Community Center

To: Brad Savitz (sic)

I am not self-appointed. On the contrary, I was appointed by the Longboat Key commission in 2003 to serve on a committee to study the need for a community center. At that time, the commission took this action because they had been presented with a petition, which contained 850 signatures from citizens wanting a community center. After over a year of research and study, the committee found that there was indeed a desire by many Longboat citizens to have a new facility. I’m sure you are very comfortable with your cosey (sic) life and have no needs but there is still a desire by many to have a place to gather and take part in activities that enrich our lives while meeting our neighbors in a social way. The community center will not be used by everyone.

Unfortunately, some people feel that they have everything they need in their gated communities and will not venture out to meet their neighbors. I would suggest that you do some of your research that you do so well on why other communities have been so successful with the community centers they have built. You might start with the Villages here in Florida. They have many centers and they are all used very extensively and are very often cited as being the reason people like living in the Villages. The coming generation of “baby boomers” is not coming to Florida to die. They want activities and they will buy homes where these activities are provided. Longboat can continue to decline or it can move into the next generation. Please don’t hold Longboat back because you can’t see the future.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Thank you for your kind letter addressed to Mr. Savitz. I am Bradford Saivetz. Granted that mine is a difficult name to spell — but it is the only thing I really own exclusively, so I am sensitive about it. You are lucky with “Brown.” Forgive me.

I wish to promptly respond to your comments.

To begin with, I previously accused you of seeming to be self-anointed — not self appointed. Granted that the then-Town Commission once asked you, nine years ago, to serve on a committee to study the need for a Community Center, but this ignores the very convincing referendum by our citizenry that nixed this facility. What is this, a town or just a Town Commission?

As for you’re accusing me of having a “cosey (sic) life” — I do not know whether that is good or bad. Suffice it to say that my wife and I and the other citizenry whom you might similarly describe thusly came to settle on Longboat Key not to “die,” but to enjoy and enhance the good life and its attendant activities that drew us here. And, let it be clearly known that this cadre of citizenry are the ones who have endowed the arts and the charities and the very society that made and continue to make Longboat Key and Sarasota the jewel of Florida’s West Coast. We — and they — have our own charities. The 850 citizens of the key who signed your petition back in 2003 are not our (or possibly their) choice for recipients of this charity. Please allow us to contribute to the charities of our own choice.

It is particular anathema to me when your followers and sycophants drone on with their shopping lists. (One even wants psychological counseling provided.) I am further amazed when your consultants suggest that this panacea could provide everything for everyone. And I am further dumfounded by your prediction that these facilities are going to draw people here in order to enjoy them and to buy homes. What homes? Where?

Might I suggest that those who are jealous of The Villages could have readily chosen to live there and not on Longboat Key? I am well aware of The Villages. They advertise “Neighborhood Centers, Village Centers and Regional Centers,” nary a mention of a Community Center. But you have to understand it is a planned community, created way out in the boon-docks, where it attracts a multitude of retirees who need a “planned” and “mostly homogenous” everything. Be assured that our town differs and has, and is surrounded by, copious amenities that The Villagers must envy.

Your proposed Community Center is just another polarizing element being injected into our community. It is not wanted, it is un-funded, it is not needed! Each and every one of the goodies that are being desired is already provided in our greater community, either free or at minimal expense. There are senior centers and even a soup kitchen and almost-free transportation. And, quite candidly and selfishly, I would personally prefer that our pickle ball aficionados be driven to Anna Maria Island, in preference to the Anna Maria Island inhabitants being bused here for this activity.

I feel that the revenue from our taxes should be expended strictly for the benefit of all of our citizenry not for a select few. Your letter states quite clearly, “The community center will not be used by everyone” (I would suggest that it could just as well have stated “will be used by a very few”). In my mind, it is also quite clear and unambiguous that any community center should be built and supported by its donors and its users. One of your associates has proclaimed that he wants to make our island “more affordable.” Please do not destroy what brought us here in the first place.

I can see the future you propose for Longboat Key quite clearly; please do not pursue it! However, it is the immediate past that concerns me and has me worried. The courts already seem to have ruled that what the Town Commission has done so far in implementing its apparent ambitions and views has been misguided and beyond the scope of the law.

We citizens are at a decided disadvantage. Town Hall, its staff and its consultants and its boards all work for the Town Commission. Fortunately, and this too is in my opinion, I consider that the Town Commission is in the employ of us citizenry. If I am correct, please give us a chance to be heard. I have a distinct feeling that you elected and selected officials are determinedly on a course destined to make the town inhospitable to some segment of its citizenry. For the future of Longboat Key, please let the voters decide which particular segment of our citizenry should be accommodated.

Might I humbly suggest that before you spend any more of our taxpayer dollars, you institute a town-wide referendum. Give it your best shot. Outline precisely what you and your fellow commissioners seem to want for our town. Spell out exactly how and when it is to be funded, implemented and its impact on our environment. I sincerely pray that I am wrong, and it is not The Villages you want reincarnated on our island. Thank you for having read this far.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

To: Brad Saivetz

Please forgive my unintentional misspelling of your proud name. It is overly apparent that you see my letter as a challenge. Since it is obvious that I am no match for your prose, I will leave the decisions to the voters. I would not imagine making such a decision otherwise. Good luck.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Thank you. If I read you correctly that there will be a referendum, congratulations. I would trust that it would occur in the winter when most of our inhabitants are here. There are a great many questions still on the table and it would be well if they could all be wrapped together. Your letter is not a challenge, except for what you and I want Longboat Key to be. With my kindest personal regards.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

To: Brad Saivetz

It has never been the intent of the commission to move forward with a community center without the approval of the voters. Just as it is with beach renourishment. If I recall correctly, you also opposed that. What is it that you want for Longboat Key? I want a thriving retirement community.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Thank you for asking what I want for Longboat Key. In my many years of residence here, you are the first member of our officialdom to make that request. Even in my year of service to the town on its Planning and Zoning Board, I was never granted that luxury.

I chose Longboat Key because of what it was and because of the opportunities and amenities offered to its residents. Our first home was within a Planned Community — albeit not developed within its covenants and restrictions. I had faith in Arvida, the actual developer of the Gulf Planned Development. I lived there almost a dozen years, during which period I was privileged, for many years, to serve as the president of the board that served this community. In such capacity, and as a fellow professional in the development field, I was in close contact with Bob Wilhelm, local head of Arvida.

Sands Point, our home those early years, was situated at the southernmost tip of our island. As such it is subject to the vagaries of its ephemeral interface with the Gulf of Mexico and New Pass. We owners found the need to harden our shoreline, and, with no outside contribution of funds, built ourselves a seawall. This saved our pool and its appurtenances. On the occasion of a subsequent storm, a slash channel appeared which again threatened to impact our pool area. We purchased a copious supply of sand and fabric bags — and proceeded, with volunteers in the middle of the night, to create a sandbag dam, which stopped this slash channel. On occasions, the walk to the actual water’s edge was several hundred yards and required that we had to pack a lunch to reach it — on others the waters were lapping at our dam. We also acquired and planted sea oats. We managed to protect our property.

The rush by the beach activists to renourish our beaches drove me from our condominium at Sands Point to our present house on a canal. Their plans were to mine the fine sands that lay directly offshore of us, and which sands had served to attenuate the waves from the Gulf. These sands were then pumped onto the beach. Actually, one could previously walk into the Gulf almost a half-mile, with water no more than chest high. To compound matters, as for all of the existing properties abutting the Gulf of Mexico, the scheme was to strip them of their then ownership of the beach to the water’s edge at low tide. This was to be accomplished by a taking from this water’s edge to a new, onshore bulkhead line. The waterfront properties were now to be water-view properties — with the intervening dry sandy beach now open to the public! We had had enough of “Big Brother” and its interference in our lives.

As an engineer, I was offended by the thought that our town, and its commissioners, would adopt the beach and would serve alternately, first as a King Solomon, apportioning its largess and funds upon the mendicants who would come before it and plead their cases, and secondly as a King Canute who would hold back the tides. I was, and am deep down, a disciple of Orrin H. Pilkey, whose basic advice on beach management is “Keep off of it.” Contrariwise, I feel that the owner of beachfront property should protect it as his own desires and his own resources allow. One size certainly does not fit all.

I feared that it could possibly result in the town commissioners being selectively amenable to spending more in public funds in order to armor a convincing mendicant’s property than the property is actually worth. It happens!

Having a policy of spending other people’s money in order to benefit someone else is great. It makes the policy-makers very popular. This works beautifully up until the point that the moneys run out, then beware! But, exactly what does this citizen want?

Certainly not an “assisted living” environment where all wishes and desires can be provided by its officialdom. Residents who follow us here should be of this same inclination, having the wherewithal to support their own desired lifestyle, and with the potential to contribute to the life of the community. Not coming here for a handout!

I want a town where an opposing view is given more than 180 seconds at the podium. Where, sometimes, competent opinion is welcome even if it is in conflict with the unanimous opinion of the officials. It may be impertinence on my part, but when was the last time that an appointment was given to an otherwise highly qualified volunteer who was known to be politically in conflict with members of the appointing body? What a waste! Maybe a 4-3 vote on something significant would be welcome. Can you not accept any vote less than unanimous?

I want a town that provides for its citizens only that which they cannot provide for themselves. That it has zoning and building laws that relate strictly to health, safety, convenience, morals and welfare; and that these laws are applied equally and uniformly to all who desire to locate therein. And, finally, I want a town where the majority refrains from tyranny; and, in gratitude, the minority refrains from revolt.

Absent this, we now have a town where the waters have been poisoned for any citizen who has much to offer but is psychologically dissuaded from entering the political arena. Witness the facts that so few of your fellow commissioners have actually run for office and have actually been elected by the people; and also that three of the commissioners whose appointments run out, are unopposed in their bids for re-appointment this year.

Thank you again for asking, and I plan to re-address the current beach situation in the very near future. Good luck.

Brad Saivetz
Longboat Key

Fundraising should pay for community center

To: Gene Jaleski

Please see the glowing article published June 9, 2011, by Steve Reid (“The proposed Longboat Key Community Center,” written by John O. Summers) regarding the proposed community center at Bayfront Park. It agrees with every point the commission has made about this project — including the fact that this community can afford such a community center.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Patricia Zunz

I too want to have a community center. You and I differ in what each of us believes to be politically possible. I doubt that putting a referendum on the November ballot will be the best time to approach the voters about spending millions of dollars, at a time when we have so many other financial obligations such as pensions, beaches and continued weakness in the second home market. I believe my proposal to utilize the Mattison’s structure will easily win community support since there is no need to ask the voters for more than a few thousand dollars. My proposal has the added voter appeal of becoming an integral part of the new Publix redevelopment.

Additionally, we need to enhance our community image now. My proposal can be completed in a few months. Your plan is years away from completion. If the referendum for millions of dollars fails, then the commissioner’s approach will negatively impact the possibility of ever getting any sort of community center for perhaps another decade. We cannot afford to have another failed referendum on this matter.

John Summers and I have talked at length about your proposal at Bayfront Park. I believe each of us has a valid point of view. My proposal is based on political and economic pragmatism. I would rather have a less than perfect, centrally located community center than no community center at all.

I do not believe a compelling case can be made to the voters to spend millions on a community center, when we face such troubling financial times. We should be paying down debt instead of incurring more debt. We could see a precipitous decline in ad valorem revenues in the next few years.

I am a fiscal conservative who resists expansion of local government. Let the free market decide these matters. If the community wants a community center then there should be no problem raising the required finances through fundraising efforts.

Please note that both the Anna Maria Island Community Center and the new Christ Church building on Longboat Key were built through private fundraising efforts. That is the best way to proceed if you feel our community needs a much larger facility than the Mattison’s building.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

I replied to Ms. Zunz email to me on Jan. 27. I do not believe it appeared in the town email stream. I must be doing something wrong.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

EMT response professional

To: Town Manager Dave Bullock, Fire Chief Paul Dezzi

A neighbor who observed the response of the EMTs had nothing but high praise for their professionalism. I wanted you to know the reaction of at least one of our citizens to your department’s performance.

Commissioner Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner David Brenner

Thank you for the kind words that I will be sure to share with the crew that responded. I was impressed with the communication that I heard by the firefighter/paramedics as they made inquiries as to the availability of the trauma helicopter and went so far as to have another fire apparatus head to the Recreation Center to land it but was later canceled.

I thank you for taking the time to recognize the work of the firefighter/paramedics. Thank you!

DC Drake: Please pass this information to your crews that responded. Once again, thank you for your leadership!

Fire Chief Paul B. Dezzi
Longboat Key Fire Rescue

Disapproval for dogs on beach

To: Town Commission

I wish to voice my disapproval for allowing dogs on our beach. I am a dog lover, have had them my whole life, but I am not an owner lover. I do not feel that any amount of “warnings,” “laws” or “signs” will alter the fact that some owners will never pick up after their dogs nor monitor their behavior around people. And there is no way to pick up urine and that is not a comfort to me with barefooted folks on the beach.

Our condo is on the gulf and I can tell you…sometimes beach visitors do not abide by the fact there are no “potties” on the beach if they put in a whole day there! Enough said, but please take my serious concern to heart. Dogs are wonderful, but not on the beach. Thank you for your time.

Suzanne and Jerry Lauer
Longboat Key

Community Center

To: Mayor James Brown

My name is Dan Dalpra and I live at 3020 Gulf of Mexico Drive. I have been following the effort of creating a new community center. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you as soon as possible to show you something I think would be a terrific fit for the project. I have had great success with my floating stage concept. It has proven to be a terrific economic engine for our community up north Chautauqua Lake, N.Y., for the last 10 years and has provided both economic and cultural growth for everyone. Check out www.floatingstage.com and www.bemusbaypops.com.

I am available 24/7 and would be glad to buy you lunch or stop by your office and we can chat and see if this is something that would enhance the project and create that new spirit of positive growth. Look forward to meeting you.

Dan Dalpra
Longboat Key

To: Dan Dalpra

Thank you for your interest in the Community Center. While I believe a floating stage might have application in many areas, I feel that the proposed community park and center facilities have adequate space available to provide for the kind if activities shown in the videos you sent. Thanks for the information.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Thank you for your quick response. Keep in mind the advantage of having a unique outdoor venue. The excitement and attraction of boaters, visitors and potentially new residents and developers is invaluable. We found from our experience that the floating stage brought a new revitalized interest in our area both culturally and economically. If you would like to discuss this any further, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Dan Dalpra
Longboat Key

Longboat Key Public Tennis Center
Weekly Schedule

Open Play Times
• Mornings sessions: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m.
• Afternoon sessions: 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Round Robins daily at 3:30 p.m.
• Ladies: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• Men: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
• Mixed: Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Special Events
• Who’s B.O.B. Men’s tournament: Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.
• Who’s the B.O.S.S. Men’s tournament: Friday, 1:30 p.m.

Reservations
• Pass Holders: 3-day advance reservations
• Walk-ons: 1-day advance reservations

User Pass fees are as follows:
Annual   Seasonal  Winter    Fall      Summer
Family $750        $700          $650         $225     $225
Single $550        $500          $450         $150     $150

Pass-holders: unlimited free play
Walk-ons: $12 per person, 1.5-hour session
Script Card: $99 for nine sessions

Click here to download a printer-friendly version.

Both the Longboat Key Fire Department EMS and the Longboat Key Police Department responded to the pedestrian traffic accident, which occurred at 2925 Gulf of Mexico Drive, adjacent to the Islander Club Condominium.

According to police, the pedestrian attempted to cross Gulf of Mexico Drive from east to west heading toward the Islander Club. A Longboat Key businessman heading home from work was driving southbound on Gulf of Mexico Drive and unsuccessfully attempted to avoid striking the pedestrian.

The driver stopped immediately to render aid and called 911 for assistance. The pedestrian was a visitor to Longboat Key from another state.

The Longboat Key EMS and Police both responded and treatment at the scene was unsuccessful. The pedestrian died at the scene.

Longboat Key Police Capt. Peter Cumming and Dep. Chief Sandi Drake supervised the initial medical efforts and the scene of the investigation.

Family members of the pedestrian and the businessman came to the scene to render assistance and provide compassion and dignity to them.

The Sarasota Police Department Traffic Homicide Unit responded to provide mutual assistance in the investigation of the traffic accident. Traffic was disrupted to one-lane passage while the investigation was completed.

Until family members are notified, the Police will not release the names of the pedestrian or the businessman. That is expected to happen on Monday.

Longboat resident and Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova will reclaim the No. 1 world ranking if she wins the Australian Open. Sharapova defeated Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, and defeated Petra Kvitova this week, and now is entering the finals against Victoria Azarenka. The winner of the match Saturday will claim the No. 1 world ranking.

Meet Larry Kassouf: columnist, Longboat Key Dentist, occasional grump as well as a delightfully classy and surprisingly sensitive gentleman from a bygone era.

And Larry has the successful-in-the-private-sector attitude toward Town Hall. The “They are all a bunch of overpaid idiots who haven’t got a clue” sentiment.

And that is his disposition before Larry gets denied by a staffer for something he wants. Then you can watch the pressure in Larry’s head like an overinflated tire make his face pulse menacingly. And All this week, Larry’s face was pulsing and I am worried what contortions next week may bring.

Signs of hope

Kassouf opened his practice at Mediterranean Plaza a couple of years ago and immediately learned that his signage options included begging, pleading, growing angry, frustrated and resentful. Those were his options and he exhausted them.

Kassouf even went in front of the Town Commission asking for assistance in being included in the Town’s Wayfinding signs program (the signs that when you arrive on the island tease our intelligence by noting the obvious that everything is ahead but with no distances noted).

Larry was rebuffed by the Commission and Mayor with no offer of help, no out of the box thoughts, no examination of the sign code or alternatives.

