Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/96141
Sarasota News Leader November 30, 2012 Page 79 Siesta Seen County and state officials earlier had said Sarasota County could expect between $5 million and $20 million, based on the original estimate of the settlement range, thanks to the way the funds will be divvied up among the 23 affected Florida counties. Therefore, it is reasonable to think our county will be netting less than $5 million at this point. the state consortium that is dealing with the RESTORE Act, he noted that county officials were upset at the news Gov. Rick Scott wanted to insert himself into the process by naming the chairman of the group and appointing members. "I thought the Civil War was going to break out," Wreford said. "The county representaWreford was in fine humor that afternoon tives grabbed their clubs and pitchforks and during the SKA meeting. In fact, when he made a stance of counties' rights." talked about attending a recent meeting of TURTLE BEACH EROSION After Wreford completed his RESTORE Act presentation, SKA President Luckner gave Director Ron Flynn the opportunity to ask about the situation at Turtle Beach. Wreford explained that county staff is working already on the design and permitting phase of the first renourishment of the project since sand was added to Turtle Beach in 2007. Flynn said he was concerned about "some severe scalloping," adding he was fearful that someone in the adjacent county-operated RV park would start to stroll down the beach one evening and find himself "taking a long tumble" into the Gulf of Mexico. "That is a lengthy process," Wreford added, but "the permitting has become at least more streamlined than it was … We've been hearing from our counterpart agencies that their permitting efforts have, in fact, been less cumbersome than they were before." He was referring to working with the Florida Probably seven to eight feet of the beach has Department of Environmental Protection. disappeared, Flynn noted. He quickly added that instead of three years, Wreford had seen the photos Flynn had sent to the permitting probably could be finalized in County Commissioner Nora Patterson, which two years. clearly showed the problem, he said. Staff had told the County Commission the Along with that scalloping, Wreford noted, goal was to start renourishing the beach after at the southernmost part of the beach, "that sea turtle-nesting season ends in the fall of water is about ready once again to crash up 2014, Wreford added. "We are still shooting against the house." for that goal."