Briefs 2.25.10

+ Coalition supports incumbents
Islandside Property Owners Coalition President and L’Ambiance resident Bob White sent an e-mail to select Key residents Feb. 22, urging them to vote for and send campaign contributions to Mayor Lee Rothenberg and Commissioners Peter O’Connor and Hal Lenobel.

White insinuates that all three incumbents “are committed to preventing overdevelopment and retaining the integrity of the town’s zoning code.”

Their opponents, including District 3 candidate David Brenner, White says, “want to increase the amount of commercial development and tourist activity” on the island.

White urges residents to write a check of $250 or more to support Rothenberg and O’Connor, noting that Lenobel is not accepting contributions.

Key Club General Manager Michael Welly said he was disappointed to read the e-mail and called it unfortunate.

Said Welly: “It seems the residents who live in the two most massive buildings in Islandside (L’Ambiance), now want to dictate through their money what happens up and down the island.”

+ O’Connor: ‘You are a big dime’
Commissioner Peter O’Connor told Longboat Key Club and Resort officials Feb. 19 at the Islandside renovation-and-expansion hearing that he was frustrated with the continuances, calling the applicant “a big dime.”

So far, the town has spent $34,090.80 on the hearings at both the Planning and Zoning Board and Town Commission levels.

Broken down, this amounts to $9,680 to rent Temple Beth Israel, $19,022.21 for the rental of audio equipment, $4,088.32 for advertising the hearings and $1,300.27 for lunch and refreshments for the planning board and commission. Extra hours that many town employees have spent preparing for and spending time in the hearings cannot be calculated.

+ Meetings & Agendas
• Town Commission Regular Meeting — 7 p.m. Monday, March 1, Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.