News Briefs

+ Additional pipe inspections to come
Longboat Key Public Works Director Juan Florensa told the Longboat Key Town Commission at its April 28 regular workshop his staff would inspect five other portions of an aging wastewater pipe that last month created a construction zone along Gulf of Mexico Drive near Bay Isles Road.

Florensa told the commission there are five other areas where the pipe sits under Gulf of Mexico Drive.
“We want to look at the condition of the pipe in those areas and make necessary repairs if needed this summer to avoid issues that occurred near Bay Isles Road,” Florensa said.

+ Where the sidewalk ends on Longboat Key
Longboat Key Public Works Director Juan Florensa told the Longboat Key Town Commission at its April 28 regular workshop that a sidewalk proposed along Gulf of Mexico Drive from Broadway to Longboat Pass Bridge would cost $60,000 to construct and $20,000 to design and permit.

Commissioner Phil Younger submitted a drawing for the proposed sidewalk in March.

The commission can decide whether to add the project into its 2011-12 fiscal-year budget when official budget discussions begin in June.

+ Longbeach peafowl flock will be reduced
Longbeach Village President Michael Drake and other Village residents told the Longboat Key Town Commission it will reduce its peafowl population to a dozen birds and will most likely not need any more financial help from the town to do so.

+ Klauber pays past assessments
Longtime Colony Beach & Tennis Resort owner Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber told the Longboat Key Town Commission Monday, May 2 that he paid approximately $60,000 in past assessments for his office and living quarters, as well as the Vagabond beach house unit he owns on the beach, to avoid a foreclosure hearing scheduled for May 12.

Colony Association President Jay Yablon confirmed Klauber has paid the assessments.

+ Commission discusses federal funding
Despite a recommendation by its beach engineer that the Longboat Key Town Commission stay away from beach project federal funding, the majority of the commissioners still think it’s something to consider.

Boca Raton-based Coastal Planning & Engineering (CPE), submitted a report last week recommending the town does not work toward attaining federal funds for future beach renourishment projects.

The Town Commission realizes it could take years to receive any sort of federal funding and that it may never receive the funds.

The commission, however, agreed to forward the report onto Congressman Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, for his review.

+ Correction
An April 28 article about the Longboat Key Revitalization Task Force members should have included the following:

Cheryl Loeffler — Realtor; resident; director, Ringling College of Art and Design, Insignia Bank, Asolo Theatre Co.

Meetings & agendas
â–º Planning and Zoning Board Special Comprehensive Plan Meeting — 9 a.m. Thursday, May 5.
â–º Planning and Zoning Board Regular Meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 17.

All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.