Sarasota County has updated their website at https://www.sarasotavotes.gov. “It is nearly November, and while that month often signals “election time” in Sarasota County, that is not the case this year. Even though other counties in Florida may be administering special or municipal elections in November, there are no scheduled elections in Sarasota County for the remainder of 2025. The next scheduled election in Sarasota County (subject to opposing candidates qualifying) is Tuesday, March 10, 2026.”
Veterans Day Flyover on November 6th
The November 6 Venetian celebration of Veterans Day will include an aircraft flyover to honor all who have served in the United States Armed Forces, both living and deceased, acknowledging their sacrifice, courage, and dedication to the country.
Updates from the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Seminar
Stacey Corley, the Foundation President at Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH), provided an update on the remarkable growth and development at SMH. During a seminar held at the River Club on October 28, several growth initiatives were discussed. Notably, Sarasota Memorial stands as the only hospital in Florida to have consistently earned the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s highest 5-star rating for overall quality and safety since the rating system was introduced in 2016.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota has earned its fifth consecutive Magnet recognition, the most prestigious designation for quality patient care and nursing excellence in healthcare organizations. This achievement is remarkable, as fewer than 2% of the nation’s hospitals have attained this distinction. The Venice hospital is well on its way to earning that distinction as well.
Residents were presented with renderings of the two-story, 24,000 square foot addition that will enhance radiology and MRI services in Venice Fall 2026. Furthermore, the SMH-Venice Rehab Pavilion is expected to be completed in early 2028.
Venice, a 65-acre hospital located just a few miles from the Venetian, opened in 2021. It offers a comprehensive range of hospital services, including an emergency room, cardiology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and comprehensive labor and delivery.
The hospital recently completed an expansion that included a 102-bed patient care tower, 31 emergency rooms, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities. The Venice hospital has the capacity to double in size, reaching over 400 private suites in the future.
SMH, a safety net hospital, serves all patients irrespective of their financial capabilities. However, not all costs are covered. Donors, on the other hand, can make a significant difference. The SMH Healthcare Foundation offers crucial resources that enable SMH to maintain its esteemed position as one of the nation’s top hospitals. You can conveniently donate online at https://smhf.org/donate/
Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency at the River Club November 3rd
On Monday, November 3 STARTING at 9 AM, at the River Club, the Community Association will host two educational seminars on discussing the basics about Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and Cryptocurrency for non-experts. Comment: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the branch of computer science that focuses on creating systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence. These tasks include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, language understanding, and decision-making.
The first session is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM and will address “all you wanted to know about AI but were afraid to ask”. The presenter will be Roger Navarro, Information Technology Director for the City of Venice. Is AI a positive development? What are the concerns/drawbacks? How does AI affect my daily life?
The second session is scheduled from 9:40 AM to 10:10 AM and will provide an overview on cryptocurrency. The presenter will be our very own Venetian resident, Dallas Stiles, author of “Thrivin’ Now! Achieve Success, Build Wealth & Be Happy in a Post-Covid World”. With cryptocurrency so much in the news recently, it has gone from the fringes to more mainstream. Will it be the currency of the future or is it a Ponzi scheme? Comment: Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual form of money that uses cryptography for security, operates on decentralized blockchain technology, and is typically not issued or controlled by any government or central bank. It allows peer-to-peer transactions over the internet — meaning individuals can send or receive funds directly, without intermediaries such as banks.
Mayor Pachota to speak at our next Community Association Board Meeting on Monday, November 17th
Mayor Pachota will address the City’s Seaboard Plans and answer questions at our next VGRC Community Association Board meeting which will be at the River Club on Monday, November 17th at 10 am. Residents are welcome to give their views!
Venice Happenings — Updated
Venice Water Booster Pump Station Nearing Operations
This article has been updated on October 8.
The Venice Water Booster Station, which has been under construction for 2 years, has received clearance from the Department of Health to operate the tank and pumping system. The City is currently filling the ground storage tank with fresh drinking water in preparation for the system soon being put into service.