A brush with Taoism

So Kassouf tried the middle path — a dental Taoism of sorts. He goes to Lowes and cuts two-by-fours and inserts little PVC pipes and paints in funky colors a series of toothbrushes, which he displays in two flowerpots outside Mediterranean Plaza.

And the brushes do not mention his name or advertise anything — but they are a cute and funky decoration. They resemble in tone the dolphin sculptures in front of the blue dolphin or large chef sculptures in front of Nosh a Rye and Ciao Italia.

Well, the good times for Larry and his toothbrushes lasted a few weeks and this week the owner of Mediterranean Plaza was alerted that Kassouf’s toothbrushes are a code violation.  And the owner likely does not want to fight a battle for Kassouf’s brush with art, nor does he want code violation mail from the Town.

So that leaves Kassouf doing what all frustrated people do —thinking of all manner of actions and options — all the while growing a bit more weary and cynical. “Maybe I should put hockey sticks in there or tennis rackets. Then it is ok ?” Kassouf asks. “I cannot believe these people. I try and make some nice and they make you take it down.”

Lynching the code

It all harkens to the Lynch sisters battling Town Hall. They were cited about a decade ago when they had their Lynches Landing restaurant located next to the old Albritton property. The Town cited the sisters for violating the sign code for a painted ice cream cone on their building as well as a ceramic leprechaun holding a cone that was a lawn ornament of sorts. Well, the ladies argued the cone and leprechaun were decorative and not signs. The Town argued they were signs in that they refer to items or services sold or provided on the premises. If they did not sell ice cream, then the cone gets to stay.

So the spirited sisters put a rusty shovel in the leprechaun’s hand as a statement of protest against what they saw as policies that hurt their business and its character.

I spoke with them about Kassouf’s issue and they say that is what is delightful about having their business on St. Armands Circle. Ethna Lynch said the City allows them to decorate their property and they even have the menus now in the leprechaun’s hands — something that would have been prohibited on Longboat.

A developing irony

Granted, Larry is not going to restore the island‘s lost tourism with his dental practice. Maybe the Town ought not rewrite the entire sign code for Larry. But the fact remains — we are willing to ignore, twist, bend and break our rules for certain VIP applicants, while the bottom feeders get treated as if they have no standing or significance — they are the Rosa Parks of our business community.

And I raise this not because Larry is a friend and I believe he deserves a sign, I raise this because it shows the institutionalized insanity of a town that on one hand is courting development in the most obnoxious let-us-rollover-and-rewrite-all-our-rules manner. Yet when a new professional comes to town and invests and wants to add a service, in two years he cannot get any sort of solution. And when he attempts to tastefully not junk the island up with signs but create awareness through a decoration, he again is denied.

So we lost the Lynches and a decade later we are frustrating our sole dentist on the Key. I do not believe we should look the other way, but we do need a code that recognizes tasteful attempts to create awareness of business without destroying or damaging the beauty of our island. We need to make sure any business that with a little help, with a little attention can be retained, ought get that attention.

Larry will not resolve this with attorneys and briefs and proscribed whereas clauses. No, Larry will sadly take down the brushes because he will not want to have an issue with his landlord.

But the problem will not go away. In fact, one of our code officers admitted that the toothbrushes would be consider art and could stay if Larry was no longer in business — that is the way the code reads. The same toothbrushes can stay if he is out of business, but are a code violation if he is in business. That is mind numbing.

We need James Joyce

As in all things, life exceeds art. It is too bad James Joyce is not retired on Longboat Key. Instead of writing Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake, he could have given us a Comprehensive Plan, a zoning code and the crown Jewel — a sign code.

Land use would be exciting — we could debate with attorneys every word, get ourselves confused and occasionally act like we get the meaning of what the author meant. If all else fails, we could always throw up our hands, say this stuff is impenetrable and declare that it pretty much means whatever one wants it to mean.

Oh, I forgot — that is what we are already busy doing at the Colony, with cell towers and with the Key Club.

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“Tidy Island”
29 Tidy Island Blvd. #29
Bradenton, FL 34210

Gardens of exotic plantings and 140 acres of wildlife preserve set the stage for this 2,764-square-foot, fully updated 3BD/2.5BA townhome positioned to capture sweeping bay views. New Bamboo wood floors, a two-sided fireplace, and walls of floor to ceiling windows are a few of the exceptional features of this home. An elevator services all three levels including the private master bedroom retreat all on its own on the top floor. Offered for sale $499,900 by Michelle Musto, Coldwell Banker, Longboat Key.