Commission Considers Contract For New City Manager

1. The City Commission is poised to consider today a contract for its new city manager Thomas Barwin.

Barwin, a former Oak Park (Ill.) Village Manager, was tapped to be the next city manager on July 16.

The contract includes provisions for:

• $175,000 annual salary

• $15,000 lump sum payment to offset expenses for a new home in addition to moving/relocation expenses

• $600 per month personal vehicle allowance

• No severance pay if he resigns with a 60-day notice

• If city form of government changes to a , Barwin will be retained for at least two years and transition to a new role as Chief Administrative Officer.

The commission will consider the contract at 2 p.m. inside the Commission Chambers at .

2. Sarasota residents will also have two chances this week to weigh in on a  to provide more powers to the city manager.

The hearings are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday inside the Commission Chambers at City Hall. A petition garnered enough votes for the proposed amendment to be placed on the Nov. 2 ballot, and now the technical aspects are being discussed.

The largest part of the amendment would be splitting the City Auditor and Clerk position into two jobs, and the Clerk would report to the City Manager.

The hearings are to help decide the text of the amendment, how the amendment ballot summary will be worded along with the wording of the ballot questioning, and if the voters approve the amendment, when the amendment would become effective.

3. Sarasota County Health Department's Health In Motion Mobile Medical Unit staff will provide free and low-cost health services at eight sites around the county during August. Services also will be available at the Ready, Set, Grow! Infant to Kindergarten Family Fair on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Westfield , 8201 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The fair will be held at the mall's main entrance between JCPenney and Yoder's Marketplace.

The mobile bus will also be at the , 1400 10th St., on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Information and tests include diabetes education and screening, blood pressure tests, pregnancy testing, HIV and tuberculosis testing, adult immunizations, and health education. 

For more information, call 941-861-5000.

4. Congratulations to , Sarasota's Jaro Gutknecht for receiving The Director of Residences of The Year Award for 2011 from The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Director of Finance Michael Seaman for becoming the Marriott Financial Leader of the Region 2011, for the Southern Region. For more about the award, .

5. A new arts magazine is coming to Sarasota. WHOA magazine will relocate to Sarasota and is throwing a party to celebrate. WHOA stands for What's Happening with Original Artists. In addition to the magazine, WHOA has a website that includes a radio station, too. The magazine is published by Lisa Caruso and Anthony "Train" Caruso.

The party will be at 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 at . Validated parking is available in the Hollywood 20 garage.