Observe this: Sarasota police chief to retire in October

Sarasota police chief to retire in October

→ Sarasota Police Chief Mikel Hollaway is a member of the state's Deferred Retirement Option Program, which mandates that an employee receives additional pension dollars for five years before they must retire.

Interim City Manager Terry Lewis announced at Monday’s Sarasota City Commission regular meeting Monday that Sarasota Police Chief Mikel Hollaway will retire in October. Hollaway, hired to replace former police chief Peter Abbott, has served two years as police chief and has 30 years of service with the department.

Hollaway, 52, makes approximately $132,000 a year and is already a member of the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) ... [click

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$85,347: fire-rescue pension

→ A survey of the 10 most recent town-employee retirees shows a low of $18,200 for a pension to a lump-sum payment of $628,295.

A retired Longboat Key fire rescue lieutenant takes in $85,350 a year in his town pension.

A retired police captain takes home $75,010 a year for his 27 years of service.

And a retired building official, who worked 32 years, has an annual pension of $76,470 a year.

This is just a sampling of the pension benefits Longboat Key taxpayers are funding in a system that is $26 million short of being able to meet its future obligations ... [click

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In Memory: American to the core

→ East County resident and Word War II veteran Joe Nocco, 94, died May 2.

EAST COUNTY — This weekend, as the nation remembers those who have lost their lives while serving in the nation’smilitary, East County residents will remember one of their own.

Local World War II veteran Joseph Samuel Nocco died May 2. He was 94 years old.

Family and friends gathered Tuesday, May 22, at Braden River Presbyterian Church to celebrate his life during a special memorial service. Nocco will be buried in July in Naperville, Ill ... [click

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