Sarasota News Leader

11/30/2012

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Sarasota News Leader November 30, 2012 Page 18 would evaluate the developers' ideas to what "It's open enough to let some people be creshe called a scarcity of scientific data. ative, and at the same time we have the final word," he argued. Yates tells The Sarasota News Leader she originally supported the Invitation to Negoti- Yates, who said she has "probably been the ate because it was "presented" as a chance to greatest protector of that property and what it hear ideas for an "overall general use of the means to this community," called the proposproperty." The Invitation to Negotiate was first al "extremely troublesome" and said she felt proposed in July by County Commissioner Joe "frustrated." She called attention to concerns Barbetta. about the springs' ecological health (the United States Geological Society is in the middle "What I got back was something totally differof a three-year study of the springs) as well as ent," she says, something she could no longer licensing and tax issues. support. Newly sworn-in ComAt Monday's meeting, missioner Cheryl Cook Yates said that instead I think the county will be very backed Yates, saying of throwing open the disappointed with what took place today. she wanted to "slow door to private sec- We're going to be back to the starting down the process" and tor input, the city and point, and that's where this commission questioning the city's county should first de- just took us. very ownership of the cide on their own priland. James Blucher orities for the parcel. Vice Mayor City of North Port "What is the lay of the "We are committing all land that we as two future commissions, governing bodies have determined? Where all future taxpayers, to being landlords," she are we going to develop?" she asked. "Aren't said. "I'm extremely concerned about taking we going to come together at a joint meeting that step." to decide, rather than put something on the The motion to approve the Invitation to Negostreet?" tiate eventually failed, with Yates, Cook and But as Vice Mayor James Blucher pointed out, another newly elected commissioner, Rhonda the Invitation to Negotiate would not lock the DiFranco, opposed. An already contentious bodies into any specific plan. It merely would meeting then became bogged down with snide get the ball rolling. remarks over parliamentary procedure and Robert's Rules of Order, as well as exasper"A lot of people are concerned about our reated back-and-forths about the commission's turn on investment," he said. "Well, we're gobackup plan. ing to find out the return on investment. That's what this ITN is all about. We'll find out who's "I think the county will be very disappointinterested and who's not." ed with what took place today," Blucher said

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