News Briefs

+ P&Z Board recommends stripping ZBA Board duties
The Planning and Zoning Board made a recommendation to the Longboat Key Town Commission at its regular meeting Tuesday that strips all but one of the board’s duties and transfers those duties to the P&Z board.

P&Z board member George Symanski Jr. recommended transferring the majority of the board’s duties to the planning board, noting the commission was already looking to eliminate the ZBA before it realized it couldn’t get a charter amendment on the March ballot to let voters decide on the board’s fate.

“We were going to get rid of this board already,” Symanski said. “Why not give it to us all clean?”

Town Attorney Maggie Mooney-Portale said she has to check whether the duties could be stripped while the town charter mandates the ZBA board stay in place.

Commissioner Phill Younger suggested Symanski’s suggestion “is perfectly legal.”

“These board members aren’t here consistently and we have serious problems with people that need cases resolved in a timely manner,” Younger said.

P&Z Chairwoman B.J. Webb agreed.

“They (ZBA board members) have clearly shown they aren’t doing their work,” Webb said. “I would rather leave them with nothing.”

+ Town hosts health fair
The town of Longboat Key will host a Longboat Key Community Health Fair 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, at Bayfront Park Recreation Center, 4052 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

The fair will offer blood pressure checks, diabetes-glucose screening, HIV testing, body mass index screening, help locating ongoing medical care and tips for staying healthy. Call 861-5000.

+ Town seeks volunteers
The town is seeking applications for seats on its Police Retirement System Board of Trustees.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, to the Town Clerk’s office at Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.

All applicants must be registered to vote in the town of Longboat Key.

The Longboat Key Town Commission will meet and greet candidates at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, in the commission chamber at Town Hall.

Applications are available at the Town Clerk’s office or at longboatkey.org. For information, call 316-1999.

Meetings & agendas
Firefighters Retirement System Special Meeting — 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

Town Commission Regular Meeting — 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3.

Code Enforcement Board Regular Meeting — 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10.

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

All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, unless otherwise noted.