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SRQ DAILY Aug 22, 2015

"Creativity is essential to our economic success. Indeed, it is the new natural resource - the new 'oil' - propelling our region, our state, our nation and the world's economic future. "

- Larry Thompson, Ringling College of Art and Design
 

[Government]  Our Evolving City
Thomas Barwin, thomas.barwin@sarasotagov.com

From time to time I wonder what John Ringling, Owen Burns, Bertha Palmer, Emma Booker and legendary City Manager Ken Thompson (1950-1988) would think about how the City of Sarasota has evolved over the decades. Would those visionaries who laid the foundation here be pleasantly surprised with how strong neighborhoods have filled in our boundaries or at what an economic and cultural powerhouse the city has become?

With 53,000 full time residents, equating to only 14 perent of the county’s population, our “small town with big city amenities” contributes 37.2 percent of the sales taxes collected in the county, nearly 30 percent of the visitor taxes and represents a disproportionate 18 percent of countywide property tax value. In government jargon Sarasota would be called a “donor city” in that our community contributes much more in tax revenue to the state and county than we get back.   

The whopping value of state and regional revenues which are generated within the city to help fund other entities are generated from a combination of assets beginning with downtown Sarasota serving as the economic and business center for the region. With 95 percent of all storefronts occupied and 88 percent of our 2.5 million square feet of downtown office space occupied, we are home base for an increasing number of internet start-ups who have joined lawyers, bankers, financial advisers, accountants, doctors, marketing-advertising firms, media, architects, engineers, insurance companies, city/county government and many others. Downtown employees appreciate working in a walkable downtown setting with business synergies, good independent restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, bars and people.    

But life is not all work. On the softer side of living, recent visitor bureau surveys indicate that 3 million of the estimated 4 million annual visitors to our county visit attractions in the city.  

Lido Key and Siesta Key’s beaches are bolstered by our high quality performing arts halls, the symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, museums, botanical and wildlife gardens, live theater, a comedy club, an aquarium, movie theaters, special events, three outstanding universities, marinas, convenient in-town golf, tennis, fishing piers, lawn bowling and professional baseball. Although some of our facilities need freshening most of our beloved cultural gems thankfully survived the great recession.      

I doubt Ringling, Burns, Palmer, Booker or Thompson would be surprised with our economic and cultural success. I suspect however that they would be disappointed if we ever rested on our laurels or shrunk from our commitment to being the economic and cultural beacon that Sarasota was destined to become.

The can-do spirit of our historic visionaries remains in place to this day as many residents continue to be active in community building efforts and regularly remind those in leadership positions throughout all sectors of the community to problem solve and advance opportunities together toward further enhancing the magic of living and working in our diverse and welcoming community. 

Thomas Barwin is Sarasota's city manager

[Higher Education]  Critical Creativity
Larry Thompson

As president of Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, I am delighted to have this opportunity to write about issues integral to the continued success and quality of life of our great community. Creativity and design thinking is so important to our shared economic future. I believe this so strongly that in conjunction with the Sarasota County Economic Development Corporation, we created the Ringling College ‘Innovation by Creative Design’ award to honor local businesses that have used creativity and design to successfully solve a marketplace problem. Creativity and design offer the competitive advantage needed to differentiate offerings from our region to gain market share beyond Sarasota.

When you think of the most successful companies and brands on a global scale, what comes to mind? The lowest cost producers? Certainly not – the companies that capture our imaginations and dollars are those that have integrated design and creativity into their culture and offerings. From Apple to Zappos, these companies have continually excelled in the marketplace due to their commitment to creativity and design as a critical strategic asset integrated at the onset of the planning cycle and not as an ornamental afterthought.

Creativity is essential to our economic success. Indeed, it is the new natural resource—the new “oil”—propelling our region, our state, our nation and the world’s economic future.

Admittedly, as the president of one of the leading art and design schools in the world, I am a bit biased. But it’s not just me saying that—a survey of 1,500 worldwide CEOs by IBM in 2011 asked them what they considered the most important skills needed for business leadership in the 21st Century. The number one answer (drum roll, please)—CREATIVITY. Yes, creativity. Leaders of 1,500 of the most successful organizations in the world chose creativity as the most needed leadership skill over all others. Reinforcing those findings are the Conference Board’s 21st Century Workforce Study, which also placed creativity and innovation among the top critical skills needed to maintain U.S. competitiveness.

Society overall is ignoring this evidence, moving backward by “beating the creativity” out of our young people in schools, jobs and life.

