Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy on Jan. 23 ordered a halt to dredging of the Lake LaVista canals.
Murphy said he spoke with officials of the West Coast Inland Navigation District who advised him he had authority to halt the project. Murphy said he wasn’t even aware the canals were to be dredged until work crews from DredgeMonster began to set up their equipment Jan. 21 at the Anna Maria City Pier Park.
“I learned they were going to dredge the canals back up in the lake,” Murphy said. “It was going to be a $60,000 waste of taxpayer money.”
Although the project would not cost the city any funds, Murphy said the dredging would be better for the city if it were directed to clear the Lake LaVista channel and dredge Bimini Bay.
He’s asked WCIND to agree to the change and expects to have an answer sometime this week.
Meanwhile, DredgeMonster and its sub-contractor, C&M Dredging of Leesburg, will remain idle until WCIND reaches a decision.
Murphy said either the Lake LaVista channel or Bimini Bay is dredged, or there’s no project.
“I couldn’t find anybody in the city who had requested the project or was aware of it. It wasn’t going to do the city any good, so, I stopped it.”
Regarding Anna Maria Mayor Don Murphy’s reported decision to terminate the dredging of Lake LaVista.
This totally ill-advised decision should be readdressed immediately. Dredging maintains the flow of water and therefore the health of the canal system. Right now, there are several areas where the water depth is measured in inches, not feet. Clogging of the interior canal system will prevent access by manatees and other sea life, have an unfavorable impact on seabirds, and lead to deterioration into a swamp. Think smells, mosquitoes trash. Not good for residents or tourists.
A large number of island residents (including my wife and I) live on or near Lake LaVista. But many others use it, including boaters, kayakers (an island business), and fishermen. It is a precious resource that many islanders and tourists value and appreciate. Its presence is one of the reasons we have not joined the exodus of taxpayers in the face of the rental property onslaught.
The tourism encouraged by the county and state creates dollars that flow away from the City and are not returned. Why does it make sense to prevent the flow of funds to a worthwhile conservation project?
Lake LaVista is a large part of the area of the City. How will letting it deteriorate not unfavorably impact the City?
Finally, if the dredging company has the requisite permits, then presumably the project has been vetted by the appropriate environmental authorities, who are admired for a rigorous permitting process. I infer they recognize the value of Lake LaVista. We do, and it seems you might do so as well.
The Mayor and Commissioners should review this decision with all the facts at hand.
Why would we NOT want to improve the natural canals in Anna Maria? I urge the new mayor to learn more about the canals in Anna Maria. This project is badly needed and way overdue. When tides are low, most of the northern canal system is unusable and not accessible by any watercraft because of the need for dredging. Never mind the fact that these properties in this canal system cannot use the waterway, but the dredging is sure to improve storm water drainage as well. I urge the new mayor to reconsider and get more facts before he throws out the opportunity to improve this canal. I hope they decide to continue this project as it is needed and I hope they go through the entire canal to allow these homeowners to use their canal front homes again.
Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t we wasting money having men sat idle? Is it not better to continue?