You know those conversations that start light but get heavy real quick? That’s what’s been happening in our chairs lately when folks start talking about flooding and stormwater management. After three hurricanes hit us hard last year, everyone’s got an opinion about what needs to happen next.

The Big Changes Coming

Sarasota County just made some major moves that have everyone talking. They’re turning their stormwater division into its own full department – think of it like promoting the junior varsity team to varsity level. They’ve hired Ben Quartermaine as the new director, and they’re paying him up to $180,000 a year to figure out how to keep our neighborhoods from turning into lakes every time it storms.

But here’s the kicker – they’re also talking about raising our taxes to pay for all this.

What’s Really Going On With Our Money?

During one of our busy Saturday mornings, a regular client brought up something that’s got a lot of people scratching their heads. The stormwater division currently brings in about $27 million in revenue and has $18 million sitting in reserves from 2024.

“So why do they need more money?” he asked while getting his usual trim.

It’s a fair question. Commissioner Joe Neunder seems to agree – he wants to see an audit of where all that stormwater money is actually going before they ask for more. Makes sense to us.

The Tax Talk Nobody Wants to Have

Here’s where it gets real for Venice families. Those stormwater assessments on your property tax bill? They’ve already doubled or even tripled for many folks since 2021. And now they’re talking about raising them even more.

One resident from the South Gate neighborhood, Seth Johnson, did the math. For a typical 2,500 square foot home, he figures everyone’s stormwater bill would go up 60%. That’s not pocket change we’re talking about.

“Especially since there are no metrics or anything attached to it,” Johnson said. Translation: they want more money but aren’t really explaining what we’ll get for it.

The New Guy in Charge

Ben Quartermaine, the new stormwater director, isn’t actually new to the area. He’s a local guy – born and raised in Sarasota – with nearly 30 years of experience in civil engineering and stormwater work throughout Florida. He even worked for Sarasota County before in stormwater operations.

But as Commissioner Mark Smith put it during a recent meeting, the expectations are sky-high. Smith joked that people are expecting this guy to be “the most highly anticipated savior since Jesus Christ, and with a bit of Moses in there” – except instead of parting water, he needs to move sand and fix flooding.

No pressure, right?

What Residents Really Want

During our conversations with clients, we keep hearing the same frustrations. Take Kristy Molyneaux, whose home near Phillippi Creek flooded three times last year. She’s pushing for the county to hire Stephen Suau, a hydrologist who helped create the county’s stormwater division decades ago.

“He says exactly what needs to be said and what needs to be done,” she told county officials. “I think we need somebody to restore public trust.”

Suau didn’t apply for the director job, but he’s in talks with the county about taking on a temporary role. His investigation showed that a breach in a dike was partly to blame for flooding in Laurel Meadows – and the county admitted they hadn’t checked that area in years.

The Real Talk

Between you and me, sitting in our chairs and hearing these stories, it’s clear that trust is the biggest issue here. People are tired of paying more money for the same problems. They want to see results, not just promises.

The county says they have $45 to $60 million coming from a federal HUD grant to help with stormwater issues. Combined with that $18 million in reserves, it makes folks wonder why they need to dig deeper into their pockets.

What’s Next?

The final budget decision comes in September, so there’s still time for things to change. Commissioner Teresa Mast tried to reassure everyone that “this is not a done deal” and they’re not definitely raising taxes – they’re just keeping the option open.

But as one of our regulars pointed out while getting his beard trimmed, “That’s what they always say before they raise our taxes.”

The Bottom Line

Look, we all want our neighborhoods to stop flooding. Nobody wants to deal with water in their living room or their car floating down the street. But people also want to know their money is being spent wisely.

Whether Ben Quartermaine can navigate the technical challenges and the political pressure remains to be seen. What we do know is that everyone’s watching, and expectations couldn’t be higher.

Next time you’re in for a cut, we’ll probably have more updates. After all, nothing brings a community together like shared concerns about flooding and taxes!