The commission eventually approved the
deal unanimously, with a 4-0 vote. Why only
four votes?
Early in the meeting, Commissioner Joe
Barbetta recused himself from speaking or
voting on the issue. "There's been a com-
ment about my wife's business," Barbetta
explained. According to the commissioner,
his wife's event planning company, Mary
Kenealy Events, has done work at Benderson
Park, and according to a Suncoast Aquatics
financial reporting document dated last Oct.
15, Kenealy received nearly $21,000 for such
business in 2013.
Barbetta said he was the "agent of record"
when the company became a limited lia-
bility corporation, nothing more. "I get no
remuneration from the business," he added.
But nevertheless, "I'll be more than happy to
recuse myself."
Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Growth
President Cathy Antunes disputed Barbetta's
account. The Florida Division of Corporations
lists Barbetta as Mary Kenealy Events "man-
ager," she pointed out. "Why do I have to bring
it up?" she asked. "Shouldn't you have been
recusing yourself from SANCA votes before?"
Vice Chairwoman Christine Robinson called
Barbetta a "volunteer." "So we've gotten to
the point now where we're attacking volun-
teers," Robinson said.
"I recused myself for this very reason,"
Barbetta answered. Blackketter later assured
the board and meeting attendees that Suncoast
Aquatics has "used multiple caterers through-
out Manatee and Sarasota counties."
Antunes laid out a number of other concerns
about the contract, arguing it doesn't do
enough to protect the public interest. She tells
The Sarasota News Leader it will be "great" to
have a rowing facility, but she worries about
the details. "We love the big sexy projects,"
she says. "There's kind of this ego gratifica-
tion with these splashy things, but when you
look at the question of building true indefinite
wealth, it's these modest, incremental invest-
ments over time that create that."
Voting to approve the deal, Commissioner
Nora Patterson assured the public that the
park won't become a profit-making center for
Suncoast Aquatics or Benderson. The more
revenue going to Suncoast Aquatics, the lower
the burden on the county. "Yes, it's a bunch of
money," she said, "but obviously we believe
it's worth it, or we wouldn't be sticking our
necks out." %
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Sarasota News Leader March 21, 2014 Page 28
