Sarasota city officials will launch a micromobility program in March, when contractor Veo will dispatch 350 to 400 scooters and 50 to 75 bicycles available for rent. The same company has a program running in St. Petersburg.

City commissioners unanimously voted in January in favor of the program. “I think it will improve transportation options in a quick and efficient and sustainable way,” said City Commissioner Hagen Brody at the dais. While questions arose about the cost of rentals and the retrieval of abandoned vehicles, commissioners voted in favor or trying the program for two years in the city.

Scooters may be unlocked with a mobile phone app for $1 and will cost 37 cents a minute. Bikes, meanwhile, will rent for 50 cents an hour. A special Veo access program will also offer discount prices for low-income individuals who qualify with the city, Veo will set up rental stations and corrals for the bikes and scooters at no cost to the city, but the city will receive a share of revenue collected.

City Commissioner Jennifer Ahearn-Koch had initially expressed skepticism about scooters in Sarasota after seeing problems with a similar program in Los Angeles, but said Veo has largely addressed concerns. That includes allowing individuals using the app to park bikes and scooters away from corrals if they send a picture of the vehicle properly parked in a legal location.

“I’m not going to say that there aren’t going to be problems, that there aren’t going to be issues, that you’re not going to have to adjust your plan or how many you roll out or where they are corralled and all of that,” she told Veo executives at a city meeting. “But I never had even a glimmer of hope that this could work in our city until I fully read your proposal.”

The company has been putting in geo-fencing to make sure the rented units only work in designated areas of the city.

Veo officials stressed a record of success, with 35 programs running nationwide. “We have never made headlines about working without a contract, dumping scooters or bikes on city streets and looking for forgiveness late,” said Alex Keating, Veo director of public policy and partnering. “We only operated with contracts in long-term agreements where we look for deep collaboration with our partners.” 

In the February 2022 issue of SRQ Magazine, we ran a BrandStory marketing feature on State College of Florida. Below is an excerpt.

The State College of Florida (SCF) offers students the flexibility of  “College when you can, the way you want.”  With campuses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, and a future Parrish campus, along with online learning, everyone can find a time and place to improve their life and career with education. Classes are available throughout the year with staggered start dates, accelerated completion timelines, evening and weekend options, and online courses with the choice of self-paced or live instruction. Work, family and personal commitments can be real obstacles to students. The array of flexible class times gives students control over how education can fit their schedule. 

SCF has a proud six-decade history of offering highly acclaimed two-year degrees to prepare students for continuing their education at a university or to jumpstart their career. As a state college, SCF provides more than two-year paths to success. Four-year degrees are available to power professionals to new heights in high-demand fields like health care, business, education and public safety.  Not everyone can commit to being a full-time degree-seeking student. With that in mind, SCF offers more than three dozen workforce certificate programs as a path to rapidly earning a new credential. Workforce certificates allow students to quickly add knowledge, skills and qualifications for their resume. Students make the choice to seek higher education at different times in life – as children, working adults, and lifelong learners. While some have lived near SCF their whole life, others have come from overseas.No matter what the motivation for seeking higher education, SCF has something to offer. No matter the barriers – real or perceived – one faces when considering a college degree, SCF can help them find their way.  At SCF, we meet you where you are. We’re everyone’s college.™

SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W. Bradenton, FL 34207, 941-752-5050  

Photo courtesy of State College of Florida.

Click here to see the full article

The Florida Senate’s proposed budget includes almost $400 million in additional funding for Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) over the next three years, with a focus on increasing wages for the state’s early learning teachers. 

The Florida Senate, through the leadership of Senate President Wilton Simpson, Senate President-Elect Kathleen Passidomo, Senator Doug Broxson and Senator Kelli Stargel, is making great strides to raise and recognize the level of professionalism of early learning. This funding will increase per-student school year funding from $2,486 to $3,294 through an $808 supplemental payment to increase VPK teacher pay to a minimum of $15 per hour from the current average salary of around $12.50 an hour. This increase would represent the largest increase in the program’s history.

With Florida’s increasing minimum wage requirements, offering competitive salaries to VPK teachers has been a challenge. The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC) currently has almost 2500 children in the VPK program at 126 contracted child care providers. 

The University of South Florida Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy in the Muma College of Business has named three accounting faculty members in the school as Kerkering Barberio Fellows, a prestigious honor that recognizes continued excellence in undergraduate teaching.

The school, in partnership with Tampa Bay accounting firm Kerkering, Barberio & Co., began the Kerkering Barberio Fellows program in 2022 thanks to a five-year gift the accounting firm established with the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy, which was announced in November. The gift encompassed multiple components in the school, including scholarships to students and the fellows program.

The gift provides that the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy name one Kerkering Barberio Fellow on each of the three campuses. The 2022 Kerkering Barberio Fellows are Patricia Gaukel, from the St. Petersburg campus; Luke Richardson, from the Tampa campus; and Ildiko Toth, from the Sarasota-Manatee campus.

“We are very excited to introduce the inaugural Kerkering Barberio Fellows. These three individuals represent outstanding undergraduate accounting instruction,” said Mark H. Taylor, director of the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy, who holds the Dan and Tina Johnson Endowed Directorship in Accountancy. “Not only are these fellows deserving of the honor, but the distinction will further strengthen their strong ties to the professional accounting community.”

The fellowship program recognizes faculty who have a history of excellence in delivering classroom instruction, proficiency in their field, as well as extensive engagement with the professional community. 

Manatee Community Foundation’s 2022 Spirit of Manatee Awards Luncheon will honor seven champions of philanthropy and leadership in Manatee County.

Lifetime Spirit honorees Joe and Barbara Najmy, nominated by Easterseals Southwest Florida, State College of Florida Foundation, and The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund, Inc., will be celebrated for decades of servant leadership in estate planning, charitable giving and inspiring others to support the community. The couple has been active in a multitude of missions, including advancing education, inclusion and access for those with disabilities, and community building. 

Others to be recognized are: Leadership Spirit honorees Steve and Carolyn Roskamp, nominated by United Way Suncoast and the School District of Manatee County, and Omar Edwards, nominated by Sarasota-Bradenton Kappa Alpha Psi Project Guide Right; Community Spirit honoree Bank of America; and Young Spirit honoree Gabriella Cortes-Alban nominated by Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County. The Charles Clapsaddle Community Spotlight award will be presented to Paul Sharff, posthumously. Sharff was the President and CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County and passed away unexpectedly in January. 

“All of the honorees have committed much of their lives to advancing opportunity for others,” said Susie Bowie, Manatee Community Foundation Executive Director. “They reflect the quiet, humble and determined way many people give in Manatee County, and they will be celebrated with gratitude.”

The annual celebration will take place at the Bradenton Area Convention Center on Wednesday, March 30 at 11:30 am. Purchase tickets online at ManateeCF.org. 

Click for more.