST

Farther down the beach, Ferrigine passed another group’s setup. The four were in the water, but Ferrigine spotted their three Whiteclaw seltzers among their things on the beach. He turned the vehicle around and waited from a distance until they came out of the water. He approached the group and asked for IDs, which they didn’t have.

One of the individuals in the group argued they weren’t doing anything wrong. She claimed they were on a private part of the beach just enjoying their day. Ferrigine calmly reminded the group about the ordinance and clarified that they were not on private property. Voices were raised, and tears began. Two members of the group left to get their IDs from their nearby rental.

In the end, the beachgoers realized they were in the wrong. Since they entered the public beach from a private beach access, they didn’t see the signs that state the rules, they said. The case ended in a single $100 citation.

WHIFF OF SMOKE

The rest of the stretch yielded no citations, so Ferrigine returned to Gulf of Mexico Drive, headed toward the first beach entrance, and attempted to repeat. A minute into the second patrol, he passed a woman sitting alone on the beach. He whipped the vehicle around then got out as he shifted it into park.

He asked the woman if she was smoking marijuana. She admitted she was. The smell was a dead giveaway, Ferrigine said. She also admitted to having alcohol on the beach.

Possession of marijuana counts as an arrest. Ferrigine called for backup as he and the woman headed to her car. The beach four-wheeler lacks the typical computer that’s mounted in police vehicles, and Ferrigine doesn’t have equipment like evidence bags. Three squad cars pulled

up with the sergeant on duty and two officers.

After an hour in the sun, Ferrigine served the woman with a citation for the alcohol and a notice to appear in court. The charge was possession of under 20 grams of marijuana. Rather than taking the woman to the station for the arrest, he chose to check her name for warrants in the field, and issued the notice. She was fully cooperative, so this was the ideal route, Ferrigine said.

EDUCATION ON THE WATER

On the water, the department’s only marine patrol officer, Josh Connors, also enjoyed the perks of the job: the weather. Being on the water is breezier than the beach. Connors navigated the boat slowly enough so its radio’s classic rock could be heard among the radio calls and sounds from nearby vessels.

He’s another officer from the northeast, a common trend for Longboat Key officers. Connors spent his life growing up in Cape Cod and, after 10 years of being an officer there, got sick of the damp, cold weather.

It was a slow Saturday, possibly because of the partly cloudy weather.

“Seems like a Friday out here,” Connors said. “Not much going on.”

This is Connors’ fifth year with the Longboat Key Police Department. On marine patrol, he mainly sees wake zone and safety violations. He often prefers to educate people rather than issue a citation. But for violations like one earlier in the day, when a vessel didn’t have life jackets for the toddlers on board, that’s an automatic citation.

Connors said the best part of the job is “being able to educate people rather than enforce, but enforce when necessary.” Coming from a Coast Guard background, he likes being able to use that knowledge in

his full-time job.

When Connors saw a vessel with their registration sticker on the wrong side, he turned on the lights and flagged the group down. The registration sticker violation is just a warning, but Connors said making these stops gives him the ability to do a safety inspection — checking for life jackets, a life preserver and fire extinguisher, all of which are necessary. Around 3:45 p.m., Connors spotted a dog on Greer Island. He approached the shoreline and gave the owner a warning that the dog must stay in the water or on the pontoon boat.

After that, Manatee County Police Department’s new air-conditioned vessel passed Connors.

“You got room for one more in there?” Connors joked.

It’s essential to have a good working relationship with the other departments, Connors said. He works closely with Manatee and Sarasota county police departments, as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“We don’t have much backup on the water,” Connors said.

Connors has noticed most boaters head in for the day around 4 p.m. After one final sweep around Jewfish Key, he decided to call it a day and head back to The Moorings at Longboat Key Club, where the department keeps its Yellowfin boat.

Twelve-hour shifts are common for Connors. His days start with prepping the vessel before heading onto the water and end with cleaning and paperwork. On this Saturday, Connors was on the water from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and was scheduled for security detail at a resort from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Toto’s “Africa” played on the radio as Connors guided the vessel into its lift. He had to prepare for his second shift.

A reporter spends a day on the job with Longboat beach and marine patrol officers.

Officer Josh Connors

Photos by Carter Weinhofer

Joe Ferrigine has been with Longboat Key Police Department for about a year-anda-half. He frequently takes beach patrol shifts on Saturday afternoons.

Officer Joe Ferrigine

Longboat official earns top industry award

CARTER WEINHOFER

STAFF WRITER

Patti Fige’s work is not normally in the spotlight. It’s relegated to rooms filled with large-scale building plans and binders of Longboat Key building codes.

But in June, it received special attention when Fige, a building official with the town of Longboat Key, was named Plans Examiner of the Year.

Although Fige accepted the award at the June convention of the Building Officials Association of Florida, which bestowed it, she actually found out she received it in March.

The co-worker who nominated her received a voicemail in March saying Fige had been chosen for the award. The employee then went to Allen Parsons, director of Planning, Zoning and Building, who called Fige and the rest of his staff into his office. He played the voicemail, which shocked Fige.

She said it was really nice to be recognized, though she doesn’t particularly care for the public recognition.

“But I do know that I work real hard every day to try to make things better for people, for customers,”

Fige said. “It’s important to think about what their needs are and just care about them.”

Her days start early, usually getting into the office just as the sun is starting to rise. She tries to meet early with inspectors and the rest of the team around 7 a.m., to talk about the day’s schedule. The rest of her day is spent responding to the many calls and emails the office receives, dealing with whatever needs to be done. The office opens to the public

at 8 a.m., and the inspectors are out around 8:30 a.m.

Leaving work for the day doesn’t always mean putting the job aside, Fige said.

“I try to get that work-life balance so I can get away and have some recharge time,” Fige said. “And then I do some more work in the evenings.”

Parsons said this award is an incredible achievement; he and the department agree Fige is the most deserving person for it. The organization has more than 2,500

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members, representing most, if not all, of the counties and cities in the state. That says a lot about Fige to be selected, Parsons said. Fige has spent her entire working career in public service and identifies as a lifelong learner. She’s been with the town of Longboat Key for about six years, working as a plans examiner until last year. Prior to that, she was with Sarasota County for almost three decades and the Florida Department of Transportation for a few years before that.

She started with FDOT straight out of high school, but then went back to get associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. Last year, Fige earned her master’s in construction with accolades in volunteering and academics. Even while working fulltime and getting her master’s degree, Fige found the time to volunteer at a homeless shelter and for a fundraiser collecting books for a school’s summer reading program.

Weekends, she said, were the key to managing such a busy schedule.

Recently, Fige has been serving as vice president of the Manasota chapter of the Building Officials Association of Florida. In her small amount of free time, she also mentors students at Everglades University who are interested in the construction industry.

One of the most rewarding parts of the job is receiving feedback saying that the planning, zoning and building team on Longboat is the most professional and easier to work with compared to other municipalities, said Fige.

“It’s a small group, but we all help each other and work as a team,” Fige said. “That’s really rewarding.”  Fige isn’t done yet. Next year, she could serve as president of the chapter and wants to continue learning and find more ways to be efficient in her industry.

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The Building Officials Association of Florida honored Longboat’s Patti Fige in June.

Photos by Carter Weinhofer

Building Official Patti Fige recently won the Building Officials Association of Florida’s Plans Examiner of the Year award.

The Building Officials Association of Florida honored Fige with the award in June 2023.

Vinyl sea walls protect many waterfront Longboat Key homes and canals, but they may not be as habitable for oysters as concrete sea walls. And that could be a problem for Sarasota Bay, because oysters help filter ocean waters.

In a recent small-scale study, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

Director Dave Tomasko and members of the SBEP observed 32 sea walls in the Sarasota Bay area, 16 concrete and 16 vinyl. Of the 16 concrete sea walls, all had a considerable number of oysters growing on them. Only six of the 16 vinyl sea walls had any oysters attached and had few compared to the number of oysters on the concrete sea walls.

“You could miss it if you weren’t carefully looking for it,” Tomasko said of the oyster presence on vinyl sea walls.

The two most common types of sea wall are concrete and vinyl, said Tomasko. Particularly in the south of Sarasota Bay, concrete walls are being replaced with the newer vinyl, or plastic, sea walls.

“It doesn’t look like they have the same capacity to allow oysters to attach,” Tomasko said. “And so that is not a good thing for the bay.”

This is a problem because oysters are important filter feeders for the bay, said Tomasko. Losing oysters causes a loss in assimilative capacity, i.e. the ability for an environment

to adapt to wastewater entering it. Most of this activity has to do with the intertidal zone, which is below the high-tide line and above the lowtide line.

Organizations like SBEP work to encourage the reduction of wastewater, fertilizer, grass clippings and other pollutants from entering the bay. But if at the same time there is a decrease in oysters and assimilative capacity, it undermines the organization’s time and efforts, said Tomasko.

Tomasko and SBEP still aren’t sure why oysters seem to fail to attach to vinyl sea walls, but there are three possibilities. One could be that the vinyl sea walls are too smooth. The second reason could be because oysters primarily settle on other oysters or calcium carbonate surfaces like concrete. However, Tomasko said there are plenty of examples of oysters attaching to plastic structures that have been in the water for a long time, like plastic lawn chairs or the plastic liners on dock pilings.

If it’s not the plastic itself, then Tomasko said it could be some sort of additive such as a UV protectant that may be inadvertently killing off oysters that try to attach. It’s still early in the research process, so they don’t know, Tomasko said.

Tomasko said that vinyl sea walls may be increasing in popularity because they’re cheaper and may last longer. But he said more thought needs to be going into the potential ramifications of their use.

ON THE SHORE

Slated for SBEP’s fiscal year 2024, the organization will work with the town of Longboat Key to reimagine the shoreline along Bayfront Park. The project is anticipated to cost $500,000 and will be funded via allocation from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

There are two main parts to the shoreline project, Tomasko said.

The first will be to replace a portion of the crumbling sea wall along Bayfront Park. SBEP thinks there is enough area there to create a sloped living shoreline. This would involve a harder structure on the outside to break waves, and then a vegetated slope. Right now, the organization is still in the early planning stages.

The second aspect is with the vinyl sea wall at Bayfront Park. Rather than removing the sea wall, SBEP Staff Scientist Jay Leverone found “mangrove panels.” Made of marine-safe concrete, these panels are designed to create habitats for oysters and emulate the look of red

mangrove roots, hence their name.

Keith Van de Riet, a professor at the University of Kansas, designed the mangrove panels.

More than 80% of the shoreline in the Sarasota and Longboat Key area is armored, mostly with sea walls, according to Van de Riet.

“It seems a missed opportunity

that we haven’t created fringe reefs within canal environments to improve water quality and create habitat — not to mention reduce wave energy from boats,” Van de Riet said in an email.

He also said there’s been success with mangrove panels in other areas like Lemon Bay and Fort Pierce.

Shorelines like the envisioned living shoreline at Bayfront Park need to plan for anticipated future sea level rise. It’s anticipated the average water level in 30 years will be what the current average high tide is now. The average high tide in 30 years will be 9 inches higher, said Tomasko. Projects like the mangrove panels will allow SBEP to support the desired environmental changes while also not being too intrusive.

“We are supporting a variety of efforts by the citizens who desperately want to do something to improve water quality and provide habitat,” Leverone said. “We want to support legitimate, well-intentioned efforts.”

A recent study showed vinyl sea walls may pose a problem for oysters, while a new Bayfront Park project will attempt to mitigate the walls’ possible drawbacks.

Courtesy photos

Existing sea wall surfaces at Bayfront Park will be reenvisioned with Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s new project that addresses habitat loss and sea level rise. Most of the sea wall surface exposed to the water is made of vinyl.

Mangrove panels, pictured here in Englewood, Florida

The new plan for St. Regis parking

Unicorp’s proposal eliminates the multistory garage and expands surface parking.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Unicorp National Developments has submitted a new proposal for an increase in parking for the St. Regis development. The two-story parking structure has been removed from discussion, and the new plans incorporate an expanded surface parking lot.

The newest plan proposes a total of 469 parking spaces, which is one more than the total proposed in 2021. In the new total, a 93-space parking lot and 12 surface spots are proposed. An increase in landscaping from the 2021 plan is also included in the newest proposal.

After the 2021 plans were proposed, Unicorp CEO Chuck Whittall said the company realized parking lifts were not ideal and could lead to operational problems. Additionally, Whittall said an increase in travel and demand for luxury leads Marriott to believe the St. Regis will be a “very successful, top U.S. luxury resort destination.” Whittall said he knows the hotel will be busier than expected because of this and wants to ensure the resort delivers the best quality in the most efficient manner.

The proposal to increase parking from the 2021 plan via a two-story parking garage met with opposition from some members of the community.

After the Town Commission rejected a requested change to build 157-space parking garage in June, Whittall said he challenged his engineers to reimagine a way to add more parking and landscaping.

This led to the current proposal, which removes the 62 lift spaces and 38-space lot of the 2021 plan. Instead, a lot that includes 93 spaces has been designed, while also adding 12 surface spaces. The changes represent a 3.2% decrease in lot cover-

age and 0.5% decrease in open space. The additional lot spaces come from removal of portions of the development’s interior roadways. The proposal adds 60 more trees than were planned in 2021 to try to improve the buffer around the parking lot.

“We hope the community would get on board for this,” Whittall said. “We’re trying to make this project community friendly and guest friendly.”

Town staff will now review the proposal. According to Town Manager Howard Tipton, the town’s landscape architect will conduct the first review, and then the proposal will be reviewed according to the town’s rules for development. A staff report will be sent to commissioners in advance to the first public hearing.

The proposal will be heard during the first public hearing on Sept. 18 with a second public hearing to follow on Oct. 2.

According to Whittall, all other aspects of the St. Regis project are going smoothly and are still slated to be finished next year, with an opening date of July 2024.

Dem Club discusses immigration issues

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The Longboat Key Democratic Club welcomed immigration attorney Emily Brown to lead a discussion on U.S. immigration issues. The free Zoom event held on July 11 drew a virtual crowd of about 40 people.

Brown began her presentation, titled “State of the U.S. Immigration System” with an overview of the main ways non-U.S. citizens can immigrate to the U.S.

tion, prior removal or reentries.

The new St. Regis parking plans sent to Longboat Key staff include changes to impervious surfaces:

n Previously proposed impervious area (to be removed).

n Currently proposed impervious area.

III Currently proposed pervious pavement area.

There are an estimated 11 million “undocumented” individuals in the United States, according to Brown. This is the category that is most targeted and talked about by politicians as “problems,” Brown said.

She then discussed the ways in which people can apply for a green card. The most common is family based immigration. Most of the processes are flawed, said Brown.

“You’ll literally be waiting decades,” Brown said in regards to the long waiting times for green cards.

To back that up, she showed a chart that represented green card wait times for people immigrating from certain countries. One of the highest waits was India, which is 18 years behind according to Brown’s presentation.

“If you file one today, you’ll be waiting at least that long, probably longer,” Brown said.

One of the biggest problems in the immigration system, said Brown, are inadmissibility grounds. Immigration violations could disqualify a person from entering the country legally in the future. Those violations include entry without inspec-

The next part of Brown’s presentation was about temporary humanitarian protections, including temporary protected status granted due to armed conflict or disaster. This protection states that if an immigrant is already in the U.S., the person won’t be deported if there is an armed conflict or environmental disaster in the immigrant’s home country.

“As I see it, the biggest problem is that we have 11 million undocumented people, and most don’t have a path to a green card,” Brown said.  Brown also covered backlogs for family and employment visas, and restrictive asylum criteria. According to Brown, it’s a problem that the U.S. is letting in fewer refugees now than in the past.

The last segment of Brown’s presentation talked about possible ways to help these issues.

In terms of what Congress can do, Brown said enacting laws such as the American DREAM and PROMISE Act and U.S. Citizen Act could be important steps. Everyday people can call and write to members of Congress, and advocate local and state lawmakers to stop anti-immigration legislation.

