Amid questions about the level of accuracy of consultant-presented maps, Sarasota County Commissioners on Monday voted 4-1 to move ahead with plans to redraw districts ahead of the 2020 census.

“I do think that these results are legally defensible,” said consultant Kurt Spitzer in a meeting Monday.

That comes as an official at the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research made clear to press he did not want their figures used for redistricting unless it was necessary. Richard Doty, GIS coordinator for BEBR, confirmed with SRQ DAILY that he recommended against redistricting now.

“When Mr. Spitzer asked us to develop block-level estimates, I told him then that it would be best to wait for after the 2020 Census results are available,” Doty said. “He said that the county could not wait that long. After the work was completed and I learned how this data was being used, I did have a phone conversation with Sarasota County staff to explain how the work was done and potential concerns about block-level data.”

But Spitzer stressed to commissioners on Monday even U.S. Census figures can fall apart on the street-by-street level. He noted work done in Franklin County after the 2000 Census inaccurately put a prison from a neighboring county in the small community. 

“Our methodology is sound,” Spitzer said. “At high levels, as with cities, districts and county-wide, we are very comfortable with the accuracy."

But Commissioner Christian Ziegler, the lone vote against moving forward with redistricting, questioned how accurate divides in districts can be drawn if consultants aren’t comfortable with population counts at the Census block level. “How do you redistrict if you are not confident at that level?” Ziegler said.

Commissioner Nancy Detert, who is up for reelection in 2020, remained the most vocal defender of redistricting and pushed back at press accounts. “I am not happy with the PR,” she told Spitzer. She called complaints about the process “white noise,” and said commissioners haven’t had as much say in crafting district lines as she would have liked.

Commission Chairman Charles Hines, who cannot seek reelection next year thanks to term limits, said he feels an urgency to redraw the lines because 2020 will mark the first election in decades where voters choose commissioners in single-member districts. 

“My goal in this individually has always been to get these districts as balanced as possible,” he said. “People in the public say just ignore it and just wait. I totally disagree. This election with the commissioners, when control of the commission is up for election, it’s imperative to get it as close as possible.”

Commissioners will hold a special meeting the week of Oct. 20 for scrutinizing potential alternative maps for consideration. Spitzer has provided three alternatives and a fourth map based on public input will be considered at the late October meeting. A hearing for final approval on a map is anticipated Nov. 5. 

Rendering courtesy KSA: Redistricting Alternative 1 from consultant Kurt Spitzer.

The backdrop of a Florida fall sunset amongst a fleet of jetliner aircrafts posted on the tarmac of the Universal Flight Training Center set the scene for a stellar event. Hosted by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, the 2019 "Set The Bar" competition brought the heat with a star studded lineup of 20 leading mixologists representing local member restaurants. A-games were brought—each booth crafting not only wild cocktails, but a show to wow the participating public and the esteemed panel of judges. 

Four spirits—vodka, gin, whiskey and tequila—marked each of the four designated competition categories, with the fifth category belonging to the coveted People’s Choice Award. Spencer Taliaferro of MADE Restaurant, caught the eyes and noses of both the judges and attendees with his fog-fueled concoction called Kane & Friends. After familiarzing yourself with Hawaiian mythology, you come to learn the name is inspired by four major Hawaiian gods (Kane, Ku, Kanaloa and Lono).

“The inspiration for creating a Bourbon Mai Tai all stemmed from living here in Sarasota,” he shares. “I wanted to create a cocktail experience which brings in the dry ice activated aroma. The aroma sets the tone for the tropics. We live in a beautiful area with amazing weather. I wanted to create a cocktail that still allowed the bourbon to shine through but can be had anytime and anywhere no matter the temperature.”

With a killer presentation to match his island-inspired cocktail, Taliaferro encouraged tasters to experience cocktails with all the senses. Upon throwing in a handful of dry ice inside his stainless steel shaker, the nose is the first to pick up the herbal and citrus notes radiating from the liquid inside, which at this point are releasing a cloud of water vapor and the elements within the recipe. By doing so, the first sip distinctly brings out the essence of every ingredient. 

The event came to a close as the sun set, and the night sky revealed the blinking lights of the aero obstruction tower beacon. Votes were set, decisions were made, bellies were full and winners were announced:

Plymouth Gin Category - The Fashion Forward by Jen MacDonald from The Sandbar Restaurant

ABSOLUT ELYX Vodka Category - The element Elyxer by Mani Gonzalez & AJ Smithingell from Element: Modern Mediterranean Grill

Olmeca Tequila Altos Plata -The Desert Pear by Mitch Patmagrian from Jack Dusty Coastal Cuisine and Crafted Cocktails

Smooth Ambler Spirits Contradiction Bourbon Whiskey Category & People's Choice Winner - Kane & Friends by Spencer Taliaferro from Made Restaurant

“I really enjoyed competing against the best restaurants in Sarasota,” Taliaferro says. “'Set The Bar' is such a great event because it bridges the gap between your local bartender and a community that is quickly becoming excited about the cocktail movement here in Sarasota.”

Kane & Friends 

— 1.5oz Smooth Ambler Bourbon 

— 1 oz House Made Orgeat (Almond Based Syrup) 

— 1 oz Fresh Pressed Lime 

— .75 oz Giffard Orange Curacao 

Garnished with a dehydrated, sustainable pineapple and Local Tea Co. aronia tea (an aromatic garnish activated by dry ice)

Pictured: Spencer Taliaferro setting the bar with his winning cocktail currently available at MADE. Photos courtesy of Evan Sigmund Photography.

List of Participating Restaurants at 2019 Set The Bar

Director and producer Thomas John Nudi of NuFamCo Films, was pleased to be included in the the Rendezvous Film Festival in Amelia Island last weekend. His feature documentary Fiona Humphrey: A Family Album premiered at the festival, and was also nominated for Best Feature Documentary. The film looks into the lives of a Florida family (The Humphreys), who struggle to take care of their youngest daughter, 9-year old Fiona, who suffers from Sanfilippo Syndrome, a rare form of mucopolysaccharidosis, which is terminal. The priority of this film is raising awareness of the disorder, which is drastically unheard of, as well as providing insight into the life of a family with a terminal child. This documentary is the first American feature documentary on the subject. It was also made entirely by Florida filmmakers and a community of artists, who donated their time and efforts to come together to help bring attention to this family, their experiences and the disease itself.  

Vimeo Screener of 'Fiona Humphrey: A Family Album'

The Alliance announces the addition of Michele Des Verney Redwine and Ria Cooper to the organization. Michele Des Verney Redwine has been named the Director of New Initiatives. This newly created position allows the Alliance to respond to the needs of Sarasota County's ever changing arts and culture landscape. Michele comes to the Alliance with 46 years of executive-leadership experience in not-for-profit organizations, public sectors, educational institutions and local government entities. She is recognized as a visual artist, educator and an accomplished executive with expert knowledge and certification in diversity integration; linking education and business in programs supporting institutional diversity vision, recruitment and cultural learning.  Ria Cooper joins the Alliance as the Director of Education. This position has been an vital part of the Alliance since its inception. Ria will continue the Alliance's commitment to creating a collaborative arts education environment in Sarasota County that ensures that all members of the community have access to the arts. Prior to moving to Sarasota, Ria lived and worked in NYC for many years as a theater director and teaching artist with various arts education organizations, theaters, and the NYC DOE.  For the past five years, Ria served as the Community Engagement Specialist at Asolo Repertory Theatre, where her work included writing and directing Faces of Change, a community-based documentary theater project and co-facilitating Kaleidoscope, a residency with adults and teenagers with special needs that culminated in a mainstage performance. 

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today unveiled the 2020 Best Places to Retire in the United States. The rankings offer a comprehensive evaluation of the country’s 125 largest metropolitan areas – up from 100 last year – based on how well they meet Americans’ expectations for retirement, with measures including housing affordability, desirability, health care and overall happiness.

Four Florida metro areas and two North Carolina metro areas rank in the top 10. Up from No. 2 last year, Fort Myers, Florida, tops the list due to increases in desirability, health care quality, job market strength and happiness. Sarasota, Florida, jumps from No. 3 to No. 2 this year, due to increases in desirability, health care and job market scores, despite falling in the areas of happiness and housing affordability. 

This year, U.S. News increased the number of metropolitan areas evaluated from 100 to 125, to provide a more accurate reflection of where Americans can retire. The 2020 Best Places to Retire were determined based on a methodology that factored in happiness, housing affordability, health care quality, desirability, retiree taxes and job market ratings. These measures were weighted based on a public survey of individuals across the U.S who are nearing retirement age (ages 45-59) and those who are of retirement age (60 or older) to find out what matters most when considering where to retire. Survey respondents said happiness and housing affordability were their most important criteria when selecting a retirement spot.  

