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Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Resident frustration grows as Sarasota County explores new stormwater department
The Brief Commissioner Tom Knight of Sarasota County wants a stormwater department and manager who can help the system and residents. One couple off of Bell Avenue said they've been asking for ditch clearing for nearly a year as the street continues to flood. The Sarasota County administrator is expected to present what the department could look like next month. SARASOTA, Fla. - Residents off of Bell Avenue in Sarasota County said ditches were covered with overgrown with weeds, trees and debris before last year's hurricane season, and it's only gotten worse. They nearly flooded last year, and they're not alone. As they continue to ask for help, Sarasota County commissioners are considering a new department to tackle storm water management. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Local perspective For 16 years, Sue and Mark Inman have lived off of Bell Avenue in Sarasota County. "This is not a flood zone. This should not be happening," said Sue. The last year has been full of uncertainty for the couple. READ: St. Pete approves projects to make sewer system more resilient "I shouldn't have to worry about my house flooding if the county would do their job that I'm begging for help," she said. The Inman's saw water creeping up with Hurricanes Helene and Milton. During Tropical Storm Debby, water came right up to their house and poured inside their bathroom. "The water had come to a point where it just was coming in. We had to vacuum so we had two vacuums going, and we vacuumed the water all night," said Mark. Sue said before Debby hit, she had been calling for help in clearing ditches in their neighborhood. MORE: Lake Bonny residents brace for new hurricane season after Milton's devastating flooding "It's a huge problem," she said. "We have, there's ditches right down the street from us here that have trees and bushes growing out of the ditches. It's obvious nothing has been done." Sue and Mark said they've contacted Sarasota County not just once, but more than a dozen times, and the only action she's seen are these white flags saying proposed excavation that have gone up. "Every time I call they say it's in progress. Well I'm not seeing any progress and we need help," she said. Why you should care They're not alone. Countless other residents have expressed concerns to Sarasota County commissioners. "It is such an urgency for this community. It is important. I think public confidence has waned in us," said County Commissioner Tom Knight. READ: Tampa Bay residents learn DIY ways to keep floodwaters out this hurricane season Big picture view That's why Knight has proposed a new department to take on stormwater management. "It's a heavy lift on one division, especially after a hurricane, and we hear commentary that we are still digging out from last hurricane," he said. Knight wants an expert who knows the ins and outs of stormwater management and can help maintain the system and waterways like Midnight Pass and Phillippi Creek. "It's a freestanding position. I think this county has grown so rapidly that we want to make sure there is public confidence in what we are doing, and I think we've heard them loud and clear," said Knight. Sue said she has reached out to Knight, Governor Ron DeSantis and others, and with no response, she and her husband are preparing now for what they could face. MORE: St. Pete playwright writes kid's audiobook to help navigate hurricane stress during storm season "What they have working now is not working," said Sue. The other side In a statement to FOX 13, Sarasota County said they will expedite the request to clear storm drains off of Bell Avenue. Here's a statement from the county: "We are aware of the concerns on Bell Avenue, and we are actively working to excavate all ditches throughout the county. We have hired contractors to assist us in meeting this demand. One will be starting this week excavating ditches, with the second joining later this month that will be responsible for cleaning the pipes that connect ditches. The locates have been called in and the ticket for the infrastructure to be notated and marked to be excavated." What's next Next month, Sarasota County commissioners will hear from County Administrator Jonathon Lewis about options for creating a new stormwater division. Commissioners have said this should not duplicate services already offered. The Source Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon from concerned residents and from the June 3, 2025, Sarasota County Commission meeting. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
West Australian
19-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
Marine Rescue Port Walcott unsung heroes share story ahead of National Volunteer Week
When an alert comes in at Marine Rescue Port Walcott there's no warning, no warm-up, just a sudden rush to the boat and often, a journey straight into the unknown. For commander Tom Knight, one particular rescue mission sticks out to him since joining in 2017. 'We had just got back from search rescue training last year and then a couple days later, we had a call-out to a vessel that had capsized behind Delambre Island, with four people on board,' he said. 'We had very minimal information, because the alert was sent out through a message on an Apple watch, the skipper didn't actually have his phone on him. 'The seas were rough because of a cyclone and it was a couple hundred kilometres off the coast. 'Within 10 minutes of being on-scene, we came across the vessel with four people sitting on top of the upturned boat. 'We got them on board and one passenger was treated for a suspected concussion and the three others were then taken by a nearby friend's boat back to Dampier.' At just 24, Mr Knight is the youngest person in Western Australia to be appointed commander of a volunteer marine rescue service. Since joining, he has risen through the ranks and earned the WAFES youth achievement award in 2020. By 21, he was already a certified skipper and has led multiple search and rescue missions. Most recently, he was deployed to help remote Pilbara communities recover from tropical cyclone Zelia. 'I recently joined up with the Roebourne District SES after the Tom Price storms late last year, we were helping to clean up and assist communities and stations in the Pilbara that needed help,' he said. Marine Rescue Port Walcott training co-ordinator Rebecca Thomas started volunteering with the service a year ago, delivering first-aid instruction to marine and bushfire volunteers, and is also training to become a skipper. 'A highlight for me are the training exercises out at the islands that I organise, we get volunteer groups from around the Pilbara joining in too,' she said. 'We have mock injuries that we have to address and train for different scenarios. 'My favourite part of volunteering here is the camaraderie and being part of something that gives back to the community.' Ahead of National Volunteer Week from May 19-25, Mr Knight highlighted the importance of volunteering in the community. 'We're a small town, a lot of people work for the same company . . . a lot of people have boats and without volunteers like us, people wouldn't be saved,' he said. 'You might not think you'll ever need it, but I've been rescued myself after my boat had taken in water. 'If you are thinking about volunteering, get in and sign up.' For those hesitant about their capabilities, Ms Thomas said there was a role for everyone. 'We're always on the lookout for volunteers; you don't even have to be a rescue member, you can be a land-based member, helping out in the background — there is always something to do,' she said.
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Florida officials warn: Buyer, beware as real estate developer districts spread
As more new special development districts break ground across Florida's Suncoast, area officials warn they could mean higher tax bills and traffic congestion for those buying into these communities. From state lawmakers to county commissioners and national reform leaders, stakeholders reacting to a recent Suncoast Searchlight investigation into the potential dangers of these independent government districts called the reporting revealing. Most cited 'buyer, beware' and said they themselves would never choose to live in these districts, pointing to the investigation's findings of escalating fees and a lack of say over who serves on the governing boards. Officials echoed the sentiment that many homeowners in these communities don't understand what they're getting into and are then left with few options to fight back when decisions turn contentious. But they stopped short of promising any major overhauls to slow the pace of new development districts coming to the region. More from Suncoast Searchlight: Sign up for the weekly newsletter 'I didn't realize the size and scope of how much community development districts have become prevalent in Florida, especially on the West Coast, right here in my own county,' Sarasota County Commissioner Tom Knight said. 'Is there a concern for me? Sure. If we have communities that may not be able to sustain themselves and may be sitting empty, that's always a concern.' A recent Suncoast Searchlight investigation found that despite a series of defaults during the Great Recession, more of these development districts are popping up across the Suncoast than ever before. The developers behind these new governments often float multimillion-dollar public bonds to finance infrastructure, then dictate terms on how future residents will pay it back — while saving costs to the developer's bottom line. Read the full report: Developers gained government status, then got bonds to build big During the past five years alone, local districts bonded out $2.9 billion in public bond money to fund neighborhood improvements from Parrish south to North Port. But unlike a traditional local municipality, residents of these districts go years with no say over who represents them. More than 90% of the districts established within the past decade remain under the control of a real estate developer rather than those who live there, according to the investigation. 'I think when they were created, the intent was pure, but everything gets exploited,' Knight said. 'Now, they're like a runaway option for developers.' Following publication, Suncoast Searchlight's Power and Profit investigation circulated through neighborhood Facebook groups in areas like Parrish, where homeowners were surprised to learn of the proliferation, cited frustrations with their own development districts and questioned how they can fight back. Patrick Johansen, founder of the volunteer-based HOA Reform Leaders National Group, said the story further underscores the need for more controls to rein the bond spending and decision-making powers of special development districts in Florida. He added that residents should be 'extremely' concerned about the rise of these districts. 'This is a very easy system to abuse,' Johansen said. 'These districts can very quickly become little dictatorships. The developers never let go.' These special districts, including the more commonly known community development districts, operate like homeowners associations on steroids. Each must be established through a local city or county ordinance or a specific state law designating their authority. Johansen's group has put together proposed legislation that would restore certain powers to homeowners in these communities, but state lawmakers remain resistant to pursue any changes. Johansen said that's because the powerful lobbyists who represent real estate developers, third-party district property managers and CDD attorneys continue to push back. The only option now for homeowner recourse, he said, is costly legal battles. Florida Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, conceded that he would never want to live in one of these districts himself. But he also does not believe the state legislature or local government bodies have approved too many new districts in recent years, pointing to the apparent demand from buyers willing to pay extra for nicer neighborhoods. More than one-third of the active development districts across the Suncoast were formed within the past five years, state records show. 'Special districts have their purpose,' Gruters said. 'The question is do buyers want to live there or not. You have to be careful, and go in with your eyes wide open.' He said the rising fees and bond spending at these special districts cut against the low taxes he strives for at the state level, and insisted that once these boards transition away from developers, homeowners who want to keep community spending down should elect fiscal conservatives. 'The problem when you join one of these groups (or buy into the community), is that it's like a local government,' Gruters said. 'You have to be comfortable with what they decide. You have to question what you're walking into.' State Rep. Danny Nix Jr., R-Port Charlotte, sponsored legislation this year that would alter when residents can get control of the board on the West Villages Stewardship District, spurring pushback from many homeowners who live there. Nix did not return calls to his district and capitol offices seeking comment for this story. A $2.8 billion water fight: How a century-long irrigation deal pit homeowners against their special improvement district We must 'get this done and stop the opportunities where they have to go through litigation,' Nix previously told a legislative committee referring to the homeowners' legal fight against the developer. 'That's never good for the community. We want them to have an opportunity to heal.' CDDs and other developer districts in Florida date back to the early 1980s, when counties were more financially constrained and couldn't afford the infrastructure themselves. Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique said these districts can still be 'an effective tool' for isolating infrastructure spending to just the neighborhoods benefiting, so a homeowner in Bradenton is not subsidizing a road behind a gated subdivision in Palmetto. But he agrees the districts have allowed new residential development to proliferate, especially in areas like Parrish where infrastructure has historically lagged behind. And he worries about the strain on countywide roads and stormwater systems. 'It essentially deflects the cost of infrastructure,' Siddique said. Previous County Commissions 'did not want to fund a lot of this infrastructure out there … they just deflected to CDDs. But it's not paying for the collector roads or other county roads it affects. It's only paying for roads nobody outside these gated communities will use.' This story was produced by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom of the Community News Collaborative serving Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at
