'Mowingate' fix focus of budget workshop

Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid will request County commissioners approve an additional $1.05 million to the 2013 fiscal year budget during a Feb. 8 budget workshop to avoid another roadside mowing fiasco.

County staff will present a plan to add 24 full-time employees and buy equipment to create county roadside mowing crews. The 2012 rainy season fueled overgrown medians and roadways after Bloomings Landscape and Turf Management defaulted on a contract to cut county grass.

The additional staff and capital assets will add an estimated $600,100 to annual budgets.

Reid will also request commissioners approve the adding $1.3 million to the 2013 fiscal year budget roughly 19 full time employees to improve athletic field maintenance. Those additions will add an estimated $420,000 to annual budgets.

Commissioners highlighted maintenance of the roughly 110 sports fields or structures as a priority during a Dec. 7 retreat.

Click here to view the staff budget presentation and click here to view a live feed of the workshop beginning at 10 a.m.

IF YOU GO
What: Sarasota County Commission budget meeting
When: 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8
Where: Administration Building, Third Floor Think Tank, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota