Longboat Key Letters – January 2012
Updated Jan. 20, 2012.
Tim Tebow’s religious fervor
To: Editor
I’d like to respond to Tom Burgum’s column (“Hatin’ on Tebow and other things hard to understand,” Jan. 13, 2012) on his wondering why there are so many people who dislike Tim Tebow’s religious fervor on the football field. I can only reply for myself in this regard.
Currently most of the Republican presidential candidates, evangelicals and Tea Party members feel we need more religion in government. Presidential candidate Gingrich told Larry King several years ago that this was a Christian nation that tolerated diversity. I was unaware that the United States of America was ever defined by a religion and what happens when toleration is out of vogue?
In countries where religion and government commingle, human rights are trampled, women are second-class citizens at best and in the worst cases, ethnic and religious cleansing occurs. It is the most fervently religious who cause the most problems. The founders of our country were well aware of the abuses caused by centuries of religious intolerance in Europe. In their wisdom they set up a constitution and government that requires that church and state be apart from one another. Our courts are continuously addressing challenges caused by the religious right’s attempt to tear down this wall.
So when Tim Tebow flaunts his religiosity on national TV it reminds me of my concerns. I would rather watch a football game and leave religion where it belongs and off the football field.
K. Lang
Longboat Key
Publix solicitations
To: Editor
We all have shopped at Publix on Longboat Key at one time or another and appreciated the friendly convivial service from the wonderful employees. Lately when checking out, the cash register ringers have begun daily solicitations for money to various charities almost like the specials of the day. I find it intimidating to be asked for a donation with several people behind me twitching uncomfortably as they are next inline to be panhandled in the same fashion. What smart remark should one make?
After all, the holiday rush of giving should now be over. The Bell Ringer is gone from the front door; Santa has returned to the North Pole; the food bank shut down after the collection for the holidays. Why the continued harangue? I guess I’ll shop at Whole Foods on the mainland as Publix here on Longboat is shutting down for reconstruction in April. I won’t hurry back.
Georgie McFarland
Longboat Key
Longboat Island Chapel, Rev. Gill’s future
To: Editor
I am writing to express my dismay on reading of the Longboat Island Chapel’s decision to vote on the future of the Rev. Kenneth Gill.
Many years ago, even though I was not a member of his congregation, this extraordinary pastoral minister helped me at a moment of personal crisis involving my own church. I can still see Ken sitting under a tree during a community event at Mar Vista and taking the time to hold a helping hand out to me. I believe that he reaches out with kindness and understanding to all.
As an Episcopal seminarian who has studied Certified Public Chaplaincy, I was greatly impressed by his concern for me on that occasion. And I have often been impressed by his concern for others as I observed his caring ministry to those in greatest need: the ill and the dying, those who would feel isolated and lonely if it were not for his welcome presence in their time of trial.
I pray for the Rev. Gill and for his ministry, and I hope that the Longboat Island Chapel will be guided to do the right thing.
Alison S. Estrin
Longboat Key
Cell tower
To: Michael Selby
Thanks so much. After our meeting I went straight to Town Hall and talked to Town Manager David Bullock about CMS, and he inform me he has talked to CMS — specifically Rusty Monroe. He also was well versed on the CMS web sight (sic). Thanks for the info and if you don’t mind I would like to discuss with you, in a little more detail, where we both are on this subject and where we see things going. If you are OK with that, could you email a time and phone number I could reach you at?
Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
It was a pleasure talking with you yesterday. Here is the information that I promised. The company we are using is the “Center for Municipal Solutions.” You may want to look at his website before calling. It is www.telecomsol.com. Interesting concept.
Commissioner Mike Selby
City of Anna Maria
Recreation Center recommendations
To: Recreation Center Director Mark Richardson
Hi Mark, I am unable to attend the Recreation Center meeting but wanted to put in my two cents. It is very difficult to turn left into the center. The road narrows and it feels dangerous. The building looks like it has mold in the ceiling.
Last, but not least, and I may be too late, please do not build on the water. The water should be enjoyed with proper outdoor seating gazebos walking paths for the public, etc. Setback is more important for the building as it is an inside activity. Most cities have made the mistake of building athletic stadiums on their water where all the focus is on the teams and the interior. What a waste of a beautiful natural resource. Thank you.
