News Briefs

+ Village Association to buy holiday lights
The Siesta Key Village Association voted unanimously to spend $3,500 to buy new holiday lights for next year’s Light up the Village celebration and parade.

The parade drew 26 participants this year, said board member Cheryl Gaddie during the Dec. 4 meeting.
Gaddie said she would prefer to keep the parade size steady.

+ SCAT audit exposes fiscal weaknesses
Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court Karen Rushing’s audit of Sarasota County Area Transit found that control over cash and revenue handling was lacking, among other weaknesses.

One SCAT employee currently deposits cash receipts and oversees ticket inventory, which the audit declared risky.

Auditors found envelopes with cash and checks unattended, inadequate security camera angles and keypad security locks of two former employees that staff hadn’t purged.

The audit also found the county had lost $25,715 of state funding due to an oversight in sub-contracting, and that it had overpaid by as much as triple for bus parts due to procurement errors.

+ County lifeguards to watch New Pass
Sarasota County commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding with the town of Longboat Key for the county to provide lifeguards for emergencies in the area near New Pass.

The town will be the initial responder to the location, but if its emergency services staff needs assistance, they can contact the county through the 800-megahertz radio system.

The agreement does not have a termination date.

Sarasota County Rescue Chief Scott Montgomery said the agreement puts into writing an already standing relationship between the two municipalities.

“We’re all here to save lives and protect,” Montgomery said.

Meetings & Agendas
• Siesta Key Association meeting — 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5615 Midnight Pass, Siesta Key
• Sarasota County Planning Commission meeting — 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, Commission Chambers, Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
• Sarasota County Commission retreat — 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7, Green Building, Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota
• Sarasota County Commission meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, Commission Chambers, Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
• Sarasota County Commission meeting — 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, Commission Chambers, Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota