Sarasota County commissioners to meet with social distancing in place

SARASOTA –– Expect another short meeting of the Sarasota County commissioners tomorrow with COVID-19 items dominating the discussion.

Just as they did in their March 24 meeting, commissioners will be separated on the dais, with the county administrator and county attorney seated at a table in front of them. Seating inside commission chambers will be limited, and access to the building is limited only to those who have business inside. Open to the public speakers will be kept in a separate room, then called one by one into chambers.

Of the actual agenda, all non-essential items have been postponed, leaving only 10 items in the consent agenda and a presentation upon request regarding an Emergency Services Warehouse and the Siesta Key Fire Station 13.

The remainder of the meeting, which should not last much past noon, will be devoted to COVID-19.

The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota will present commissioners with the draft of a proposal to use $4.3 million in the county’s economic development incentive fund for a small business incentive program.

According to the draft, the program’s goal would be to provide small businesses in the county with short-term loans from the fund to keep them afloat until federal Small Business Administration funds under the recently passes stimulus bill become available.

Commissioners had requested at their March 24 meeting that the EDC come up with some use for the fund to help local businesses during the crisis.

Also on the agenda is a discussion with Visit Sarasota on how the local tourism industry is faring during the COVID-19 crisis.

Finally, County Administrator Jonathan Lewis will update commissioners on the county’s response to the crisis, and under his report, Commission Chairman plans a discussion on financial crisis management, knowing that the county’s revenues will likely see a major impact from the ongoing economic downfall.

Last week, Chief Financial Officer Steve Botelho acknowledged to the Sarasota Journal that county revenue streams such as the tourist development tax and gas tax would likely be less than projected at the beginning of the year, although the exact amount would not be known until May.

For residents who plan to attend tomorrow’s commission meeting, expect to be stopped before entering the Administration Center and answering a series of questions about recent travel and activities. Anyone who indicates the possibility of having come into contact with someone exposed to the virus will be denied entry.

Tomorrow’s commission meeting will take place at the County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m.

Access Sarasota TV will also televise the meeting, and the agenda is available at www.scgov.net by clicking on Meetings and Agendas under the Services A-Z tab. For more information, residents can also call the county’s Call Center at (941) 861-5000.

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