People to Watch: Bob Gault

There hasn’t been a more outspoken advocate of the town’s much-discussed referendum to bury Longboat Key’s power lines and utilities over the last year than Country Club Shores resident Bob Gault.

Gault, the former CEO of Universal Studios Orlando who retired in 2006 from a 42-year career in the entertainment park industry, pushed strongly in meeting comments and emails to residents and commissioners to convince people that a referendum to bury Gulf of Mexico Drive power lines and utilities is the first of two steps to keep Longboat Key “a top-notch premier community.”

Voters approved that $25.25 million referendum in November, but for Gault it was just the first step.

The day after voters approved the referendum by 562 votes, Gault emailed the Longboat Key Town Commission, informing all seven commissioners that Country Club Shores is prepared to bury its own wires and utility lines through a special assessment district if the town doesn’t do so.

Gault requested meetings with each commissioner individually to discuss the approach, but he never had to meet with them.

Gault’s proactive approach, along with input commissioners received over the last few months from other constituents, led the commission to proceed with another referendum early Tuesday morning that asks voters to approve a $23.85 million neighborhood and side street project that will eliminate every pole and above-ground wire on Longboat Key if approved by voters.

The commission previously discussed a neighborhood project once estimated at $18.8 million that would only be voted on and funded by residents of above-ground communities. But commissioners wanted to find a fairer, more equitable way to fund that project.

“From a Country Club Shores standpoint, we want to get our neighborhoods done next, as expeditiously as possible, to reduce the cost if it’s done along with the GMD project,” Gault said.

He thinks residents need to understand that the second referendum gives the island a leg up in several areas.

“It’s critical to make us competitive, and it’s clearly a benefit for us in terms of the real estate market,” Gault said.

Gault said he has talked to commissioners individually over the phone about the importance of the second referendum and continues to advocate for its importance to any registered voter willing to listen.

“Our top priority is to help get out a ‘yes’ vote in March,” Gault wrote in an email Tuesday to residents. “This will be a monumental improvement to our beautiful island, again benefiting all aesthetically as well as improving electric and digital service,” Gault said.

Gault, though, is still working behind the scenes to see what’s necessary to bury his community’s wires if the referendum fails in March.

Gault has plans to meet with Town Manager Dave Bullock soon to discuss what needs to be done to hold a referendum in August to create a district to bury the community’s wires.

“I believe it will pass to the benefit of all with our continued support,” Gault wrote in his email. “But we need to be prepared should the referendum fail to get approval.”