can see the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting agenda at www.brevardcounty.us/. The link to the Board’s agendas is the first one in the Quick Links list, left side of home page. Those wishing to express an opinion will find contact information for the county commissioners on the home Web page.
In Hopes of Saving Marinas, Pinellas County Purchases Tarpon Springs Marina In late March, Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, Clearwater and many other waterfront communities, entered the business of marina ownership. As marinas have slowly been bought up by developers who turn them into condominiums with private docks, Pinellas County commissioners have recently looked into stopping this trend by becoming marina owners. Their first attempt— the purchase of the Tierra Verde Hi & Dry Marina—failed as the estimated cost of upgrading and developing the property made the deal unworkable. That marina is now on the path to “condoization.” The county commissioners continued to look and made an agreement to buy the Landing at Tarpon Springs for $11.5-million (and figured on $500,000 for upgrades). They believe that the property will be economically viable. The 5.5-acre property contains 230 dry storage units and 31 wet slips, with a good chance of adding another 20 slips. Twelve marine-related businesses currently operate at the marina, and their owners were pleased to hear of the county’s purchase, as rumors have been circulating for the past year of the possible sale of the property for condo development.
New Grassroots Lobbying “Tool Kit” at BoatU.S.com Is a boat ramp closure being considered in your neighborhood? Is your municipal marina going to be sold? Does your town or county need public support to fund a new boating project? Boat owners have a big stake in what goes on in the community where they live and boat. Local ordinances passed in meetings that are poorly publicized or unattended by recreational boaters can have a major impact on boat-
News & Views for Southern Sailors
ing. BoatU.S., the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters, believes boaters need to get involved to protect their lifestyle. “While national associations can have a tremendous impact on Congress, local politicians want to hear from their constituents on local issues,” said Michael Sciulla, senior vice president of BoatU.S. government and public affairs. To give boaters the tools to fight these local battles, the BoatU.S. Government Affairs team has developed the online “Grassroots Lobbying Tool Kit” at http://www.BoatUS.com/gov/toolkit. The tool kit won’t solve every issue, but it will give boaters insight on how government works and what they can do to effect change. The site includes information on local lobbying tactics, civics 101, writing to elected officials, forming coalitions and getting publicity.
Links for Our Waterways Issues Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway issues. www.atlintracoastal.org BoatUS Foundation. Great source of information and links on miscellaneous issues. www.boatus.org Florida Inland Navigation District, a taxing district for management and maintenance of the AICW in Florida. www.aicw.org Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. www.gicaonline.com Marine Industries Association of Florida with links to local associations. www.boatflorida.org Marine Industries Association of South Florida. www.miasf.org National Waterways Conference promotes, educates and lobbies on behalf of all the nation’s inland waterways. www.waterways.org Ocean Conservancy dedicated to the protection of oceans. www.oceanconservancy.org Reef Relief. A non-profit group is dedicated to preserving the reefs, based in Key West. www.reefrelief.org Gulfbase.org. A research database for Gulf of Mexico Research. www.gulfbase.org
SOUTHWINDS
May 2006
31