Glare from illegal sign
To: Debra Williams
This picture shows how bad this can be…quite blinding.
Anything the Town can do will be appreciated by us and our neighbors.
John Bradbury
Longboat Key
Glare from illegal sign
To: John Bradbury
Here is a photo of the glare from the St Regis sign on the groin. It is illegal, on town property, and the glare is also damaging to eyesight and potentially to fish and birds. A similar chromium fixture in Las Vegas singed hair and melted plastic when the sun hit and the glare ricocheted onto a pool area.
The St Regis put up a sign that was never approved and was grossly out of scale on property that is not theirs. Other businesses on LBK go through hoops to get legal signs properly approved. This is a large and heavy construction that may possibly weaken some aspect of the groin and which may or may not have elements flying in a hurricane. It’s illegal and the Town should demand its removal.
Frances Fergusson
Longboat Key
Remembering Maggie
To: Suzy Brenner
On what would have been her 89th birthday, please join my brother Eric, sister Lisa and me in remembering our mother, Madeleine (Maggie to her friends) Brenner.
We will host a very informal gathering at Longboat Key’s Bayfront Park (behind Ace Hardware) in the outdoor pavilion -weather permitting- on Sarasota Bay.
Share stories, view photos, enjoy appetizers and beverages to toast a life well lived. We hope to see you there.
Suzy Brenner
Longboat Key
Question
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
I noticed an email in the boss’s inbox from you about the Manatee Delegation meeting. I still have not received the League’s form for our meeting. I did get Longboat’s though. Need me to resend?
Andrew Parker
Legislative Aide to Representative Fiona McFarland
Tallahassee
Text received
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
I just read about the Commission voting unanimous to retain the name Gulf Of Mexico Drive. I’m thrilled you all did so! Thank you very much.
Jann Logsdon
Longboat Key
Sarasota County meeting
To: Amanda Romant
Who Is coordinating the meeting with our elected officials in Sarasota County? We have a new executive director at the League and she was excluded from the Manatee County meeting to provide the Manasota League of Cities priorities to the Manatee County meeting Monday.
Also, can I get some time with Fiona before session begins to update her on the League’s priorities as well as the Florida League of Cities priorities? I will be gone from November 20-November 30 for Thanksgiving with family.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Sarasota County meeting
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
Thank you for the invitation. I will share this with Senator Boyd as soon as possible.
Amanda E. Romant
Senior Legislative Assistant to Senator Jim Boyd, District 20
Bradenton
Veteran’s Day & Celebration of Town Founding
To: Office of Senator Boyd
Longboat Key will be hosting a celebration of our Veteran’s and the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the Town of Longboat Key (actual date of founding is 11/14) on Saturday November 8 at 4 p.m. at Town Center Green (our new stage and lawn) on Bay Isles Road. We are excited to be hosting this special event with Retired Coast Guard Admiral Steve Branham speaking.
I hope you can all join us. Call me if you have any questions.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Commission Meeting Audio Issues Update
To: Longboat Key Commission
I wanted to provide an update regarding the audio issues during yesterday’s Commission Meeting. As you may have noticed, there was some crackling on the live streaming feed. We performed some troubleshooting during the meeting but decided not to interrupt the broadcast since the audio remained somewhat audible, though with some background noise. I felt it was in the best interest to keep the video feed going and splice the audio after.
We worked with our audio provider this afternoon and, after methodically testing each device, we identified a faulty wireless receiver as the source of the static. The power supply has been replaced, and multiple tests have confirmed that the issue has been resolved.
Immediately after the meeting, I was able to take the audio Trish captured and overlay it onto the video feed. The updated version has been uploaded to Facebook last night around 6 p.m., replacing the original stream with the corrected audio.
We also identified issues with Amazon Web Services that may have affected the live feed on our website. Once that service is fully restored, we’ll update the video there as well.
If you receive any inquiries from residents, please direct them to our Facebook page or the Town website where I have the direct link.
The current link with the corrected audio is https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bk2riMgsz/.
Once everything is completely restored, we will revert back to the previous revision.
We apologize again for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly with any questions.
Jason Keen
Chief Information Officer
Town of Longboat Key
Your speech today
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Steve Branham
I strongly agree with Mr. Ullmann’s remarks regarding your stance at yesterday’s workshop. You are a great reminder of how Democracy should work. Thank you for your military service and thank you for your competent service to our community.
Ann Roth
Longboat Key
Thank you
To: Don Ullmann
Don, I appreciate your thoughts. It’s an honor to serve our Town. Thanks for being there today. Engaged residents such as you assist and ensure good governance.
Our veterans deserve lasting recognition. For now, veterans will be honored during a great combined event on Nov 8. As a Town, we will celebrate the Town’s 75th birthday and Veterans Day that afternoon at the Town Center Green. I believe you would enjoy it.
