A tough, 50-year decision

What a shame. Yes, shame on us for not sending results of our online survey about a library, community center and education center to the Longboat Key town commissioners and Sarasota County library officials prior to Monday’s public meeting at Town Hall. Perhaps those results would help trigger some deeper thinking about the direction of this effort.

Based on Monday’s public meeting and the March 4 Town Commission meeting, the perception and reality are that minds are made up — no matter what, the commissioners are intent on moving forward as quickly as possible with the construction of an 8,000-square-foot public library branch on Town Center Green.  

Sarasota County library officials came to Monday’s meeting with some modifications that shifted to accommodate a 200-seat meeting space. That is to the good.

But if you read the comments of the respondents to our online survey, it’s difficult not to think there is more to be considered about this entire process than moving forward full speed with Sarasota County Library officials.

For instance, at the March 4 commission meeting, Commissioner Debra Williams raised a valid consideration: What about The Paradise Center building? Should the town purchase it and make it part of this overall town center vision?

That received a tepid reception. You can imagine how bringing that into current discussions could derail what is underway.

Nevertheless, if you take Williams’ question, along with the widely varied responses to the Observer survey, if you were a town commissioner, you can’t help but have some thoughts about what is best. 

This effort is not about what the town commissioners want or what the county commissioners say they will fund. It’s about what is best for Longboat residents and taxpayers (they’re first) and visitors.

Now, we’ll acknowledge 184 survey responses are not a valid, scientific poll. But the responses still provide a valid indicator of what residents are thinking and what likely would result if there were a true scientific opinion survey. 

Especially worth noting is the wide divergence in respondents’ comments. You can clearly see there is no consensus in the comments printed below on what should or should not be developed. 

For instance, even though 65% of Longboat respondents favor a library branch at Town Center Green, 55% said they don’t want an 8,000-square-foot library branch. 

What’s more, in the question asking respondents to rank in order of preference a community center, education center and library, the education center ranked as the top preference; the library second; community center third (see above). But when you combine the total scores of the three facilities, the education center and community center were the top preferences.

Altogether, when you read the comments closely, one of the conclusions you might draw is this matter is complicated. The discussions involve three distinct facilities and uses on a site that, in all likelihood, cannot accommodate ideal space allocations without becoming a monstrosity too large for the available site.

Something will have to give. But what? And: Who should make that decision — town commissioners; Sarasota library officials; town and county commissioners; Longboat Key voters?

This is a 50-year decision. It deserves thorough, long-term, wise thinking, and clarity with Longboat Key residents.