Page 4 Friday, March 11, 2011 Longboat Key News

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BEFORE AFTER

3. Do you think the town is on course with beach maintenance or should something different be done? If so, what?

AnswersRon Johnson

1. I plan to support the $16 million beach bond. It turned out to be the best approach for this point in time. After studying the beach analysis that Lenny Landau assembled over several months, I have the best under-standing of our beach than at any time in the past.

2. It is my opinion that we do not want to finance the beach projects with bonds. The present method is preferred.

3. Having been totally involved with the beach man-agement for eight years, as a commissioner, and follow-ing it closely for the past five years, I have concluded that the present method of beach maintenance is the best method. I tried to find better and cheaper ways to maintain our beaches. Went to beach conferences twice a year and other beach meetings studying what was being done along the entire coast of Florida. In the absence of proven new or different beach technologies and with our current level of knowledge, I find that I support our present methods. Maybe something new that works better will be developed in the near future. When it does occur, I will look positively at it and sup-port it if it accomplishes better and less costly beach maintenance. Landau’s suggestions deserve a full review because he has some positive cost cutting ideas within his analysis that merit a sincere and open minded study by the Town and it’s beach engineers.

Andrew Vac1. Yes, I do and the reason why is that I feel that our

beach is the largest draw that we have on Longboat Key. Without a beach, there is no reason to vacation or pur-chase property on the island, in my opinion.

2. I feel that the cost of beach maintenance should be paid by the least expensive method available. I also feel that monies should be earmarked annually and saved for beach renourishment purposes.

3. Yes, something different should be done. I believe that the monies should be accumulated annually and used when necessary.

Bob White

1. I have recommended passage of the referendum. See separate e-mail for reasons and comments.

2. Bonds provide a means for the maintenance costs and the plan to be scrutinized by the community and justified by the town prior to each major maintenance event. Automatic assessment, as determined by the Town Commission, would not provide the same degree of pub-lic involvement.

3. I don’t believe that the present maintenance pro-cedure, which relies primarily on dredging and filling, is sustainable as a long-term solution, given the cost

and availability of the sand source. The chronic hot spots need a permanent solution, probably structural, with renourishment only when and where needed. Independent expert review, as well as a serious evalu-ation of alternatives needs to occur prior to the sched-uled maintenance project in 2013-2014.

Randy Langley1. No.2. No.3. No. We should have never allowed Lee and his

cronies to get rid of the groins. David Miller knows the history. They removed the groins and now we need to constantly replenish.

Lee Rothenberg1. Yes. It is essential we obtain the best beach practi-

cal. It protects property values by acting as a buffer in storms for beachfront property and provides a welcome activity area for visitors and residents. Should we not have that property protection and buildings are dam-aged during a storm it will directly affect our insurance costs, damage or eliminate an important activity center, and seriously damage our reputation among tourists, taxpayers, and neighborhood communities.

2. Pay as regular part of property taxes. Save next bond issue for possible pension repair needs! Consider the beaches as an ongoing maintenance item like road repair, sewer maintenance, etc.

3. No. Filling “hot spots” is a band-aid approach that does not tackle the basic problem, which is that the beach will always erode over time. It always has. I worry that a good storm might require additional sand protec-tion repair, and doing this on an emergency or ad hoc basis will cause delays and far more expense than neces-sary. If the job is worth doing, do it right! I see no point in trying to re-invent the wheel: beach renourishment has been used for many decades by almost all shore communities. I do not believe that abandoning a proven, tried and true method in the hope of saving money is a wise gamble for the citizens of Longboat Key.

Mark Huber

1. Yes definitely. Without our beaches our property values will go down even more than they have over the last four years. Look at other communities that have lost their beaches and/or are in the process of losing them. Longboat Key will just be another island that has abandoned its most important resource and dropped off the map.

2. Bonds. Our tax rates are already too high. Making them higher will also harm the value of properties.

3. Whatever it takes to make Longboat Key the envy of Florida.

Jeff Lenobel1. The beach is among the most important assets

of Longboat Key. Without a beach that stands out as a world-class beach, the issues of tourism, commercial development and real estate values will be moot. We should spend whatever is necessary to keep the beach in the condition that it is in today and better than we expect it to be tomorrow.

2. Bond financing is mortgaging the future to some extent, but beach nourishment inures to the benefit, in part, to future residents. Therefore, it makes sense that a portion of the financing the nourishment process be shifted to the future. The beach nourishment also ben-efits current residents…so a portion of the cost should be paid currently by the existing taxpayers. It seems easy…both bond financing and assessments should be employed to finance the program.

3. My view is the town should be aggressive in its beach nourishment program and take whatever action is necessary to preserve the key’s greatest asset.

Bob Parrish1. For the question “Yes or No:” The beach renourish-

ment is supported. There are of course always choices. Failure to re-fill the beaches will cause some, if not all, areas near the beaches to “disappear” — the property will be destroyed “period.” For those living here full-time, many will recollect the early to mid-1990s when beach erosion resulted with water nearly abutting GMD. When Josephine (October 1996) “went through” Longboat the GMD in front of Twin Shores/Gulf Shores was simply swept away — yes, I mean the lane was gone, and traf-fic was reduced to one lane. (Incidentally Josephine 10-1996 had landfall in the Panhandle.) The reason for the loss of shore line: because the beach had not been re-filled. Without a regular, and continuous monitoring and refilling many lots and homes of the Gulf side will simply “go away.”

I have a short video of the GMD area, Lido and Coquina Beach (which in that area there was a breach of the entire Gulf-Bay width) showing the loss of the Gulf-side lane on GMD. Reiterating that the refilling is necessary (or many will lose their property), there is grave concern whether the process of making the refill-ing long lived, affective, and the lowest cost possible can be accomplished with our Town Commission. I have seen no proof any political body can be successful to accomplish the need for the public with a long lived, financially prudent, independent and objective solution.

2. There are concerns for either choice: (a) Whether it should be done with a bond issue? I

am not convinced a general obligation bond issue will be the best alternative, given the current economy. The cost of using bonds for fund raising might increase for all areas of the project, including the interest rates, and lengthen the time line from idea/inception to the final sale of the last bond. On the other hand $16 million is not a large offering, and there are those that can readily write a single check to purchase the entire obligation offering. The single investor is placed in the position of a powerful creditor — if the town would default — simply foreclose the entire town, all assets and control the entire island. Not a bad position for the bondholder. If I had the $16 million, I just might place myself in that position.

(b) Moreover if we look at the capitalistic common sense (or should I write “cents”), many decision makers are reducing debt, reducing fixed costs and conserving cash flows. Many are reducing all long-term obligations. Why should the town be any different? Relating the decision to bonds or taxes — from the property owner perspective, the taxes are a “sunk cost, ”pardon the pun