Sarasota is unique in not following this trend—we embrace creativity as an important resource and nurture it. Look at the arts in this community. You do not need to be an artist to be creative, but the arts are the bellwether of the creative spirit. Thanks to great leadership and support from our community, the arts have been kept alive in Sarasota County schools. And thanks to generous donors and patrons, arts and culture flourish in this community, more than almost any other in the nation.

Creativity is an important part of this area’s enterprises as well. Look at BioLucid, Sun Hydraulics, Sarasota Memorial, Ringling College, New College, Mote Marine, Tervis Tumbler and the HuB, to name a few.

I support this so much that I advocate branding our region globally as  the 'Creative Epicenter,' 'Creative Coast' or 'Creative Hub.' We have the infrastructure and the assets to rightfully claim this moniker and establish our region’s leadership in creativity— the economic driver for this century.

And that is why we developed the Ringling College ‘Innovation by Creative Design’ Award, which will be presented at the EDC Annual Meeting on September 11. We will honor a local organization that has introduced a product or service in the past five years in which creative design has driven market and financial success generated revenue from outside our region.

We look forward to working with you to elevate, encourage and nurture the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of our community.  

Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art and Design

[The Detail]  Honoring Rod Warner
Cathy Antunes, cathycantunes@gmail.com

Longtime City resident Rod Warner passed away on July 11, and with his passing Sarasota has lost a tireless community advocate. Rod Warner gave his time and expertise to supporting transportation solutions which improve public safety. In collaboration with his friends and colleagues in the group US 41 Momentum, Rod engaged in a decade long advocacy process to bring modern roundabouts to the City of Sarasota. The fruits of his labor have yet to be fully realized, but the modern roundabouts slated for City intersections like Fruitville and 41 promise to deliver significant decreases in fatal and serious accidents, while reducing traffic congestion and pollution. 

Rod was always careful to educate his neighbors on the difference between modern roundabouts and traffic circles.  In a letter to SRQ Daily he wrote “1930s-era traffic circles (Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C., radials in New England, circles in New York and New Jersey) are mistaken for modern roundabouts.”  Rod took pains to explain that modern roundabouts are designed to encourage slower speeds, with tighter diameters that slow down traffic and approach lanes that may utilize landscaping, curves, lane narrowing and other design elements to slow traffic as it enters the roundabout. The slower, continuous traffic movement reduces the pollution and wasted fuel created at signalized intersections, while improving safety.   

I spoke with Billy Hattaway, Sarasota’s District 1 Florida Department of Transportation secretary, about Rod Warner’s work on the Metropolitan Planning Organization.  Mr. Hattaway said he and Rod shared an enthusiasm for the safety benefits of modern roundabouts.  National transportation data shows a 90 percent overall reduction in fatalities where modern roundabouts have replaced signalized intersections, along with a 78 percent reduction in serious injuries, according to Hattaway.   

Recently, the Herald-Tribune reported on safety issues with the Venice roundabout at Jacaranda Blvd and Venice Avenue, citing a significant increase in crashes per year (from 11 to 50) since the roundabout was installed in 2010. Venice officials acknowledge the major purpose—saving lives—has been achieved, with zero fatalities since installation. But the increase in collisions is worrisome. The Venice roundabout was installed prior to Mr. Hattaway’s tenure as our FDOT district secretary, but he says he expect there are a number of factors that could be contributing to the increase in crashes, including design/engineering, educational and behavioral issues.   

I’m sure Rod would be encouraging us to look at the big picture: some people are alive today because the roundabout has eliminated fatal accidents! I know he’d be encouraging us to fix what needs to be fixed, and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. A tighter roundabout with angular approach lanes forces traffic to move slowly, reducing collisions. The Venice roundabout’s wide diameter, discontinuous curbs, wide and direct approach lanes are possible design flaws to be remedied.  

Rod Warner’s kindness and deep commitment to our community were an inspiration to all who were fortunate to work with him. To honor his memory, let’s carry on his work, and be sure that Sarasota brings the best solutions—including the modern roundabout—to our transportation system. 

SRQ Daily Columnist Cathy Antunes serves on the boards of the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations and Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. She blogs on local politics at www.thedetail.net.

[From Olaf Maly]  Homeless Money Better Spent on Kids
Olaf Male

The homeless story is a sad, ongoing and never-ending one in Sarasota. And countless other cities on our planet. When do officials finally realize that this is the lifestyle those people chose for themselves and whatever the officials will do is not working. They cannot be contained and sheltered. They want to live outside houses and outside society. Only a few would change that, if they could. Yes, they would like to have a roof over their head when it's raining or heat when it's cold, but as soon as the circumstances are favorable, they will be on the street again. I knew a woman, whose husband made the choice of living on the street, although he had a job, an education, a family and everything one would ask for. This was just the way of live he had in mind. Give them a place to hang out, maybe not right in the center of town, and leave them alone. Every penny spent is wasted money. Spent the money on education, the kids, on their future. What is much more sad than having those people on the street is that we have to make donations, that kids have school supplies. That is the point to start. For the salary of this new and useless 'homeless ambassador,’ or whatever he is called, hundreds of kids could be fed, have supplies and go to school without being hungry. 

Olaf Maly, University Park, responding to the "City Softens Homeless Stance" article in the Aug. 18 edition of SRQ Daily



[SOON]  UF CityLab Sarasota Welcome Reception

Join the Center for Architecture Sarasota and the AIA Florida Gulf Coast Chapter in welcoming the first class of UF CityLab Sarasota Graduate School of Architecture students to their new home at The Center. from 5:30 - 7:30pm on Wednesday, August 26.  Thanks to generosity of CFAS benefactors, all seven students will receive a scholarship check at the event. The reception is free of charge and light refereshments will be served.  

Center For Architecture Sarasota

[SOON]  National Bow Tie Day & The Bow Tie Cat Challenge

JDub’s Brewing Company in partnership with Cat Depot will host the Bow Tie Cat Challenge on Sunday, August 30 from 1-4pm at JDub’s Brewing Company in Sarasota. In honor of Cat Depot’s spokescat, Bow-Tie, a specially crafted beer will be available named Bow-Tie’s Brew. Guests who wear a bow tie will receive $1 off their first beer. Join the festivities with adoptable kittens, food truck, outdoor games, and special appearances by Bow-Tie and Cat Depot’s mascot Petunia. Bow-Tie is one of 60 cats legally removed from a hoarding case in Charlotte County and rescued by Cat Depot. He was malnourished, had open wounds, a missing tail and deformed ear, lost all but six teeth, and could not walk on his front legs. Today, Bow-Tie has a loving home and has gained weight, has a full coat of fur, and can walk. He is Cat Depot’s spokescat and campaigns for the 2015 Giving Challenge, as well as special needs and homeless cats just like him. National Bow Tie Day is Friday, August 28. On any other day, wearing a bow tie might earn you some funny looks. Bow Tie Day is different, and wearers of bow ties can be found everywhere from the office to the street. 

Cat Depot

[TO DO]  Lido Beach Cleanup Today

Suncoast Charities for Children is partnering with Friends of Sarasota County Parks for a Lido Beach Cleanup today August 22, from 9-11am with an "after party" hosted by the Daiquiri Deck on St. Armands Circle. Please come out and show your support to keep our area beaches clean.  

Suncoast Charities for Children

[SCOOP]  CS&L School Supply Drive for the Lily School

CS&L CPAs is hosting a school supply drive for the month of August to benefit students of the Lily School, a preschool program of Easter Seals of Southwest Florida. School supplies appropriate for ages 1-5 years will be collected through the end of the month and donation boxes are available in both the Sarasota and Bradenton CS&L office lobbies. The supply drive is a planned event through the CS&L CAREs program; a firm-wide initiative to help nonprofit  organizations in the Sarasota/Bradenton area through monthly charitable activities, while educating the CS&L staff about the many needs within our community. 

CS&L CPAs

[SCOOP]  Azzedine Alaia Debuts First Fragrance Exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue
After a celebrated career spanning more than three decades, renowned Parisian couturier Azzedine Alaïa debuts his first fragrance for women.  ALAÏA PARIS is available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue stores and on saks.com now through August 2016. Alaïa meticulously and personally oversaw each detail, working closely with a team of experts including longtime friend and collaborator Carla Sozzani, perfumer Marie Salamagne, photographer Paolo Roversi, bottle designer Martin Szekely and model Guinevere Van Seenus. The scent is resolutely modern.  The olfactory construction of the fragrance defines itself by its freshness. “It is not a parfum, but an eau de parfum,”says the designer. The formula  is created with fresh, aquatic mineral notes blended with airy notes of pink pepper, floral accords of freesia and peony, and animalic notes combined with musk to create the impression of bare skin. 
 

Saks Fifth Avenue

[SCOOP]  Children Receive Free Swim Lessons

The Sarasota Family YMCA partnered with Gulf Coast Community Foundation through donors Keith and Linda Monda to provide children free swim lessons at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex and YMCA facilities. The Mondas’ donation gave these children the opportunity to learn life-saving swimming skills. Drowning prevention is one of our top priorities at the Sarasota YMCA. Floridahealth.gov states that “Florida loses more children under age five to drowning than any other state. Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown and do not live to see their fifth birthday.” Last year, the Sarasota YMCA taught over 1,900 children swimming skills. 

 

Sarasota YMCA

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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