Part Nature. Part Playground. all home.

The Longboat Key Democratic Club’s

July event featured a presentation from immigration attorney Emily Brown.

Courtesy photo

Emily Brown is a visiting professor of law and director of the Immigration Clinic at The Ohio State University.

SATURDAY, JULY 1

MISSED APPOINTMENT

2:29 p.m., 4100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Incident: Police were dispatched in response to a caller stating a massage appointment had been made for 2 p.m. but then saw no workers in the building. The responding officer walked through the open massage shop and also saw no workers present. An attempt to call the owner was unsuccessful, and the officer was unable to lock the door.

SWIMMERS TO SAFETY

3:10 p.m., Longboat Pass

Boat-Miscellaneous: While on marine patrol, two swimmers in distress were found holding onto a flotation device and seemed to be caught in the outgoing tide. The marine patrol officer brought them on board and transported them to a nearby boat.

DOG DISPUTE

3:28 p.m., Greer Island

Dog on the beach: Police on marine patrol noticed two dogs off leash on Beer Can Island and made contact with the owner. She was advised that no dogs were allowed on the beach; meanwhile, one of the dogs got comfortable and relieved itself. A citation was issued to the owner.

SUNDAY, JULY 2

SNAKE ON THE LOOSE

5:20 a.m., 200 block of Sands Point Road

Animal Complaint: Early in the morning, police were dispatched because a snake was seen in the kitchen of a property. Two employees and the responding officer attempted to locate the snake in the kitchen but with no luck. The officer told the employees that Animal Services would not be available until 8 a.m.

TRASH CAN TROUBLES

9:47 p.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Fire: Longboat Key Fire Rescue was already on scene when police responded to a fire in a trash can. A bystander had worked with friends and family to put out the trash can fire using a hose from a nearby resort and buckets of water from

THURSDAY, JULY 6

CYCLE OF FRUSTRATION

8:09 p.m., 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person:

A caller said a suspicious man was seen yelling at the beach, prompting police to respond. On the scene, police identified the suspicious person. He said he had fallen off his bike, was frustrated and yelled toward the water but not at anybody specifically. He did not exhibit any other concerning behavior, so police left the scene.

Our vision is

the gulf. The bystander said he did not know who started the fire, but did see fireworks in the trash can while putting it out. Authorities took pictures of the damaged trash cans, vegetation and picnic table.

MONDAY, JULY 3

SUSPICIOUS SUPPLEMENTS

6:16 p.m., 1900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen Assist: An officer was dispatched to a resident’s home due to the presence of a suspicious package. The resident said she received an unusual package containing dietary supplements that she did not order. The officer recommended she check with family members or friends to see if anyone had sent her the package, and said she could return the package to the post office.

LONGBOAT

Pensions below standards

Florida lawmakers altered the Florida Retirement System in ways that improved the system, while also increasing the future burden on taxpayers. Florida’s system still falls below industry guidelines.

HOW STATE PENSION SYSTEMS COMPARE

This table shows the contribution rates for defined contribution-style plans. Data for the table is from the Pension Integrity Project’s plan reports and websites. The rates displayed for the Florida Retirement System are for the regular class, which includes most nonpublic safety members.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed Senate Bill 7024, which makes several changes to the Florida Retirement System, the state’s retirement plan for government workers. And let’s say there is good news and bad news.

The good: A change to improve the long-term viability of the state’s defined contribution plan. The bad: More risks and costs to an already strained public pension system.

Most Sarasota city and county and school district employees are in the FRS. Indeed, only a minority of government workers getting their retirement benefit from FRS are state employees: about 48% are employed by school districts, 24% by counties, 14% by the state, 8% by universities and colleges and 6% by cities.

This year’s reforms roll back several cost-saving reforms that were implemented in 2011 for public safety workers, an unfortunate move considering the pension system is still on a long path to becoming consistently fully funded.

The plan has about $38 billion in unfunded liabilities and still relies too much on higher-than-realistic investment returns, even after taking a $14 billion loss in fiscal year 2022.

Instead of adding more benefits with unpredictable costs, lawmakers should direct their attention to eliminating the pension debt that has loomed over state budgets and taxpayers for decades. Alongside this potentially costly change comes a positive development for Florida employees and taxpayers. Florida government employers will increase their contributions to the state’s defined contribution plan — similar to a 401(k) — dubbed the Investment Plan.

While this contribution increase comes with a cost increase for those governments, it’s crucial for the benefit adequacy of the defined contribution plan, which is a key component in the state’s effort to reduce long-term pension risks and costs for taxpayers.

Florida’s Investment Plan has been a valuable retirement savings option for public workers since 2002. After years of wrestling with unpredictable runaway costs associated with FRS’ traditional

defined-benefit pension plan, state legislators voted to make the existing defined contribution plan the default option for new hires — excluding police and firefighters — beginning in 2018.

Now, the majority of newly hired teachers and government workers participate in the Investment Plan, making it the state’s primary retirement plan and a keystone of the Florida Retirement System for the foreseeable future.

With its increasingly prominent role in providing retirement security for the state’s government workers, many began taking a closer look at the Investment Plan’s longterm viability.

Unfortunately, the state set up the Investment Plan with the lowest employer contribution rate among all states with similar retirement plans. This meant that even if state and local government workers put in the maximum amount allowed out of their own salaries, they would not have enough money in their retirement plan when they reached retirement age. This put the employee’s retirement security in extreme risk and taxpayers at risk to bail the system out years from now when it is much more expensive to do so.

The Reason Foundation warned the state in legislative testimony and reports in 2021 that this was a problem in urgent need of repair.

In 2022, the state took the first step with a 3% increase in employer contributions for all members participating in the Investment Plan.

This raised Florida up to at least compete with the lowest contributors among other states offering similar plans, but it still remained the lowest on this list. That brought total contributions per year per employee up to a max of 9.3%, which was still well below industry guidelines of 12% to 15% of

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLANS

What is the difference between a defined-benefit pension plan and a defined-contribution plan?

A defined-benefit plan — also commonly known as a traditional pension plan — provides a specified payment amount in retirement.

A defined-contribution plan allows employees to contribute and invest in funds and other securities over time to save for retirement.

Defined-contribution plans have replaced defined-benefit plans as the most popular type of pension plan in corporations. This has shifted the burden of saving for retirement to the employee from that on the employer.

pay going toward retirement. This year’s reforms increased employer contributions by another 2%, bringing total employer contributions to 8.3%, with employees still contributing 3%, for total contributions of 11.3%. This is closer to the industry standard, and as the table shows, in the middle of the range offered by states with comparable retirement plans. However, Florida policymakers should not surmise that their work is done. The next round of reforms should look to increase employee contribution rates, which have remained at 3% for decades.

Florida policymakers should also be wary of more calls to undo previous cost-saving reforms. Despite a still-growing $38.3 billion shortfall in assets needed to cover pension promises already made to FRS members, some have taken the state’s recent budget surpluses and

renewed calls from public unions about recruitment and retention challenges to justify costly boosts to retirement benefits. Adding more pension liabilities while the state is having trouble paying for the ones already promised is bad practice and exacerbates a costly problem for Florida taxpayers.

At the same time, Sarasota area school districts, the city of Sarasota and Sarasota County will see some increased costs as they must make higher contributions to both the Investment Plan and the pension plan for their workers. But that is far better than allowing the retirement plan to continue on its previous unsustainable path with rapidly mounting costs for future taxpayers. It is far more efficient to pay the costs now and each year than to let these plans build into a kind of massive balloon payment.

Florida policymakers’ contribution improvements to the Investment Plan are prudent steps toward achieving the difficult task of providing adequate retirement benefits for public workers at a responsible level of risk and cost to the taxpayer. By improving the state’s defined contribution plan, they are bolstering its longterm plan of reducing runaway costs, which will be instrumental in reducing and preventing expensive pension debts for future generations.

Florida policymakers should continue to seek reforms that strengthen the Investment Plan and reduce the risks of public pension debt. It is important to vigilantly guide FRS all the way back to full funding without adding more risks of runaway costs.