Steve Branham
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Thank you
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Steve Branham
I just wanted to thank you—both for your impressive military service, and for your continued service to your community. Your thoughtful and level-headed response to all of the comments and submissions regarding the GMD naming issue were exemplary, in my opinion, and would serve very well as an example and a reminder to many of those in higher office that they were elected to serve their constituents, not the other way around.
I can certainly respect your feelings that “Gulf of America” or something like “Veterans’ Drive” might be a more fitting name and a way to pay a deserving tribute to our vets. But I respect even more the fact that, despite holding this point of view, you opted to support the different opinion of the majority. I do hope that our community may honor our veterans in other ways.
Don Ullmann
Longboat Key
Gulf of Mexico Renaming
To: Longboat Key Commission
We are sure that you are being inundated with tons of email and for that we are sorry. We know that there is a concerted effort to rename the road and we know that the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the grease.
My wife and I have owned a condo on Longboat Key since 2017. While we have not always occupied it full time, we currently use it to get away to on the weekends (we also own a home in East Sarasota) and for family and friends. Regardless, we are property owners.
We have discussed the renaming issue and both believe that it should be renamed Gulf of America Drive. We know that it will be a source of controversy and that is sad. We are of the opinion that no matter who had the name of the Gulf changed it would cause controversy.
We also believe that the USA has the largest impact, for better, or worse on the Gulf. If you compare the populations of the Mexican vs US states that border the Gulf, the US has more than three times the population bordering the Gulf. If Mexico still owned Texas we believe it would be a different story. However, since 1845 Texas has been part of the USA. Perhaps this change should have happened sooner.
Don Warth
Longboat Key
Request for Transparent, Inclusive Public Engagement
on Major Decisions
To: Longboat Key Town Commission
Thank you for serving the town of Longboat Key, and for providing a forum for discussion today. I am writing to express concern about the recent process surrounding the proposed name change of Gulf of Mexico Drive.
While the decision to retain the name was ultimately made, it was based on an informal sample of approximately just 450 letters — 100 in favor and 350 opposed — in a town with approximately 5,000 full-time and 30,000 part-time residents. That is not a representative reflection of the broader community.
More importantly, the timing and lack of public awareness about the issue significantly limited engagement. This primary conversation regarding this issue took place during the summer months — a time when many seasonal residents are away and unable to participate. The road signs were taken down in August of 2025, when the lowest number of residents are present. Furthermore, there was no formal survey, no direct outreach to all residents, and limited public visibility around the issue. There was no national coverage on this issue, and out of sight means out of mind.
When I raised concerns about timing, one council member stated she was busy and felt offended by the suggestion to wait and hold such serious matters during season. While I respect her dedication and year-round service, I want to be clear: this isn’t about any individual. It’s about ensuring the process is fair and that decisions reflect the voices of as many residents as possible. As public servants, the responsibility lies in serving the community’s collective interest — not in personalizing constructive feedback.
A more transparent and inclusive process — one that includes formal surveys, wide outreach, and seasonal timing that allows more participation — is essential for decisions of this scale. A small, unpublicized sample during the off-season simply does not fulfill that standard.
I appreciate your attention to this matter and encourage you to consider procedural improvements that better serve the entire Longboat Key community.
Laura Pastuszek
Longboat Key
Email contact from Town of Longboat Key
To: Longboat Key Commission
If I remember correctly, Sarah, you expressed an interest some time ago in attending a meeting of the Town’s Plng & Zoning Board. We are now back to meeting, and have one scheduled for tomorrow at 9:15, Town Hall, with an interesting agenda….perhaps more interesting than a name change which I watched on the web but could not hear. I would fully understand if you are meetinged out for now!
Jay Plager
Longboat Key
Gulf of Mexico Drive
To: Janet Sanzo
Thank you for taking the time to write to the Town Commission concerning the possible renaming of Gulf of Mexico Dr. At the meeting today, the Commission reached consensus not to take any action on the proposal at this time. I look forward to seeing you back on Longboat Key this fall.
Penny Gold
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Gulf of Mexico Dr.
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
It was my intention to join the meeting today, but I have a doctors appointment that I cannot reschedule. I want to weigh in and say that I oppose changing the name of Gulf of Mexico Dr.
Rusty Chinnis
Chairman
Suncoast Waterkeeper
LBK story
To: WWSB Reporter Savannah Younger
You did not accurately cover the GMD story today. The only speakers you ran were both in support of changing the name of the street and were in the distinct minority. Many other speakers did not talk about “hating America” and asked the Commission not to burden them with costs associated with a name change. I did not see you in the meeting.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner, Town of Longboat Key
St. Regis Groin Sign Code Amendment
To: Longboat Key Vice Mayor Debra Williams
You’re welcome. Please let me know if you have any questions. Of course, there will be a hearing in which we’ll give you all the details.
Brenda L. Patten, Esquire
Berlin | Patten |Ebling, PLLC
Sarasota
St. Regis Groin Sign Code Amendment
To: Brenda Patten
Thank you for your email regarding the St. Regis signage in question.
