Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/243343
Sarasota News Leader January 17, 2014 Page 30 There's nobody who could possibly say there's no risk to Siesta from this." BOARD AND AUDIENCE SUPPORT "I think we should be concerned about dredging the shoal," SKA Director Ron Flynn responded. "This is a demonstration of how the SKA is representing residents of Siesta Key," Director Beverly Arias told her colleagues, noting "our concern about the value of [the public beach] to all of us as residents and property owners." Dr. Allan Worms, a wildlife biologist who volunteers each year to help protect nesting endangered snowy plovers on Siesta Key, Peter van Roekens expresses concerns about voiced his support from the audience. "Peter, the Lido Renourishment Project to the City I completely agree as an individual as well as and County commissions in October. Photo by Norman Schimmel someone who understands Siesta Key biology. … Peter, thank you very much for your Smith also agreed with van Roekens in skepinsight and your work. Don't give up on this." ticism about the validity of the modeling Architect Mark Smith, a past president of the the Corps representatives have promised to Siesta Key Village Association (SKVA) and release. "'Trust us, we're the government' past chairman of the Siesta Key Chamber of should not be our battle cry here," Smith said. Commerce, pointed out that private property "The fact that they have dilly-dallied with owners have been assessed to help pay for these reports … is a sure sign that [the docuthe 2007 renourishment of Turtle Beach. "I ments are] suspect." see nowhere where the Lido property owners that desperately need the sand … [are] paying "Who are these people on Lido Beach that we for it. Our tax money is being used to jeopar- have to risk our nature here?" audience memdize our island." ber Katherine Zimmerman asked. When a Corps team presented the proposal to the SKA on Dec. 5, a couple of people made a similar point. City Engineer DavisShaw responded that public access points are available along Lido. To qualify for the state grant to help pay for the project, she added, the city had to demonstrate that fact. "I think that it would be safe to say that all of us don't want any harm to this environment," Luckner responded, "[but] I think we need to get our fellow citizens behind this, too." Jonker said he felt that passing van Roekens' motion "will keep this in the forefront of the