Ranch IDA plans new hires

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Supervisors on the Lakewood Ranch Inter-District Authority Board are gearing up for changes at Town Hall, including the hiring of four part-time employees and a slight change in the usage policy for the facility.

IDA supervisors Oct. 20 voted to change the employee classification table to provide for four new part-time positions: two accounting posts, one information technology position and one general maintenance position. Overall, because of restructuring of positions and employee attrition, the changes will reduce the IDA’s total salary and wages budget by more than $48,000 annually.

“It was a budget reduction,” IDA Supervisor Jean Stewart said. “How can you say anything about that?”
IDA Chairman Tom Green said he is confident the addition of a part-time weekend maintenance technician, especially, will improve service to residents and is needed.

“This is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation,” Green said. “It’s an effort to make sure during off hours we have coverage.”

Specifically, the approval creates a part-time general maintenance tech position to meet the needs of Lakewood Ranch’s districts on non-business days, Friday through Sunday. The new hire primarily will be assigned to park services, but also will handle weekend maintenance calls.

The action also creates two accounting positions from a vacant fiscal services technician position. One position will be a seasonal employee to aid the finance department during auditing season; the other will be dedicated to the accounting activities of the operations department.

The fourth position, for a part-time information technology specialist, will replace contract services and fulfill the IDA’s future needs.

“For a small operation, we’ve built a rather sophisticated IT (operation),” Green said. “We needed that whether we wanted it or not.”

IDA supervisors also approved a slight change in the usage policy for Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, which includes a $50 cancellation fee. Residents or groups that book a salon, but later call off their event, now must cancel their reservation for the room at least 72 hours before the scheduled time to avoid the charge.
Supervisors in Districts 1, 2, 4 and 5 have scheduled public hearings in December for changes in the usage fees for parks and other amenities.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

IN OTHER BUSINESS:

IDA
• Supervisors approved a contract with Holiday Trimmers Holiday Décor for $3,000 for holiday decorations throughout the district.
• Supervisors authorized the purchase of a 2012 Ford F-350 standard-cab diesel V-8 truck with four-wheel drive for operations department use. The vehicle will replace an older truck that is in need of repairs.

CDD 1
• Supervisors agreed to increase patrol hours for security provider Diamond Investigations and Security from 40 to 60 hours weekly. The change will increase the budget item from about $30,000 to more than $52,000 annually.
Supervisor Alan Roth said residents did not necessarily feel more security measures were needed; instead, they wanted more hours of security patrol coverage. Residents were concerned about calling Diamond when the patrol officer was not on duty, he said.
“The additional 20 hours will give us approximately nine hours a day (of coverage),” Roth said. “They will be out there when it’s perceived the need is greatest.”
Under the agreement, Diamond will have a patrol vehicle dedicated to the district, rather than having security officers drive their own vehicles.
• Supervisors approved an $800 contract with Trimmer Holiday Décor for holiday decorations.

CDDs 2 & 5
• Operations Director Ryan Heise reported finding settled storm drain inlets in the Canterbury neighborhood in CDD 2.
• Supervisors in CDDs 2 and 5 approved an agreement with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to utilize an off-duty deputy for services each week, at an hourly rate of $37. The deputy will target speeding within the district.
“There has been consistent complaints by residents (about speeding),” CDD 2 Chairman Bob Steplemen said. “We’re hoping to change people’s behaviors so they follow traffic laws.”
• Supervisors in both CDDs added language to their transponder policy to provide clarification for tenant residents.
• Supervisors approved an agreement with Trimmers Holiday Décor for holiday light and décor. Costs are not to exceed $15,650, shared between Districts 2 and 5.
• An inspection by Wilson Structural Consultants of the La Cantera wall, located along Hidden Trail Road, revealed deficiencies. CDD 5 will approach SMR about repairing cracks and other problems.

CDD 4
• Supervisors approved a contract with Taylor Brothers Stucco for $23,162.70 for custom mailbox covers in Greenbrook East. The new covers will match refurbished mailboxes in Greenbrook West.

All boards:
• Supervisors approved a licensing agreement with Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch that grants the districts permission to use SMR’s logo and phrases throughout the community on signposts, entry features and more. No agreement had been in place.
• Supervisors postponed until next month decisions to adjust the agenda review workshop meeting schedule for Districts 1, 2 and 5 and the IDA.