Our View: Do something right: privatize

Sarasota city commissioners can expect a large crowd Monday night at their monthly meeting at City Hall in downtown Sarasota.

St. Armands Circle forces are likely to be en masse.

It will be the first reading of a newly proposed special-events ordinance. And this could have big ramifications for St. Armands Circle Park — and especially the Circle’s business owners, landowners and neighboring residents.

Over the past year, we have devoted much of this space to the subject of how events are managed and scheduled and who should have jurisdiction over both.

As many readers know, it’s a touchy subject. City Attorney Robert Fournier explained it this way last June in a memo to commissioners: “[It became increasingly apparent that the internal regulations and historical practices used to process and issue special event permits should be codified. This was especially important in order to eliminate internal inconsistencies and to build trust in the fairness of the process through codification of uniform standards and an appeal process.”

We can see his point. St. Armands Circle Park has been a special case and has involved what many would consider an exceptional relationship between St. Armands constituencies and City Hall.

Special arrangements always make government lawyers skittish. In their world, everyone is to be treated equally.

So attorney Fournier wants the management of events in St. Armands Circle Park codified — no ambiguities.

This, of course, makes the St. Armands Circle business owners, landowners and nearby residents pant with nervousness. They have their livelihoods and investments at risk and would like to control what goes on in the park. After all, the landowners there did in fact form a St. Armands Business Improvement District to tax themselves for the express purpose of using that money to maintain the Circle and keep it the thriving center that it is.

But why impose that extra tax if they have to worry about some scuzzy swap meet or a nose-piercing bazaar being held in Circle Park?

It’s a conundrum, to be sure. The city wants to be fair to all; St. Armands constituents want control.
On Monday, Fournier will unveil options for a new ordinance that would codify new rules. In the box below, we highlight some of the key provisions commissioners will be asked to decide.

While those provisions all seem reasonable, including the three-month blackout and prohibition on closing streets, St. Armands constituencies worry about the new rules opening the park to unsuitable events.

They worry, too, about a process that would allow any organization to reserve a park date a year in advance on a first-come, first-served sign-up system.

These are fair provisions. What’s more, the ordinance still would give St. Armands constituencies the opportunity to appeal an event’s approval.

So here is what is likely to occur Monday: St. Armands Circle representatives are likely to express their reservations and in some cases downright opposition to the ordinance. They will want the system to go back to the way it was — when the three St. Armands constituencies had un-codified leverage with City Hall to control what events occurred and when they occurred.

Fournier will advise against that.

So here’s a path to what we believe is the best resolution:

Accept Fournier’s recommendations and proposed ordinance. But commissioners should also vote to privatize St. Armands Circle Park. Sell or lease the park to the St. Armands interests. The city has done that with Marina Jack and Mote Marine Laboratory. And it works.

Time and again, the private sector has proven to be a better manager and operator than government. This is true with parks; examples abound.

While some are likely to object to turning over public property to private interests, they should consider the other side of the coin. As is, that park costs the city money to maintain. And if you talk to St. Armands merchants, they’ll tell you the city does an inadequate job of maintaining the park and Circle. This, too, costs the city. If visitors and shoppers don’t go to St. Armands, lost sales-tax revenues only increase the tax burden on everyone else.

This is an awkward time to be pursuing privatization, with Commissioners Shannon Snyder and Paul Caragiulo soon vacating their seats. Once they leave, new commissioners will need to be educated on the issues.

But this one shouldn’t be delayed. Commissioners should vote now to privatize the park as quickly as possible. It’s the best choice for all involved.

+ We get what we deserve
“We celebrate this city, its vibrancy and, especially, the voices of its citizens. May they always be heard.”

So gloated Eileen Normile, chair of the group that opposed placing on the ballot an initiative to convert the city of Sarasota to an elected mayor and November city elections.

“Celebrate … its voices … May they always be heard”?

Really? Help us understand how not letting voters vote on an elected mayor is letting voices be heard. When a majority of self-preserving commissioners rejects putting an initiative on the ballot, is that letting the public be heard?

Because “It’s Time Sarasota” failed to gather enough signatures, the group’s opponents contend that is a form of citizens speaking out and voices being heard.

Perhaps. But those who have watched these efforts before knew this latest attempt was as doomed from the start as were all of the others. On Madison Avenue they say: It’s all in the presentation. We would add: in the execution as well.

So we’ll live (disappointedly) with the status quo. As is also said: We get the government we deserve.

PROPOSED ST. ARMANDS ORDINANCE
Here are three key provisions likely to be in the proposed special-events ordinance governing St. Armands Circle and on which the City Commission must decide whether to adopt:

• No special events shall be held in St. Armands Circle Park during February, March and April.

• During the remainder of the year. no more than one special event shall be permitted in St. Armands Circle Park per weekend and no more than two special events shall be permitted in St. Armands Circle Park per month.

• No special event shall cause the closure of lanes of traffic on St. Armands Circle or shall redirect traffic from its normal flow around the Circle.

• When an application for a special event in St. Armands Circle Park is filed with the city special event office, the special events office shall notify the St. Armands Residents Association, the St. Armands Circle Association, and the St. Armands Landowners Association by email that the application has been filed.

LETTER TO PRESIDENT
Dear Mr. President:

Maybe it’s time. Really, maybe it is.

Sir, it is really quite clear to all of us “folks” that you are unhappy. Especially unhappy with the requirements of your job — addressing the constant issues of national governance; helping our allies abroad deal with evil killers and tyrants; and working with Congress, especially those “ick” Republicans who don’t agree with you.

We get it. It can be a real pain being cooped up all week in your Oval Office having to talk to people like John Boehner or Benjamin Netanyahu.

So think about it: When most people find themselves “trapped” in jobs they hate, the answer is pretty simple: Quit.

So why not do yourself the favor?

Then you can play as much pool and stroll to as many ice-cream shops as you want without feeling “encumbered” and having to “do stuff” (your words, right?) for your country.

Make yourself happy. You have no idea how happy we would be, too — for you, of course.