News Briefs

+ No red tide impacts detected alongshore
No impacts from a red tide bloom that remains offshore of Florida’s Gulf Coast were detected alongshore as of Aug. 13, according to a team of scientists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Mote Marine Laboratory and the University of South Florida.

The last clear satellite images, taken Aug. 8, showed a patchy bloom up to 60 miles wide and 90 miles long that’s at least 20 miles offshore between Dixie and northern Pinellas counties.

Recent forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides show slow south-southeast movement of the surface bloom parallel to the coastline and slow southeast movement of deep waters.

Mote dispatched its underwater robot, “Waldo,” monitor conditions along the eastern edge of the bloom.
Waldo’s satellite transmitter sent basic data to Mote during the mission, and more detailed analyses will be carried out at Mote to understand what other types of microscopic algae were present along with the red tide algae.

+ Town seeks volunteers for new retirement board
The town is seeking applications for appointments to the new Consolidated Retirement System Board of Trustees.

The Longboat Key Town Commission will appoint five residents to the board. Applicants must be registered to vote on Longboat Key and cannot be employees of the town or members, former vested members, retirees or beneficiaries of the retirement system.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sept. 2 to the Town Clerk’s Office. The commission will hold a meet and greet for applicants at 10 a.m. Sept. 8. Download applications at longboatkey.org.

+ Primary election is Aug. 26
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 26, for the 2014 primary election. Longboat Key residents who live in Manatee County vote at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive; Key residents who reside in Sarasota County vote at Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road. The general election will take place Nov. 4. Visit yourobserver.com for local candidate information.

Meetings & agendas
Firefighters’ Retirement System Board meeting — 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27

Urban Land Institute Implementation Advisory Committee meeting — 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28

Longboat Key Town Commission regular meeting — 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8

General Employees’ Retirement System Board meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9

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