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contributions, half of the $22 million SANCA says it still needs to complete the project. "SANCA ought to take ownership of funding the remaining $22 million through their fund- raising efforts," Antunes said. "A partnership implies a 50/50 commitment. " The estimated public cost of the project is exceeding the $31.2 million expense of reno- vating Ed Smith Stadium to serve as the Spring Training home for the Baltimore Orioles. In addition to the county signing off on $19.5 million for the rowing facility's creation and the state allocating $10 million toward that effort, the county has pledged another $788,000 annually for maintenance and per- sonnel costs for the complex. The County Commission also authorized the county administrator to direct up to $100,000 more each year for nonrecurring expenses without consulting the board. "To call it a public-private partnership is a joke," Antunes told the News Leader. "It is a public project." In comparison, while the effort to bring the Orioles to Sarasota was not perfect in her view, Antunes said, at least the Orioles' contri- bution to the undertaking was much clearer. 'HEARTBURN' During the County Commission's full-day bud- get workshop on Tuesday, April 29, the topic of the Benderson Park funding cut did not come up during a review of legislative issues affecting the county. Last week, the board debated whether recent missteps at the rowing facility suggested more oversight was needed. SANCA had failed to file the necessary paper- work in time with the state to maintain its ability to take in tax-deductible donations. Although the filing problem was quickly corrected, Commissioner Carolyn Mason said the controversy had caused her "heart- burn" and that perhaps the county should be exercising more direct "oversight" of the non- profit. Mason added that she wanted SANCA to succeed, but she was concerned about the situation. "For whatever reason, this happened, and we got egg on our faces as well, because we have an investment, and Manatee County does, too," Mason said. However, no other commissioner backed Mason. Chairman Charles Hines did say that along with embarrassing SANCA, the incident had left "mud" on the county commissioners' faces. County Administrator Tom Harmer and Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker both attend SANCA board meetings, Harmer told the board, offering a level of oversight with which the commission seemed comfortable. Associate Editor Cooper Levey-Baker con- tributed to this report. % Paul Blackketter. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader May 2, 2014 Page 37