Briefs

+ Cedars receives
club amendment
Cedars Tennis & Fitness Club, 645 Cedars Court, received approval from the Planning and Zoning Board Tuesday, Dec. 15 for an amendment to its club documents that allows the club to retain members who are not citizens of Longboat Key.

Cedars Tennis Club owner Randy Langley told the planning board he has been seeking the amendment for more than a year, because one of his members moved off the island and wanted to retain his membership rights.

Planning staff did not have a problem with the request, because none of the other tennis clubs on Longboat Key has such a requirement.

Langley said he doesn’t anticipate the change in his private club’s documents will attract many residents who live off the island.

+ New Key police
officers hired
Longboat Key Police Chief Al Hogle has announced two new full-time police-officer hires in the last two weeks.

On Monday, Nov. 30 the department hired officer John Thomas, who previously served 22 years as a police officer and a detective at the Bradenton Police Department.

And Tuesday, Dec. 15, Hogle announced that officer Monica Quarmby has accepted a full-time position with the department. Quarmby has been working in a part-time capacity at the department since Oct. 1, 2007.

Quarmby previously worked for the Sarasota Police Department for 25 years and retired as a sergeant.
The new hires are replacing officers Ed Jackson, Steve Roehl and Pati Beardsley. If Town Manager Bruce St. Denis decides not to re-hire fired police officer Jessica Anderson, Hogle will fill that position as well.

+ Meetings
& Agendas
• Town Commission Regular Workshop — 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17.
• Town Commission Regular Meeting — 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4.
All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.