Phoebe Shaw
Longboat Key
To: Phoebe Shaw
I’m sorry I’m not sure of your name from your email address, but I wanted to respond to your email to Mark. I am concerned that you have developed a number of negative ideas about the proposed new “Community Center” at Bayfront Park. Even though there will be recreation opportunities provided at the new facilities, the true concept is that this is to be a place for the community to come together to meet, take part in community functions, learn together through lectures and programs, and most importantly meet your neighbors. It will provide an opportunity for gathering of our community that does not exist today. The facility will be designed to accommodate the needs and desires of the people of Longboat Key, given our age and demographic uniqueness.
As for placing the building on the waterfront, I cannot imagine not taking advantage of this unique opportunity to provide the fantastic views provided by locating the building on the waterfront so that the users of the facility will always be provided the opportunity to see the natural environment from many of the spaces in the building. Because this building will be elevated, people on the ground will be able to see the water from their vantage point as well. The design for the park allows for numerous opportunities for experiencing the magnificent views provided by the location of this community asset.
I hope that you will try to attend at least one of the meetings where the public’s input will be requested so we can truly provide a facility that meets the needs of the all of the “community.” If you cannot attend, please contact me and I will be happy to discuss the community center with you.
Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key
To: Mayor Jim Brown
Thank you for your reply, Mayor Brown. Did Mark forward this email or does everyone get copies of all emails which come to Longboat Key?
It’s a wonderful idea to have a community center, the key needs it, there is no “soul place” on the island. I have not seen the plan and so I cannot comment on the placement of the building. I wish you well.
Phoebe Shaw
Longboat Key
To: Phoebe Shaw
Everyone is copied. Please try to attend our meetings.
Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key
What is LBK’s mission?
To: Commissioner Patricia Zunz
I have looked everywhere on the website and I do not see a mission statement for Longboat Key? Are we a town or are we a resort island? Where is the soul of the place anyway?
Phoebe Shaw
Longboat Key
Good idea in the wrong location
To: Mayor Jim Brown
Your proposed community center at Bayfront Park is a good idea in the wrong location.
So far many prominent residents and both newspapers have questioned locating any multi-million dollar community center away from the emerging social center of the new Publix complex, with its restaurants and cafés. I doubt that many residents will frequent a community center that does not have all the social amenities people are accustomed to in other communities, namely places where people meet, share food and refreshment, and in general share a casual atmosphere.
Frankly, what you are proposing seems a bit institutional. If I want a learning experience I already have a great educational program at the Center Shops. If I want truly good art and glitzy art-opening soirees, I have the Longboat Key Center for the Arts. If I want a good workout there are great social gathering places at Cedars and the Key Club for those without exercise centers in their own condominium complexes.
It almost seems as though you want to go into competition with many existing, and in many cases struggling, institutions and activity centers on Longboat Key, thus further diluting an already sparse seasonal population. The developer from Publix was correct when he told the commission that Longboat Key needs a center, “an Avenue” where residents and visitors are drawn together to share a social experience. Attending classes or hopping on a treadmill at Bayfront Park sounds like boredom with a view.
Many residents and the editor of the Observer have recommended that any community center be located at or around the new Publix center. There are existing, and beautiful, commercial buildings adjacent to the Publix center that would be ideal for a social-centric community center. We don’t need education with a view. We need to have fun comingling with our fellow Longboaters, where there is good food and good friends. I would like a bit of St. Armand’s Circle right here on Longboat. Unfortunately, your Bayfront Park building is too far out of the mainstream. People only can take so many educational experiences and attend so many meetings.
Please spare the community the great expense of another under-utilized facility that does nothing to promote tourism, will provide a cheap gym for off-island people and will compete with existing meeting room facilities.
How many meetings are held in the current community center annually? How much will it cost taxpayers to staff and maintain your proposed structure? Why not concentrate all our community activities at a central location?
Good idea, wrong place.
Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key
Key Club renovation not a renovation
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
Do you agree that the following words have been misused by both the town and developers?
Renovation. This word is used by both the Key Club and the town to describe: Building a hotel 11 stories high with 196 rooms and 76 apartments, three villas with 20 units, five midrise buildings with 32 units. A conference center. A clubhouse. A spa/wellness center. A large parking garage. None of these are there now so what is actually being renovated?
Clarification. Can changing a host of rules and regulations for the benefit of the Key Club really be “clarification?” Stealth tower. The definition of the word stealth is to do something in a surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard. Can this possibly apply to a tower 150 feet high in a residential area? Would you kindly respond to my view that these are “weasel words?”
Malcolm Barry
Longboat Key
To: Malcolm Barry
No.
Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key
Dogs on the beach
To: Town Commission
I am writing concerning the issue of dogs on the beaches of Longboat Key. I am a taxpayer here on Longboat. I pay very high taxes. I love to swim in the gulf and I love to sit on the beach. I love the pristine beauty of our beaches. I love the blue heron that hangs out by the edge of the water.
I do not want to lose this so that a visitor who comes here for a few weeks can make his dog happy. I want to be happy! And I do not want to lose this so a resident’s dog can be happy. I want to swim in clean water.
I do not want my grandchild digging in sand where a few minutes ago a dog urinated or pooped! I also live in NYC and many, many people clean up after their dogs (of course, not the urine, which really can stink in the summertime). But the 10 percent who don’t, well, that poop is stepped in and wiped along the street for a few feet, then a few more people step in it and spread it further. This occurs many times on every block. Imagine how this will get into the sand.
And to assume that both visitors and residents will always clean up after their dogs or always keep them on a leash is ridiculous. They just will not do it. And am I supposed to go up to the guy with his pit bull running around and tell him the law? I don’t think so. I frequently see dog mess when I am walking across the Ringling Bridge. This will just be the beginning of a very unsanitary mess.
There are places that people can take their dogs so their dogs can go in the water. But I do not believe that we should give up our health or the lives of our birds so that the dogs can have a good time.
People and their health are important too. Dogs are nice, but they don’t have to be everywhere.
Barbara Chase
Longboat Key
Reshaping the town’s long-term plans
To: Town Manager David Bullock
Although I was not involved in the early discussions with the Key Club, it is my understanding that they used a lady by the name of Brenda Patton as their strategy consultant. I have been told that she was quite good at her trade and I was wondering if this is someone we could consider, as a consultant for the town, as we begin to reshape the town’s long-term strategic plans. At some point let’s discuss.
Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I have known Brenda for 17 years when she was at the county attorney office. I speak with her regularly.
Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key
Do not appeal
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
Please stand up for our rights and vote against an appeal this evening. Enough time and money has been spent on this oversized expansion that ignored zoning codes and infringed on our rights. Thank you for your service to the community.
Mort and Rochelle Tarter
Longboat Key
Stop the insanity
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I urge you to be the leader among your fellow commissioners and “Stop the insanity” that has infected our wonderful island. To appeal the court ruling just passed down will just continue the insanity! Urge the commission to get both sides to the table to work out their differences, and stop using lawyers to do the dirty work.
Ray Stewart
Longboat Key
Tainted decision
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I agree with Bob White’s cogent observation that our town government need not support the Key Club’s machinations to change the town’s codes so that they can make a huge profit when they sell the Islandside property.
Please give consideration to the fact that accepting the Key Club’s reimbursement for the town’s expenses in assisting them against the wishes of the community taints your decision.
Rudy K. Meiselman
Longboat Key
Obligation to serve the citizens
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I trust that you and your fellow commissioners will not support an appeal by the Longboat Key Club in its effort to continue litigation against the IPOC. Your commission has an obligation to serve the citizens of Longboat Key and not the commercial interests of the Longboat Key Club. The courts have spoken loudly and clearly that the club has no case. It is incumbent that the commission does not waste the time and efforts of the town’s employees in a direction that promotes the interests of a commercial organization that is using every means possible to change the law.
Karam D. Skaff
Longboat Key
Judge was correct
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I urge you not to appeal to judge’s ruling against the Longboat Key Club and commission. I believe the judge was correct and the actions of the commission were not in the best interest of the citizens of Longboat Key.
Louis Lobes
Longboat Key
Town overstepped its authority
To: Editor
In last week’s paper, in regards to Judge Roberts ruling against the Key Club application, Mr. Welly wrote: “Roberts’ ruling does underscore the need for the town to review and amend zoning codes that do not clearly represent the town’s intentions.”
What Judge Roberts did say was the ruling by the town “constituted a miscarriage of justice.”
After all these years of living with the zoning codes established for Longboat Key, Mr. Welly has now determined that the “town’s intentions” are not representative of the codes. What he really is saying is: “The codes do not represent the Key Club’s intentions.”
The fact of the matter is that Judge Roberts, a jurist, an independent trier of fact, has determined that the town overstepped its authority by approving the development plan requested by the Key Club.
Changing the zoning codes that would allow the town to approve the development plan without the input of the residents would “constitute a miscarriage of justice.”
The residents relied on the zoning codes and Comprehensive Plan and development regulations when they purchased their properties. Changing those plans now only benefits one group…the Key Club.
Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key
The judge has spoken
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
As a former victim of a city government’s power and willfulness, I am completely in sympathy with the members of IPOC. It matters to me that the judge has spoken. Why do you wish to appeal? To change not a few but many codes and rules that are on the books? Don’t property owners have rights too?
Our mayor in a city where I still reside lied about a historic district, which most owners disapproved. We lost. The case itself is unimportant. But the mayor did go to prison on another charge. We, the dissidents, were happy. We learned early on about retaliation had we been the winners.
Lois Kaufman
Longboat Key
Residents shouldn’t be victims
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I believe that representing the residents that have made Longboat Key what is today should be the basis for any and all votes regarding any change on Longboat key by our commissioners. The club is a managed industry that should operate within the boundaries of the rules that they knew about when they decided to buy the club from Arvida. The residents shouldn’t be the victims of their greed. I urge you to consider the facts that existed when we bought our home and we decided Longboat Key was the place to be. The club misrepresented to many members that they were going to redo the golf course 10 years ago, and still nothing has been done. To better their position based on their promises is false hope.
I urge you not to support forcing us to fight an appeal. The fact that the club is paying for the town’s legal expense doesn’t feel right to me, and many others.
Bob Blumberg
Longboat Key
To: Mr. Blumberg
Thank you for your thoughts on this issue.
Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key
Do not appeal ruling
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
I concur in the reasoning and request by Bob White that the town should not appeal the ruling by Judge Roberts. I am sure all the commissioners have read the entire order, but I wish to call attention to pages 12-13 addressing finding “P,” wherein the town attorney orally, and the director of planning {then} in writing stated that the plans as presented did not meet the requirements of the ordinance. Nothing further needs to be said. The process did not meet the town’s legal standards and an independent judge has so found and ordered. Please abide by the decision.
Julian R. Hansen
Longboat Key
Decision to appeal court ruling
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
As one who was not involved in the decision by the commission that has led to the debacle that now confronts the town, I believe that you could help to put this body on a new path by urging your fellow commissioners to reject the call for an appeal of the circuit court’s ruling. Here’s why.
The appeal has little chance for success, particularly in view of the fact that the judge ruled in favor of the Islandside Property Owners Coalition on all seven counts of the petition.
The owners of the club will undoubtedly appeal, but the town does not have to endorse this deed, it will go forward anyway. Joining in this action will further infuriate the property owners who rightly believe that their rights have been ignored and flagrantly violated as a result of the town’s actions, a belief that has been validated by the court’s ruling.
Based upon the Key Club’s behavior during the past year, filing one motion after another in an attempt to disqualify IPOC (all of which have been denied by the court), it is much more likely that an appeal is designed more to drain IPOC’s funds rather than in anticipation of prevailing.
Rather than continue this misadventure, the town should now insist that a new plan be submitted that more fully conforms to the town code, as well as the Town Charter.
If the cost of the continued litigation was being born by the town and the taxpayers, rather than Key Club, would you still appeal the ruling? I think not.
Bob White, president
Islandside Property Owners Coalition LLC
Reject the call for appeal
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
As a property owner in the Longboat Key Club I would like to urge you to reject the call for an appeal of the Circuit Court’s ruling.
Perhaps, as someone not party to the original decision, you can bring a more balanced perspective to evaluating the issues on both sides, not only relative to existing town code, but to the expectations of owners like me who have made substantial investments in our future based on protections guaranteed by the town code and a faith in the commission to uphold those safeguards.
The court has now recognized that the Key Club’s proposal and the town’s acquiescence on their petition violated the rights of Islandside Property Owners Coalition and infringed on their legitimate expectations under the zoning code. As a non-partisan body, I hope that the commission will vote tonight with an ear to the court, to the residents and to the taxpayers. A vote against an appeal will support those voices and recognize that the current zoning code has precluded over-development and made Longboat Key today one of the world’s most coveted destinations.
John Garment
Longboat Key
Do not rush
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
This letter is addressed to you because you are one of the members of the commission who did not take part in passing either Ordinance 2009-25 or Ordinance 2010-16. It would seem prudent, under the circumstances, that the Town Commission not allow itself to be rushed into something they may regret. When the town lawyer urged the commission to quickly vote on the Key Club-created ordinance revisions, to the town’s building codes (2010-16), by some arbitrary date set by the Key Club developer, it may have been ill-advised. One of the issues brought up by the court was this deviation from a mandated review process.
Now, after the recent decision of the courts, the town lawyer is advising the town to take immediate action and allow him to appeal the court finding. The town would be best served by proceeding with caution. There is no need for haste. Nor should the commission once again be pushed into making quick decisions based solely on the recommendations of the town lawyer. It would seem reasonable at this juncture for the commission to retain the advice of a disinterested, expert land use attorney with a winning track record. Maybe it is not advisable to appeal the Key Club court decision, if the odds are greatly against winning in front of a three-judge panel. If the town appeals and loses, then everyone loses, and any hope for any sort of Key Club renovation will be diminished.
Courts are contentious, compromise is quicker… a la Dorothy Parker.
Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key
Plans are too big
To: Commissioner Jack Duncan
My wife and I have lived full-time on Longboat Key for 21 years now. I am amazed that the Longboat Key Club has been allowed to direct the commissioner’s voting for this outrageous expansion plan. Even the now-fired Monica Simpson (which by the way was handled in a way that would make any personnel manager have nightmares) was right about the plans being non-conforming and too big.
Please vote against this legal appeal. It’s time to really compromise — not just play at it.
Charles and Heloisa Jennings
Longboat Key
Appeal should become referendum
To: Commissioner Lynn Larson
I was quite disturbed today when I read in the Observer that the Town Commission unanimously approved David Persson’s request to join the Key Club in their appeal. We don’t have a membership to the Key Club nor are we allowed to enter the Key Club property, as it is a private club. Most of Longboat’s taxpayers are not members. Why should we now pay to support their appeal? If the commission wants to aid Loeb Partners Realty of New York financially, the issue should become a referendum for the town’s taxpayers to determine.
Reina Berman and Bob Krosney
Longboat Key
The Shoppes at Bay Isles
To: Town Commission
The calendar states that you will be hearing the petition by agents of Publix to tear down and then rebuild the existing Avenue of the Flowers. I appeal to you — and especially to those of you who hold your office by virtue of having been elected thereto by a vote of the citizenry of Longboat Key — to consider carefully the content of the plans before making your decisions.
I have been hamstrung in my endeavors to lend my experience in the matter of shopping center design by the rather callous attempt — reported in our local newspaper and not yet denied or retracted — to cast me, personally, to the agents of Publix as merely an annoyance and one not to be considered. As a result, my attempts to communicate with the agents of Publix have been subverted. I write them — and get no answer.
You ladies and gentlemen have in your power the right to set the tone for the future of our island. Is it still to be the sylvan beauty we have created here or is it to be commercialized — with absolutely no respect to those of us who chose to live here because of what it was? It is the matter of the parking lot that has been designed to replace what we now enjoy.
I have raised three questions: the lack of islands, the size of the plants proposed, and the elevations of the buildings and their appurtenances.
The courts have recently dwelt upon the subject of “unambiguous” in a recent decision with relevance to our zoning codes. It ruled that notwithstanding the opinions of the town and its staff, what is clearly understandable in the verbiage in the zoning code trumps those opinions, and the decisions relying on them.
