Critics say this reshuffle is happening too late to make a difference this storm season.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: July 2, 2025
Host: The next storm season is approaching, and Phillippi Creek, which flooded many homes last year, will not be dredged. And it’s reshuffle time in Sarasota County’s stormwater management, as Ramon Lopez reports.
[Boxing bell dings]
Ramon Lopez: It was round one on Monday in the ongoing heavyweight match between the Sarasota County commissioners and county staff over what to do about the county’s failures in handling historic rainfall from Hurricane Debby.
At a Monday morning news conference at the county’s Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, County Administrator Jonathan Lewis spoke but did not take questions from the media.
Jonathan Lewis: I anticipate the board creating a new stormwater department will really give us the ability to hit the ground running.
RL: Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson then said homeowners along Phillippi Creek will have to go through the rest of the 2025 hurricane season without major repairs to the creek.
This, because Anderson failed to get an emergency dredging permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps rejected it on grounds that the dredging proposal was too extensive to be considered on an emergency basis.
The county will have to wait for a more extensive six- to eight-month federal review of an application to comprehensively dredge the creek. As a result, the extensive dredging operation won’t get off the ground until early 2026.
Spencer Anderson
Spencer Anderson: We wanted to get dredging immediately, and now we’re not able to provide that service immediately because of the federal authorization requirement.
RL: Community activist Tom Matrullo—full disclosure: a board member of WSLR + Fogartyville—was among those at the EOC. He had a lot to say about what he heard from Lewis and Anderson.
Tom Matrullo: It’s hard to say to what extent what they’re talking about is accurate and whether they will follow through. They are talking about bureaucratic blocks instead of about the methods and necessities of what to do now. I just don’t see a clear program of stormwater effectiveness. I see a lot of talk about the federal government and the problems with permits and all this. This is bureaucratic speak when we need action.
RL: County Commissioners Tom Knight and Joe Neunder were also at the press conference. They offered no remarks. But Neunder told WSLR News afterwards that hiring a qualified stormwater manager is a given.
Joe Neunder: I like the “stormwater czar” vernacular—I think it’s a really cool concept—but, at the end of the day, it’s just somebody who’s dedicated to stormwater 24/7, 365. We need that. Our citizens expect it.
Flooding in the Pinecraft area during Tropical Storm Debby.
RL: Neunder told WSLR News on Monday that discussion on what to do about the county’s stormwater crisis was scheduled for late in Tuesday’s budget meeting. But because of the topic’s importance, he moved it to the top of the agenda.
As a result, the five-member Board of Sarasota County Commissioners voted first off at Tuesday’s budget workshop to move forward with separating Stormwater from Public Works, and establish it as its own department.
The measure that passed unanimously was introduced by Commissioner Tom Knight and seconded by Mark Smith. They said the staff reorganization is much needed.
Tom Knight: My motion would be that we simply create the county stormwater functions and remove it from public works and create an independent stormwater department. Ultimately, I—as we do—work for the citizens. I think it’s been very loud and clear that we need to start regaining some public trust.
Flooding in the Pinecraft area during Tropical Storm Debby.
RL: Last week, Lewis assigned Assistant County Administrator Mark Cunningham to focus exclusively on stormwater management, which caused a shake-up in top-level county responsibilities. Lewis wrote in a memo that “this will allow him to supplement the efforts of Spencer Anderson on a day-to-day basis.” However, asked who is now in charge of stormwater, Anderson maintained he was. At least for now.
County officials will explore the possibility of hiring someone on a temporary basis to provide immediate expertise if the permanent hiring drags on. Lewis said the search for a “stormwater czar” for the county will begin immediately.
On Tuesday, Knight went on to introduce two additional, related motions, both of which passed 5-0.
The first directs staff to utilize a November 2024 stormwater report from independent consultant Stephen Suau and provide the status of compliance for his recommendations at the board’s July 8 meeting.
The second tabled discussion on eliminating the stormwater interlocal agreement with the City of Sarasota for one year. That’s good news for Sarasota city leaders who were ambushed by the proposal to return city stormwater responsibilities to them.
As the move to fast track emergency dredging plans for Phillippi Creek is on hold for now, Sarasota County continues to work through scheduled maintenance while also addressing emergency repairs throughout the stormwater system.
Additional contractors have been hired to assist with ditch excavations, pipe and structure cleaning, debris removal and other extraordinary maintenance throughout the county.
But critics say the work is too little and too late, as the 2025 storm season has already begun in earnest.
This is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.