What's Happening: Week of May 7 2015

Siesta Key Code Enforcement officer to retire

Sarasota County Code Enforcement Officer John Lally announced his retirement at the Siesta Key Village Association meeting Tuesday.

Lally has been the lone code enforcement officer on Siesta for 13 years. His last day is May 22. 

Lally targeted illegal rentals on the Key during his career — he said he’d won all his cases that went before the special magistrate except for one. Lally regularly attended SKVA and Siesta Key Association meetings to keep residents informed about happenings in the community and discuss violation trends. He was instrumental in informing Key businesses about the outdoor display ordinance and permitting process after the ordinance was passed in October.

He is already training his replacement. Susan Stahley, a Manatee County resident and former Fish and Wildlife Commission officer.

“She’s going to have to stand her ground and use common sense,” Lally said. “I’m showing her all the nooks and crannies on Siesta Key.”

Siesta Key groups organize meeting for Big Pass dredge discussion

The Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, Siesta Key Village Association, Siesta Key Association and Siesta Key Condominium Council have joined together to organize a public meeting about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ plan to dredge Big Pass to renourish Lido Key. 

The meeting will have five speakers, including Laird Wreford, coastal initiatives manager for Sarasota County, Peter van Roekens, Save Our Siesta Sands 2 chairman, and Dr. Robert Young, a coastal geologist. 

Save Our Siesta Sands 2 has retained Young to examine the Army Corps’ dredging models and provide a professional opinion on the potential impacts to Siesta Key.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 11, at the Community Center at St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5616 Midnight Pass Road.

Correction 

An article in the April 30 Sarasota Observer misstated the name of the West of Trail district, which the city’s Urban Design Studio studied in April. It also should have stated McClellan Park is west of Osprey Avenue, between Hyde Park Street and Cunliff Lane.

SMH gains Level II trauma status

Sarasota Memorial Hospital has become the only Level II trauma center in Sarasota County, as the Florida Department of Health last week gave provisional approval to the hospital’s application for the distinction.

“In cases of trauma, every second counts – with this designation, we now can assure the people of our community that they can be treated right here, right away,” said Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder in a news release.

The hospital’s board of directors earlier this year earmarked $3.6 million to upgrade two trauma resuscitation rooms in its emergency room and its trauma operating site. SMH expects to receive 500 more trauma patients this year following the designation.

The state will now conduct an in-depth review of the hospital’s application and plans to conduct site surveys to assure SMH meets the standards of a Level II trauma center, according to an April 30 letter from Florida Department of Health Trauma System Administrator Susan Bulecza.

The hospital has been conducting high-pressure drills simulating gunshot and stabbing victims, and car accidents to prepare for the when SMH begins its upgraded trauma operations.

The specialized trauma team will have staff available 24 hours a day, and the center will cost about $10 million to operate per year for the first five years. 

SMH joins Bradenton’s Blake Medical Center as the only Level II trauma center join the region, and 16 others statewide.

“We felt that Sarasota Memorial Hospital has the means, we have the specialists and the staffing,” said SMH Chief of Staff Dr. James Fiorica during a February board meeting. “We feel we should do it.”

What’s the buzz? Mark your calendars: Runoff election, May 12

City residents can head to the polls through Saturday for early voting in the May 12 election for two City Commission seats.

Eligible voters can cast their ballot from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office in the Terrace Building at the corner of South Washington Boulevard and Adams Lane.

In addition to the District 2 race between Eileen Normile and Liz Alpert and District 3 race between Stan Zimmerman and Shelli Freeland Eddie, all city residents can vote on two proposed charter amendments. The changes would clarify rules on City Commission appointments and citizen petitions for charter referendums. 

“If we don’t address the language in this, we’ll still be in this quagmire when we come back with the next investor.” 

Mayor Willie Shaw on the city’s regulations regarding attainable housing requirements. Read more online at YourObserver.com.