News Briefs: Longboat Key 7.16.15

+Town nets $1.2 million in BP settlement money

The town’s piece of the BP Gulf oil spill settlement will be $1.2 million.

The Longboat Key Town Commission agreed to the amount during a July 6 shade meeting with town staff and attorneys.

After law firm expenses, a 20% contingency and other expenses are factored in, Town Manager Dave Bullock said the town will net $967,931.82 that will be incorporated into the town’s general fund within the next 60 to 90 days.

The money has no restrictions for use, and the commission will be able to discuss where the money should be used at budget readings before the budget is adopted Sept. 30, on second reading and public hearing.

+Michael Saunders sells mid-Key plaza for $800,000 

The Saunders Family Limited Partnership, a Florida limited partnership of Michael Saunders & Company Inc.,  sold the commercial plaza at 3170 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Fox 41, a Sarasota-based company owned by Michael Fox, for $800,000 July 6.

The building has 3,200 square feet of living space and houses the mid-Longboat Key real estate office of Michael Saunders & Co.

“We will be leasing from the new owner and business will continue as usual in a market that’s doing extremely well right now,” said Georgina Clamage, Michael Saunders Longboat Key South branch manager.

+ Jaleski announces petition for different undergrounding referendum

Longbeach Village resident Gene Jaleski informed Longboat Key Commissioner Pat Zunz in an email two weeks ago that he and other north end residents plan to initiate a voter petition drive to have 10% of registered voters express their desire to have Zunz’ undergrounding funding plan be placed on the ballot instead of a two-question process that has the Gulf of Mexico Drive project being done first and residents that don’t have underground utilities paying additional costs if they approve a second funding question in April.

Zunz proposed last month that one question asking all residents to pay for the entire cost of the island’s above ground utilities would cost each resident approximately $4,000.

“If we are successful in getting the required voter petition signatures prior to the November election for your alternative funding plan, we believe the voters  will resoundingly reject referendum 5A, because they will see they can benefit the entire community for no more than the town will tax them for just Gulf of Mexico Drive,” wrote Jaleski in his June 24 email.

+ Meetings & Agendas

• Code Enforcement Board Regular Meeting — 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10

• Zoning Board of Adjustment Regular Meeting — 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13

• Consolidated Pension Board Meeting — 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28