News Briefs

+ North-end beach project wraps up
The north end emergency beach project ended last week.

Public Works Projects Manager James Linkogle said the dredge in Sarasota Bay left last Friday afternoon.

Sand stopped pumping onto the north end of the island July 3, and the contractor spent the last week smoothing out the sand and grooming the newly shaped coastline.

A West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) project brought the emergency sand to shore. WCIND placed approximately 100,000 cubic yards of sand on the shoreline and agreed to pay $500,000 toward the project. The town made up the remaining cost of up to $350,000 for the estimated $850,000 project.

The town will place two groins in the area next summer to help hold sand that has swept into Longboat Pass onto the shore.

+ Groin project costs come in under $2.5M
The town of Longboat Key received bids for the construction of two groins for the north end of Longboat Key last week that all came in below town staff’s anticipated $2.5 million cost.

On July 3, the town received bids from four Florida construction companies that are willing to do the work.
Lake Mary-based Collage Design and Construction Group bid $2.07 million; Fort Myers-based Kelly Brothers Inc. bid $2,267,000; Miami-based Pac Comm Inc. bid $2,275,000; and Pembroke Park-based Shoreline Foundation Inc. bid $2,348,381.

The groins will be built next summer near the North Shore Road beach access to help hold sand in place on the north end that is swept off the Key and deposited into Longboat Pass and Sarasota Bay because of strong currents in the area.

Public Works Director Juan Florensa said town staff will evaluate the bids and make a selection soon.

Meetings & agendas
Police Officers’ Retirement System Board Meeting — 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug 20

General Employees’ Retirement System Board Meeting — 10:30 a.m. Wed., Aug. 20

Firefighters’ Retirement System Board Meeting — 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug 27

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