Warm Up

Participants: North Port City Commission, Sarasota County Commission and Warm Mineral Springs, one of the largest of roughly 700 springs in Florida. The springs are on 81 acres in North Port, where the water is embedded with 51 minerals that are said to have rejuvenation and healing powers.

Decision: The commissions are battling how to proceed with management, control and development of Warm Mineral Springs, which had more than 120,000 visitors in 2012. The commissions jointly purchased the springs, in the city of North Port, for $5.5 million in late 2010.

The situation reached its first low point Dec. 18, when the North Port City Commission, by a 3-2 vote, decided to sell its 50% stake in the springs. That decision essentially voided an agreement both commissions unanimously reached in July, when the plan was to invite private developers to bid on a wide variety of potential projects, such as building a hotel near the springs. “The process has been hijacked,” says Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta.