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Armour's lawyers all plied the same argu- ment: There once was a channel in front of the house and all it needs is maintenance. Neighbors have produced volumes of data, including videos of people walking across the "channel," showing the flat bottom and lush seagrass. But Armour's attorneys repeatedly told the two local government commissions a variation of "The state says if the chan- nel was legally done originally … it can be maintained." "When the channel is gone, there is nothing there to maintain," a senior city staffer told the city commissioners. But two of them did not buy the argument on July 1 last year. "We're holding these folks up and we're going to court," said Shannon Snyder. He was joined by Paul Caragiulo in the minority of a 3-2 vote to deny the "maintenance dredge." Now the Board of Adjustment has voted 4-1 to veto Armour's application to perform main- tenance on a nearly century-old dredged cut that is now filled with sand. Should Armour wish to continue his battle, he has the right to sue in Circuit Court. DOWNTOWN AMBASSADORS STEP OUT IN THE PARK The latest evolution of community policing debuted Tuesday, July 22, as 21 citizen volun- teers stepped forward to become Sarasota's "ambassadors" downtown. This is part of the Blue + You initiative launched earlier this year by the Sarasota Police Department. Police Chief Bernadette DiPino introduces the new program during a press conference at Five Points Park on July 22. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader July 25, 2014 Page 66