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

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

The incredible, shrinking cell phone tower

To: Gene Jaleski

See first paragraph under “Urban and Rural Uses.” Cubes have to be stationed in an area that has a high point. Where exactly is that on Longboat Key?

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Pat Zunz

Suburban DAS antenna placement is affected by several variables. Alcatel-Lucent states that between eight and 12 LightRadio cubes will be required to provide the equivalent cellular coverage of a tall cell tower, depending on terrain and foliage. As has been described in several design documents provided to the town by Next-G, ExtaNet and Public Wireless, distributed antennas are usually located on utility poles in the right-of-way. Where there are no existing utility poles, appropriate lighting poles are installed where needed. LightRadio is a next generation DAS implementation. Newer technologies have enabled Alcatel-Lucent to introduce cost savings into their DAS design that make LightRadio less expensive for the carriers to install and operate than traditional tall cell towers.

The following is from the LightRadio site:

“LightRadio has at its core an innovation that is a small cube active antenna. It can be deployed in big and small antenna configurations, all-around the city. With this new antenna, base stations and large antenna towers virtually disappear. Big or small cells, it is one continuum, for these cubes can be stacked to build a macro cell or used singularly in a beam formation for targeted coverage.”

LightRadio makes networks significantly lighter, much simpler to deploy and cuts the cost of site rental by 66 percent. For our planet, we can reduce power by 51 percent.

Alcatel-Lucent promotes LightRadio as a replacement for cell towers. By distributing several small antennas in an area, cellular coverage is achieved without a cell tower.

I hope this helps explain some aspects of DAS. LightRadio is a “next-generation” DAS technology that is more economical than previous cellular broadcast systems, including cell towers. DAS is by design a small cell system with multiple small antennas located closer to the user’s cell phone than traditional towers.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Making a public records request

To: Town Manager

Could you please let me know how to go about making a request for a public record to your agency? If you have a written policy regarding pubic records requests, please email that to me. If you have a fee schedule for public records requests, please email that to me as well.

Andrew “Andy” Rowan
Longboat Key

To: Andrew Rowan

You may make a public records through e-mail, by phone (941-316-1999), in person or by mail to: Town of Longboat Key, Office of the Town Clerk, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, FL 34228.

Our offices are open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (with the exception of legal holidays). The town charges for records in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes (www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/). Additionally, any records requested that are exempt from disclosure will be noted in the response to you.

Please direct your inquiries to the Town Clerk’s office as our office serves as the designated Records Custodian for the town. We will coordinate with all necessary offices to obtain the information to fulfill your request.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me via one of the methods listed above and I will be happy to assist you.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

Town receives $1.033 million from FEMA

To: Town Commission, Town Manager David Bullock

The town manager has asked me to inform you the town has been advised that a check in the amount of $1,033,411.50, is scheduled to be transmitted to the town via EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) on or about Dec. 27, 2011.

This is a partial reimbursement due to the beach erosion sustained by the town’s shoreline during Tropical Storm Fay in August 2008. FEMA and the state of Florida disbursed these funds after reviewing invoices submitted by the town’s Finance Department related to the recently completed North End beach nourishment project. We expect a second reimbursement of approximately $172,235 in the near future.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

Juan J. Florensa, director
Longboat Key Public Works

To: Public Works Director Juan Florensa

Thank you for this very good news, Juan — and happy holidays to you and your family!

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

Telecommunications study

To: Town Commission

Some of you may have heard some concern about the importance of objectivity in the telecom study we are undertaking. I queried the selected vendor. Their response is shown below. Contract language will also include the need for objectivity:

To: David Brown, TE Professional Services

Your firm has been recommended by the evaluation committee to conduct the telecommunications study for Longboat Key. Some community members have raised a concern that TE Connectivity is a DAS vendor and may have a bias toward certain technology solutions in your professional studies. Please respond to this community concern so I can finalize a selection.

Town Manager Dave Bullock
Longboat Key

To: Town Manager David Bullock

TE Professional Services has a long-standing track record of success that is based in part on our ability to deliver unbiased recommendations to our customers. Our RF assessment service is focused totally on the needs and requirements of the customer, with recommendations wholly defined by the test results and with no predisposed bias toward any specific solution or product. As a vendor agnostic organization, TE Professional Services is involved in the deployment of macro cell site, micro cell site and distributed antenna systems manufactured by multiple vendors.

David Brown, senior account manager
TE Professional Services

Verizon, Comcast conversations

To: Town Manager David Bullock

I think your conversations with Verizon might be expanded to include Comcast, if Verizon in not interested in selling the town some of their excess dark fiber. The included article, about the prevailing dark fiber market, appears to support the idea that purchasing existing dark fiber for public safety, community Wi-Fi hotspots and possible island-wide distributed antenna system deployment is the most cost effective approach.

I wish you good luck in persuading either Verizon or Comcast to share their excess capacity on the island. I appreciate that you are also looking into sharing Verizon or Comcast conduit space, where the labor cost of installing new fiber cable is pennies per foot. Either of these approaches can facilitate an economical means of moving our community communications infrastructure forward in a major way.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Dead fish on beach

To: Dave Bullock

Do you know what is causing all the dead fish washing up on the beach? It’s especially bad on the North end.

I would also like to know how to register my objection to dogs on the beach. Thanks for your help.

Patricia Goodridge
Longboat Key

To: Patricia Goodridge

Thank you for your email. We believe the dead fish are a byproduct of a very active commercial fishing period these last few weeks. The fish all appear to be mullet, which are the target of the fishing operations. The commercial fishermen are fishing in the proximity of Longboat Pass thus the north end is seeing most of the dead fish. I have copied the Public Works director. Staff has been monitoring and removing the fish when they accumulate. When the winds and tide are right, more will wash in.

As for your concern about dogs on the beach I am copying your email to the Town Clerk so your email is available to the commissioners.

Town Manager Dave Bullock
Longboat Key

Publix plan

To: Town Commission

As you will soon be considering and voting on the plan for the new Publix, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share a few things you may want to consider in regard to it.

It appears as if Publix has worked quite diligently to make the store and its associated development a true asset for Longboat Key. I’m grateful Publix representatives have been especially conscientious and attentive in addressing a range of issues related to the project.

From the plans I have seen, there seems to be large open spaces along the outside walls of the proposed Publix in the area above where the shopping carts will be stored, in the seating area along the wall and along the wall in the direction of the additional retail spaces. I wonder if adorning those walls with artwork has been discussed yet. I would suggest that images such as a starfish, scallop shell, sea horse and other figures that suggest this Publix’s particular location on Longboat Key be incorporated. I think this would present an attractive, engaging motif.

The first plan for the development included a contemporary gazebo in the parking lot. I envisioned it as a place where people might gather for small concerts or to perhaps play games of checkers or chess, etc. While the gazebo is no longer found in the current plan, I think it would nice if there might be some designated place for potential small-scale outdoor entertainment. Perhaps at the far end of the seating area there could be an area that cold be used for small musical groups to play at certain times. I would think that the opportunity to listen to live music at Publix would be enjoyable and a draw. I recognize that Publix itself would not want to be responsible for arranging such music. But, just as the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce will be responsible for the kiosk that will provide information on events happening on the key, perhaps another community organization could be responsible for organizing music and other small-scale activities. This space might also be used to exhibit sculpture or other works from the Longboat Key Art Center. This would act to raise the profile of the art center and perhaps encourage visitors to the key to visit it. Publix representatives themselves have said they want the store to be a place where people can engage with each other on some level beyond just purchasing food items.

Are you aware if there will be outdoor speakers along the walls of the development and in the parking lot? I find St. Armands an especially pleasant place to be and walk around because of the ambient music that is heard throughout it.

Another thought I had for the project was the inclusion of a small outdoor playground. Publix itself would not be responsible for the management of the playground (which, like most playgrounds, should be minimal). Perhaps Parks and Recreation could be involved in a partnership with Publix on this. Many families visit Longboat Key. Wouldn’t it be nice if grandchildren could play at the playground with their grandparents while their parents shopped in the store? The playground could represent a highly desirable activity for families. It would provide another reason to want to go to Publix as a destination. This would make the development feel that much more like a town center.

I also suggest an amenity like a fountain, perhaps located near the retail area. The fountain could have examples of Longboat Key wildlife like a heron, turtle, pelican, etc., incorporated in it. People could make a wish and throw coins in the fountain. The money could be collected and donated to charity. There might also be a historical plaque nearby telling about Longboat Key’s history. This would be another way to make the center locally distinctive in communicating a measure of local identity.

The great advantage of the Publix development is that it will draw people to shop there. As a consequence, the development presents an opportunity to convey a sense of local community not often experienced on the key. While Longboat Key possesses many beautiful spots (such as Durante Park), they do not always attract large numbers of visitors because they are found in disparate locations. The Publix development can potentially combine a variety of uses in a unique way. There appear to be quite a number of parking spaces planned for the development. Might some of these spaces be eliminated to allow a little extra space for the amenities I am suggesting?

Obviously, the Publix project is a private development. Publix’s goal is not, ultimately, so much to be a place for community gathering and enrichment but to sell groceries. Yet, I contend these two aims could go nicely hand in hand, each encouraging the other. This is why, if you are interested in these ideas, I suggest you approach Publix and inquire if some special partnerships might be created to make them happen.

Who knows, the Longboat Key Publix could represent a path-breaking model for private/public partnership in the realm of community development. For sure, some of the ideas I have shared would add additional cost. It would not be for Publix to assume them but for members of the community to step forward to collectively realize them. I don’t think this would be a problem. I, for one, would readily contribute to a playground, fountain or historical plaque.

Thanks for allowing me to share these thoughts with you.

Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz
Temple Beth Israel

Health service committee

To: Town Attorney Dave Persson

This seems like an appropriate time to check in on your expectations and advice/direction regarding the next steps for the health services committee for Longboat Key. Our team has a proposal that I asked them to bullet point vs. a proposal that sounds legalistic to see if we’re both thinking similarly. There seem to be several opinions on this and we’re not entirely certain what entity would be the “guarantor” — we’ve spoken with Dave Bullock who is always helpful and if you would want to involve him that would be fine. If you’d like to meet I am available Thursday afternoon, Friday morning and next week but will leave to your availability — called your office but didn’t want to bother you at home…thanks for your consideration

Gwen MacKenzie
Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Underground utilities

To: Town Commission

We understand that the Town Commission has begun preliminary discussions on the feasibility of putting utilities underground on a phased basis. We encourage you to continue to actively pursue this deliberation process to get our town’s power infrastructure into the 21st century.

We live in Country Club Shores Unit IV and I serve as vice president of the homeowners association. There is much interest in eliminating the unsightly old ’50s design, weathered wood utility poles topped by rusty transformers with spaghetti wires hanging out of them and crossing back and forth across our streets.

During the thunderstorm and tropical storm season we experience many outages and even some with no weather at all. They are clearly a public safety hazard as well as an inconvenience and create an unsightly blight on our otherwise lovely island.

FPL should be motivated by a thorough cost/benefit analysis over time for their expensive maintenance/operating costs and the service and repair costs after storms vs. an underground system to the point of being open to partnering with the town and customers to bury the lines.

Our beautiful Gulf of Mexico Drive aesthetics are marred as well by the power poles running along the drive with lines crossing the road periodically. Also, large disfigured trees punctuate the beautiful drive due to the need to drastically cut them away from power lines.

Between the operating cost savings for FPL and benefit to town revenues from increased property values and resulting taxes that will surely accrue from underground utilities, there should be a creative a way to design a long term financing facility including FPL, the town and FPL customers as partners to help make it happen in our life time.

Please give this Longboat Key infrastructure improvement project a top priority along with our beach renourishment to bring our key from beautiful to spectacular! Thank you for your serious consideration and your service to out town.

Bob & Shannon Gault
Longboat Key

To: Bob Gault

I’m not sure where you got the information that the commission has begun preliminary investigation of putting utilities underground. At a recent commission meeting there was a question of why FPL didn’t bury the power lines on Longboat Key. It was pointed out that the commission asked FPL for a cost to bury the line a few years ago. At that time, FPL estimated that it would cost them approximately $21 million to underground the major lines. It was further estimated that to bury the individual lines to the homes on the key would be an addition $50 to $60 million. While I believe it would make everyone happy to have the ugly lines buried, I’m not sure that everyone wants to pay the cost of doing it in these tough economic times.

It would probably be more likely to identify the problem areas of the key and address them first. The costs would still be high but maybe more affordable. My neighborhood hardly ever has a power outage. I can’t explain the reason that your neighborhood has a problem.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I understood that there was more conversation than that. Thanks. I still think it should be revisited with FPL. Of course it would be a long multi-year-phased process with FPL participating in the financing. They do have some incentive and it would seem unacceptable to have in this dated infrastructure condition or worse 10 or 15 years from now on this world-class island.

Bob Gault
Longboat Key

Seasonal population counts

To: Town Commission

These sources might be useful in determining the actual seasonal population of Longboat Key. This information could be used for measuring resident trends and future planning. In years past St. Denis stated that there was no accurate population figure.

1. For zip code tabulations of addresses actively receiving mail (like in this workbook), GNOCDC relies on the USPS Delivery Statistics Product. The Delivery Statistics Product is made available to the public by the U.S. Postal Service for a small processing fee and includes zip code-level tabulations for vacant and possible residential addresses. The Delivery Statistics Product does not include tabulations of No-Stat addresses. The U.S. Postal Service does not maintain an archive of its Delivery Statistics data‚ although some private resellers do.

2. For census block, census tract and neighborhood-level tabulations of addresses receiving mail, GNOCDC relies on the Valassis Residential and Business Database‚ which must be purchased from Valassis Direct Mail Inc. Valassis is one of only a few companies nationwide that qualifies to receive weekly data feeds from the U.S. Postal Services’ Address Management Services database. The Valassis Database is unique from other sources of U.S. Postal Service data because it provides address level data. Although the address level data cannot be released to the public‚ GNOCDC developed a robust in-house geocoding process in order to generate extremely accurate census-block and neighborhood level data. The Valassis Database includes active and vacant addresses‚ but does not include No-Stat addresses.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Existing solution to poor cell reception?

To: Town Commission

Since the 150-foot cell tower is currently so controversial I thought I would pass along my email to Dave Bullock for what its worth.

Ed Krepela
Ocean Beach, N.Y.

To: Town Manager David Bullock

Fire Island is a 36-mile long barrier beach off the south shore of Long Island, N.Y. Fire Island is no more than one-half mile in width and accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles by causeway’s at either end of the island; otherwise by private boat or ferry. It is mostly a summer community with each individual community separated from the other by federally owned “Greenbelts” thereby offering a considerable challenge to routing a Wi-Fi signal.

It is not just my opinion but also the Wi-Fi industry at large; cell tower structures were the first generation solution and not the most current technology. Fire Island Wireless accomplished its objective using FCC free frequency data links; the main data link beamed over from Long Island and then using “backhauls” (routers) to mini-base stations to each of the communities. This allows for “hot-spots” where anyone with a laptop computer Wi-Fi receiver can assess the link for open or free reception, or if so desired by the owner or municipality signing up for a subscription by the day, month or season, all financials taken care of by PayPal.

Now I would like to address the current situation here in Longboat Key. There are certainly many options available to provide the entire island with a first class cell phone service far superior to a single 150-foot tower to primarily serve the north end. But my first and most obvious observation is that Verizon has already laid fiber optic cable from one end of the island to the other. I here on Harbourside Drive now use Verizon for phone and Wi-Fi Internet service. It would seem to me that Verizon should be crawling all over you and the Town Commission to use what already exists! They have the ability not only to feed the all-inclusive service into each home and condo, but also to run the link up poles for cell phone service everywhere on the island.

They certainly must be watching the ongoing cell tower discussions with interest. So the burning question is: Is there a reason that I may not be aware of why there are not ongoing discussions with Verizon?

Ed Krepela
Ocean Beach, N.Y.

Port Dolphin reimbursement

To: Town Commission

I am pleased to announce that the town has received a check in the amount of $500,000 as part of the Port Dolphin gas pipeline agreement.

As you may recall, in 2009 the state of Florida and Port Dolphin Energy LLC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement whereby Port Dolphin Energy LLC would reimburse the town and other agencies for their expenses relating to their development and permitting of sand borrow areas in the Gulf of Mexico. The town expedited its sand search in these offshore borrow areas in order to extract sand from them prior to the placement of the Port Dolphin Liquid Natural Gas Pipeline.

The town is also eligible for an additional $5 million pending FDEP’s approval of Port Dolphin’s project. As of this date, these funds have not been deposited into the escrow account. Port Dolphin has until the end of March 2012 to defer the timeframe for an additional year, move forward with the project and fund the escrow account, or cancel the project. The current deadline for the town to remove the sand from this borrow area is June 2013.

If you need further information, please contact me or Town Manager Dave Bullock.

Juan J. Florensa, director
Longboat Key Public Works

To: Juan Florensa

This is great news and hopefully a great start to the Port Dolphin project. Let’s hope the project and associated funds, which the town worked so hard to secure, will ultimately come to Longboat Key and allow us to reduce future taxpayer costs associated with beach renourishment.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Marina Bay tree issue

To: Steve Schield

I just wanted to provide a follow-up to you regarding our meeting this morning concerning the tree issues at Marina Bay.

As you will recall, when we met with the town manager, the plans that were submitted for review had several trees marked in “pink” that I determined not to be a public safety concern, however there were others that were.

I met with Commissioner Jack Duncan this week and reviewed the plans and informed him of my findings as well as my thoughts regarding public safety concerns with other trees. He agreed the “pink” trees, of which many were palms, were fine but that some of the oaks were the issue as it relates to public safety (Fire and EMS access).

On the plan, I noted those oak trees that caused an issue with public safety access in “orange.” I left the plans with you for your review.

I made contact with Commissioner Duncan informing him that we spoke. He will be getting with his association to progress to the next step to resolve this concern. Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Fire Chief Paul Dezzi
Longboat Key Fire Department

Shoppes of Bay Isles

To: Town Commission, Planning, Zoning and Building Department, Planning and Zoning Board

The forthcoming decisions to be made by the Planning and Zoning Board and the Town Commission with respect to the proposed reincarnation and transformation of Avenue of the Flowers into the Shoppes of Bay Isles are going to set the pattern for the real implementation of the future vision for Longboat Key. It is generally agreed that Avenue of the Flowers could use a makeover, but it is incumbent of the body politic of Longboat Key that the very essence and character of our island not be despoiled.

Our zoning ordinance states quite clearly that construction shall produce a park-like environment. 158.128(I) Landscaping. The atmosphere within a parking area is intended to be park-like. The nuts and bolts details of how this is to accomplished is crystal clear within the ordinance. Sufficient to explain, all previous developers — and their design teams — and the then town staff and officialdom, including the Planning, Zoning and Building Department and the Town Commission, understood and followed these details. Specifically it calls for the parking bays to be separated by landscaped islands and that these islands are to have a “mature tree” every five spaces (50 feet). (2) The landscaping shall include the placement of a mature replacement tree at intervals of approximately each five parking spaces. (3) Interior portions of the parking area shall be broken up by the provision of landscaped islands…

For your edifications I have attached aerial photographs of the Chart House and Centre Shops and Existing Ave of the Flowers.

This should not be an unfamiliar requirement to Publix and its developer and its designers. They have just completed a new Publix at the northeast quadrant of the intersection of South Tamiami Trail and Bay Street in Sarasota. I have additionally attached a photograph of a portion of its new parking lot. Would that their current plans for us would reflect the same design.

Now I would like to refer to the details. Therein lies the devil! It revolves around the “definitions” in our code

“Mature replacement tree.” A tree as defined in subsection 98.06(B), but having as a minimum, the following dimensions:

(1) A diameter of two inches or more measured four and a half feet above ground level.

(2) At least 10 feet in height when planted and reach a height of at least 25 feet from ground level and a canopy spread of at least 20 feet at maturity. Three palm trees grouped to create a canopy of not less than 15 feet may be used to replace a shade tree.”

The above-cited reference to Ordinance 98.06 explains that existing trees have to be protected and saved (the reasons are obvious). However, calling a two-inch whip a “mature replacement tree” is a flight of fancy. Not to disparage our landscape architects, but frankly a two-inch whip of a tree is hardly a suitable replacement for an existing mature tree — currently shading us and tempering its immediate environment with the humidity it exudes into the atmosphere and which enhances it. Therein lies a true example of an oxymoron. Somewhat like the description “giant shrimp.” Except basically for bonsai specimens, one cannot have a “mature tree with a two-inch caliper.”

Suffice it to say, the parking lot in the attached photo will evidence the fact that this Sarasota Publix has the landscaped islands separating bays and also has much larger and more plentiful trees planted throughout its parking facility. Maybe our code is ambiguous and contradictory, but Publix should be proud to follow these same details in the Shoppes of Bay Isles. After all, it is still looking to the town for a departure.

As a point of reference, I have taken the liberty of applying a true representation of the actual plants detailed in its Planting Schedule Sheet L-06 onto a portion of one of the applicants landscaping plans. Although it copiously indicates symbols for the landscaping it verbally describes, the actual effect on the landscape will be quite different. Note: Proposed trees to actual scale are indicated on this photo with green circles.

In all candor, a new Publix and a renovated shopping center would be a welcome enhancement to our community. However, in my experience, obtaining approval of a new proposal from a community is not, strictly, a one-way street. It is — and should be — give and take. It is normal for applicants to ask for departures — and also normal for the body politic to ask for discretion in the matter of its requirements. Publix should want no less — and maybe even more — for this particular location, which is a jewel in its extensive crown.

I ask you — and, believe me, the whole town asks you — that this new shopping center be an enhancement, and not a step backward for our town’s future. Much of your citizenry has the background to contribute to your review of this application. I have taken the liberty of offering some input and comments with respect to the former and the latest set of plans to members of the PZ&B staff. I pray that it might have had some influence on their review of them. Allowing participation by the citizenry to take place during the design processing would help to ensure that the final plans obtain speedy approval and ultimate implementation.

Rest assured, Publix has considerable incentive to see that its new store opens as soon as possible. Then it can get back to its business of providing Longboat Key with the optimum in shopping experience — and that its ancillary shopping and this future centerpiece of the Town Center be completed. But it and the body politic and the citizenry of our town must be jointly accommodated in order to make it happen. I respectfully beg your indulgence as to the manner in which I am obliged to present this matter. The precise limit of 180 seconds allowed me as part of the “Public to be Heard” in previous PB&Z public hearings and before your commission has made it impossible to actually “be heard.” I trust that you will understand. Best wishes for a Happy Holiday.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

To: Donna Chipman, Planning and Zoning Board, Town Commission

Town staff, please explain how a citizen has had the application in advance of the P&Z to send us such a lengthy letter on the application?

To the P&Z, I am so sorry that we do not have the packet yet. I know that staff promised at the last meeting we would have the materials two weeks prior to the meeting and we are now seven days out and the packet will not be delivered until Wednesday. I have been advised by Mr. Schield that Publix did not have all the materials in Town Hall until Friday. I am surprised that they accepted the application as complete and ready to be put on an agenda.

It is a lengthy group of documents and will take some time for you to absorb the information. Please set aside adequate time with this abbreviated opportunity to see the materials and be prepared for the hearing on Tuesday. I am sure it will be lengthy, but most of your questions should be answered by the application and the staff reports. It is my hope that everyone is well prepared and well versed in the application so we are not reading sections out of the reports for the public record.

Chairwoman BJ Webb
Planning & Zoning Board

To: BJ Webb

I understand your desire to have the application as soon as possible. I can assure that staff and consultants are working hard to get the report out. I wish it could have been delivered earlier.

As to your question about how does a citizen get a copy of an application before the P&Z, the answer is easy. Any person can request a copy of an application at anytime and the town must provide it in a reasonable period of time. The P&Z gets the application, staff report, recommendations, ordinances, etc. Therefore the P&Z material takes time to prepare and distribute but it also includes more information than just the application. The same dilemma occurs with the Town Commission. It is not unusual for land use applications to be in the public domain before the Town Commission sees them in their agenda packets.

Staff will always try to get the complete information to the P&Z at the earliest date. The information will be delivered today (Dec. 7) for deliberation by the P&Z Dec. 13.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

To: Town Planner Steve Schield

I called this morning with questions about the transportation and parking studies in conjunction with the Publix application. The only departures in the app are related to these issues and yet I can find no details in the staff report or Publix info that states why they are increasing the parking and creating two dangerous ingress points with parking on both sides of these ingress points. I left a message and am now out of time as I have an event to attend that will take me out of here for the rest of the afternoon, so if you can send me those details in an email I would appreciate it. Also, the access from Bank of America’s drive-through now running into the loading dock of Publix makes no sense — and the landscaping there is poor, isn’t it? Look forward to some answers.

Chairwoman BJ Webb
Planning and Zoning Board

To: Planning and Zoning Board Chairwoman BJ Webb

I am sorry I missed your call, I was attending a meeting in Sarasota. We had a lot of discussions with the applicant about the excess parking and it is covered in the staff reports on page four of six in the Parcel A, ODP, Publix staff report (item 3) and on page five of seven in the Parcel A, Site Plan staff report (item 4). Both reports state staff’s concern about the excessive parking being proposed for the site. During the review process, the applicant did eliminate 37 parking spaces and increased the landscape area. The applicant stated repeatedly that the parking total was the minimum number of spaces that their clients (Publix, CVS) would find acceptable to move forward with the project. Staff is recommending a further reduction in the parking by recommending denial of the parking setback departure.

All ingress points into the site are the existing driveways into site from privately controlled property (Bay Isles Master Association and Bank of America). In early discussions with the applicant, we urged them to make changes in some of the access points. They were not successful in getting the private owners to let them change the location of any of the three access points. We did have our Transportation Consultant Bill Rollins look at the access points, and he made recommendations to improve their safety. They also made enhancements to the landscape buffer at the rear of the Publix at the suggestion of staff. This can be seen in the graphics book provided by the applicant in the back section called “Before and After Views,” “Rear of Center View” and “After” page. Please let know if you need additional information. I can always be reached at my cell phone. Do not hesitate to call at night or this weekend with any questions. I am taking my copy home with me.

Town Planner Steve Schield
Longboat Key

Waste Management contract

To: Commissioner Phill Younger

Last year we paid Waste Management $550,000. We don’t have a “total annual contract” per se, we have monthly rates per residence as an example. The rate for a residence is made up of the base solid waste rate, a fuel component, solid waste tipping fees and yard waste tipping fees.

Finance Director Tom Kelley
Longboat Key

To: Tom Kelley

How much is the total annual contract?

Commissioner Phill Younger
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Phill Younger

The amount paid to Waste Management is not in the town’s budget because it is strictly a pass-through of what the town collects for Waste Management’s solid waste services on its utility bills. This amount is paid out of a balance sheet account that does not get budgeted. Waste management does pay the town a franchise fee of approximately $21,000 per year, which is budgeted in the general fund revenues.

If you have any further questions please let me know.

Finance Director Tom Kelley
Longboat Key

Town Center plans

To: Jack Duncan

Thank you for your timely response to my correspondence of last week. The overlay district seems to be moving forward. I did not see any reference to a comprehensive signage package for the Town Center area. Will signage be part of the planning process also? Thanks again for your courteous response to my inquiries.

Larry Kassouf
Longboat Key Dental

To: Larry Kassouf

You will have to consult with Steve or Ric in planning on the signage issue.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Longboat Pass construction

To: Dave Bullock

Please see the soon to start work on Longboat Pass bridge. This info provided by FDOT’s public information consultant.

Public Works Director Juan J. Florensa
Longboat Key

To: Juan Florensa

The contractor on the SR 789 Longboat Pass bridge repair project has started mobilizing and conducting work under the bridge with no impacts to traffic. Sidewalk work will begin Jan. 4, unless they are approved to start on the night of Jan. 2. Please let me know if you have any questions. I will start emailing the RoadWatch Updates this coming week. Have a great weekend.

Trudy Gerena
Public Information Officer SR 789 Longboat Pass
The Valerin Group

Lack of response disappointing

To: Town of Longboat Key staff, the Town Commission, and members of the Planning and Zoning Board

I am enclosing a copy of the letter I sent to you collectively Aug. 29, 2011. The reason I am resending this correspondence is because I never received a single call from any member of either town Staff, commission, or member of the Planning and Zoning Board. I understand that you chose to ignore my suggestions. Certainly that is your right, however ignoring a resident of the town of Longboat Key is not appropriate behavior for adults in positions of service and especially not for persons in the position of political power. Yes, I am insulted by your collective lack of common decency and your lack of respect for the positions you hold.

Lawrence F. Kassouf DDS
Longboat Key Dental

To: Mayor Jim Brown

It was with interest that I read your article “Town staff hard at work on key developments.” You stated that in 2009 the town manager, town planner and you met with Publix regional real estate manager, national asset manager and their developer at Town Hall. During that meeting, you stated that you laid out the town’s vision for the future of the town center and discussed how the town could work with Publix to ensure that their plans were supportive of ours and vice versa.

I am reminded of the football coach who has a vision of winning the big game, collecting the trophy and accepting the accolades of the fans. His vision, however, was only accomplished after he evaluated his players, decided how to best utilize those players in specific roles, created both an offensive and defensive game plan, and received input from his assistants and trusted advisors (consultants). He also sought advice from other football sources who had specific knowledge of football and winning championships. Visions are nice, but hard work and attention to detail is what creates success and allows the vision to become a reality.

Twenty-four months or more have passed since Publix advised the town it would be making submissions for redevelopment of the town center store. In 2009 and since then, the town staff has been free to create guidelines it wished to see as the work details of its “vision” of town center. Such guidelines could include:

1. Creation of several acceptable landscape plans for the town center area
2. Creation of several general building distribution plans for the area
3. Creation of several acceptable signage plans for all of the town center area
4. Creation of several acceptable architectural renditions the town would favor
5. Creation of several acceptable pedestrian connections for the town center area
6. Creation of several acceptable vehicular connections for the town center area, etc.

A simple overlay district can accomplish these goals and allow for the creation of the details to accompany the vision for the town center area. An overlay district does not interfere with or change the existing land uses, zoning, density and other specifics of the PD, which regulates this area we are referring to as town center.

The use of land planners, landscape architects, traffic consultants, building architects, graphic designers and signage consultants is an inexpensive and much needed exercise the town needs to accomplish as soon as possible.

It is important for the stewards of the town to continue working toward a better end game. Keep up the good work, and we hope to hear from you and your colleagues soon.

Lawrence F. Kassouf DDS
Longboat Key Dental

To: Larry Kassouf

I for one apologize for the fact that no one responded to your August letter. I’m sure it was not intentional and again, I for one was not ignoring you.

I think your thoughts on Publix and on an Overlay Plan concept for a Town Center are valid. Furthermore, I believe that what your letter depicts is a town planning process that, in the past, has been reactive and not proactive. However, I hope you would agree that this is changing. As you know, since your letter was written the Town Commission along with citizen volunteers have agreed on a town Mission Statement:

“To vigorously maintain and preserve Longboat Key’s status as a premier residential and visitor destination that supports the historic balance between residential, recreational, tourism and commercial attributes through a commitment to long-term and short-term planning excellence and measurable results.”

Before I go any further Larry, let me say that we both know that visions, missions and objectives are only words and unless we act on them they are of little value.

I raise the Mission Statement with you only because I believe your letter speaks to a lack of proactive planning as it relates to the Publix project. I would agree that in the case of the Publix planning process, the cart may have gotten a little ahead of the horse. However, I also think that the town staff under the direction of the new town manager is working around the clock to move the horse forward. Besides the development of the objective planning process mentioned above, the staff is working on overlay plans for both the Town Center area, as well as the North End, of which both plans are taking into account the points you raised in your letter. Let me also say that these plans are not being developed in a vacuum, as staff is getting significant input from the community groups like PIC and the Citizens Revitalization Committee.

So, Larry let me say thank you for your input in the most sincere fashion. In my view your thoughts are “’right on” and I am glad to say that I believe the town is firmly headed down the path you described. Furthermore, I believe the commission and the new town manager are committed to making the above Mission Statement a true “road map” for Longboat Key, particularly as it relates to short-term and long-term planning.

Finally, I apologize if this letter sounds a little ‘rah, rah,’ but I get very excited about the fact that the town is now getting strongly focused on long-term planning, as I believe this will be the most critical step in allowing us to meet our “vision.”

“Longboat Key is a beautiful place to live, work and visit where the natural assets of a barrier island combine with cultural and recreational amenities, visionary planning and proactive leadership to enhance your way of life.”

