SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – A new director has recently started his role in a newly formed department within the Sarasota County government.
Ben Quartermaine assumed the position of director for the county’s stormwater department on August 11.
Following the 2024 storm season, Sarasota County has separated the stormwater department from public works.
Many residents in the Suncoast area suffered significantly due to Hurricane Debby. “It devastated 85 lives in this neighborhood and many more elsewhere,” remarked Judy Valvo from Laurel Meadows.
During Quartermaine’s first media appearance, ABC7 conveyed a question from Valvo, who asked, “What assurances can you provide this hurricane season to those of us who lost everything, that you will handle things correctly this year?”
“We have been proactive in our maintenance efforts,” Quartermaine responded. “In fact, we’ve brought on extra crews to address the maintenance backlog.”
“We aim for our systems to function optimally. Besides our capable teams, we have also engaged contractors to help ensure our systems operate as efficiently as possible.”
Valvo mentioned that her family has yet to return to their home, nearly 13 months after Tropical Storm Debby.
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