County to begin budget process

Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer will begin mapping his first budget as head of county operations during a workshop with commissioners Friday.

"We have a lot of things were going to be covering, and a big part of it is setting the stage for the fiscal year 2015 budget process," Harmer said.

The budget schedule includes at least five more workshops through Aug. 20, and public hearings Sept. 8, and Sept. 22, before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. County staff will aim to highlight the key components in the budget Friday, including revenue streams, the more than 200 funds included in the budget and the county's reserve policy. The county has a $1.1 billion budget in the current fiscal year and recorded an $896 million budget the previous fiscal year.

Commissioners will consider the long-term facility needs of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, the Sarasota County Tax Collector and the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections, all of which need space to expand in the coming years, Harmer said, and the timing of each expansion will be important.

The plan for a new Sheriff's Office campus near the new emergency operations center has been in discussion for at least two years. The estimated cost of a concept site plan including a parking garage, administration and training facility and forensics building is $71.3 million, according to the workshop presentation.

Commissioners will also discuss regional collaboration between Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) and Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT), including a proposal to tap a private operator to run the transit systems, and the potential plans to relocate the downtown SCAT transfer station.

IF YOU GO
What: Sarasota County Commission budget workshop 
When: 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21
Where: Administration Building, Third Floor Think Tank, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota