County proposes take-or-leave-it offer to Hermitage Artist Retreat

As the saga over hurricane damage restoration to the Hermitage Artist Retreat on the Sarasota County-owned Blind Pass Beach Park continued into its third public meeting, the County Commission on Oct. 8 weighed the merits of two options presented by staff.

Option 1 was to proceed as the county government normally would with its retained design-build contractor, take at least a year to complete the work and then apply for uncertain FEMA reimbursement. 

Option 2 was to allow the Hermitage to take over repairs and restoration at its own expense — which it has stated it can complete and be fully operational again by the start of 2026 — and continue on with the current landlord-tenant relationship. Meanwhile, a discussion about a possible transfer of ownership would continue on a parallel track.

Commissioners instead went with Option 3.

As they discussed the merits and pitfalls of the first two choices, and with any possibility of a transfer of ownership of the 6.1-acre property apparently off the table based on commissioners’ comments, the third option gradually emerged: Turn over all 2024 hurricane damage restoration to Hermitage, provide a lump sum of $250,000 the county would have to spend regardless minus $91,000 already spent, and execute a lease amendment to require the Hermitage to assume the cost of all future repairs to the buildings — some of which are designated historic — going forward.

Hermitage officials had pitched paying the county $600,000 to assume ownership of the campus and all current and future liabilities, including a reverter clause should it cease operations there. Instead, pending Hermitage Board of Trustees approval at an Oct. 18 board meeting, what they got is a lump sum of $172,258 toward repairs to be made, presumably sooner than following FEMA and county protocols. Also, without an ownership transfer, assuming responsibility for all repairs going forward.

If not, they get Option 1. Take it or leave it.

“We're disappointed that the commissioners did not accept the proposals and various compromise configurations that we offered,” Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg told the Observer. "We feel now we have generously offered to take responsibilities off the county's hands for over a year, and we felt we made a proposal that would be saving the taxpayers money and a win-win for all parties involved. So it is no surprise to say that we were disheartened by the decision that was ultimately made.”

The Hermitage campus occupies a fraction of the 61 acres of the park on Manasota Key. Hurricanes Helene and Milton left several buildings on the campus damaged and, one year later, still unusable. Hermitage officials say they have a contractor able to effect repairs by the end of this year and have asked to proceed with its estimate of just less than $500,000 to make repairs and be reimbursed by the county. 

Commissioner Mark Smith questioned why the bid by Hermitage contractor Bach Land Development of Tampa could not be considered by the county rather than await a proposal from its own design-build contractor, A2 (A Squared). He was told by Financial Management Director Kim Radtke that the bid process was not consistent with FEMA procurement protocol and the cost would not be eligible for reimbursement.

Just to get to a number for repairs by A2, though, will cost approximately $600,000.

“This is what makes government wonderful,” Smith said. “I’m hearing that we have an opportunity to save taxpayers money by accepting this bid, and I would love for us as a county to figure out how to make that happen.”

But it can’t, leaving commissioners to ask Hermitage Board of Trustees President Carole Crosby if she can authorize accepting the lump sum and effectively amending the lease agreement with the county, which would remove it from its obligation to lead any future repair efforts. The latter, she told them, will require a vote of the trustees, whose next meeting is Oct. 18. 

Commissioners unanimously agreed to a motion to pay the lump sum and turn over all future repairs to the Hermitage, pending the Board of Trustees approval. Otherwise, it’s back to Option 1, and at least another year before restoration is complete.