Economic Development Report December 2023

Book Sarasota Sister Cities

Sarasota Sister Cities Economic Development Report December 2023

Our book is published on amazon.com You can find it on Amazon with a simple search of "Sarasota Sister Cities”, or click on this link.

The paperback book costs $10.00. Sarasota Sister Cities owns the copyright and the royalties of $3.00 of each sale goes to Sarasota Sister Cities. We will keep an electronic copy for future boards who may wish to update it periodically.

We thank Ray Young for his outstanding efforts to substantially improve and expand the book and get it published. We thank everyone who contributed to the book, and to all our Board and Members who made our organization successful.

We will schedule a Sarasota Sister City Book Publication Release Celebration soon. We will have signed copies of the book available for sale at the celebration.

You can read an online older and more limited version by clicking on the link below.

booksarasota.blogspot.com

I am still working, slowly, on our books to support Sustainable tourism. Tourism is one of our biggest industries, and green tourism is increasing. I plan to continue this work after I leave the Board. questbooksforchildren.blogspot.com

We continue to use sarasotasistercities.com to inform people about sustainable economic development in Sarasota. Our Economic Development reports can be found at: economicdevelopmentreports.blogspot.com. Our city and region are doing well economically. We have many retirees who bring their retirement income into our region. And because they are older they need more medical services, which is another main driver of our economy. A major concern of our economic success is the concern for housing our workforce and lower income people.

We have a good deal of information about Sister City on a series of Blogs:

Cities - If any of the CD’s would like to start posting on these blogs contact me and I will show you how. It is not too difficult.

dunfermlinesarasota.blogspot.com

hamiltonsarasota.blogspot.com

meridasarasota.blogspot.com

perpignansarasota.blogspot.com

rapperswil-jonasarasota.blogspot.com

telmondsarasota.blogspot.com

bussetosarasota.blogspot.com

vladimirsarasota.blogspot.com

xiamensarasota.blogspot.com

Economic Development

sarasotasistercities.com

sarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

economicdevelopmentreports.blogspot.com

greensarasota.blogspot.com

sustainablesarasota.blogspot.com

sarasotasistercitiesdevelopment.blogspot.com

sarasotatownsquare.blogspot.com

sarasotasustainabledevelopment.blogspot.com

sarasotacityplanning.blogspot.com

bradenrivertrail.blogspot.com

The following Sites were used by Sarasota Sister Cities. Some of them are still in use today while others are of value for the history of the organization. All of them can be reached from sarasotasistercities.com, which forwards to sarasotasistercities.blogspot.com.

historysarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

Sustainable Economic Development

sarasotasistercities.com

sarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

economicdevelopmentreports.blogspot.com

greensarasota.blogspot.com

sustainablesarasota.blogspot.com

sarasotasistercitiesdevelopment.blogspot.com

sarasotatownsquare.blogspot.com

sarasotasustainabledevelopment.blogspot.com

sarasotacityplanning.blogspot.com

bradenrivertrail.blogspot.com

Newsletters

bridgestotheworldssc.blogspot.com

Photos

photossarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

bigphotossarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

galaobserver.blogspot.com

Communication / Social Media

videossarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

sistercitiessocialmarketing.blogspot.com

socialnetworkingreport.blogspot.com

sscsocialmarketing.blogspot.com

eventssarasostasister.blogspot.com

Miscellaneous

sistercitysongs.blogspot.com

birdsofsarasota.blogspot.com

sunsetssarasota.blogspot.com

sscnewsletter.blogspot.com

sscplan.blogspot.com

policydocuments.blogspot.com

sscitiesnew.blogspot.com

sscgraphic.blogspot.com

germansistercity.blogspot.com

germansarasota.blogspot.com

Logosssc.blogspot.com

warandpeacesarasota.blogspot.com

Photos and text from our social media sites.

Web...............sarasotasistercities.org

Facebook.......facebook.com/SarasotaSisterCities

Pinterest........pinterest.com/sarasotasister

Twitter........... twitter.com/#!/SarasotaSisterC

LinkedIn....... linkedin.com/in/sarasotasistercities

Email........... sarasotasistercities@gmail.com

I will serve until a new VP is selected and will assist the new VP in transition. We have moved to Bradenton and will refocus our volunteer efforts on that community. We will make this turn over file for both economic development and communications since we have had recent turnover in communications.

Click to view the turn over file

Sarasota Sister Cities - Sixty Years of Citizen Diplomacy

The Book is completed and published. It is available on amazon.com with the simple search of "Sarasota Sister Cities”. The direct link is:

amazon.com/Sarasota-Sister-Cities-Citizen-Diplomacy/dp/B0CQS38LM8/

The paperback book sells for $10.00. Sarasota Sister Cities owns the copyright and the royalties of $3.00 of each sale goes to Sarasota Sister Cities.

