Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/341318
"I guess I always thought that that was about a $5 million project," Commissioner Joe Barbetta said of the plans. Commissioner Nora Patterson, who lives on Siesta Key, also expressed astonishment at the news that the cost could potentially more than triple. "I hesitate [to question it], because you're always right, Steve," she told Botelho. "This is recent information that we have just obtained, just prior to the budget workshops," Osterhoudt replied. In early February, Wreford told the News Leader the estimated cost was about $11 mil- lion, with approximately $5.5 million expected to come from the TDT renourishment fund. The rest would be covered by a state grant along with assessments from adjacent prop- erty owners. In late August 2013, Botelho noted in an email to the commissioners that the county's antici- pated share of the cost was $5 million. During the June 30 meeting, Patterson pointed out that assessments covered about 18 per- cent of the expense of the original South Siesta Key Renourishment Project, which was completed in April 2007. "Some of [the area] is not really publicly accessible," she explained, which is why the county can ask property owners to help pay for the work. The assessments were timed to end after eight years, she noted, before the next renourish- ment began. Botelho said staff had figured on the state contributing about $7 million to the new project, with assessments combining for Matt Osterhoudt (left) and Laird Wreford appear before the County Commission on June 30. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader July 4, 2014 Page 23