News Briefs

+ Linley Street boat ramp closes for construction
The Linley Street boat ramp in the Longbeach Village closed last week for a replacement project.
The town-owned, 30-year-old ramp is the only public boat ramp on Longboat Key.

The project is expected to last 60 days and will be completed in July.

Replacement was initially planned for March but was rescheduled to avoid conflicting with season.

+ Town sends summer beach project out to bid again
The town of Longboat Key received no bids and one letter April 16, from a dredging company explaining why it chose not to submit a bid for the town’s summer beach project. One month later, the town is putting the project out to bid again to try to land a bid from a sand-dredging company.

After calling the dredge companies, Public Works Director Juan Florensa said he learned the companies didn’t bid because they were concerned about bid language stating sand couldn’t be scraped past a certain level. The town has altered the bid language in hopes of attracting some bids.

If the town receives a bid and accepts it, the project, which was scheduled to begin in July, could be pushed back 30 to 60 days.

The beach project will place sand from the Broadway beach access to Gulfside Road, and from the Islander Club condominiums to the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort. The town is also trying to obtain permits to place an additional 55,000 cubic yards of sand in two other places on the Key.

+ Longboat police seek bracelet’s owner
Longboat Key police are seeking the owner of a 7.75-inch diamond-and-sapphire tennis bracelet found in late March in the Publix parking lot.

The bracelet will remain in police custody for 90 days, until late June, unless the owner claims it, as required by Florida state statutes.

If the bracelet’s owner isn’t located during that time, the individual who found the bracelet will be allowed to claim it.

Meetings & Agendas
• Town Commission Goals & Objectives Workshop — 10 a.m. Monday, May 20
• Town Commission Budget Workshop — 11 a.m. Monday, May 20
• Town Commission Regular Workshop — 1 p.m. Monday, May 20
• Town Commission Special Meeting — 4 p.m. Monday, May 20
• Planning and Zoning Board Regular Meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 21
All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, unless otherwise noted.