Mast proposes use of leftover Resilient SRQ money
In early July 2023, the Sarasota County commissioners seated at the time agreed to dedicate $25 million out of a federal grant for recovery from Hurricane Ian to improvements to South River Road, which is a major evacuation route not only for South County residents but also for those in Charlotte County, as county staff has pointed out.
The team handling what has been known as the Resilient SRQ Program had recommended a $30-million award for that project.
In a June 2024 update to the County Commission, Spencer Anderson, then-director of the county’s Public Works Department — which handled both transportation and stormwater work — acknowledged the $25 million for South River Road construction out of the $201.5-million grant that the county had received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He indicated that the rest of the funding the county needed for the project would be expected to come from the federal government…