SRQ DAILY Jan 8, 2019
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"No employee should be afraid to speak out."
Sarasota City Commissioners called for City Auditor and Clerk Pam Nadalini to submit her resignation by the close of business on January 15.
“I believe it’s untenable to continue,” said City Commissioner Hagen Brody, “but I do want to publicly recognize and appreciate Pam’s 33 years of service to the community and to us as city commissioners. I wish her well.”
Commissioners voted 4-1 to demand Nadalini’s resignation, with only Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie voting against the move. She called it hypocritical and insincere to give credence to complaints about Nadalini, while also asking her to help with any transition.
Eddie called such a move akin to saying, “We don’t want you here, but stay here so we can ask you questions.”
The action largely brings to a close a long fight about Nadalini’s management at the City Auditor and Clerk’s Office, and it potentially sets the stage for a new fight on whether the office should remain independent or an arm of the City Manager’s Office. Consultants from Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, paid $30,000 to investigate complaints about Nadalini, recommended her termination and a review of the charter structure.
Commissioners said Nadalini, should she resign, may provide an effective date as late as April 15 for the end of her employment. City Attorney Robert Fournier said she would remain on paid administrative leave for that time, as she has been since December 3. But should she not submit a resignation, her employment will end on January 16.
Critics and supporters of Nadalini spoke out Monday before the Commission decision. Former Sarasota City Commission candidate Martin Hyde called it “hippie-style reverse management” to allow employee complaints to dictate a manager’s future, and said the decision will “result in anarchy for which you will all be viable.”
But Newtown activist Barbara Langston said the city needed to take employee concerns about Nadalini into account. “No employee of the city should work in a place that’s in turmoil,” she said. “No employee should be afraid to speak out.”
City Attorney Bob Fournier, a long-time friend of Nadalini, recommended the language of the motion.
Commissioner Willie Shaw, the only City Commissioner who was on the board for Nadalini’s promotion to City Auditor and Clerk and one who voted against pursuing the investigation of Nadalini, noted the clerk always received positive evaluations from commissioners. But he ultimately supported asking for her resignation, saying she had become a “liability” to the city regardless.
He also took umbrage at many who have looked to create a strong mayor in Sarasota suddenly raising racial concerns about Nadalini’s ouster. He said ultimately, it came down to the fact Nadalini serves at the pleasure of the commission. 
As of the new year, Tamiami Tap takes over the space of former Sabrosa as the new neighborhood bar and grill of Osprey Ave.—serving quality bar bites with a health-conscious twist, along with a variety of tap options, including local brewery beers, wines for all occasions and cocktails complemented with fresh squeezed juices and mixers.
“The menu features items that Florida Gulf Coast locals have come to crave and expect, with favorites like coconut shrimp, burrata, french dip sandwich, fresh salads, steak frites and many more," says Principal and GM Marc Epstein. Operating within a scratch kitchen model, everything comes fresh and made-to-order, with as many vegetarian and vegan options as beer and wine options. Epstein notes the “Impossible” veggie burger, already a huge hit so far, while other upscale bar standouts include the tuna poke starter and Grandma Bonavita’s cheesecake dessert. Come the weekend, multiple specials come around, including a Rosé Soirée every Friday, featuring mix-and-match rosé buckets for $30. Additionally, Friday and Saturday nights feature a Prime Rib special—an aged ribeye slow-roasted and served with a salad and choice of side for $17-$31 (8-16 oz.).
With a coastal-casual atmosphere accompanying fast, friendly service, the bar includes bright colors, fun painted murals, wooden community tables and cozy couches for a more lounge/cocktail experience. The large, pet-friendly patio provides diners with options to hang in the sun or under the shade of the covered awning with their dog pals. Meanwhile, the outdoor projector TV allows guests to kick back, relax and watch their favorite game on a grand scale.
Happy hour runs every day from 4pm to 7pm and includes $5 sliders, $5 hummus and veggies and $6 chicken tenders, as well as $6 wines, $5 wells and $3 domestic drafts.
“We will be starting live music in February,” mentions Epstein. “And we plan on starting a brunch on the weekends in the near future. We also offer a service industry discount for other restaurant and bar staff whenever they come in.” Need any more reason to stop in and meet the guys and gals of Tamiami Tap?
Photo provided by Tamiami Tap, 711 South Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-500-3182.
Sculpture has long been an integral part of Sarasota’s cultural legacy, and guests on the new Discover Sarasota Tours Public Art Tour will visit some of the city’s 57+ public art sculptures, monuments,and murals during this 90-minute air-conditioned tour. Between the authorized replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David which graces the courtyard of the Ringling Museum, John Henry’s Complexus (in front of One Sarasota Tower) and Seward Johnson’s Bayfront sculpture Unconditional Surrender, those on the tour will get a better sense of the artists, the stories and the history of public art in Sarasota from painter, public art expert and guide Jerome Chesley.
Public Art Tours run on the Wednesdays of February 6, March 6, 13, & 27, and April 3 & 10, from 1pm to 2:30pm. All tours depart from the DST Trolley Depot located at 1826 4th Street. Tour tickets and information can be found online at the website below.
The Sarasota Film Festival has extended the registration date for students to enter the 1st Annual Student PSA Film Contest, Reel Talk. This provides additional opportunities for middle and high school students to participate in this scholarship program and have their award-winning PSAs aired on TV. Students do not need to be expert filmmakers to enter. A special filmmaking boot camp for students will now take place on Saturday, January 26 for those who have entered.
There will be one grand prize winning entry, an entry prize for each grade level (6-8, 9-10 and 11-12 grades) and a People’s Choice winner voted on by the public. In addition to scholarship money and special airings of the PSA, students will have access to behind-the-scenes filmmakers, film showcases and special screenings, compliments of the Sarasota Film Festival.
Students can now enter through Friday, January 18 by visiting the website below.
The State of Talent Conference comes to Art Ovation Hotel on May 2, 2019, welcoming human resource professionals, business owners and community leaders to better understand the state of talent in the community. The theme for this year’s conference is “Where Creativity Meets Talent” and will welcome speakers from around the world with inspirational approaches to recruiting, developing and retaining talent. Human resource professionals attending the 2019 State of Talent Conference will receive five continuing education credits (CEUs) for SHRM and HRCI. Early bird tickets are now on sale at $100 off the regular rate, and are available at the website below.
CareerEdge Funders Collaborative has hired Shauna Donahue as program manager to help manage workforce development initiatives, internal and external communications, grant administration, manage business and partner relationships and coordinate special projects related to CareerEdge Funders Collaborative.
During her two-year tenure at Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation, Donahue managed a $4.3 million US Department of Labor National Dislocated Worker Grant to help service members, veterans and military spouses receive training that leads to employment. She also spent five years at the Maryland Department of Health as chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health as well as the Director of Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans, and spent eight years working for the USO, later serving as Programs Manager, Warrior & Family Care, researching and implementing programs that supported wounded troops and their families.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty Luxury Realtors Pam Charron and Bev Murray (The Murray Group) have announced a contract with developer Golden Gate Point Ventures, LLC., to market and sell The Pearl, a boutique, “tropical deco” development comprising of eight 2750 sq ft modern residences with water views of Sarasota and Marina Jack.
Designed by Hoyt Architects and built by Divisions Unlimited of FL, The Pearl features only eight distinctive residences, each with elevator entry into a private foyer, expansive terraces to enjoy outdoor living with eye-catching views of boats moving along the Bay, and individual private two-car garages. With 11’ ceilings, an open and flexible great room floor plan, wood cabinetry with quartz countertops, Jenn-Air stainless appliances and a spacious island in the kitchen, the sizeable owner’s retreat has dual closets and a luxurious bathroom. Guests enjoy en-suite accommodations with private balconies. General amenities include a landscaped common area with heated pool, spa and gazebo with grill area.
Pricing starts at $1,495,000 with completion in May 2019.
A solo exhibition presenting recent video projects by internationally acclaimed writer and interdisciplinary artist Coco Fusco. Works explore the current political and social climate in Cuba as the Revolution enters its twilight years. Fusco will be premiering her lasted video project currently in production. This newest project, made possible by her 2016 Greenfield commission at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, is a short video-essay on contemporary Cuba that reflects on the anxieties emerging as the country faces an uncertain future. Fusco will also be unveiling a new sculpture on The Ringling’s grounds.
The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.
Nominations are now open for SRQ Magazine’s 6th Annual Women in Business Competition, recognizing extraordinary women who have made meaningful contributions to the Sarasota and Bradenton communities through their business, non-profit and philanthropic endeavors. Know someone who deserves to be recognized? Nominate them today! Once nominated, individuals will be invited to submit a formal application which will be juried by a panel of outside judges.
Nominations are open through Friday, January 25, 2019; midnight.
Monty Navarro may be distant heir to the family fortune, but there are several deadly ways to jump the line of succession. Along the way, Monty has to juggle his mistress, his fiancée and the constant threat of landing behind bars. It will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance… and be done in time for tea.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota.
After several years of requests from theater patrons, Sheldon Rhoden will reprise the role of Marvin Gaye. This original show begins in the 1950s at the start of Gaye's career with Motown and follows its twists and turns until his untimely death in the mid-1980s.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 North Orange Ave., Sarasota.
Monty Navarro may be distant heir to the family fortune, but there are several deadly ways to jump the line of succession. All the while, Monty must juggle his mistress, his fiancée, and the constant threat of landing behind bars. Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance… and be done in time for tea.
Florida Studio Theatre , 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota
This rollicking, music-filled farce, which premiered in 1879, includes home-town references to our own Pittsburg Pirates. At eight years of age, Frederic was apprenticed to a group of fun-loving, soft-hearted pirates. Now 21, he decides to leave the pirates to lead “a blameless life.” He makes it his goal to eradicate these pirates. Fun and mayhem follow.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W, Bradenton
In the black of night, a Salem village reverend discovers a group of teenage girls dancing devilishly around a fire in the woods. When his daughter exhibits strange catatonic symptoms the following morning, the townsfolk are frenzied with rumors of witchcraft. Deep-seated jealousy, deadly accusations, and seething resentments pit neighbor against neighbor as a deeply religious community is thrown into turmoil, in this Arthur Miller classic.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota.
“Who Stole the Mona Lisa?” is a whimsical and imaginative animated film that offers a delightful, multimedia, classical music performance presented in synchrony with a live performance of Igor Stravinsky’s Suite from “The Firebird.” Live and visual pairings of “Babar the Elephant” and “Pictures at an Exhibition” complete the program. Alexandre Moutouzkine mans the piano while Edward Alley narrates.
Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota
Artists are local, national and international, and Art Center Manatee is one of only five venues in the country to host the exhibit. Admission is $5. In a neighboring gallery, and on display for the same period of time, the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society will also be showing work from its member-artists.
ArtCenter Manatee, 209 9th St. W, Bradenton.
“Welcome to the 60s” where Tracey Turnblad, a pleasantly plump teenager dreams of fame and fights to racially integrate the Corny Collins Show. This winner of eight Tony Awards (including “Best Musical”) is based on the John Waters film and proves that “You Can’t Stop The Beat.”
The Players Theatre, 838 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Jane Brody is coming to Sarasota! The "High Priestess of Health," New York Times Columnist and American Author is the keynote at ITN SunCoast's annual luncheon. Health and wellness exhibits, and giveaways will precede the sit down lunch and "Jane Brody on Living Well to 100". Seating is limited. Tickets are $50.
The Carlisle, 3727 Bahia Vista, Sarasota
Through movement, mime, and comedy, a veteran solo artist recalls and recreates the indelible memories from thirty years of touring twenty-five nations.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota
In the final scene of Ibsen’s 1879 masterwork, Nora Helmer slammed the door on her marriage and family life, leaving her family. This sequel imagines her 15 years later as a successful writer and independent women, but she must return home to the one man who can help her. Universally acclaimed during its recent Broadway run, this new comedy raises questions about marriage and the roles of women have—and have not—changed.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Adapted by Simon Stephens from Mark Haddon’s novel of the same name , Christopher is exceptionally intelligent, but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an ear-shattering discovery.
In Gallery 1, Sarasota Visual Artists Studios will present an exciting exhibition featuring the work of Andrea Dasha Reich, Barbara Banks, Bill Buchman, Duncan Chamberlain, Grace Howl and Larry Forgard. A collaboration between Jen Nugent and Jack Arbough uses drawing, collage and video to address competing impulses to conserve and explore in Gallery 2. In Gallery 3, the Manasota branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History highlights African-American artists from Sarasota and Manatee counties. And Gallery 4 features an open, juried exhibition.
Art Center Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Join SRQ Magazine for SB2 for the State of the Economy at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota with a panel of regional experts from small businesses, economic development, finance, hospitality and real estate including Jacki Dezelski of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Kevin Cooper of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Drayton Saunders of Michael Saunders and Company, Mark Huey of the EDC of Sarasota County, Philip Rich of Seaside Bank, Jeff Mayers of The Resort at Longboat Key Club and Sharon Hillstrom of the Bradenton Area EDC. The winners of the 2019 Localpreneur of the Year Competition will also be announced and recognized during a special awards program. Tickets are $55/person, $250 for a half table of four and $500 for a table of eight. Registration begins at 11am. The program runs from 11:30am to 1pm. Ticket online at SRQSB2.COM.
Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, Florida 34236
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