While originally forecast to be operational in early 2025, integration of the booster system software infrastructure into the Venice water system and supply chain issues have delayed some earlier expectations that the system may be operating in the spring of 2025. We expect another month before you may notice an increase in pressure.
The increase pressure will result in increased flow at our fixtures. However, the extent of the impact on our water bills will depend on how much each water fixture is used. For most people, the increase in a bill will be negligible.
View is looking south into the Venetian.
The primary driver for the construction of a water booster station was that the city has but one water treatment plant serving approximately 26,000 residents and growing, from its location near the Intracoastal Waterway. The new Water Booster Pump Station (BPS) is located on the northern portion of an approximately 40-acre City-owned parcel at the eastern end of Gene Green Road adjacent to Sarasota County’s Dona Bay Surface Water Storage Facility.
The booster station was originally intended to begin construction in 2021; however, a protest and subsequent rebidding process set construction back several years. See HERE for project plan documentation by the City.
The construction includes a 2-million-gallon tank, a solar field, and water pipelines buried in a covered trench along the Perimeter Road to the north. The top of the above-ground storage tank will not exceed approximately 30’ above the existing grade. The facility is designed to allow a second 2 million-gallon tank and two additional booster pumps to be constructed on site if NE Venice continues to experience the significant growth in population we have seen over the last two decades.
An emergency interconnect with Sarasota County’s potable water system was within the Booster Station project work. However, the time needed to secure easements for construction of the interconnect is taking longer than anticipated and the interconnect will need to be constructed as a separate project in the near future. A landscaped berm on the south side of the facility will be built to shield the new facility from view. Overall, the project cost is estimated to be $23.5 million.
The operations building can function as an emergency operations center for water in the event there is a loss of FPL main power. Solar power supplements the FPL feed. Emergency power is supplied by a large diesel powered generator with sound attenuating enclosure. Noise generation is below ambient noise according to modeling. The pipelines along the Perimeter Road are 16” potable water mains.
The photos are recent. During some days over the next week or two, we may experience a decrease in pressure when the booster pumps are turned off to troubleshoot issues and test various scenarios as the technicians continue to fill the 2-million-gallon ground storage tank at a couple hundred gallons per minute.
A 9-foot high landscaped berm will be constructed as shown on the rendering above to further screen the facility from neighboring residential communities.
The main benefits NE Venice residents will likely see are:
- More consistent water pressure throughout the day, especially during daily peak demand periods.
- A couple psi of additional peak pressure being available during low demand periods.
- Higher pressures for homes and buildings having 2nd-floor water fixtures that don’t already have private booster pump systems installed.
Seaboard – Venice City
Seaboard is an area in Venice City, east of the Intracoastal Waterway, bounded by Venice Ave and US-41 By-pass. Venice City council approved a master plan in March 2025 for the development of the area from light industrial to mixed use and residential. See Venice City webpage for additional information. The plan includes the move of the city’s solid waster and fleet maintenance out of the Seaboard area.
Be Cyber Safe — Mentoring on Tuesday November 4th at River Club
Please register by sending an email to vgrccaweb@gmail.com.
Gain confidence using your computer and phone. Protect your on-line data. Guard against scams, identify theft and fraud. And much more. See the National Cryptologic Foundation brochure HERE. #1 directive is building strong passwords and using a password manager so you don’t have to remember them nor write a password down. The Community Association will show you how to be safer on the internet. Classes are every Tuesday. Next one is November 4th at 10 a.m. in the River Club bar area. Please register by sending an email to vgrccaweb@gmail.com. Please bring your mobile device and use the wifi password posted on the wall in the bar area.
Visit the Venice Farmers Market on Saturday!
Support local businesses and shop fresh by making a habit of visiting the Venice Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Click here for FAQ and also the map of the vendors. The location is in the parking lot behind City Hall at 401 West Venice Ave. The market is open year round.