For a full list of cities.

Father-son team Javier and Javi Suarez are the principles of local architectural firm Apex-Studio Suarez. This October, they celebrate a decade of work with a new name and an anniversary party in their newly-expanded office. Javier has practiced architecture in the city for over 35 years as an original founder of ADP, one of the biggest architecture firms in this market and responsible for countless Sarasota developments. In 2009, Javier founded Apex-Studio with his son Javi, who is also an adventurous architect and painter. The two recently completed the Sabal Palm building on Ringling Boulevard and the Capstan building in the historic Towles Court neighborhood. After ten years in business, they are celebrating with a rebrand and name change to Suarez Architecture: Expressive Modern Architecture.

Suarez Architecture

The International Women’s Forum (IWF) Leadership Foundation announced its 2019-2020 Fellows Class, featuring 38 top-performing women leaders from 11 countries. Chief Financial Officer Hosana Fieber, of  Venice company Tervis Tumbler Company, was chosen to join the 26th Class of Fellows. Each year, the IWF Leadership Foundation selects a group of diverse and accomplished women from a competitive applicant pool to partake in the Fellows Program, a year-long, intensive leadership development experience. Previous classes include Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Governor of Victoria, Australia Linda Dessau, Former NASA Director Ellen Ochoa, and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

This class of Fellows will convene for the first time in November at the 2019 IWF World Leadership Conference in Toronto, where they will participate in orientation and training sessions conducted by IWF members. The orientation will be followed in 2020 by executive education programs at INSEAD and Harvard Business School. Additionally, each Fellow will be paired with an IWF member-mentor and tasked with completing a legacy project that will leverage the skills they learned to help others.  

Photo of Hosana Fieber, courtesy of Tervis.

IWF Leadership Foundation

FCCI Insurance Group was recently named by Business Insurance in their annual Best Places to Work in Insurance program, which recognizes employers for their performance in establishing workplaces where employees can thrive, enjoy their work and help their companies grow. FCCI ranked in the ‘Medium Sized Employer’ category as the third highest-ranked company. The company earned the ranking for the third year in a row. The company’s strong emphasis on employee growth and support have helped create a culture of employee satisfaction.

Best Places to Work in Insurance is an annual feature presented by Business Insurance and Best Companies Group that lists the agents, brokers, insurance companies and other providers with the highest levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Best Companies Group identifies the leading employers in the insurance industry by conducting a free two-part assessment of each company. The first part is a questionnaire completed by the employer about company policies, practices and demographics. The second part is a confidential employee survey on engagement and satisfaction.

View the full list of winners at bestplacestoworkins.com 

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources is hosting a public meeting on Thursday, October 10 to provide information about planned improvements for both the Englewood Sports Complex and Englewood Park, which was formerly known as the Englewood Recreation Center. Proposed improvements for the sports complex include the addition of new lighted pickleball courts and the installation of new sports lighting on two of the existing soccer fields. At nearby Englewood Park, two new tennis courts, a new restroom, sidewalks and additional parking are planned. County staff will be available to answer questions following a brief presentation. Maps, photos and other displays will also be available to review.  

The meeting is 6-7 pm, at the Englewood Sports Complex, located at 1300 S. River Road. For more information, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000 or visit www.scgov.net 

In celebration of LGBT History Month, Sarasota County Schools  has been awarded the 2019 Community Partner of the Year award by ALSO Youth, a student-centered organization whose mission is to empower LGBTQ+ youth and their allies to create inclusive communities. ALSO Youth selected the school district as this year’s recipient due to its emphasis of increasing awareness for LGBTQ+ issues, helping young people deal with related issues of body image, gender identity, bullying and suicide and offering training and support in schools to meet the needs of students.

“I am so pleased that ALSO Youth has selected Sarasota County Schools as its 2019 Community Partner of the Year recipient,” noted Jane Goodwin, school board chair. “The district works hard to ensure all students feel safe, respected and included in our schools. This is a great testament to the dedication of our staff to support the needs of all our students.”

Learn more about the month-long celebration of LGBT History Month and Equality Florida.