Village residents meet the candidates
STAFF WRITER
editorial@lbknews.com
Longboat Key Vice Mayor Robert Siekmann, Town Commissioners Peter O’Connor and Gene Jaleski, and Village resident Samir Ragheb.
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It was a night of politics fueled by tough questions, glasses of wine and the ongoing cold snap at the Longbeach Village Associations monthly meeting Wednesday, March 3. In fact, about 50 residents showed up to ask candidates Peter O’Connor, Lee Rothenberg, Dave Brenner, Lynne Larson and Phil Younger questions ranging from cell towers to fixing the economy on Longboat Key.
Benny Parrish, Becky Parrish, David Miller, Bobbie Banan
The first question asked candidates was what candidates would do to address vacant properties on the Key and stimulate tourism.
Rothenberg said, “It’s the economy, it’s everywhere. My point is to make Longboat Key the most attractive place on the West Coast so people will come.”
Younger said the Town was impacted by the loss of 500 tourism units because of the closing of the Colony and hotels. “We need to work with the Chamber of Commerce and family oriented businesses.”
Brenner said, “We are not Anna Maria Island. This is a residential Town, I want it to stay that way. The question is how much tourism would help us keep balance.”
Larson said, “We will not be and do not want to be Anna Maria Island. We need to be friendly toward development so hotels will want to develop here.”
On the issue of cell phone service and whether the Island needs cell towers, Peter O’Connor said his personal experience is that cell phone service has gotten better because the technology is better.
Rothenberg said he is against cell phone towers on Longboat Key. He told residents, “Be patient the situation will gradually work itself out.”
Younger said patience is good to a certain point, “But the north end needs help.”
Brenner answered that, “You do not want a life and death situation and a cell phone that doesn’t work. If we need towers we need to look at masking them.”
Larson said we need cell service and we need it now. She said stealth towers might be a solution.
One Village resident asked for their take on the issue of pay for commissioners..
Larson said, “Pay for a Commissioner is not unreasonable. I don’t want to be paid but someone who needs a job should not be prohibited.”
Brenner joked that he would love to be paid and said, “It’s not a political reality in the near future if doing the job takes 100% of someone’s time that’s a reality.”
Aunt Sharon and Zoe Oper
Younger said, “Longboat Key has had many fine Commissioners, and I prefer not to burden the taxpayers.”
O’Connor said the Town is “clearly better off not being paid. I think it is solid the way it is.”
Rothenberg said he is against pay. “I’ve held that position for 10 years, it’s a labor of the heart to give something back.”
One resident asked how Commissioners will deal with the competing interests of residents vs. the business community or those who make a living off the residents.
Larson said, “Residents have said we need more visitors. You cannot call them ‘evil business people.’”
O’Connor said some of these type of questions will go to the people. “But we have the danger of turning into California, the classic big developer small town. If it goes to a Charter Amendment voters always win; there are more of them.”
Rothenberg said it’s a matter of balance. He said the economy will be different and the Commission has to use it’s judgment. “You elect them for your interest, but also to use their judgment.” He added that the Town is pretty business friendly but it has limits. “It’s granted the Hilton hotel rooms, but it’s up to the Hilton to build them, we have no control.”
Village residents and owners of Longview Realty, Alison and Richard Estrin.
Younger said the commercial zoning needs revitalization. “We have to be proactive with the Chamber of Commerce. I want you to have a service station, but I am not pro development.
To the issue of the Town’s pension funds and if they need to be changed to save the Town funding costs, Younger said we need to move toward the way businesses across the country are doing things, we need to start changing the pensions.
Brenner said, “We’ve been talking about it but not much has happened. As long as we delay a resolution the unfunded liability continues to grow.”
Larson said the Town needs to explore all areas but added, “We need to keep promises to existing employees but the change from the 15-year to 30-year plan in 2003 got us in the mess.”
O’Connor said he didn’t know if he would consider it “a mess.” He added that the three plans are managed by three state-mandated pension boards.
Rothenberg compared the pensions to a mortgage as a similar unfunded liability. He said the pensions are, “Monitored closely and constantly.” He said, “Don’t worry about it, we don’t have to upset the system, it is at a stable level.”