We appreciate the substantial contributions made by Sarasota Sister Cities Board Members and Past Presidents. Special thanks to Tom Halbert, Bill Wallace, Linda Rosenbluth, Carla Rayman, Hope Byrnes, Beth Ruyle, Toni Duvall, and Miriam Kramer; and Board Members Gayle Maxey, Fred Bloom, Kenney DeCamp, Grisell Aleman, David Harralson, Isabelle Eidet, and Sue Gordon. And we thank all Members and supporters who made our organization a success.

Sarasota Sister Cities

Sixty Years of Citizen Diplomacy

December 19, 2023

The Sister Cities Association of Sarasota (SCAS) is celebrating 60 years since the founding in 1963. We have served on the board of directors of SCAS for many years and felt it was time to record the great achievements realized by the organization during the past sixty years. In this treatise we recognize significant exchanges, events and activities that have been carried out over the years and also recognize the many volunteers that have dedicated their valuable time in service to SCAS.

The book will also serve those interested in how a mid-size city manages sister city relationships around the world. Our organizational structure is described as well as the functions of all the board members, including the vice presidents and the directors for each of the sister cities. SCAS also serves the general Sarasota community with the public invited to all our luncheons, wide ranging presentations and celebratory events. The premier “One World Award”, conceived by board member, Bill Wallace, annually honors one remarkable individual and one outstanding organization in our community that has enhanced “Understanding and Respect” among citizens of the world through their extraordinary work or volunteer service.

The information provided in the book provides a template for cities contemplating the development of their own sister city program and contains useful ideas for possible new programs, events and exchanges in other sister city organizations.

You can read a free earlier and much smaller draft of the book by clicking the title below.

SARASOTA SISTER CITIES

Sixty Years of Citizen Diplomacy

University of Florida Ranked Number 1 Public University

Congratulations to Florida. The high ranking of our Universities is a credit to the State. It is important for economic development - our graduates are an important part of creating successful businesses.

____

The Wall Street Journal named the University of Florida the No. 1 public university in the country in its “2024 Best Colleges in the U.S.” report.

https://www.wptv.com/news/state/university-of-florida-ranked-no-1-public-school-in-nation-by-wall-steet-journal

Interesting Data

These interesting slides were prepared by Douglas W. Stowell. You can get a full e-copy of these and many more slides by sending a request to:

dwstowell10@gmail.com

August 2023 Economic Development Report

The following is our report for July-August 2023

Our Economic Development information can be found at sarasotas istercites.com aka sarasotasistercities.blogspot.com. Our Economic Development Reports can be found at economicdevelopmentreports.blogspot.com.

I have been working for some time on developing blogs with embedded books written for children and their parents. They would have the following purposes:

1. Be Entertaining
2. Teach “Green” Sustainability
3. Promote Sustainable Tourism

The Blogs would have links to an EBook, Podcast, and Videos. They are all free. They would be set at a tourist destination where the child can complete the quest. We would explain how the parent can download the book and insert their children's photos into the book. If they wish they can print the book for their children and relatives - before or after they visit.

There is minimal cost for this effort - simply volunteer labor. The program may well qualify for a grant from Visit Sarasota would be possible. If we find an organization that is interested we could jointly approach Ringling College to see if the students would want to assist this effort.

The books could be printed and sold in a gift shop. Possible settings for the books include the Ringling Museum Campus, Ringling College, downtown Sarasota, The Bay, St Armands, and Sarasota beaches and parks.

More info on this effort at:

questbooksforchildren.blogspot.com

questtosavecastlecadzan.blogspot.com

Economic Development Report July 2023

All of our Economic Development information is on sarasotas istercites.com aka sarasotasistercities.blogspot.com. As I previously told the Board, I will be leaving the Board once a replacement is found. I will keep working until a replacement is found, and then work with the new VP in transition. My turn over file is on sarasotas istercites.com

Our Economic Development Reports can be found at economicdevelopmentreports.blogspot.com.

Beth and I are in Alaska, and have been on the road for 40 days and forty nights so far so my efforts in ecomomic development have been limited. Our trip photos and report are at: vancouveralaska.blogspot.com. I did introduce our VP of Sports E. Ramey to Phil Chiocchio by email. Phil has some very interestering ideas for the development a major development on the Bay promoting wheeled sports. I told them I would be glad to work with them.

Our City and County conduct most of their economic development efforts through our Economic Development Corporation edcsarasotacounty.com at 301 N Cattlemen Rd, #203, Sarasota, FL 34232.

The City of Sarasota also maintains an office for economic development. sarasotafl.gov/government/planning/office-of-economic-development. Their programs are shown on the graphic below. You can find out more about them on the link above.

Our draft book about Sister Cities is online. We are slowly improving it.

SARASOTA SISTER CITIES

Sixty Years of Citizen Diplomacy

Thanks to all those who have contributed to the book. You can find the book on our Economic Development Site, sarasotasistercities.com, and at booksarasota.blogspot.com. Your review and recommendations for revision are welcome.

The following blogs were used by Sarasota Sister Cities.

Some of them are still in use today, others are of value

for the history of the organization.