Longboat Key News and Sarasota City News encourages Letters to the Editor on timely issues. Please email to: letters@lbknews.com or mail to PO Box 8001, Longboat Key, FL 34228. We also print letters sent to Town Hall that address Longboat Key issues. We reserve the right to edit.
Underground project
To: Longboat Key Town Commission
The Underground project remains on schedule to complete conversions within the month of October. No unforeseen circumstances have arisen nor storms developed that would impact the schedule at this point. FPL is meeting their commitment of streamlined, dedicated switch order processing, and Wilco is delivering on progression of work. Below is a more detailed summary of activity from June 5, 2024 through July 15, 2024:
Phase 2 (North End – Dream Island Road to Longboat Pass Bridge)
All of Phase 2 is operating on the underground system. Seven (7) large concrete poles remain along GMD and ten (10) smaller wooden service poles remain on Dream Island Road. The seven (7) large GMD poles are planned to be removed within the next week. The poles along Dream Island Road transition between project Phases 2 and 4 and will be removed as soon as Comcast cable is down.
Phase 3 (Country Club Shores to County line):
Work completed between 6/5/24 – 7/15/24
Transformers: 70 of 70 energized 100% complete
Service Conversions: 63 remaining to convert, 220 of 283 complete, 78% complete
Switching Orders: 91 of 95 orders complete 96%
27 completed last month:
Loop Orders 24
Renumbering Orders 1
Numbering Orders 1
Reclosure Controls (Safety Shut Off Devices) 1
The only remaining orders are to finish the tie points between phases 1 and 4.
Phase 4 (County line to Dream Island Road)
Work completed between 6/5/24 – 7/15/24
Feeder: 100% energized
Feeder Switch Cabinets: 17 of 17 energized 100% complete
Transformers: 47 of 76 energized 62% complete.
Service Conversions: 0 of 252 0% complete. Transformer energizing to be completed first.
Switching Orders: 20 completed of an estimated 115 orders 17%:
Feeder Orders 2
Loop Orders 9
Renumbering Orders 5
TX Changeout Orders 1
Reclosure Controls (Safety Shut Off Devices) 3
Our next update will be mid-August barring any circumstances that would necessitate an earlier update.
Isaac Brownman
Director Public Works
Town of Longboat Key
Underground project
To: Longboat Key Public Works Director Isaac Brownman
Thanks for this great update, Isaac! Wonderful progress.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Underground project
To: Longboat Key Public Works and Town Manager Howard Tipton
Congratulations on what should be the final page in this remarkable project to totally re-imagine our Longboat Key Comprehensive Plan. Well planned and well executed, this was an enormous effort and a great service to the Town.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
DEO Response Letter
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
Thank you Mayor. In addition to the outstanding work of Allen and his staff in keeping us track, credit here belongs to Chair David Green for his perseverance and leadership in getting us through this massive project. I do not have his personal email or I would forward the letter to him. If it hasn’t already been done, I hope that someone will do so.
David Lapovsky
Longboat Key
Longboat OnDemand Slides
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
It was great talking with you today. Please see the attached slides of the data I shared. Let me know if you have any questions.
Jane H. Grogg
Director
Sarasota County Breeze Transit
Breeze OnDemand
To: Longboat Key Commission
Good morning. Received an update from Sarasota County yesterday on the on-demand transit they’ve been providing since late January. Overall, the Director was pleased with the progress and looking forward to additional promotion in the fall and as we move into next season. The Town will continue to coordinate promotional information about the on-demand system through our channels as well.
Howard N. Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Breeze OnDemand
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
Thank you for sharing the Breeze OnDemand report. This is a great start. I expect these numbers will continue to rise as more people discover how easy, economical and efficient it is to use the service.
Penny Gold
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat faces $27 million debt vs. County Library
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
How about using Sarasota County money and Manatee County to help with these important major infrastructure projects instead of building an unnecessary County Library on Longboat, for example.
Necessities before amenities.
Also, how about looking into getting a relative minuscule contribution from the already approved $1.5 trillion in Infra- structure Federal funding?
Longboat Key taxpayers send these Counties and Federal Government a fortune every year. Let’s get some of our tax money back to pay for our important Infrastructure needs and not take on debt and raise Longboat Key taxes.
Bob Gault
Longboat Key
Longboat faces $27 million debt vs. County Library
To: Bob Gault
Thanks for your timely note regarding our upcoming capital expenses and their potential effect on our Town taxes. A few thoughts as we complete the budget process: 1. As far as Longboat Key taxes go, we reduced our millage rate last year and held it steady this year, despite an increase in operating expenses, especially for labor. We continue to have the lowest millage rate of any community in the region. 2. As for the subaqueous pipe and asbestos pipe replacement projects, we have been aware of them and have planned for their financing for years. The Town’s share of these costs is borne by the Town’s water and wastewater enterprise fund, which is financed through water rates and, when necessary, through tax exempt loans and/or bonds that are also paid for through water rates. Detailed plans have been implemented to ensure that all necessary funding is in place from this source for these projects. 3. One of our few new hires last year was a highly experienced individual to help the Town apply for and manage all available grants from all available sources, governmental and otherwise. Benefits of this hire have already been realized, for the water projects and others. 4. Much as we might like, we have no control over the amount of tax we on Longboat pay to Sarasota and Manatee Counties or how they allocate those funds. Over the past few years, we have taken extra measures to broaden and strengthen our relationships with both counties, in part to ensure we can receive as much of our fair share of county resources (our taxes) as possible. These efforts have also borne fruit and should continue to do so.
As to all matters within our control, the Longboat Key Commission and staff run a very tight ship. Transparency is also very important to us, so we respect comments from our neighbors on the process.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Suncoast Waterkeeper Sampling Results for the 7.8.24
Sarasota, Florida, July 16, 2024 –
On July 2nd, the enterococci survey was carried out during an incoming tide. The data for this survey was collected in the intertidal zone, where salinity levels ranged between 30 and 40 parts per thousand (ppt), and moderate signs of decaying plant matter were observed. In general, the results indicated less than favorable enterococci levels. Results for sites sampled in Sarasota are as follows:
Town of Longboat Key Boat Ramp (Undetected #/mL)
Bridge Street Pier (359 #mL)
Palma Sola Causeway North (256 #mL)
Robinson Preserve N (62 #/mL)
Emerson Point (323 #/mL)
Please note that any count exceeding 71 is a failure, indicating a potential health concern.
We are dedicated to bringing these critical issues to your attention. Enclosed are the official reports for this week’s sampling activities, courtesy of Benchmark Enviroanalytical. Additionally, we have provided a link to our website, where you can access more information about our ongoing water quality sampling program.. Please direct all questions, suggestions for additional analysis, and feedback to Abbey Tyrna at Executivedirector@suncoastwaterkeeper.org.
Abbey Tyrna
Executive Director
Suncoast Waterkeeper
Building codes enforced
To: Longboat Key Commission
This is a reply to an email below, sent by an individual to over 80 persons in Country Club Shores, it is completely inaccurate, seriously misinformative and prejudicial. The response below hopes to set the record straight.
Bobby Halliday
Longboat Key
Building codes enforced
To: Lynn Larson
This morning I received this email via a neighbour
“”……. I would like to urge each of you to write, call or email the Planning, Zoning and Planning director Allen Parsons (941 316-1999 x2510) and the town commission requesting that building codes be enforced. There is a seawall on Ranger Lane in Unit 4 that has failed inspection and severely violates town code. It not only juts into the canal approximately 27.5 inches, more than double the permit standard of 12 inches, but also encroaches on the neighboring property. Construction reportedly continued even after the seawall failed inspection. It appears the homeowner has hired a consultant and lawyer to force the town to let it stand. A similar non-conforming seawall was recently built on the same canal in spite of complaints and has been allowed to stand. These encroachments narrow the width of our canals and are out of compliance. Let’s speak up in defense of our community and in time to protect our canal widths.
Thank you. Lynn Cook…”
Six of them to be honest (who are aware of the correct position here) and your comments noted therein on said email are incorrect and lack truth.
To all copied in on this email. (I am sorry to be so blunt as its not in my nature – but I really have to set the record straight and not leave your comments to conjecture).
These are the facts outlined in a letter to the HOA, sent 14th May.
Building codes enforced
To: Longboat Key Commission
As you know we live in Scotland and are UK residents.
I cannot apologise enough for this situation. Since I received the email regarding the stop notice, my wife and I have hardly slept. We have booked flights for this Friday 17th to fly over. we do not know if things will be resolved by then, but we will be happy to meet with any party to help resolve. During the two instances (small remodel and new seawall) we have attempted to improve our property, we took advice from the architect and contractors as to providing information to the plans review committee. In this latter project the contractor intimated that during the permit application procedure they did just that.
The permits were applied for months ago and the project, supposed to commence last year was delayed by the contractor due to their workload. This did assist us in that we were able to save more money towards a replacement deck surface (material still to be decided).
I have been consistently told that the work carried out so far does comply with the approved plans – the integral note on the plans is stated as 12” from the existing pin piles to the external face of the new plastic piles. Taken vertically up the plans show a size of 36” of a concrete cap – the landward face of this is flush with the landward face of the existing seawall. No inspection was made prior to commencement of work to establish the locations of the existing pin piles, although the contractor has photographs of these locations prior to the concrete pour. Longboat Key planning and permitting have a letter from the engineer to explain why these pin piles could not be removed and all was approved and permitted months ago. These are the important facts, to reiterate, the original set of plans were stamped approved and permitted. When work commenced, it was noted by the engineers that the pin piles could not be removed. If they were, the seawall would slip into the canal causing immense damage and contamination. New plans were prepared to leave the pin piles in place, thus installing the new wall a further 12 inches out. These new plans were stamped and approved by the town. Plans were advertised in the newspaper. These plans were also explained to both neighbours. The westward neighbour repeatedly asked and requested that the new seawall butted against his existing wall as he felt that, when it was replaced by the previous owner – it was not installed by the neighbour (I have photos of this) it was installed short of his legal boundary. I confirmed with him and the contractor this would be done. Over years this section has been a point of subsidence from water runoff from this garden, hence the request for this connection. This part of the new wall was not installed without his approval You state the canal width has been reduced considerably and yet all boat lifts and personal docks of varying sizes protrude extensively into the canal. Our boat lift and dock do not change.
Since this debacle started, my wife and I toured all the canals in CCS and there are many which exceed this 12”, we can supply photographs of these along with a copy of the stamped approved plans showing the second extension of 12” into the canal.
If workers are continuing to work here I can assure you that this is not at my request. I have no control over work stages or timings. We left the house on January 8th, the contractors started immediately they had a gap in their schedule. All neighbours, east, west, south ( the infamous lift tower house) sent” hooray “ photos of the barge arriving and were happy to see work commence as we had waited so long to start. Work did not continue in the face of the stop notice, all contractors have to make their works safe. It took the next day to carry out these preparations.
I have explained we are not wealthy people. I have just reached semi retiral and have long intimated to street acquaintances of our intention to spend more time at our vacation home. As you note Mrs. Larson, we have been in the area a long time (there hasn’t been a single year where we have not had some sort of noisy and dusty construction work around us) and we are now looking forward to future times. If the wall has to be removed we will not be able to afford this, similar with any possible court action.
We look forward tentatively to your reply and hopefully a way forward in this debacle.
The above email was sent to all members of the HOA a few weeks ago. they have a record of this and the facts. I asked for help as long standing home owner -to which I received this reply from a Mr. Jack Brill….”you have made you bed and now you can sleep in it”……really ..? is this response I get when we have done nothing wrong.
Bobby Halliday
Longboat Key
Strategic Planning Workshop
To: Longboat Key Commission
Please find attached the materials in preparation for our Strategic Planning Workshop on Thursday. We will meet at 8am at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing (7051 Wireless Ct., Sarasota, FL 34240). There has been an immense amount of preparation leading up to this workshop. I really appreciate the Task Force’s engagement since December and everyone who participated in other ways.
Attached are a few documents, which I will outline below. First, is a letter from Brett Henson, who has taken an exciting position in Tampa and has resigned from our Board of Directors. We have a lot of gratitude for Brett and his years of service to the EDC. We wish him the very best on this next chapter of his life.
1. Letter from Brett
2. Workshop agenda
3. Strategic Planning Task Force report: Strategic Planning Framework
4. Draft Strategic Plan Pillars and Objectives
5. Two Strategic Plan examples that the Task Force identified – Pasco County EDC and Tampa Bay EDC
If you have any questions or comments leading up to the workshop, feel free to reach out to me. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday for an engaging meeting.
Erin Silk, CEcD
President & CEO
Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County
Report
To: Longboat Key Commission, Sarasota City Commission
A Focus on Presenting Florida’s Cultural Coast
Here at Visit Sarasota County (VSC), we hear time and again from visitors and residents alike that a hallmark of Sarasota County’s charm is its thriving arts and culture scene. So much so that back in 1996 we started using a phrase to help reflect the great abundance of our arts community. In 2000, we registered that saying as our trademark – Florida’s Cultural Coast – to ensure this identity is promoted and celebrated all year long.
The show doesn’t start or stop at that catchy three-word phrase, however. Each year, we leverage tourist development tax funding granted to us by the Board of County Commissioners to position Sarasota County as the place to travel for museums, galleries, performing arts venues and so many more cultural treasures. This is an effort we take great care to strengthen and steward, continuously learning and innovating to enrich our destination for the benefit of all who cherish it.
A few years ago, we heard from many leaders in the community that other destinations around Florida were heavily promoting their areas as havens for arts and cultural enthusiasts. These communities with bigger marketing budgets were outspending us with their messaging. We at VSC had been successfully targeting this same market but had been doing so via lower funnel strategies, mostly in the digital space. We heard the outcry for our community to be reaching out to this market with higher funnel strategies, like full page print ads, billboards and other brand building awareness strategies.
With this in mind, VSC asked the Board of County Commissioners for $350,000 in special funding from the tourist development tax to do a higher funnel advertising campaign focusing on Florida’s Cultural Coast messaging and targeting. This investment was in addition to our annual plans and set the stage for new opportunities to spotlight our arts and culture amenities not only in the Sunshine State but also globally.
This journey began, as all good ones do, with listening. In partnership with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, we brought more than 30 creative minds together representing an array of local organizations for a series of forums. These conversations were essential in gathering the feedback necessary to craft our strategic approach – and significantly, they gave our partners a say in how Florida’s Cultural Coast comes to life across media and geographies.
With a plan in place, VSC got to work – especially in building relationships across the pond. In late 2023, we hosted a group of writers and journalists from the United Kingdom and gave them a front-row seat to a handful of our world-class institutions. Then, just last month, our very own Sarasota Ballet rekindled those connections during a performance at The Royal Opera House in London. There, we held an activation with over 25 tour operators and media, giving our partners – like Brian Hersh, CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance, and Jason Ettore, General Manager of the Sarasota Ballet – a chance to share why Sarasota County is such a special place to visit.
This is a story we’ve also been putting front and center to prospective visitors right here in Florida, too, with eye-catching digital billboards and content placements in other arts-centric communities like Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Through streaming platforms, playbills and beyond, we’re gaining such momentum in attracting visitors who are educated, enthusiastic and eager to experience our local culture.
In the next year, we hope to unlock even more possibilities and replicate our successes outside of Florida. We realize tourism is only Act One, and then, if a visitor falls in love with our destination as so many before them have, relocation becomes Act Two. In other words, our identity as Florida’s Cultural Coast® fosters lifelong residents and even philanthropists, whose generosity powers so many of our community’s artistic pursuits.
All of us at VSC truly take a bow to these groups who continue to enrich our lives and the experiences of travelers year-round. We give our thanks to those artistic leaders who aided in bringing this programming to life with brilliant ideas and the Board of County Commissioners without whom we would not have had the funding to achieve those dreams. If all the world’s a stage, our arts and culture organizations deserve a standing ovation. We hope you’ll join the applause.
Erin Duggan
Director
Visit Sarasota County
Smart City Update – Implementation of Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technology
To: Sarasota City Public Works Director Douglas Jeffcoat
As part of our ongoing Smart City initiative, the City of Sarasota has successfully implemented CAV technology at 16 key intersections during June 2024. This development underscores our commitment to enhancing traffic management, improving road safety, and creating a more efficient transportation network for our community.
The CAV technology includes the integration of Roadside Units (RSUs) and Onboard Units (OBUs) to facilitate real-time communication between vehicles and traffic infrastructure. This advanced system will collect and analyze critical data, including vehicle and Vulnerable Road User (VRU) counts, turning movements, and vehicle classifications. The primary benefits of this implementation include optimized traffic signal operations, reduced congestion, and enhanced road safety.
Key benefits of the project include:
Enhanced Traffic Management: Real-time data collection and analysis will optimize signal timing and operations, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow.
Improved Safety: The system will detect and provide insights into safety issues such as illegal crossings, pedestrian signal violations, wrong-way drivers, red light runners, and near-miss incidents. This proactive approach will help prevent accidents and ensure the safety of all road users.
Multimodal Integration: The technology supports various modes of transportation, including vehicles, bikes, scooters, and pedestrians, promoting a more integrated and efficient transportation network.
Advanced Applications: Features such as pedestrian and bike smartphone safety apps, real-time AI processing of camera feeds to predict pedestrian and VRU intents, and connected vehicle alerts will further enhance the functionality and safety of our intersections.
Please review the presentation for a comprehensive overview of how this technology functions and its benefits. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or need more details.
Nik Patel
City Engineer
City of Sarasota
Smart City Update – Implementation of Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technology
To: Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown
As a follow -up to Commissioner Arroyo’s request for an update on the Intersection improvements.
Doug Jeffcoat
Public Works Director
City of Sarasota
Smart City Update – Implementation of Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technology
To: Sarasota City Public Works Director Douglas Jeffcoat
Thanks for the follow up Douglas on Commissioner Arroyo’s request.
Marlon Brown
City Manager
City of Sarasota
Smart City Update – Implementation of Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technology
To: Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown
This is amazing work, thank you for all of the hard work in preparing for this and for driving this initiative. Our community needs to know about all of these measures being taken.
Erik Arroyo
City Commissioner
City of Sarasota
