While a swift change in direction by Sarasota County Commissioners regarding how to handle the homeless altered the tone of deliberations with the City of Sarasota, officials are soldiering on and suggesting a messy issue is bound to have a complicated solution. “There still remain some differences that will be difficult to have a substantive resolution to in a 30-day period,” said Jon Thaxton, senior vice president of Community Investment for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Just Friday, the two local governments seemed close to cooperation, if not near actual agreement, on the issue. Motions were passed by city and county commissions to direct respective staffs to look at ways to integrate a county-supported triage center and a city-backed housing program and come back with a plan within 30 to 45 days, with discussion shepherded by Gulf Coast. Then early Monday, foundation officials said that timeline was too aggressive and could hurt the dialogue. Meanwhile, Thaxton said, it seemed both governments were pursuing their own plans well before Friday's joint meeting. “What became clear was that both agencies had progressed with implementation of these strategies a great deal more than I had known at the time,” Thaxton said. 

On Monday, Sarasota County commissioners rescinded their vote on directing the staffs to work together. “The intent of our original motion is not doable at this point,” said County Commissioner Christine Robinson, saying without the foundation, things cannot progress as envisioned. The County Commission also made clear staff had the power to find a site for a new shelter and get it under contract. 

Douglas Logan, city director of the Initiative on Chronic Homeless, acknowledged the move was discouraging but said the city will move on with its own plans to launch a Homeless First program, one which aims to get homeless individuals in homes and not in an emergency shelter. “Housing First is an interesting program in that it doesn’t need a shelter,” he said. “It helps those who have been in a shelter, those in a faith-based shelter or out on the street. We can access a client base from anywhere.” 

Thaxton, for his part, stressed it was unlikely the two governments could implement solutions without at least some strife. Indeed, widely praised nonprofit solutions for servicing homeless children and families also involved struggles to work out details of implementation over the last two years. “That was a monumental achievement that did not happen without numerous missteps, miscommunication and errors,” he said, “but we were not operating with reporters and TV cameras on us all the time.” 

Cafe Evergreen is a true oasis in the center of Nokomis. The high ceilings let plenty of light into the bustling restaurant, where friendly servers squeeze fresh juices and blend tasty smoothies for health concious patrons with a yen for getting a little delicious with their nutritious. The menu is extensive and filled with vegetarian and gluten-free items, as well as healthy options for dedicated carnivore such as the warmly satisfying Ginger Beef Bone Broth. I love the Cheesy Quinoa Cakes with organic quinoa and creamy, zesty manchego cheese and the earthy, slightly sour, Ukranian-Style Borscht. 

Cafe Evergreen, 801 South Tamiami Trail, Nokomis, 941-412-4334.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System welcomed pain medicine specialist Dr. Courtney Simmons-Rasmussen to its interdisciplinary pain care team last month. Simmons-Rasmussen completed her medical degree at Howard University in Washington, D.C., her internship at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, her residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and a pain management fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. She joined the First Physicians Group practice of Drs. Eugene Pereira and Lindsay Shroyer on Oct. 26. The group practices at Sarasota Memorial’s four Pain Medicine Program locations in Sarasota, Osprey and Bradenton. 

First Physicians Group

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota announced it is offering a new program in risk management and insurance for the Spring 2016 term. Students pursuing an Associate in Science degree in Business with a specialty in Risk Management and Insurance will qualify for three professional licenses upon graduation. An information session regarding the program will be held from 5-7pm on Nov. 19 at SCF Bradenton. 

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota