Commissioners, Phillippi Creek residents applaud hiring
A professional engineer and former Sarasota County employee who has been working for most of the past seven years as a stormwater project manager with the Stantec consulting firm in Sarasota will serve as the director of the county’s new Stormwater Department, county staff announced late in the afternoon of July 7.
Ben Quartermaine is expected to assume the role on Aug. 11, “upon successful completion of the County’s standard pre-employment processes,” a news release says. “This marks a significant step in the county’s dedication to enhancing its stormwater stewardship,” the release added.
“Ben’s deep technical knowledge, passion for water resource conservation and proven leadership make him the ideal person to head our stormwater efforts,” said County Administrator Jonathan Lewis in the release. “We are confident his expertise and leadership will prepare us for the future.”
The following day, as the County Commission conducted a regular meeting in Venice, both residents who live along Phillippi Creek and members of the board voiced approval of the decision. Leaders of those residents’ coalitions have been calling for months for new leadership in stormwater initiatives.
“Thank you,” Jacob Crabtree, representing the organization SAND (Supporters for Action Now in Dredging), told the commissioners after he stepped to the podium on July 8 in the Commission Chambers of the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. “You’ve listened.”
He called Quartermaine’s quick appointment, “amazing.”
Connie Neeley, who represents Forest Lakes residents, told the board members she had not planned to appear before them this week, but after learning the news about Quartermaine, she wanted to thank them in person.
“You hear a lot of requests,” she continued. “We’ve certainly made more than our fair share, but you have listened. You’ve started us on the road to recovery, and we’re grateful for that.”
Further, Neeley pointed out that the decisions the creation of the Stormwater Department and the hiring of Quartermaine do not “just benefit Phillippi Creek. While that’s a crisis situation,” she added, “These decisions will benefit all of us.”
During the July 9 regular commission meeting, three more Phillippi Creek residents addressed the news about Quartermaine. Among them, Kristy Molyneaux of SAND said she wanted to publicly thank the board members “for your dedication for everything stormwater” countywide.
She did add “a heartfelt thank you” to Chair Joe Neunder and Commissioners Tom Knight and Mark Smith, noting that they “truly listened … and went “the extra mile” to help the residents who live along county creeks.
Beginning in January, Phillippi Creek residents have stressed the urgency of the removal of sediment that led to significant flooding of homes during the 2024 storm season. Many of those homeowners have described how storm surge from Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricanes Helene and Milton rose even higher because of that sediment buildup over decades.
Then Molyneaux said, “One last ‘Thank you’ to the county administrator.”
Stormwater consultant Suau also to work on county issues
During his regular report to the board during the July 8 meeting, County Administrator Lewis said he expects most of the commissioners already know Quartermaine, who is a lifelong county resident.
Quartermaine was still on county staff, Lewis continued, when Lewis was hired in 2017 as an assistant county administrator.
“We’re very excited that he applied [for the stormwater job] the very first day [the job was posted on the county website],” Lewis added.
He and Quartermaine met on the evening of July 2, Lewis continued. “Late [July 3], he accepted our offer.”
Lewis then noted, “He does have a responsibility to his current employer,” referring to Stantec, “and I respect greatly that he’s given them appropriate notice because of their workload.”
Yet, Lewis noted, Quartermaine already had “started requesting information from us,” which he can review in his private time.
“He was the person for about a couple of months that we had our eye on,” Lewis continued, in regard to heading up the county’s stormwater program. “Everything worked out that he wanted to come back to public service.”
Additionally, Lewis told the board members that he had had two discussions with Stephen Suau of Sarasota, an independent stormwater consultant. The second occurred the previous day, Lewis said.
Suau will be a handling specific stormwater responsibilities for the county, Lewis indicated, noting that Suau had asked Lewis to draft a list of the tasks that they had discussed. Among them, Lewis continued, will be a performance audit of the stormwater program, which Chair Joe Neunder called for last week.
In response to a Sarasota News Leader request for additional details about what Suau will be doing, county staff provided the following statements on July 9, via Public Information Officer Amanda Morales:
“In the past week, we have talked to Mr. Suau and are optimistic he will present task orders that will allow him to advise County Administration on a variety of issues including ordinance review, operational analysis and stormwater future visioning.
“Mr. Suau is drafting some options for the County to consider based on the topics above.”
During his July 8 remarks to the commissioners, Lewis did note that he had been wanting to hire Suau for the past six months to pursue work for the county, but Suau’s schedule had not accommodated Lewis’ desire until just recently.
Lewis also reported that Suau would be focusing in part on what Lewis called “big ideas,” which he likened to the county’s creation of the Celery Fields. Lewis characterized that undertaking as “a huge dynamic project for the county.”
He did acknowledge that Suau is “interested in short-term [work for the county],” adding that Suau’s role will be under the purview of the Office of the County Administrator.
When Quartermaine comes on board, Lewis added, “he can take advantage of that resource, as well,” referring to Suau.
During SAND member Ochs’ remarks to the board on July 9, he called Lewis’ action regarding Suau “another wise decision for which we are grateful.”
Further, Lewis reported to the board that staff has been conducting discussions “with a variety of folks who really specialize in environmental services.” Engineering staff is responsible for getting permit applications submitted, Lewis continued. “The [county] attorney’s job is typically to fight” after a permit has been denied. “This is kind of in between those two things,” he continued: firms that specialize, for example, in speeding up the issuance of permits.
Lewis added that the county’s federal lobbyist does assist with permit issues. Moreover, he noted, “Our congressman has been amazing on working with Rob Lewis on outreach,” referring to U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota County Republican. Rob Lewis is the county’s director of governmental relations.
The two firms with which he has been holding discussions for about three weeks specialize in environmental policy, Lewis said.
He told the commissioners he would have more to report on that topic at a later date.
“Fantastic, Jonathan,” Chair Neunder responded, adding that not only did he believe that all of the commissioners appreciated the update, but that he was certain county residents did, as well.
Quatermaine’s experience with stormwater issues
The July 7 county news release about Quartermaine says he “has nearly 30 years of experience in civil design and stormwater infrastructure throughout Florida …”
He holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Central Florida, the release adds. He has led “sustainable watershed management projects and renewable energy initiatives” while working as a senior project manager at Stantec, it notes.
On July 9, county staff released a quote from Quartermaine about his new position:
“I have full confidence in County Administrator Jonathan Lewis and the Board of County Commissioners’ vision and I’m honored to be leading this next chapter and protecting and improving our stormwater systems.” Quartermaine added, “I’m truly excited to return to Sarasota County and serve in this new capacity. Having worked for the county in the past, I will start knowing much of what needs to be done to enhance stormwater in our community.”
In his new role, the release continues, Quartermaine will develop and implement comprehensive stormwater and flood mitigation strategies,” and he will lead “infrastructure planning, maintenance and inter-agency collaboration.”
In its research, the News Leader learned that Quartermaine also has been serving as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP). “That group provides technical peer review and input to SBEP for various projects and programs,” the program’s website explains. “TAC members include local and regional environmental managers and researchers who are familiar with the Sarasota Bay estuarine system. The TAC initiates technical studies, assists SBEP with restoration and management plans, and reviews projects recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and other groups.”
Further, Quartermaine was one of the project team members who produced an April 27, 2022 report on the Sarasota Bay Watershed, which focused on flooding and water quality improvements.
That document’s Executive Summary explains, “The Sarasota Bay Watershed Management Plan Best Management Practices Analysis (BMP Analysis) is cooperatively funded by Sarasota County (County) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) with the objective of improving the health of the Sarasota Bay Watershed. Partners involved in the development include the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, City of Sarasota, Town of Longboat Key, and a large group of stakeholders representing organizations and neighborhoods within the watershed.”
The report also notes, “The main objective of the Analysis is to improve the health of the Sarasota Bay Watershed through the following four steps:
- “1. Analyze areas with flood level of service deficiencies and water quality pollutant load conditions.
- “2. Identify conceptual projects or best management practices (BMP) alternatives for cost-effective flood and pollutant load reduction capital improvement projects.
- “3. Educate, engage, and elicit feedback from the community and partners.
- 4. “Develop a funding strategy for implementation.”
For additional information about the Sarasota County Stormwater Department, county staff encourages the public to visit scgov.net/government/stormwater.