In the matter of the required island there is no ambiguity. Parking bays need be separated by islands — and there need be a tree installed at every five spaces along these islands. This is no arcane regulation. Both of our existing shopping centers have followed this definition — Avenue of the Flowers and Centre Shops. It is no secret or unachievable mystery to Publix. Their latest store on South Tamiami Trail at Bay Road follows this design. Why not here?
In the matter of size of “mature trees” there is ambiguity. Clearly. It lies in the definitions in our code. It states that two-inch caliper trees are acceptable. But, except for bonsai, a two-inch caliper tree is hardly “mature.” (The proponent claims that this site will be 21 percent shaded at installation with the present design. Impossible!) To my casual inspection, there are no two-inch caliper trees at the above new Publix store, only larger ones. Why not larger specimens here?
As for the elevations — this is squarely within the province of the developer. But, lowering the elevations will materially affect the voluminous truck traffic generated in the matter of bringing in the required fill and also in lowering the visual impact on the public. Why not?
Propitiously, there is an important feature story in today’s (Sunday) New York Times. It is titled, “Paved, But Still Alive.” In deference to the people who voted for you, I beg that you take the time to read it.
I will not bother to reinforce the points it makes. Suffice it to say that the accepted reason for zoning regulations is to protect the populace with respect to health, safety, convenience, morals and welfare. Except for “morals” all of the other requisites are in play with your actions in this matter. But, let me assure you, if it saves one of us from melanoma — or from being hit by an automobile, as we stroll diagonally through the bare asphalt parking lot portrayed in the plans before you — your decisions to require what I implore you to consider, will be justified.
You still represent. “We, the People.”
Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key
Correction
To: Editor
Happy New Year to you and your family. I wanted to bring to your attention several inaccuracies in Gene Jaleski’s year-end predictions in Longboat Key News.
His fourth prediction regarding the Longboat Key Center for the Arts states that this facility is “state owned.” The fact is Longboat Key Center for the Arts is a division of Ringling College of Art and Design, which is private, independent, fully accredited not-for-profit college of art and design and is noted as one of the nation’s top tier art and design institutions.
As part of the Ringling College mission statement, we are dedicated to providing galleries, library, continuing education and community services programs courses, lectures, exhibitions and other art-related services to the local and regional community.
Longboat Key Center for the Arts is honored to be an integral part of the community of Longboat Key and is proud to be part of the Ringling College family since our merger in 2007. We are dedicated to providing the best community art classes, exhibitions and events to the residents of Longboat Key and beyond and continue to expand our offerings.
Contrary to Mr. Jaleski’s predictions, we are growing, attracting new members, instructors, and artists and programs. Our goal is to continue developing the property and to become part of the economic revitalization initiatives now being developed for Longboat Key.
We invite the community to visit our center to see for themselves all we have to offer and to consider becoming members of this incredible resource we have on Longboat Key.
Director Jane Buckman
Longboat Key Center for the Arts
Ownership of Greer Island
To: Tom Freiwald
The attached may assist you in your search at Manatee County. I don’t know if you are aware that many of the older documents are also available through the Manatee Clerk’s website. If you are in town and want to stop by, I can walk you through some areas that may help and save you time when you go into Bradenton.
Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key
To: Town Clerk Trish Granger
Thank you for the offer, which I will gladly accept! I will be at Town Hall tomorrow and will stop by to see you. I have a meeting in the PZB conference room from 2:30 p.m. until about 4 p.m. with George Spoll and the Task Force. I will stop at your office at 2 p.m., and if you are busy I will return at about 4 p.m.
FYI, I have been to the Manatee Library (very helpful), the Manatee Historical Society (no information of any kind), the Manatee Clerk (very helpful), the Longboat Key Historical Society (very helpful) and the Manatee Tax Assessor Office (very helpful).
The documents of importance I have found include the actual settlement agreement of 1974 between the state, county, town of LBK and Mr. Conrad. That document includes the complete (and very complicated) legal description of exactly the property on Greer Island that Manatee County owns.
I also have the Bradenton Herald article of the general agreement between all the parties, which was written the day following the Bradenton Commission Meeting on the settlement.
