West Villages Improvement District

Monday, July 20, 2020

Poll workers still needed

By Elaine Allen-Emrich Community Editor Jul 19, 2020

https://www.yoursun.com/venice/poll-workers-still-needed/article_e9aaae48-c842-11ea-a767-9b45b9b6bce8.html

SARASOTA — Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18, for Florida voters. Polls are open that day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Vote-by-mail ballots must be returned to your supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. that evening.

The Gondolier reached out to Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner to ask a few questions for the upcoming election.

Do you still need poll workers?

The Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections employs approximately 1,000 workers for early voting, and at the polls on election day. In the recent March election, approximately 30% of poll workers opted not to work.

We have experienced a number of poll workers who are still unable to work for the coming August primary election. We are doing our best to fill poll worker positions. However, it is likely that some election day polling places will change due to poll worker staffing issues or locations being unable to accommodate us.

Is voting by mail safe?

Vote-by-mail began in Florida in 2002 as no-excuse absentee voting. Since that time, vote-by-mail also called absentee has been available for all registered voters in the state. The name absentee was changed to vote-by-mail by the Florida Legislature in 2016.

Can a voter track their ballot?

Yes. Vote-by-mail ballots are tracked on our website from the time your request is processed until your voted ballot is received back in the elections office and tabulated. A voter’s record is updated when the ballot is received in the election’s office to prevent a voter from voting twice in an election. Upon receipt, voters’ signatures on the certificate (return) envelopes are compared to signatures on file.

When does early voting start?

Early voting for the Aug. 18 Primary Election will run Saturday, Aug. 8, through Sunday, Aug. 16. For more information, call 941-861-8606 or visit www.sarasotavotes.com.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

https://www.yoursun.com/englewood/sea-turtles-are-nesting-more-laying-more-this-yea

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Sea turtles are nesting more, laying more this year

By STEVE REILLY Staff Writer
Jul 12, 2020

A loggerhead hatchling, newly emerged from its nest, heads to the Gulf where it will begin its life journey.
Photos provided by Mary Lundberg

ENGLEWOOD — On a good year, Brenda Bossman might expect loggerheads to lay 100 or 125 eggs in a nest.

This season, Bossman, who tracks nesting on Don Pedro and Knight Islands, has discovered nests with 144 eggs and another with 149 eggs. So far this season, volunteer sea turtle patrols on those barrier islands off the coast near Englewood counted 250 or more loggerhead nests and 20 green sea turtle nests.

The recent renourishing of eroding shorelines of Manasota Key, Don Pedro and Knight islands hasn't dissuaded the sea turtles from nesting.

Two weeks ago, Charlotte County Natural Resources project manager Jamie Scudera told the Beaches and Shores Advisory Committee how the county's barrier islands were enjoying a bountiful nesting season.

The Coastal Wildlife Club — which oversees nesting on Manasota Key — agrees.

"The only year with higher number at this time was 2016," CWC board member Carol Leonard said.

As of Friday, CWC patrols identified 3,728 loggerhead nests, 72 green and two Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests on Manasota Key. Kemp's ridley are the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species.

Mote Marine Laboratory oversees volunteer sea turtle patrols from Venice north to Longboat Key.

As of July 4, Mote reported 2,803 loggerhead nests and 40 green sea turtle nests. Casey Key is seeing the most nests — 170 loggerhead and nine green sea turtle nests.

Predators and people

Coyotes are preying upon nests on the north end of Knight and Don Pedro islands. Armadillos are preying, more so than the coyotes, upon nests on the south end of the islands, Bossman said.

But people can pose an even greater danger to sea turtles, especially for the hatchlings emerging from their nests and making a mad scramble to the Gulf.

"Nests have begun to hatch, so now is the time to be especially cautious of any lights visible from the nesting beaches," Leonard said. "Ideally at night, sea turtles would have dark, quiet beaches all to themselves."

Artificial light is especially disorientating to the nesting turtles and their hatchlings emerging from their nests. Instincts tell them to head for the Gulf and the lighted horizon, but artificial light can lead them to head into the opposite direction.

"While red is the least disruptive color for sea turtles, red is seen by the turtles and they can find it disturbing enough to abandon their attempt to nest," Leonard said. "Many red flashlights are actually white lights with red coverings that actually allow other wavelengths through. LED lights emit limited wavelengths (colors) but are often much brighter."

"Flashlight beams narrow your field of vision," said Leonard, who is a retired Lemon Bay High School science teacher. "Letting your eyes adjust to the darkness allows you to observe more of the beach."

She recommends people reserve using flashlights or phone lights for their personal safety, such as on stairs. Hold the light in one hand and shield it with the other, directing the light downward, so that the light is least visible.

"Leave any headband lights at home," Leonard said.

To learn more about sea turtles and nesting, visit myfwc.com.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Awards and Recognition

https://www.venicegov.com/government/city-manager/awards-and-recognition
July 15, 2020

USA Today Best Coastal Small Town
The City of Venice placed No. 3 in USA Today's 10Best Coastal Small Town Readers' Choice contest for 2020. A panel of experts partnered with USA Today 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees -- each with a population of fewer than 25,000 people as of the last census -- and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote in July. The online contest was also promoted by Visit Sarasota County. USA Today’s listing calls Venice “the perfect setting for swimming, fishing, boating and basking in the Florida sun.”

2020: Best Beach Towns to Live In
In June, Venice was ranked a Best Beach Town to Live In for 2020 in a study from personal finance website WalletHub, coming in at #17 on the list of 191 cities. Cities were evaluated on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education/health and quality of life. Each of those were measured on a total of 63 indicators of livability.

2020: Best Places to Retire in Florida
Venice made a Florida for Boomers list of 25 Best Places to Retire in Florida in June, coming in at #5. The listing reads in part: "In addition to beautiful beaches, Venice is also known for all kinds of exciting ways to enjoy the great outdoors. It is a fabulous destination for boomers interested in exploring arts and culture, boutique shopping, or a wide range of outstanding restaurant choices."

2020: Venice recognized for retirement preparedness
In April, Venice was recognized by LendEDU for having some of the most financially prepared residents when it comes to retirement. Each city was ranked according to its average household income from retirement, and Venice ranked No. 9 in the state of Florida and No. 102 nationally with an average household income from retirement figure of $34,383.15. LendEDU, an online marketplace for financial products, licensed data that derives from the U.S. Census Bureau and analyzed over 20,000 U.S. cities for this study. Check out the full report.

Safest Cities in Florida 2020
SafeWise named the City of Venice the 17th Safest City in Florida in an April listing of the state's 50 Safest Cities. Its report lists Venice's violent crime rate as 1.1 per 1,000 people and the property crime rate as 13.8 per 1,000 people. SafeWise is an independent review site of home security systems.

2020: Best Places to Live on the Coast
In April, Coastal Living Magazine voted Venice in the top 10 Best Places to Live on the Coast. The listing calls Venice a "resort-forward little city of 23,376 — a low-key beauty on the Gulf with Mediterranean architecture and 14 miles of bone-white beaches" and touts the Downtown Beautification Project completed in 2019: "New rows of tall palms shade upgraded sidewalks (with ADA-compliant curbs), while median strips lush with hibiscus, jatropha and jasmine add tropical verve to Venice's lively center for food, drink, shopping and arts."

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

NOTICE OF THE WEST VILLAGES IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' REGULAR BOARD MEETING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the West Villages Improvement District (the "District") will hold a regular meeting (the "Meeting") of its Board of Supervisors (the "Board") on July 9, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. to be conducted by telephonic and video conferencing communications media technology pursuant to Executive Orders 20-52, 20-69, and 20-112 issued by Governor DeSantis on March 9, 2020, March 20, 2020, and April 29, 2020, respectively, and pursuant to Section 120.54(5)(b)2., Florida Statutes.

The Meeting is being held for the necessary public purpose of considering essential public funding issues related to District improvements. At such time the Board is so authorized and may consider any business that may properly come before it.

While it is necessary to hold the Meeting utilizing communications media technology due to the current COVID-19 public health emergency, the District fully encourages public participation in a safe and efficient manner. Participants may attend the Meeting by accessing the District's website, www.westvillagesid.org and clicking on the meeting link you will find on the homepage, or utilizing the following login information:

Join by URL for VIDEO ACCESS at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88418328243?pwd=TUlhMkNoMmJRUUVTdDNGcTNMVHVaZz09
Meeting ID: 884 1832 8243
Or Dial In at:
1 929-436-2866

A copy of the agenda for the Meeting may be obtained at the offices of the District Manager, c/o Special District Services, Inc., at (941) 244-2805 or wcrosley@sdsinc.org (the "District Manager's Office") during normal business hours. The Meeting is open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law for special districts. The Meeting may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the Meeting.

Any person requiring special accommodations in order to access and participate in the Meeting because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Manager's Office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1, or 1-800-955-8771 (TTY) / 1-800-955-8770 (Voice), for aid in contacting the District Manager's Office.

As indicated above, this Meeting will be conducted by media communications technology.

Each person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the Meeting is advised that person will need a record of proceedings and that accordingly, the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based.
District Manager

PUBLISH: Sarasota Herald Improvement District
WEST VILLAGES IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
6/30/20 www.westvillagesid.org

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179