Every year, Sarasota County surveys citizens as part of community outreach intended to get input from a broad, representative group of residents about their collective priorities for the county. Dr. Susan MacManus conducted a 2016 citizens survey for Sarasota through the Florida Institute of Government at the University of South Florida. A quality of life question was asked to citizens to determine whether Sarasota residents give similar high-positive ratings in light of the county’s growth over the past year. As seen on the chart, the sharpest increase was in the “excellent” ratings from 48 percent in 2015 to 59 percent. The proportion of respondents who judged it as “fair” or “poor” remained roughly constant. 

While the ports around Tampa Bay remain commercial competitors, a new mutual aid pact formalizes a level of cooperation in times of need. The Manatee County Port Authority on Thursday voted to approve an interlock agreement with Port Tampa Bay and the Port of St. Petersburg that allows for the two to assist one another both with training and during emergencies. “We share one common bay,” says David St. Pierre, Port Manatee director of seaport security. “We needed a mechanism where we could deliver mutual exchange of aid and resources.” 

The 25-year agreement between the three ports promises support in terms of supplemental equipment, supplies, docks, mooring areas, facilities and other assets, pursuant to the Florida Interlock Cooperation Act. It marks the odd relationship between publicly backed ports that compete for private sector business around Tampa Bay. St. Pierre notes that the ports all share certain geographic resources, not just the bay itself but the channel leading every vessel from freighters to cruise ships into the waters. “The seaports have always had a collaborative relationship,” he says. “We participate in committees and agencies that help coordinate these type of things, but we have never had that cooperative pact.” 

Port Manatee, which boasts 10 40-foot draft berths, can serve as a diversion point should a problem occur with either other port, and vice versa. It boasts the closest proximity of any US port to both the Panama Canal and to the Port of Mariel in Cuba. The port is responsible for an annual $2.3 billion in annual economic impact for the region and employs 24,000 jobs.

Of course, St. Pierre notes than in major emergencies such as hurricanes, all vessels may be diverted away from Tampa Bay altogether, but there can be smaller emergencies, even just obstruction of movement through the waterways by other vessels, that could require ships to be diverted into Port Manatee or toward one of the other locales.  

Lisa Howard, director of development for Lighthouse of Manasota, has been named its new CEO. Howard brings more than 23 years of experience in nonprofit fund development in the area of human services. Howard is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and a member of its Board of Directors. 

Lighthouse of Manasota

A program offering free swimming lessons to every second grader in Sarasota County public schools helped students improve their water-safety skills. The SWIM (Safe Water Instruction Matters) program last year, which is made possible through a collaboration of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, showed improvement within students’ listening skills as well as a significant sense of accomplishment among students after participating in the lessons. 

Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Amy Daugherty has joined the real estate sales team at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. Daugherty is an award-winning Florida-licensed realtor with over 15 years of experience as an effective leader in both regional and national sales for marketing and real estate companies. Daugherty has also been the recipient of multiple awards for excellence.  

Miromar Lakes