Board chair hears no dissension from colleagues after proposing review
While acknowledging to his colleagues on April 22, “We’re acutely aware of the stormwater sentiment in our community,” Sarasota County Commission Chair Joe Neunder raised another issue that he said he believes needs intense board focus, as well: the county’s road network.
Noting that he and his fellow commissioners in recent months have received a multitude of communications from the public about concerns related to stormwater maintenance, with the 2025 hurricane season looming, Neunder said he also had heard “quite a bit this season about traffic.”
He did not know whether the other commissioners had received a comparable number of such comments, Neunder added.
That day, he continued, he wanted to know whether his colleagues had “any interest in perhaps taking a look” at the current, proposed county thoroughfares list.
Referring to Sarasota County’s popularity, Neunder continued, “We have a lot of people here. I don’t know that we could have understood or anticipated the growth, especially in certain areas.”
If his colleagues had a similar interest in the thoroughfare maps, Neunder said, he would like for them to review the priority list for new road construction, to determine whether changes should be made.
He did acknowledge at that point, “We have a lot on our plate,” including more workshops about stormwater management.
Yet, Neunder pointed out, “The traffic was really real in my neck of the woods this year.”
Commissioner Teresa Mast responded, “I’m extremely supportive of looking at the current and future thoroughfare plans.”
The review, Neunder said, would afford the commissioners an opportunity to talk about issues that they hear about from their constituents, along with others that they themselves are aware of in their districts that need to be addressed, such as problems with specific intersections.
Then Neunder turned to County Administrator Jonathan Lewis and asked whether Lewis would like a board motion directing staff to plan on such a review, in lieu of offering that direction via consensus.
When Lewis indicated his desire for a motion, Neunder made it, calling for the scheduling of a review of the current thoroughfare maps and the priority list for future thoroughfares.
Mast seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
In May 2024, the county commissioners seated at that time discussed their future road priorities with county Public Works Department Director Spencer Anderson. That came during a workshop on the budget for this fiscal year.
The construction of a four-lane Lorraine Road south to Knights Trail Road in the Venice area, along with the construction of a four-lane Lorraine Road from Palmer Boulevard to Fruitville Road; the widening of Fruitville from two to four lanes from Debrecen Road to Lorraine; and the widening of Honore Avenue to four lanes between Fruitville and 17th Street were their top priorities, they agreed then.
Since that May 2024 discussion, Commissioners Mast and Tom Knight were elected to the board, replacing Commissioners Mike Moran and Neil Rainford, respectively.