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Dog beach

To: Editor

I think we all have to support the efforts of the committee exploring the feasibility of allowing dogs on Longboat Key beaches. Yes, we all have opinions on many subjects and yes we make decisions based on faulty or limited information. That is just the way the world works. I am eagerly awaiting publication of the recommendations of this committee’s investigation and information gathering. Again, yes; I do have my own opinion on the dog/beach matter but those more knowledgeable organization members must make their unbiased findings and recommendations known.

R. James Beam
Longboat Key

Community Center

To: Editor

I speak for this one taxpayer in Longboat Key who, with his wife, chose to make it our personal God’s Waiting Room. We calculatedly did this because of what it was. It was, however, lacking in religious facilities and we, ourselves — and with our fellow co-religionists — built ourselves a place of worship. Others did the same — actually there are now five of them — and our community is now well endowed in this respect all with meeting rooms and social and cultural facilities as well as “Town Hall debates and weddings and services.” We already, if we feel the need, have access to clubs with a beach and health and exercise facilities and golf and tennis and pools and even a marina. We also have an Art Center and an Education Center. You must obviously be misinformed about our citizenry desperately wanting for a place in which to gather.

With respect to any need for the public community center you describe in “Monica Simpson, the Colony and Bullock’s Brave New World” (Dec. 12, 2011) as a fill-in for your recent Key Opinion, I must state; “no way.”

Personally, I would not accept one, even as a gift. How much would the town have to pay to staff it, to service it, to insure it and to maintain it? Remember, we were recently coerced into building, and still subsidizing, a public tennis facility, which has competed with the Longboat Key Club and Resort and the Cedars Tennis Resort — and has helped to deplete their memberships.

Do you really think that it would be an incentive for somebody purchasing any home on our island that is already part of an association or a condominium? Would he be happy at the prospect of supporting duplicate facilities to what already comes with each home?

If there were some people who live on this island and sincerely feel the need for the facility you describe, together with the health club amenities, which were furtively included in the last nixed go-round with this subject, it would be prudent and proper for them to privately organize and fund it. They would then get your so-called “ultimate boost in property values,” as well “as a place to enjoy artistic, intellectual, recreational and athletic experiences.” They could then ballyhoo the matter in their sales pitches when they decide to move on. Ugghh.

What next? Do we maybe need two community centers, one at each end of the island? Should we build ourselves a school to provide a meaningful earning experience for the occasional visit by our children and/or grandchildren and/or our great-grandchildren?

Please allow us the luxury of choosing our own charities.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

Cell tower would be an eyesore

To: Town Commission

I noticed in the ‘Observer’ about the potential of having a 150-foot cell tower at the Longboat Island Chapel. This is absurd. 150 feet? This will be the tallest structure, ugly at that, on the island. You’ll see it from everywhere on the Bradenton/Sarasota shore.

Technology has improved a great deal. I have experience in the cell industry, and with CLECs & ILECS. This tower would serve the island just as well from the Bradenton side of the bay. Cell signals travel very well over water, so the argument is spurious at best about needing a tower at that location for mobile service. Besides, current carriers serve the island with strong signals from condo rooftops. Such cell arrays are easier to service on a rooftop and safer for service personnel, no need to scale up a tower. And, in the event of storm damage, service recovery from a rooftop is much faster, and again, safer.

Please vote against this obtrusive eyesore that these property owners are ‘selling’ to the Planning and Zoning Board. They don’t understand the business, the technology; and anyone who claims that they can’t get a decent signal unless they build this tower on the key knows nothing about cellular service.

Keep Longboat Key the pristine value and atmosphere that it deserves. If you allow one tower, it will be impossible to stop another four or five. Tell them ‘no;’ let the cell engineers take off their ‘bell-head’ hats, and put on their cell hats and put the tower across the bay.

What’s next? Massive Billboards on Gulf of Mexico Drive so people can be informed about the Island Chapel?

Again, send them back to the drawing boards, please, no cell towers on Longboat! We are not Daytona Beach!

Mike & Jane Schweitzer
Longboat Key

Current technology

To: Town Commission

I believe we should be approaching companies such as Cisco, Bel Air and Alcatel-Lucent and other wireless design/manufacturers.

If we ignore Fixed-Mobile-Convergence, and focus solely on a cellular only scope, we will find ourselves behind the curve before we even begin.

I believe we need to become better acquainted with current technology trends before we can fashion a truly effective RFQ. Perhaps we might have issued a Request For Information (RFI) as I outlined in my Municipal Digital Infrastructure (MDI) initiative that was approved for town study by the previous commission. Then we would have a better roadmap of near-term technologies to use as a basis for an RFQ.

If, as suggested, we were to retain a technology researcher to assist in the process we might again gain a better understanding of what is available and just around the corner.

This is not simple stuff. I have been studying the communications industry for the past four years, so I am aware of what is out there. I have learned that things are happening far faster than anyone predicts. I do know that F-M-C will become the standard far faster than predicted since it makes the most economic sense to all stakeholders and end-users.

I do know that if we politicize our wireless communications opportunities, we most likely will come out on the political end of the stick.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Service dogs

To: Mayor Jim Brown

My name is David Meador. I read the article in the news about dogs and beaches. My daughter has a certified service dog. She doesn’t go on the beach often, but when you make the rules or reinforce the rules on dogs and beaches, please make sure that people understand that under ADA, service dogs are exempt and are not pets.

David Meador
Longboat Key

Dogs create problems on beach

To: Town Commission

I live at Sandhamn Place. I have been following the controversy about permitting dogs on the beach in the local newspapers. Please do not permit dogs on our beautiful Longboat Key beaches. I know from personal experience that it is a terrible idea. We have a home on Lake Michigan where dogs are permitted — they do create the types of problems that have been enumerated by others. Thank you for considering my opinion.

Deborah Franczek
Longboat Key

Misleading headline

To: Editor

I think your headline in the Nov. 25, 2011, Longboat Key News is very misleading and unfair. Why not really say one homeowners association said ‘no?’

Recently, a survey was taken of a broad segment of the people on Longboat Key, not just one homeowners association. The survey showed the following: 265 in favor, 42 not in favor.

The fact is that you should wait until the committee makes its proposal to the commission. See if it is fair and can work and then pass judgment. Just be fair!

Your headline was very hurtful and was definitely not fair. Hopefully you will correct it, and do so in the same conspicuous space as the current story is displayed.

Show us you are a real reporter not just a headline maker who does not want to expose all the facts.

Nelson Goldner
Longboat Key

New CVS and Publix line of sight

To: Steve Schield

Have we done a line of sight for the new CVS from Gulf of Mexico Drive? Will the roof or the building be visible above the landscape buffer being proposed? I know they are increasing the density of the buffer but what about over the top of the buffer? Please let me know.

Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

To: Town Manager David Bullock

No, the top should not be visible. The CVS building will be 28 feet above grade. The existing trees along Gulf of Mexico Drive and Bay Isles Parkway are about 40 feet tall and we have required the developer to retain these trees. The existing sight line was under the trees and we have asked the developer to fill that gap with landscaping. I have attached two photos from the application showing the proposed buffer around the CVS. A further detail on the review of the Publix plans. We all (Monica, Ric, Steve) did the initial review and Monica did the staff write-up. I did the last two reviews and did the write-ups.

Town Planner Steve Schield
Longboat Key

Publix/CVS elevations

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Would you please obtain from the town staff what is the maximum elevation of the Publix retail stores attached to the Publix proposed store development and what is the maximum elevation of the Publix proposed store? I would like to compare the CVS new store elevation with those other elevations. I am not sure that the street views you sent me address my concern since there are no views from the Bay Isles Parkway standpoint pertaining to the CVS development. Thanks for your assistance.

Randy Clair
Longboat Key

New Publix elevations

The following are the proposed elevations of the Publix Center Stores:

• Publix 36.6’ height above 12.1’ finished floor/grade

• CVS 28’ height above 12.1’ finished floor/grade

• Retail area 23.8’ height above 12.1’ finished floor/grade

As a comparison, the following are the heights of the existing stores:

• Publix 31.7’ height above 8.62’ finished floor/grade

• CVS 37.7’ height above 8.63’ finished floor/grade

• Retail area 16.61’ height above 8.61’ finished floor/grade

The existing CVS is setback 78’ from Bay Isles Parkway, the new CVS will be setback 170’ from Bay Isles Parkway and 92’ from Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Steve Schield, AICP, ASLA, CFM
Town Planner
Longboat Key

Concern for dog-friendly beach

To: Town Commission

I’m a member of the committee exploring the possibility of establishing a dog friendly beach on Longboat Key. I am not, however, responsible for the careless dog owners that irritate so many, including myself. Yet, these thoughtless dog owners are causing this issue to be clouded. I feel a responsibility to read letters addressing this situation and am surprised by the rush to judgment.

This committee spent Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 15, gathering input from representatives of Florida Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commission, Sarasota Audubon Society and Mote Marine Turtle Watch.

I wonder if any letter writers have been exposed to this wealth of information to help them make their judgments.

We are your neighbors and take this charge seriously. None of us wants to damage or endanger the beauty of Longboat Key. I ask that you give this group of Longboat Key residents the opportunity to gather input and come up with a plan. Then your judgment on the specifics will be of consequence and welcome.

Some member of this group own dogs, some don’t, some are pro dog beach, some are not. Yet, we are willing to work together to gather information to formulate a plan, if possible.

The process has barely begun and yet negativity and criticism abound. Please try to withhold your opinions until there is something to judge.

Jacki Salvino
Longboat Key

Keeping transparency

To: John Wild

Why is your email so defensive when it could have been so positive?

As a former elected official you, more than most, should appreciate the need for transparency when it comes to expending public funds. Frankly, the town’s financial support is much less than I would have expected. No one I know, commissioner or other taxpayer, expects any reimbursement of the town’s expenditures.

I would have thought you would have focused on the good things that resulted from the venue change, like how much was raised for the charities supported by this Kiwanis event? Or how many volunteers participated? Or what you learned to make the event even better next year?

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Jesus loves cell phones?

To: Editor

For the Island Chapel, ‘Spreading the Word’ apparently extends to cell phones. Accepting a payoff from the cell phone people is probably an easier buck than passing collection plates or pressuring parishioners for dough. And I’m sure the church came to the decision only after “careful deliberation” and all that. But when it comes to protecting the beauty of our island versus putting up an ugly cell phone tower, you’d think that would be a no-brainer. A church has to feel real squirmy rationalizing otherwise.

In The Keys in the late eighties you could clearly see stars at night. The heavens seemed right down on top of you. Then, one after another, came intrusive cell phone towers with their blinking red lights, all along the strip to Key West, blighting the night skies for 90 miles.

And the first place the developers went to put them up? The backyards of churches. The churches’ rationalizations were pretty much the same as we’re now hearing from the Island Chapel. They’re from the same developers’ script, though we haven’t yet seen a “Jesus Loves Cell Phones” t-shirt on Longboat. Thank God for that.

Norman Muse
Longboat Key

‘Spending priorities’ by Jaleski

To: Editor

In the Nov. 25 issue of your paper Mr. Jaleski (whom I highly respect) made a comment in his article (“Spending priorities”) about the $425,000 the town spent on the purchase of a piece of land adjacent to Bayfront Park. This is to be slated for a new community center. We have been fulltime residents now for four years and would welcome the addition of a new community center here, however maybe a market survey of the voters would be a good idea to determine the actual use of the center against its cost of operation.

Mr. Jaleski devoted an entire paragraph to the money spent to maintain Durante Park, which he states is a wasteland most of the time. I respectfully disagree with him on this. I live in the surrounding area of Durante Park and walk there often as I have for years even as a former visitor. I have met many people there over time who return each and every year, many with their dogs. It is so beautifully maintained and is such a picturesque place to walk and look out over Sarasota Bay that I feel it is a true asset for the residents and visitors alike. Visitors and local grandparents bring their children to the playground, bird watchers come with their binoculars and cameras, and kayakers launch into an inlet. All the people that come to Durante Park love their experience and the comments are always positive.

Durante Park is a true sanctuary for dog walkers. We do not need to offer our pristine beaches that our visitors may not respect. Let’s protect our local habitat (our seabirds and turtles) and let our small grandchildren play in the sand safely. Take a survey among those wonderful people who walk along and pick up the debris on the beach. This may give us all a fair idea of what to expect from our visiting dog owners.

Pat Frain
Longboat Key

Against dogs on beaches

To: Town Commission

I am a fulltime resident of Longboat Key. I am adamantly against allowing dogs on the beaches. My reason is simply because of the health hazards. Our beach sands cannot be adequately cleaned after a dog leaves urine, thereby leaving the real possibility of diseases, such as hook worm, which is extremely contagious. If the commission decides to allow dogs on the beaches I hope the commission places large warning signs that alert residents and visitors to the beach of the health hazards that are a real possibility.

William “Bill” Tow
Longboat Key

I object to the name ‘stealth cell tower’

To: Editor

Anyone who uses the name “stealth tower” as a term has bought the propaganda and will probably vote for it. That “smoke stack tower” is not a stealth tower, it is 150 feet tall, four feet wide at the top, will be visible from the mainland and from any condo on Longboat Key. Now our commissioners are trying to pass this as soon as possible, saying there is a “timeline” and if the time passes, they must approve the tallest structure on Longboat Key.

Now our elected officials want to vote to change our Comprehensive Land Use Plan. That shows they are willing to change the very things that made “Longboat, Longboat,” and if they vote for this change we should vote them out of office to “Keep Longboat, Longboat.”

I don’t think we need such a drastic change just to provide one developer what he needs to get what he wants, on a lot where it does not fit on our quality island. If I remember correctly the commissioners all ran on “Keep Longboat, Longboat,” so why the change since the last election?

Last year when I talked to former Mayor Jim “The Greater” Brown, he said that we should find out what works before we change something. He is right and I miss him.

Our current mayor, another Jim Brown, is willing to change the Comprehensive Land Use Plan that we have used over the years to develop Longboat Key into the quality island we have become.

A “smoke stack tower” does not fit on a quality island. Our elected officials have already tried to change our Comprehensive Land Use Plan to make the Key Club “The Great Wall of Longboat” fit.

Now, they want to change our Comprehensive Land Use Plan on the North End to a PUD to ram the “smoke stack tower” up near our homes. They say that changing the Comprehensive Land Use Plan is only for that tower, but soon it might also be for condos. Are you ready for 15 story condos on the North End on the beach or Whitney Beach Plaza?

Most of us on the North End could have bought on the South End of Longboat Key, but made the choice to live on “Our End of the Key,” because that is what we want and want to keep it this way. We do not want to look like the South End; those that want to live there can, but do not spoil what we have built with our dedication, with your greed.

Bob Craft
Longboat Key

Other solutions to poor cell service

To: Town Commission

There are some misunderstandings about the cause of inadequate signal strength for reliable cell phone reception in some cases. I believe this results from an assumption that all cell phones are more or less equivalent in capability. Nothing could be further from the truth.

There’s no question some people have reception problems, and others do not. A check of several persons a while back disclosed many persons experiencing reception problems have the free cell phones given when signing up for service whereas those that have no problems with reception have better quality cell phones. It’s likely true that erecting the tower and generating a much stronger radiation signal will provide more reliable service for those with complimentary or bottom of the line cell phone models. There is absolutely no question that upgrading one’s cell phone will eliminate the lost signal phenomenon experienced by many people, and without addition of the tower.

I have been using a cell phone here since 1998 and have never had a problem with a lost signal here on Longboat Key. I have used three different service providers and in all cases, I have used a cell phone of better quality than the freebie offered.

It is fact the new tower likely will solve the problem experienced by many people. But, the tower definitely is not the only solution for individuals with reception problems.

There are two options. Those having reception problems can obtain a better quality cell phone and then have no problems, just as many here have no problems. Or, the tower can be erected so persons with the less capable phones currently in use will provide better service, and then we all can share the view of the unsightly tower dominating the skyline.

Bottom line, the tower is one viable solution, but certainly not the only one.

Doug Young
Longboat Key

To: Doug Young

I am a telecommunications consultant and work with AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. I live in Emerald Harbor and use cellular services extensively. I don’t have strong feelings for or against the cellular tower.

Changing your handset and/or wireless carrier (assuming you use AT&T, Verizon or Sprint) will have minor impact on the quality or grade of your service. Cellular telephone handsets are based on low power technology and cannot transmit great distances through fixed objects (trees leaves and walls).

A large portion of our community has chosen to use their cellular phone service as their primary service. The Telecom Industry classifies these customers as wireless replacement users. These users place stationary wireless calls from their homes. These are the most frequently dropped calls in our area.

We can fix the bulk of the dropped call issues by purchasing a Femtocell from the wireless carrier. The systems costs about $150 and takes less than 15 minutes to install. The system automatically detects your cell phone handset signal and routes incoming and outgoing calls over your broadband Internet connection. One Femtocell can handle multiple handsets. The service works seamlessly, reliably and will provide coverage for your home and pool area.

Rich Carrier
Longboat Key

To: Town Commission

We have this same system that Rich is talking about. When we leave Florida and head to Minnesota we unplug it and take it with us. It is about eight inches tall and less than two inches thick — about four inches at the base. The town should inquire about buying these in bulk and letting the residents who want service buy them!

Eileen Hassel
Longboat Key

To: Town Commission

Because of poor reception in certain areas on the key using my T-Mobile telephone, I would like to have an improved service but do not like the idea of a 150-foot tower that would be four-foot wide at the top. Surely in 2011 there are other ways of achieving this without building an eyesore.

Margaret Romanes
Longboat Key

No support for cell tower

To: Jack Duncan

The following email was sent to everyone on Mr. Eatrides mailing list. In the letter he encourages supporters for a cell tower at the Longboat Island Chapel to attend Planning and Zoning Board hearings. Please note that to date I do not believe a single resident has spoken at either a Planning and Zoning Board or Town Commission meeting in support of cell towers.

Last evening, at a wonderful opening at the Center for the Arts, two people approached me to let me know that they had formally requested to be removed from Mr. Eatrides cell tower list. They both said they felt that towers were old technology and an intrusion on north end residents’ quality of life.

I see little real support for cell towers on Longboat Key.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

Thanks for the information.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Against a cell tower

To: Town Commission

Recent public meetings pursuant to the application for the construction of a huge cell tower on the north end of LBK has led this reader to submit the following questions:

1. Who is to share in the gross revenue produced by operation of this intrusive and obstructing tower?

2. Is it being built for the benefit of just a few deprived cell phone users in this location or does it have much wider benefits to the applicants?

3. How many of us would endure the over-presence of this monster facing their property and line of sight 24-7?

4. How could our government representatives come close to offering “tacit” approval to this application before respecting the current application and encouraging re-submittal?

5. Was the cadre of experts en force representing the cell tower builders transported to our beautiful island really interested in the relatively small amount of complaining cell phone users?

6. Most importantly, please examine the potential health risks associated with cell phone use and transmission. Your attention to the website www.drgeorgecarlo.com will give you an accurate and expert analysis of the dangers inherent in the continued use of both cell phones and their transmission. Please also see www.antennasearch.com for more information.

Hopefully, this letter and opinions are constructive and informative regarding the above issues.

P.S. If your concluding that issue no. six above is frivolous, please remember that cigarettes were also considered harmless until compiled data accrued to allow us to recognize the health and cancer risks.

Cal Boehme
Longboat Key

No cellular problem! No cell tower!

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I reside in Emerald Harbor at 760 Old Compass Road and have had a cell phone for a good number of years. I have never had a “dropped call” or any problem obtaining cellular service. I see absolutely no reason for the installation of a very unsightly cellular tower on the property of the Longboat Chapel or anywhere else on the north end of Longboat Key. I strongly object to the town going forward with this.

Lois Gould Snyder
Longboat Key

To: Lois Gould Snyder

I disagree with you. We need that tower.

Carol Camiener
Longboat Key

Distressed about cell tower

To: Longboat Key residents

My husband and I are distressed about the plans for the proposed cell tower, which plans to be very near our neighborhood, behind the Longboat Chapel. We chose to live here because of the beauty of the island. I have seen pictures of this tower which, as Bob Craft says in his letter to the Observer, is nothing but “a 150-foot cell tower ‘smoke stack’ that is almost four feet wide at the top.” It will be an eyesore and negatively impact the beauty of our lovely part of the island.

I urge you to write to the town commissioners. (One letter sent will go to all the commissioners). Go to Longboatkey.org. On the left hand side click on Town Commission. On the right is the list of commissioners. The Mayor is Jim Brown. Below his name click on e-mail address. Writing one letter is sufficient. You can send other letters to the newspapers.

The Longboat Observer email is: mwalsh@yourobservor.com Editor: Matt Walsh.

The Longboat Key News e-mail is: letters@lbknews.com or mail to 5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 34228. Editor: Steve Reid.

Please do what you can to discourage this project before it is too late.

Diana Cable and Frederick Emrich
Longboat Key

Gourmet Lawn Party costs

To: Town Commission

I note the “Letters to Editor” in the Longboat Key News picked up Public Works Director Juan Florensa’s response to the question asked at a meeting about “the estimated costs of labor and materials for the Gourmet Lawn Party” and wish to offer the following: Andrew Vac, our event chairperson, will attest to the presence of three town employees (all great guys who volunteer each year), James, Dale & Mike, who came on Friday as the commercial vendors were erecting the main tent and our fellow Kiwanians were doing all of their volunteer help to put up other tents. Town employees, aforementioned, were there from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., for a total of nine man-hours. On Saturday, James, Mike and a different third guy, John, arrived at 8:30 a.m. and worked until 11:30 a.m., when they completed their helping our unpaid volunteers. They returned at 2 p.m. and were there till 4 p.m.

I calculate (using Mr. Florensa’s rate of $30 per hour) a total of 24 “man-hours” or $720. Please let me know the breakout cost of the town generator and two trucks and two trailers, if different from the $740 quoted in Juan’s “estimated cost” answer to your earlier question. My addition reveals nine hours Friday, plus nine more early on Saturday, and six more at time of take down and clean up, for a cost of $1,460, some five hundred dollars less than the number you were given, when Director Florensa was pressed for an answer at the public meeting.

The Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key, once again, thanks the town for their assistance and will be happy to present a check in the amount of $1,460 from the proceeds of the event. Let me know to whom we make this out, and where and when to deliver it. Andrew or I would be happy to come to a meeting and thank you in person for a wonderful event, and James Linkogle and his fellow workers once again shone brightly for their work and civic pride in Longboat Key.

John Wild, president
Longboat Key Kiwanis Club
(On behalf of Event Chairman Andrew Vac)

Nov. 17 commission workshop

To: Don Gaertner

Thank you for your polite note. I look forward to meeting you at 1 p.m. I also look forward to receipt of the consultant’s report.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your positive reply. I’m glad I saw your 1 p.m. time for the workshop; I was told by a neighbor that it was 3 p.m.

Don Gaertner
Longboat Key

To: Don Gaertner

Please remember that this issue will remain unsettled until we receive the consultants report. Even though matters move though the process of the Town Commission, there is ample opportunity to fine tune the results based on expert opinion. I look forward to your participation in the process.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

Thank you Ms. Larson, this means more than you can imagine. I was really perplexed at the end of the meeting; first, that the mayor stopped all public opinions; secondly, in that [somehow] I missed the “earlier motion” and wow, there taking the vote on what? A “yes vote” like yours means what and the “no vote” by Commissioner Duncan means? I wish the mayor or clerk would have read the motion before casting the votes. This was my first Town Commission meeting.

Fortunately, I bumped into Jeremy Whatmough today and he explained the procedure and earlier Commissioner Younger made the motion. Even, our lawyer was a little confused until he connected the dots. Thank you for taking the time to write me.

Don Gaertner
Longboat Key

To: Don Gaertner

Hi, will try to explain. The yes majority lets the proposed language move forward in the process. No votes, which were unsuccessful, as majority rules, would have stopped the language from moving forward.

The language will be heard again at the regular Dec. 5 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., and may be amended then or at anytime in the process. I believe the mayor mentioned the report from the expert should be completed before final reading and passage of any language. Please check with your legal counsel and make sure I have explained this correctly. If I have made any misstatement, please let me know. Happy Thanksgiving.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

This is a good explanation and what I like is that more dialogue can be shared on the subject of heights of structures on the barrier island. Will look forward to the Dec. 5 meeting.

By the way, I thought you did a nice job in the ‘assisted-living’ discussion and sticking to your main point; obviously, you have a lot of experience in this field. Best regards and have a great Thanksgiving,

Don Gaertner
Longboat Key

One-time employee payment

To: Town Manager David Bullock

As we discussed this morning I was taken aback at the speed your recommendation was passed. As you know I support in principle what you proposed, but find it ironic that the mover of the motion was dead set against any millage increase from the beginning of our budget process and yet didn’t seem concerned with where the money was coming from to fund your suggestion.

Frankly, it looked to me like some of my colleagues weren’t interested in all the ramifications of what was passed, but had made up their minds beforehand. If I had been more alert I should have asked you to expand on the downside. I wasn’t in a position to vote anti-employee since I respect our employees so much and your thought does deal with what has been a sticky issue (employee morale).

In any case, I still would like your response to this email before any funds are disbursed. As we both know the devil is in the details.

Aside from the cost question (above), are all staff included? Not all staff are employees, but independent contractors. Are employees subject to disciplinary matters included? What are the ramifications for our employees included in collective bargaining units? This list is not all-inclusive.

Probably most important, why is this good for our taxpayers? They are going to foot the roughly $175,000 bill.

I should have reacted more quickly yesterday and apologize for not doing so. Having slept on this matter I needed to share my thoughts with you and look forward to your response.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Vice Mayor Brenner

Thank you for the email and the opportunity to further explain what caused me to make the request.

As you know I have been meeting with citizens and employees since joining the town. In so doing I have heard many positive citizen comments about the quality and dedication of town employees. I have also met with most employees and have heard the dedication in their description of their work.

The citizen comments include Public Works employees, EMS responders, police, and Town Hall employees. The common theme is that employees are helpful, positive and eager to help citizens.

In learning about the town fiscal situation I understand employee raises have not been given in three fiscal years. Given the economic conditions I don’t know when we will be able to grant salary increases again. As you know we will also be examining the employee pension structure in the very near future.

In meeting with Tom Kelly I reviewed the ways in which the budget will be impacted. The total costs for all employees will be approximately $175,000. It is important to know this is not a continuing salary increase that is paid each year. This is a one-time payment and base salaries are not changed.

The source of the funds for the budget transfer the commission will be asked to approve is available unreserved fund balance in the appropriate funds, which is adequate to cover this expense.

As to who will receive the payment: all full-time and part-time employees (part-timers will be paid on a pro-rated basis based on hours worked) who are currently employed by the town performing at a satisfactory level will receive the payout. We do not have any independent contractors working for the town at this time. This payment would not apply to contractors. We have made preliminary contact with the collective bargaining units and don’t expect any issues.

Finally, you have asked why is this good for the taxpayer? Citizens of this community expect and generally receive a high level of services from the town. Some may not even know what services the town provides.

It is impossible to live on Longboat Key and not be touched by some town service every day. From the time we get up in the morning and start using the water and waste water system to the fact that our garbage is collected on schedule every week, to the roads that connect to GMD and the landscaping along GMD, to the comfort our citizens feel knowing that a 9-1-1 call is answered by well trained and equipped professionals dedicated to protection of health, safety and welfare, to the use of public facilities (beaches, tennis center, community center, parks, beach and bay access, etc.), to the property standards that are important to this community, to reasonable planning and zoning, to providing the public forum for community discourse about important issues to the citizens, these are just some of the things the town provides. None of them occur without dedicated professional staff.

Based on my quick review of town salaries I believe town staff are paid a reasonable wage for their work. They all are subject to the same financial pressures as everyone else. They have not received cost of living increases or merit increases for three years. We may be facing more years of the same in our future. This one-time payment represents about 1.6 percent of the average annual salary. The guiding principle for many of these employees is “whatever it takes” to serve the citizens.

This modest reward recognizes the dedication to public service these employees hold in their hearts. The taxpayer benefits from a motivated workforce who wants to serve and wants to come to work in a place that appreciates them. Anyone who has ever held a job knows they did better work when they were appreciated.

So is this one-time payment a fair trade for the taxpayer and the employee? Every citizen is entitled to make that judgment for themselves. I believe it is and I believe it is appropriate at this time.

Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

Town employee bonuses

To: Town Employees

Today the Town Commission gave its unanimous support to adjust the town budget to allow a one-time payment to all full time employees of $1,000. Part-time employees will see pro rated payments based on hours worked. The town will work appropriately with collective bargaining representatives to achieve their support. I appreciate the commission support in this matter. Lisa Silvertooth will be handling the implementation. The one-time payment should be distributed before the December holidays.

Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

Thank you

To: Town Manager David Bullock

Thank you for your ideas and support of the one-time payment. I know this was on my agenda when we met to discuss priorities, but you researched, expanded, thought this over and made sure all employees were included. Good for you and all of those who labor for the benefit of our citizens!

I have been conscious of the budget and considered it when I looked at commissioner training or conferences. I have not signed up for some training opportunities because of this. I think the town has adequate reserves to pay this well deserved one-time payment. This is something our employees needed for morale! Just look around, the smiles and uplifted shoulders following our meeting Thursday were evidence of the uplift in morale. You are a good leader looking out for the employees and at the same time, you were mindful of the impact of higher payroll cost. This payment should not further increase the deficit in our pensions or impact our worker’s compensation premiums.

I am confident you will find more than enough savings in the budget to offset this reward. Good job.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Town Commission

On behalf of the employees of the Town Clerk/HR office, I want to thank you for your support in approving the one-time payment to town employees. It is very much appreciated.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

Well deserved!

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Town Commission and Town Manager David Bullock

The entire Public Works department would like to thank you for your kind support and unanimous approval of the one-time payment of $1,000. We know that you appreciate what we do here in Longboat Key and want you to know that we are proud of working for the residents of this town.

Juan J. Florensa, director
Longboat Key Public Works

To: Town Commission

Thank you for making it possible to make a one-time payment to our employees. Your support will be greatly appreciated by our hard-working employees. I have seen dedication to public service from our employees and a genuine desire to make the town better.

Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

LBK Estates Club against dog beach

To: Town Commission

At a recent board meeting we discussed the topic of a dog beach on Longboat Key. As a board and as a community we are opposed to any rule change that would permit dogs on the beach.

Our concerns are: increase in traffic; more beach debris; crowded beaches; enforcement of dog beach regulations; unsanitary conditions from the dog waste; influx of people from everywhere using the beach and not contributing to any businesses, tax or well being of the island.

In addition to this letter, we intend to attend town meetings to express our opinions when the dog beach topic is on the agenda. What is the anticipated timeline for this project? Is there anything else that we can do?

Nancy Jenkins, president
Longboat Key Estates Club Association

Dog park a fantastic idea

To: Town Commission

I am a frequent visitor to Longboat Key. On my last visit, I became aware that some of the residents are trying to establish a dog beach on the key. I think it’s a fantastic idea! When I lived in California in the early ’70s, San Diego designated one of the first dog beaches and its popularity spawned more dog beaches. On a recent vacation in Myrtle Beach I noticed that dogs are also allowed on the beach. It is my understanding that dog beaches have been successfully implemented in numerous other locations, and I believe a dog beach on Longboat Key would enhance the quality of life for its residents. A dog beach would provide a wonderful alternative to the sidewalk on Gulf of Mexico Drive where one has to contend with bicyclists and would be a great environment for dog owners to exercise their dogs as well as themselves. I do hope the Longboat Key Town Commission will support the creation of a dog beach.

Lynne Miller
Longboat Key

Do not change the plan

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I see that on Thursday of this week you will be discussing the suggested amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. One of the amendments suggested by Nancy Stroud at your last meeting was to add a totally new provision that cell towers should not be height restricted.

This would be an unwise change since it inherently assumes that tall cell towers are the right answer for improving cell tower signals. The independent study, which has now been commissioned, may well recommend that cell towers be avoided, and it could also say that some other method of providing an adequate signal would be better. It could also recommend that only low cell towers are needed on Longboat Key, or possibly that only sender units should be used. It may even recommend some new method of transmission that we presently know little about. You would then wish that the Comprehensive Plan reflected the conclusions of the Town Commission after consideration of the study, rather than to have tied your hands with the proposed new words.

My earnest suggestion therefore is not to change the present plan as it relates to cell towers, and only to consider changes when you are armed with all the relevant information and have had the benefit of a thorough review and discussion of the study. As they say in the British army, “Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted.”

Ron Platt
Longboat Key

Alternative to cell tower

To: Town Commission

I strongly oppose the erection of an unnecessary and potentially dangerous cell tower so close to my home. I have no problem communicating with relatives overseas on my cell phone. The connection is clear from anywhere within my house.

May I ask where the decision-makers live? Would it be passed if the location were the south end park or Longboat Key Club property?

I’m usually unable to attend meetings during your business hours, because I work also, but I would like to know the real purpose for construction of an ugly tower and building on beautiful Longboat Key, when there are other ways to operate a cell phone effectively.

Olive M. MacLeod
Longboat Key

Dyscommunication-itis

To: Town Commission

Longboat Key has an illness. The major symptom is: Tourists and others trying to make or receive a cell phone message are unsuccessful. This, in turn, causes extreme frustration! Every time a call is “dropped” or “there is no service” or whatever, that person is wondering why Longboat Key doesn’t have a cell tower which would alleviate this problem.

Countless executives and professionals from all over the world have vacationed on Longboat Key for a number of years. They depend upon communication to and from companies, offices, plants, etc., as a part of their employment. Conference calls to Europe, China, Japan, etc., are ongoing events in a day for many people. If they can’t depend upon these “connections,” they will be driven to find a new island paradise for their vacation spot.

The proposed cell tower would be a “cure” — a “fix” in ensuring that people will return to Longboat Key. A stealth tower would be the “treatment (drug)” of choice for the illness (that is spreading or getting worse every day) — it will prevent this island from an unintentional death. The diagnosis is pretty accurate; and, a cell tower will restore the good health of our island of paradise, Longboat Key.

Dr. Lynn McConnell
Hastings, Mich., & Longboat Key

Gourmet Luncheon costs

To: Town Manager Dave Bullock

As requested by Vice Mayor Brenner, I am providing the estimated costs of labor and materials for this event:

• Personnel costs: $1,200 [24 man/hrs Friday and 16 man/hrs Monday at $30/hr]

• Equipment: $740 [generator, pick-up trucks (two), trailers (two)]

Total: $1,940

Please let me know if you need additional information.

Juan Florensa, director
Public Works

IPOC Writ of Certiorari

To: Mayor Jim Brown, Vice Mayor David Brenner, Commissioners Hal Lenobel, Lynn Larson, Phillip Younger, Jack Duncan, Patricia Zunz, Town Manager Dave Bullock

Oral argument occurred yesterday on IPOC’s petition for a Writ of Certiorari. Certiorari is the process by which someone may ask the court to review a quasi-judicial decision. At the conclusion of the hearing, Key Club and the town offered Judge Roberts a proposed order denying the writ. IPOC will provide its proposal for granting the writ within five days. We should have a decision sometime thereafter.

Should you have any questions, please contact me. I will keep you informed of all developments.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Proposed Cell Phone Tower

To: Town Commission

I am writing this letter in strong opposition to the proposed cell phone tower on the grounds of the Longboat Key Island Chapel. My wife and I have been fulltime residents of Longboat Key since 2003 and are raising four children on this beautiful island. We both use cell phones and have rarely experienced reception problems. In fact, I rely heavily on my cell phone in my chosen profession. I encourage those who are experiencing these problems to switch carriers or contact their current provider or retailer to see if they can obtain a cell phone signal booster.

Second, we oppose this tower for aesthetic reasons. Our house is approximately three blocks from the chapel (we can actually see the steeple from our windows and I very much enjoy seeing the illuminated cross at night before I go to bed). I believe the proposed tower would be an eyesore and negatively impact property values. The tower would be a highly visible industrial blight on our otherwise pristine island.

Finally, I am concerned about the long-term health effects a powerful cell phone tower presents. I am not persuaded by the so-called expert opinions of some on their safety. One need only look at the history of modern science and medicine to see many examples of devices and medications that were once deemed safe only to be later recognized as dangerous. I am even more wary of individuals who provide this opinion for a fee and cell phone companies and vendors whose only motivation on our island is to make a profit.

Tom Baugher
Longboat Key

Alternative to tall tower

To: Mayor Jim Brown

You were so right to insist on independent advice on the cell tower issue. Of course there is a signal problem for some people, but the speculators promoting the tower have exaggerated. They have also been the source of biased technical information and misleadingly worded and illustrated petitions, so I am pleased that you are looking for good independent technical data about the size of the problem and the possible answers.

Contrary to what the speculators are saying, there are many possible cures. It is not just a choice between 150-foot cell towers and DAS systems, as Mr. Eatrides would have you believe. More, lower towers could be one answer, but a less obtrusive possible cure is to put sender units on the town property at the fire station or on the General Harris building, or even on the Grand Mariner. Then there are light radio units coming very soon, and they would provide unobtrusive signal improvements. Another less discussed possibility is for the people with problems to help themselves by using signal expanders or femtocells, and then letting technology solve the problem. Huge cell towers are old technology.

I enclose an advertisement for signal expanders that appeared in USA Today a few days ago. If people with problems are so desperate, why have they not tried these? Best Buy and Radio Shack sell them. I am so glad that you are studying the issue with independent advice about the severity and location of the problem as well as possible cures. The cell tower that the speculators want to put up at the north end is but a harbinger of things to come. If they win this battle, they are quite likely move south and try to put 150-foot towers up in Country Club Shores, or near the expensive condominiums on the south end of the key.

Ron Platt
Longboat Key

To: Ron Platt

There have been and continue to be exaggerations as well as biased and misleading information being put forth on both sides. The commission is seeking to obtain information about the technology that the town needs to be in a position to provide adequate cellular and data communication for now and into the future. We can put towers in everyone’s front yard but if they have antiquated cellular equipment they will probably still have problems.

All this having been said, the town is obligated to consider any application before it that meets the town’s established codes. We are further obligated under federal telecommunications law to rule on any application within a certain time frame or the application is automatically considered approved. In this case the time is 90 days. So as you can see, we are obligated under federal law to proceed with the application before us. We cannot just ignore it and wait for something better to come along.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

‘No’ to cell tower

To: Town Commission

We are writing to encourage you to not approve the cell tower application in its current location. There is a need for a cell tower but a more suitable location on public property is much more preferable. Also it could bring much needed income to the fire or the police departments.

Jerry and Jorja Allen
Longboat Key

Alternative solutions

To: Town Commission

As the owner of properties on Gulf of Mexico Drive (GMD) and Emerald Harbor Drive, I hereby confirm my strong opposition to the proposal to erect a 150-foot cell phone tower at the Island Chapel at 6200 GMD. My beachfront property is within a 500 feet range of the chapel. The main reasons are:

1. My cell phone reception works just fine! I have no problems with connectivity both when I use my AT&T service on my Blackberry or my Verizon service on my wife’s cell phone. This also applies to when I am walking on the beach

2. Lost property value! The complete eyesore of such a tower combined with many people’s fear of radiation will undoubtedly lead to lost property values.

3. Alternative cheaper solutions for enhanced cell phone reception exist on the market! There exists already a variety of cheaper and more practical solutions for enhanced cell phone reception like femtocell boxes or signal expanders (available at Best Buy).

The erection of such a tower against the majority of the wishes of surrounding neighbors like myself would be an utter disgrace. This would only meet the naked business interests of the speculators who are neither LBK taxpayers nor long-term residents and hence do not have the best interests of the surrounding community at heart.

Christian Thun-Hohenstein
Longboat Key

DAS antennas

To: Town Manager Dave Bullock, Mayor James Brown

DAS is the preferred means of improving cellular communications in affluent communities. I have been told by industry people that the town can play a major role in working directly with the cellular carriers to have the carriers find a way of improving cell phone reception in pockets of poor reception using DAS, while preserving property values.

RF engineers have told me that using only a few small DAS antennas would be sufficient to “fill in” the low signal areas on Longboat Key. Looking at the existing antenna sites on the island it is easy o see that the equipment is being upgraded. The “new” cellular technologies and frequencies such as LTE/4G and 700 MHz will have much greater reach and penetration in the coming year or two.

Thanks for your good and intelligent work today. Finally having a truly professional and disinterested study of our overall communications future can only benefit our community.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Residential DAS in exclusive communities

To: Gene Jaleski

Do you have any idea what a DAS system would cost for Longboat Key? I’ve always heard that it is more expensive than towers but I haven’t seen any figures. Do you know if using DAS on the north end would be compatible with the antenna systems we currently have in place in the south part of the key or would we have to replace the whole system islandwide?

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Jim, here is a link to a small town that has implemented DAS. The article is a pretty good description of municipal outdoor DAS and lists a few other small communities that also have DAS. We obviously do not want unsightly structures such as some of the ones shown. Most DAS installations use very small pole mounted antennas. DAS is more expensive, but not so much that the carriers lose money. I think our community is looking at a situation where the town needs to start a dialog with Verizon and AT&T to improve service on the north end, as they have been willing to do on the south end by erecting multiple antennas. Jim, some of the existing antenna contracts are very expensive for the carriers.

I see this entire problem revolving around profit margins and damage to property values. Even a 5 percent loss to the value of properties directly adjacent to the proposed site will exceed $1.5 million. This is not a good deal for the community. I am told by industry people that when the town makes it clear what we expect, that the carriers will comply.

Below is an excerpt from another article from an industry site: Modern technologies have their advantages. DAS will enable our community to have both improved cellular reception islandwide as well as municipal broadband Wi-Fi. A DAS system will fill in the holes over the entire island.

“One of the selling points of DAS is that (when done properly) a system can be designed to support all your wireless traffic: Wi-Fi, cellular, PCS, paging, maintenance, and public safety.”

DAS systems are engineered to play nice with surrounding cellular sites. DAS and macro antennas are often found in the same locality, such as urban neighborhoods, where building penetration is a problem. I hope the company retained by the town has the background and experience to create a communications design that will take us into the future in an encompassing manner.

A DAS system will have no cost to the community just as our various macro antennas have had no cost to the community. We might want to participate in a DAS project in the area of a fiber backbone to cost effectively implement an islandwide municipal Wi-Fi network, while the carriers are installing a DAS system, since a shared fiber backhaul would save the town money on a broadband Wi-Fi system. Other communities derive revenue from selling inexpensive wireless broadband services to residents, visitors, tourist facilities and businesses. Florida law prevents a municipality from running any telecommunications business. There are numerous third-party vendors that manage systems for communities.

We are going to need an integrated wireless Wi-Fi network sooner or later if we are to remain competitive. Jim, thanks for asking intelligent questions.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Cell tower application

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Jim, I read your response to Mr. Platt where you stated that the commission was bound by Florida law to process the Eatrides application in 90 days. I do not believe this is true under either federal or Florida state law.

Yesterday I asked our town attorney about the standing of a “naked tower” application having the same standing under Florida law as a “cellular services provider.” His response was that he was not sure. “Not sure” is no way to run a municipal government.

Later yesterday I consulted an attorney with a cell tower company who stated that a “naked tower” builder (one who builds a tower on speculation without a carrier as part of the application) in fact does not have the protection afforded a “cellular services provider” and that includes any sort of time constraints.

Verizon is not a party to the current application therefore Eatrides application has no protections under either federal or state statutes. What he is doing is no different than building an elevator shaft under existing communications laws.

Please let’s at least be sure of what we are doing when it comes to possibly compromising the sale values of more than $30 million in surrounding property values.

The case law sited below pertains to applications that are made by a “cellular services provider.” Even then six-month moratoriums are routinely accepted by the federal courts. A tower builder is no more a telecommunications company than the company that made the mast for my friend’s sailboat under Florida and federal laws.

We need to obtain a competent qualified professional legal opinion on the matter of what constitutes a “telecommunications company” before we do damage. Not sure should not be enough.

I do not believe there are any federal or state mandated time constraints pertaining to the Eatrides application. And since the community already provides cellular services via numerous antennas located on the island, we are not prohibiting access to the cellular carriers, which do not include a “naked tower” builder.

The commission made a much-needed request that the town manager retain a disinterested qualified communications analyst to assess the town’s communications requirements looking forward into the coming decades. I believe that is what we should do. Processing an application for a “naked tower” could make all that a useless gesture. We need to reject the current application. If a carrier comes to the town with a legitimate application then we can worry about time constraints.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

A very conservative approach

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Thank you for the telephone conversation. The point I was trying to make with Mr. Jaleski in the hallway prior to Friday’s Town Commission workshop was that the state definition is not crystal clear. And while I may agree that it appears that the applicant may not be a “provider” under state law, it does not seem to me to be totally beyond debate and possible legal challenge. Before making a decision, I think it’s always wise to determine, “what happens if I am wrong?”

Here’s what the state statutes says:

“If the local government fails to grant or deny a properly completed application for a wireless communications facility within the timeframes set forth in this paragraph, the application shall be deemed automatically approved and the applicant may proceed with placement of the facilities without interference or penalty.”

So if we determine that state law doesn’t apply, we take longer than the statute allows, and we’re wrong, the result is automatic approval of the tower. That Draconian result causes me to lean heavily toward a very conservative approach.

I have asked one of the attorneys for the opponents that if they believe that the applicant is not a provider under state law, show me the law that conclusively resolves the issue and I will act accordingly. But until such time as that determination is beyond argument, the town should remain conservative in its approach to make sure it doesn’t inadvertently approve something automatically, by operation of state law, that the town may not want to approve. If you have any questions, I’d be pleased to discuss them.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Public branding

To: Editor

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” -Malcolm X

Before you get all puffed up, just realize that in these past few weeks you have, indeed, abused your power and publicly branded an individual guilty without having all of the facts.

That Monica Simpson has had to endure unrelenting character assassinations by the (loosely termed) “media” on Longboat Key is more than tragic. After years of grinding service to this town, you’ve branded her a threat to her employees (all 4’11” of her) and ruined her career and future earnings potential with which to support her children. All of this, without ever soliciting her side of the story.

Had you, you’d have learned that at least two of the employees lodging ‘complaints’ against her were the most useless employees in the PZB department: A chronic substance abuser with frequent ‘unexplained absences’ and a less than productive planner adept at dodging most assignments. Yet she’d fought Mr. St. Denis who wanted to discharge them on more than one occasion.

Off another employee “statement,” one claimed they often went home sickened after being exposed to Ms. Simpson’s vulgar language. This same employee, also of the fairer sex, is more than capable of making a seasoned longshoreman blush and exercises it liberally in the office.

But most revealing would have been the response of some who “went on record” with an armed officer “trained to handle investigations:” “I never said that” or “That’s not how I said it.” Those same statements you published and went on to use against her.

Those same statements that this laughable (final loose term I’ll use) commission based their “let’s make the secretary town manager” decision.

The new town manager certainly does have his plate full. Inept PZB staff, jesters sitting in the elected seats at Town Hall and small town “media moguls” that go to print without all the facts.

Good luck, Mr. Bullock. Contrary to popular opinion, they haven’t paid you enough.

John Slesinger
Longboat Key

Dogs detrimental to seabirds

To: Mayor Jim Brown

As a longtime resident and former dog owner, I wanted to tell you how I felt about dogs on the beach. I am strongly against allowing dogs on the beach. They are sure to leave at least urine in the sand, and maybe worse. In addition, they are very detrimental to the nesting seabirds. I hope the town does not change its regulation and start allowing dogs on the beach.

W. Hamilton
Longboat Key

No dogs on beach

To: Town Commission

I have been enjoying Longboat Key beaches for 45 years. What I enjoy the most about the beaches is the quiet, the shore birds and the friendly beach walkers. My husband and I walk the beach almost daily and we need to weigh in on the issue.

On our walks we have encountered dogs on the beach. Even with the “no dogs allowed” policy, we have encountered dog feces on the beach. I am sure there are many dog owners who do keep their dogs on a leash as well as pick up dog waste. Many, I know from first-hand experience, do not. I can just imagine how many visitor dogs would be running off leash, barking and chasing the birds, and defecating all over. Urine, unfortunately, is not something they can pick up. When I see babies playing in the sand I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if a dog just urinated there.

Our shore birds are a major concern. It’s bad enough to see children chase the birds but dogs, too? We enjoy seeing all of the sea turtle activity, which, as you know, are endangered. Dogs would impact that as well. I would suggest that dog owners take their dogs to the Palma Sola causeway. No one wants to sit in that sand anyway. I love dogs but they do not belong on our Longboat Key beaches.

Melissa & Mike Herron
Longboat Key

Open your hearts

To: Town Commission

We have a home on Linley in the Village. Our dog is an important part of the family, and we take the responsibility of dog ownership seriously. As I’m sure you know, there is a dog waste bag dispenser at the town dock, and the Village is kept clean by caring owners. The cleanliness of the proposed dog beach would be taken even more seriously because we know that it is a privilege that could be taken away.

There have been many precedents set around the country for successful dog beaches. Please let Longboat Key be among the enlightened communities that open their hearts to our canine companions.

Jean Blackburn
Longboat Key

Support of dog beach

To: Town Commission

Just a quick note in support of a dog beach for Longboat Key. While my dogs at the present time are not water lovers, I have had dogs that would have loved a romp in the surf. Not only is it fun, it is also a great way to get some exercise. Assuming dogs are leashed and cleaned up after, I see no reason why we can’t all enjoy our beautiful beaches.

Sally Rauch
Longboat Key

‘Yes’ to dogs on the beach

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I am a 40-year resident of Longboat Key and I am hoping that dogs will be allowed on the beaches. I can accept time and area restrictions, but I think it’s a shame that Durante Park is currently the only place to enjoy nature on Longboat with my Clumber spaniel. Thanks and let me know if I can help in anyway to get this passed.

Robert Stone
Longboat Key

Dogs romp

To: Town Commission

I would respectfully like to add my support as a homeowner (taxpayer) and dog lover for the prospective dog beach on Longboat Key. I know other neighbors/dog owners to be highly responsible in keeping our public areas free of dog “debris.” We have the same pride of ownership as non-dog owners and also want to keep our beautiful island pristine!

Having said that, part of what makes our community so special is that many residents are also caring dog owners who would love a venue to let their canine friend(s) play in the water and romp with other dogs. It would be a positive addition to Longboat Key to have a designated area for dogs to play at the beach unrestricted by leashes.

I would be willing to help in any way I could to make this proposal a reality.

Melanie DeCarlo
Longboat Key

Concerned about dogs, turtles

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I am writing to express my concern about the potential for dog beaches on Longboat Key. As a longtime member of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch, I understand the sensitivity of our beaches. Unlike the nearby causeway, Longboat is prime nesting space for potentially hundreds of female loggerhead sea turtles each year. These threatened animals and their eggs already face many threats on the beach, from ghost crabs to raccoons. The Sea Turtle Conservancy is strongly opposed to any off-leash dog areas on nesting beaches; though the written ordinance may require leashes, I doubt that the town will want to use valuable police resources monitoring these rules.

In addition to sea turtles, the beach is an annual home to nesting sea birds. These areas are marked off by rope but easily accessed by humans or canines. A leashed dog could break away and trample eggs or baby birds. A rouge dog is also a liability to human visitors; many people do not appreciate dogs licking or jumping up on them and someone, especially an elderly resident, could be hurt.

Please seriously consider some of Longboat Key’s most ancient and original residents when making a decision about dogs on the beach. There is a dog beach just 10 miles away where the citizens of Longboat Key can take their furry friends for fun in the sun. Keep Longboat’s beaches clean of dog waste and safe for wildlife!

Jamie Schindewolf
Longboat Key

Guests want pets

To: Town Commission

My name is Kimberly Pavoni. I manage Rollingwaves Beach Cottages on the north side of Longboat Key. We are a pet-friendly resort and more than 25 percent of our business is due to our guests that don’t want to leave their pets in a kennel. These types of guests for the most part are respectful and care for their pets better than most parents do their children.

In Jupiter, Fla., there is an area for several miles where people are allowed to bring their pets to the beach. They love the ocean even more than we do and they also are one of God’s creatures. Dog stations are randomly set for you to remove incidentals.

I always inform my guests that although we are a pet-friendly resort our beach is not. I have signs that also state this and a sign reminding them not to leave chairs, etc., on beach, as Longboat Key is one of the main turtle nesting areas in the world. We all want to protect these beautiful sea animals but land animals also deserve to enjoy the beach. Leashes on pets where there are crowds, signs that educate visitors about turtles’ nests to take caution to keep pets at a distance and so forth could create an atmosphere of respect.

I have never seen one of these turtles at our beach location (during the day) after being here four years. I feel that they would be perfectly safe, as most people don’t frequent the beach in the middle of the night when these turtles tend to nest. Most people want to preserve and protect our environment and wildlife as that is the best part of life, creation, but let you not forget to be kind to our fellow man and share this little piece of paradise. We at Rollingwaves appreciate your consideration and thank you for your time.

Kimberly Pavoni
Longboat Key

Against dogs on beach

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I live in Spanish Main Yacht Club were the people who have dogs are to pick up after them. Most of the people do this, but not all. If this is true in our tiny community, then it will be magnified if everyone can walk dogs on the beach. I am against this for several reasons:

• Not everyone will pick up after them.
• Urine will be on the beach and I walk barefooted on the beach.
• Children put sand in their mouths and pick up anything they touch.
• Some will not keep the dogs on a leash.
• Birds will be chased or frightened by the dogs and there are many birds on the beach-some in migration and some nesting.
• During turtle season, dogs might disturb the nests.

And currently there are dog parks with water where dogs can run loose and a beach close by on Manatee Avenue where they can go walking and swimming without fear of big waves. We do not need dogs on the beach at Longboat Key. I would like to know when the meeting on this matter will be so that I can attend.

Beverly Root
Longboat Key

Dogs not permitted

To: Town Commission

Dogs should not be permitted on Longboat Key’s beaches. Someone’s personal affection for a dog combined with a conviction that his pet is deserving of beach access scarcely comprises a valid argument to the contrary. We’re told by proponents that dogs “enjoy” the beach, yet there’s no scientific means of measuring enjoyment except in our own species. Dogs run around and become active and alert at the beach, but they do this in most novel environments. To a dog the beach is doubtfully more special than a woods or open field. Sarasota and Manatee counties have dog parks where people regularly take their pets to experience the same degree of freedom and interaction.

We’re told that when someone’s child grows up and leaves the dog becomes a substitute. Perhaps to its owner, but not others forced to tolerate the consequences of unwanted dogs among us. We’re even required to suspend disbelief when hearing sad tales of owners explaining to their dogs why town rules exclude them from romping freely in the sand. Pets mirror our emotions to an extent, but contrary to “Animal Planet” and the popular press, they don’t “understand” us in any sense of that term. Nor do we “understand” them except at a rudimentary level. So-called evidence for the extraordinary wisdom, sensitivity and insight of dogs has been based on poorly designed and executed experiments, what you might find out about from watching TV or reading the newspaper. Call the societal result of this a huge helping of, well, dogma directed at the gullible. Can I back these statements? Absolutely. The properly executed science interpreting candid human interactions as they really are is well described in the biological literature, and it tells us clearly that dogs aren’t little humans trapped inside their furry skins. Logically, human privileges are not theirs by extension.

From a practical perspective it’s unlikely every dog owner would keep his pet leashed were the rules to change, and strict leash enforcement is a must if any form of a dogs-on-the-beach measure passes. Do unleashed dogs chase sea birds and disturb other wildlife? Undoubtedly. Is Longboat Key’s beach fauna so deserving of intense preservation efforts that dogs ought to be excluded unilaterally? You bet it is.

Furthermore, would the police monitor our beaches and enforce any new rules? They don’t enforce the existing ones, claiming insufficient manpower, and efforts will be further diluted if dogs are allowed on all island beaches. Any measure passed should, at the least, restrict them to a single public area where policing can be concentrated and the damage minimized. Will dog owners consistently pick up their pets’ feces? Some might; others will simply kick sand over the piles, if that. And what about picking up the urine? Now that’s a tough one.

Stephen Spotte Ph.D.
Longboat Key

“Smoke Stack” cell tower

To: Editor

Longboat Key lost a good man recently, Jim “The Greater” Brown.

Longboat Key has had two mayors named Jim Brown.

Jim “The Greater” Brown served our island paradise well, and we all owe a lot to him for his planning and hard work, which produced a Quality Island Community and a great place to live and be proud to call our homes.

He will be missed.

Now our town is at risk.

I live in Emerald Harbor and because of the proposed “Smoke Stack” cell tower, many homes on the North End remain on the market and don’t sell. Those that would like to move to Longboat Key will not purchase a home here, because they do not want to live near an ugly “Smoke stack” cell tower.

Their first impression as they drive on our key.

This “Smoke Stack” tower would be the tallest structure on Longboat Key.

Jim Eatrides is not worried about the loss in value in our homes, because he recently sold his house. It is not a problem for him, he has sold — the “Smoke Stack” is just profit for him now.

I have several friends that came to Longboat Key to buy and will not move into Country Club Shores because of the Great Wall of Concrete proposed for the Longboat Key Club. They said that they didn’t want to move here because of the “Great Wall of Longboat” that they would see as they drove north over the New Pass Bridge for their first impression of Longboat Key.

If they want to go to St. Armands Circle or Sarasota, they would have to leave by the north bridge to avoid the traffic congestion on the south bridge.

The tranquility and beauty of our island home would be lost and we become just another crowded Florida island. Longboat would not be Longboat if that is built.

Now the same thing is happening on the north end of the island; who would want to purchase a home near a 150-foot cell “Smoke Stack” that is almost four feet wide at the top of a 150-feet tall “Smoke Stack?”

Cell phones are not phones they are cell radios, and radios do not work in most buildings.

I have been on Longboat Key since 1999. My cell service with Sprint then was poor. I told them I was unhappy and they said to come in and they would provide me with new phones for free that would work. The new free phones worked fine and my problem was solved.

Last year I bought an iPhone and an iPad. I was unhappy with the service with AT&T. I called AT&T and they said they were improving their service; now I have full service on the north end but not the south end. I have never had a dropped call in more than 10 years on Longboat Key, because I have better free cell phones.

For my guests I have purchased a cell phone signal booster for less than $200. Most of my guests still have old phones. All their phones work in my home.

If the “Smoke Stack” cell tower is approved, I will encourage those that live on the north end to go to the county and ask for a reduced appraisal for our homes, which will reduce our taxes in this bad economy.

I was raised as a Christian and remember the teachings.

“Love your neighbor as yourself;” is the church doing this?

“Throw the money changers out of the Temple;” I don’t think so.

To me the $35,000 the church will get paid makes me think about the 30 pieces of silver that Judas received.

Someone should tell that to the “cell tower church.”

Don’t destroy with greed what we have built with our dedication.

Bob Craft
Longboat Key

Cell tower height

To: Editor

I am glad that at last the town commissioned a study of cell phone signals on the north end of Longboat Key. It was a limited study and did not include the signals from a couple of new towers. Nevertheless, it did show that the whole of the north end would receive a good signal from a 65-foot high sender unit, and if Beer Can Island were excluded, it would only have to be 55 feet high.

Why then are the Planning and Zoning Board considering an application to erect a huge speculation tower, 150 feet high, which would require a change in zoning? It would destroy property values, make all our homes hard to sell and ruin the whole ambiance of this lovely island.

Ron Platt
Longboat Key

Proposed cell tower editorial

To: Gene Jaleski

I agree with your Key Opinion on page 6 of the Oct. 14 issue of the Longboat Key News (“Your cell phone and Fixed-Mobile Convergence”). We do need to embrace today technological advances; things are moving rapidly and cell towers will become obsolete very soon. Wherein is the urgency to permit the construction of this tower, which may affect health, may make the appearance of the island less attractive, and will definitely affect property values and the future prosperity of the north end of the island?

I hope there are others, like myself, who will take a stand and oppose this tower before it is too late.

Diana Cable
Longboat Key

Officer development class

To: Town Staff

I am working on a development class for future fire-rescue officers for Longboat Key Fire-Rescue. One of the sessions I’d like to include would be Town Operations. I think it would be educational for the participants to get an overview of what you all do and how it all links together. My thought is a 20-30 minute presentation would be great but if you need more just let me know.

I am looking at Jan. 12, 2012, for this to be presented. Please let me know if you would be interested, and I will put together an agenda and get it out to you.

Fire Chief Paul Dezzi
Longboat Key

To: Fire Chief Paul Dezzi

Yes, I think this is a good idea.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

Property next to Bayfront Park

To: Town Commission

Attached is a fully executed contract between the town and First Federal Bank of Florida for your consideration regarding the possible purchase of the property at 4110 Gulf of Mexico Drive. As you know, the property is adjacent to the Bayfront Park Recreation Center. The proposed purchase price is $452,500.

This item will be placed on the Nov. 7, 2011, Regular Meeting agenda for your consideration at a public hearing. Purchase of real property is outlined in Town Code 38.3. A provision of the code is to make the contract and appraisal available for public review. The appraised value of the property is $682,000, a copy of which will be placed in the Town Clerk’s Office. Please advise if you would like a copy placed in your mail drawer at Town Hall.

Another code provision is that formal action to approve the purchase will require five affirmative votes of the commission.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me or the town attorney if you have any questions.

Acting Town Manager Susan Phillips
Longboat Key

Sandsavers for north end beach erosion

To: Town Commission

We can test this product at little cost if we want to, since Granger Plastics will supply the units for free. The units can be easily removed or relocated.

We tried Bruce’s way at the north end, and it failed in a few months at a cost of millions of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps it is time to look at alternatives that can be implemented quickly and economically at the north end to protect millions of dollars worth of property, which is once again endangered after only a few months.

A Sandsaver project is currently in place on Lake Michigan under the auspices of the Army Corps of Engineers. It might be educational to see how the test is progressing.

P.S. Granger Plastics is an international corporation doing business worldwide with the Department of Defense, Tempur-Pedic and hundreds of other satisfied customers.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

North end beach protection

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Jack, perhaps now that St. Denis is gone we can once again look intelligently at possible alternatives to dumping more and more sand on our beaches, since the most recent $4.5 million attempt lasted only a few months.

If one looks on the Internet, one will find numerous and varied successful approaches to shoreline stabilization used around the globe.

Mayor Brown’s pet peeve, the Sandsaver, is working as I write at an Army Corps of Engineers’ project on Lake Michigan. Perhaps we might at least try this device, which does in fact work at little to no cost to taxpayers.

I would hope that now that St. Denis is gone we might listen to more voices than those who rely on dredging for their livelihoods.

We have an urgent safety and property protection situation on the north end despite St. Denis’ assurances to the commission that all was well and just a matter of beach settling. The Sandsavers could be in place in less than a few weeks and be accreting sand.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

‘Building Up Sand’

An excerpt from www.erosioncontrol.com/may-june-2005/battling-coastal-erosion.aspx:

Across the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest tip of Sweden, the City of Malmö is using what would definitely be considered a “soft” approach to tackling coastal erosion at the area’s popular Ribersborg Beach. The beach faces Oresund, which is a fairly narrow part of the Baltic Sea that separates Sweden from Denmark. In the past, workers from the City of Malmö had been going out to sea’s edge every year to retrieve sand with a tractor. This sand was then used to build the beach back up after winter storms had depleted the area’s sandy beaches. After more than 30 years of using this method, the city was looking for a new way to control erosion and decided to test an innovative method of protection offered by Naples, Fla.-based EcoShore International. The EcoShore system uses pressure-equalizing modules (PEMs) to control beach and coastal erosion. EcoShore’s system had not been used on any North American sites, but was introduced to the U.S. market in 2004 and is patented in the United States. To date, the system has been used successfully at a number of sites in Denmark, West Africa, and Asia.

“We had some environmental concerns about continuing to use the tractors as we did not want any oil leakage at the beach, and from a cost perspective, the old method was expensive and time-consuming,” explains Arne Mattsson, deputy head of the division that is responsible for the operation and maintenance of streets and parks for Malmö. “The inventors of the PEM system had heard about our problem and offered us a trial of their system, which was initiated in the fall of 2001.”

According to EcoShore International, PEMs are independent permeable drain tubes that are installed vertically into the beach, causing the beach to build up in both height and width. A wide and elevated beach generally offers the best protection against dune and bluff erosion. With the tubes inserted into the foreshore, the various layers of groundwater are connected, which creates a reduction of groundwater pressure, which in turn reduces pore pressure and increases intergranual friction — a process that makes the sand grains less likely to be washed back into the sea. When the waves leave more sand on the beach than they take back into the water, the beach eventually builds up. A telltale sign of a beach that has PEMs installed is the presence of a convex surf zone rather than a concave one, as much of the sand will be deposited near the water line.

The PEMs measure 2.5 inches in diameter and six feet in length, and form a grid pattern on the beach that stretches from the dunes into the water. A typical installation includes 70 to 100 PEMs per mile of beach, with each module positioned one foot below the surface. The prime conditions for PEMs to be successful include good circulation in the swash zone and sediment available in the littoral drift or system. The sand might be offshore sand that moves inward or passes by parallel to the beach. The effectiveness of the system is enhanced by tide and storm action, whereas with most other methods of coastal protection, these natural elements can have the opposite effect.

From an environmental perspective, PEM systems are popular because they are installed with the use of light equipment, require no power to operate, do not affect or harm marine life or wildlife, and are easily removed. They are placed below the surface of the beach, making them invisible.

PEMs are not new to Scandinavia; they were invented in Denmark in the early 1990s in the town of Skagen, which is located at the tip of Jutland. With a total shoreline of 4,500 miles (7,000 kilometers), Denmark had a number of eroding beaches, so a project group was formed to clarify the effects of PEM systems. The project committee was chaired by Dr. Hans F. Burcharth, who was editor-in-chief of Coastal Engineering Journal and editor of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Manual. The heavily eroded west coast of Jutland was selected as a test site, and the beach was monitored for three years, both with and without PEMs. The total length from the first flank to the end of the last control area was 5 miles (8 kilometers); however, the total measured length was half that because areas were left in between the measured areas so that data could be collected from a larger overall area. After 12 months, stretches of beach with the PEMs averaged gains of 8.4 cubic yards of sand per yard (with triple those gains in the middle of the test strip), while areas not equipped with PEMs lost from one to 22 cubic yards of sand per yard. This picture remained unchanged during the three-year test period, and after five years, the beach with PEMs was two feet higher than the control areas without PEMs.

“There are numerous other solutions to coastal erosion, including concrete seawalls, groins, jetties, dikes, breakwaters, geotextile tubes, beach nourishment initiatives, and revegetation projects, but as with most types of erosion problems, there is not a ‘one product fits all’ solution. As in the case of the Mandalay Wildlife Refuge and the private island off the coast of Texas, it takes trial and error, experimentation, and testing of different methods to come up with the right solution for each case.”

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

Hope to see you at the Beach Special Workshop on Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Opposed to dogs on beach, cell tower

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner; Commissioners Patricia Zunz; Jack Duncan; Lynn Larson

For what it’s worth, since it is clear that the silent majority is not being heard on these issues, I am opposed to the cell tower on Longboat Key and I am opposed to dogs on Longboat Key beaches.

I have never experienced cell phone issues on the key over the 15 years I have lived here, the cell phone being a vital part of my real estate business.

And I know as well as you that policing and enforcement of restrictions required for dogs to be on the beaches would be costly, totally unrealistic and completely ineffective.

Why create a problem where there is none?

Richard Perlman
Longboat Key

Dog licensing and tag requirement

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I have owned Alicia’s Grooming on Longboat Key since April 2007 and am located at Harbour Square, right next to Patti Georges Restaurant.

After reading the Observer today, I couldn’t help but notice the article regarding licensing requirements for pets. I think I could be a resource in helping the town of Longboat Key in licensing…perhaps as a “satellite” office to purchase tags.

It’s just an initial idea…and I know it’s not priority for the town right now…but I do have somewhat of a “captive audience,” and I believe I could help the town in fulfilling the requirement of this ordinance. Feel free to contact me at your convenience, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Alicia Aeziman
Alicia’s Grooming
Longboat Key

To: Alicia Aeziman

Thanks. I’ll pass your idea onto the new town manager.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

I hope this finds you well! Haven’t seen you in a while, but I couldn’t miss the news in the Observer about the town’s requirement for dog tags. I think I could help…in a way that could be a “satellite” location that would sell the tags?

It would obviously be great exposure for my little business, which I’ve had since April 2007, and I’d be glad to help out the town — especially in a dog-related way.

Let me know your thoughts at your convenience.

Alicia Aeziman
Alicia’s Grooming
Longboat Key

To: Alicia Aeziman

Good to hear from you. Muffin and I both could sure use your services, me perhaps more than Muffin.

Tom Kelley is in charge of finance and would be the best person to talk to about your ideas. He is a nice person and since he just got back from Hawaii last week, I bet he might be even nicer now. I’ll mention that to him next time I see him.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

Thanks for your reply. I’d love to see Muffin again! I’ll be in the shop Saturday-Sunday of this weekend if you want immediate grooming. I’d love to “groom” you…but sadly don’t have the experience. (I need grooming too! My hairdresser just lost their home and moved to Denver to be with his kids! This darn economy!)

Re: ordinance. I find it interesting that it has nothing to do with a vaccination?

Let me know when I can help you, and I appreciate your passing my name along to the right person regarding this. I’d love to be of help to the town.

Alicia Aeziman
Alicia’s Grooming
Longboat Key

To: Alicia Aeziman

Alicia, the current license for dogs and cats requires a vaccination certificate, so this requirement is already in place.

Our finance manager has begun researching to see if it would be possible for someone other than a town employee to dispense a license. He stays on top of things.

But it is early in the process; we have a lot of work to do and thankfully many dedicated employees and residents and experts to help us along the way.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

I heard from Tom Kelley this afternoon; what a great guy! Conversation went smooth, efficiently. I confirmed that I did not want monetary reimbursement for this…was just happy to help the town out, and of course, it does give me some exposure, which always helps. Thanks for connecting me to someone who is part of the decision-making in the town regarding this subject.

I will be having a big bash in the first quarter of the year, which marks my five-year anniversary… April 12, 2012! My mother would have been proud! (That’s how I got here…she moved here in 1986 and participated on almost every committee/council available during her annual tenure on Longboat Key.) Her health failed, and I came to help…and never left…and had to “re-create” myself professionally.

Alicia Aeziman
Alicia’s Grooming
Longboat Key

Town Attorney bills

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

Tom asked me to send you some of [David Persson’s] bills for review. We are in the process of breaking down the non-litigation into categories or departments. Traci should be able to get that to you on Monday. In the meantime, I am attaching a sampling of David’s statements. The files are rather large so I am only sending a couple of them.

Sandi Henley
Budget analyst/risk specialist
Town of Longboat Key

To: Sandi Henley

The bills were very helpful. It is reassuring to document that we are not being billed on a quarter-hour basis, as this would cost tens of thousands more each year and is common practice in many firms. We also have a reasonable hourly rate. With the new procedures you described, I am confident the time can be billed to the proper department and to the allowable dedicated funds.

With guidance from Manager Bullock, I am confident we will see new controls so that all employees, commissioners and residents do not call our attorneys unless necessary and after researching and consulting internally first.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

Include Audubon Society in dogs-beach talk

To: Town Commission

Sarasota Audubon Society would like to be considered for inclusion in the proposed dog committee discussions or be able to speak to committee/commissioners in regards to allowing dogs on the beaches of Longboat Key.

This issue is of great concern to those of us managing Florida’s wildlife whose “survival” literally depends, in part, on your actions/decisions. For Audubon’s part, it is our specific knowledge on beach-nesting, wintering and migratory shorebirds that we would like to have considered by all those involved.

A few, but not all, of the facts:

Longboat Key has historic and dynamic locations of beach-nesting shorebirds that are not producing enough young for survivability of the species. People are working very hard to turn this situation around and we have had improvement (not success) in the past two years. Many partnerships are working together, not only in Sarasota County, but throughout Southwest Florida.

Longboat Key has been home to wintering red knots, a federally endangered listed species that is monitored not only by Florida and United States Regulatory agencies, but also International Regulatory agencies.

Additionally during shorebirds surveys, large aggregations (500-plus) of migratory shorebirds have been recorded feeding/resting during their hemispheric migratory flights.

We appreciate your consideration in including us in this very important matter and hopefully allowing us to bring greater awareness and education to the community at large.

Bonnie Samuelsen, project manager
Beach-Nesting Birds
Sarasota Audubon Society for Sarasota County

Chief Hogle did the right thing

To: Editor

After reading the story in both the Longboat Observer and the Longboat Key News, I must conclude that Chief Hogle did absolutely the right thing in immediately suspending Ms. Simpson until the HR people could decide in consultation an appropriate next step. The Chief used a professional member of the police staff who is trained to handle investigations and get to the truth, and then he made an immediate decision based on his extensive management experience rather than pass the problem onto the new-coming town manager. It is an internal town management problem that (overpaid) St. Denis should have handled years ago.

The commission is completely out of bounds in removing Chief Hogle from his position as acting town manager. The commissioners should be in no position to micro-manage town affairs. They should have backed up the chief 100 percent and kept their noses out of what is a management situation not a policy or ordinance matter. I feel good about having voted for Commissioner Lynn Larson, and kudos to Hal Lenobel for his vote on the matter.

Weldon G. Frost
Longboat Key

Remove yourself

To: Mayor Jim Brown

OMG, I just read the Longboat Key News article quoting the employees complaining about Ms. Simpson. You need to relieve yourself of office if you support this woman. Do you have any idea what liability she brings to the town? You cannot treat employees this way. This woman either has a mental illness, bipolar or is taking drugs, this behavior is not normal.

I would love to see you on the witness stand explaining why you have not fired her. Chief Hogle is 100 percent correct. Persson supports Monica because she is a cash cow, due to all the trouble she causes. Are you that blind?

I would have fired her after her first F-bomb. You and Yonker must condone this type of language and behavior in Town Hall. And Yonker didn’t like my demeanor…

Bob Smith
Longboat Key

To: Bob Smith

While I appreciate your concerns, everyone in the building department who reviews plans, signs-off on plan applications, inspects job sites is certified by the state or other proper agencies of the state or federal government. Most of the individuals doing this work have multiple certifications. This includes Ms. Simpson. By the way, Commissioner Younger’s name is not Yonker.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

We will have a You-Tube up shortly of Ms. Monica testifying to her qualifications and certifications. I think you need to revisit Ms. Monica’s credentials. Younger, Yonker — it makes no difference as long as you know who I am talking about.

Bob Smith
Longboat Key

Who let the dogs out?

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I hope that the proposed committee to consider allowing dogs on the beach on Longboat Key will focus on dispassionate fact finding and not emotionally charged advocacy. Its purpose should be to research and gather the facts and deliver a report to the commission without necessarily any recommendations. The scope of the exercise should encompass the following factors:

1. Legal Impacts/Applicable Federal/State/Local laws; Wildlife Protection/Habitat Conservation; Loggerhead Turtles as an Endangered Species; Protection of Habitat for Turtles and Shorebirds; Endangered Species Act; Compliance With Federal and State Laws; Longboat Key Beach Management Plan/Habitat Protection; Mote Marine Permitting for Sea Turtle Nesting Management; Legal Basis; Affect of allowing dogs on the beach regarding above and impact, if any, on beach renourishment program

2. Environmental and Health Impacts; Wildlife; Vegetation; Defecation/Urination; Disease Risk to Humans and Wildlife; Noise and Quiet Enjoyment; Visual

3. Economic/Recreational Effects on Tourism/Quality of Life for Residents; Dog Friendly Community; Affect on the composition of residents and visitors of who visits and who stays away for like or dislike of dogs on the beach; Residents and Tourists who like turtles; Effect on quiet enjoyment of beach environment; Natural Habitat; On Shore Gulf fishing on the beach; Advertising and Marketing

4. Regulation and Enforcement; Special Designated Areas or entire beach; Limited Hours vs. All Hours; Limited Season or Entire Year; Dog and Owner Behavior; Leashed or Unleashed; Protection of Wildlife; Licensing and Fines; Policing and citizen complaints

5. Fiscal Impacts; Enforcement and Policing; Licensing

Fines; Waste Collection and Beach Cleaning; Legal Issues with Beach Property Owners

6. Comparable Experiences and Regulations for other beach communities with nesting wildlife

Larry Grossman
Longboat Key

Dogged committee

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Jim, I would like to be on the committee that Lynn Larson is forming regarding the issue of whether to allow dogs on Longboat Key. We should be focused on gathering the facts on how other beach communities with turtle/shorebird nesting environments handle regulations and enforcement and the results. So this should not be a battle of yes vs. no, but an examination of the facts and experiences of other communities and how those conditions and experiences relate to Longboat Key. This is a great opportunity to discuss and research this issue in a dispassionate environment. I’m sure the committee will be able to shed light and assist the commission in its consideration of this issue. I hope there can be a cat subcommittee — just kidding.

Larry Grossman
Longboat Key

Dog parks, please

To: Town Commission

My name is Mike Troy and I live in southwest Pasco County. I was contemplating a visit to Longboat Key next week to stay a few days at the Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort with my wife and our two labs, because I noticed this property is pet friendly. However, the hotels cautions visitors by including the following disclaimer on their Web site, “Longboat Key does not allow pets on the beach, however we are happy to provide you with details on local dog parks and beaches.”

It would be pointless to stay at a beachfront property if I’m not able to take the dogs for a walk on the beach or throw a ball into the surf to play fetch the way we do when we regularly visit Fort DeSoto Park in St. Pete. As a result, I’m looking elsewhere, which means lost tax revenue for your community.

I would encourage you to open a portion of the beach to pets, or perhaps follow aspects of the Fort DeSoto model and dedicate a section so that a timeframe doesn’t need to be imposed. I would also encourage the following as a means to deal with the issue of waste, which is always an issue because there are always those irresponsible owners who for whatever reason don’t pick up after their animal:

• Charge a fee to access the pet-friendly area of the beach. I’m not familiar enough with the layout of beach to recommend how this would be implemented, but most likely it would be with a parking fee. The fee provides funding for enforcement activities. The fee also will deter irresponsible owners from coming to the beach because those who want to bring their dog to the beach bad enough that they are willing to pay a fee are also more likely to be among those most likely to pick up after their own pet and even those belonging to others.

• Allow local residents to purchase an annual pass on the condition they allow their pets’ DNA to be kept on file. This is a new concept (I have a print copy of a recent article I could share) being put in place at pet-friendly apartment complexes where it is a condition of the lease for those with pets. It serves as a powerful incentive to pick up after your animal because owners know their pet’s evidence can be traced back to them and a fine imposed. I suspect most residents of Longboat Key are of sufficient means to afford this user fee and would gladly do so if it meant unrestricted access to the beach.

• Patrol the beach and provide adequate garbage cans, poop bags and prominent signing to remind owners to pick up after their animals and that failing to do so is punishable by a significant fine. Fort DeSoto is very lax in this regard, perhaps because of funding issues for staff, but the result has been rampant disregard for various rules, including the restriction on alcohol. Beach-goers openly walk around with open containers, and trashcans are full of beer bottles and cans at the end of the day. This fact, combined with free parking, results in Fort DeSoto attracting irresponsible owners who simply turn their animals loose and don’t take the issue of waste removal seriously.

Have the Town Commission take a field trip on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to visit Fort DeSoto, Honeymoon Island or other area dog beaches. It will be a valuable learning experience, and then best practices can be applied as Longboat Key opens its beach to responsible pet owners.

Mike Troy
Tampa

Cell tower policy

To: Mayor Jim Brown

It is a bit disconcerting to have been at last week’s Planning and Zoning Board hearing when the board discussed how it needs to amend the Comprehensive Plan to consider establishing a Telecommunications Policy at the same time it was considering a proposal to install a telecommunications tower on the Longboat Key Chapel site. More disconcerting that though it could not consider approving a site plan or the special exception because of an administrative appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals, the board approved two departures from a use it did not approve. Using a PUD Outline Development Plan as a mechanism for approval is an inappropriate vehicle for approval of a cell tower, which is not a planned unit development involving residential, hotel or commercial uses. The tower is a utility.

Cell phone service, its availability and quality are important and will become more so in the future as the community uses the phones as computers and communications centers. The town could deem this service an essential utility. Then it could retain the expertise to determine the quality of service on the island and if deficient how to improve the service. The consultant would lay out the options and their consequences. If a cell tower was the best option then the town, based on the consultant’s recommendation, determine the best location. The town could select the site and seek a tower developer to construct and operate the facility. This process means that the town identifies and documents that there is a problem with an essential service, develops a policy that states that it is in the public interest to provide the service, develops a plan to provide the service in whatever form is deemed appropriate to maximize the public benefit and minimize the impacts to the community, and then finds a way to provide the service.

If zoning needs to be developed to permit the use then this would be in line with the policy and plan and implementation strategy decided by the town. If the town had no land zoned for this use what would it do if it needed the land for a cell tower? If it had only one property zoned Institutional that could accommodate this use for zoning purposes yet was inappropriate because of size or proximity to residential or for any other good reason, what would the town do? This process is backwards and will cause great consternation to the community for no good reason. This town gets embroiled in battles it needs not fight and this largely stems from a lack of planning and a total abuse of a zoning ordinance, which has to contort itself to accommodate issues that should have been resolved at the policy and planning levels.

Larry Grossman

Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski and Larry Grossman

Thank you for your input, it indeed provides considerable food for thought.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

The issue confronting cellular communications on Longboat appears to be Verizon’s bottom line.

Part of the solution may be working directly with the cell carriers, such as Verizon, to find a financial model that works for both the company and our community.

To allow Verizon to maximize profits, by minimizing costs, seems to be a less than optimal solution for Longboat Key, if at the same time surrounding property values are negatively affected by 20 percent or more, as our local real estate people seem to feel would be the result of a cell tower in an upscale community, in the midst of multi-million dollar homes worth in excess of $30 million.

Other small communities have DAS. Perhaps the town needs to reach out to Verizon to find a middle ground between profits and property values. In Templeton, Calif., Verizon is installing 40-foot towers in secluded areas out of view. Why not here? The commissioners are the shepherds of the community.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Triathlon thank you

To: Town Commission

I am writing to offer a personal thank you as well as one on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce for your support for the 2011 Longboat Key Triathlon. We enjoyed cooperation from every town department including town employees as volunteers helping to fill the competitors’ gift bags. As you know, it has been our intention to create a “world class” event. We are receiving positive accolades and I am sharing one below, which seems to say it all:

“Regarding the Longboat Key tri, my husband Roland and I were saying that this was one of the best — if not the best — tri we have done in our many years of competing or volunteering. You have done an outstanding job of directing the race and your volunteers were helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The course was well marked and — of course — beautiful. Although we did not partake of the pre-and post-race meals because of time constraints, I must say that everything looked delicious. A nice touch was the continental breakfast race morning with coffee — yea! We also appreciated the well designed website and ease of online registration. First class all the way!

If I have one suggestion it would be to change the last (turning) buoy in the swim from that small orange buoy to a larger one — a large yellow pyramid, for example. With the glare of the sun, it was incredibly difficult to make out that little orange thing among the sea of orange bathing caps and I — and others — ended up swimming off course.

We no longer do St. Anthony’s because it has become so huge in numbers, impersonal and laden with liability issues because of its size. Therefore, it was a special treat to discover the near-Olympic distance Longboat Key tri and we look forward to next year. Great job! —Diane Lajoie”

The 2010 Triathlon attracted 342 athletes, many from well outside Florida. This year, the event grew to 426 competitors from a similar geographic spread. We learn from each event so a note has already been made about that “small orange buoy” mentioned above. My thanks again for your great support.

President Tom Aposporos
LLSA Chamber of Commerce

Who’s running the show?

To: Mayor Jim Brown

The rapid decline of the town is accelerating as indicated by the removal of Al Hogle as temporary city manager. It is well known that Monica Simpson has exposed the town to immense liability through her improper use of the building and zoning codes, and obviously her subordinates do not like being in that position. Her attack on me, James Armstrong and the Colony to name of few were so outrageously biased that the town will be lucky to not be sued for 1983 civil rights violations. It is also quite clear from my perspective, that David Persson loves ringing the cash register as Monica seeks to destroy people and businesses. I wonder if Commissioner Younger approves of Ms. Simpson’s “demeanor.”

Merge now. I do not see Lido, St. Armands, Siesta Key suffering from mismanagement. Why should Longboat not merge with Sarasota and get out of the business of government? In the meantime, fire Monica and buy some competent legal advice.

Bob Smith
Longboat Key

Recommendation for new P&Z director

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I am recommending that the town hire David Smith as the acting PZB Department head, while a replacement for Monica is found. David has appeared before the town on several occasions and is a topnotch land use expert with a good amount of government experience in Hillsboro County.

Alternatively we have some qualified personnel within our own staff who, in my opinion, carry much less baggage than Ms. Simpson. As long as I have been involved with the communications issues on Longboat Key, I have always been uncomfortable with Ms. Simpson’s perceived closeness to the cell tower salespeople. Ms. Simpson has repeatedly tried to drive policy by misinforming the commission that cell towers were the only solution. In my meetings with Ms. Simpson I found her to be poorly informed about the telecommunications industry in general and too zealous about Mr. Eatrides’ sales pitch.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

Thanks Gene for your suggestions. The process for hiring a town employee is not within my control. Only two employees work for the Town Commission, the town manager and the town attorney.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

Not supportive of policy change

To: Mayor Jim Brown and Town Commission

While most dog owners claim that they are responsible for their pet’s waste, the attached article illustrates the unintended consequences of allowing dogs on our beaches. I am not supportive of a change in policy.

What I do support is strict adherence and compliance to our current policy: Chapter 91, Section 91.10 License and Tags. To my knowledge there are less than 10 persons who have licensed their dogs with the town.

Visitors are not aware of current policy. Rental agents do not advise them of our ordinances. I live across the street from Joan M. Durante Park. I observe people drive into the park and let their dogs run loose in the open area while they enjoy their morning coffee in the car. No pick up occurs. I also observe many abuses from visitors to the Wicker Inn next door. Our current regulations are not being enforced. We do not have the Code Enforcement officers available to perform this job. We do not have a dog warden.

My suggestion is that a thorough review of current policy and enforcement be studied before approving any new legislation.

Joan M. Webster
Longboat Key

Make small portion of beach dog-friendly

To: Town Commission

My husband, Kevin Madden, and I support the request for a small portion of Longboat Key beach to be designated dog-friendly. We are unable to attend the October 20 commission meeting, but would like to be recognized as supporting this request.

We would be happy to act as part of a citizens watchdog group, which will help to keep the area clean, and we are willing to assist in any other way that is needed.

Thank you for your consideration of our request for a dog-friendly designated beach on Longboat Key.

Janet Bisset & Kevin Madden
Longboat Key

Dogs on beach feedback positive

To: Town Commission

I would like to express my opinion to the commission as it relates to Longboat Key and the town’s policy regarding dogs on the beach. As a fulltime active Realtor, I receive a great deal of feedback from my clients in regard to this issue. Of the feedback I receive regarding allowing dogs on our beaches in specific areas, almost all feedback has been positive. My clients know how very unique and special our community is, as most of my clients have been coming to Longboat Key for decades or even longer. Most are totally perplexed as to why we do not currently have designated areas for dogs already. Allowing dogs on the beach in a designated area would not be unlike many other fine vacation and tourist areas near and far.

Currently on Longboat Key, there are only a handful of condominium residences that are pet-friendly. This has also been a challenge as I have had a number of potential clients that have actually decided to look elsewhere for real estate. Elsewhere where they will spend lots of money not only on real estate, but supporting local business as well. This also includes tax dollars.

Personally, I hope that the commission looks at this matter of allowing dogs on the beach in designated areas with much care. If we were not talking about Longboat Key, I could almost understand how a policing authority might have a difficult time with this decision.

This is not the case. We are in fact talking about Longboat Key. We are talking about intelligent, respectful, friendly, active property owners who care about our community. We are also talking about the similar visiting friends and family members of our local residents. I believe in the people of Longboat Key. It is my opinion that Longboat Key residents and their guests would ensure any and all rules and regulations regarding dogs on the beach would be adhered to. I hope the commission will take the time in the near future to designate a dog-friendly area on the Gulf so we can all enjoy our beautiful island to its’ fullest.

Patrick N. DiPinto III
Broker Associate
Coldwell Banker R.E.

Allow dogs on beach

To: Town Commission

Please accept this submission in support of allowing dogs on our beaches. While our community has a certain number of very active and vocal residents, I would like to register a voice for those less assertive and therefore underrepresented residents of the key, for whom their pet is their best friend and most cherished companion.

I have lived directly on the gulf side of Longboat Key for more than 25 years and as one directly affected by your deliberations on this matter, and as one most familiar with beach activity, I respectfully request that you consider this submission.

I offer the commissioners four clear reasons to endorse this proposal and address an equal number of negative assertions that may be raised.

1. Health and welfare of residents: It is often said that the best way to meet people is to get a dog. The many residents who populate Durante Park with their pets can vouch for the community spirit that comes from meeting others in the park. If such residents had no pet due to restrictions on where they may take them, many would neither enjoy the community rapport nor benefit from the physical exercise that would seem to be in our common interest.

2. Environmental support: The relative ease with which residents can access our beaches would significantly reduce the vehicular pollution and congestion that results from the requirement of most dog-owners to drive to such places as Durante Park, or more burdensome still, drive to the 17th Street Dog Park. Furthermore, your endorsement of this proposal would eliminate the significant cost burden that many fixed-income residents must bear, if they need to drive to a dog-friendly location. As will be appreciated, few dog owners relish the traffic fumes or the prospect of competing with cyclists, rollerbladers and the like when walking along Gulf of Mexico Drive.

3. Tourism image: It will come as no surprise to the commissioners that there are a significant number of dogs already being taken to the beaches. Having lived on the gulf side for many years, I can attest that dogs invariably appear with their tourist owners, rather than with residents who know the restrictions. Regrettably, I have witnessed too often the altercations effected on misfortunate visitors by a singular few officious residents. I am confident that the commissioners do not wish to promulgate the notion of Longboat Key as an anti-social rule-bound place to avoid in the future.

4. Reduced government involvement: Most residents of the key seem to vociferously embrace the concept of reducing government involvement in the lives of residents. With endorsement of this proposal the “policing” of appropriate dog-owner behavior would be taken up by an active, appreciative and protective local group of dog-lovers. This must surely be a more constructive solution than the situation at present wherein those “beach-bully” residents enthusiastically take matters into their own hands; or burden our police officers with such trivial complaints.

Now for the counter balancing concerns:

1. Dogs are messy: Those that hold that notion cannot know many dog owners. It is a well held mantra of dog owners on the key, as elsewhere, to look after their pets in all locations. Owners recognize the necessity to clean up after their pet and particularly where especially privileged to exercise their pets. This code of honor would be doubly observed and encouraged by the community of dog-lovers who desire to protect such privilege. As a result, we have encouraged dogs in our parks, which ironically do not have the natural saline cleanser intrinsic to our beaches.

2. “Not in my backyard:” Unfortunately there are residents on the Gulf who seem to believe that the beach is their private property, at least until beach renourishment is debated. I am confident that the commissioners would not wish to be seen as endorsing this selfish proposition. To ensure that no particular group of gulf-side residents feel unduly targeted for a dog-friendly area, and thus become vociferous in their protectionism, I suggest that this amendment should apply to all Longboat Key beaches.

3. Dogs will frighten the wildlife: As we know, dogs have always been welcome in our parks and in our neighborhoods; without disrupting wildlife to any significant degree. On the beach, it is invariably children that do any disrupting of wildlife, but we do not deem that reason enough to ban children. As for the turtles, I am hard pressed to imagine a dog and dog owner diligently waiting for the opportunity to harass turtles or their offspring. In any event we already have stiff penalties for such behavior, dogs or no dogs.

4. Cost: While some might suggest that the town cannot afford any incremental cost to support this proposition, I would suggest that any such incremental cost would be extremely modest and pale in comparison to other community projects that are considered from time to time. Further, I have no doubt that the community’s dog-lovers and those who just want government to “butt out,” as the bumper stickers say, would be willing to subsidize or defray all related costs. I have already indicated my willingness to help in this endeavor.

The foregoing is respectfully submitted to each commissioner in the hope that Longboat Key can become not only a more dog-friendly community, but also more friendly to all residents by reducing excessive regulation that can discourage those wishing to visit or reside on the key.

Peter Swain
Longboat Key

Dogs allowed on beach

To: Town Commission

Throughout the years issues come before the commission that are put forward by a minority of citizens. If the issue was on the ballot it would not prevail, but it serves the interests of many and does no harm to anyone.

Dogs should be allowed to walk on the beach, under a clear set of rules approved by the commission. Enforcement could be funded by purchasing a permit. For dog owners, having this freedom can be important in making a decision to live here.

Dick & Donna Schlorf
Longboat Key

Federal Communications Act of 1996

To: Town Attorney David Persson

In response to your letter to Monica Simpson dated Oct. 11, 2011, on said subject and as a result of the Oct. 18 Planning and Zoning Board meeting, could you clarify for me if the Federal Communications Commissions’ 150-day “Shot Clock” Order is now in affect for Longboat Key?

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

It appears that the state’s 90-business day requirement is the more onerous time restriction. As to the ODP amendment, all clocks (state and federal) are now moving.

As to the requested Site Plan and Special Exception, the clock may be stopped by virtue of asking for more material prior to the expiration of either the 20 business day requirement under state law or the 30 day requirement under federal law. Our effort, however, is to attempt to resolve the ZBA appeal in an expeditious manner in order to avoid any argument of whether the 20- or 30-day clock was stopped or not.

Mr. Shield will be providing a calendar to ensure the town’s compliance. I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, please contact me.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Cell tower sites

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

I am a resident of Longboat Key and favor strongly the construction of a cell tower to provide better service to the town, especially its northern areas.

I am not particularly concerned about the exact placement of the tower, but I would note that around 5900 GMD there is a very tall Norfolk pine that I estimate is approximately the same size as the proposed tower. From my experience as a retired telecom executive, the cellular companies have towers that mimic the appearance of a Norfolk pine. Absent very close inspection such towers are indistinguishable from natural trees.

Also to alleviate concerns about property values, can I suggest four alternative locations:

1. Durante Park;
2. The police administration grounds;
3. The publicly owned key just south of Jewfish Key.
4. In a joint project with Bradenton Beach, the area adjacent to the new Marine Rescue Center.

Any of these locations would greatly improve the current poor service and would do so with less intrusion on privately owned property. The cellular companies might object to the placement on the key south of Jewfish as difficult to service, but if that were their only choice, they might find it acceptable.

Please incorporate my comments into the record and forward them to the commissioners. By way of full disclosure, I am a retired officer of Verizon but had little or no connection with the cellular side of the business and have no other remaining ties to Verizon.

Dan Whelan
Longboat Key

Oppose cell tower before too late

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I was upset to hear that the Longboat Key staff recommend a cell tower approval, I do not think this is a good idea. What is the urgency of building a 120-foot tower that will definitely be a big blight on the landscape? New technology is around the corner; we will probably find that next year this will be obsolete. If people want a stronger signal they can get a network extender from their wireless carrier.

The other point is that the jury is still out on the health issues of such towers. Parents always protest if these towers are built near public schools, and as a result, they are not built near them.

The beauty of the north end of the island will be severely impacted. This is a more underdeveloped part of the island with no high rises, therefore, the ugliness of the tower will stand out.

I hope there are others, like myself, who will take a stand and oppose this tower before it is too late.

Diana Cable
Longboat Key

Cell towers evolving rapidly

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I am writing to voice my opposition to the proposed cell tower on the north end. I am sure we all remember the bag phone, which was the first portable cell phone not installed in a car. The equipment was large and heavy. Today’s cell phones are so small and perform so many different functions it is hard to believe we were so excited by the bag phone.

Cell towers are rapidly evolving. If the town allows a 150-foot tower to be built, we all will be stuck with it, just like the purchasers of the bag phone.

Anyone concerned with their service can install a booster system at their home or business as I did on first locating on the island.

Ronald J. Gricius
Longboat Key

Where is urgency for cell tower?

To: Mayor Jim Brown

This letter is questioning the approval of the cell tower. I am concerned about it. It seems as though half of the people I speak with are opposed to it. There are questions about the aesthetics and health and property values and the future of the north end of the key. Here’s my question: Wherein is the urgency to permit the construction of this tower, which may affect health, may make the appearance of the island less attractive, may affect property values and the future prosperity of the north end of the island?

But what is the urgency? Does the town profit from this? Why do something that seems risky, when doing nothing would avoid such a risk?

Frederick E. Emrich
Longboat Key

Is cell tower necessary?

To: Town Commission

There has been much said about the proposed 150-foot tower ranging from aesthetics to a dire need by many cell phone users. Of all the talk going back and forth, I have never heard anybody ask the most fundamental question of all. Since not all users have the dropped call problem, why is the tower necessary?

Given that many cell phone users, including myself, have been using cell phones on Longboat Key for years and have never had a difficulty with lost/dropped calls at any of the locations cited by others as problem areas, and this includes the various servers cited by many as providing an inadequate signal, how is it possible to state knowledgeably that a new tower is required to provide adequate service to everybody when clearly many users now have reliable service, as is.

