Discussion focuses on makeup of community center committee

At last month’s meeting, the Longboat Key Town Commission envisioned the Community Center Advisory Committee (CCAC) as a small group — maybe five individuals — who would meet publicly and be subject to Sunshine laws. Those individuals would pool information about all the activities that happen on the Key to determine what programming to offer at a possible community center so as not to overlap with what other area groups offer.

But, there was a decrease in consensus at the Monday, May 7 regular commission meeting, while commissioners discussed who should make up the group of five.

The commission discussed Resolution 2012-10, which would establish the CCAC. It included the language:

“Whereas, the Town Commission wishes to appoint five (5) Longboat Key residents to serve on the CCAC for 2012-3.”

But Vice Mayor David Brenner suggested that some interested parties, such as Longboat Key Education Center Executive Director Susan Goldfarb and Longboat Key Center for the Arts, a Division of Ringling College of Art and Design Executive Director Jane Buckman should be included. Although neither woman lives on Longboat Key, community center programming could impact both of their organizations.

The commission discussed the possibility of changing the resolution’s wording of “Longboat Key residents” to “people.”

But Commissioner Lynn Larson argued that only residents should be among the committee’s five members.

“I don’t have any problem with having Jane Buckman or Susan Goldfarb speak or be part of the discussion,” Larson said. “But, because we’re talking about Longboat Key dollars, I sure as heck am going to have a problem with them being on the steering committee.”

Commissioner Hal Lenobel, a critic of the proposed community center, spoke up, adding the question:
“Do members of this committee have to favor the proposed community center?” he asked Mayor Jim Brown, who in 2003 and 2004 chaired a community-center advisory committee.

“I don’t know who favors a community center, Commissioner Lenobel,” Brown said, joking that Lenobel couldn’t be on the committee.

“If you appoint me, I resign,” Lenobel said.

Commissioner Jack Duncan said that he, like Larson, wanted a group consisting of Key residents but said that it was incumbent on that group to rely on information from groups that provide programming moving forward.

Larson moved that the resolution should include the language “Longboat Key taxpayers,” leading Brown to ask if a business owner counts as a taxpayer.

But Larson argued that organizations, not their executive directors, pay taxes.

Ultimately, the commission voted 6-1, with Lenobel dissenting, to establish the committee, leaving the “Longboat Key residents” wording unchanged.

But, they still had another community-center item on their agenda: the appointment of individuals to the committee.

The commission voted unanimously to advertise the committee position and make appointments at a later date.

More than two-thirds of voters defeated a $6.4 million bond issue for a proposed community center in 2004. However, Brown and other supporters have pointed out that many factors have changed in the eight years since then, including the addition of 3.88 acres through Sarasota County’s purchase of the former Albritton property and the town’s purchase of a 0.71-acre parcel formerly owned by Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber.