Longboat Observer 3.28.24

Goodbye undergrounding, hello overgrounding

After the undergrounding utility project faced one too many hiccups, Florida Power-up & Lamp-lighting reverts to tried-and-true overhead utilities.

FPULL will start ordering upgraded power boxes for these phases so that Longboat Key’s entire system is on the same level.

In Phase 2, some pole removal had already started. FPULL directed construction crews to halt the removal and, if possible, recall the poles that were already sent away. Phase 2 will also receive the new power boxes.

For Phase 1, where all undergrounding work was already completed, FPULL will need to order new poles, feeders and overhead power boxes.

team met to come up with a potential solution,” said regional Utility Supervisor Craig Hallmark. “It was decided that overgrounding would be the easiest option.”

The undergrounding project faced a series of delays. Most recently, an oversight caused the project team to realize that some existing underground transformers would not be usable.

FPULL then needed to order transformers to replace those, which then caused FPULL to face supply chain issues. These issues further delayed the project and the subsequent pole removal that many residents were waiting for.

Now the poles are here to stay.

Phases 3 and 4 were the least impacted by the change, since all poles and overhead equipment were already in place. Hallmark said that

Ordering new boxes will pose some difficulty, and supply chain issues will again plague the project, according to Hallmark. As of publication, Hallmark estimated the first boxes would not arrive until late 2025 or early 2026 at the earliest.

Easements will also need to be acquired for all properties again as a part of the reversal process.

Patty Crane, a resident who lives within Phase 3 and still has overhead utility lines, worries about what could happen in a hurricane.

“If we get a bad storm with high winds, those lines could cause some real damage,” she said.

Hallmark said while FPULL acknowledges there may be risks associated with overhead lines, the company could not provide any advice to private properties for insurance purposes.

The timeline for the project is still up in the air, but Hallmark said FPULL hopes to have the overgrounding wrapped up by 2027 as long as there are no further delays.

“When it was realized there would be more complications to underground Longboat Key’s power lines, our project team met to come up with a potential solution. It was decided that overgrounding would be the easiest option.”

— Craig Hallmark, FPULL regional utility supervisor

Courtesy image

Catch of the day

Former aquarium facility to be converted into family-friendly interactive seafood restaurant.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Sarasota will soon be home to a new concept in the seafood restaurant industry.

Mote will begin construction on a state-of-the-art, fine-dining seafood restaurant called Fresh Catch as early as the end of 2024.

currently has will be moved to the new location in Lakewood Ranch. The ones remaining at the facility will be a part of a small aquarium exhibit located near the back of the restaurant, as something for guests to do after a meal.

Guests at the restaurant will be able to pay an extra $20 for the opportunity to catch their own fish, prepared in a variety of different ways by Executive Chef Sal Monk.

while bringing in the necessary elements of a fine-dining restaurant. Most of the expenses will be to add the necessary plumbing and electrical to run a large-scale commercial kitchen.

Monk and Carpp are also working on a specialty cocktail menu, which will include staple drinks as well as a seasonal rotation.

A few tanks will house some of the fish likely to be on the menu, such as grouper, mahi mahi, red snapper and Spanish mackerel.

Carpp said that, as of now, Fresh Catch will be offering only lunch and dinner. If the idea takes off as well as they hope, they might expand their hours to include brunch, she said.

GMD shut down for filming of ‘The Fast and the Furious 11.’

GGet ready for a restaurant where you’ll be able to catch your own meal.

“From the start, Mote really wanted to figure out how to utilize the old facility in the best way possible,” said newly appointed Fresh Catch General Manager Janine Carpp. “That’s when the idea for a restaurant formed, and I was brought on board.”

The former Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium facility on Ken Thompson Parkway is undergoing preparations to become an interactive seafood restaurant with a literal take on the phrase “fresh catch of the day.”

Just no way to avoid it A

of people would expect.”

“The Fast and the Furious 11: The Final Chase” follows Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto as he tries to live a life of normalcy after many years of espionage, heists and thrills.  After escaping to Florida, where he believes that no one would find him, Toretto discovers a secret from an old friend that makes him doubt everything and everyone from his past.

Officials at Mote estimated that it will cost about $2 million to transform the courtyard and tanks into Fresh Catch. Most of the funds were raised through private donors interested in adding something new to the Sarasota culinary scene, according to Carpp.

The full scope of the restaurant is undetermined, but it will seat at least 400 people. The shark tank will be a focal point of the new concept and will house thousands of lobsters.

After Mote’s new Science Education Aquarium opens in early 2025, about 90% of the species the facility

There will also be a tank full of blue crabs. For $10, guests can use a string and a piece of chicken to attract a crab for their meal.  “It’s an interesting concept,” Monk said. “Certainly nothing that I’ve seen before.”

Monk is planning menu items like grilled or fried fish, taco variations and homemade salsas and relishes.

Mote’s goal is to utilize as much of the existing structures as possible

The restaurant staff hope to do a trial run of the restaurant in late 2024 for Mote executives and families, before a soft opening shortly thereafter. Doors to the restaurant should open to the public the day of Mote SEA’s own ribbon cutting.

The car chase, which will take two weeks to film, is predicted to start on the north end of the island in the Longboat Village area zooming out and down 10 miles of Gulf of Mexico Drive. It will end with a huge explosion at the Resort at Longboat Key Club, creating the perfect cinematic chase filled with action and suspense.

Murray said that this is likely to be the last “The Fast and the Furious” film with Diesel.

“What better way to end this era of his career than filming it in para-

dise?” said Rick Slick, spokesperson for Diesel. Diesel and other cast members will be staying at different spots around the island.

“This will be the perfect way to show off our beautiful island in one of the most famous franchises known to man,” said Norman C. Baggins, the new marketing director for the town of Longboat Key.  Baggins shared that this will put Longboat Key on the map and attract new residents with different backgrounds.

“We love welcoming new people to Longboat Key,” said Baggins. “Having these Fast and Furious fans and thrill-seekers will change the atmosphere of the island a little bit but will overall add some excitement to an already great town filled with well-rounded people.”

Since Gulf of Mexico Drive will be closed, there will be two ways to get around the Key.

A temporary Longboat Key water ferry will be available with four stops on the bay side. There will also be a shuttle service using repurposed

school buses that will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day of filming while making stops throughout the island. A complete schedule and route map is still pending.

“The Fast and the Furious 11” is also looking for extras for the film.

Murray said he would love to have most of the extras be from Longboat Key to make the scene as authentic as possible. Extras must be able to swim, run a 10K race and jump out of a moving vehicle.

Off to the races

Dachshunds will soon be dashing around St. Armands racetrack as wiener dog racing comes to Circle Park.

straightaway, so we think this is an ideal length.”

Just as the former Sarasota Kennel Club is meeting its fate with an excavator, another form of four-legged pari-mutuel wagering may soon be on its way to Sarasota, specifically to St. Armands Circle.

In 2018, Florida voters approved a referendum banning greyhound racing. They didn’t, however, say anything about dachshund racing. To fill the void, the National Association of Wiener Dog Racing is planning to propose the nation’s first permanent race track to occupy Circle Park.

Planned is a 500-seat, circular stadium for year-round races surrounding a 100-yard track on which wiener dogs will compete to win, place or show for both the amusement of spectators and the gambling public.

Although small, the seating bowl in Circle Park provides for an ideal length track for dachshunds.

“Their legs are pretty short and they don’t exactly have a lot of endurance,” said NAWDR spokesman Nathan Franks of the short circular track.

“Most wiener dog races are on a

As an accessory, the NAWDR plans to occupy a nearby boutique retail location for betting and box office activities, but it also has its eyes on something larger.

“If we can get a very large restaurant space, we can also open a card room with a dedicated space for closed-circuit broadcasting from inside the stadium and from races being held at other locations,” Franks said.

“We have our eyes on a very large restaurant space very close to the stadium that’s ideal. There is already a great kitchen there to prepare — what else? — hundreds of hot dogs per hour.

“It is our goal to make Sarasota the global headquarters for pari-mutuel wiener dog racing.”

According to NAWDR, dachshunds are deceptively fast despite their short legs. They have been clocked at 25 miles per hour, just more than half the top speed of a greyhound.

“Getting them to run is easy,” Franks said. “Getting them to run where you want them to run is another matter altogether.”

BELLS AND WHISTLES

Like greyhound racing, a mechanical lure will be used. Bred to hunt badgers, the dachshunds will chase a stuffed badger that will be mounted on a mechanical arm attached to a track in the center of the circular course. Starting in Australia in the 1970s, wiener dog racing has spread around the world. Since 1995, the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals have been held every year in Southern California. Franks said the plan is

to move that weeklong event, held every December, to the new track at St. Armands Circle. Franks said the NAWDR is coordinating with Commodore Cruise Lines, which recently announced plans to make Siesta Key a twiceweekly port of call.

At a minimum, races will be scheduled on days when ships are in port as well as on weekends.

HOT DOGS

Lunch meat giant Oscar Geyser has

been signed as the official hot dog of the NAWDR, and as part of the deal, it will provide shuttle service to and from the new Siesta Key cruise ship port in Oscar Geyser Wiener Mobile replica vehicles.

“Passengers can shop, dine and go to the beach in any of our ports of call,” said Commodore Cruise Lines President and CEO Merrill Stubing. “But where else can you ride in the Wiener Mobile and watch wiener dog racing in the same day?”

OBSERVER STAFF

Courtesy image

St. Armands Circle Park will soon be home to a permanent wiener dog racing stadium, seen from above with a rendering of the track in the middle.

Specifics in short supply

The timeline for completing the burying of Longboat’s utilities remains uncertain according to FPL.

CARTER WEINHOFER

STAFF WRITER

An estimated timeline for completion of the project to bury utilities on Longboat Keyt is still undecided.

The original estimated completion date for the project was the end of 2022. Now months into 2024, the lack of timeline specifics given at the March 25 Longboat Key Town Commission workshop frustrated many town commissioners.

Public Works Director Isaac Brownman presented an update to commissioners at the meeting. Devaney Iglesias, regional external affairs area manager for Florida Power & Light, also attended the meeting.

Wilco Electrical and FPL in June 2023 discovered an oversight that delayed progress for Phases 2, 3 and 4 of the project.

There were some existing underground transformers in those phases that the team thought would be compatible with the new underground system.

But after opening them up, Wilco realized that new transformers would need to be installed. That, combined with supply chain issues, led to a delay.

Wilco has received those new transformers now.   Phase 2 of the project is nearing completion, with all new underground transformers energized. Wilco needs to get switching orders from FPL to complete riser drops into existing underground areas.

The remaining phases have a significant number of riser drops. Risers are transitions between overhead and underground conductors. Overhead conductors need to be dropped to connect to the underground service.

Crews with FPL’s demolition contractor, IRBY Construction Company, started removal of overhead wires and poles in Phase 2.

Brownman said the project team estimated Phase 2 will be completed by the end of April.

For Phase 3, Brownman said FPL and Wilco need to coordinate outages and final switch orders, and the goal is to complete transformer changeouts by the end of April.

Switching orders for Phase 4 need to wait until Phase 2 is completed, due to the complexity of the system. That means the schedule for Phase 4 is still to be determined.

Brownman said it would be difficult to estimate a schedule beyond the next month.

“It’s very difficult to nail that down

SOME GOOD NEWS

Overall the project remains within budget, according to Brownman. With about $483,245 of the funds for the project, purchase orders were issued for new backlit street signs. This improvement will replace the town’s existing white street sign poles with new black poles and blue backlit street name signs.

An additional $1,333,760 has been set aside for design, permitting and installation of up to 60 new highway street lights along Gulf of Mexico Drive.

because everything is dependent on the thing that happens before it,” Brownman said.

PRESSURE FROM COMMISSION

After Brownman’s presentation, the lack of specifics in the schedule left commissioners frustrated and with more questions.

“It’s late in the game and it’s kind of time to put a stake in the ground and say, ‘this is when we’re going to get it done,’” Vice Mayor Mike Haycock said.

“If you don’t, then you’ll have reasons why. I just think it’s real late to be saying TBD on a project that is 5 years old.”

Haycock asked Brownman if he could come back with some timeline estimates for Phases 3 and 4.

Mayor Ken Schneier suggested

“Bottom line, people don’t want to know ‘Phase 3 we may do this and switch that and try this and the transformers may or may not work.’ They want to know when it’s done, and when the stuff is out of here. So I need an answer.”

— BJ Bishop, commissioner-at-large

that having more incremental progress updates would be a good idea for commissioners and residents. For example, if there is a certain number of riser drops needed in an area, it would be good to know how many are completed.

Utility companies are required to acquire easements to complete work on private property, and one is still required — Publix. CommissionerAt-Large BJ Bishop said that’s something that should have been done in year one or two of the project, not at the five-year mark.

“Bottom line, people don’t want to know ‘Phase 3 we may do this and switch that and try this and the transformers may or may not work.’ They want to know when it’s done, and when the stuff is out of here,” Bishop said. “So I need an answer.”

After Brownman was still unable

to give a timeline, Bishop questioned FPL’s commitment to the project.

“I guarantee you that every resource has been dedicated,” Iglesias said. “From the FPL perspective, the priority has always been there. There’s been issues that have happened that were unforeseen, but we continue to work through them.”

One of those unforeseen circumstances was the flooding at the end of 2023 that caused the failure of transformers due to corrosion from saltwater.

Iglesias assured commissioners that the underground transformers are state of the art, and that the issues experienced last storm season with the flooding were unprecedented.

FPL has since ordered raised pads for the areas where transformers failed, which will be installed after the main undergrounding project is completed, according to Iglesias.

That said, Iglesias said it would not be possible to set a deadline, but that FPL would work with Brownman and the rest of the project staff to get an estimate.

“We’re not wanting to put another timeline on (the project) because we’re not wanting to disappoint you all,” Iglesias said. “We can’t commit to anything knowing what’s happened so far.”

Iglesias also said she would return to the commission soon with Project Manager Hau Tran, who was out of town at the time of the March 25 meeting. She also offered to have one-on-one meetings with commissioners.

Single-span solution

FDOT prefers a single span to replace the Little Ringling Bridge, at a cost of $59.1 million.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

With the Little Ringling Bridge now in the project development and engineering phase, the Florida Department of Transportation has shared its preferred alternative to replace the twin spans between Bird Key Drive and Sarasota Harbour West.

Even as westbound traffic was backed up from downtown Sarasota to St. Armands Circle early Thursday evening, the FDOT revealed its plan to build a single bridge, choosing that over a two-bridge or a no-build option.

The latter option, over the next 30 years, would cost more than half that of a new bridge with a service life of 75 years. Afterward, the bridge would still need to be replaced, likely at a much higher price.

Selecting the preferred option now allows for further PD&E, although construction remains unfunded and the earliest work would begin is 2028.

According to the FDOT study, rehabilitation projects in the nobuild option would likely include partial or complete deck replacement, substructure and beam repairs, and replacement of structural pile jackets plus corrosion protection to slow deterioration. Maintenance repairs would be ongoing and larger rehabilitation projects could be expected approximately every five years.

The total estimated no-build cost is $38.8 million compared to $59.1 million for the single bridge preferred option. A rejected two-bridge alternative was estimated at $63.7 million.

During the workshop held at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, Project Manager Patrick Bateman showed a video that provided details about the project. It was not a question-and-answer but rather an information-gathering exercise to receive public comment.

„

„

While he endorsed the single bridge concept, he was concerned about access to St. Armands and even more traffic congestion as a result of the construction.

“We would like to take this opportunity to understand what access will be to the keys for safety and otherwise during the period of construction, and an estimate of how long the construction may take,” Gonzmart said. “This is something that’s going to make everyone anxious for a period of time.”

Gonzmart said a marketing plan

Only three residents offered that input, two in person and one via Zoom, including Columbia Restaurant and St. Armands Circle property owner Casey Gonzmart.

No dogs allowed

LBK

It’s that time of year again.

No, it’s not the holiday season. It’s time to break out the additional signage to remind pet owners that no dogs are allowed on Longboat Key beaches.

Co-chair of Longboat Key North Maureen Merrigan said she and others have been noticing more dogs on the beaches, specifically early in the morning and at sunset, despite the town of Longboat Key’s ordinance.  Merrigan began reaching out to town staff to address the concerns. Meanwhile, resident Cyndi Seamon learned of the discussions about

the issue at hand and decided to get involved.

“When I caught wind of possibly some dog issues, I went ahead and asked Public Works if I could go ahead and get those signs,” Seamon said.

For the past couple years, she has been helping put up larger signs that advise beachgoers to be mindful of the beach habitat.

The signs are currently at the Broadway Street and North Shore Road access points.

“I think it really is, like a lot of things, just about enforcing the ordinance and the rules,” Seamon said.

Merrigan agreed. Police enforcement and visibility makes a huge difference, she said, especially for those people who see the signs but don’t care.

Chapter 92 of the town’s Code of Ordinances outlines activities at public beaches, access points and

REPORT A PROBLEM

To report a dog on Longboat Key’s beaches — or any other issue — you can call the police department’s nonemergency line at 941-316-1201.

parks. It states that all pets, “other than animals certified and utilized for assisting persons with disabilities,” are prohibited from town parks, beaches and public beach access points.

Further, it states unleashed dogs are only allowed within the dog park at Bayfront Park.

Merrigan and Seamon both mentioned that some of the dog tracks seen on beaches have appeared to have been from dogs off leashes.

The fine for having dogs on the beach is $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third, according to emails between Town Manager Howard Tipton, Merrigan, Seamon and other town staff.

Tipton also added that both the police and code enforcement officers can write the citations, and that when sea turtle season starts on May 1, code enforcement will be on the beaches more often.

NEED FOR PEACE

Some of the best habitat for migrating shorebirds is on the tips of barrier islands — like Beer Can Island and the north end, according to Audubon Florida.

There, the birds can find a good mix of breeding habitat and feeding grounds.

“Disturbance from human activities is a leading threat to nesting shorebirds, and this can be partly minimized by protecting nesting areas with posted signs to prevent people and pets from disturbing a nesting colony by inadvertently getting too close,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

With an increasing number of residents back for the season combined with visitors for spring break, it’s kind of like a “perfect storm” that lines up with the shorebird nesting season, which lasts from Feb. 15 to Sept. 1.

“It’s just that time of year where there’s a lot of birds on the beach,” Seamon said. Protected bird species that nest on

Florida beaches include black skimmers, least terns, American oystercatchers, Wilson’s plovers and snowy plovers.

As of mid-March, Seamon said there weren’t any nests reported on Longboat Key yet. But there are still shorebirds on the beaches and disturbing them can be stress them.

“Your dog can be the most wellbehaved dog and great, but the birds don’t know that,” Seamon said. “You know, the bird still sees your fourlegged friend as a predator.”

Information from the FWC states that birds tend to react differently to dogs than they do humans.

“They fly away from dogs sooner, they go further away and they are more reluctant to return to the area, which means they leave eggs and chicks vulnerable and have less time for critical activities like finding food that they need to survive,” according to the FWC.

Beaches in Florida are commonly used as a stopping point for migratory bird species. Migratory shorebirds, though they may not have nests on the beach, need to take ample time to rest in between flights.  Red knots are a common migratory bird that could be found on Longboat Key beaches. This species makes one of the longest migrations of all animals, and the Southeast U.S. is listed as one of the common flyover stops for these birds.

During these rest periods, the birds need time to eat and rest to gain enough energy to continue on the journey. When disturbed, it takes away from birds’ rest time.

Carter Weinhofer

Larger

Courtesy of Carlyn Vigil

A ruddy turnstone forages in the wrack line on Longboat Key.

Split decision

What drove Jewfish Key residents to petition for de-annexation from Longboat Key?

BY THE NUMBERS

Off the coast of Longboat Key’s north end, Jewfish Key is home to about 38 acres and eight properties. The property owners question whether it makes sense to be a part of Longboat Key.

On Jan. 16, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association Inc. submitted a petition for de-annexation, or contraction, to the town of Longboat Key. The town is now required to conduct a feasibility study to determine if it makes sense for Jewfish Key to remain a part of the town or become part of unincorporated Manatee County.

“I think it’s an important question to be answered,” said Steve Ellis, a property owner on Jewfish Key. “And the study, I think, is going to help us figure that all out.”

Ellis first bought property on Jewfish Key about 20 years ago.

“The privacy you have between lots was unique,” Ellis said. “We’re not stuffed right up against each other; we’re really spread out.”

Aside from the privacy on land, the sandbar immediately off the island is what attracted some homeowners. It’s the same reason the sandbar draws large crowds during peak season, holidays and weekends.

“We used to enjoy the sandbar quite a bit,” Ellis said. “It’s probably more of an issue for us at this point.”

Ellis said that during much of the

According to the Manatee County Property Appraiser, there are 22 parcels along La Lenaire Drive on Jewfish Key. Steve Ellis said there are a total of eight homes on the island.

week, life on Jewfish Key is private. But when the sandbar brings in large crowds, it can become a nuisance and an invasion of privacy.

One of the key reasons Ellis noted as to why the homeowners petitioned for the de-annexation was that the amount of taxes paid by the homeowners was high compared to the services received from the town.

“We pay pretty high taxes, and we don’t get an awful lot of service for those dollars,” Ellis said. “It’s an economic question.”

For example, Ellis said Jewfish Key homeowners were a part of the town’s assessment for the underground utility project. But Jewfish Key had underground power lines before the townwide project, according to Ellis.

Other routine services, like trash pickup, are things that Ellis said the homeowners don’t receive.

The town’s regulations that restrict short-term rentals were also a reason behind the petition.

“We’re forced to abide by the regulations of Longboat Key, which prevent us from renting our homes

freely,” Ellis said. The town has a minimum rental requirement of 30 days, except for about 30 properties that are zoned for tourism.

“We’d like to be able to have a little more flexibility. That’s one of the things we just can’t do based on the current situation,” Ellis said.

Getting to Jewfish Key also has proved difficult for some homeowners, according to Ellis.

When people want to get to Jewfish Key, it’s not possible to park in the Village because of parking regulations. Ellis said some have to rely on their creativity or own a slip or separate property elsewhere.

“We’re a totally independent island,” Ellis said. “I don’t know that (the town) has been able to make life on the island easy for us.”

Overall, Ellis said the Jewfish Key owners want to pose the question to see what makes the most sense, both in terms of their financial contribution for services received, as well as flexibility in regulations.

“I think those are reasonable questions to ask,” Ellis said. “And I don’t know that they’ve been asked before.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Jewfish Key Preservation Association Inc. acts as the homeowners association for the island. A petition to consider de-annexation required over 15% qualified voters on Jewfish

Key to sign.

Florida Statutes Chapter 171 Section 51 states that now the town must undergo a feasibility study. Section 52 of the same chapter states areas that do not meet the criteria for annexation may be proposed for contraction.

The results of the study must be evaluated within six months of the petition receipt. The town is then able to look at the study and move forward with a contraction ordinance or reject the petition.

The timeline means the commission will likely hear the results before the summer hiatus, possibly in June, according to Town Attorney Maggie Mooney.

If the town were to propose a contraction ordinance and pass it, Jewfish Key would become a part of unincorporated Manatee County and would then be under the county’s jurisdiction.

File image

Jewfish Key homeowners feel an invasion of privacy when the sandbar is crowded.

“We pay pretty high taxes, and we don’t get an awful lot of service for those dollars. It’s an economic question.”

— Steve Ellis, Jewfish

property owner

Key

Rylan Lanham, Adrienne Lambers, Mike Osterman, Tom Bardwell, Susan Wilson, Susan Knight, Amanda Lewis

Re-eval of the canals

Consultants is planning to begin bathymetric surveys of the canals on the bay side of the island March 24-31, although weather conditions may create some delay. Residents may notice a vessel with instruments making multiple passes through the waterways. Boaters are asked to give way to the survey vessel as safety allows. It will be mapping the seafloor along prescribed routes as part of the town’s canal maintenance efforts. New

From March 24-31, survey crews will be on the waters of Longboat Key, conducting updated conditional surveys to figure out what is needed to get Longboat’s canals back to baseline.

Assistant Public Works Director

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

After the confusion during the last attempt at creating a canal maintenance program, commissioners agreed on one thing: It’s time to get some new surveys.

The last time Longboat Key’s canals were surveyed was in 2016.

Charlie Mopps said one of the problems that commissioners debated at the end of last year was the $17 million price tag that came with the initial cost of a canal maintenance program.

That cost was to rebaseline the town’s 81 canals to get them back to normal conditions. Hypothetically, after that would be completed, then

a maintenance program would be implemented.

But commissioners worried about rushing into the baseline work, which would have been another assessment for the town.

It was a tight deadline to get the program approved if it was to be on the 2024 tax roll.

Taylor Engineering and Anser Advisory, LLC presented an initial plan to Longboat Key town commissioners in November 2023, which left commissioners with more questions than answers.

The plan included dividing the town’s canals into seven groups and

classifying each canal based on its use.

The plan was complicated enough to stop the presentation, and it required Mopps to meet with commissioners one on one before going back a month later.

Mopps said that some of the commissioners who spend time boating around Longboat questioned whether the same baseline dredging effort was needed in all the canals.

At the end of the commission meeting in December 2023, commissioners directed Mopps to resurvey all the canals.

“We were looking at numbers that were generated from 2014 to 2016, which was the old survey,” Mopps said. “It’s already been eight to 10 years … what are the conditions of those canals, and let’s try to come up with some engineered solutions to try to reduce the overall cost of the program.”

Another suggestion taken by Mopps was to get a second opinion on the surveys.

“They wanted to get a fresh look on it, too,” he said.

Taylor Engineering conducted the last canal surveys, and the company has a long-standing relationship with the town, according to Mopps.

But for the new surveys, Mopps said the town decided to bring on Coastal Engineering Consultants and First Line Coastal.

Both have a history of working with the town, including projects like the beach nourishment project

in 2021, Beer Can Island dredging and the recently completed New Pass Groin project.

Mopps has a longer history working with Coastal Engineering Consultants from his time in Charlotte County.

There, he said the firm helped manage the county’s maintenance dredging program for over 20 years.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The updated surveys will be useful to compare to the previous survey from 2016.

They will give Mopps and the project team insight into the status of the canals and how the sands may have shifted in the last 10 years.

Mopps said one objective of the comparison is to explore alternatives to reduce the overall cost that initially concerned commissioners.

For example, Mopps said the ocean floor immediately to the right or left of access channels may be deeper than the channel itself.

In that case, it may be more costeffective to move the channel markers and save on the cost of dredging the canal.

The crews will be navigating Longboat’s canals from March 24-31, conducting a conditional survey.

“What this will do is give us an idea of what the conditions are right now,” Mopps said.

The boats used by the survey crews have multibeam sonar, and take close to 100 shots a second, Mopps estimated. Those images are relayed back to base stations that are calibrated on land.

Those images are then processed through software, like HYPACK, to be analyzed and show what the bottom of the canals looks like.

Mopps said after a week or two of survey work, it will take another two weeks to compile the results and get the data into a usable format.

Before going back to the commission, Mopps said he hopes to be able to make recommendations about how the initial costs can be reduced given the new data.

He said he plans on bringing the results before the commission around May, before the summer recess and while the budget process is still ongoing.

Longboat Key’s canals were last surveyed in 2016.

LONGBOAT

OPINION / OUR VIEW

It was always a done deal

Longboat residents didn’t really have a say about the Town Center Green. Town commissioners decided it would be a library.

The question cut to the quick. Before the first charette began with Sarasota County Library officials last month, a Longboat Key resident raised his hand and asked: “Is this a done deal?”

They said it wasn’t. But it was. It wasn’t a charette. More like a charade.

You’re getting a big library and quasi-community center whether you like it or not. And even though Longboat residents didn’t really have a say, this new county-owned building is going to be erected on the Town Center Green.

The Education Center? Sorry, not in the picture. As Mayor Ken Schneier told us Monday: “Since the Education Center charges for its classes, that would be a non starter, I’m told by the library, to have that facility in this space … The library is not changing it’s point of view, and it doesn’t include the education center.”

It’s a long story — the idea of bringing a Sarasota public library to Longboat Key. Just check out the excerpts below from the news archives of the Longboat Observer It goes back even farther than 2012.

Sarasota County Library officials

have sought for decades off and on to extend public library services to Longboat Key. But bless them, the determined ladies who ran the privately run Longboat Key Library on Bay Isles Road would not give in. They kept going — until they couldn’t anymore.

In March 2020, Longboat Library President Mary Baker told the Longboat Observer: “At the end of the day, the best thing we could do for Longboat Key is to bring full library services here.”

The door finally opened, and Mayor Ken Schneier and thenTown Manager Tom Harmer stepped in.

Even though the town’s partnership with Ringling College of Art and Design to develop an Arts, Cultural, Education Center had dissolved, some town commissioners continued to hold the dream and intent of having a four-acre town center in between Publix and the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

This was the moment. With commission support, Harmer then began the campaign to have a county library built on the Town Center Green.

You can see the progression of their efforts in the excerpts below — how Schneier and Harmer had what Harmer called “high-level discussions” with Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis, and how commissioners discussed the idea with Sarasota County commissioners.

On April 27, 2022, in a joint session of both commissions, Harmer made what he called “the ask.”He asked Sarasota County commissioners to fund the construction of a public library on Longboat Key. He never said explicitly this library would be sited on the Town Center Green, but the implication was obvious. The first two items on that

day’s agenda were discussions of a library and the town’s plans for a town center.

Town commissioners left that meeting with a commitment from Sarasota County Commissioner Chair Al Maio money would be appropriated to begin the project.

The deal was done.

From that meeting in April 2022 up to January 2023, Harmer and Lewis worked out details. At a Jan. 23, 2023, Town Commission meeting, Harmer presented town commissioners with a “principles agreement,” spelling out what the county would agree to do. Among Harmer’s comments to commissioners:

“Prior to COVID, there was a formal request by the town and Town Commission for a library on Longboat Key. They (the county) indicated their support to advance that. And then COVID came, and they froze their budgets and restricted capital projects …

“I asked them to consider a 50-year (lease) instead of a 99-year. They ultimately agreed to that … They did indicate what a library would include. That is important because that has evolved from our earlier discussions with the county. They were talking about a very small space, like 1,000, 1,100, 1,600 square feet, a very small space with just the circulation component.

“Now they’re talking about more of what I would say is typical new library for them. They stated here it included the circulation space, public technology use, larger community space, conference rooms, reading room, collaboration spaces.

“They indicated they would design, construct, maintain and operate the facility. It would be a county facility.

“They have also understood that the town may be interested in some add-ons to the facility … Those would be funded separately. But they would be responsible for the base facility.” Not a word of objection followed.

So here we are, a year later. You can find ample Longboat residents

who are surprised. Over the past month-and-a-half, in this space and in conversations around town, Longboat residents apparently thought what was to be developed with the county was still open for discussion. Indeed, in our unscientific survey two weeks ago, more respondents expressed support for an education center and community center than for a library.

And even though Mayor Schneier said at a commission meeting in February he was open to ideas, the fact is the deal was done. Town commissioners decided Longboat Key should have a county library on the Town Center Green. They decided and pursued this without seeking an unequivocal expression of support from the residents of Longboat Key. They decided. The people did not.

“I’m not sure,” said BJ Bishop at the Feb. 20 Town Commission meeting, “that maybe other than (Vice Mayor) Mike (Haycock) and Ken have gotten to participate in a discussion of our priorities for this project … Because quite honestly, I don’t think I have had any of those discussions.”

When we reread Observer editorials from the past four years, the Observer twice urged the town to conduct valid surveys, polls or referenda to determine what Longboat Key residents support and really want.

Even back in February 2019, when the town was in its partnership with Ringling College, Jim Brown, former mayor and then-president of the Longboat Key Foundation, told us Longboat Key residents and taxpayers first needed to answer one fundamental question: Do Longboaters want a cultural, arts and education center with a “black box” theater or just a cultural, arts and education center that can host lectures, art exhibits and community gatherings?

We never found out. It didn’t matter. It’s not up to you. You’re getting a library — like it or not.

How the library became sited at Town Center Green

Editor’s Note: The following is a timeline of excerpts of news stories from the Longboat Observer showing how discussions of a Sarasota County public library evolved to being designated for the Town Center Green.

Nov. 7, 2012: Longboat Library discusses options with Sarasota County

The Sarasota County Commission approved a grant of $20,000 in February for the Longboat Library, but made it clear that it was a one-time deal.

Now, the Longboat Library is looking for ways to work with the Sarasota County Library System. But, in many ways, the county is limited in the extent that it can support the nonprofit, all-volunteer library because it charges for membership.

It’s a point that Sarabeth Kalajian, director of the county library system, stressed last month when the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners and the Longboat Key Town Commission held a joint meeting that included discussion about library services.

The library system’s state aid is predicated on the point that libraries are free, Kalajian said at the Oct. 1 meeting.

March 4, 2020: Sarasota County library could be added on Longboat

At a joint meeting Feb. 26 commissioners preliminarily discussed what it would take to add a county library on Longboat and whether those services would extend to both Sarasota County and Manatee County residents.

Most county commissioners seemed in favor of the library and said they would look to set aside funds during the upcoming budget cycle. However, they are still unsure

of what the service would look like.

Because the Longboat Library requires a fee, Sarasota County could not partner with the organization without losing state funding.

Instead, it would have to partner directly with the town of Longboat

Key … “At the end of the day, the best thing we could do for Longboat Key is to bring full library services here,” Longboat Library President Mary Baker said. “I’m committed to doing anything I can to help that.”

Some commissioners suggested taking over the lease the current Longboat Library has with the town. However, that lease ends June 15, 2021, and requires a one-year notice, so commissioners would have to let the current occupants know by June 15, 2020.

Longboat Vice Mayor Ed Zunz said he would like to see a new library fixture be considered for the proposed town center.

Dec. 8, 2021: Mayor advocates for Sarasota County-operated library in Longboat Key

The COVID-19 pandemic put Longboat Key’s request for a county-operated library on hold but town leaders are again expressing their desire to bring a Sarasota County-operated library to the island.

On Monday, Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier wrote a letter to the Sarasota County Commission.

“We feel the timing is right to reignite plans to construct a library on Longboat Key and understand that town and county staff are looking at ways to establish incremental library services,” Schneier wrote … Schneier wrote in his letter that Longboat Library leadership has indicated support for a transition to a public library. The plan would be for the group to support the Sarasota County Library “in a volunteer relationship as Friends of

the Sarasota County Library.”

Also, (Town Manager Tom) Harmer said a new Sarasota County-operated library would complement the Town Center site.

May 1, 2022: County leaders talk about how to bring library to Longboat with four proposals

Following an exchange of verbal good vibrations between leaders of the Sarasota County Commission and the Longboat Key Town Commission, at least new four proposals for financing a county-run library and community center on the island surfaced last week at a joint meeting in Sarasota.

Among them: potential cooperation with Manatee County and Sarasota County Schools on funding operating costs; state money to help propel the project; federal grant money; and even tax money expected to begin flowing from the Residences at St. Regis Resort Longboat Key in 2025. Town leaders came to the meeting with a proposed timeline that kicks off with upgraded remote library services for island residents this year, followed by a path that includes the project landing on the county’s five-year, capitalimprovement project budget … (Sarasota County Commission Chairman Al) Maio, who has been speaking with Schneier and Town Manager Tom Harmer about the proposal, told Harmer in the joint meeting he would formally recommend to the County Commission that the library/community center be folded into upcoming budget discussions …

May 30, 2022: Sarasota County adds $1 million for town library development

It appears as a note on the bottom of the 72nd page of a 222-page budget workshop presentation,

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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delivered to Sarasota County Commissioners last week.

Seven words. Underneath a table that lists about $7.7 million for computer and circulation materials purchases for the Libraries and Historical Resources Department, $2 million in 2024 spending for a county history center and the expansion of the Fruitville Library and about $9 million for technology and books is a line that reads: “$1M in funding for future library design” ... That $1 million added to the county’s 2023 capital improvement plan budget of $171.9 million is the first component of a series of requests Longboat Key leaders made of their county counterparts, with the goal of seeking financial assistance for the planning, design, construction and operation of a library/community center at the Town Center Green land.

Feb. 2, 2023: Town lays out expectations of county library project

The town of Longboat Key is putting in writing what it considers important in its relationship with Sarasota County as the two governments move forward with plans for the Town Center library project … Over the past few years, the town has been advocating for a community center and library to be a focal point for the development of the Town Center Green. During the town’s joint meeting with the Sarasota County Commission on April 27, 2022, the town requested the County Commission consider monetarily supporting the construction of the library.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Town of Longboat Key to provide this much-wanted amenity in a way that complements the town’s vision for their Town Center Green project,” said Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis.

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1970 Main St. Third Floor Sarasota, FL 34236

MATT WALSH

Dialogue needed on park project

Proposed projects often stir diverse reactions. The activation of Ken Thompson Park is just one example, reflecting the diversity of opinions that is a cornerstone of healthy communities.

Every voice, regardless of its volume, is vital, as this diversity enriches the dialogue and ensures the project ultimately reflects our community’s needs and aspirations.

A minority of citizens, perhaps well intentioned, have started to present opinions not grounded in fact as undeniable truths. This approach, often amplified by its loudness, obscures the dialogue with misinformation, creating a situation where the most vocal, rather than the most informed, seem to dictate the story. The misalignment between volume and validity is disheartening and the silent majority loses out.

We will be initiating a series of town halls for all residents to learn the facts, express their views and partake in meaningful discussions about our project. This initiative underscores our commitment to transparency and inclusivity, aiming to bring our community together in a spirit of collaborative decision-making.

We need to seek out accurate information, challenge our assumptions and approach discussions with openness and a willingness to understand different perspectives.

Let us not be adversaries but collaborators, united in the shared goal of improving our city.

— JEFF KOFFMAN PARK GOLF SARASOTA

Library is not a priority

We attended both Sarasota County library sessions and are compelled to offer our observations. The town’s county partner is in the “modern” library business and does an excellent job at the Selby Library downtown and with its

regional libraries. Its understandable mission was evident by its inadequate response to the town residents’ input of adding needed community meeting space and for Education Center programming and space.

This is not surprising. The county is focused, of course, on planning for its 8,000-squarefoot “modern” library concept, which is suited to a semi-urban population of all ages.

Longboat Key demographics are 82% over the age of 60 and 55% over 70, based on 2022 Census Reporter. Clearly, the “modern” library, including space for youngsters to work on ideas, is not useful to a seniors population.

Also, the 12,000-square-foot parcel available in the Town Center Green is simply not large enough for the 8,000-square-foot “modern” library and fulfilling residents’ requested Community and Education Center meeting space “enhancements.”

It is crystal clear that based on a relatively recent town resident survey in 2022 and the recent Observer online survey that there are many different opinions. However, there is a clear majority

opinion that sets the top priorities for community center meeting space and adult education meeting facility.

So what to do in listening to and acting on town resident priorities?

The town should build the needed community meeting and education center. In addition, include a small library book distribution and return counter for books ordered on the county library website for periodic delivery and pick up at the community center facility.

This service is available and would save the county money.

There is another popular option to keep the Town Center Green open green space — to provide adequate space for unlimited fun and high-use events, such as seasonal holiday events, music festivals, art shows, craft shows, car shows, boat shows, the weekly marketplace, concerts, plays, charity events, etc. and adequate space for mobile food and beverage offerings. Repurpose the existing Longboat Key Library site next to Town Hall for community meeting and education space.

Last but not least, the town and

county should always be close partners in protecting and providing services to residents. However, this library “partnership” is fundamentally and foundationally at cross purposes, considering Longboat residents’ “spoken” and researched priority needs versus a relatively large “modern” library. Town Center available land is limited.

Good partnerships must have common goals and objectives; resident feedback priorities say we don’t.

Given the large tax contribution Sarasota County receives from half of Longboat Key, there should be a contribution from the county to help build our Community and Education Center and Library book distribution facility.

Finally, our Town Center should be totally owned and controlled by the town of Longboat Key for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately, the Town Commission is on track to approve a Sarasota County Library on Longboat that Longboat Key citizens have not asked for, and commissioners are putting it in the wrong place for the wrong reasons.

This is mismanagement. A

county “modern” library is not at the top of Longboat Key residents’ priority list.

— BOB AND SHANNON GAULT LONGBOAT KEY

Come and gone

If you know anything about Longboat Key, you know that it offers a slower pace and a glimpse into Old Florida, which has essentially come and gone.  Residents and visitors are reminded of this each time they pass over the bridge that announces the north end of the Key. Thriving mangroves and playful dolphins, as do the residents of Northgate, call the crystal blue waters surrounding the bridge home. While Northgate offers a charming, unassuming condo association, it is not without the impacts of a highly traveled tourism destination.

We live by a beautiful bridge, but that bridge has steady traffic due to an already overdeveloped Coquina and Bradenton beach. We start stirring around 4:30 a.m. when the traffic starts trickling in. We’re familiar with the noise it brings in the morning, as well as the vessel and motor vehicle noise that arrives later in the day.

On Sundays, we prepare for raucous boat activity on Beer Can Island, which, unfortunately, seems to be underregulated. We encounter trespassing and not only does it feel like a violation, it often feels like danger. When belligerent drinking goes unregulated, neighborhoods suffer.

We’re asking you, the town, to support the neighborhoods you represent. We’ve been fortunate enough to meet Commissioner Sarah Karon on our property. I ask that you all come experience for yourself the vulnerable air, land and sea that FDOT is threatening by ignoring organized, thoughtful neighborhood recommendations.

— AMANDA GRAY LONGBOAT KEY

Sarasota’s concept for Ken Thompson Park on City Island.

Future of the ferries

Gulf Islands Ferry recently added two days to the schedule. Talks continue on adding vessels and a Longboat stop.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The Gulf Islands Ferry debuted in January and, after a strong start, the service has already expanded its days of operation. There are more plans in the works, too, according to Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione.

“We saw demand right out of the gate,” Falcione said.

Riders range from residents to visitors, and the demand comes in several forms.

“I think, from a local standpoint, it was intrigue more than anything,” Falcione said. “Many of us residents have never been on the Manatee River heading out to Anna Maria Island. So right there and then we’ve had that pent-up demand.”

For visitors, the ferry can be a way to avoid traffic or experience a different mode of transportation.

Falcione estimated that ferry ridership is at about 375 passengers on a full day with good weather. That could mean about 150-160 cars off the road, he added.

The service is weather-dependent. There are some days where passengers may experience some windy conditions or some sea spray — for that, Falcione said he’s working on getting branded ponchos to give to riders.

“We want to make sure the experience is pleasurable for all the riders,” Falcione said.

At launch, the service was running Friday through Sunday. Two ferries — the Downtown Duchess and the

TICKET TO RIDE

One-way tickets for adults cost $6; $4 for active military, seniors 60 to 80 years old, and children aged 4-18; and free for children 3 years or younger and seniors over 80 years old.

Round-trip tickets are $10 for adults; $6 for active military, seniors 60 to 80 years old, and children aged 4-18; and free for children 3 years or younger and seniors over 80 years old.

For more information about the schedule, or to purchase tickets, go to the ferry’s website at GulfCoastWaterTaxi. com.

Miss Anna Maria — each with two crew members currently run the operation.

Falcione said it’s also important to note that the service is subsidized by the tourism tax, up to $400,000.

After seeing the demand, Falcione said the next step was to build up staff and crew, which ultimately led to Thursdays being added to the schedule.

Most recently, Wednesdays were tacked onto the schedule. The ferry now runs Wednesday through Sunday, which Falcione said is probably the schedule for the rest of this season.

Next year, it may be a different story.

“The objective, starting February of next year, we may be running seven days a week,” Falcione said.  Included in that expansion goal

is to operate year-round at that capacity, which will be especially important during busy holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Apart from adding days to the schedule, Falcione hopes to add vessels to the fleet.

He’s begun conversations to purchase a covered water ferry, which would also be a little faster. With a covered vessel, it would be less likely that the service would be suspended due to weather.

This faster vessel would most likely only take people between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. Then, the other ferries could be used to move people between the islands, per his plan.

Falcione wants to get that vessel ordered soon, pending board approval.

More stops are also in the works for the ferry service.

Talks have begun with the city of Palmetto to bring the ferry service to the Bradenton Area Convention Center, according to Falcione. He said he hopes that will happen by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

Another stop soon will be on Coquina Beach.

“You know, it’s one step at a time,” Falcione said. “We learn something new every day. I’m excited to see where we’re at this time next year.”  Falcione also mentioned that a Longboat Key stop is on his list of objectives.

POSSIBILITY ON THE KEY

Recent conversations with the town of Longboat Key have focused on the town boat ramp at Linley Street, according to Falcione.

He said there weren’t many other options on Longboat Key. Plus the proximity to Mar Vista and Shore would make it an ideal destination for tourists looking for a place to eat.

Town Manager Howard Tipton confirmed that those conversations were focused on that location. The timing is also ideal, he said, because the town is looking into a project to revamp the dock.

It would depend on how the ferry would navigate into that area, but conceptually, Tipton said the stop may be a possibility.

Aside from bringing people to the popular restaurants, Tipton said having a ferry as a mode of transportation could help employees who work on Longboat Key.

“We know transportation is a challenge, we know traffic is a headache,” Tipton said. “We would love to explore that with them as part of the economic development side.”

Tipton said it’s challenging to find a good spot for the ferry on the island.

Bayfront Park, for example, would be difficult to navigate, and then there isn’t much to do around there, he said.

So far, the stop at the town boat ramp was a part of a preliminary conversation, according to Tipton. The topic is also planned to be discussed at the town’s April 30 joint meeting with Manatee County.

“We’re interested in exploring those conversations, and see where that might go,” Tipton said. “Anything that helps take cars off the road, we’re willing to look at.”

Carter Weinhofer

The Gulf Islands Ferry now operates Wednesdays through Sundays.

Scan below for a full list of Open Houses, property details, driving directions and more

Republican Club of Longboat Key, Inc.

P.O. Box 8181

Longboat Key, FL 34228-8181

DINNER MEETING!

Tuesday,

April 9th, 2024

Reception: 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM

Dinner / Meeting: 6:00 PM to 8 PM

Sarasota Yacht Club 1100 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236

COME LISTEN TO A FEW OF OUR LOCAL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR 2024!

Karen Rose is a candidate for re-election to the Sarasota School Board.

A member of the Republican Club of Longboat Karen Rose has had the honor of serving children and families for 28 years in Sarasota County Schools as a special education teacher, principal and executive director of middle schools. Karen developed the N. County Gifted Program, a college and career program, and brought the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program to Sarasota. As a trail blazer in science, technology, and math education, she is most proud of her leadership role in our middle schools’ STEMsmart Classrooms. Karen graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and the University of South Florida with a master’s degree in education and completed a USF program in educational leadership and administration. Karen is married to Dan Miller, and they have one son.

Talha “Tal” Siddique is a candidate for Manatee County Commission Chair in the 2024 Republican Primary for the District 3 Seat.

A member of The Republican Club of Longboat Key, Tal is a servantleader who has worked in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Air Force. He has successfully built and scaled IT consulting businesses across the globe.

Tal earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational sciences with a minor in Computer Science at The George Washington University. He is married to Kristen Truong, and they reside in Manatee County. Scott Farrington is a candidate for Supervisor of Elections for Manatee County.

Scott has served 11 years as the number two in the current SOE, Mike Bennett’s, office and had previously served as a top official in Sarasota County’s SOE office. He is the only certified elections administrator in Manatee County and holds the title of Florida Master Certified Election Professional. Scott has over 21 years of experience in elections administration This includes over 50 elections including five Presidential and six Gubernatorial Election Cycles, as well as special and municipal elections.

Scott graduated from Community Christian High School in Oneco, FL and earned a bachelor’s in business and a masters in managing information systems at the University of South Florida. Scott is married to Amy, and they have one son.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS

DINNER: $75

Because we must give a final number to the Club for dinner, the deadline for reservations is 3pm, Friday, April 5th. Reservations will not be accepted after that date. Thank you for your understanding.

Make your reservation online and pay securely with your credit card by going to our website: rclbk.org

For more information, please contact our President: Garnett Black | gblackrclbk@gmail.com

No contest for commission seats

LBK town leadership remains in place after uncontested runs.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Every year, Longboat Key town commissioners can nominate fellow commissioners to take the reins as mayor and vice mayor.

Both Mayor Ken Schneier and Vice Mayor Mike Haycock received the only nominations for their respective positions, which were both validated by a unanimous vote.

Commissioner-At-Large BJ Bishop nominated Schneier to keep his mayoral position. She said this coming year is critical to see the end of projects like the Sarasota County library and the underground utilities project.

“I think it would be critical that you have this coming year to finish that work off for us,” Bishop said as a part of her nomination.  Schneier’s first term as District 3 commissioner began in March 2020, and he is currently in his second and last term, which expires in March 2026. Town commissioners serve three-year terms and have a twoterm limit. This will be Schneier’s fourth year as mayor.

“I want to thank you all for the confidence in me for another year,”

Schneier said. “I have two more years before terming out as a commissioner … I strongly suggest that we, as a body, think about the future a little bit so that, a year from now, we are able to move forward into the future with someone else who would be willing to take this job on.”

Schneier said, ideally, it would be a good idea to nominate someone else while he is still serving on the commission so that he can make introductions and help the transition.

Bishop also made the nomination for Haycock to remain as vice mayor, which was upheld with a unanimous vote.

This month also meant the start of a new term for District 2 Commissioner Penny Gold and District 4 Commissioner Debra Williams.

In November 2023, the application period for the commission seat closed, and Gold and Williams were the only applicants for their districts.

Since there was no opposition, there was no need for a preliminary election or a general municipal election, the latter of which would have been held on March 19.

Gold was sworn in at the March 25 statutory meeting to solidify her second and final term as commissioner.

Williams was called out of town and was unable to attend the March 25 meeting, so she was sworn in on March 22 at Town Hall.

Both of their final terms will extend until March 2027.

Mayor Ken Schneier and Vice Mayor Mike Haycock were sworn in for another year. Carter Weinhofer

Will Your Retirement Last 30 Years?

Here’s what you should know about planning ahead for today’s average retirement from age 62 to 92.

We all dream of a happy, healthy retirement. But when most people envision this, they think of a beautiful snapshot—not an epic, decades-long journey. Of course, your journey can be as enjoyable as you imagine it, but you’ll still need to find some way to finance it.

“We often describe today’s retirement experience as a marathon,” said John B. Leeming CFP®, president at JL Bainbridge. “You need pacing and preparation. And the last thing anyone wants is to run out of gas along the way.” In financial terms, this is called “outliving your money.”

Embarking on a 30-year retirement marathon requires careful planning, disciplined saving, and strategic decision-making. Yet many reach their 50s without noticing how quickly their retirement years are approaching. While it’s not too late at this point to adopt a longterm investment strategy (one that typically avoids overreacting to market swings), specific financial situations and retirement goals require even greater attention and expertise at this stage.

For example, those nearing retirement age should be aware of how to take full advantage of optimizing their contributions to retirement plans. The IRS allows catch-up contributions and recently introduced new contribution limits and other related changes. But the requirements and options for making adjustments are affected by several factors. In other words, it’s complicated.

Let’s go back to the marathon analogy. By starting early, creating a comprehensive financial plan, diversifying your investments, and staying flexible, you’ll improve your chances of pacing yourself for financial success with confidence— even for a thirty-year retirement. But if you feel like some personal “coaching” would help you along the way, consider talking to your financial advisor and tax professional for guidance.

JL Bainbridge family wealth advisors are fiduciaries, required by the SEC to act first and foremost in their clients’ interests.

JL Bainbridge offers free hourlong financial reviews with one of their advisors. To reserve a time for yourself, visit their website, call, or scan the QR code below.

1582

MONDAY, MARCH 18

GOLF CART MIX-UP

9:39 a.m., 600 block of Jackson Way Suspicious Incident: An officer responded to a report of a stolen golf cart. At the scene, the responding officer spoke with the caller, who said she found her golf cart down the block. The officer and caller walked to the golf cart, and she confirmed it was hers. A bystander realized that what must have happened was that the Village had a St. Patrick’s Day party the night before, and someone took the wrong golf cart home by mistake. The officer spoke to the people

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

WARRANT SERVED AT SEA

2:54 p.m., Linley Street Boat Ramp

Vehicle Stop: While on marine patrol, an officer noticed a vessel dragging a bow line that was in danger of fouling a propeller. The officer realized the vessel’s registration matched a “be on the lookout” alert from the U.S. Coast Guard. The warning about the vessel included that the operator had two active felony warrants. The marine patrol officer stopped the vessel and said he was going to conduct a safety check of the vessel. The wanted operator asked if he could anchor his vessel and, while he was distracted in doing so, another officer came aboard the marine patrol boat. Once there were two officers present, the marine patrol officer asked the operator to step aboard the marine patrol boat, where he was handcuffed. The suspect was later transported to jail on land.

SAME OLD GRAFFITI

6:16 p.m., 7200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Officer Public Service: A caller reported that graffiti was on the Longboat Pass Bridge and a rope was hanging from the bridge. When the officer arrived on the scene, it

was determined that the graffiti had been there for a while, and the officer removed the rope in question.

MONDAY, MARCH 18

DUMPSTER DIVER DEFENSE

9:14 a.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: Dispatch sent officers to a restaurant, where it was reported that a suspicious person was going through the dumpster. The officer spoke with the man, who said he was collecting bait for fishing. One officer spoke with the restaurant manager, who said he had no problem with the man. The complainant was informed that the dumpster diver had permission to carry on.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

WRONG TYPE OF ACCIDENT

12:48 p.m., 600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Officer Public Service: Dispatch alerted an officer to a possible traffic crash, which was reported by a cellphone’s crash detector. Before police arrived at the scene, dispatch spoke to the cellphone owner, who said the phone had been dropped by accident.

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PET PICS

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Maundy Thursday, March 28

Holy Communion – 4

Good Friday, March 29

Solemn

Easter Day, March 31

8

Organ, Chancel Choir and Handbells

of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until 7pm

GOOD FRIDAY : 9am Liturgy of the Hours Prayers, 12pm Stations of the Cross • 3pm The Lord’s Passion, Veneration of the Cross, Holy Communion

HOLY SATURDAY: 10am Easter Basket Blessings • 6pm Easter Vigil

EASTER SUNDAY : Mass at 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am

OVERFLOW 9:30 EASTER SUNDAY MASS IN FATHER EDWARD PICK HALL

Rev. Robert Dziedziak, Pastor Sharing

You are invited to join us in worship, song & friendship at Shabbat services every Friday evening at 5:30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am.

To learn more about our Temple and all our educational, cultural and social programs, please call us. We’d be delighted to talk with you. Questions? Email us at info@longboatkeytemple.org

567 Bay Isles Rd, Longboat Key, FL 941-383-3428 longboatkeytemple.org

416978-1

ALL EARS: Bentley enjoys his Easter basket at Spanish Main Yacht Club.

601

1350

4317

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Longbeach celebrates 50th anniversary with a weekend of reminiscing on its history and tight-knight community.

Longboat’s ‘best-kept secret’ YOUR NEIGHBORS

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Even in the age of digital maps, Longbeach Condominiums residents say many still have trouble finding the spot tucked away on Broadway Street on the northern end of Longboat Key.

With a prime location near the Gulf of Mexico and Beer Can Island and its intimate family style community, it’s often called “Longboat’s best-kept secret,” by residents.

That “secret” turned 50 years old this year. Longbeach celebrated the milestone the weekend of March 22-23.

“How lucky are we to be on these 17 acres in the best beach and the best island in Florida,” said Peter Butler, president of the Longbeach Homeowners Association. “When you think about it, it is really the memories that have been made on these physical assets that makes all this important. Families have gone one after another to pass along Longbeach and keep everybody connected.”

Residents came together Friday night for a toast and cake to start the celebration weekend. Saturday, they hosted a dinner with a total of 89 guests. Jessie Butler chaired the 50th anniversary weekend with the help of her committee.

At the celebration, a special table was reserved for the six residents and their families who are original owners at Longbeach. They sat around the table and reminisced over their favorite times at their beach getaway.

The 88 units of Longbeach Condo-

miniums were first for sale in 1974, which was the same year Becky Jones’ family bought their condo there. In the 1970s, she got to explore the area with her family when they were visiting a family friend. After that trip, she was surprised to find out that her father spontaneously bought a condo at Longbeach. She said that it fit everything they wanted in a Florida condominium: the gulf, lots of outdoor space, and the perfect beach to take walks on. In 2000, Jones bought her father’s condo after he died.

“I really tie this place to him, and I think a lot of people do the same thing with their families because most of the condos are passed down,” said

“How lucky are we to be on these 17 acres in the best beach and the best island in Florida.”

— Peter Butler, president of the Longbeach Homeowners Association.

Jones. “It just constantly reminds me of those summers with my family. We would always leave the windows open and we could feel the summer breeze and hear the doves talking to each other. Not a lot of other places on Longboat have as much land as we do and access to nature like this.”

Like Jones, most original owners and other residents had their condos passed down to them from family or friends. Original owner Bob Appel, who was president at Longbeach four times, said this helps create the family environment among neighbors at Longbeach.

Everyone was in agreement about their love for Beer Can Island and Longbeach’s access to the outdoors. Resident Steve Lakamp said that he can confirm all the stories to be true that people would go to Beer Can Island and leave all their beer cans along the sand. Original owner Rob Hongen said Beer Can Island is the best place to kayak, bird watch and explore a lesser known part of Longboat.

Many residents said Longbeach’s history includes concern over the receding shoreline due to hurricanes. With the help of beach renourishment, residents are content with the beach now but are always trying to be mindful to keep the gulf as healthy as possible.  Longbeach hosts happy hours and holiday parties throughout the year. Many residents said that if they are looking for social hours they can always find people by the pool or the beach even when there is no event planned.

Original owner Joan Reploeg said that her favorite part about Longbeach is how casual and close-knit it is. Since there are only 88 units, it makes it easier to get to know more neighbors and feel a part of the community.

Committee member Crystal Howard said that the units at Longbeach fill up fast. This is what happened to Mike White, Pat White and Susan Rivers, who just started renting two months ago.  “We have fallen completely in love with Longbeach and Longboat Key,” said Rivers. “We are already planning to come back next year, but the condo we are staying in now is already rented which makes us sad because we love the northern part of the island and the community we have built here at Longbeach. I think everyone’s adventurous spirits and their desire to build tight-knit friendships really makes this place stand out.”

Cathie Schulhoff, Carol Dreyer and Debbie Kukla

Dave and Barb Baughman, with, Charlotte, Kim, Jake and Nora Christenson

Photos by Petra Rivera

Sunset Soirée supports mission

Save Our Seabirds hosts annual fundraiser at Michael’s On East.

SIF YOU GO

SAVE OUR SEABIRDS’ SUNSET SOIREE

SOS’s resident veterinarian, Dr. Maria Passarelli, will be speaking about her experience working with the birds in the area and about the mission of the nonprofit.

“This event brings the bulk of our core supporters together,” said Walton. “People enjoy the event because it’s your typical fundraiser dinner with dancing, music and an auction, but I think everybody’s favorite part is talking to Dr. Passarelli. Every year she does a talk. She’s so passionate about what we do and a great speaker. She is preparing a new talk for the soiree, but I think it gives a real inside look into what we do and what we are trying to achieve.”

This is the second year SOS will be hosting at Michael’s On East, which allows room for about 320 people.  Walton said he is looking forward

6 p.m. on April 11 at Michael’s On East, 1212 S. East Ave. Individual tickets are $250 per person. Sponsorships are still available. Visit SaveOurSeabirds.org to register.

to finally meeting all the donors, since he hasn’t had a chance to meet everyone face to face yet.

“Our mere presence has an impact on the wildlife around us,” said Walton. “What we do at Save Our Seabirds, it just seeks to mitigate that impact. So anybody who comes to the fundraiser, you’re supporting and undergirding our core mission, which helps to mitigate the negative impact that our presence has on wildlife.”

Courtesy image

A great blue heron is released after recovering from injuries at Save Our Seabirds.

File image

Mike and Beverly St. Hilaire at last year’s Sunset Soirée.

Social networking

New marketing manager to step up LBK Chamber’s social media presence.

Tmanager for the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce.

Originally from Pennsylvania, McDermott has lived in Florida for the past 23 years. She graduated in 2013 with a degree in event management from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. She got her MBA from the University of South Florida

McDermott has worked in hospitality for 10 years for multiple nonprofits and five hotels, including Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando, The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Westin Sarasota and Embassy Suites by Hilton Sarasota.

With a love for social media and

marketing, McDermott decided to combine her passion for food with photography and create her own personal food Instagram account, @FoodwithFeliciaMcD. She said that this account taught her a lot about social media and plans to use these skills to promote the chamber.

“Felicia’s schooling, professional background, skills and vision for moving the Longboat Chamber forward perfectly align with the work we are doing,” said Kim Verreault, chamber president. “We are so excited to have her on board and can already see that she is committed to building relations and helping our chamber and the communities we service shine.”

The Observer sat down with McDermott to find out what she plans to bring to Longboat Key.

What are your responsibilities as marketing director?

I felt this job really combined all my interests with event planning and getting to promote the area. There’s

like over 200 members right now. That’s a big part of my role is helping recruit and doing member marketing and member relations. I’m going to be helping with planning the events, recruiting new members, assisting with social media, creating marketing material and just helping promote our members and their businesses.

How was your first week?

The first day was pretty jampacked. We went through a runthrough of my responsibilities. Then I really jumped right in and helped prepare for the Savor the Sounds. I made signs for the table through Canva with the different businesses on it.

I have already learned so much these first couple days. Connie (Darrah) is so helpful and knowledgeable of the area. Hearing her talk to visitors that come in has taught me so much. Kim (Verreault), she’s just so sweet. I know I’m going to learn so much from her experience, and she is just so helpful.

How do you plan to bring your previous experience to the job?

I’ve learned a lot because I have my food Instagram account. I’m so passionate about photography. I don’t have a special professional camera, but something I’ve always loved was taking pictures of my food. So I was like, “why don’t I start a little blog on Instagram?”

At my previous job, I told them I had my own food account, and the restaurant didn’t really have a social media account. So, I took over their restaurant account for them and really built it up. From there, I was able to do their hotel page. Also, in college, I was always the designated social media person for marketing classes, which I loved.

So that is the biggest thing I want to focus on here at the chamber: exploring what we can do with social media and how we can use it to get these businesses out there.

What are you looking forward to in this job?

This job combines all the things I was really passionate about: Events, marketing, and then I also just enjoy meeting new people. So it is the perfect opportunity to learn more and grow.

What are your next steps as you begin your job?

I want to explore the whole area. Everyone’s been so welcoming, supportive and encouraging. Kim and I plan to go to St. Armands Circle to take pictures and meet the business managers there that are members. Our goal is to recruit more businesses. In St. Armands, there’s over 100 businesses. So, we really want to make that connection and develop those relationships with those businesses.

Photos by Petra Rivera Felicia McDermott graduated in 2013 with a degree in event management from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida.

Connie Darrah, Felicia McDermott and Kim Verreault

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Easter and Passover worship

PETRA

Hof worship:

LONGBOAT ISLAND CHAPEL

6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Pastor Brock Patterson

March 29: 6 p.m. Good Friday

service

March 31: 7 a.m. Sunrise service in the garden; 10 a.m. Easter Day

worship traditional service with orchestra

ST. ARMANDS KEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

40 N. Adams Drive

Pastor Kenneth Blyth

March 28: Noon and 7 p.m. Maundy

Thursday services

March 29: Noon and 7 p.m. Good

Friday services

March 30: 7 p.m. Easter Vigil

March 31: 7 and 10 a.m. Easter services in the garden; 9 and 11 a.m. Easter services in the sanctuary with choir, festive brass and timpani

CHRIST CHURCH OF LONGBOAT

KEY 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Pastor Julia Piermont

March 28: 7:30 p.m. “As We’ve Been Done To” Maundy Thursday service at Communion service remembering the Last Supper. The choir will sing “Hope of the World.”

March 29: 7:30 p.m. Good Friday

Tenebrae service with “Shadows of the Passion,” a dramatic retelling of the drama leading to Jesus’ crucifixion using narratives from scripture with musical commentary.

March 31: 10 a.m. Festival Easter service with choir, organ and trumpet

ALL ANGELS BY THE SEA

EPISCOPAL CHURCH

563 Bay Isles Road

Pastor David Marshall March 28: 4 p.m. Maundy Thursday service

March 29: Noon Good Friday service

March 31: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Easter

Sunday services

ST. MARY, STAR OF THE SEA, CATHOLIC CHURCH

4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Pastor Robert Dziedziak

March 28: 4 p.m. Holy Thursday: The Mass of the Lord’s Supper (washing of the feet)

March 29: Noon, Stations of the Cross; 3 p.m. Good Friday Venerations of the Cross liturgy

March 30: 10 a.m. Blessing of Easter Baskets; 6 p.m. Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Mass

March 31: 7 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL

567 Bay Isles Road

Rabbi Stephen Sniderman

April 22: 5:30 p.m. Passover Seder (Registration closes at noon April 12. There will be a waiting list available. Call the office at 383-3428.)

April 23: 10 a.m. Morning Pesach Service (temple office closed for the holiday)

April 26: 5:30 p.m. Regular Erev Shabbat Service

April 29: 10 a.m. Seventh Day morning service and Yizkor (temple office closed for the holiday)

Petra Rivera

The Rev. Brock Patterson, the Rev. Jeffrey Nunes, the Rev. Julia Piermont, Issac Azerad, the Rev. David Marshall and Rabbi Stephen Sniderman

Mind-body practice

Instructor Sandi Love explains the basis of qigong and how it can enhance your connection to nature.

The five elements are fire, earth, metal, wood and water. Each element works on different organs and different emotions.

A“Qigong is a mind-body practice and a moving meditation that quiets the mind and gives the body vitality,” said Love. “It is really based on what is going on in nature and how our bodies feel the same way. Qigong has brought so many people joy, and I hear amazing feedback from my students like that they have better sleep and have less pain.”

Each season, the focus of the qigong class changes based on which element the class is working on from the Five Element theory in traditional Chinese medicine.

The seasons last about two-anda-half months. The spring season started on Feb. 22 and the next season will be fire-themed for early summer.

The qigong class at The Paradise Center recently exited the “quiet yin energy” of winter that is represented by the water element. This focuses on introspections, listening to nature and exercises that benefit the kidney and bladder.

The class then entered into the “rising yang energy” of the spring, which represents the wood element. This benefits the tendons and liver.

“The energy of nature is rising up out of the roots and the trunk of the tree into the branches of the tree. It is the same for us,” said Love. “The wood element has the positive quali-

ties of self-motivation, expansion, flexibility, curiosity, growth and kindness ... Many of my students tell me they don’t even feel like they are exercising. Yet, they can feel their body has been worked.”

Originally from California, Love didn’t start practicing qigong until she moved to Longboat Key. She said one day when she was walking

out of the Lord’s Warehouse at the Longboat Island Chapel she ran into a woman who told her that her Californian roots made her perfect for the qigong exercise.

At first, Love wasn’t impressed by the Chinese practice, but she said after two weeks, she felt a change in her body with fewer aches and pains. She also started to feel the qigong energy.

IF YOU GO

10 a.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m.

Fridays at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Sandi

Love’s qigong classes are usually held outside unless there is inclement weather. No special clothing is required. It is a free class for Paradise Center members; $15 for others. Call 383-6493.

After five years of practice, Love told Suzy Brenner, executive director of The Paradise Center, how she wished that there was a qigong class on the island, so she could have a community to learn from.

Love’s teacher told her that she was ready to lead a class because of her initiative and determination for qigong over the years. She started teaching at The Paradise Center in 2018.

“Each class is different, so people don’t know what to expect when they come,” said Love. “You do a lot of different movements, things that you don’t normally do. They make your brain work and push people to try new things. Sometimes, we will do a healing circle where we pass healing energy to everybody. I love seeing the joy in my students’ faces when they start to see how qigong helps their body.”

Photos by Petra Rivera

Qigong instructor Sandi Love at The Paradise Center Susan Veshosky

Janet Milliken, Linda Nichols and Jane Rodbell

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More than meets the eye

‘Watermelon Regatta,’ an 18th-century painting by the artist known only as the ‘Master of the Fertility of the Egg,’ is on display at the Ringling Museum.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

What’s wrong with this picture?

The world in “Watermelon Regatta,” an 18th-century painting created in Italy, is strange enough as birds, crustaceans and other animals race down a Venetian canal in gondolas cut from the crust of watermelons, cheered on by dwarfish, caricatured humans.

Yet, over the last few years, even more was off-kilter about this painting than its world of reversed roles, as conservators at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art worked to restore what began as an image defined by grime, discolored varnish and overpainting.

It wasn’t a level of effort they would have given to just any ordinary painting, but the strangeness of the artist’s satire took hold of them, just as it now has a chance to do for museum visitors.

For the first time, the painting has found a place on the museum walls, in a devoted room that also features a slideshow on the restoration process.

It will remain on display there temporarily and eventually will join the larger collection, although no plans are currently set.

MENAGERIE OF MESSAGES

The identity of the artist behind the 70-by-96-inch oil painting on canvas may not be known, but the 18thcentury painter still made a name in the art world as “Master of the Fertility of the Egg.”

Active in northern Italy around 1700, the painter was responsible for painting “Fertility of the Egg,” which is at the Milwaukee Art Museum,

and created multiple works with the same figures and creatures.

“The subject matter is just really unusual and quite delightful,” said the Ringling’s Chief Conservator Barbara Ramsay. “Today, we see all kinds of strange things, but probably in the early 1700s, there was not much else like this around. So it’s amazing it survived, and it’s been through a lot.”

No consensus exists among scholars as to the artist’s identity, although according to Chief Curator Sarah Cartwright, possibilities have been suggested, including that the artist was Flemish. She noted this type of satire is associated in some ways with northern countries. What is more easily apparent is the message the painting conveys.

“The artist has taken a satirical view of human life and human folly, poking fun at how arrogant humans can be, and how they’re so superior to the animals, and he’s turned everything upside down, so here it’s actually these other creatures that are involved and engaged in a race,” Ramsay said.

Although guests of all ages find something to enjoy in the painting today, for many years after it was donated to the museum in 1951 by its first director, Everett “Chick” Austin, it was largely illegible.

Ian Swaby Chief Curator Sarah Cartwright

‘Watermelon Regatta’ before the restoration

‘Watermelon Regatta’ after the restoration

Watermelon

FROM PAGE 12B

While it received a partial treatment decades ago before entering storage, much more extensive work was required before it could find a place in the museum.

IN THE MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS

At the Ringling, the staff of conservators is small, but Ramsay still had to find a path for moving the work on the unique painting forward.

These conservation efforts, which began in 2017, had been the focus of the Ringling’s 2016 Giving Challenge, and were more recently supported by the David A. Straz Jr. Foundation.

Over the past year, Ramsay began hiring private conservators to help finish the project.

A crucial part of the answer was found in the museum’s interns; the museum trains conservation interns, fellows and junior conservators, and “Watermelon Regatta,” with its extensive damage, made an ideal teaching tool.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that such a restoration is a task for all skill levels, though.

The background of a conservator must include plant science and organic chemistry, along with art history and studio art. Furthermore, the process at Ringling follows a strict ethical guideline of respecting the artist’s original intent, adding no more new material than necessary.

A restoration begins with a thorough examination to distinguish between original and nonoriginal paint, a process that includes photographing the painting and viewing it with ultraviolet, fluorescent and infrared light and X-rays.

As the work began, conservators had to set down paint that was lifting from the canvas and remove surface grime and discolored varnish, before removing overpaint by testing different combinations of chemicals.

It was those areas where paint was missing entirely where artistic skills became especially relevant.

When it comes to blank areas, conservators must paint over the

IF YOU GO

“Watermelon Regatta” is on view in Gallery 12 of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art from March 16 through May 19. The gallery is included in regular museum admission. Chief Conservator Barbara Ramsay will offer a public talk on April 23 to discuss the restoration at 11 a.m. April 23, at 5401 Bay Shore Road.

area using the exact structure of what is found around it, while also mixing paints until they find a perfect color match.

“You have to be an artist. But normally, you don’t,” Ramsay said. “In most situations, you don’t want to add anything; you don’t want to let your artistic self take over and do more than you should.”

This inpainting work involves the use of extremely small brushes, and either dry pigments or synthetic resins developed for the conservation field. To help keep the canvas texture consistent, some areas of the painting were filled using silicone molds of the paint surface.

In still other areas, overpainting had to be done, for instance, in the case of the water in the picture.

Although intended by the artist to be a brown color, it had been painted over in bright blue that could not be safely removed, so conservators painted over that space once again.

With “Watermelon Regatta,” the conservators found plenty of reference points to ensure the authenticity of the restoration.

The painting’s repeating animal figures were helpful; Ramsay was able to reference one monkey in the painting to fill in the head of the same animal in another area. Other paintings by the same artist also provided reference points for human figures.

The new exhibition, which features a slideshow on the restoration process, reveals the importance of conservation to the museum, Cartwright said.

“It’s amazing,” she said of the talent on display. “It’s remarkable to have such expertise. We have large collections here, so ideally, we’d have an even larger conservation staff, but what they do is remarkable.”

3527 FAIR OAKS LANE LONGBOAT KEY,

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Acondominium in Sage LBK tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. 4750

Ocean Blvd. LLC sold the Unit 102 condominium at 4651 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Terrance and Kimberly Schneider, of Longboat Key, for $5.65 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 4,024 square feet of living area. It sold for $4,578,900 in 2023.

SLEEP LAGOON PARK

for $1.75 million in 2013.

L’AMBIANCE AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB

Maria Georgiev, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit K-705 condominium at 435 L’Ambiance Drive to Michael Booth, trustee, of Alpha, Ohio, for $2,900,100. Built in 1994, it has two bedrooms, two-and-two-half baths and 2,634 square feet of living area. It sold for $772,500 in 1994.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Fazzone LLC sold the home at 354 Monroe Drive to Ryan Fugit and Valerie Fugit, trustees, of Los Gatos, California, for $2.2 million. Built in 1950, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,112 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 2009.

GRAND BAY

Diana Verma, of Sarasota, sold her Unit 383 condominium at 3030 Grand Bay Blvd. to William Herman and Sandra Herman, trustees, of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, for $1.6 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a half baths and 2,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $660,000 in 1998.

KEY TOWERS SOUTH

Michael and Susan Nowicki, of Hamburg, New York, sold their Unit 5-C condominium at 1750 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Glebe Street Investments LLC for $1.35 million. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,364 square feet of living area. It sold for $545,000 in 2003.

Jurgen and Christine Wache sold their home at 747 Marbury Lane to Dean and Laura Trudeau, of Van Buren Township, Michigan, for $1.35 million. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,353 square feet of living area. It sold for $762,500 in 2019.

INN ON THE BEACH

Amy and Paul Eccher, trustees, of Geneva, Illinois, sold the Unit 3503 condominium at 230 Sands Point Road to David Ryland, of Sarasota, for $1,125,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 634 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2019.

FAIRWAY BAY

Samuel and Mary Lynn Carubba, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, sold their Unit 312 condominium at 2016 Harbourside Drive to Anne Simpson, trustee, of Maize, Kansas, for $740,000. Built in 1984, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,192 square feet of living area. It sold for $289,500 in 2012.

THE SHORE RKD Real Estate LLC sold the Unit 110 condominium at 5757 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Graham and Lynne Cherrington, of Longboat Key, for $660,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,561 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2022.

SARASOTA HARBOUR APARTMENTS

Kim David Walker, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 23 condominium at 767 John Ringling Blvd. to Wayne LaFlamboy III, of Sarasota, for $395,000. Built in 1963, it has one bedroom, one bath and 612 square feet of living area. It sold for $200,000 in 2019.

APRIL 4 MUSIC BY JOYCELYN CORBERT

6-9 p.m. at Whitney’s, 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Vocalist Joycelyn Corbert brings a show filled with music from artists such as Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Etta James, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, The Righteous Brothers, The Temptations and more. The combination of Motown and Soul creates a body moving experience you won’t want to miss. Call 383-4606.

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LONGBOAT LIBRARY

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., MondayFriday. 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 383-2011.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS PUMPING THE PRIME: CARDIO, STRENGTH & STRETCH

10 a.m. at the Bayfront Park Recreation Center. This low-impact class helps burn calories and increase stamina. It also includes strength exercises for a total body workout. Participants should be able to get down on the floor and get up readily. (Please bring a towel.) Runs until the end of April/May 2024. Classes are $10 for rec center members; $15 for nonmembers. Contact Mirabai Holland at Mirabai@MovingFree.com.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE

The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 383-4738.

MONDAYS

ZUMBA & TONING

10 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Taught by Reena Malik, this class begins with 30 minutes of zumba and finishes with mat Pilates for flexibility and strengthening core muscles. Come for 30 or 60 minutes. Free for members; $15 for nonmembers.

GENTLE CHAIR YOGA

From 9-10 a.m. at the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Remain stabilized in a chair and enjoy all the benefits of traditional yoga with certified yoga teacher Emme Shapiro. Join anytime on a prorated basis. Pay as you go,

BEST BET

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

SAVOR THE SOUNDS CONCERT SERIES

5:30-7 p.m. at the Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. SoulRcoaster will be performing in the Savor the Sounds concert series. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Mike Sales (pictured) will be performing from 4:30-5:30 p.m. General admission is $25 in advance; $35 at the door. People can buy VIP tickets for a table of eight for $250 for advance purchase only. Otherwise, people are welcome to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Tickets are available at the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, 5390 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 102 or call 3832466.

members $13; nonembers $15. Eight sessions: members $95; nonmembers $110. Call 383-8222 or email EdCenter@LongboatKeyTemple.org.

TUESDAYS AT THE MOVIES

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Members $95; nonmembers $105. Join Gus Mollasis, professional movie maven and film columnist, for a cinematic adventure. Movies are assigned at local cinemas to see then discuss together. Join anytime on a prorated basis. Call 383-8222 or email EdCenter@LongboatKeyTemple.org.

YOGA

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debby Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class. Cost is $15; free for members. Call 383-6493.

MAHJONG

From 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Fun time for experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email Amy@ TheParadiseCenter.org.

ROTARY CLUB

Meets at 5 p.m. on first and third Tuesdays in All Angels Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road. To learn more, call Nancy Rozance at 203-6054066 or email Info@LongboatKeyRotary.org.

FORECAST

FRIDAY,

SATURDAY,

SUNDAY,

TIDES

RAMSHACKLE by Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each