In addition, Google has now scanned in all the 1970s articles about Greer/Beer Can in all the local papers and I have all of those. The Manatee Clerk’s Office found the microfilm of the original lawsuit and that is the document I will look at next.
The Revitalization Task Force is compiling all the info we have and will present it to the town. If you don’t mind, I would like you, Juan and anyone else you recommend to take a look at the draft to see if we have missed any information you might be aware of and to correct any information we have presented that may be in error.
The Task Force is trying to provide only information about Greer/Beer Can that is reliable and backed up by official documents. However, there are a few “connect-the-dots” items of information that we have that are not easily certifiable.
Having said all of the above, the most important things are that we can identify exactly the final agreement between all the parties and the actual survey data of who owns which parcels of Greer/Beer Can (the owners of which include the town of Longboat Key, Condo 360, Manatee County and the state of Florida). Thanks again, Trish!
Tom Freiwald
Longboat Key
To: Tom Freiwald
Looks like you’ve done most of the footwork. 2 p.m. will be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key
To: Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key really does appreciate all that you do…at least all of those on Longboat Key who are paying attention. Thanks Trish for your proactive and positive attitude! You help make Longboat Key the special place it is.
Tom Freiwald
Longboat Key
Business Tax Program
To: Town Commission
At the Dec. 15, 2011, Regular Workshop Meeting, you requested additional information on the town’s Business Tax Receipt (BTR) program relating to charges for rental units and various other categories. I have attached the category breakdown with fees and the summary counts for fiscal year 2010-2011. Additional information on the BTR program is outlined in Chapter 111 of the Town Code.
The town clerk’s office currently issues 1,805 BTRs for residential and boat slip rentals for individuals and/or through their rental agencies. The clerk’s office did an informal survey (copy attached) of several rental agencies to determine the monthly rental fees obtained on the properties they handle. Unfortunately, we do not have any available data on the rental amounts charged by individuals not utilizing an agency.
The BTR fees have not been increased since 2002 although Florida Statutes currently provides for a 5 percent increase every other year. However, with the existing economic conditions, the Town Commission has elected to forego any rate increases.
If you would like a more detailed breakdown of the individual categories or if you have additional questions, please advise.
Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key
Dogs on the beach a horrible idea
To: Mayor Jim Brown
I am a Longboat Key property owner (and the president of La Firenza Condominium Association, although I’m writing this note as an individual). I would like to address the issue of dogs on the beach, as I consider it to be a horrible idea.
First, let’s deal upfront with the notion that dogs will be kept on a leash since, while some owners would comply with such a regulation, it is naïve to believe that a leash rule would be universally respected. In fact, there are frequently dogs on the beach now off their leashes. We don’t enforce the current “no dogs” policy in any meaningful way and who is going to enforce a dogs-on-a-leash rule if we actually allow them on the beaches? What a poor use of scarce police resources that would be.
Second, it is also naïve to believe that all dog owners would clean messes from the beach whether their dogs are on leashes or not. Certainly, without total clean-up compliance there would be health issues. And it’s disgusting. I would point out that the area by the Ringling Bridge that allows dogs on the beach and in the water has a fecal content that at times makes it unhealthy for humans.
Third, we have a declining population of migratory birds and the presence of dogs would exacerbate that problem. And this is not to mention the negative effect on birds that permanently live on our beach. These birds would likely move to Lido, Siesta and Casey keys – you know, the keys that have no intention of allowing dogs on their beaches.
Fourth, to address the concept that Longboat Key would be more attractive as a destination for dog lovers, there is another side to this: we have friends that have just canceled their plans to buy here because they’ve read about the possibility of dogs on the beach. They have direct experience with a luxury property on a North Carolina beach where dogs soiled the beach and ran loose. They want no part of it here.
I don’t doubt that you are seeing large groups who are in favor of dogs on the beach. This is common with highly motivated groups: they show up in large numbers and are fervent and vociferous. But let’s not mistake the clamoring of a vocal minority with what’s in the best interest of the greater population of Longboat, and that’s the continuation of the current no dogs on the beach policy.
Jonathan Berg
Longboat Key
Jack Duncan is just another apointee, never elected by the voters. With uncontested elections the people of Longboat Key deserve what is in store for themselves.