Election Q&A: David Brenner

Vice Mayor David Brenner has been at the dais as Longboat Key history has unfolded over the past two years: There was the 2010 approval of the Longboat Key Club and Resort’s $400 million renovation-and-expansion plan, the hiring of Town Manager David Bullock in 2011 and, just last month, the approval of plans for a new Publix.

But Brenner’s proudest moments on the commission haven’t generated as much public attention. He considers some of his most noteworthy accomplishments to be obtaining funding for the trolley; making inroads with Sarasota and Manatee counties through his seats on both county Economic Development Corporations and the Sarasota Tourist Development Council, along with his attendance at Manatee County Tourist Development Council meetings; and the adoption of the Vision Plan last year. And, if re-elected, one of his top priorities will be to implement the document, which outlines goals “to improve a resident’s quality of life” such as encouraging redevelopment of tourism facilities and strategies that would enhance retail amenities for residents.

Brenner believes that Longboat Key is a residential community that needs a healthy dose of tourism to maintain on the island amenities.

“There are lots of things that time has eroded over the years,” Brenner said. “But I think one of the greatest things about Longboat Key was always that you didn’t have to go off it to do almost anything.”

That characteristic — along with the beach and the tennis — were one of the things that first drew Brenner to Longboat Key. He and his family first visited the Colony in 1967 and purchased a unit at the newly developed resort in 1974. Brenner and his wife, Maggie, bought their unit at the Islander Club in 1999 and became full-time residents in 2001.

Brenner, a certified public accountant, retired in 1983 at age 47 but left retirement behind three years later, when the mayor of Philadelphia asked him to become his director of commerce. Brenner served on the staff for three years but later returned in 1991 when he was asked to return as the city’s finance director.

But even on Longboat Key, retirement wasn’t totally in the cards for Brenner: He first got involved with town politics when he and other Islander Club residents began showing up at Town Commission meetings, asking the town to install two groins to control severe erosion at the property. Brenner served a three-year term on the Longboat Key Planning & Zoning Board beginning in 2006 before winning the District 3 seat in a race against incumbent Commissioner Peter O’Connor in 2010.

After two years, Brenner is eager to continue his work on the commission if re-elected.

“I think I’ve got the qualifications and I enjoy what I’m doing,” he said.

If elected, what would be your top three priorities?
Implement the Vision Plan, some of which is ongoing now. The management of the town; I think we can do better on efficiency in certain areas. And to put to bed the pension issue.

What role should the Town Commission play in cellular service on Longboat Key?
The first step is to set the game plan as to what makes the most sense in a fast-moving, technical area. My preference would be to smooth away the edges and then let the private sector run the system.

What’s your position on placing a 150-foot cell tower on the Longboat Island Chapel property? If the town consultants recommend it, would you vote for it?
If they say to us that that’s the only way to go, there would have to be some serious consideration. But there would have to be an unambiguous provision that says that as soon as technology allows it to come down, it does.

Would you vote for or against extending a continuance of the town’s tourism abandonment requirement at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort if you don’t see progress by the Dec. 31 deadline?
If these guys haven’t figured out the answer by the end of the year, I think we need to take it away from them.

What should the town do to fix erosion at the north end?
My view is, I’d put the groin in on the south side, but I’m not so sure I’d rush to put in the other two. If you look at the pictures from over they years, Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind about where the sand goes. Why make an investment that doesn’t seem to be necessary?

What is your view of the town’s historical practices of conducting major beach renourishment projects every seven to eight years and its current practice of addressing hot spots?
The past practice of doing the whole beach, as we have learned, is not the most efficient or effective way to go. Deal with the hot spots and maybe every 15 to 20 years redo the whole beach, it seems, is the right way to go.

What is your position on mixed-use development for the Whitney Beach area?
If I could give you a nice, definitive answer, I would develop it myself. What doesn’t work is this retail strip. I think what we’ve got to do is make sure this strip supports a creative solution.

What steps should the town take to address its $26 million to $27 million unfunded pension liability? What would you recommend to eliminate that?
We’re still kicking this around in executive session and aren’t permitted to discuss what goes on in there. That having been said, the solution is going to cost the taxpayers of Longboat Key some money. There’s interest on the part of some in the idea of issuing the debt, then paying off the debt because interest rates are so low. When you get into collective bargaining, there are trade-offs.

The town will soon begin a review of its zoning code and Comprehensive Plan. Do you support this? If so, what are some specific changes that need to be made?
Yes. The judge in the Longboat Key Club appeals process highlighted something that we all thought made sense but he didn’t. He had some real problems with the definition of a PUD and what is non-residential.

What is your position on a new community center?
I would like to know more about this proposed center. I think the way we’re going to get an answer is, if we could get a collaboration between the Arts Center and Education Center, what would go in the community center? My instincts say, if it’s sold as purely to entice visitors, it’s not going to fly. If the citizens want it, I think most of it should come from the private sector, and the town’s contribution would be through land.
What letter grade would you give to the new town manager based on his first three-and-a-half months in the position?

It’s tough because it’s such a short period, but I don’t have any problem giving him a B-plus.

Where do you stand on whether to continue searching for a permanent town manager or offering the position to the interim town manager?
If you give him a couple more months, he will have been on board for almost a year, and I think it will be clear whether to take the current arrangement and make it more permanent or take on a search.

Property values will likely drop one more time, requiring more permanent budget cuts. How, specifically, would you expect the town manager to address the situation?
Start with the point that the millage isn’t going to change. Just observing, I think there’s enough efficiency he’s creating that we can accomplish that goal.

Given the likelihood of budget cuts, where do you stand on pay raises for town employees?
Barring a miracle, I think their compensation is going to stay where it is.

Would you sign a pledge to oppose and vote against any tax increases?
No. We’re living in the real world, so if that is the only answer, I don’t think you can take that off the table.

Why do you want to be a commissioner, and why are you better for the Town Commission than your opponent?
I’m enjoying what I’m doing, and I think that’s critical. I think I’ve got the qualifications to do what I’m doing.I don’t know what my opponent stands for other than the Key Club, which he was dead-set against. The difference is vision. His vision is: “Leave everything alone and it will take care of itself,” or that’s my perception of it.

Bio
David Brenner
Age: 75
Hometown: Philadelphia
Residence: Islander Club
Education: Degree in economics from the Wharton School; CPA license from the state of Pennsylvania.
Career: Retired certified public accountant and managing partner of Arthur Young; former commerce-and-finance director for the city of Philadelphia
Interesting fact: Brenner is acquainted with another David Brenner — i.e. the Philadelphia comedian of the same name. The Longboat Observer published a picture of both Brenners together in February 2007.