“After contract confusion and a special meeting of the City Commission, a plan for renovations of the Sarasota Orchestra’s building at 709 N. Tamiami Trail, which is on city property, will move forward without any delay,” writes Jessie Van Berkel in Wednesday’s (7/31) Herald-Tribune (Sarasota, Florida). “The orchestra is trying to complete a number of projects, including electrical fixes and replacements in its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, before its season starts in September. The changes total almost $460,000. According to Florida statutes and the orchestra’s lease with the city, the organization needed to hire a general contractor who would oversee the work and provide a payment and performance bond to the city—which would protect Sarasota from responsibility for unpaid work and other expenses. The orchestra instead had a number of contractors handling the different renovation projects…. At Wednesday’s meeting … the orchestra said it was getting an irrevocable standby letter of credit for the full $460,000 cost of the project. That satisfies the statute and lease requirements, [City Attorney Bob] Fournier said…. Sarasota Orchestra President and CEO Joe McKenna said the chances that the city will incur costs for these renovations is at an ‘all-time low on this project.’ ”
Posted August 1, 2013