Zachary Christensen is managing director of Reason Foundation’s Pension Integrity Project, and Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason and a resident of Sarasota.

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ADRIAN MOORE AND ZACHARY CHRISTENSEN

Christensen

Preliminary county budget increases spending by 36%

Personnel requests keep pace with population increase, but county administrator looks to trim $3.3M before submitting the recommended budget for fiscal year 2024.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

With a 14.46% increase of the taxable value of property in Sarasota County, the good news is the county government has more than $30 million in additional ad valorem revenue to work with for next fiscal year, should the millage rate remain unchanged.

On the other side of the budgetary coin, spending requests among constitutional and other county departments were up by 36% when County Administrator Jonathan Lewis presented the preliminary spending plan to county commissioners during their first fiscal year 2024 budget workshop.

For the benefit of the three new commissioners who had yet to experience the county budget process — Mark Smith, Joe Neunder and Neil Rainford — Lewis pointed out that the preliminary budget is just that, and is not a recommended budget. Additionally, it’s based on a preliminary assessment of the total taxable property value in the county.

“This is a preliminary budget,” Lewis said. “My proposed budget to the board doesn’t come out until after we receive the final property values from the property appraiser. This is a preliminary budget combining the departments under my responsibility as well as the others that you are responsible for funding. I think it’s important to note that much of the actual revenues and expenditures in here are projections, three to 15 months out into the future.

“This is a plan for a budget that’s projecting that far out into the future in terms of what our departments are going to have to buy 12 months from now and how does that relate to where we are in the economy. It also tries to anticipate new needs as we go into (fiscal year) ’24 that the board has looked at and it always works to balance between revenues and expenditures as we go forward.”

Lewis based the preliminary budget on a projected taxable value of $93.4 billion, a number that was officially certified on June 27 by Bill Furst, the county’s property appraiser, at $94.2 billion.

At $93.4 billion, ad valorem revenue for the next fiscal year was

LETTERS

Keep the Van Wezel

Words make worlds — the shore-hugging, organically modern, Wright-rooted Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has long been lauded as the “Crown Jewel of Sarasota Bay”.

Words proclaim — legendary architect Carl Abbott called the Van Wezel “Sarasota’s icon”.

Words shape sentiment — status markers, like “world class,” bestow esteem, or take it away.

Words build drama — descriptions like “in the flood plain” are true of the entire bayfront.

Words evoke emotion — “Sarasota has the Wright stuff,” envied St. Pete’s mayor at the debut.

Words compare — musician John Legend likened the audience intimacy to “performing in someone’s living room”.

90% of the shows, the Van Wezel is sized correctly. Given Sarasota’s proximity to Tampa’s Straz, there is no reason to add capacity.

Words admit — the middleaged building isn’t perfect – deferred maintenance is needed, storm surge protection measures should be evaluated, backstage areas need facelifts, and routine theatrical equipment upgrades should be ongoing.

Words repair — once the purple ribbon panel is seated, the city will have the right experts to analyze what it will cost and take to restore the theater’s luster, protect it, and keep it what it has been for 53 years a pearl of a performing arts presenting hall.

projected in the preliminary budget at $255.7 million, up from $226 million in the current fiscal year. Both of those are based on 95% to budget. Actual revenue collected in fiscal year 2022 was $195.2 million.

Now with the property valuation complete, Lewis and staff will go about the process of finalizing his proposed budget, which is due July 11, when the County Commission is scheduled to set the tentative millage rate for next fiscal year. The board can change that rate as it goes deeper into budget season, but it cannot exceed that tentative rate.

The budget growth coincides with the property value increase, largely affected by the value of new development, which brings population growth. More county citizens mean more county personnel to serve them.

The preliminary budget included an increase of 54.42 full-time equivalents across all departments. That keeps pace with the number of FTEs per capita for departments under the county commission’s purview  of 5.36 per 1,000, and 3.02 per 1,000 for constitutional officers and other boards and agencies — both ratios the same as the current fiscal year. Should all additional FTEs be

BUDGET SCHEDULE

July 11: Set tentative not-toexceed millage rate

Aug. 25: Budget workshop (if needed)

Sept. 11: Public hearing

Sept. 26: Public hearing and budget adoption

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Fiscal year 2024 preliminary spending requests by category.

Operating: $1.26 billion

Capital: $305.41 million

Transfers & Reserves: $311.46 million

Debt: $101.32 million

Total: $1.98 billion

approved, that would bring the county’s total employment to 3,894. The adopted general fund millage rate for FY 2023 is 2.9251 and total rate for all funds is 3.4463. On average, the county collects approximately 0.89% of a property’s value in taxes. For a property worth $500,000, that amounts to $4,450 per year.

Costliest of the county-funded departments is the Sheriff’s Office, which this year is requesting $181.8 million in spending, up $30.37 million from last year’s $151.44 million for an increase of 20%. The Sheriff’s Office includes operating the Sarasota County Jail.

Lewis, though, is looking to trim the preliminary budget prior to submitting his recommended budget.

“It is my recommendation that we look at doing a reduction at the total general fund budget of $3.3 million,” Lewis said. “The majority of it would fall to me and the sheriff at $1.4 million each. That’s not a cut in today’s resources. That’s a cut in growth going into 2024.”

WORSHIP directory

Words drive action — “paint it the color of this scallop,” intoned Frank Lloyd Wright’s widow, setting off decades of word wars about the lilac shell with the rippled roof that glistens in the gloaming, performing Sarasota’s beachy Mod vibe, playful spirit, artsy nature and civic essence.

Words make-believe — thespian Helen Hayes described the lavender lady as “an actor’s ideal theater.”

Words award — since the expansion twenty years ago to make the stage house large enough for Broadway sets, the Van Wezel has won “best in class” touring theater seven times.

Words reverberate — theatrical flytowers aren’t ideal for orchestral performances, and the popularity of the Broadway series led to competition for booking dates during season.

Words resonate — these were among the considerations that led to the Sarasota Orchestra’s decision to start planning its own dedicated concert hall over a decade ago.

Words preserve — when The Bay Park Master Plan was drafted, a placeholder was sketched reflecting the possible new symphony hall to complement the Van Wezel. The situation changed when the orchestra announced its new regional music center.

Words wound — the capital of Florida’s cultural coast boasts a remarkably memorable performance hall whose reputation has been unfairly tarnished by expecting the Apollo Theater to be Carnegie Hall or Sarasota to be Sydney.

Words elucidate — with seats available for almost

Words communicate — while they study, the taxpaying residents of Sarasota, generous philanthropists at the Performing Arts Foundation, civic stewards in the city’s government, and visionaries at The Bay Park should have a community-wide conversation to collectively reimagine what indoor and outdoor arts and leisure spaces would bring the most enjoyment to the greatest number of people at Sarasota’s bayside culture park.

Words co-create — we could convert Holley Hall to smaller performance spaces for local artists. Or ask Renzo Piano to design an iconic amphitheater like Clearwater’s new The Sound. Or build a parking structure so the asphalt expanse could be repurposed as free greenspace for families and festivals. There is no one right answer. But there is one wrong one – entertaining the idea of putting Sarasota’s purple heart and soul out to pasture.

KELLY FRANKLIN

SARASOTA

Kelly Franklin is a city of Sarasota resident and the editor of KeeptheVanWezel.com.

She studied the Van Wezel, the bayfront context and benchmark symphony halls as part of the 2016 University of Florida CityLab master’s in architecture program.

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A+E INSIDE:

<THINGS TO DO: The Circus Arts Conservatory’s Summer Circus Spectacular offers affordable family fun. 12

‘BLACK PEARL SINGS’ In FST’s latest production, two women engage in a tug of war to save slave-era songs. 13

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

JULY 13, 2023

COME TO THE (SUMMER) CABARET

Beat the heat with three fun-filled musical revues at Florida Studio Theatre.

Did you hear how a bachelor party stormed the stage July 4 at Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret? They wanted to warm up for their party at the Art Ovation Hotel, so they stopped by the cabaret, sang some Beach Boys songs and knocked a few beach balls around.

Actually, the four guys dressed in tight white jeans and pastel polos were “The Surfer Boys,” one of three cabaret shows playing at FST this summer.  Their bachelor party routine was pretty convincing though, as was the woman in an American flag dress pulled from the audience to dance to “Come Go With Me.” She was a real trouper, especially since she was hindered by a broken leg.

When the temperature soars and the snowbirds fly home, it is traditional for Sarasota’s arts venues to close their doors and start planning for the next season. But as more people discover the charms of Sarasota — not just rock stars and retirees but remote workers — summer entertainment is heating up. FST’s cabaret scene is sizzling.

Some may recall how Megan Thee Stallion coined the tag “#hotgirlsummer” back in 2019.

Following her lead, The New York Times recently polled people on their proposed hashtag for summer 2023. In Sarasota, it’s shaping up to be an #FSTcabaretsummer.

“The Surfer Boys” brings back the good vibrations of the Beach Boys, but you won’t hear any references to the Wilson brothers (Brian, Dennis and Carl) or their cousin, Mike Love. These Surfer Boys are generic.

Broadway veterans perform Beach Boys hits like “I Get Around,” “Barbara Ann” and “Little Deuce Coupe” and pepper their show with local references in the spoken part of the show, what music types call the “libretto.”

It’s a winning formula that has worked twice before for “Surfer Boys” creator and Director Brian Noonan. He created and performed in “The Jersey Tenors” in 2017 at FST and returned in 2022 with “The Jersey Tenors — Part II.”

Some of the Jersey Tenors and Surfer Boys spent time in the trenches in touring productions of “Jersey Boys” and also appeared in the Broadway sensation “Les Miserables.”

The six-member cast of “The Surfer Boys” consists of J.D. Daw, Joseph DePietro, Kenneth Quinney Francoeur, Brandon Lambert, Bruno Vida and Michael Jayne Walker. (Only four of the six perform nightly in the show, which runs through Aug. 13.)

Sarasota audiences will remember Lambert as a Jersey Tenor from this

past summer, when he appeared along with Noonan, Vaden Thurgood and Michael Pilato.

Thurgood is coming back to FST with his own musical revue, “Creedence Clearwater Remixed!,” which runs Aug. 22 through Oct. 22. It follows CCR founder John Fogerty and his 50-year battle with Fantasy Records to obtain the rights to his songs (He finally won in January) as well as his struggle with alcoholism and depression.  Don’t worry, though. It’s not a dark tale, Thurgood says. It’s good vibes only on cabaret time.

In his autobiography, Fogerty credits his current wife, Julie, with stabilizing his life and helping him discover the joys of domesticity after so many years on the road. Indeed, “Creedence Clearwater Remixed” includes a female performer, even though the group was all male.

Thurgood has been shopping around his CCR show for a few years at conferences that specialize in such things. Some producers and venues didn’t think Fogerty’s repertoire, which includes the Tina Turner anthem “Proud Mary” and CCR hits like “Bad Moon Rising” and “Fortunate Son,” was recognizable enough to form the basis of a successful show.

Industry people had the same reaction to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons before the runaway success of “Jersey Boys,” Thurgood notes. For Thurgood, CCR is personal. “In my household growing up, you were allowed to like the Beatles, but you had to like CCR,” he says. “There were no ifs, ands and buts about it.”

When he began working on “Creedence Clearwater Remixed!”

Thurgood said “Fortunate Son” was his favorite Fogerty song, but now “Born on a Bayou” tops his chart. Asked about hits from Fogerty’s solo career, Thurgood said he only could find room for “Center Field” in his show. He regrets that “Rock and Roll Girls” and “The Old Man Down the Road” didn’t make the cut.

The shows at FST’s summer cabaret are 70 minutes long, slightly shorter than the 90 minutes common on the cruise ship circuit.

Despite some industry skepticism about CCR’s modern-day appeal, Catherine Randazzo is a believer. Randazzo, whose official title at FST is literary manager/associate artist, is the dynamo behind the venue’s summer cabaret season. In a telephone interview, Noonan said

Randazzo practically finishes his sentences (in a good way). She also customizes FST shows so they’re filled with local landmarks and humorous references.

One reason why Randazzo has confidence in FST’s 2023 summer lineup is the track record of Noonan and Thurgood. Both delivered knockout performances night after night in “Jersey Tenors — Pt. II.”

Like every good marketer, Randazzo understands that audiences like the familiar but they also want something new.

“The ’60s and ’70s are the sweet spot for our audiences,” she says. Many cruise lines, which are a popular venue for musical revues, have moved onto the ’80s, but Randazzo and Noonan agreed that FST audiences might not be ready for that era.

Lest anyone think summer cabaret is a boys club, fear not. The third show in the FST summer lineup is “Divas Three,” featuring a trio of powerhouse pipes in sequins belting out the songs of Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and other superstar songstresses.

Subscribers are responsible for filling nearly every seat at FST’s summer cabaret shows, but single tickets are available. The subscription for the three shows brings the ticket price down to less than $20 for each show before the cost of food and drink.

Regional theaters are hurting and closing down across the country, with attendance down 30% from pre-Covid levels. But at FST, cabarets

“The Surfer Boys” features the hits of the Beach Boys and follows four young men at a bachelor party in Sarasota.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

>

“The ’60s and ’70s are the sweet spot for our audiences.”

Catherine Randazzo

Catherine Randazzo, literary manager/ associate artist at Florida Studio Theatre, has been the driving force behind its summer cabaret series.

Courtesy photos

are booming, expanding from one summer show of four weeks to three shows of eight and even 10 weeks since the debut of FST summer cabaret in 2014. Their growth has coincided with Randazzo’s nineyear tenure. The Randazzo-Noonan-Thurgood collaboration is certainly responsible for the success, but demographics have played a part. (The moving company PODS recently listed Sarasota as its No. 2 destination for final container dropoffs.)

What might be on FST’s stages in the future? Nothing has been signed yet, but Noonan says he is working on a show called “To Be Perfectly Frank,” featuring a young crooner and an older singer paying tribute to Old Blue Eyes. A pianist makes up the third member of the musical revue. For his part, Thurgood says

cabaret lovers should keep their eye on a group called MidAtlantic Men, which has been performing on cruise ships featuring a battle of U.S. and U.K. bands and could be heading to a cabaret near you.

Thurgood is working on a show featuring Emily Ann Yates, who has made musical waves on cruise ships with her revue, “The Show Must Go On.”

Yates “shows you what it is like to be a true diva,” he says.

We’ll see what the cast of “Divas

Three” has to say about that. The show opened July 11 and runs through Sept. 10 at FST’s Court Cabaret.

Created and conceived by Brian Noonan, “The Jersey Tenors” laid the foundation for The Beach Boys tribute, “The Surfer Boys,” which runs through Aug. 11 at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret.

Created by Vaden Thurgood, “Creedence Clearwater Remixed!” follows the career of John Fogerty, founder of Creedence Clearwater Revival, and features hit songs such as “Proud Mary” and “Center Field.”

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR

2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road

$15-$20

Visit CircusArts.org.

Heidi Herriott, a third-generation American circus artist, presides over performances by hand balancers, clowns, jugglers and aerial rope artists, just to name a few. The affordable entertainment is a partnership between Circus Arts Conservatory and the Ringling. Runs through Aug. 12.

THURSDAY JAZZ AT THE SAM

5:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

Free-$20

Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

In partnership with the Jazz Club of Sarasota, the Sarasota Art Museum presents a performance by David Pruyn Quartet.

THE SURFER BOYS

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1265 First St.

$18

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

From the group that brought you

The Jersey Tenors comes a rousing tribute to the band that took America on a “Surfin’ Safari” in the early 1960s. Four Broadway veterans

bring The Beach Boys’ biggest hits to life with classics like “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “Barbara Ann” and many more. Runs through Aug. 13.

DIVAS THREE

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18 and up

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Three female vocalists present four decades of songs made famous by Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and other women who have won the coveted title of “Diva.” It’s not just their voices that make them divas; it’s their costumes and their attitude. Runs through Sept. 3.

FRIDAY

FIVE FLORIDA ARTS TEACHERS IN CONVERSATION

1 p.m. at Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood

Free with $5 registration fee Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org

After spending two weeks on the Hermitage campus, five arts educators from across the state will share their perspectives with the community. The five teachers are Jeffrey Brown (music, Orange County), James Finch (painting, Brevard County), Omar Otero (photography and painting, Seminole County), Rachael Pongetti (visual art, Escambia County) and Katherine Gebhart (writing and illustration, Palm Beach County).

WEDNESDAY

SARA NELMS

7 p.m. at Centennial Park, Venice Free Visit VisitVeniceFl.org/Friday-NightConcert-Series.

A favorite on the Gulf Coast music circuit, Sara Nelms appears in the free summer concert series hosted by Venice MainStreet. Bring your own chairs or picnic blankets. No alcohol permitted.

OUR PICK

‘LIVING IN PARADISE’ OPENING RECEPTION

The outpost of the arts collective Creative Liberties presents artwork by the residents of the ARCOS Apartments in the Rosemary District. Meet the artists and enjoy light bites and beverages.

IF YOU GO

When: 5-7 p.m. Thursday, July 13

Where: Creative Liberties at Gaze Gallery, 340 Central Ave. Tickets: Free Info: CreativeLiberties.net

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH ALYSON DOLAN

1:15 p.m. at Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts, Suite 300 Free Visit SarasotaContemporaryDance. org.

Alyson Dolan was Sarasota Contemporary Dance’s inaugural Choreographer in Residence from 2012-14

An original member of the Austin Soundpainting Collective, Dolan returned to Sarasota this summer.

DON’T MISS

‘FAME! THE MUSICAL’

“Fame! The Musical” showcases students in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s annual summer musical theater program. Based on the 1980 musical film of the same name, the program follows students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts as they deal with classes, auditions and life.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m., July 15-16

Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. Tickets: $27 Info: WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Courtesy photos

“Fame! The Musical” runs July 15-16 at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe featuring students in WBTT’s summer intensive musical theater program.

“Living in Paradise” features artwork by the residents of the ARCOS Apartments.

Saving Songs from Silence

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Time is cruel to art — music especially. The authentic folk songs of the past are often silenced. Why do a few still play? It’s often because someone fought against the silence. Frank Higgins’ “Black Pearl Sings!” brings a fictionalized version of this very real fight to Florida Studio Theatre.

Back in the 1930s, “songhunters” like Alan and John Lomax crisscrossed the country making recordings of genuine roots music. Susannah Mullally (Rachel Moulton) is the play’s fictional folklorist. She’s on a quest for Black folk songs — as close to the originals as she can get.

Susannah’s search takes her to a Texas prison, where she finds Alberta “Pearl” Johnson (Alice M. Gatling). This woman has a powerful voice — and powerful memories of slavery-era songs passed down by her Gullah ancestors. Most of those songs remain unrecorded.

If Susannah adds Pearl’s songs to the Library of Congress audio archive, she’ll achieve the lofty goal of preserving history. But Susannah is an underpaid musicologist. Those recordings will win her an academic position and a decent income.

But Pearl’s indifferent to Susannah’s mixed motives. This white lady wants recordings of the old songs? Fine. Pearl wants something in return. The archivist gets her out of prison, but that’s not enough. Pearl demands that Susannah help find her missing daughter. If she can’t help, Pearl will remain silent.

The tug of war continues throughout the play. Pearl releases one song for every clue Susannah finds. But she keeps the song her ancestors brought from Africa in her pocket.

Director Kate Alexander makes the most of Higgins’ strong characters and razor-sharp dialogue. It turns on a dime from heartbreaking to hilarious. The actors make the most of it, too.

Gatling’s portrayal of Pearl reprises her performance in FST’s 2009 production and the play’s 2007 premiere. Her Pearl has no illusions about the machinery of the white power structure (do-gooders and bleeding hearts included). She doesn’t spare Susannah’s feelings — and speaks her mind about her white savior’s hypocrisy. Gatling’s singing voice comes from the depths of her soul. With never a false note.

Moulton’s Susannah is no saint. But the playwright doesn’t set her

IF YOU GO

‘BLACK PEARL SINGS!’:

When: Through July 30

Where: Florida Studio

Theatre’s Keating Theatre, 1241

N. Palm Ave.

Tickets: $25-$39

Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

up as a cardboard villain, either. Despite her character’s flaws, Moulton plays her as an idealist. Susannah doesn’t become bosom buddies with Pearl. But the two characters do form common cause before the final curtain. It just takes lot of bickering to get there.

This human chess game comes to life in Isabel & Moriah CurleyClay’s two sets — the warden’s spartan office in the first act, and a wealthy bohemian’s New York City walkup stuffed with books and art in the second act.

From prison stripes to evening gowns, Nia Safarr Banks’ costumes are visual shorthand for the era’s identity code. Ethan Vail’s lighting goes from realistic (in the present) to phantasmagoric (in moments of memory and imagination).

Louis Vetter Torres’ music design is vital in this play. “Black Pearl Sings!” isn’t a musical. But it’s packed with music — with songs like “Down on Me” and “This Little Light of Mine” punctuating the spoken world dialogue. Torres makes the music seem like the background score of the play’s world, not a stagey interruption.

But who wins the chess game? Does the constant verbal (and occasionally physical) sparring between Susannah and Pearl make any sense?

You’d better believe it.

After experiencing Higgins’ smart, heartfelt play, you won’t take the old songs for granted ever again. The playwright shows the cost of what it took to save them from silence.

Courtesy photos Alice M. Gatling and Rachel Moulton engage in a tug of war over slave music.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Hot diggity dog

The Longboat Key Chamber rang in the Fourth of July with a butterfly release, a patriotic dog costume contest and the shortest parade in America.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

The 20th annual Freedom Fest was decked out in red, white and blue, and Bay Isles Road was full of hundreds of people ready to experience one of the most anticipated and beloved events of the year.

“Everything ran incredibly smoothly,” said Connie Darrah, parttime assistant at the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce. “Chamber members volunteered. The parade started right on time. Bicentennial Park was jam-packed with people for the butterfly release. And the games were a really big success too.”

Chamber President Gail Loefgren and Observer Vice President Lisa Walsh co-founded the Freedom Fest. Loefgren had to miss the fest this year due to knee replacement surgery, but she organized most of it beforehand and then finalized everything from home. She said that since she has been planning this event for years, everything was easy to set up again and fell into place nicely. Since she wasn’t able to attend, her new assistant Darrah managed the event.

The “shortest parade in America” started next to Truist Bank on Bay Isles Road and marched to Temple Beth Israel before turning around and ending at Bicentennial Park. Longboat Key residents and their families lined up along the road to wave and cheer.

The Longboat Key Garden Club led the parade as the grand marshals. The lineup also included the Longboat

WINNERS OF THE HOT DIGGITY DOG PARADE

Most Patriotic Dog: Biscuit, with owners Nancy and Tony Roberts

Most Creative Dog: Kali and Kiwi, with owners Kristy and Bart Connelly

Best Owner & Dog

Combination:

Heather Shuh and her family and their dog, Rosey

Honorable mentions:

Gail Yeager and her dog Hetty; Rick Rubeis and his dog Lucky; Jorge and Hailey Aguero and their dogs, Lucky and Lady

Key Police Department, Fire Rescue Department, Observer Media Group, the Paradise Center, Cannons Marina, chamber members, the Rotary Club, Michael Saunders & Co. and the dogs of the Hot Diggity Dog Contest. The groups threw candy, necklaces and other prizes to the crowd.

Cannons Marina was planning to offer a $500 cash prize to the most patriotic business entry in the parade so long as there was a minimum of 10 business entries. Unfortunately, the quota wasn’t met, but Cannons Marina did select the Observer as the most patriotic entry.

“Great for the kids with the butterfly release,” said Ivan Zunz, who works the front desk at the Longboat Key Police Department. “I like the fact that there’s just one road on and off. It’s sort of a tight-knit little community, especially around this time, it is people who are here year-round and aren’t visiting.”

The butterfly release happened at 9:30 a.m. after the parade. People gathered in Bicentennial Park and each received a package with an individually wrapped butterfly. Each person released a butterfly, filling the park with young butterflies, who took their time to wake up and fly. Children couldn’t help but follow them and attempt to pick them up.

Each group that participated in the parade had a table set up in Bicentennial Park for an opportunity to mingle and chat about their mission. There were also games, face painting, live music and Belgian waffles from the Blue Dolphin Cafe.

Nancy Schroeder has been going every year since she moved here and brought her family this year. “I have my two grandkids here and they’re loving it. They’re playing games. They let butterflies go. They love their waffles from the Blue Dolphin. They’re having a great time.”

The Hot Diggity Dog parade costume contest is a crowd favorite for Freedom Fest. It was started by the Longboat Key Rotary Club as a way for people to support their mission of putting in an off-theleash dog park in Bayfront Park.

Now, after 10 years, it’s hard for people to imagine the fest without it.

“When we put out our email blast to the community to the people who

participated in the past, I get some immediate responses from people who’ve done it every year,” said Carol Erker, who organized the Hot Diggity Dog contest. “They always say, ‘My dog really looks forward to this.’ Oh, really? Just the dog was looking forward to this? So it’s just a fun thing to rally around.”

Erker said the event has created a big community of dog-lovers in the area. This year, 23 dogs and families entered in the contest.

“It’s just so Americana from a sophisticated place like Longboat Key,” said Jim Seaton, who has played Uncle Sam every fest. “This and the 9/11 flags are two of the greatest things that happened on this Key.”

Photos by Petra Rivera

The Longboat Key Garden Club led the 2023 Freedom Fest parade as the grand marshals.

A canine participant in the Rotary Club’s Hot Diggity Dog parade.

Jim Seaton plays Uncle Sam at Freedom Fest.

Beth Gotthelf and her dog Lena

Patriotic party at Longboat Harbour

Longboat Harbour Condominium hosted a Fourth of July celebration for its residents to connect and engage on the holiday. The party was filled with great conversation, delicious food and patriotic music.

Husband-and-wife duo Karen and Richard “Sparky” Pashkow are co-chairs of the recreation committee and hosted the event in the recreation hall. Karen Pashkow explained that she recently had ear surgery, so a group of volunteers stepped forward to help set up for the event when she needed to rest.

There were supposed to be 48 people in attendance but the list grew to 65, said Karen Pashkow.

“We have a lot of new people. I was looking at Friday afternoon. The secretary sent me the list. I was so surprised because it’s offseason, but there’s new members here at the residence.”

Marilyn and David Bottger bought a condo at Longboat Harbour in 2015 and are finally getting to utilize it for the summer.

“It’s so nice for them to organize this because we are down here and we don’t know exactly what to do,” said Marilyn Bottger.

The volunteers decked out the hall in red, white and blue and made a dinner and dessert spread. They also helped with serving, handing out name tags and playing music.

“I love the camaraderie. I am always meeting people,” said Gregory Bodkin, who has lived in Longboat Harbour for over a year now. He has been taking new residents under his wing, such as the Bottgers and Ted Lowder, who has been testing out if he wants to live at Longboat Harbour.

Bill Coughlin has lived on Longboat Key for 20 years and runs the Yacht Club and the Men’s Club at Longboat Harbour. He and his wife, Bonnie, are involved in the community as Bonnie Coughlin is the president of the board of Longboat Harbour. Bill Coughlin explained there are about two events a month between the different clubs and committees.

Bill Coughlin said, “This is by far the most active community on Longboat Key. No one’s even close.”

— PETRA RIVERA

Photos by Petra Rivera

Gina Spillers, West Ludwig, Joeanne Schuster and V-Ann Hobby relax before the party.

Gina Spillers and V-Ann Hobby handed out name tags as people came into the Longboat Harbour Fourth of July party.

Residents and visitors dig into the spread.

Carol Pacheco made Fourth of July-themed cakes for the Longboat Harbour Fourth of July party. Karen Pashkow and Bonnie Coughlin enjoy putting on the Longboat Harbour Fourth of July party.

Spending the Fourth with friends

Seaplace Condominiums hosted a party for its residents in the clubhouse in celebration of the Fourth of July, and residents came with their families who were in town visiting.

“It’s paradise. The grounds are beautiful. The people are so nice.

There’s great security. We have great community,” said Sandy Swindal, a new resident attending her first party at Seaplace.

The event planning committee, headed by June Hessel, took the whole morning to decorate the clubhouse and prepare for everyone to come. There was a whole spread of classic Fourth of July favorites such as hot dogs and hamburgers, which were cooked on the grill by different residents. Inside, there was an assortment of sweets.

The committee plans for every major holiday, along with other special events that happen throughout the year, such as the start of season in Longboat Key, the Kentucky Derby, a Seaplace golf tournament and a Seaplace art show.

“Seaplace is like a home to me, and I have known most of these people for 30 some years,” said Nancy Chanos of building connections with her fellow residents.

Chanos explained that her friends at Seaplace have become family, sharing holidays, such as the Fourth, and everyday life together, as well. Chanos loves life on Longboat Key so much she invited her son to come down to join her.

People sat with friends they have known for many years and made at events like this one.

— PETRA RIVERA

Photos by Petra Rivera

Juan Rivera, MJ Blum, Sandy Swindal, Nerissa Darter and Lee Darter

Sue Antonello and Ronda Montminy at the desserts table

Nancy Hjort, Dottie Pirolli, Glen Hjort and Marilyn Watsey helped decorate the clubhouse for the Seaplace Fourth of July party.

June Hessel, Michael Darter and Sandy Endres enjoy the view of the Gulf of Mexico from the Seaplace clubhouse patio.

“The community is so wonderful and warm, very welcoming. They welcome everyone there. They’re very supportive. We have so many events here, and they love the events.”

— Sandy Endres

SUNDAY, JULY 16

MUSIC BY CHAD TALLMAN

Noon-3 p.m. at Whitney’s 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Free. Enjoy the musical performance of New York native Chad Tallman over a meal. The guitarist and singer plays all styles of rock, pop and some jazz.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19

IMPROV FOR EVERYONE

From noon to 1 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Florida Studio Theatre is teaching an improvisation class that incorporates brain games. This class focuses on the tenets of improvisation: creativity, comedic interaction and thinking quickly on your feet. Fee is $10 for members; $20 for nonmembers. RSVP by July 17. Call 383-6493.

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

9 a.m. to noon at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS

LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE

The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to noon at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 383-4738.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

LONGBOAT LIBRARY

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays. 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 383-2011.

TUESDAYS QI GONG

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Qi gong is a mind-body-spirit practice designed to improve mental and physical health. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

YOGA

From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The

BEST BET

THURSDAYS

SUNSET YOGA

7:15 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 3970 Royal Road, Longboat Key. Free. Yoga instructor Angela Mali leads a holistic yoga class at 7:15 p.m. most Thursdays near the public beach access across from Bayfront Park, weather permitting. Get in touch with Mother Nature in a beautiful, tranquil beachfront setting during this relaxing and engaging yoga class appropriate for all ages and levels. Enjoy the sunset while practicing breath work, poses and gratitude. RSVP before class with a call or text to 618-789-7226.

Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road.

Debbie Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class that can be done on a mat or in a chair. Cost is $15; free for members. Call 383-6493.

MAHJONG 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Enjoy a game aimed at experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email Amy@TheParadiseCenter.org.

ROTARY CLUB

Meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday in All Angels Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road. Call Nancy Rozance at 203-605-4066 or email Info@LongboatKeyRotary.org.

WEDNESDAYS

BEGINNER TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

LONGBOAT KEY

WATER CLUB $3,545,000

Spectacular 6th floor 3BR/4BA redesigned Dover plan. Highend finishes include private elevator opening to Sarasota Bay & city skyline views from floor to ceiling glass and mastersuite terrace offers Gulf vistas.. Luxurious resort style lving on beautiful beach w/all amenities.

Spectacular 3BD/ 4BA 3,400sf open plan w/10’ ceilings & Gulf-side wrap around terraces. One of 21 in meticulously maintained Gulf front gated community w/ Gulf-side pool & spa. Conveniently located mid-key.

LONGBOAT KEY

L’AMBIENCE $3,650,000

Casually elegant, rarely available 3BR/4BA direct beachfront walk-out. Private staircase from your private Gulf front terrace leads directly to the beach & Gulf. Amenities include lobby concierge, 24hr guarded gate, olympic sized pool, 2 har-tru tennis courts, fitness center & more.

LONGBOAT KEY

• CANAL LOT#1

• CANAL LOT#2

$1,995,000

$1,995,000

Build your dream home on one of north LBK’s most desirable streets. Premier boating location. Great canal leads directly to Bay & ICW No bridges. Walk to beach.

LONGBOAT KEY

BOATERS DREAM $2,850,000

Meticulous 4 BD/3 BA wide deep water canal with direct access to Sarasota Bay - no bridges! Great dock. 2 boat lifts. Private beach access directly across the street.

Wanted: Volunteers for the Paradise Center

whether it’s helping us in the garden or to help sign people in or set up for a mahjong game,” Steinhauser said.

The Longboat Key Paradise Center received a $4,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to relaunch its volunteer program.

Amy Steinhauser, the center’s new program manager, will lead the volunteer program. She started in her part-time position in April but was a member of the Paradise Center since moving from New Jersey to Longboat Key in 2021.

The volunteer program was paused during the pandemic to ensure health safety, explained Executive Director Suzy Brenner in a press release. Now, the staff is excited to reopen the doors to such an important part of the center.  Brenner said that the money from the grant is mostly for Steinhauser’s salary, since coordinating volunteers is a big part of her job description. She also mentioned that the grant will be used to promote the relaunch of the program.

“There’s so many people in our community who have had incredibly accomplished careers, and to have them here would be an honor,

Along with these volunteer positions, Steinhauser added that the center will need volunteers for its annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that it sponsors in October. She emphasized the center is open to having volunteers help with almost anything, and hopes it will be an opportunity for volunteers to get involved in the community. Those interested in volunteering at the enter should call Steinhauser at 383-6493.

“We talk so much about isolation and loneliness among seniors,” said Brenner. “And one of the things that’s important, particularly for senior mental health, is having a purpose outside yourself. One of those purposes is a volunteer assignment like someplace that needs you.”

According to the press release, there is no minimum time commitment. Individuals can volunteer shortor long-term to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

Steinhauser added in the press release, “We need a team of people we can rely on for ongoing tasks, either on a regular schedule, or for special events as needed. The retirees on Longboat Key have incredible professional experience and we’re lucky to have their skills for even a few hours a week.”

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

The center recently received a $4,000 grant to relaunch its volunteer program.

Petra Rivera

Suzy Brenner and Amy Steinhauser at the Paradise Center

LONGBOAT KEY

WATER CLUB $3,545,000

Spectacular 6th floor 3BR/4BA redesigned Dover plan. Highend finishes include private elevator opening to Sarasota Bay & city skyline views from floor to ceiling glass and mastersuite terrace offers Gulf vistas.. Luxurious resort style lving on beautiful beach w/all amenities.

Spectacular 3BD/ 4BA 3,400sf open plan w/10’ ceilings & Gulf-side wrap around terraces. One of 21 in meticulously maintained Gulf front gated community w/ Gulf-side pool & spa. Conveniently located mid-key.

LONGBOAT KEY

L’AMBIENCE $3,650,000

Casually elegant, rarely available 3BR/4BA direct beachfront walk-out. Private staircase from your private Gulf front terrace leads directly to the beach & Gulf. Amenities include lobby concierge, 24hr guarded gate, olympic sized pool, 2 har-tru tennis courts, fitness center & more.

LONGBOAT KEY

• CANAL LOT#1

• CANAL LOT#2

$1,995,000

$1,995,000

Build your dream home on one of north LBK’s most desirable streets. Premier boating location. Great canal leads directly to Bay & ICW No bridges. Walk to beach.

LONGBOAT KEY

BOATERS DREAM $2,850,000

Meticulous 4 BD/3 BA wide deep water canal with direct access to Sarasota Bay - no bridges! Great dock. 2 boat lifts. Private beach access directly across the street.

Country Club Shores home tops weekly sales at $4.05 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Country Club Shores tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Steven and Wendy Pickford sold their home at 610 Yardarm Lane to Olden and Carol Lee, of Dallas, for $4.05 million. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,138 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.4 million in 2014.

QUEEN’S HARBOUR

Robert Heller, trustee, and Esther Heller, of Palm Beach Gardens, sold the home at 3636 Fair Oaks Place to John and Kimberly Jetts, of Washington Township, Michigan, for $3.5 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,463 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.7 million in 2012.

LONGBOAT KEY

Renee Waitkus, trustee, and Robert Waitkus, of New Orleans, sold the home at 830 Tarawitt Drive to NL Holdings LLC for $2,724,900. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,447 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,099,000 in 2008.

LIDO Olga Selivanova and William Shoff, of London, England, sold their home at 1168 Westway Drive to Hue Tuyet Tran Davis and Mark Lloyd Davis, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.6 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,858 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2015.

BAY ISLES

Ronald and Margaret Roth, of North Oaks, Minnesota, sold their home at 3358 Bayou Gate to Christopher Yanney and Elsie Rose Digoy Yanney, of Longboat Key, for $2.25 million. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,526 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.9 million in 2007.

TANGERINE BAY CLUB

Sanford and Marcia Mackman,

of Sarasota, sold their Unit 523 condominium at 380 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Edwin Holstein and Sherry Moss Holstein, of Belmont, Massachusetts, for $1.8 million. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,350 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,800 in 1994.

LONGBOAT SHORES

Thomas Tucker and Kim Royster, trustees, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 620 Buttonwood Drive to Iroquois Realty Corp. for $1.75 million. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,405 square feet of living area. It sold for $535,000 in 2018.

SLEEPY LAGOON PARK

Thomas Lee McCollum Jr. and Kaltrina Mavraj, of St. Johns, sold their home at 714 Norton St. to Rachid Baligh and Rosalia Belem Baligh-Ortega, of Longboat Key, for $1.74 million. Built in 1967, it has two bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,518 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.8 million in 2022.

FAIRWAY BAY Katheryn Ruff and Elizabeth Ruff, trustees, of Chicago, sold the Unit 611 condominium at 2120 Harbourside Drive to Michael and Deborah Turpin, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, for $1 million. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,550 square feet of living area. It sold for $370,000 in 1993.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

KEY

WINDWARD BAY

Transport Holdings LLC sold the Unit 306 condominium at 4960 Gulf of Mexico Drive to 4960 Investments LLC for $975,000. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,152 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2013.

SANDS POINT

Maria Santos and Lucia Ratmiroff sold their Unit 206 condominium at 100 Sands Point Road to Justin Eugene French, of Longboat Key, for $899,900. Built in 1966, it has two bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths and 1,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2012.

CLUB LONGBOAT BEACH & TENNIS

Thomas and Susan Paulson sold their Unit 115 condominium at 5055 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Philip and Patti Duncan, of Slatyfork, West Virginia, for $775,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,484 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2016 for $585,000. Built in 1978, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,076 square feet of living area. It sold for $140,000 in 1985.

James Peter

This home located at 610 Yardarm Lane sold for $4.05 million and has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,138 square feet of living area.

2023 SUMMER LUNCH

Proudly Sponsored by Williams Parker Attorneys at Law

|

To RSVP: Call AJC at 941.365.4955 or Online at: AJC.org/Sarasota/summer2023

Benjamin Rogers

AJC’s Director, Middle East and North Africa Initiatives

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2023

The United States, Israel, and the Arab World: Where do we go from here?

As we prepare to celebrate the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, where have there been successes, and where have there been challenges? Join us as we discuss the evershifting dynamics of U.S. – Middle East relations.

Belle Yoeli

AJC’s Chief Advocacy Officer

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

The State of Jewish Affairs: Around the World with AJC

There is never a dull moment for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Join us for an in-depth conversation as we tackle some of the most challenging current events and how they are impacting our community.

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