CDD 4 plans security changes

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Supervisors on the Lakewood Ranch Community Development District 4 board are hopeful a pending contractor change will improve the visibility of security patrols in the community.

CDD 4 supervisors May 17 agreed to hire U.S. Security & Associates, the company that provides security services in Districts 1, 2, 5 and at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, starting June 9.

For about $4,000 annually, the security contractor will provide the district with its own designated, marked car for roving security patrols.

Supervisor Keith Davey said the issue has been an outstanding item of concern with the district’s current provider, Diamond Investigations.

“We want a visibly marked car,” Davey said. “There’s been a number of occasions where the (Diamond patrol) car has been observed without markers. (The reason for the change) is primarily about visibility.”

Supervisors said they and residents feel the security patrols by marked cars, in particular, serve as a deterrent for crime and suspicious activities.

“There’s a comfort level in knowing there’s security there and that’s important to a significant portion of our residents,” CDD 4 Chairman Michael Griffin said.

In its proposal, U.S. Security has offered to provide a marked car for about $5,000 less annually than the district’s current security provider.

“I think it’s a win, win, win,” Supervisor Nancy Johnson said of the change.

Diamond Investigations has provided roving security patrol services within CDD 4 boundaries for the last year.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

In other business:
CDD 1
• A resident of the district complained several common-area trees were encroaching onto his property, with branches pushing up against his fence and also extending over it.
Operations staff members said the trees were being appropriately maintained and were not causing harm to the homeowner’s property.

• Town Hall Executive Director Eva Rey reported the district has 3,204 registered voters.

CDD 4
• Eva Rey reported the district has 2,554 registered voters.

CDDs 2 & 5
• In CDD 2, Chairman Bob Stepleman formally announced he will not re-run for office in November. Stepleman promised not to run if a proposal to incorporate Lakewood Ranch failed. He has served as a supervisor for about 10 years.

• For CDD 2, Rey reported the district has 2,277 registered voters.

• In CDD 5, supervisors agreed to modify plans for repairs to storm-drain inlets in the Portmarnock neighborhood. Upon starting repairs to replace base material and resurface sections of roadway, contractors discovered concrete above the underdrain.

“We can’t take all that concrete out,” district engineer Mike Kennedy said.

Contractors now will mill and resurface the roadway, which likely will result in cost savings.

• In CDD 5, Rey reported the district has 1,507 registered voters.