I believe the better solution to the problem is a more knowledgeable selection of specific model of cell phone. There are many models of cell phones ranging from those suitable for international travel to the cheapest models, many of which are found distributed as the “free cell phone” one receives when signing a contract. Without doubt, many cheaper models simply will not provide adequate signal amplification under the conditions existing on the north end of Longboat Key. However, given that many of us living here on the north end do not experience any problem with the cell phones we use, it has to be immediately obvious that those who have the problem ought to be able to resolve their problem by obtaining a cell phone that is superior to what they currently are using.

Bottom line, it would seem a 150′ tower has been proposed to provide service to a large number of users who actually could, if properly informed, resolve their difficulties by obtaining a more suitable cell phone. I really see no justification for arguing the tower is the only solution since, clearly, it is not.

Doug Young
Longboat Key

Vision Plan document

To: Town Commission

I am taking this opportunity to warn you about the document presented to you by the Vision Panning Subcommittee for your discussion and consideration. I acknowledge that I might be considered an effigy of Don Quixote tilting at windmills inasmuch as three members of the Town Commission served on said subcommittee — but here goes, anyhow.

As you are all well aware, the document morphed through several versions as it progressed through the lengthy process. I am especially concerned with the last two versions — in that two things, especially, were finally eliminated from the document.

One of these relates to the very iconic identity of our town as a beautifully landscaped island with many majestic stands of trees providing an “exceptional tree canopy and vegetative cover” (to quote from the penultimate version of this document). I had taken pride in this statement, but still cognizant of the fact that previous commissioners had approved the destruction of the exceptionally majestic stand of trees at the entrance to the Longboat Key Club. Now this phrase has been expunged in the final version before you.

The second relates to our citizens’ safety with respect to being able to safely evacuate our island in the event of weather emergencies be they hurricanes or tsunamis. Again, the next-to-last version contained the clause “pursuing additional methods to alleviate and reduce future traffic congestion.” That was good, but I also realized that a previous Commission had ignored this fact in allowing several thousands of additional dwelling units to be approved on an island whose escape routes were already over-taxed and imminently dangerous. The last version, the one before you, has neatly removed and restructured this clause.

It is inherently unfair that our town is to ignore these above two matters and to paint a different picture of what we are and what we want to be.

It is not of major importance, but the final version, in its Vision Statement, still refers to “your way of life.” It is really “our” way of life, and the document should reflect this fact. It is “our way of life” and “our town.” Please help to preserve it.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

Your comeback

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

In this week’s Longboat Key News is a letter to you from a citizen who complained about the selection process of the new town manager. That citizen chose not to attend the commission meeting that dealt with the subject. In the words of the MasterCard commercials, your response of “Have a nice day” was…priceless!

Tom Freiwald
Longboat Key

High quality community center

To: Editor

What is it about the word “no” that our pro-active Town Commission and its willing accomplices cannot seem to fathom?

Now it has returned to its secret dreams and yearning for a “high-quality Community Center.”

Our electorate has vetoed this proposal every time it came up for a vote. Our reasoning is clear. We do not want it, we do not need it. Are our town commissioners not bound to reflect the wishes of their electorate?

Nothing dissuades our Town Commission. Notwithstanding these definitive votes, it has now, unilaterally, requested architectural bids for this facility. It has consumed staff time in preparing an RFP and reviewing these bids. Now it has influenced its minions on its self-anointed Vision Committee to include a “high-quality Community Center” among the 10 core values it has conjured up as our panacea to improving, and forever changing, our island.

What’s next — a soup kitchen?

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

Let’s get real on cell towers

To: Town Commission

Please enter this letter into comments on the cell tower controversy.

Some opponents of cell towers insist they represent a health hazard. Do they? Only one unbiased answer is possible: nobody knows. “Facts” are simply snapshots of current knowledge susceptible to replacement at any moment as new data appear. Certain cancers require decades to reveal clinical signs, meaning that some of us might never learn about the danger of cell towers in our lifetimes. On the other hand, evidence to refute the tower’s potential danger is equally tenuous but no less relevant. Stated differently, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. I don’t want the tower in my backyard, but neither do I want it in yours regardless of where you live. Why subject ourselves to possible hazards, even those that seem only vaguely dangerous?

Distributed antenna systems (DAS) are available that make cell towers obsolete as I type this letter. We’re told that such technology is too expensive, but for whom? The cost of installation would be borne by the installers. The notion of added expense to users is just another fear tactic and a weak argument. Over time the cost of everything rises, but seldom at a pace that outstrips market value. Remember when the auto industry urgently advised us to protest the mandatory use of unleaded gasoline because we could never afford it? The technology to control emissions, we were told, would not only drive up the price of gasoline but make the cars themselves much more expensive. In the end the added cost blended into overall product value and disappeared without a whimper into the greater economy.

That property values will likely decline if a cell tower is erected seems reasonable. I can’t imagine why anyone would buy an expensive piece of property if such an unsightly structure comprises part of the view. Finally, there’s the important quality of life issue. Longboat Key residents pay a premium in high taxes to live here and keep the beaches supplied with sand. Places like Miami’s South Beach offer far more amenities: nightclubs, numerous restaurants and bars, fine shopping and reliable cell phone service. We’re a quiet barrier island. We live here because it isn’t South Beach. The costs of “coming into the 21st century,” if defined as a cell phone tower, far exceed this minor benefit. Those unable to function without their cell phones might better avoid barrier islands. For everyone else, landlines are still available.

Stephen Spotte
Longboat Key

Tower would be wonderful addition

To: Town Commission

Some of you know me and some don’t, but my wife and I have been on Longboat Key far longer than most of you as a permanent residents, and as such I want to voice my concern about the small, squeaky minority that currently opposes the proposed cell tower. One of those is a long-time acquaintance, a neighbor, a former commissioner and a very nice man, but he is in my opinion totally in left field on this issue. I live only one house removed from the church, and I can tell you that our cell service from both Verizon and Sprint is spotty at best. A new tower would be a wonderful addition to Longboat Key and, in spite of what all the nimbies are saying, this cell tower will not be an eyesore. In fact a couple of days after it is erected, few if any will even notice it.

A handful of obstructionists espouse that such a tower would decrease property values. Where is the evidence? Many high-end communities in Florida have cell towers, and frankly I would rather live where I can rely on consistent phone service, particularly since we live on a barrier island and hence are vulnerable. This vocal minority element is totally overlooking the life-safety issues that can arise from having marginal phone service. Their position is rooted in selfishness, and they wish to penalize a majority of the north end key residents predicated on the bogus premise that a cell tower would decrease their property values. Come on folks, this is Longboat Key. Do they really believe that one stealth cell tower will ruin their property values? That is just being uninformed or simply a ploy to keep this tower from being constructed.

This stance is similar to the egotistical behavior that we saw exhibited by the IPOC Group against the investment that the Loeb Group wanted to make in the Longboat Key Club. One small egocentric band of nimbies who want to ruin things for the majority of key residents need to clearly recognize that what they are doing is patently wrong for the key. The cell tower is positive step forward for our community. And just to reiterate, my home will be just about as close to the cell tower when it is constructed as the oppositions’ homes, and I am not apprehensive at all. What does concern me, however, is the thought that a misinformed minority might be able to override the salient benefits of decent phone service for the broader community. Hopefully, you will not let that happen regardless of any personal relationships and the cacophony of rhetoric.

Warren G. Simonds
Longboat Key

Do not build cell tower

To: Town Commission

Please do not let the 150-foot cell tower (being considered for the Longboat Island Chapel site) be built on this island! Reasons include:

1. It’s ugly and not consistent with the ambiance of our upscale, residential island.

2. Cell phone service is not that bad on this island…even at the north end.

3. New technology offers options other than this tall, ugly tower.

4. We have been deceived into thinking that this tower really won’t stand out. This tower will stand out!

5. Housing values in the area surrounding the ugly cell tower will plummet.

Your job as commissioners is to protect the residents of this island from invasive business ideas. This is an invasive business idea!

Anne C. Summers
Longboat Key

Time for proper cell phone reception

To: Planning, Building and Zoning Board, Town Commission

It’s time to provide the north end of the island with proper cell phone reception. The current proposal does just that with minimal impact on the surrounding properties and the island community at large. After reviewing the proposal, you should find that this tower meets the public needs and does so with little or no adverse impact on the community. After putting up with extremely poor cell phone service for years and examining many alternative sites for such a facility, this proposal meets the legal/community test and needs of the north end of the island. The location at the chapel is zoned properly, the land needed is sufficient, the buffers planned are more than adequate, the nearby residential properties are minimally impacted, the design of the tower is unobtrusive, and the technical requirements of the cell and transmitting entities are satisfied. This tower will handle all of the cell service providers without the need of further cell facilities on the island in future years.

It is now your turn to step up and provide Longboat Key with the cellular capacity it needs while protecting the island from further utility clutter. You certainly have had the time to review this proposal and have received more than adequate input from the applicant and the community.

Your favorable consideration of this proposal is now appropriate. It is with sincere deliberation that I request that you, as public officials, approve this proposal as submitted.

Art Tankersley
Longboat Key

Cell tower is a safety issue

To: Police Chief Al Hogle

My husband and I are owners of a condominium at Whitney Beach. We have been hoping that a tower would be built and applaud your involvement in this endeavor.

We think of this addition to Longboat Key as a safety issue. When the power goes off, so does the phone service, and we rely on our cell phones to contact police and EMS services.

Therefore, we support the long-needed improvement in wireless coverage on the north end of Longboat Key through the construction at the Longboat Chapel of a stealth cell tower.

Nancy Lowden Jones
Longboat Key

Please allow dogs on beach

To: Town Commission

Unfortunately, I will be out of town for the October meeting concerning dog walking on the beach. I have been to several places where this is allowed, and it has been a very pleasant experience. I have even met people who do not own a dog but enjoy being around dogs walking on the beach. It would be good for Longboat Key public relations to show visitors, residents and potential homebuyers that Longboat Key is a friendly and accommodating place to be.

Ingrid Crites
Longboat Key

Loose dogs in public

To: Commissioner Phill Younger

Thank you for your prompt reply. May I show you some video of facial reconstruction surgery for children attacked by dogs? Care to review legal settlement payout amounts by businesses and municipalities for loose dog attacks?

Any loose dog that approaches us in public that growls, bares teeth or displays aggression is in danger of being snuffed on the spot. Couldn’t enforced dog restraint laws prevent what will surely come to pass at some point? Sir, dealing in verifiable data is my biz. Your town will have some trouble or tragedy if your town doesn’t seize the initiative in dog restraint ordinances. Thanks, neighbor. See you on the beaches!

Susan Johnson
Longboat Key

Allow dogs on the beach

I am a property owner on Longboat Key who is deeply disappointed I will be out of town and unable to attend the upcoming Longboat Key Commission meeting on allowing dogs on our beaches. For the record I absolutely endorse this measure wholeheartedly! I have observed dog owners to be very responsible here on the key and trustworthy of such a privilege.

I am certain I would not be alone in bringing to the attention of any dog owner any violation of the accompanying rules or limitations. And while I feel quite safe living on the island, it never hurts to have an additional set of eyes walking and observing the happenings — on beach side!

Lastly, Longboat Key has not been immune to the current economic challenges, as my recent stroll down Avenue of the Flowers loudly confirmed. In addition to the obvious appeal of Longboat Key dog owners, I believe a ruling in favor of this proposal would actually enhance our property values — measurably. Despite my not currently owning a dog, I nevertheless see the inherent value in such a measure as a property owner.

Janis Sergeant
Longboat Key

Excellent presentation by Public Works director

To: Town Commission

At the recent annual conference of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association in Miami Beach, we were very proud to be represented on the program by Juan Florensa, our Public Works director. He gave an excellent presentation for Longboat Key and the way we fund our Beach Management Program. We look forward to seeing his very professional presentation, accompanied by a slideshow prepared by Donna Spencer, posted on the town’s website.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Binnacle boat complaints

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner, Commissioner Jack Duncan

As requested, code enforcement officers Heidi Micale and Amanda Nemoytin looked into the recent complaints regarding boats parked on Binnacle Point Drive. Included in this email are photos of the properties in question and the findings of the investigation below.

Under a separate email, I will include for you the section(s) of the Town Code that deals specifically with both vehicular and vessel parking within the town.

We will continue to monitor the boat-parking situation on the island. And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Monica Simpson, director
Planning, Building and Zoning
Longboat Key

To: Planning, Building and Zoning Director Monica Simpson

This morning Amanda and I responded to two addresses on Binnacle Point Drive in reference to two complaints we received about the parking of boats.

• Case # 9393: 711 Binnacle Point. The boat, as seen in the photo, is property parked. The owner, Mr. Carrier, came in last year and got approval for parking in this area with Zoning Exception #371.

Also, we spoke to Mrs. Carrier, and Amanda confirmed that the boat and trailer do display current registration — no violation.

• Case #9394: 781 Binnacle Point. The boat and trailer are parked in a driveway and are properly registered — no violation.

Heidi Micale
Code Enforcement Officer
Longboat Key

Lighthouse Point docks

To: Commissioner Phillip Younger

Thank you so much for your support to get our dock reconfiguration approved by the commissioners. Without your help and expression of confidence, I very much doubt our original plan would have been accepted. From experience, I know it’s difficult for a person to change their former vote, even after they have a better understanding of the facts. At the meeting, I was ecstatic when I heard Dave Brenner change his vote. I’m convinced his change of heart was largely based on your remarks.

Thanks again, I look forward to seeing you sometime soon.

Bob Betagole
Longboat Key

To: Bob Betagole

Thank you for your comments.

Commissioner Phill Younger
Longboat Key

Concerns over new town manager

To: Mayor Jim Brown and Commissioner Jack Duncan

This appeared in the Sarasota Herald Tribune:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110930/ARTICLE/110939959/2055/NEWS?Title=Ex-employee-accuses-Sarasota-County-of-discrimination

Additionally, the Sarasota County purchasing practices investigation that cost County Manager Jim Ley his job is still ongoing. Mr. Bullock was second in command for years under Mr. Ley.

I feel that Mr. Bullock would most likely bring a new level of professionalism to our town management so I welcome a person of his caliber. However, politics can get tricky and messy, so I am wondering if it might be advisable to let the dust settle a bit before proceeding with the application.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

Thanks for the info. I too saw the article and discussed it with the town attorney.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Is it true that Sarasota County has already named a new deputy county administrator and has already replaced Mr. Bullock, even before the town approached him? If so should we know why? If Mr. Bullock is on the way out, shouldn’t the town be negotiating salary when we have a good bargaining position? Perhaps this is not a good time to be placing all the responsibility for hiring a town manager on the shoulders of the town’s attorney. Perhaps it is a good time to be an activist commission and make your own informed decisions.

Why didn’t the town attorney inform the commission of both the pending legal action against Mr. Bullock and his job position being replaced by someone else in the Sarasota County government? I suspect this stuff doesn’t happen overnight and we have paid the town attorney a lot of money to do professional due diligence. Now we have a political dilemma that may discourage other qualified people from applying for the town manager position.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

I’m surprised that with all the interest you claim to have regarding this subject, you chose not to attend last night’s commission meeting when this subject was thoroughly discussed and all your questions could have been answered.

So as a result, Gene, we do not have a “political dilemma,” just a misinformed citizen not taking the time to check his facts. Have a nice day.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Selecting an accounting firm

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I saw that you are heading up a committee to select a new accounting firm to audit the town’s financial statements. I would be interested in serving on that committee and on an audit committee if and when one is established.

Briefly, my experience is as follows:

During my career at KPMG (Peat Marwick), I was the vice chairman of Accounting and Auditing. I was the senior partner on a number of the firm’s largest clients, including Citicorp, Squibb, American Broadcasting and others. In that position, I dealt with many audit committees.

After retiring, I have served on the boards of a number of public companies and was the chairman of the audit committees of all of them, including Kimberly-Clark, HSBC Finance (formerly Household International), Scudder Mutual Funds and ISI Mutual Funds.

I have served as a member or chairman of the audit committees of a number of not-for-profit organizations including The New College Foundation and the Sarasota Memorial Health Care Foundation. In the case of both of these organizations, I assisted in developing the charters for the audit committees. I would be pleased to furnish more details if you wish.

Lou Levy
Longboat Key

To: Lou Levy

Lou, thanks for your expression of interest. This selection will take place at our October workshop by the entire commission. I’m sure they will be impressed by your credentials.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Compliments on new town manager

To: Town Commission

I wish to compliment everyone on the selection of Dave Bullock for interim town manager. In my more than 20 years in Sarasota County, of which more than 15 of those years was serving several county advisory boards, I had numerous occasions to deal with the county and specifically Bullock. He is always the most capable and rational of administrators and will pursue any and all options available to get the job done. It is wonderful to have the opportunity of the availability of someone as experienced, qualified and local.

Len Garner, consultant
Construction and Development Management
Sarasota

To: Town Manager Dave Bullock

First and foremost “Welcome to the Longboat Key Family!” As you know we set the bar very high on our small island, and I am confident we now have the right person in place to provide the leadership we need to help us achieve our goals and clear that bar. As I’m sure will be the case with all the commissioners, l have a long list of subjects to discuss with you when we meet. For now, I know they can wait while you start your transition. As we get closer to the date I will share them with you in order of priority. For now, my best to you as you start your new journey.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Thank you for your support and kind words Monday evening. I am eager to get to work for the town but still have some transition work to do with the county. I was able to schedule some time with you Oct. 20. If there is anything specific you want to talk about when we meet, please let me know and I’ll try to get some background information. Please feel free to contact me through this email address. I also have meetings scheduled with all the dept. heads and the town labor attorney during the remainder of October. I look forward to our meeting. Thank you again for your support.

Interim Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

To: Town Manager Dave Bullock

I will want to talk to you about collective bargaining issues, along with management of our beaches, getting accurate information to our citizens, revitalization and redevelopment…probably more than we can deal with in one meeting. I look forward to talking with you on Monday.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Patricia Zunz

Thank you for your support and kind words Monday night. I am very eager to get started but still have some transition work to do here at the county. Susan Phillips has gotten me an email account with the town so feel free to send messages to me.

We are scheduled to meet next Monday afternoon. I look forward to talking with you again. If there is anything you want me to be thinking about before that, please send me a note. Just prior to our meeting I am meeting the town labor attorney to get a briefing on the collective bargaining issues. Thank you for your support and I’ll see you on Monday.

Interim Town Manager David Bullock
Longboat Key

To: Dave Bullock

Welcome to Longboat Key! Thank you for your kind note. I look forward to meeting with you and do not think you need to do anything in advance.

I understand your schedule must be bursting at the seams as the county tries to extract as much knowledge from you before you leave and we are scheduling meetings like crazy. I have asked that any meetings you would like to attend be scheduled after 5 p.m., or at your convenience. I do appreciate your time and the efforts you are taking to come “up to speed” on all our Longboat issues. I believe you are more “up” on the topics than most anyone else. And remember Mr. Bruce St. Denis is willing and more than able to meet with you and offer his thoughts on any and all topics. I am sure you will want to meet with him. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

Recipe for disaster

To: Town Commission

As you move to hire Mr. Bullock as our “interim” town manager, I suggest that it is important that you also announce the search plan including schedule targets for finding the person to fill the permanent position. It is important for townspeople to understand the process. Mr. Bullock will surely be a candidate. However, it is critical that we interview several qualified candidates, culled from a professional search, to ensure that we find the best person for this critical position and worthy of the generous compensation we are expending.

The word on the street is “you commissioners” are ramming this down our throats for no good reason. What really grabs my attention is the salary that has been given to a person that is new to our community. Why are we starting out where Mr. St. Denis left off? It took him 14 years to get to $180,000-plus. In my opinion, this is not good business. I am both surprised and completely disappointed in your judgments and decisions regarding this topic.

This is a recipe for disaster down the road.

I know it’s ultimately up to all of you to vote on this issue, but let it be known that there are a lot of voters that smell a skunk here and to push this threw tonight would not be in the town’s best interest.

Michael D. Drake
Longboat Key

Opposed to town manager hire

To: Town Commission

I would like to express my opposition to the hiring of an interim town manager at this time. Please include my comment in the record and also include the email I have previously sent to you on this subject. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the meeting, as I will be in St. Petersburg for the Rays baseball game.

Thomas Jendrysik
Longboat Key

In support of Bullock

To: Town Commission

I am the managing partner of Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver LLC and attorney for the Baltimore Orioles, among others. I am writing to strongly endorse the appointment of Mr. David Bullock as interim town manager.

I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Bullock during the negotiations that preceded the relocation of the Baltimore Orioles’ spring training operations from Ft. Lauderdale to Sarasota. Those negotiations were often complex. Mr. Bullock and his colleagues represented the county with great skill and determination. His dedication to his responsibilities and the county’s interests were unwavering. Mr. Bullock thoughtfully resolved many issues in a most professional manner. While there are many county and city commissioners, civic leaders and others who were instrumental in the club’s relocation, Mr. Bullock was a key participant and a committed advocate for the county’s interests. Since that time, Mr. Bullock has resolved many issues that have moved the project forward in fair and reasonable ways.

Having served many years ago as counsel to a former governor in Maryland, I have had the pleasure of working with many dedicated public servants. Mr. Bullock stands among the very best. For these and many other reasons, I hope that you and your colleagues will support Mr. Bullock’s appointment.

Alan Rifkin
Annapolis, Md.

Concerns about new manager

To: Town Commission

I have been a full-time resident of Longboat Key for nearly 17 years. It appears to me you will be violating your fiduciary responsibility and trust to me as a citizen of this town by voting to approve the proposed “interim” town manager contract. In the time I have lived on Longboat Key, I have never publicly voiced my opinion. I feel strongly enough about this situation that I must speak up.

Here are my main points of concern:

• I have read the proposed contract. This contract is not for a one-year term or for an interim position. If nothing is done, it continues to renew. There is no expiration. I am not an attorney, but clearly it is not a one-year contract. The contract needs to be written to end on a specific date with no vote required by the commission and no automatic renewal if nothing is done. Expire means expire.

• Do not accept any assertion that the provisions of this contract will make it easier for the commission because you would not have to re-negotiate the contract in the future if Mr. Bullock is selected as the full town manager. It is your responsibility to us that you constantly review costs for all services provided to the town to be sure we are receiving fair value. You will embrace that opportunity in the future when it arises. There is plenty of competition to provide what you need. Any town manager contract must have a firm ending date. Also, I do not like that the contract was written in this manner for a candidate that was brought to the commission by the attorney writing the contract.

• This is a once in 15 year (hopefully) opportunity for you to do the right thing for the citizens you represent and the future town commissions to succeed you. Take the time to do the entire process correctly. That is your responsibility. I cannot believe that an extensive search has been conducted to find the best candidate for either interim or full town manager yet it appears you already have made the decision.

• Tonight, you are about to approve the transfer of more than $268,000 of our money for your decision to part ways with Mr. St. Denis. That is a lot of money. There is a cost to the things you are doing so please don’t represent to us that you are doing everything possible to cut expenses without sacrificing services to the citizens if you choose to approve this contract. Consider the sacrifice you expected other town employees to make in the recent budget process and how that money and the funds you apparently are willing to pay a future town manager might be better allocated among all deserving town employees, if appropriate and necessary.

• Mr. Bullock may be an excellent candidate or even the best. But let that occur through an open and fair process. You will have my support if that process has occurred.

• It also begs the question: Why would Mr. Bullock want to leave a presumably good financial package at Sarasota County for an interim position unless he has the expectation that it will become permanent? You have not indicated that you will still be conducting a search for a new town manager. By this I can only assume that you intend this to be permanent. If you had issues with Mr. St. Denis to a point you were willing to spend more than $268,000 to have him gone, you need to be extra sure that those qualities do not exist in whomever you hire as town manager.

• Mr. Bullock is coming from a position where the budget is more than 65 times ($1 billion vs. $15 million) the size of Longboat Key’s and 25 times (2,000 vs. 80) as many employees. Why is he being compensated at the same or greater levels than what he currently receives from Sarasota County? I can’t help but wonder if Sarasota County’s recent multiple internal accounting issues as well as the federal age & gender discrimination lawsuit filed by a county employee have put the writing on the wall for Mr. Bullock once a new county administrator is hired. Do we want that potential baggage? Have your concerns regarding these issues been completely addressed to your satisfaction?

• Commissioner Younger said last week that Mr. St. Denis’ compensation “seems to be the going rate for a quality person.” “Seems to be the going rate” is a lot different from “is the going rate” Do the research and don’t assume. Again, you have an opportunity to make a long-term positive change for the town. The practice of municipal entities across the state comparing themselves to each other has led to an incestuous compounding of the pay and benefits they are paying their employees. This has created a disconnection between the value of services provided and the prices paid for them. It’s been easy for you and past commissions to approve because it gets spread out among so many taxpayers. Having the best does not equate to paying the most. Get value for services.

• You have a competent and willing internal candidate in Al Hogle to act as interim town manager, at no additional cost, while an open and fair search for a permanent town manager is conducted. Take advantage of that and the other employees willingness to contribute to the process. I believe they will feel respected and will have buy-in to the new manager who will be their boss.

There is a possibility I may not be able to attend the commission meeting this evening so please place my concerns in the public record. I do appreciate the commitment that you have made to oversee town matters and to represent me as a citizen. It is a thankless position and you do deserve the respect and gratitude of the citizens of Longboat Key. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Brian J. McGinn
Longboat Key

Interim manager contract

To: Trish Granger

Trish, I don’t have David Persson’s email, so will you please forward this to him and the commissioners? Thank you.

David, I’ve looked at the relevant documents regarding termination in both the Town Charter and the employment contract for Mr. Bullock and it seems there is a conflict in the employment agreement.

In Section 3, paragraph B, the agreement states that termination is pursuant to Art. III, section 2 of the Town Charter, which requires a supermajority of five commissioners to vote for termination.

In paragraph D, the agreement states that “on or before” 9/15/12, the commission can terminate at a noticed meeting with four commissioners.

So is it five or four?

At five the balance of power is in the employee’s hands. At four the commission retains a stronger position of authority regarding the employee. Since Mr. Bullock is an “interim manager,” I believe we need to come down on the side of our elected commissioners.

Shannon Gault
Longboat Key

To: Shannon Gault

While my directive from the town is not to respond to citizens’ questions absent direction from the Town to do so, I am interpreting the Town Clerk’s forwarding your question to me as fulfilling that requirement.

While the Employment Agreement is in effect, the charter requires that the decision to terminate with or without cause must be done by at least five votes. The decision not to renew the Employment Agreement itself needs only a majority vote. Technically by deciding not to renew, the town would not be terminating the Town Manager, it would be merely letting the contract lapse.

While the town could contractually require five votes to allow the contract to lapse, I would not recommend it, as I do not believe that is in the best interest of the town. One of the advantages of the one-year agreement as drafted is that this decision can be reached by the Town Commission without severance costs.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Take time

To: Mayor Jim Brown

What are you doing selecting a town manager so quickly? Within days of Mr. St. Denis’ resignation the town attorney gave you a candidate that was the number two man at the Sarasota County manager’s office that has so many violations, the county manager was forced to resign.

Now that office is being charged with an age discrimination lawsuit.

Take some time and find a candidate worthy enough to serve the people of Longboat Key!

Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key

Stop wasting town funds

To: Town Commission

Hiring of the deputy administrator Sarasota County as town manager may well be the worst move since the raise granted to the departing town manager a few years ago. It is bad enough that the town will be paying his salary for the next year but to hire another tainted individual with a year contract is just plain crazy. Mr. Bullock has already been marked for departure in wake of the Ley scandal and now he is part of a federal age discrimination charge by another county staff member. Did no one at the town look into why this man was not going to stay at the county? Does the town plan to hire a full-time manager during the next year? If so will then town be then required to pay three individuals for one position. It is time for the commission to “man up” and find a full-time manager and stop wasting town funds.

Thomas Jendrysik
Longboat Key

Return Longboat to reality

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Hopefully you will reconsider this town manager’s position and re-open this position up to more than one qualified applicant. Additionally, to post a salary that is reflective of the economy and only pay market-driven wages. I believe the present person in consideration is not in the best long-term interest of the taxpayers in this town.

I had believed the present commission would be more aggressive in bringing down the salary and benefit cost to the town, especially since you already have unfunded pension issues that are unresolved. We have to return Longboat Key to reality and stop the escalation.

Robert Maier
Longboat Key

Time for a change

To: Town Commission

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. This whole interim manager thing is a fiasco. First, the contract by Persson is not for an interim manager; it is for a manager who if he does nothing wrong, becomes the manager. Second, and I’m 63-years-old, a 61-year-old disciple of Jim Ley is not a leader and should not be in a position of “try it you may like it.” He’s got baggage. He is not an agent of change. Remember, you concurred that St. Denis lost his edge. Why would you risk the chance that this individual would be a slacker? Is he cheap? No way, when his salary and benefits combined with St. Denis’ is half-a million; compare this with Hogle as a well-qualified caretaker. Pass on this and get a real town manager, let Hogle keep things stable, focus on the biggest problem the U.S.A. faces; the uncontrolled and unaffordable growth of the public sector. We’re the poster child for this problem. Not a good time for status quo, it’s time for a change. Sink this faux agreement on Monday.

David Novak
Longboat Key

Dog park

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Could you please clarify for me the proposed change? Is if for all of Longboat Key or a section?

Bonnie Samuelsen
Sarasota

To: Bonnie Samuelsen

I’m not sure there is a proposal on the table. It has been suggested that we discuss allowing leashed dogs to walk with their owners in the early morning and late afternoon or evening.

There will be a discussion at our regular October meeting of this suggestion. Please attend and participate.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

Blight in the neighborhood

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

In response to what you described to me at the Town Commission meeting, I asked my staff to look further into this matter, as this is the first that I had heard about this issue at this property (as there have been several other issues at the same address). Heidi went by the property today, and as suspected the house appears to be vacant. The code that addresses the requirement for sanitation facilities is 150.04 Minimum housing standards, which do not apply now as the structure is vacant — it will not be permitted for occupancy if in fact it is in violation of this standard.

John Fernandez will take a look at the structure, however, it appears from the visit that Heidi made and the photos that she took that the roof and structure appears to be intact and not in violation of Section 150.21, which pertains to dangerous or unsanitary buildings.

Heidi identified that the property was a foreclosure sale and was purchased by Leap Longboat Key LLC in June 2010. She has worked with the owner in the past regarding yard maintenance issues — to which the property is currently in compliance. Heidi reports that the property is currently listed for sale and has made contact with the owner about the alleged sanitation facility issues.

We will continue to look into the matter and keep you updated on any information that we obtain.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any concerns or questions that you may have. Have a wonderful weekend.

Monica Simpson, director
Planning, Building, Zoning
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson, Commissioner Patricia Zunz

Leap Longboat Key is the new owner who obtained it as a foreclosure. When properties are in the hands of the banks, we track down the individual at the bank assigned to the property. This has worked well, but often times (especially in these times) the employees at the banks change as well as the banks themselves.

Because the property is vacant the lack of an active building permit is not something we can pursue. We will continue to monitor this property as the code allows. And will provide updates as we have them. As always, with this and all of the other properties on Longboat, please do no hesitate to contact me if you have a concern. Have a great Sunday.

Monica Simpson, director
Planning, Building, Zoning
Longboat Key

To: Planning, Building and Zoning Director Monica Simpson

Thank you Monica for following up on this. The structure is a blight on the neighborhood and has been one for many years. It has been vacant for years as well.

I understand but may be wrong but it appears the owner has it for sale as a possible knock down and rebuild. So it appears they will not knock down until they have a contract. In the meantime, we continue to have the blight in the neighborhood. The neighbors have complained that rats and raccoons live in the house and come out at night.

Building permits have long expired, and the home sits in its current shape. If anything could be done, the entire neighborhood would appreciate it. Others, who are trying to sell their homes, have this in the neighborhood.

Commissioner Lynn Larson
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Lynn Larson

Since the property is in foreclosure, perhaps the town should be dealing with the bank — and not the (former) owner. I understand that other towns are putting pressure on the banks, which are the owners in a foreclosure action.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Town Commission

Heidi spoke to the owners today (representative from Leap Longboat Key) regarding the condition of the house on Ranger. He advised her that the house is in fact not being utilized (vacant as suspected), and they are discussing future demolition of the house. He told her that the date for demolition is a moving target, but they hope to do it this season. Because the house has not yet fallen into a state of disrepair as to constitute a hazard, the town cannot take formal action or make the owners raze the structure. However, we will watch the condition of this property.

Thank you again for your understanding and patience regarding this matter.

Monica Simpson, director
Planning, Building, Zoning
Longboat Key

New town manager

To: Town Commission

It does feel as if this had been planned by some of the commissioners. How could someone leave his job in such a short time? Why would he? Of course, since we don’t know him, we don’t know if he is the best for the job, but someone rushed this through believing he is. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Anne Arsenault
Longboat Key

Town manager resignation

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I do not claim to be knowledgeable regarding the inner workings of town government, however, I have one simple question. Why does the town of Longboat Key find it necessary to pay a town manger anywhere near $175,000 per year plus benefits, expenses accounts and a retirement plan? Take for instance Tampa, one of the largest cities in the state of Florida with a population close to 320,000, we have 6,880; they employ more than 1,000 sworn law enforcement officers, we employ about 19; they have many public schools, we have none; they have an international airport, we have none; they have major interstate highways that traverse the city, our largest artery is the Gulf of Mexico Drive; they have fairgrounds, sports arenas and so on, we have Durante Park. What about Longboat Key is so particularly challenging that we need to pay so much money when Tampa’s city manager receives about $135,000 to run a city of that size and complexity? I believe we can find a suitable replacement for a lot less.

James Armstrong
Longboat Key

New interim town manager

To: Town Commission

Thank you for meeting with me in individual meetings to discuss issues facing the town. I learned a lot about your expectations and aspirations. Based on your direction Monday evening I will work with Mr. Persson to have a contract before you in time for your review prior to the next commission meeting. I am hopeful that the commission will find the contract acceptable and we can begin working together with the staff and community to address issues of importance facing the town. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or wish to discuss anything.

Dave Bullock
Sarasota County Deputy Administrator

Regarding new town manager

To: Town Commission

Find a protégé of this guy, not someone who served under Jim Ley.

Appointed as Weston’s first city manager in July 1997, John R. Flint is the chief executive officer of one of the nation’s premier municipal corporations. Incorporated in 1996 by an overwhelming percentage of its voters, Weston has received international attention for being one of the country’s largest master-planned communities and for its progressive form of contractual municipal management.

David Novak
Longboat Key

No sanity from City Hall

To: Editor

One has to wonder what kind of science or logic the City Commission and staff used to decide where and how many parking meters to place in each area. Common sense would dictate that if meters are good for an area, they are good for all areas. If they are bad for an area, they are bad for all areas.

Our city believes that meters are bad for St. Armands, Burns Court, Rosemary district, Hillview-Osprey, Marina Jacks, and Newtown. They are, however, good for three blocks of Main Street 1300-1500, but not good for 1600-1900 and then good again for 2000-2002 blocks. Good for one block of Central, but not the rest. Good for two blocks of Palm, but not the rest. Good for two blocks of Pineapple, but not the rest.

They built a downtown garage and then left out an entrance or exit on the downtown side. No elevator on the southeast side of the garage. Two hundred and sixty yards from the middle of the garage to the corner of Main and Palm, and that does not put anyone in a business. Just gets them to the corner and then they have to do the reverse to get back to their car.

As long as my family has been in business in this area, more than 60 years, the season for the food and beverage industry has been 100 days and 100 nights. Our city commission has now decided that high season runs from Nov. 1 to May 1 — 180 days — and parking meters should be at a higher rate for this period. Don’t know how they came up with these dates, but do know that December is the second worst month in the restaurant business right behind September.

Looking for answers and sanity, certainly cannot get any from City Hall.

Kenny Barr, owner
Sports Page Bar & Grill

Replacement for Mr. St. Denis

To: Town Commission

The departure of Mr. St. Denis allows you to bring the salary for his replacement into line with other towns, boroughs and cities in Florida. The salary Mr. St. Denis received was far above both the average and median salary for similar positions in all Florida local governments and drastically above towns of similar size to Longboat Key.

There are literally thousands of township managers in the United States, many with experience with coastal, tourist and environmental issues who are highly qualified and who would welcome a chance to become our new manager and at a salary and benefit cost 40 percent or more below what Mr. St. Denis received.

P.S. Could you please forward this to Commissioner Zunz? The email address on the town’s website is incorrect, I believe.

Dan Whelan
Longboat Key & Conrad Beach

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

For the record, I have requested that acting manager Al Hogle provide information to the commissioners regarding the salaries and experience of town managers in 10-12 communities similar to ours. I have also asked if similar communities have assistant managers.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

Longboat Key manager search

To: Commissioner David Brenner

I am sending this email requesting that TRC Staffing Services be considered as the search firm for your new Longboat Key town manager.

Recently, I was contracted to be the recruiter for the president and CEO of Sarasota Economic Development Corporation. This nationwide search involved screening approximately 100 candidates, personally interviewing those who were qualified, conducting profile tests, along with references and background checks. This resulted in the selection of Mark Huey. Hugh Middlebrooks had involvement in the selection process so he is aware of the quality of the search process.

I am have recently been contracted to do the search for a new president and CEO for the Manatee Economic Development Committee.

With more than 15 years of conducting searches in the Sarasota/Manatee area, I come with the experience and expertise to bring to Longboat Key the quality of leader that will allow your community to thrive. Please let me know if you desire additional information.

Dale Vollrath, owner
TRC Staffing Services
Bradenton

Cost of town manager’s severance

To: Mayor Jim Brown

How will you pay the $260,000 severance to Mr. St. Denis? Are there funds available or should we expect an increase in our taxes?

Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key

To: Ray Rajewski

Good question, Ray. There will be no tax increase.

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

If there is no tax increase in 2012, where will the $260,000 come from? Is there a special account that is already funded for items such as this?

Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key

Interim manager

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

Thanks. Have any other meetings been scheduled about the selection of a more longer-term interim manager or a permanent replacement?

Kathryn Bursch, reporter
10 News WTSP-TV

To: Kathryn Bursch

That is correct. There was a special meeting held Sept. 19 and Mr. St. Denis resigned. Police Chief Al Hogle has been named acting town manager. He will retain supervision over the Police Department during this appointment.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

Hope I helped…

To: Columnist Dan Dowd

St. Denis was an overpaid, undereducated clown and his staff should be retired immediately. David Persson and his legal team are ripping the town off with excessive fees and are doing nothing more than making work by bad legal advice. St. Denis and Persson cost the town in more ways than just money — the town has a reputation that most good people do not want to be part of. Monica Simpson and Heidi Micale need to go yesterday.

The whole code enforcement process is a joke, as I demonstrated in the CEB meeting of November 2010. I was fined $4K for a grass issue and the town, with their tail between their legs, begged to settle the issue for $240; another St. Denis/Persson fiasco.

I hope my experience has helped lead to St. Denis’ resignation. As far as the commissioners go, Younger is one of the most obnoxious people I have run across in my 62 years. Thanks for listening.

Bob Smith
Longboat Key

Pension Board vacancies

To: Mayor and Commissioners

The Town Clerk’s Office ran advertisements for an existing vacancy and upcoming term expirations on the town’s three pension boards.

We have received applications for the resident seats as follows:

• Firefighters Board: Ms. Shannon Gault is seeking reappointment.

• Police Officers’ Board: Mr. Dorian Irizarry seeking first appointment and Rabbi Peter Kasdan (currently holds At-Large Seat).

• The General Employees’ Board has one resident vacancy with no applicants responding to the last six advertisements.

All three boards have at at-large seats with term expirations in October. The Town Commission, by code and State Statute, has a ministerial duty only to confirm the appointment of at-large members.

To date, we have received applications from the following individuals for reappointment to the at-large seats:

• Police: Rabbi Peter Kasdan (also eligible for consideration to the resident seat noted above)

• General: Mr. Ron McDonough

• Fire: Mr. Michael Murphy (retired Firefighter)

I have attached the applications for all of those listed herein. If you would like to set a “Meet and Greet” for the three candidates that are eligible for the resident seats, please advise and I will have Susan poll you for available dates.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to have printed copies of the applications placed in your mail drawer.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

Yonker Subdivision

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I did speak with Bruce about the status of the Yonkers seawall. Bruce said that Section 2 of the beach was eroded but that the seawall didn’t cause the problem. Erosion at the northernmost section of beach was being addressed in constructing a terminal groin that would diminish the northward drift of beach sand. He said that Section 2 would not have to be addressed for some 10 years and until the efficacy of the groin and other future structures were assessed.

I then asked about the issue of public access across the beach and upon the wall. As private property, unless there was a public easement, the owner would be able to close off public access onto his wall. There are legitimate liability issues, which might justify closing such access if there was not an easement agreement. Bruce said he would get back to me but hasn’t yet. I researched this property in the Manatee County Assessor’s Office and saw there was not a recorded public access easement across the wall/beach portion of the property, although there was a five-foot easement from GMD to the beachfront.

The issue is not whether the Yonker wall causes beach erosion. The issue for me is that the Yonker seawall persists as an anomaly; private land that potentially could cut off public access along a beachfront. The consultant the town hired for peer review stated that the wall should be acquired and demolished. I am sensitive to this issue because I walked Section B of the Turtle Patrol last year and climbed and crossed the wall many times. I was heartened by the fact that you brought up this issue at a commission meeting and asked the town manager to investigate possible public acquisition of the property.

Now, in light of the departure of the town manager, I would like to know whether this is an issue with the commission and if it is what the town plans to do. If it isn’t an issue, my question is whether the town is satisfied with the permanent encroachment of this wall and private property within the 130-foot managed beach area and whether the possibility of the prohibition of public access across the seawall is acceptable?

Larry Grossman
Longboat Key

To: Larry Grossman

The subject is on this Thursday’s workshop agenda.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Colony revitalization report

To: Fellow Colony Owners

A subcommittee of the board working with Joel Rosen has completed our due diligence process. The full board will now be meeting in person Sept. 24-25 to reach a final decision on its recommendation to the owners. The proposals as now developed following extensive negotiations provide an array of options to meet the needs of a wide spectrum of owners. As you can appreciate this is a difficult choice because we are fortunate to have such good proposals and proponents in front of us to consider.

Shortly after this meeting we will make our recommendation to the owners. Thereafter we will convene a special meeting of the owners to present the recommended proposal and lead partner for the future revitalization of The Colony. At this planned meeting owners will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain a thorough understanding of the recommended course of action and how we arrived there, as part of the run-up to an owner approval vote.

We look forward to being back in touch with you following the meeting Sept. 24-25.

Jay R. Yablon, president
Colony Association

Flags should be at half-mast

To: Editor

On Sunday morning, Sept. 11, 2011, we displayed our remembrance of the 10th anniversary with a spray of flag like balloons from our condo balcony. After watching much of the touching morning TV coverage, my husband and I drove south on Longboat Key toward Sarasota. How saddened we were to see almost every flag flying high along Gulf of Mexico Drive instead of at half-mast, to honor Patriot Day — most shockingly the Fire Dept. We telephoned the Fire Dept. to inform them their flag should be flying at half-mast and were told they required a directive from the town of Longboat Key to make any changes! We also called the Police Dept., where we received a more humane response that the operator would notify the officer in charge. Three condo complexes along the way got it right — Seaplace, the Water Club and Promenade were all at half-mast.

As we returned home in the afternoon, many flags had been corrected. This day is a day of remembrance for our country — to remember the lives lost and the heroes who died trying to save them. Shame on us for being asleep at the chance to honor them! Let us commit, from this day forward, to be better stewards of our own fallen brothers and sisters.

Teresa & Bob Simmons
Longboat Key

Funding request for Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

To: Mayor James Brown

I think the last time I saw you we were talking about funding but you were the one asking for money from Manatee County. Now it’s my turn!

As a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) for the SBEP I am asking for your continued funding support for this wonderful organization.

I represent the town of Longboat Key on the CAC and believe that this funding is key to the continuation of joint projects that benefit our community here on the key. Mark Alderson has given you a detailed account of the projects and accomplishments. As a citizen I believe that many of us see some projects and wonder who is behind that? Many times it is the SBEP making improvements in our lives and we are not aware.

Thanks to the past support from the town, many of us enjoy Durante Park as a place we can see the natural beauty of Florida, right here on the key.

I would like to ask for the continued support of the commission and ask that the $15,000 be fully funded for the budget. Thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns.

Cyndi Seamon
Longboat Key

To: Cyndi Seamon

Cyndi, I agree with you that the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program brings us more benefits and returns than our small $15,000 investment annually into this program. I am pleased with the accomplishments they perform with a relatively small staff. Most of the funds they receive are federal grants that are used to clean up and maintain a beautiful bay. If local government does not support the program, why should we expect to continue receiving the substantial federal grants the program administers?

Mayor James Brown
Longboat Key

START Funding

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

I want to thank you and the commission for the continued support of START and our efforts to preserve our coastal waters. Even at the reduced level, Longboat Key’s funding will help us continue our educational outreach programs for the public and sustain our quest to find viable solutions to control red tide.

START Chairman Sandy Gilbert
Planning & Zoning Board member
Longboat Key

To: Sandy Gilbert

Thanks Sandy. Good luck.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis
Longboat Key

Lighthouse Point boat dock

To: Commissioner Phillip Younger

Our Lighthouse Point boat dock reconfiguration plan is scheduled to be presented at the commissioners’ upcoming meeting on Monday. Peter Simonson, a homeowner at Lighthouse and vice president of the Lighthouse Association, will be attending the meeting on behalf of LHP, and Kristy Tignor, the engineer and design person for the project. Kristy will present the plan and both she and Peter will be there to answer any questions the commissioners may have. I am in the north, and, unfortunately, will not be there with the others.

As discussed, the town staff is OK with the dock changes we are requesting, as well as the Planning and Zoning Board, which we met with in June. We very much hope that you and the other commissioners support their approval, so we can proceed with our long overdue dock improvement. Many thanks for your consideration.

Bob Betagole
Longboat Key

To: Bob Betagole

Thank you for your input. I look forward to the meeting.

Commissioner Phill Younger
Longboat Key

Longbeach losing sand

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Jim, today I measured the distance from the seawall at Longbeach Coquina building to the three-foot escarpment that runs for hundreds of yards at the north end. I feel the three-foot escarpment is a safety hazard as well as making it difficult to get to and from the water. More disturbing is the fact that the distance between the seawall and the water is now 17 feet and diminishing daily. If sand loss continues at the current rate, there will be no beach by the end of October with the winter storms approaching.

Once again we will be leaving valuable real estate unprotected while the town has assured the property owners at the Islander of a safe investment by the timely construction of two groins. As a property owner at Longbeach, I wish the commission had paid equal attention to our long-standing problems.

Please note that the Corps of Engineers-approved Sandsaver project on the Great Lakes has been successful, and the test beach has accreted rapidly and there is no dangerous escarpment such as the one at the north end. Perhaps we might spend a few thousand dollars to see if what is working on the Great Lakes will work here.

I enclose an email from the Granger Plastics Company describing the project and its great success. It seems there are alternatives that work after all.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Sandsaver could save north end

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Mayor, here is a concrete demonstration that the Sandsaver technology does in fact work well. I am asking the commission to spend a relatively small amount of time and money to conduct a test at the north end where our $4 million worth of sand is rapidly being washed away. I doubt that the new beach will last until Christmas at the present rate of loss. The Sandsaver company will supply the materials at no cost to the town.

Please start the process of testing Sandsaver to factually, not anecdotally, demonstrate once and for all if the Sandsaver technology can help reduce the cost of maintaining our beaches as well as stabilizing the beach profile.

Gene Jaleski
Longboat Key

Sandsaver on Longboat Key

To: Gene Jaleski

It has been quite some time since our last discussion in regards to the beach erosion issues plaguing Longboat Key. In May 2011, Granger Plastics finally had the first U.S.-based Sandsaver install in Lake Michigan. The location of the units is significant, because of the smaller tide, smaller beach elevation, but more importantly the extremely small amount of sand contained within Lake Michigan. The units have progressed very well and are currently almost completely covered.

I have added a few of these pictures and a brief video of the units and waves in action. You can see these photos and this brief video of the units in action at www.sandsaver.com

It is of my personal opinion the Sandsaver modules would perform far better in a location such as Longboat, because of the increased amounts of sand, the increased elevation of tide, etc.

Mr. Jaleski, I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what the latest is in Longboat Key, Fla. If I can provide you any additional assistance or information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope that you and your family are well.

Shawn Cravens
Granger Plastics

James Armstrong appeals

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis, Town Attorney David Persson, Town Commission

As most of you are aware, Mr. Armstrong appeared before the Code Enforcement Board (CEB) last year on allegations that he had performed improvements to the exterior of his property without a building permit. The CEB ultimately issued two orders related to his case. The first order found Mr. Armstrong in violation of Town Code and gave him an opportunity to cure. The second order found that Mr. Armstrong had not cured the violations within the time permitted by the first order and levied a daily fine and administrative costs against him.

Mr. Armstrong appealed both orders to the Sarasota County Circuit Court. Briefs were submitted by the town and Mr. Armstrong in each case, and an oral argument was held before the assigned Judge. The purpose of this email is to inform you that we recently received opinions from the judges in both cases that are in favor of the town. I have attached the opinion of now Chief Judge Owens related to the second order for your perusal. The primary issue that had been raised by Mr. Armstrong was whether the town impermissibly levied administrative costs against him in the amount $2,117.50. In upholding the administrative costs, Judge Owens found that Mr. Armstrong did not raise the issue before the CEB and, therefore, it was waived. He also cites to Section 162.07, Florida Statutes, which specifically entitles the town to recover all costs in prosecuting a case before the CEB.

We can discuss these opinions and their impact more fully at the next CEB meeting.

Kelly Martinson Fernandez Esq.
Hankin, Persson, Davis, McClenathen & Darnell
Sarasota

Yonkers seawall

To: David Brenner

Dave, is the town considering acquisition of the Yonkers Subdivision seawall and house? I think of this every time I pass the new construction site. Soon the new building will mask out the existing one. More urgently if the existing structure is rehabbed then it will be even more expensive to acquire it for demolition with the seawall.

Patricia Curran & Larry Grossman
Longboat Key

Surplus giveaways?

To: Vice Mayor Dave Brenner

I saw your proposed uses for the surplus.

Why the giveaways? What the heck is wrong with simply paying down the town’s debt?

Dan Whelan
Longboat Key

To: Dan Whelan

Sorry for the delay in answering your email. I’ve been away for the last two weeks.

The items mentioned are not giveaways. They represent a modest cost to be an active part of the two counties we live in. I provided explanations of my reasoning in my email for each item so I won’t repeat them here. We on Longboat Key can’t just pull up the “drawbridges” at each end of the island and pretend we don’t need anyone else to survive.

Considering the low level of our interest rates, there is no point in paying down our loans in advance.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Vice Mayor Dave Brenner

Your response explains why the town has debt in the first place.

Dan Whelan
Longboat Key

Key Club opposition

To: Mayor Jim Brown

When are you and all the cheap politicians running Longboat Key going to face facts to: 1) deny the liars at Longboat Key Club; 2) overturn your Town Commission’s violating of zoning laws and town rules; 3) police the buy-offs, promises, free lunches for votes, double-speak, etc.; and, 4) listen to the advice of the town’s own legal counsel?

You all have certainly taught me where not to place my next local votes!

Maybe you could rename the Key Club to “Longboat Innovation District,” in parallel the Boston Mayor’s triumph at “his waterfront.”

James M. Sinnett
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Please, PLEASE, don’t let Loeb ruin our beautiful Longboat Key. They don’t shoot straight. We residents have more integrity.

Lois Lesser
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I trust that the latest developments regarding Loeb will cause you to reconsider the authorizations granted. Loeb has unequivocally demonstrated that it is unable to bring this project to fruition.

The uncertainty now overlaying our island and the wisdom of its decision-making process will depress property values. It’s time to get back on track. Let’s apply a rational process and withdraw approvals granted an incapable developer.

Richard Jay Himelfarb
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

This latest action by Loeb is a clear indication of irresponsible corporate governance and why LBK mayor and Town Commission should never have allowed the irresponsible ordinance variances, waiving of the town’s long-term strategic plan and other complicit activities to push through the Loeb plan for the LBK club. Please realize this company cannot be trusted to build and support the massive plan they have set forth and sold to you who should have been more careful in guarding the interests of your constituents. Do not proceed with the approvals that would allow them to ruin our community.

Louis Lobes
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I am most concerned with the decision of our commission to grant the Key Club so many waivers. No thought whatsoever seems to have been given to our traffic problem. It is difficult during the season to exit the Key via St. Armands. It will certainly be much, much worse if this massive project goes ahead.

How could it possibly be ignored that Loeb have walked away from their commitment to the lenders on their Boston hotel? It is a certainty that they will not build the Islandside project themselves, but simply sell their freely given planning rights to the highest bidder.

I am astonished and saddened that our elected representatives could have been so naive. I would really appreciate a response from you.

M. Barry
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I have contacted you and other commissioners numerous times to oppose increasing the density and changing the character of Longboat Key. I continue to oppose the proposed project. The one disadvantage to Longboat Key is that we do not have an equity golf club. I have been a member of the Longboat Key Resort for more than 20 years and I want to tell you they treat their members like inmates not members, and I have told them that. I have vacationed at Four- and Five-Star resorts and the LBK resort would not make the cut for three stars. They do not have the management and trained personnel to meet the standards of a Four-Star resort. These people have proved to you and previous commissions they are not people of their word. With the latest developments I urge you to rescind the approvals for their non-conforming development.

Martin Rich
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I read in the WSJ that Loeb has defaulted on a large property loan. In view of their apparent financial problems, I would hope that our commission would reconsider the Longboat Key Club’s proposed plan to expand. In today’s banking climate, I find it very difficult to believe that the club has the ability to raise the necessary financing to complete any significant expansion.

Bud Kahn
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

The town needs and is clearly owed a detailed answer from the LBK Club as to the impact of the Boston default on their grandiose plans for LBK. Timing, risk, sequencing of the changes, golf course, hotel, convention center, condos and most importantly how it will be financed now and by whom in the face of this massive default. What guarantees by the club to the town are appropriate and necessary in light of this default? No one not even you I hope wants a half-finished eyesore development at the entrance to LBK.

The town essentially rolled over and shredded its zoning laws and land use regulations to accommodate the vague promises of the club. It’s long past the time to cut through the hype, razzle dazzle and fog and get some clear written answers and guarantees for this massive development backed by real money.

Louis Bevilacqua
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I am concerned about the loan default in Boston by Loeb. It seems to me it makes them less than a reliable partner for the town of Longboat in developing the most important property on the island.

I have not been against the sensible development of the Key Club property. Although many of my concerns have been dealt with, there are still those that exist. Through it all I have felt that the town went overboard in meeting Loeb’s demands.

My belief has been and continues to be that they will flip the property once they have an attractive agreement with the town to proceed and the market improves. If I am correct that leaves the Town Commission greatly embarrassed and with an entire new negotiation with which to contend.

I am thankful that we have qualified people who take on the thankless task of managing our community. I implore you and your associates to take great care before taking the next step with Loeb.

Walter E. Mattson
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Now that Loeb has defaulted on their Boston loan, I assume you will want to take a more serious look at the plans for the Longboat Key Club. Do you really think you can trust a business that walks away from a $90 million loan? Why do you believe that they have been forthcoming with you the commission about their ability to build out the plans you have wrongly approved for their expansion? I wonder if you were still in business and represented shareholders if you would continue to give them the benefit of the doubt?

Charles Jennings
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

The default by the owners of the LBK club on a $90 million investment should be a red flag to the town of Longboat Key. The last thing we need are half-built shells of buildings that have lost their financing. The LBK Club has insisted on using their clout to force their endeavor on the taxpayers of Longboat Key. Please don’t let us end up with a failed venture.

Ellen Jacob
Longboat Key

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I have been a happy homeowner on LBK since 1985 first at The Players Club and since 1996 at L’Ambiance. I have never understood the support that town officials have given this project since I think it would be of great detriment to LBK and especially to the support to this group of opportunistic, overleveraged hit-and-run artists.

We now have the proof of their nature from their action in Boston; do you think for a minute they would walk away and leave us holding the bag? I would like to know what logic you and the other officials use in continuing to support and justify this project; certainly you are not acting in the best interest of the resident taxpayers. If it is not in the interest of the homeowners, than whose?

No case can or should be made to support commercial interest on the key; every consideration should be for the homeowners. If a business can be started or can survive is of no interest to the homeowners that have a broad choice of options both on the key and off. Do you really think it affects our quality of life if we have to go to St. Armands or Sarasota?

Please consider the homeowners who don’t want more congestion and the potential for holding the bag for Loeb. Let’s support a plan that continues to make this a delightful place to live with fewer tourists and a focus on the quality of life for its resident taxpayers.

I appreciate the sacrifices that you and the other town officials make; what I am asking is that you reconsider your priorities to reflect the wishes and needs of those that you have sworn to serve.

Jim Sullivan
Longboat Key

Publix plan doesn’t solve problem

Dear Editor:

Regarding your article on the Publix plan, you are right in that it does not create the Town Center as originally intended, however, such a Town Center could be possible with a little lateral thinking.

If you stand in the parking lot today, we see the problem clearly. All that traffic on GMD flies by north and south and very little of it ever stops; and those who do stop only do so because they “need” something from Publix or CVS, but not because they wish to gather there. Shuffling the buildings around the parking lot and giving them a face-lift will not change anything — a parking lot does not a Town Center make.

Crossing GMD as a pedestrian at the traffic light, while an 18-wheeler is barreling down in front of you at 50 mph, will still be a scary experience, with locals still preferring to take their car just to “cross the road.” This property is not a “destination,” it is not a town center in any sense and the next plan will not generate people gathering any more than it does now, which is not much.

A solution to this problem can be seen three miles to the south — St. Armand’s Circle. Now, that is a destination. People go there all the time every day with no need for anything, but just to stroll around, have a drink or an ice cream, and lunch or dinner. There is no anchor store there, curiously, which means that a Publix or CVS does not attract people gathering. Rather, it’s the infrastructure that does, when road, traffic, sidewalk, pedestrians and retail are all seamlessly integrated.

Therefore, to transform the Avenue of the Flowers into a real Town Center requires a transformation of the surrounding infrastructure. This can be achieved by merging the never-used south side of the parking lot with the intersection of GMD and Bay Isles Pkwy, in order to form a three-spoke traffic circle. The traffic lights would be eliminated and traffic would be slowed naturally to 10 mph as it passes slowly around the circle. (See image above with abridged St Armand’s circle copy and pasted in place.)

Retail space could line the north side of the circle, thereby attracting passers-by to stop, stroll and linger. The circle and spokes would have on-street parking, enticing drivers to stop at the first open parking space. Like Filmore Drive on St Armand’s, a similar slip road would bisect the shops and lead turning traffic right up to the entrance of Publix and beyond to CVS and the rest of the town, and thereby create two corner shops ideal for restaurants or cafés.

This new “Circle of the Flowers” would become a true “destination” and a real Town Center. Residents would gather there, feeling comfortable walking or cycling there, knowing that the traffic yields to them as they walk around the circle. Though only the north half of the circle would be lined with retail, the full circle would be pedestrianized, with a stunning view over the golf course, while the center of the circle could be used for all kinds of seasonal community activities.

This transformation would finally give the town of Longboat Key the much-needed visibility and community focus that LBK residents have been dreaming of. I appreciate that this is a bigger and bolder plan, but it is an elegant solution, a local investment that will pay off in so many ways, and so much more than the current plan.

David Tarizzo
Longboat Key

Cancer funding a priority

Dear Editor:

Congress will have to make some tough choices about the budget in the coming weeks. A poll taken this spring showed more than three-quarters of the public opposes cutting funding for cancer research as part of the effort to reduce federal spending.

Cancer touches everyone, and we need to make sure that cancer research and prevention programs are a top priority. Federal funding for medical research has had a role in every major advancement against this disease. In the past year alone, federally funded research has led to life-altering cancer research breakthroughs. Today, nearly one in 20 Americans is a cancer survivor, thanks in part to the scientific advances made possible by congressional support. If funding were cut it would be a major setback in the fight against cancer.

Please write, email or call your senators and representatives and ask them to support funding for the National Institutes of Health, along with funding for cancer prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health Fund. These must be top priorities in the fiscal year 2012 budget. By making this lifesaving programs a priority, we will ensure that the progress can continue in the fight against cancer.

Note: Ambrose is a cancer survivor and American Cancer Society volunteer.

Nancy Ambrose
Holmes Beach

Publix plans

To: Mayor Jim Brown

It was with interest that I read your article “Town staff hard at work on key developments.” You stated that in 2009 the town manager, town planner and you met with the Publix regional real estate manager, national asset manager and their developer at Town Hall. During that meeting, you stated that you laid out the town’s vision for the future of the town center and discussed how the town could work with Publix to ensure that their plans were supportive of ours and vice-versa.

I am reminded of the football coach who has a vision of winning the big game, collecting the trophy and accepting the accolades of the fans. His vision, however, was only accomplished after he evaluated his players, decided how to best utilize those players in specific roles, created both an offensive and defensive game plan, and received input from his assistants and trusted advisors (consultants). He also sought advice from other football sources who had specific knowledge of football and winning championships. Visions are nice, but hard work and attention to detail is what creates success and allows the vision to become a reality.

Twenty-four months or more have passed since Publix advised the town it would be making submissions for redevelopment of the town center store. In 2009 and since then, the town staff has been free to create guidelines it wished to see as the work details of its “vision” of town center. Such guidelines could include:

• Creation of several acceptable landscape plans for the town center area.

• Creation of several general building distribution plans for the area.

• Creation of several acceptable signage plans for all of the town center area.

• Creation of several acceptable architectural renditions the town would favor.

• Creation of several acceptable pedestrian connections for the town center area.

• Creation of several acceptable vehicular connections for the town center area, etc.

A simple overlay district can accomplish these goals and allow for the creation of the details to accompany the vision for the town center area. An overlay district does not interfere with or change the existing land uses, zoning, density and other specifics of the planning development, which regulates this area we are referring to as town center.

The use of land planners, landscape architects, traffic consultants, building architects, graphic designers and signage consultants is an inexpensive and much needed exercise the town needs to accomplish as soon as possible.

It is important for the stewards of the town to continue working toward a better end game. Keep up the good work, and we hope to hear from you and your colleagues soon.

Lawrence F. Kassouf DDS
Longboat Key

Carte Blanche

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I cannot believe how naïve the board appears in giving the club carte blanche in its expansion plans. I suggest the town take another look at the way Loeb manages its other affairs. Might we suffer the same fate as the Boston hotel?

Edward Fenton
Longboat Key

Key Club should remain a go

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Jinny and I have been encouraged to write to you by Bob White in his ad regarding the Key Club in this week’s Longboat Key News. And we are glad he reminded us to do this.

And Bob is right about one thing. We Longboat Key citizens (the majority) need to remind all the commissioners that “the Key Club project should remain a go!” If we fail to get this project completed for any reason then all of Longboat Key’s citizens will lose.

Thank you all for what you have done, are doing and will continue to do to enable completion of the Key Club project.

In the Loeb’s multiple businesses, occasionally a business decision will not go the way it was intended to go for a variety of reasons, i.e., the example in Bob’s ad. This is not an end all to the core Loeb business. It just means that an adverse action had to be taken to correct a problem, and they are doing this.

Bob White needs another purpose in his life such as volunteering for a non-profit to give some new realistic meaning to his life. The wasted money he is spending on his duel with the Longboat Key Club could better serve this community through contributions to non-profit organizations.

Ron Johnson
Longboat Key

Rethink the Key Club hotel

To: Mayor Jim Brown

I think it is time to rethink the “blank check” the town has given to Loeb given the fact that they have recently defaulted on a major loan in the Boston area where we have also lived for 40 years.

Loeb has never before built anything! To give them a green light on the building of a major hotel on Longboat Key without a specified time schedule, and based on their track record to date, without requiring a performance bond, is simply irresponsible!

My gut feeling is that once Loeb gets a final approval, they will sell to a large hotel chain and run. Please rethink this issue given Loeb’s current track record.

Gerald F. and Vivian I. Ross
Longboat Key

Dogs on the beach

Dogs on the beach? Absolutely not! Such a suggestion in a recent open letter to Vice Mayor Brenner would open a “Pandora’s box” of problems that would severely damage the pristine, tranquil state of our beaches.

1) Sanitation: While many dog owners are considerate and clean up after their dogs, many other are not. Especially so on the beach where the temptation not to clean up would be greater.

2) Danger to marine life: In addition to being a disruption to the turtle nesting, dogs are a threat to marine birds and other wildlife that live on our beaches.

3) Noise nuisance: the writer suggested dog access to the beaches be limited to the evening and early morning hours. I don’t think that those of us that live along the beach would appreciate barking dogs while we are trying to sleep.

Many of the Longboat Key beachfront condos and motels do not permit dog or pets of any type (except service animals). Pet friendly condos or motels should set aside dog runs within their own property to accommodate their dog owners, and let the rest of us enjoy our beach undisturbed.

Roy Diton
Longboat Key

Vision Planning Mission Statement

To: Mission Statement subcommittee

As our meeting Wednesday, Sept. 7 quickly approaches, I am sure you have all had your independent attempts at a mission statement for the town. Staff has been working on this as well.

In an attempt to compile in advance the various draft statements for distribution prior to the meeting, please email me what you have jotted down over the past month or so — even if they are partial statements and key words that you believe “describe” the town.

Please submit them via email by the end of the workday Wednesday, Aug. 31. Please only email them to me.

I will then compile them and distribute by the end of the day Friday, Sept. 2.

I hope you all are having a great weekend. Thank you.

Director Monica Simpson
Planning, Building and Zoning Department
Longboat Key

To: Planning, Building and Zoning Director Monica Simpson

In doing some research for our mission statement, I found that many “Vision Plans,” “Master Plans,” “Goal Plans” made a real distinction between a Vision Statement and a Mission Statement.

San Diego, Calif., Vision Plan reads:
Our Vision: A well-managed city in a thriving community!

Our Mission: We provide a fiscally sound, effective government that is responsive and dependable; a safe, well-maintained and healthy environment; and abundant opportunities so our residents and visitors can enjoy the highest quality of life.

Then follows a list of and a definition of their values: Diversity, Accountability, Service, Openness, One City. I cite this because of the distinction they make between a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement, and because they also address the opportunities for residents as well as visitors.

Stone Harbor, N.J., Mission Statement reads:
To preserve and enhance Stone Harbor as a safe, family-friendly, prestigious coastal resort community with a thriving town center for enjoyment of permanent residents, second homeowners and visitors.

Hilton Head Island 2010 Comprehensive Plan Vision (No mission statement):
Hilton Head Island seeks to be a great place to live, work and visit where the natural assets combine with rich history, distinctive amenities, diverse cultures and forward- thinking management of all the Islands resources into “One Island, One Community.”

I cite this because they explain that their diverse community comes together as one.

Each of these Mission Statements expresses some of the things we should say. From the recent letter and emails I have read, there seems to be some confusion about what this subcommittee is doing — a Mission Statement or a Vision Statement?

Since I am technologically challenged I can’t scan into email some of the documents I have researched but will bring them with me to the meeting Sept. 7.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Planning and Zoning Director Monica Simpson

In reviewing the research I did on Mission Statements, I’ve come up with the following:

Longboat Key strives to bring together its residents, commerce and visitors to create a thriving and active community that provides the highest quality of life on our beautiful barrier island.

-or-

Longboat Key is a beautiful place to live, work and visit, where the natural assets of a barrier island combine with distinctive amenities, good planning and visionary leadership to enhance our quality of life (or, alternatively, to provide the highest quality of life).

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

Police assistance with code enforcement

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

I would like to suggest that the topic of how we might be able to integrate some Code Enforcement responsibilities into the day-to-day activities of the Longboat Key Police Department be made an agenda item for an upcoming commission workshop. As you know several months ago you and I discussed this concept as a cost-cutting measure. Recently, this topic was raised again in an email from John D. Wild to Monica Simpson. As I see it, the intent here is to discuss in a “workshop” setting if support can be provided to Code Enforcement by our police officers. As John Wild put it, the concept would be simple. With some basic Code Enforcement training our police officers, while on routine patrol, would identify any code violations they observe and pass this information on to Code Enforcement for follow-up. As I see it this process could help to more quickly identify code violations while not increasing costs.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Public Q&A request for Publix redevelopment

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

Recently, several articles in the local papers have provided opinions as well as status updates on the Publix Redevelopment project. In addition, several emails have gone back and forth between committee chairpersons, department heads, the town attorney and several Longboat Key citizens regarding the communications that have ensued around this topic. It would seem to me that for the benefit of the commission, as well as the citizens of Longboat Key, an official town manager update on this very important project is in order.

I would like to suggest that either in writing or at a commission meeting or workshop an official town manager update be provided. Frankly, I feel a public discussion format is more appropriate in that it would allow for a public Q&A.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Town Commission meetings online

To: Town Commission

I just wanted to follow up on my email about adding the extra “About Us” video highlighting areas of Longboat Key as well as “Community Calendar.” Our thoughts were to do a quick video introduction by the town manager or mayor, whomever you choose, just welcoming the audience and thanking them for taking the time to participate. We would do this every quarter. We would also produce a two-minute “Welcome to Longboat Key” video that would highlight popular places and activities that Longboat Key has. This video would play at the beginning of every meeting before the meeting starts.

Also, did you decide to test out our live streaming idea? This would have us live streaming the meetings as well as archiving them for future visitors. We could create your own web channel that could be accessed through the Longboat Key website. This would make the meetings available to the public at their convenience as well.

We would be able to offer this service at almost no cost at all which would be an added benefit for the town and its citizens. We are working on this for the Venice Commission right now as well. I should start filming the welcome video and intro soon so I can have that put together before first meeting.

Ryan Bodie
Ryan Bodie Films
Studio 26 Productions

To: Ryan Bodie

Could we see a demo of what you are doing for Venice?

Mayor Jim Brown
Longboat Key

Town should purchase Yonkers property

To: Dave Brenner

Is the town considering acquisition of the Yonkers Subdivision seawall and house? I think of this every time I pass the new construction site. Soon the new building will mask out the existing one. More urgently if the existing structure is rehabbed then it will be even more expensive to acquire it for demolition with the seawall.

Patricia Curran
Larry Grossman

Enthused about Publix

To: Editor

I am very much enthused about Publix’s plans for a new store on Longboat. I can adjust to traveling to Manatee and Gulf Drive, if I have to, to buy food. However, cannot Publix make some accommodation for us Longboaters to get their groceries during the construction? I would be surprised if Publix doesn’t expect us to ask for that consideration.

Jack Eagleton
Longboat Key

Al Green’s column

To: Editor

I wish to congratulate Al Green on his editorial opinion column titled “A look at the Publix plan” (Aug. 19, 2011). I am in full agreement with Mr. Green that “the shopping center/town plaza concept is more vital to the ambiance and flavor of Longboat Key than any other property on the entire island” and that the latest version proposed by Publix “doesn’t cut it.”

I applaud the response put forth to the first plan by Longboat Key Planning, Building and Zoning Director Monica Simpson, who seems to be the only advocate many residents have in this, as Mr. Green appropriately puts it, “…commercially-driven group.”

Mr. Green’s candor is refreshing, as some opinion editorials in other local journals read more like a public relations release for Publix, if not a blatant advertisement. Comparing this project to newly constructed or re-designed Publix on Tamiami Trail or on Bee Ridge Road does little to make Longboaters optimistic and hardly represents a prototype designed “uniquely for Longboat Key.” It is the wisely-planned, limited impact of many present commercial structures on the island that drove many current residents to buy here, perhaps even those with a direct interest in Publix’ bottom line. Tearing out existing trees, islands and adding parking spaces to a presently “park like” parking lot that is almost always lightly used, and pointing the front of the new store directly at a resort golf course will do little to influence potential future buyers. Further, moving a cookie cutter CVS out to a highly visible perch directly on the GMD certainly is not in the “spirit” of the long-term plan.

One would question the need to completely demolish and rebuild the Avenue of Flowers Center at all. Couldn’t a refurbished center, and the addition of a drive-through prescription pick-up to the CVS serve the same purpose without the unnecessary impact? It is, after all, not poor design alone that has led to the number of unoccupied storefronts, but a poor economy. You can see that in practically every community in the country.

R.P. Arledge
Longboat Key

Memories of years ago

To: Columnist Larry Kassouf

Hi Mr. Kassouf. I was at Parmadale in 1964. I was never in your class. But my best friend in Cottage 9, Marilyn Novosel, was! I remember you well, having had a girlish crush on you from afar in the seventh grade. Everything you’ve said is true. Imagine, also, how important every one of our teachers was to someone who was an orphan, getting no visitors, someone whose world was made up of only a few adults seen at school and the two nuns in our cottage. You’ve done God’s work, Mr. Kassouf. You should be proud of yourself. It’s good to see that you are doing well. You look terrific in this photo.

Anika Lekutis

To: Columnist Larry Kassouf

You were one of my teachers at Parmadale. I remember your thick, black-rimmed glasses. You brought in a swarthy guest speaker who showed us a film about the Middle East. When we laughed at the strange sounding names of the cities, that speaker warned, “One day you will know the names of all these places and more!” He was right. You were a good teacher.

However, I take exception to some of what you wrote. For example, cleanliness was paramount! We were living with nuns, after all, and showers were taken daily and clean clothing was donned each day. Yes, some of the children there had been abused, but many of us came from single-parent families where a parent had suddenly died. In my case, my mother had died of cancer at 27. My father was left with four children and no support system. Children were expected to go home for lunch and there was no before or after school care like there is today. Things fell apart, and I ended up at Parmadale. Today, that would never happen with all the support systems in place.

Furthermore, I wish it were true that discipline and criticism were reserved for those times when the children’s safety was in jeopardy. The reality is that some of the nuns were very abusive. One beat the girls for no reason and had them beat each other. If she weren’t dead, she surely would have been tried in a court of law by now. My sister was one of her victims and never recovered.

Yes, there were good people who cared for us. My own housemother, Sister Mary James, taught me a great deal. Our coach, Miss Barb, made sure we learned to play sports well and fairly. Our English teacher, Mr. Bonza, was a great inspiration to me, kindling a love of language. I make a living writing now thanks to his influence. Many from Parmadale are now renewing our friendships thanks to the Internet. Some thrive because of their experiences at Parmadale, but others despite theirs. Every cottage was different, depending on who was in charge. I’m glad to know you are alive and well, Mr. Kassouf. But, be careful what you write, because we are out here all grown up and reading.

Marilyn Novosel Osborne

Comprehensive Plan amendments

To: Editor

The Town Commission approved the Comprehensive Plan amendments last week…no big surprise there. Michael Welly, general manager of the Key Club, said he was pleased with the vote…no kidding (and he didn’t even have to speak)!

This pro-commercial development commission continues to accommodate the Key Club, despite departures from the Comp Plan and the objection of the residents. The mayor said that the town had already “allowed” residents to be heard on the issues. How magnanimous of him to “allow” the residents to be heard! Who does he represent?  It’s nice to hear from the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, but they don’t live here. Supporters argue that these changes will benefit other businesses, but what about the residents?

Ray Rajewski
Longbboat Key

Surplus budget

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

These are the recommendations I made to [Town Finance Director Tom Kelley] for dealing with the so-called “surplus” of $52,400 and my reasoning.

Eliminate the proposed increase in the business license fee. This is no time for increasing business taxes $8,000.

Contributions to be added back: $41,500

• START: Philosophically this is a statewide issue that should be funded by the state. Since it began here this not the time to walk away from it. We are still too much of their budget $17,500.

• SCOPE: Our share of countywide program tied to permanent population. Of assistance to the Longboat Key based “Aging in Paradise” program $2,000.

• EDC (Sarasota): Countywide program providing positive exposure to Longboat Key. Our share of operations based on $1 per permanent resident $4,500.

• EDC (Manatee): Same reasoning as EDC (Sarasota) $2,500.

Sarasota Bay Estuary: They support our Public Works Department in an amount greater than the requested support $15,000.

Apply balance to reducing employee share of health care costs at the lowest end of pay scale $2,900.

Total allocation $52,400.

Vice Mayor David Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I saw your proposed uses for the surplus. Why the giveaways? What the heck is wrong with simply paying down the town’s debt?

Dan Whelan
Longboat Key

Planning Subcommittee

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

As this summer winds down, I started thinking about changing my travel plans to accommodate the “meet and greet” session being bandied about, concerning the addition of two of the “citizenry” to the Planning Subcommittee, which you chair and on which I have volunteered to serve. To help me resolve the matter, I turned to the minutes of your July 12, 2011, meeting, in which your were reported to have positioned yourself as follows:

Duncan stated that he believed the people should be respected and known in the town, however, he saw the value of new thinking/new faces; he stated the importance of these individuals being people who are willing and able to be spokesmen for the efforts of the subcommittee and position of the town.

By “position of the town” I seem to get your point that you mean “the position of the present town commissioners.” I can see that this lets me out — and allows me, personally, to forget about volunteering — and go about my other activities.

Why do the proponents of “change” feel so endangered if another opinion is allowed to be expressed — and to be heard? I expressed the identical query when I had the distinction of serving on our Planning & Zoning Board.

It reminds me of one statement by Robert Cecil, British Prime Minister (1830-1903).

“By a free country, I mean a country where people are allowed, so long as they do not hurt their neighbours, to do as they like. I do not mean a country where six men may make five men do exactly as they like.”

In this case I would just substitute “say as they like” for “do as they like.”

This free — and beautiful — community is not, monolithically, behind this great urgency to change what we now enjoy — and what originally brought us here. I suggest that I am not alone. We, too, should be represented in planning for the future.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

To: Bradford Saivetz

It was amazing to read your e-mail and watch you jump to a wrong conclusion, based on your own misinterpretation of the meeting minutes. So let me set the record straight.

First, the subcommittee is not having a meet and greet. I think you have the subcommittee mixed up with some other town project. As I stated in my recent e-mail to you, the subcommittee plans to interview each interested applicant at which time it was our intent to fully explain the remit of the subcommittee and answer any questions the candidate might have. Second, you are correct, I do expect the “Citizen Representative” to be a spokesperson for the efforts of the subcommittee, of which he or she would be a member and thus support the position of the town. Simply meaning, that when the subcommittee collectively agrees on a “Vision Statement” (completes its remit) and recommends that statement to the Town Commission, I would expect all subcommittee members to support that Vision Statement. Since the Town Commission does not have a Vision Statement and since the Town Commission’s remit of the subcommittee was to create one, I can only conclude you have you misinterpreted the minutes.

In any event I assume when you asked the hypothetical question “Why do proponents of ‘change’ feel so endangered if another opinion is allowed to be expressed — and to be heard?” you are referring to me. If that was your intent, rest assured that again you are wrong.

So in conclusion, I consider this as “Case Closed.” I fully accept the fact that you have taken your name out of consideration for the subcommittee position and wish you nothing but success as you “go about your other activities.”

Finally, I somehow feel that this subject, as it relates to you, could turn into an endless debate. Let me assure I have no intention of discussing this any further, as you have made your position quite clear.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

Here we go again

To: Editor

What is it about our town that seems to relish looking “Gift Horse” developments “in the mouth?” This in the worst economic environment we have ever faced as a community.

Here we have one of the most, if not the most, successful family-owned businesses in the country willing to risk their capital on a major investment in our community, facing an adversarial attitudinal bureaucracy wanting to design the project into their “vision” of a town center. Not an unreasonable strategy but it’s about tactically pursuing this town goal in a proactive, constructive process while demonstrating respect for the investors.

Publix is an experienced, successful company and very good neighbor incentivised to increase its profits and realize a reasonable return on its investment. At the same time enhancing the value to our community.

The article stated, “Ultimately it will be up to the commission as to what level of freedom or requirements it wants to impose on the site (Publix property).” That should send chills down the spine of every red-blooded American. Also, anyone else contemplating investing on Longboat. Forget it.

The answer to my first question is that we need a change in the mindset of Longboat bureaucrats from “can’t do” to “can do” or “at least we’ll try.” From obstruction to facilitation, of course within our laws.

As soon as Publix bought out the rest of the Avenue of the Flowers property the town staff (commissioners included) should have called Publix to meet and ask, “How can we help? Here’s our thinking about a possible town center design that you may, not must, want to integrate into. How can we work together?” If that happened I stand corrected but I wouldn’t bet on it based on past performance. The article says Publix designed its project without consulting town staff. I know why…good grief! So why didn’t the town staff act proactively to facilitate communication and collaboration with Publix? Answer: attitude. We’ll show them who’s in charge here. Enough!

In any event, it is the investors’ prerogative to design their own project within the law. The town needs to plan zoning but not design private projects. It’s the owner’s property, capital and they have the expertise to maximize profits through creating and providing a good customer experience, which by the way, increases tax revenue so badly needed by our town.

Therefore, speaking of bottom lines, it’s finally time for our town to welcome investors. “Thank you for considering investing in our community. How can we help you?”

Bob Gault
Longboat Key

Letter from Florida Power & Light

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I want to share with you a message from Armando Olivera, president and CEO of Florida Power & Light Company, about the investments and initiatives FPL is making as a partner in Florida’s economic recovery.

Pam Rauch
Vice President of External Affairs
Florida Power & Light

To: All Floridians

I am writing to provide you an update on FPL’s continuing program of investments in Florida and to let you know about a recent initiative that we have undertaken to help support our state’s economic development, which we hope will contribute to the recovery of Florida’s economy. Although the path back may be longer and rockier than we all would prefer, I’m optimistic that Florida is on the rebound.

At FPL, we know that our position as the state’s largest electric provider and largest investor means that our company is an important part of the state’s economic platform. So I’m both proud and fortunate to be able to say that FPL continues to operate strongly and efficiently and that we continue to invest heavily in our infrastructure and in Florida’s economy.

In fact, FPL has been investing for many years — even during the economy’s darkest days — in cleaner, more efficient power generation. All told, over the next five years, we expect to invest approximately $11 billion in Florida, which will likely mean we will continue to be the largest investor in the state. We’re setting the pace for our industry, providing significant operating efficiencies, sustainable environmental performance and strong customer benefits.

Supporting Florida today
We’re injecting billions into Florida’s economy, and our customers are saving hundreds of millions of dollars on electricity costs every year. Our customers continue to pay substantially less than the national average for electricity — our typical residential customer pays the lowest bill of Florida’s 55 utilities — while the service reliability we provide remains high, at better than 99.98 percent. Through cost-effective, innovative investments, we are doing our best to make sure we continue delivering reliable, affordable energy today and in the future.

In June, we brought the third and final unit of our $2.2 billion West County Energy Center online. This clean, high-efficiency facility is now the nation’s largest combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant. Over its operating lifetime, we expect it to deliver net savings of $650 million to $750 million — over and above the cost of construction — for our customers.

Because of investments like this in clean energy technology over the years, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles among U.S. utilities. This is not only good for the environment, but it also helps protect our customers from the potential costs of current and future emissions regulations. These investments in Florida’s electric infrastructure also provide significant benefits to customers in terms of efficiency and reliability.

Continuing our investments in Florida
Contributing to the long-term affordability and reliability of our service are several major capital projects underway or beginning soon.

At our St. Lucie and Turkey Point nuclear facilities, we’re adding approximately 450 megawatts of clean, reliable, emission-free capacity that will save FPL customers hundreds of millions of dollars.

On the Space Coast, our Cape Canaveral Next Generation Clean Energy Center project is progressing on schedule to meet its planned 2013 start date. And we celebrated Father’s Day 2011 by demolishing the stacks and boilers at our old Riviera Beach Plant to make way for a similar project, FPL’s Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center, which is slated to open in 2014. Our $2.4 billion investment in the modernization of these two sites will reduce air emissions by more than 90 percent and provide customers an estimated $850 million to $950 million in net savings over the lives of these extremely efficient new plants.

In July, we took an initial step to seek regulatory approval for a third modernization investment. If this project moves forward, the 350-foot-tall stacks at our Port Everglades plant — a red-and-white-striped mainstay of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood skyline for half a century — will be the next to come down. The new, clean-burning natural gas-fired facility would cost roughly $1.2 billion to build and would enter service in 2016, using about 35 percent less fuel per megawatt-hour to generate electricity. Over its operating life, this efficiency would be expected to save FPL customers more than $400 million.

As you can see, FPL is investing in innovative technologies to provide the affordable, reliable, clean energy that is essential for businesses to thrive. We’re also fortunate that our investments are creating jobs during these difficult times. Our biggest area of concern as a state continues to be the difficult employment climate, with an unemployment rate still exceeding 10 percent. So, in addition to ensuring these investments benefit our customers through their electric bills and service, we’ve worked with our contractors to make certain that, whenever possible, they hire Floridians to do the jobs that these projects create. We want to do all we can to keep Florida going, uninterrupted, providing the energy to businesses that power economic growth.

Powering Florida’s businesses
We just launched an Office of Economic Development within FPL to work closely with the state and with local economic development organizations in the 35 counties FPL serves in order to help attract new businesses to the state. In the coming months, FPL Vice President of External Affairs Pam Rauch and a team of employees dedicated to economic development will be creating a suite of professional services intended to assist businesses with strategic planning, project coordination, site selection, rate options, sustainability and energy-efficiency.

On behalf of Pam, I’m pleased to announce that we’ve hired a proven, results-oriented leader to help lead this new initiative. FPL’s new Director of Economic Development, Lynn Pitts, comes to us from the Savannah Economic Development Authority. As senior vice president for sales and marketing, Lynn helped attract $2 billion in capital investment and create thousands of new jobs for the Savannah, Ga., region. At FPL, he will leverage his experience in using creative and innovative methods to help attract new businesses to Florida.

Finally, as you may have heard, the Florida Public Service Commission recently approved our plan to offer special discounted electric rates to new or expanding businesses that add a minimum level of new electric load and new jobs. We hope this serves as an added incentive to help attract new businesses to Florida. We believe, as I’m sure you do, that a rising tide lifts all boats. When businesses thrive and grow, they drive the economy, create jobs and benefit all of us.

Armando J. Olivera
President & CEO
Florida Power & Light Company

Appointments to pension boards

To: Town Commission

On Sept. 30, 2011, the terms of the following town appointed Retirement System Board members will expire:

Firefighters: Seat 2 Ms. Shannon Gault (appointed mid-term April 6, 2010)

General Employees: Seat 2 currently vacant due to resignation of Patrick Mellet (advertising produced no applications)

Police Officers: Seat 1 Mr. Michael Seamon (has advised he will not seek reappointment)

I would like your input on whether or not you would prefer to hold a meet and greet with any potential applicants for the pension boards. We include this information on the advertisement if we can establish a date. I would propose the morning of Sept. 22, which is your regular workshop meeting date. The meet and greet meeting is approximately a half-hour to 45 minutes.

We would then place the selection and appointment of applicants on the Oct. 3 regular meeting agenda. Please let me know if this will work with your schedules.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

In general I’m fine with your proposal. Please note there is an Investment/Finance Committee meeting scheduled for 11 a.m. the morning of the 22nd.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Your proposal for a meet and greet prior to Sept. 22 workshop is fine with me.

Commissioner Pat Zunz
Longboat Key

To: Town Clerk Trish Granger

Where are we on this — has a date and time been finalized? Again, note the time set for the Investment/Financial committee meeting.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

No date or time set yet. We are just running the ads this month and will not know until the end of August how many applicants we will have. And if you know anyone interested please have him or her call or stop by for an application. These are not sought-after seats, and we have been unable to fill the vacancy on the General Employees board since May. So at the current time no firm meeting date. I realize that may not help with scheduling your calendar but we will officially poll the commission when the deadline for applications is passed and we know how many have applied.

Town Clerk Trish Granger
Longboat Key

Timing is everything

To: Monica Simpson
I am concerned that the Revitalization Task Force and the press all have copies of the submittal from Publix and the P&Z has seen nothing.

I am even more concerned with the story in the Longboat Key News that came out this weekend. I understand that the P&Z should not be making any public statements until this comes to us in a public session. I would hope we would be the first to see the staff report not the last and not read the comments from staff in a news story and not in a report submitted to the board.

Chairwoman BJ Webb
Planning and Zoning Board

A stick in the eye?

To: BJ Webb; Monica Simpson:

I fully concur with BJ’s comments on the “LBK News ‘scoops’ the board” issue. Steve Reid is not above stirring a pot, and how accurate he has quoted your concerns will not harm him, but it may harm you. Had I managed this matter, I’d have not released anything before an open meeting. As for the Publix submittal, it might have been better to have called them up on the phone and told them of all the nits you found, before picking them in public.

Reid makes it appear that staff relished the opportunity to show initial deficiency in their submitted plans. Were I Publix, I might consider that to be a hostile stick in the eye, when quiet diplomacy would have spared everybody embarrassment.
Publix may well be served to admonish, even fire their people who submitted anything this poorly prepared, but please don’t think our side played their best game in the handling of this matter.

John D. Wild MPA
Longboat Key

Reluctance to plan

To: John Wild

I saw your email and hope you don’t mind me commenting.

For whatever reason, the town seems very reluctant to establish clear, concise, cogent plans as to what it wants. I find the lack of clear direction increasingly more frustrating and I know that the planning staff does as well and I can only assume that the applicant feels the same way. Coordinated usage, signage, traffic flow, elements of design are all key to a cohesive town center. And haven’t we known that this plan was headed this way for quite some time?

When you have clear rules of engagement, both the applicant and the town staff know what is expected and what is to be achieved. Without those plans, it’s all left ad hoc, done by trial and error, with a sense of frustration that you indicate in your message. (And I think you are just seeing the tip of the iceberg, I know planning staff has met with the applicants on numerous occasions prior to this draft, none of the comments provided by staff should have come as a surprise to the applicant.)

This is not to suggest that a great site can’t be developed through ad hoc efforts. It can. But its painful to watch, expensive to develop and has a chancy outcome. Things have fundamentally changed on this island since the initial developments were approved.

In my opinion, what continues to be needed is a clear mission for the town, clear policies, goals and objectives, and, in areas of particular concern (i.e., town center, community center) clearly established policies for redevelopment. With a playbook, the misunderstandings are reduced. Expectations are understood. And staff doesn’t have to hint, suggest or nudge an applicant to do what it perceives to be the current desires of the community.

We need to spend the time to do it right on the front end and then let the market place take over. I may agree that the current method is not the most desired, but it’s the best that can be done until we have clearly articulated regulations as to what it is that we want. Or so it seems to me.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Noise Abatement Presentation

To: Rick Piccolo

David Brenner was kind enough to send me a copy of your SRQ Noise Abatement Presentation to the Manatee County Council of Governments. It’s clear from the graphics that the Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study forms the basis for today’s operational requirements for commercial jet aircraft. That study also resulted in a Record of Approval that describes the approved departure path from runway 32 (see attached copy). It’s pretty clear that departing aircraft should fly west for at least seven miles before proceeding toward their destination. Your slide on page 11 supports this in describing the new departure procedure as a “left turn to the west and over the Gulf of Mexico.”

As we have discussed in the past, aircraft do not consistently follow this procedure. Some turn north over Longboat Key; some turn before reaching the island. They rely on a Standard Instrument Departure (SID), which is not as clear as the underlying approval and is subject to various interpretations. This goes to the heart of my criticism of runway 32 departures. I would be interested in your current thoughts on this point.

Thank you for giving me the name of the FAA contact in Atlanta. I think at a minimum, the SID needs to be rewritten to accurately reflect the Agency’s own Record of Decision. Maybe it’s time for a new noise abatement study that takes into account the actual flight paths now being flown.

As we had discussed in our face-to-face meeting the 65 DNL level and above is the noise level that is considered significant by FAA standards. Outside the 65 DNL all land uses are considered compatible and there is no legal requirement for FAA to recognize any issues below 65 DNL. Given the FONSI is ten years old, FAA Air Traffic will make changes to increase efficiency and safety over time, however they always operate in accordance with all environmental requirements.

Andrew Aitken
Longboat Key

To: Andrew Aitken

Welcome back from your travels. The presentation was an overview of the program and I thought presented a good summary of the airport’s efforts. That said, it was not meant as an in-depth technical review of departure procedures. While you cite slide 11, you will also see in slide 9 that the departure procedure states, “aircraft maintain runway heading until reaching 3000 feet AGL and then turn on course” which is what our previous discussions have covered and FAA has reiterated. I have copied at the bottom part of the response I relayed from FAA back in July where FAA confirmed that position. If in your discussions with the FAA if they agree that a change in the departure procedure is warranted they would be the one to initiate that action. I believe the airport has been quite responsive to the community over the years and I do not foresee another noise abatement study as the airport complies with all federal requirements and invested in excess of $47 million in the program.

Rick Piccolo
Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport

To: Rick Piccolo

I promise to stop debating this issue by e-mail; I know it’s taking up too much of your time. I would like to note that the 3,000-foot turn provision in slide nine applies only to southerly departures on runway 14. I have no concerns with R/W 14 departures. It is the early turns from R/W 32 that I am pursuing.

Andrew Aitken
Longboat Key

Loeb defaults on loan

To: Mayor Jim Brown

Being a Boston native, I sometimes go to Boston.com to see what’s happening. Low and behold the following:
“The Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel will be auctioned later this month, after the developer behind the hotel defaulted on its mortgage.”

The Renaissance, which opened in early 2008, is owned by Loeb Partners Realty, a New York-based firm that also owns hotels in Florida, Louisiana and Illinois. The company took out a $90 million mortgage on the property in 2007, and officially defaulted last month, according to the Boston Business Journal.”

If they defaulted on $90 million how do you think they can raise $400 million?

Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key

Driving economic development

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

While we are stirring the pot, is this a good time to talk about removal of the utility poles over the long term?

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

Is this also a good time to talk about the service problems at the north end of Longboat Key? Our numerous power outages and power surges, which often cause problems for approximately 750 households at the north end, should be the basis of some negotiations with FPL for surge protectors for these households — at FPL expense.

Pat Zunz
Commissioner, Longboat Key

Consideration for subcommittee

To: Vision Plan Subcommittee

At the suggestion of BJ Webb, I am submitting my name to be considered for the Longboat Key Vision Planning Subcommittee.

I don’t believe we have ever had the pleasure of meeting each other so I suppose I should introduce myself. I had the good fortune of first coming to Longboat Key in the late ’50s when my parents used to vacation at the original Colony. Although I was but a young tike at the time, I was “sold!” We returned year after year, staying at various resorts up and down the island!

When I married in 1976 and had a family of my own, I brought them here as well. In 1992, we bought land on Sandham Place and completed our dream home in 1996, where I have resided fulltime ever since and serve as President of my HOA.

After practicing law in the Philadelphia area for 20 years, I decided that I would pursue a different course upon my relocation to Longboat. I was admitted to the Florida Bar and I chose to obtain my certification as a Certified Family Mediator. Although I do not practice law, I now mediate about 100 family law cases per year and am a frequent lecturer to the local Family Law Bars of both Sarasota and Manatee counties. In addition, I also obtained my real estate license back in 1996 and work arduously for Michael Saunders & Company, having endured both the good and the bad times!

My commitment to Longboat Key is without question. I live here and work here fulltime.

I am a member of the Art Center, the Longboat Key Club and participate in the Turtle Watch and Save our Bays (clean up) activities and various Chamber events.

I have introduced this island to many a friend and client, many of which have commented on my unbridled enthusiasm for Longboat Key and its many attributes.

As with anywhere else, it has its issues.

We clearly need a vision, which should clearly include the continued renourishment of our beaches, a watchful eye over our beautiful natural environment, its inviting parks and magnificent shorelines as well as a healthy balance with the redevelopment of the Longboat Key Club, the Avenue of the Flowers, the Whitney Beach area and other spheres of commerce and services.
We have a lot to be grateful for and a lot to be proud of here on Longboat Key.

I would like to make sure that that pride and gratitude can continue well into the next generation.

While I am not interested in pursuing an elected office (although I have been encouraged to do so), I would welcome the opportunity to serve this wonderful community that I truly love so much in this capacity. Thank you.

Richard Perlman
Longboat Key

To: Richard Perlman

First and foremost, thank you for your interest in becoming part of the Longboat Key Vision Planning Subcommittee. I too look forward to meeting with you and agree Longboat Key clearly needs a vision. I’m sure that BJ has filled you in on the subcommittee’s remit and on the interview process. We plan to begin candidate interviews in the second week of September, so either BJ or I will contact you to arrange a day and time. During the interview process we will discuss the subcommittee’s remit in detail, the role of the citizen members and address any questions you might have. Once again thank you for your interest. I look forward to meeting with you soon.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

You don’t need to be a gecko to save money on LBK

To: Editor

Do you remember the days when people would answer their own telephone, be able to talk to you, or better yet for me as a former New Yorker being able to walk into a store or business to be helped? So many of those simple and basic amenities are long gone. I recently was watching Sunday Morning and a story about the frustration level we have with call centers and customer service. The profile was on the women who returned to her cable TV station with a hammer and smashed the computer at the desk because of the poor treatment so many of us now find common place. The show reviewed current statistics on the cost of a real person to answer a phone, somewhere in the area of $8 a call compared to 35 cents to use a automated call center or ship that business overseas. A sad and challenging way for customers to have problems handled to say the least. However, I found a flashback to the old way of doing business right in my own back yard on Longboat Key.

As a retired police officer I was very used to walking into places to do business. Those were the days when real communities and neighborhood existed and worked. The owners of stores, the bakery, and shops knew your name, where you lived sometimes, and most importantly your needs and likes. Being on Longboat Key now for over a decade, that walking into a business and positive interaction can be rather elusive, so I am sharing a secret that worked really well last week, just like those old days of good customer service and kind treatment.

I have been having an issue with my condo insurance for the past two years regarding a mistake on my mailing address. After countless failed phone attempts and emails to fix this simple issue I went searching for a new agent. The one I had is out of Osprey, which I don’t really know how to get to and I actually thought was a bird. Nonetheless, having never met this agent and clearly frustrated by the horrible customer service I put on my old detective hat and went Internet shopping. I found a company in downtown Sarasota and called. Shockingly, the agent picked up the phone and I arranged a meeting that day. Getting to the office and trying to park and going to their 8th floor office no less, was relatively easy for the way we all have to live today. I gave the new agent my needs and he said he would call me back the next day. That day came and went and after two weeks of emails I again reminisced over the good ole days, when people kept their word and tried to help. Needless to say that agent did not.

But not all businesses are like that, I walk or bike to my local Bank at the Centre Shop where the manager Arby Crawford knows me by name and always comes out to say hello, and makes you feel like a real and valued person. Actually Arby the manager of First Bank is often seen riding her bike to work; now that is a cool way to relate to the local customer and show a real sense of community and neighborhood! During this common interaction I realized that maybe the good ole days aren’t gone and asked her about an alternative Insurance Company. Low and behold she pulled out a business card from a local agent right here on the Island, what a way to help!

I went right to the location located right on Bay Isles across the street from Town Hall and walked right in. It was just like the old days, the help and welcome could not be better. Sandra the co-owner of Secur-All Insurance Agency along with her partner-husband a former Airline Captain were a flash from the past that could not be more needed. And even their little dog “Chloe” jumps on your lap to say hi, I thought I was in Mayberry with Aunt Bee, it was wonderful!

My new policy was done in hours, the customer service was the best I have seen in years, the follow-up and price could not be better. But that isn’t even the end of this wonderful experience. A day later, Sandra calls me back and tells me the old insurance agent is the same company that insures my entire complex and association and that they have been over-charging me for duplicate flood insurance that the Association Policy already insures me for. She further explains that I am entitled to 6 years of reimbursement under Florida Law. Wow, that was amazing. The down side is I am back on the phone with that old insurance company trying to get back the over-charged payments and you can guess how that is going. I hope to have a positive follow-up in my next report.

So if you are in need of real people who want to help and care, stop in and see Arby at First Bank or Sandra and her husband George they were just terrific! Say hi to the little dog Chloe as well.

Dr. Joseph Ciccone
Longboat Key

Dogs on beach — yes!

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I am a 40-year resident of Longboat Key and I am hoping that dogs will be allowed on the beaches. I can accept time and area restrictions, but I think it’s a shame that Durante Park is currently the only place to enjoy nature on Longboat with my Clumber spaniel.

Thanks and let me know if I can help in anyway to get this passed.

Robert Stone
Longboat Key

To: Robert Stone

Thanks for your e-mail. Please plan on appearing at our workshop in the fall.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Dogs on beach a benefit

To: Town Commission

There has been much written lately concerning allowing dogs on the LBK beaches.

The obvious course should be to make sure that the true risks of allowing dogs on the Longboat Key beaches are not harmful to the health and welfare of its citizens. Also, to understand that there are perceived risks that are actually of little consequence to that same health and welfare.

There are 30 states in the United States that allow dogs on their beaches. There are 33 Dog Beaches in Florida from the Panhandle to the Keys, east coast and west coast. It seems this opportunity has proven to be a benefit to the communities or this would not be the case.

I ask you to consider all concerns, know the valid risks and rewards, and formulate a plan that provides the chance for those who own dogs and those who don’t to enjoy the beaches. Get the statistical facts, not rhetoric, and then decide.

There have been no suggestions to let dogs run on beaches off leash or unsupervised. I support a fact-finding group to address the concerns of our residents and the feasibility of establishing a dog beach on Longboat Key. Let’s all get the true facts, make them available and then make an informed choice.

Jackie Salvino
Longboat Key

Dogs, wildlife don’t mix

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

Dogs and beach wildlife don’t mix. Our beach is the home of ghost crabs, seabirds and turtles. We also have fox and raccoons that occasionally predate the turtle nests. In any case the drama of life and death on the beach is at once beautiful and deadly, but it is most of all natural and balanced as nature finds its own equilibrium.

The introduction of domestic pets can drastically change this balance and introduce an invasive species that does not belong in this natural setting. I am concerned about the effect of dogs on the beach on the loggerhead turtles that typically nest and hatch on Longboat Key beaches between May and October. We don’t want dogs sniffing out eggs (as raccoons do on occasion) or digging up the nests to expose the eggs to predation and the elements. The odds of survival of this endangered species are something like one in 1,500 to 2,500 for a female to reach maturity after 20-30 years and to return to Longboat Key beaches to lay eggs for the next generation. Birds also lay eggs and those sections of beach are cordoned off to protect these bird-nesting areas as much as possible. Dogs may endanger these bird eggs and also threaten the birds that inhabit the beaches.

About a month ago I saw a mother turtle laying her nest at 7 a.m., an unusual occurrence because the mother turtles lay their eggs at night in the darkness. The turtle was distracted by a bevy of seabirds flying overhead that may have sensed the presence of newly lain eggs. Instead of turning back to the Gulf of Mexico the turtle started heading toward Gulf of Mexico Drive. Fortunately, after 45 minutes and climbing over a vegetated sand dune, she turned and headed into the Gulf of Mexico and avoided disaster going the wrong way. This is only to point out that the beach habitat is fraught with sufficient dangers without introducing another source in the form of dogs on the beach.

Dogs have plenty of freedom of movement on this island, which is a bird sanctuary and nature preserve. For this reason I found out I should not let my cats out the door lest they eat birds so they stay inside. I would hardly think that I would ask permission to take my cats out to the beach to run around to play with the seabirds. We also have enough to deal with in terms of picking up garbage and food left out on the beach. Dog excrement may be picked up and dumped in containers near the beach but this may invite raccoons and other creatures and then why should the property owners have to deal with dog doo?

With that image in mind I urge that the commission maintain the current prohibition to disallow dogs on the beach to preserve the integrity of the beach habitat and the protection of wildlife.

Larry Grossman
Longboat Key

To: Larry Grossman

Thanks for your thoughts on this subject. I hope you’ll share them at such time we discuss this subject at a future workshop (probably in the fall).

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

Dogs welcome!

To: Editor

I think it is a wonderful idea to give dogs on the beach a trial run. Someone who has lived here for more than 38 years told me that dogs were never allowed on the beach at Longboat.

However, times have changed in regard to our furry animals. We are more concerned about dog poop and pooper scoopers are definitely in vogue. I don’t believe that would be a problem today. Please, let’s try it. Incidentally I don’t have a dog and never had one (asthma). But I do have several friends that have dogs and they would love the right to use the beach to walk Fido.

Jack Eagleton
Longboat Key

Westchester fire – job well done

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

Within the last hour I heard from Toni Giliberti, manager of the Westchester, about the superb service from the town in connection with the fire the other night. I know police and fire personnel were on the scene as well as others. Please pass on to all of them Toni’s thank you and compliments on a responsive job well done.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Town Commissioner David Brenner

Thanks David.  The folks did a great job, and we were very lucky. Fire was confined to one unit on the first floor but heat buildup in adjoining units melted plastics. Smoke damage was extensive.

We are continuing to stay close to Toni to help wherever we can. She has a real mess on her hands. Fortunately it happened out of season.

If you have a chance I would like to go over there with you. Let me know.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis
Longboat Key

Publix plan

To: Monica Simpson, Town Commission

Being a resident of Longboat Key — and claiming to have some knowledge of the within subject — I have taken it upon myself, albeit unrequested, to review the plans submitted with the pre-application for Bay Isles ODP Amendment and Site Plan Review — with reference to the Towne Shoppes of Longboat Key — the new Publix and CVS.

In overall acknowledgement, the referenced plans do appear as if they were prepared for a client who is prepared to immediately implement the plans. I am of the opinion that the plans should be given prompt review and subsequent approval. In all due deference to the applicant and the skill of its consultants, I would not deign to argue with the layout of the site or the structures proposed. The applicant wants to build a Publix and a CVS — they should look like a Publix and a CVS — and provide their necessary appurtenances.

I have been able to cursorily examine the subject set of plans, and I wish to comment on the components with which I claim some manner of expertise. My comments will relate strictly to the matter of compliance of the proposal with the current zoning ordinances.

Landscaping: I wish to call particular and specific attention to the following in our Zoning Ordinance:

Section 158.128 Off-street parking.

(I) Landscaping. The atmosphere within a parking area is intended to be park like. Towards this objective the following standards shall be observed in the design and construction of parking areas:

(1). At least 15 percent of the total interior parking area shall be suitably landscaped. A portion of the required landscaping for the interior parking area may be relocated to emphasize entrance corridors or special landscaped areas within the general parking area. For purposes of this section, the interior parking area is that area used for the parking and maneuvering of automobiles, including that part of any aisle or drive necessary to enter a parking space.

(2). The landscaping shall include the placement of a mature replacement tree at intervals of approximately each five parking spaces.

(3). Interior portions of the parking area shall be broken up by the provision of landscaped islands. All landscaped islands shall be serviced by an adequate irrigation system

(4). A maximum of 12 parking spaces in a row will be permitted without an island. Each island shall be at a minimum the same size and dimensions as one approved parking space

(5). All trees, landscape islands, and other landscape areas shall be protected from vehicular encroachment

General landscaping: The application calls for a modern and more vibrant shopping center. My concern is for also making the redevelopment “park like,” as our zoning prescribes 158.128(I) The atmosphere within a parking area is intended to be park like. The plan carried in the pages of our local newspapers does a disservice to the readers. Not only is it overly tree-stamped, but it also shows the existing (to be demolished) construction in, probably in order to obviate the specter of the overly large, and less mandated, parking fields. (See attachment: Site Plan.)

(Note: Although zoning requires only 320 parking spaces, 443 are actually proposed. Consideration must be given to somehow mitigating the effect of this future traffic within the Transportation Element of our Comprehensive Plan. Wanting permission to construct 123 extra spaces must be arcane knowledge to the applicant, as to the draw of this up-to-date facility. The town should be made privy, and react to this information.)

Interior landscaping: The zoning ordinance provides in: 158.128(I)(1) At least 15 percent of the total interior parking area shall be suitably landscaped. The applicant shows on Sheet L-02, that it provides a superabundance of interior landscaping. Please note, however, that he takes credit for landscaping exterior of the interior parking area. The interior parking area is limited by the exterior edge of the parking field, not the exterior boundary of the property. Planting along the property lines does not qualify. Using the applicant’s interpretation would allow an almost solid, unbroken, parking field with most of the planting outside of it. That is not the intent of our zoning. Again, we should try to replicate the existing “park like” atmosphere, inasmuch as is possible. The calculations shown need revising, but may be still within code.

With respect to: 158.128(I)(2) and (158.128(I)(3) The designer has completely disregarded these provisions. As for this required landscaping, we now have the benefit of a 30-year-old shopping center site, with matured landscaped islands separating and insulating each parking bay. These islands indeed contain matured trees at intervals no greater than fifty feet (five parking spaces). (See attachment: Existing Publix Parking.) Permitting the construction of only the landscaping currently proposed for this development would have a traumatic effect on the passerby, and especially on the shopper who no longer has the opportunity to even park “in the shade.” These clients would also be exposed to the possibility of drivers shifting lanes in mid-aisle, since no wheel stops seem to be indicated on the drawings. The number of parking spaces proposed should call for 89 “mature replacement trees.” These are “trees,” not “palms.”

In all of the detailed landscaping elements proposed, the designer has opted to show proposed major trees with a width spread of 20 feet. In actuality, the schedule identifies them as Shady Lady Black Olive, two-inch caliper, 12 feet tall and five-foot spread. This disparity follows through with all of the scheduled planting. A plan should be required to indicate how the site would appear at completion of construction — and at 10 years out (which may be beyond the life span of many of our residents). In all candor, a B&B, 2” Cal, 12’X5’ Spr, hardly qualifies as a “mature replacement tree.”

With respect to the “departures” that have been requested, I, too, would have asked for all of them except with respect to that from Zoning Ordinance 158.128(I)(4) Maximum of 12 with respect to numbers of spaces in a row without installing an island. The fact that the proposal requests permission to construct 123 spaces in excess of those required makes the rationale for that request truly incongruous.

Maintaining these zoning requirement would help to minimize the unbroken expanses of bituminous concrete, and would in no way impact the few “existing more mature oak trees” that have been spared destruction. I seem to remember Al Cox (of old) going over proposed sites and tagging existing oaks “to remain.” Would that more could be preserved at this time, but the requisite change in grade makes it all but impossible. I humbly suggest that none of us citizenry want our new Publix to look like Sarasota’s (fairly) new Publix located at the south end of South Osprey at the corner of Bay Road, with small and solitary Crape Myrtles on the minimally provided landscaped beds. (See attachment: Publix @ S. Osprey.)

Grading: Somehow lost in the conversation and hype is the fact that the new structures, and correspondingly most of the site, are proposed to be raised 3.38 feet (three feet, four and a half inches). This has many ramifications. Important among them is the prospect of a massive amount of fill being trucked onto our island, along Gulf of Mexico Drive, and onto the site. For this reason I believe that the existing pavement being demolished should be recycled and used for fill. The devil is in the details, which now state (sheet 3.1), “The existing parking lot shall be stripped & regraded as shown.” Some of it could even be left, with the pavement broken up and just filled over, except in proposed landscaped areas. (See Note #16 below.) I wish to compliment the site engineer for including in his GENERAL NOTES on Sheet 5.1, #13, All sidewalk running slopes shall not exceed 5 percent without use of proper ramps per FDOT or Florida Building Code and #16, Contractor shall remove existing base & sub-base material from proposed landscape area(s) & replace with topsoil as required for proposed landscaping.

Stormwater drainage: Again — the devil is in the details. They state on Sheet 5.1: STORMWATER NOTES, 1. The proposed stormwater system is designed to treat and attenuate ½” (sic) from the new additional impervious area. 2. The existing impervious area is not treated or attenuated I expect that this means that the plan is to “treat and attenuate” only that impervious area (by calculation) which is in excess of the present impervious area (by calculation). A casual inspection of the Sheets 5.1 and 6.1 seems to indicate that the only stormwater runoff that is being “treated and attenuated” is the runoff from the roof drains on the new Publix. The result is that the large parking field and that flow currently entering the subject site from the north, will be allowed to run directly into the existing stormwater drains under Bay Isles Road and thence into and through the drainage system in the Harbourside Red course. This will be untreated and un-attenuated. I offer no opinion on the matter, but I would suggest that run-off standards are much more stringent than those of 30 years ago when the original site was developed — and one-hundred percent of everything in this proposed project is new. Notwithstanding this, I compliment the design professionals in their attention to the treatment and attenuation they have provided in their plan for the roof runoff from the new Publix. They have planned 304 Cultec 280HD Stormwater Chambers in a field covering 10,600 square feet of the parking area. It points out the problem and cost of being required to treat and attenuate all of the stormwater runoff from the total impervious area in the entire site, especially on an island such as ours, with a high water table. (As an aside, it would be beneficial and a matter of future insurance if the town would clearly spell out — and demand — that all applications for approval of Outline Development Plans, include a clear delineation of exactly how the increase in stormwater runoff due to the impervious portions of its site, will be properly treated and attenuated.)

There are a few of the existing walled enclosures for the few major trees that had been preserved in the original construction and are presently proposed to be saved and incorporated into the new design. May I suggest that attention be given with regard to this proposal for raising the grades around them. This will necessitate extending upward the existing walls and providing protection against anyone falling into the depressions. Also required would be structural stiffening to prevent the walls’ collapse.

My one nagging reservation is this. This is not a new site to Publix. The details with respect to design and landscaping of the site are not only visible to the casual observer, but are precisely spelled out in our Zoning Ordinance. In doing a “due diligence “ evaluation of this proposal, its development division must have known what is required. How could the design professionals have ignored all of this and put hundreds of hours into the detailed plans presented in this matter unless they had some arcane knowledge that our community was so desperate for redevelopment and revitalization that developers now have a free hand? I pray that is not the case. If I am mistaken, please accept this as a report from Longboat Key’s would-be incarnation of Hans Brinker, plugging his finger into the leaking dike that is represented by our current zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan. Or, just maybe, nobody else cares any more.

In conclusion, the professionals who prepared these plans have proven to me that they are used to working for actual developers. They have tried, where I have tried in the past, to make the design as cost effective and efficient as is possible. However this should be no reason for this proposal to in any way denigrate the look and character of our island. After all, this is Longboat Key, that beautiful island, the chosen final stop for most of us citizenry in our journey through life.

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

To: Bradford Saivetz

First, I would like to apologize that my schedule has not allowed us to get together to discuss the Publix proposal. However, I believe there will be ample opportunity for you to discuss your concerns with the planners in the future.

Second, thank you for your thoughts. Each of your concerns listed below have already been identified by town planning staff as issues that must be addressed, among many, many others. As you are aware, that is the precise reason for preapplication conferences.

Thank you again for your interest in the project. Please feel free to contact Steve or Ric in the future, if I am not available.

Monica Simpson, director
Planning, Zoning, Building Department
Longboat Key

To: Monica Simpson, Town Commission

Please forgive my tardiness in responding to you. It is a task doing all the things that need doing as one matures.

I have been a casual observer as our town developed around us, but now I am reputed (by my wife, at least) to understand what is going on around us, so I react.

Your letter refers to “pre-application” conferences.  Back in the real world these were usually held before presentation and final-looking documents were produced. It appears to not be the case in this matter.

Point of information. What is the town’s and Publix’s opinion as to the specific zoning and planning conflicts which I detailed?  If I am wrong about these points please show me where.

Why get people needlessly stirred up? It borders on the insane to get all worked up about the planning process, only to finally get it all resolved by our commission playing a massive game of chess with the components as the clock strikes 12.

On another matter, I trust that my comments about the treatment and attenuation of the stormwater hit a responsive chord. What is shown purports to handle that aspect only for the runoff from the Publix roof. I understand (but am not exactly sure) that as for the present impervious surface, only 40 percent can be claimed as not necessary to be handled anew.  The plans seem to be taking credit for it in its entirety.  The question should be addressed. The new Publix and CVS should be built!

Bradford Saivetz
Longboat Key

Publix enthusiasm

To: Editor

I am very much enthused about Publix’s plans for a new store on Longboat. I can adjust to traveling to Manatee and Gulf Drive, if I have to buy food. However, cannot Publix make some accommodation for us “Longboaters” to get their groceries during the construction? I would be surprised if Publix doesn’t expect us to ask for that consideration.

It’s up to you, dear commissioners!

Jack Eagleton
Longboat Key

Alleged theft by Beth Callans Management

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Jack I left you a voicemail message but I also would like to go on record through this e-mail. Currently, I am a board member of The Players Club and I have been put in charge of filing a claim for the money that has been misappropriated by Beth Callans Management. Within the last month, we had sent her approximately $63,000 for the payroll of the employees servicing The Players Club. This money according to Florida Condominium law is not to be co-mingled with any other funds. Therefore if the funds are not available to pay our employees its obvious that they have been misused and a law has been broken.

And in fact, that is what happened last week — none of our employees were paid and the money is gone. Now, based on this morning’s Sarasota paper, it seems that all of the associations she represented have the same issue. This involves hundreds of thousands of dollars and needs a police investigation. However, yesterday when I called the Longboat Key Police Department, they blew me off saying a crime hadn’t been committed. I beg to differ given the Florida statutes.

Would you please call me so we can discuss? It’s evident that we, along with all the other condominium associations that have been fleeced, need your help.

Howard R. Frank Jr.
Robertson Ryan & Associates
Milwaukee, Wis.

To: Howard Frank

I am currently in North Carolina on vacation. I received your e-mail last night and this morning I discussed your e-mail with Bruce St. Denis (town manager). Bruce informed me that he would immediately get in touch with LBK Police Chief Al Hogle to discuss your concerns. This afternoon I talked with Chief Hogle and he indicated that one of his detectives has been in contact with you and felt your questions were being addressed. Having been a condo association president, I realize this is a difficult situation for you and all the residents at The Players Club. I can only hope that this issue resolves itself very quickly and the disruption you experience is minimal. In the meantime, please let me know if you feel there is anything more that I can do for you.

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Jack thanks for the e-mail, and you are correct that one of the officers is now helping us. For your information, Beth Callas Management has stiffed about 40-50 associations. The money we have lost through commingling of funds is more than $63,000. If you add in the other associations I’m sure the amount lost is more than $500,000. So it’s fairly obvious that this is an extremely tense situation and we need all the help we can get from the police department.

I’ll let you know if we need any further help but thank you for making the call to the town manager — anything done at this point helps all of us.

Howard R. Frank Jr.
Robertson Ryan & Associates
Milwaukee, Wis.

Dogs should be allowed on beach

To: Town Commission

My family and I and our dog spend the month of February on Longboat Key every year. It has always been very difficult to find a place to exercise her because dogs are not allowed on the beach. Longboat Key is the only place we travel to that has this prohibition. We would greatly appreciate it if you would change this rule. In Chicago we have designated dog beaches and dog parks. Thank you for your consideration.

Walter & Carole Crowley
Chicago, Ill.

Separate dog beach

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

According to a report in the July 21, 2011, issue of the Longboat Observer, you will be requested to place the problem of possible dog access on Longboat Key beaches on an upcoming workshop agenda in the fall. Vice Mayor Brenner would like to hear from residents who have an opinion on the subject.

The purpose of this letter is to express that opinion. Both my husband and I, who love dogs, feel that it would make no sense to permit them unlimited access to our beaches. This is because there is no practical way, especially after hours, to police and cleanup from these animals. You would also need lighting to monitor the animals after dusk, which likely would conflict with the requirements for turtles. The cleanup of droppings and the cost of monitoring the huge beach area on Longboat Key makes no sense at all! Even charging for licenses to permit dog access could never cover the costs of the manpower necessary to ensure compliance.

One possible idea would be to set aside a small beach area for dogs on Longboat Key remote to where residents generally reside, and charge a licensing fee for the cleanup costs. We have resided on Longboat Key for almost 30 years and love strolling on our beach as the sun sets, observing the sea life near shore. We do not wish to see animals such as dogs or cats sharing our public beach with us even forgetting the mess they cause.

Vivian Ross
Longboat Key

To: Vivian Ross

Thank you for letting us know what you think on this subject, Ms. Ross. I am forwarding your e-mail to the Town Commission. I will also ask my assistant to let you know if/when the subject is placed on a workshop agenda. Please let me know if you have any other questions or comments.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis
Longboat Key

Vision statement for Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

My wife, Judy, and I have been full-time voting residents of Longboat Key since October 2010 but have owned property and vacationed here for more than 20 years. We now live at The Castillian and would like to offer the following thoughts to you as the chairman. Please feel free to share this with other members of the Vision Planning Subcommittee. I understand the next subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Sept. 8.

In drafting a Vision Statement, it is important to embrace the following assumptions and considerations.

Assumptions (in no particular order):

1. Longboat Key is composed of an important mix of residents, clergy, tourists, professional service providers and merchants.

2. Generally, Longboat Key residents and tourists have the financial means and are willing to invest in their properties and pay for goods and services.

3. When it comes to services and amenities, Longboat Key residents and tourists have higher expectations compared to other communities in the Bradenton and Sarasota area.

4. Because of the Florida climate and beaches, Longboat Key is one of the most desirable geographical locations to reside or visit on the west coast of Florida.

5. The seasonal population of Longboat Key fluctuates dramatically during the year,

6. The bridges on both ends of Longboat Key provide important waterway access to the Gulf of Mexico and will not be altered in the foreseeable future.

Considerations (in no particular order):

1. Longboat Key must have highly qualified town administrators in the departments of Finance, Fire Rescue, IT, Planning Zoning and Building, Police, Public Utilities, Tennis Center, Town Clerk and Town Manager’s Office to provide services at the levels expected.

2. Longboat Key requires more financial resources than other communities to meet current and future expectations. It is difficult to accurately project an annual amount because the resources are a combination of property owners’ and business owners’ tax revenues, use fees, grants and millage rates necessary to fund the operating budget.

3. Longboat Key must work with economic developers, service providers and merchants to provide a residential, tourist and commercial economy that will increase property values and provide an array of services appropriate to an emphasis on critical resident and tourist service needs such as; grocery, pharmaceutical, auto, religious, restaurants, banking, insurance, primary health care, hardware, recreational, police and fire/paramedic.

4. Longboat Key must maintain a balance of single homes, multi-family units and mixed-use buildings.

5. Longboat Key governance should be fiscally responsible and must operate within annual balanced operating and capital budgets requiring documented/approved millage and capital project amount increases at minimum levels.

6. The Longboat Key vision statement must include an expressed statement of what Longboat Key should be and will do in the future that will be in the best interest of all concerned.

Vision Statement: Longboat Key should continue to develop plans/agreements/relationships/projects that will stimulate land development/re-development and encourage service providers to do business on the island that will enhance the property values and achieve a desirable balance of affordable services for residents and tourists with a goal to improve the economy of the island in a manner that satisfies all concerned.

Goals: must include a statement of specific action, start/completion dates and estimated resources required. We know some of these goals are underway or well along in the planning stages but would suggest that a goal statement should be written for each.

Immediate, one to two years:

1. Publix Town Shoppes of Longboat Key

2. Primary health care center

3. Pension plans shortfalls

4. Cell tower for improved phone communications

5. Support and become a more visible part of tourist attractions; e.g. Sarasota Tennis Open, Lido Key Boat Races and Longboat Key Triathlon and Dualthon

Short-term, three to five years:

1. Whitney Beach re-development

2. Longboat Key Club development

3. Colony replacement

4. Pension plans shortfalls

5. Bayfront Recreational Center

Long-term, six to 15 years:

1. Beach renourishment plan

2. Continued proactive maintenance and replacement for Longboat Key public facilities and infrastructure

We hope these thoughts are helpful.

Lee Riley
Longboat Key

City receives solar panels at no cost

To: Town Commission

My name is David with Earth Friendly Technology, and we are currently working a program that allows us to install PV Solar power systems for No Cost to non-profit organizations in Florida. We have already signed up several city governments (Bartow, Ocala, Ft. Myers) and are working with Lee and Palm Beach counties right now. There is an information packet available via e-mail to anyone that is interested. We also have weekly conference calls to go over the program and answer any questions. The next calls are July 5 at 6:30 p.m. and July 7 at 10:30 a.m. If you would like to receive this packet and attend the conference call, please e-mail the request to eftkvar@comcast.net. Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone that may be able to benefit from this great program. Help us make Florida a Greener place to live.

The grants that allow us to offer this program run out Nov. 1 so contracts must be signed by Oct. 14, 2011, to take advantage of this program.

Solar to be installed at:

City of Bartow: $760,500 (seven systems under contract, board approved, ready to install)

City of Ocala: $760,000 (eight systems under contract waiting for board approval to install)

City of Ft. Myers: $1.5 million to $2.5 million (20 to 30 systems) surveying at present

David Soltez
Earth Friendly Technology LLC

To: Town Manager Bruce St. Denis

Please see the attached. I would ask your advise on this, as the commission may have already explored the concept of solar power as it relates to the town. If we have not seriously looked into the concept of solar power I would think it could be considered as a “workshop” topic. Your thoughts?

Commissioner Jack Duncan
Longboat Key

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Thanks Commissioner, Juan and James are already on this. We will report to the Town Commission as soon as we have completed our evaluation.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis
Longboat Key

Dogs on beach hard to monitor

To: Vice Mayor David Brenner

I am writing to you on the issue of allowing dogs legal time on the beach. I live on the beach along Gulf of Mexico Drive. I am also a multiple dog owner who cares about my pets’ health and happiness.

As much as I would love to walk my beloved pets on the beach, my observation of dogs on the beach in my area is appalling to me and its why I’m writing to you to consider this issue closely. Unfortunately, the animals I’ve observed in my area are never leashed in any way and are allowed to run crazy: chasing birds, tripping up joggers, digging up the dunes and most of all defecating where ever they want. In the three years I have been here and out of the many dogs I have seen on the beach with their owners during the day and night — residents and rental visitors alike — I have never once seen owners clean up after them. We would all like to believe that dog owners would be responsible with their dogs. I wish I could enjoy the beach with my dogs too, but in my experience dog owners have been illegally taking their dogs to the beach, and furthermore, letting the dogs behave poorly and not cleaning up after them.

I also have not experienced any consistent way the beach is monitored day or not. Only once have I seen a police officer notice or stop someone with a dog. Very rarely are there beach patrols of any sort in our area. How would that change if there were a law based on evening hours?

I know there are other beaches in Florida that have resident-only tags, which you can purchase for your dog. Because the “tax” is hefty, it ensures that only committed pet owners would pursue these options. Maybe this would be a small way to limit the toll on our beautiful beaches. I love my two dogs but for the better good of our beaches and the wildlife we value, I would urge us not to start something that would be hard to monitor and possibly jeopardize what we love about Longboat Key and its beaches. Thank you for your time.

Wayne Rollins
Longboat Key

To: Wayne Rollins

Thanks for your e-mail. We need this kind of input before we consider any change. Once we schedule this subject for a workshop I hope you will attend to express your observations.

Vice Mayor Dave Brenner
Longboat Key

To: Mr. Brenner

I will do anything I can to help. Have a great day.

Wayne Rollins
Longboat Key

Klauber appeal

To: Mayor Jim Brown and Town Commission

As some of you may be aware, the Colony Partnership [Dr. Murray Klauber] appealed some of the Bankruptcy Court’s rulings with respect to the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort. In particular, the partnership appealed the finding that the association was not liable for failure to pay for maintenance and operation of the common elements and the ruling that the recreational lease, governing the tennis courts, pool and clubhouse, was dissolved.

In what appears to me to be a complete reversal of the position taken by the Bankruptcy Court, the Federal District Court, acting as an appellate court in this instance, has reversed the Bankruptcy Court’s prior rulings. The District Court finds that the partnership agreement clearly called for the association to pay for maintenance and operation of the common elements, including repairs, of the Colony facility. The failure of the association to pay may result in damages to the partnership. It finds that the recreation lease is not unconscionable and therefore is not dissolved. And the District Court reverses all orders of the Bankruptcy Court inconsistent with the District Court’s orders. (Whether this extends to the dissolution of the partnership agreement is not clear, but it appears that it might be within the ambit of being inconsistent with the District Court’s orders.)

The District Court recognizes the convoluted and difficult nature of providing remedies to this situation. The Order requires each party to provide its suggested remedies based upon the District Court’s orders by Aug. 5, provides for a hearing on Aug. 11 concerning these remedies and instructs that court-ordered mediation may be required.

This is a dramatic turn of events. I don’t know if further appeals will be considered. I remain hopeful that the parties at the Colony are able to reach a practical solution to the degree necessary to reestablish the Colony as a first-class resort worthy of its history. That is the goal of the town that you have made clear during these difficult times. Fortunately the extension that you granted to the Colony regarding its non-conforming density was joined by all parties, thus preventing town involvement on that issue if this most recent decision stands.

I have attached the District Court’s orders and will attempt to keep you informed of further developments. If you have any questions, please call me.

Town Attorney David Persson
Longboat Key

Town attorney billing

To: Commissioner Jack Duncan

Please look at attached copy of a recent bill submitted to the town for services rendered by Ms. Martinson and Mr. Persson. Please note that Ms. Martinson is charging the same hourly rate as Mr. Persson. I am wondering if this is usual and customary billing practice for both the primary attorney and the assistant attorney to be compensated at the same rate? The above invoice was picked randomly and reflects the general subject matter for billing