News Briefs

+ DID board member resigns due to travel
Pat Westerhouse, a Downtown Improvement District board member, has resigned from the board because of her need to travel extensively.

Westerhouse is the vice president of property management for Casto real estate firm and has been involved in the real-estate industry for 25 years.

Westerhouse’s board seat is open for appointment by the City Commission. DID board application forms are accessible online at did-sarasota.com.

+ Tony Souza elected chairman of the DSA
The Board of Directors of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance elected Tony Souza to be its new chairman of the board.

Souza is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker’s Longboat Key office and specializes in downtown residential real estate. Souza replaces outgoing chairman John Harshman.

Souza retired as executive director of Habitat for Humanity Sarasota Inc. in 2009 and previously served as the president of the former Downtown Partnership of Sarasota Inc. In that position, he was the leading force to create the Downtown Historic District. At the Partnership, he was involved in the planning for the revitalization of Fruitville Road and the creation of a Downtown Improvement District.

Before Souza moved to Sarasota, he served for 10 years as the executive director of WHALE, the Waterfront Historic Area League of New Bedford, Mass. That organization led the effort to revitalize 14 blocks of the old downtown area, which was named the New Bedford Whaling National Park in 1996.

+ Sarasota holiday service impacts
City of Sarasota administration offices will be closed the following days during the 2012 holiday season: Monday, Dec. 24, in observance of Christmas Eve; Tuesday, Dec. 25, in observance of Christmas Day; Tuesday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day.

Weekly garbage and recycling collection will be impacted on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day only. Regular Tuesday collection will be picked up the following day Wednesday, Dec. 26, as well as Wednesday, Jan. 2.

Lido Pool will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Meetings & Agendas
• Towles Court Artist Association Meeting — 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26, LeCafé Du Jardin, 238 S. Links Ave., Sarasota
• Alta Vista Neighborhood Meeting — 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, Concordia Lutheran Church, 2185 Wood St., Sarasota.