News Briefs

+ School district cancels security contract
How to best protect elementary school students will again be an up-in-the-air topic.

Effective Oct. 31, the school district will no longer contract with Sarasota Security Patrol Inc. to provide unarmed security officials to area elementary schools, according to an Oct. 1 press release.

The decision to remove the guards resulted from recommendations from the district’s staff and board attorneys and special counsel, who suggested the Manatee School Board violated Florida Sunshine Law.

The public was supposed to have been notified of the meeting of the evaluation committee that reviewed the submitted proposals from security firms, the release stated.

The school board expects the cancellation to remedy the lawsuit currently in place against the district by Citizens for Sunshine Inc. The nonprofit organization sued the school district recently, because of the process through which the district chose the security firm.

Manatee County School District officials have not said whether the proposal process will resume.

+ MTI plants seeds for farmworker careers
A statewide conference for farmers will be held at an East County school this week.

From Oct. 8 through Oct. 10, Manatee Technical Institute’s State Road 70 campus will house the 2014 Florida Farmworker Career Development Conference.

The annual conference develops skills of state farmworker education and career development program coordinators.

MTI’s farmworker career program helps migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Florida to obtain high-wage employment opportunities.

+ Meals on Wheels PLUS finds home for new program
A 6,700-square-foot building in the Spring Lake Forest Business Park, located off State Road 70, will help Meals on Wheels PLUS expand its reach and services.

The organization acquired the facility Sept. 29 to house its Daybreak Adult Day Services program, which provides temporary day care for elderly individuals.

Meals on Wheels PLUS board of directors purchased the building, previously a children’s day care that has been vacant for three years, at a discounted rate, along with financial aid from the Manatee County Commission.

+ Correction
Kimberly Dominguez, marketing and sponsorship director for the Mall at University Town Center, was misidentified in an Oct. 2 article.

Meetings & agendas
Manatee County Commission work session — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14, at the County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

Manatee County School District workshop — 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 14, at 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

Manatee County School District meeting — 5:45 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14, at 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

Manatee County School District Audit Committee meeting  — 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 15, at 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton