Neighborhood undergrounding project won’t fizzle

A utility line undergrounding project in Longboat Key neighborhoods is being buried at public educational forums that kicked off Monday afternoon at Town Hall.

But it’s not stopping residents from wanting more information about the issue before they decide how to vote on a $25.2 million Gulf of Mexico Drive undergrounding project.

The Longboat Key Town Commission cut the power on the $20.5 million neighborhood referendum question by directing Town Manager Dave Bullock in a special meeting Monday night to put the framework and funding for a neighborhood and side street project on hold.

Commissioners will only revisit a funding formula for the neighborhood utilities project if the GMD project referendum passes Nov. 3. But four out of a group of 15 residents in attendance at the educational forum Monday kept asking questions about the neighborhood project.

“We are one town,” Lands End resident Ed Zunz said. “The entire island should be done at one time.”

Although Assistant Town Manager Anne Ross explained more than once that the commission “is undecided on the framework and funding for a second referendum,” the discussion continued.

Village resident Gene Jaleski said the commission prematurely removed information from its website regarding the cost allocation for the neighborhood undergrounding project.

“That was information my taxpayer dollars paid for,” Jaleski said. “It was taken down prematurely.”

Town Attorney Maggie Mooney-Portale said the commission did nothing wrong or improper.

“There’s no (neighborhood) referendum,” Mooney-Portlae said. “There’s nothing legally improper.”

The town officially withdrew any information about a second referendum project two weeks ago at the direction of the commission after hearing concerns from some that it wasn’t fair for only the 30% of the island’s residents who don’t currently have underground utilities to pay for that project themselves.

But questions remain for those who don’t want to vote on the GMD project without knowing more about the looming second project and how it will be paid for.

“This makes it difficult to vote on the first referendum without knowing all the details in advance,” Ed Zunz said. “People will vote no on GMD.”

“You can exercise your opinion at meetings and at the polls."

— Town Manager Dave Bullock

Commissioner Pat Zunz also expressed frustration with the educational forum not addressing the second question.

“I thought these forums were for public input,” Commissioner Zunz said. “I hope you will hear what their concerns are. Some of what you are going to hear is some unfairness about the way it’s being handled. I don’t think that should be cut off.”

Bullock told those in attendance the town has no intention of cutting off discussion voiced about a second referendum project.

“I don’t think the dialogue is cut off,” Bullock said. “We’re only moving one project forward. If it passes, there will be opportunity for neighborhood discussions. What we’re able to go over today is the GMD project.”

Bullock said staff is following the commission’s direction.

“The GMD project is clear, known and delineated,” Bullock said. “The neighborhood approach is up for discussion at a later date.”

When Ed Zunz and others continued to debate the issue, Bullock made one last point before allowing those in attendance to continue to talk because he kept getting interrupted.

“You can exercise your opinion at meetings and at the polls,” Bullock said.