Boat House owners praise commission’s decision

Many of the 149 boat slip owners at the Boat House, 408 Gulf of Mexico Drive, expressed their thanks to Longboat Key commissioners in emails Wednesday for reducing their Gulf of Mexico Drive undergrounding assessments.

The Longboat Key Town Commission approved a revised recommendation by its financial consultant Monday night that reduces an original assessment of $2,494.77 for each boat slip owner to $29.68, which amounts to $1.94 extra per year over 30 years at a 4.5% interest rate.

Boat House slip owners voiced their opposition in the last week to being charged an assessment of $1,660.52 for a Gulf of Mexico Drive undergrounding project that voters approved in March.

While the marina is set up as a condo association, the boat slips are nothing more than air and slats of wood to store boats.

The reduced cost occurs because the building will now be considered as one parcel. A $570,000 contingency factored into the project will be used to incorporate the loss of the $170,000 the town won’t recoup by making the modification.

“Thank you and your fellow commissioners for taking the time to visit and listen to the Boat House owners,” said Boat House slip owner Kerry Helinger in an email to the commission Wednesday. “It is greatly appreciated.”

Slip owner Frank Neubauer and others and others also sent their praises to Town Hall Wednesday.

“I would appreciate your passing on to the commission my thanks and appreciation for their careful and thoughtful decision with respect to the Boat House,” wrote Neubauer in an email Wednesday to Finance Director Sue Smith. “This, in my opinion, restores sanity to the appraisal and it is a comfort to know that the commission will listen to and consider the opinions of the town residents.”

 Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].