City to repair damaged streetlights on Lido Key

The Sarasota City Commission, via consent agenda, authorized entering into a local agency program with the Florida Department of Transportation to repair lighting on Lido Key. FDOT is providing up to $600,037 for the project with a local match of $108,426. 

The project included construction and construction engineering inspection services to replace damaged highway lighting infrastructure along John Ringling Boulevard and Benjamin Franklin Drive. The scope of work includes replacement of lamp heads, lighting arms, wiring harnesses, solar panels, controllers, batteries and other related equipment damaged during hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch pulled the consent agenda item for further discussion, primarily to publicly address residents' frequently asked questions about when the repairs to multiple solar-powered street lighting fixtures will be made. 

The answer from Capital Projects Manager Alvimarie Corales: 18 months is a best-case scenario.

In addition to operating at the speed of government, Corales said, "It is also regarding supplies. A lot of the batteries need to be replaced, so we are at the supplier's mercy as well."

The approved consent agenda also included authorization for the utilities department to execute a purchase order with Johnson-Laux Construction to make repairs to the city-owned seawater intake located on Sarasota Bay near the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. 

Built in 2002, the 161-foot-long structure consists of nine concrete spans and supports a pump building at the pier terminus. It provides access to the pump system that supplies salt to the water treatment plant's ion exchange process.

The pier was inspected in advance of the 2024 hurricanes, which identified significant deterioration including damaged concrete beams, cracked and broken piles, bent caps and delaminated concrete slabs. 

The Utilities Department initially advertised a bid for the rehabilitation work on April 1, 2025, to which no bids were received. The city engaged a firm specializing in facility and construction management solutions to advance the project. A purchase order was issued to Apollo Construction & Engineering Services, but because of poor performance and workmanship, the purchase order was terminated, work was halted and the county initiated an effort to secure another contractor to complete the rehabilitation project.

Work will commence immediately upon completion of all required documentation. 

The commission also approved the second reading needed to increase fees for solid waste collection by $3.63. The additional revenue is for funding the city’s Natural Disaster Collection Reserve Account.