July 1: Citizen Input: "Hire a New Stormwater Director"

July 1, 2025 Budget Workshop

Sarasota County Commission and staff hearing from citizens flooded by Hurricane Debby:
The result: The Board directed Administrator Jonathan Lewis to hire a Director and Manager







Jay Crabtree 
"You guys have listened to us" 


“Through our own research and talking to experts, we've found that the county may be exempt from both state and federal permits,” said Seth Johnson, a volunteer with the South Gate Community Association.

“Because they are pursuing a navigational dredge instead of stormwater maintenance, they could be completely missing this process that could get a shovel in the creek within a few months, rather than taking delay after delay from going through the federal permit process,” he told WUSF. Kerry Sheridan, WUSF/NPR





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Sarasota County leaders voted Tuesday to create a separate stormwater department — breaking it off from Public Works — just days after a joint investigation by Florida Trident and Suncoast Searchlight revealed systemic mismanagement ahead of catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Debby.  Trident, July 1, 2025



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