Manatee County agreed to support public safety in Bradenton Beach by funding a police boat lift at the Historic Bridge Street Pier.
At a May 23 county commission meeting, the board approved a $50,000 grant from the West Coast Inland Navigational District for a lift at the city pier and $90,000 in continued support for removing derelict boats from Bradenton Beach waters.
The motion to include funding for the lift passed unanimously. However, it was not recommended by WCIND staff.
At the May 23 meeting, county parks and natural resources director Charlie Hunsicker said of the eight projects applied for this funding cycle, the boat lift was not recommended by WCIND.
WCIND is a multi-county taxing district that assists local governments in planning and maintaining projects that promote safe navigation in the Intracoastal Waterway.
Hunsicker said the project meets WCIND criteria, but represents a new expenditure in the WCIND budget, and he was given instructions from the county commission to retain funds for boat ramp repairs.
“I’m just keeping with direction from this board to keep this reigned in while we wrestle with the high cost of boat ramp improvement,” Hunsicker said May 23.
According to Hunsicker, WCIND received $790,850 in requests from its $950,000 budget and the surplus is earmarked for unforeseen boat ramp costs.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who chairs the WCIND, said while she understands the city’s needs, she’s worried the county would be setting a precedent by funding the first new project in three years.
County Commissioner Charles Smith said he supported funding the lift as a public safety issue.
“I think we have an official responsibility to fund this,” Smith said. “I think this is drastically needed for the Bradenton Beach Police Department.”
County Commissioner Steve Jonsson, who represents District 3, including Anna Maria Island, said he attended a May 18 Bradenton Beach commission meeting, where commissioners voted to waive $23,867.86 in permit fees to the county for the reconstruction of the Coquina North Boat Ramp in Bradenton Beach.
“There are bound to be more projects where they could charge fees, so I see this as a show of good faith,” Jonsson said. “We’re both working together and swapping dollars for dollars.”
During public comment, Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon said the police boat currently is on a trailer and takes about an hour to launch.
“The time it takes to get the boat out on the water is a public safety issue,” Shearon said. “The city is tasked with patrolling those municipal waters.”
Additionally, Shearon said the boat lift would help the city take a “proactive approach” to issues in the anchorage, which would decrease future costs for derelict vessel removal.
A motion was made to amend the WCIND funding resolution to include the boat lift for Bradenton Beach.
The motion passed unanimously.
“I’m thrilled that the county said, ‘OK,’” Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said May 24. “This shows the county believes what we are doing out there is important.”