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Community
Community

UPDATES

By Tom Brinkley

PARKS AND RECREATION / LANDSCAPING LPR CAMERAS
We had a productive meeting with representatives from Parks We were extremely disappointed with recent developments
and Recreation regarding various landscape improvements related to The Landings’ gifting of the LPR Cameras for
the community would like to see installed or upgraded by the their continued operation after 2028 (at such time as the
city in the first quarter of 2026. Those areas include additional city would to assume the ongoing financial obligations).
“median bullnose plantings” on Bayview Drive, refurbishing of In a Zoom call with Chris Cooper (assistant city manager)
existing median plantings due to vegetation attrition, upgrading and a representative from the commissioner’s office, we were
of column monument plantings and the addition of plantings advised that the city was not interested or in a position to
and color to the Federal Highway entry wall. We have been accept our offer of delivering the LPR Cameras to the
advised that this work should commence in January of 2026. city with all operational expenses paid through the end of
2028. The following is an excerpt from my recent email to
PUBLIC WORKS our Association President with copies to the Assistant City
We have reopened our dialogue with the city’s Public Manager and to our commissioner:
Works Department, now that they have a new director, Mr.
Brad Kaine. We are hopeful that under his leadership, the So, all said (in my opinion) without “specific direction” from
department will be more responsive to the infrastructural repair/ the commission to the city manager as to the commission’s
replacement needs of The Landings. In recent communications, desire to establish a “policy goal”, which would provide for
the Director’s update on the Bayview Drive Bridge over eventual relief to communities that have voluntarily contributed
Longboat Inlet (flat bridge north of NE 55th Place intersection) significant dollars (beyond their property tax obligations) in
is as follows: “The Longboat Inlet bridge is with procurement support of the city-wide LPR Camera deployment, there is no
who is going over the RFQ’s. We are in the process of selecting mechanism to facilitate the proposed gifting by The Landings
3 consultants for 3 bridges, Longboat Inlet being one of them. (or any other association). I would hope that the commission
The project is going into the design phase with an anticipated will find value and merit in having an organized, fair and
construction in 2027”. As the design process goes forward, we equitable assumption program/policy, which is a much
have requested the opportunity to have input early in the design better option than the eventuality of these privately funded
phase, and have been assured of the opportunity. LPR Camera systems going off-line. Without a gifting policy/
standard for participating communities. I do not think that

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