Debra Williams
Vice Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
St. Regis Groin Sign Code Amendment
To: Longboat Key Commission
Attached is a letter to you requesting that you authorize staff to prepare a Sign Code amendment that will allow the sign on the St. Regis groin to remain as already approved & constructed in accordance with a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. We need to amend the sign code to add this sign to our Town permit. Please feel free to call me or schedule a site visit with Allen Parsons to view the sign. I look forward to discussing this sign code amendment with you in a future public hearing.
Brenda L. Patten, Esquire
Berlin | Patten |Ebling, PLLC
Sarasota
Hurricane Milton after one year and the future of Midnight Pass
To: Longboat Key Town Commission
Last year, Hurricane Milton made landfall on Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum winds of 115 mph. Milton killed 42 people across Florida and caused over $34 billion in property damage in the state. Milton dropped as much as 7 inches of rain on our region and had a storm surge that maxed out at about 8 feet. This was a similar maximum storm surge as Helene, but the surge from Milton was located mostly to the south of Big Pass, whereas the storm surge from Helene was widespread, as Helene was far offshore. If you recall Ian and Irma (2022 and 2017, respectively), if you’re on the north side of the eye of a landfalling hurricane, the counterclockwise winds push water away from the coast, which is why Anna Maria and Longboat Key had widespread flooding from Helene, but not Milton.
Both storms had much more wind than Tropical Storm Debby (also in 2024), but Debby produced much more rainfall – and flooding – than either Helene or Milton. Debby’s rainfall peaked at over 17 inches in our region and caused massive flooding in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. In terms of impacts to the bay, the massive rainfall from Debby caused more problems than either Helene or Milton, similar to how the intense rainfall from Ian adversely impacted the bay, even though we had no storm surge, and not much wind damage.
Of particular interest to folks in the lower part of our watershed, both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton reestablished the previously closed (by humans) tidal connection between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. But while the connection only lasted a few days after Helene, the “new” Midnight Pass created by Milton has been open for over a year now.
Sarasota County has informed FDEP that it intends to keep the pass open, which should benefit water clarity in Little Sarasota Bay, and which should also reduce the impacts that occur due to salinity stratification and bottom water hypoxia, a phenomenon strongly manifested in Little Sarasota Bay after high rain events when this pass was closed. The County and its consultants have been working to develop a series of threshold values that would trigger some sort of management action, whether spot dredging or some stabilization techniques. The specific action to be implemented has not yet been decided upon.
The threshold values proposed by the County’s consultants include: 1) the cross-sectional area along an established transect should not fall below 500 square feet, and 2) the location of the pass should not vary by more than 100 feet. Other potentially relevant thresholds that have been suggested by other entities include those related to the maximum velocity in the pass. SBEP has been working with the County and its partners to analyze the data from weekly monitoring for a year now, and it is our intent to continue to provide this service to the County into the future.
So, what does the data look like, a year after the reestablishment of the historical tidal connection between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico? The data results suggest that the pass is not in any imminent danger of closing.
Lots of people had lots of opinions on whether or not this pass could stay open by itself. Some said it couldn’t last; some said it couldn’t last unless the County deepened an existing shallow channel to the north, connecting the pass to the area of the Turtle Beach boat ramp. Well, it looks like this pass might have a lot in common with “Irma Pass” up in Pinellas County, which was created between Bunces Pass and Pass a Grille after Hurricane Irma in 2017, and which has stayed open – without dredging – for eight years now.
One of the other characteristics tracked by the County is the location, along a north-south axis, of the pass. The graph below shows the location of the deepest depth of the channel along the established transect, which may or may not be the metric that the County wishes to use –
The location of the deepest depth along the transect looks like a sine wave, which is really neat. It also illustrates that it is folly to build a house next to a wild pass, as they move over time. The County’s threshold is that of a 100-foot change, but the way that 100-foot change is measured has not yet been fully developed.
Overall, these results suggest that the newly reestablished pass has been dynamic, but persistent, for a year now. Will it last eight years without the need for intervention, like Irma Pass to our north? Nobody knows. It is worth pointing out that the minimum channel depth and smallest cross sections occurred in January of this year, which could mean that the combination of lower rainfall (thus less freshwater leaving the bay) and strong winds from the Northwest associated with the passage of cold fronts could be a problem over the next few months. Or maybe not. But the County’s proactive approach to pass management is the right path to take.
Under our new Director, Dr. Ryan Gandy, the SBEP will be there to help analyze and interpret the data from these monitoring events, as well as working to document the impacts of the reestablished pass on water quality, seagrass distributions, and changes in fisheries.
Several dozen Floridians died from the impacts of Hurricane Milton; we should never forget that. And the storm caused tens of billions of dollars of damage to our state. But if there is a silver lining to the storm, it took off the table the sometimes-rancorous debate about what to do about Midnight Pass and Little Sarasota Bay. Hopefully, we can take advantage of this opportunity, proactively manage the pass using the County’s approach, and put this 40-year-old controversy behind us.
David Tomasko
Executive Director Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
