SRQ Daily: The Perspectives Edition features analysis, commentary and insight on current events in Sarasota and Manatee counties from regular columnists, local leaders and guest contributors. Readers are invited to submit letters that respectfully share their perspective on a local community topic or issue to: letters@srqme.com. Submissions received before Thursday of each week will be considered for the immediate Saturday edition. Editors reserve the right to fact-check and edit. SRQ MEDIA does not house an editorial board and as such does not publish editorials or endorsements of candidates. The opinions and analysis of columns and letters shared in this edition are those of the writer who submitted them. The Perspectives Edition serves as a respectful and thoughtful space for readers to share their voices on topics that are important to them. 

Hurricane politics are a force that tests and sometimes breaks leaders. Rarely has a storm as strong as Ian struck the shores of the United States, though Florida knows as well as any state can the societal turbulence that comes with 140-mph winds. People often think of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed New Orleans, ended Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and tarnished President George W. Bush’s legacy to this day. But as readily as voters will punish failure, they also will reward success.

Gov. Ron DeSantis already enjoyed a strong position in the polls before the storm, though he seemed potentially vulnerable to a major shift. Perhaps Roe-vember would come to pass and a 15-week abortion ban would do him in. Or maybe a natural disaster would deliver a test he failed. Instead, the opposite took place. At least in terms of immediate relief, DeSantis did right by the residents of Southwest Florida, including south Sarasota County, and a Florida Atlantic University poll yesterday showed him up on Democrat Charlie Crist by 11 percentage points, lifted largely by approval of his post-storm achievements.

In the long term, this storm could yet hurt him. An insurance crisis that expanded under his watch is about to get worse. But that’s something we all will start thinking about three months from now when we argue with agents about why are claims have not yet made us whole. But as far as Nov. 8, DeSantis just opened a dirt bridge to Sanibel, delivered a six-figure disaster relief check to the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, and stood side-by-side with President Joe Biden, normally an adversary, and showed unity when Floridians couldn’t bear to see anything else.

Now, what happens downballot? Will this impact the one legislative seat in the Sarasota-Bradenton area that should be competitive, namely the Fiona McFarland-Derek Reich race in House District 73? Will it in anyway touch the Sarasota County Commission contest between Democrat Fredd Atkins and Republican Mark Smith? How about the Manatee race between Democratic Commissioner Reggie Bellamy and Republican Amanda Ballard?

I would suggest first of all, the further north from the storm’s landfall, the less material impact hurricane response will have on the storm. But then who knows? Those areas were also the first to get their power back and the ones most likely to feel like response was so good it’s like it never happened; I own a home in Lee County and assure you the scars of this event will endure there for a much longer time.

That said, I think the greatest impact of the storm at the local level, if not statewide, is that it largely neutered any ability to persuade voters into changing their mind from how they felt on Sept. 27. Politics aren’t front and center for many in the region, and messaging that fails to grasp that may prompt a trip from the mailbox to the trash can for fliers or the change of channel for viewers. Indeed, I know at least one campaign selling the beauty of the region elected to change images completely to focus of support for first responders precisely because video of martini drinkers at outdoor cafes no longer have the same feel-good vibe from Venice south.

In short, anything can happen in politics — or in life as the hurricane reminded as well. This storm presents our leaders with long-term challenges. It also gives them a moment to shine right before an election. There’s worse things to rest the outcome of a race on than whether officials proved up to task when the public needed them most.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ Media Group. 

Photo courtesy Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

It’s been nearly a month now since Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 storm, a few miles per hour short of a Category 5. Although our area and surrounding counties were hit pretty hard, it is impossible not to feel an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude that Sarasota did not experience a direct hit by this monster storm. 

As President of Ringling College of Art and Design since 1999, I have experienced my fair share of hurricane seasons, and of course vividly remember Hurricane Charley in 2004 and Hurricane Irma not long ago in 2017. With both of those terrible storms, as with Ian, Sarasota was thankfully spared their full wrath. 

One thing people always say about hurricanes, particularly the die-hard Floridians, is at the very least, you have time to prepare. Unlike our neighbors in the Midwest who deal with tornadoes that whip up in a flash or our West Coast friends and their earthquakes, hurricanes graciously allow you several days to make your preparations… right? If there is one thing I have learned during my years in Florida, it is that despite the fact there is some time, there is never enough time to fully prepare for something as catastrophic as a hurricane like the one experienced these last few weeks. What I am grateful for are the important lessons we have learned as a campus community along the way.

Our Emergency Response Team, which is made up of myself, senior leaders, and other key members of staff at the College, made the final decision to cancel classes and close the Ringling College campuses on Sunday, September 25 after meeting multiple times a day in the lead up to the storm. Looking back, at the time I remember thinking that our decision seemed early – after all, the storm was then due to track as far north of us as the panhandle. But over the next 48 hours, as Ian’s path continued to shift, I was very thankful we made that decision.

By the close of business on Monday, residence halls were closed and all resident students followed their required plan for safety in the event of a hurricane and were safely evacuated from campus with the help of our incredible Student and Residence Life teams. Our Institutional Technology, Facilities, and Public Safety teams completed office shutdowns, weather preparations, and by Tuesday morning our campus’ data center and network were completely offline and safely backed up. Faculty and staff were either at home “hunkering down” as they say, or evacuating to a safer place with their families, with the ability to connect and work remotely if and when needed. A lesson learned from the earlier days of COVID, thanks to our innovative IT team and dedicated faculty, we knew if we had to teach classes remotely for several days, even weeks, this was absolutely possible. 

Thankfully, on Thursday morning following the worst of the storm, we were able to confirm only minor, superficial damage to our campuses. As early as Sunday, Oct. 2, power had been restored, residence halls opened for students, and our dining services began serving the campus community. We welcomed faculty and staff back to campus on Monday morning, Oct. 3. Students returned to campus throughout the week even though classes did not begin until Monday, Oct. 10. 

Our Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College and the Museum Campus also weathered the storm well. In an effort to demonstrate our gratitude to this community which has always shown its support to us, we opened our beautiful Museum to the community at no cost through Oct. 9, so people could use it as a space of tranquility and refuge. Free coffee, hot soup, and delicious cookies were also available for those who visited our Museum campus. 

As a result of our teamwork, thoughtful and effective planning and preparation, our students, faculty, and staff were safe and our campuses had survived the storm. I am so, so proud of and thankful for every single staff member who helped make this possible.

Maybe these lands have been blessed, as the locals say, by the indigenous American Indians who originally inhabited our beautiful coastal lands. Maybe it’s a geological phenomenon; maybe it’s just been sheer luck. Whatever the reason, I am humbled and thankful that our College and our neighboring communities of northern Sarasota have been able to get back to “normal,” back to learning, and back to helping each other. But, our hearts, thoughts, and prayers continue to go out to our neighbors to the south and we look forward to doing all we can to help them heal and rebuild. 

Dr. Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Photo courtesy Ringling College: Relief drive on campus for Hurricane Ian survivors.

The Bay Park, a community led initiative, is set to transform 53 acres in downtown Sarasota into a world class public park.  Conversations about The Bay Park have centered around the importance of its guiding principles, two of which are activation and aspiration. Today, you can feel the energy already in motion as the park celebrated the opening of the first phase of the larger vision for the master plan. 

The new performing arts center is a critical center piece of the master plan and one that was proposed from the community visioning process. The park along with the new performing arts center can be seen as dance partners complimenting each other and drawing off each other’s energy. One without the other would create a lesser performance. 

There is certainly no shortage of opinions about a new performing arts center, and in turn what the City of Sarasota should do with the existing Van Wezel Hall. However, it is clear to me that a new facility is critical to provide the audience experience, technology, and resiliency we need for the future of performing arts, and one we want to keep anchored in the heart of Downtown Sarasota.

Concerns about change are ever present. One only needs to think back to the angst about plans for the Ringling Bridge, which is now an iconic part of the city’s landscape.

With change comes opportunity and we have before us an incredible opportunity to build a first-class performing arts center that will enhance our city and provide another crown jewel for our community for the next 50-plus years.  As for the expense, half is being contributed through private philanthropy and most of the public funding will be tied to incremental tax revenue. Therefore, taxpayers will not be footing the bill with additional taxes due to this project.  

Taking all this in consideration, wouldn’t you say, “Yes, let’s do it?”

The opportunity to continue to transform the new Bay Front is before us now. I believe, just like the initial concerns over the Ringling Bridge, once the new performing arts center is complete, fears over the process will fade and the passion for what has been created will be on display as one of the proud moments of accomplishment we can all celebrate as a community. 

Drayton Saunders is president of Michael Saunders & Company and a member of the Van Wezel Foundation board of directors.

Rendering courtesy The Bay.

"Do you believe rape victims should have access to abortion services? 

Photo courtesy MyFlorida. The Florida Capitol.