Three things to know in Manatee: veteran's memorial park, school zone cameras
Manatee County is moving forward on a proposal for a veterans memorial park that could cost upwards of $30 million, but plans do not include a tiny home community to house homeless veterans originally been pitched as part of the project.
Commissioners voted to move forward with the initial stages of the project on Tuesday during a public county meeting. The board also approved plans to install speed cameras in Manatee County school zones, and executed an agreement to donate a portion of the Powel Crosley Estate property to New College of Florida for new dorms.
Veteran's Memorial Park
Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a $4 million budget for design of a 24-acre memorial park, but plans unveiled Tuesday made no mention of the proposed tiny home community for homeless veterans.
The project is being spearheaded by Commissioner Jason Bearden, who pitched the concept last year with plans to build an 8-acre tiny home community to house homeless veterans behind a proposed veteran's memorial park.
Deputy County Administrator Byan Parnell said preliminary cost estimates are upwards of $30 million and said that costs include the cost of civil site work, a 12,000 square foot resource center, a wetlands boardwalk and pads for monuments. Staff said there are also gopher tortoises living on the site.
The $4 million in funding approved Tuesday include $2.5 million for design and $1.5 million of additional discretionary funds to start the first phase of construction. County Administrator Charlie Bishop said the additional funding will help the county attract additional investment from other government levels and grants to help cover the cost of the project.
Manatee County resident Glen Gibellina, who often advocates for veterans and affordable housing efforts at public meetings, scolded county officials about the cost of the effort. He believes funds are being misappropriated if the intent is to help homeless veterans as the proposal was originally pitched.
"We get all of these funds of money and we still have not addressed the elephant in the room, which are homeless vets," Gibellina said.
"We need to take care of the veterans first and foremost," he said. "This project is not well thought out. The location is bad. The money is excessive. You have no idea where the $30 million is coming from."
Previously: Tiny home community for homeless veterans could be in the works in Manatee County
More: What to know in Manatee: Homeless veterans housing, $220,000 contract for Bishop
Commissioner George Kruse questioned the inflated cost, but the board ultimately voted unanimously in favor of the $4 million in initial funding.
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge defended the effort and projected costs and said staff would be mindful of how it uses county tax dollars.
"We've hired an administration here that is conscious of the fact that we're dealing with other people's dollars, we're dealing with other people's money," he said. "They operate with that in mind. We the board are here to oversee them, and to ensure that they don't waste tax dollars."
School zone speed cameras
Commissioners approved plans to install traffic safety cameras in Manatee County school zones that are similar to red light cameras in function. The county ended it's red light camera program in 2022, but commissioners said the cameras are meant to improve safety for school children, parents and crossing guards during high-traffic school hours.
More: Manatee County to consider speed limit cameras in school zones next week
The effort makes use of a new state law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year that allows Florida counties to install speed detection systems in school zones to record violations of at least 10 miles over the posted speed limit.
Commissioners cast two votes on Tuesday, one to approve the effort and another to agree to a piggyback agreement made by the city of Alberta, GA., with RedSpeed Georgia LLC, to install and operate the cameras. Commissioners who supported the piggyback agreement said it makes it possible to install the cameras in time for the upcoming school year, while Kruse said the county should instead follow a typical competitive procurement process.
Manatee donates Crosley Estate land to New College
New College of Florida has preliminary plans to build new dorms on a portion of land from the Powel Crosley Estate property donated by Manatee County.
ICYMI: Manatee County snubs USF, considers waterfront land donation to New College for housing
Also: New College board approves terms for a major land deal with the SRQ airport
The Manatee County board agreed to donate a 9-acre portion of the 16.5-acre Crosley Estate property to New College in October, and voted unanimously on Tuesday to officially execute it's end of the deal. The New College board will vote on the agreement at the upcoming Feb. 22 meeting. The Crosley Estate itself remains under Manatee County ownership.
"We're very, very, excited," New College President Richard Corcoran said at the meeting. "We're going through our master plan process right now and that's a whole wonderful curveball… We hope to act on it very quickly. Right now, in the current drafts, we have new dormitories being built out there on the property. Some unsolicited architects have sent us some amazing renderings. We're very excited about it."
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: What to know in Manatee: veteran's memorial park, school zone cameras
