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Madeira Beach has a drinking problem
Intoxicated transients keeping people away from beach pavilions, police say
By WAYNE AYERS
Article published on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 |
MADEIRA BEACH – A decision made three years ago to allow alcohol consumption in the city’s beach pavilions has spawned a growing problem with transient drinkers.
“Transients are coming to Madeira Beach so they can enjoy consuming alcohol in the pavilions,” community policing officer Casey Hunter said at the April 22 Board of Commissioners meeting.
“From a police officer’s standpoint, this is not good business, not good for the tourists or businesses,” he said.
Hunter said he would like to get together with each commission member individually and discuss the issue. Interim city manager Michael Maxemow said the subject would be scheduled for a commission workshop session in the very near future.
The issue of whether to permit consumption of alcoholic beverages in the pavilions and parking lots was a hot topic in the fall of 2005. At that time, the commission changed its stance on the subject several times before finally deciding to allow alcohol use in all of the pavilions, but not in parking lots or beach accesses. Both Madeira Beach and neighboring Treasure Island permit alcoholic beverages on the beach.
Since then, complaints of alcohol abuse at the pavilions have surfaced from time to time, but no further action has been taken on the issue. The pavilions are located at Archibald, Kitty Stewart, and South Beach parks.
Hunter said the drinking issue has become a growing problem since the city changed the law. The situation gets worse in warmer weather as the transients see the pavilions as a shady, breezy gathering spot.
“They create a great drinking ground,” he said.
Hunter said the transients know the alcohol limit that can lead to arrest and stop just short of that threshold. They become disruptive, but not criminal, so law enforcement officials cannot intervene, he said.
A result of the transient influx has been a decreased use of the pavilions by city residents and tourists, Hunter said.
“Families pull up, take one look at the people intoxicated, and they leave,” he said.
Hunter said the city needs to readopt the ordinance outlawing such alcohol use “to bring a little stability to these pavilions.”
Budget shortfall move questioned
A move to transfer $66,000 from the city’s reserves to active funds ran into opposition from Commissioner Nancy Oakley.
Finance director Monica Mitchell had sought permission to move $30,600 from the general fund reserves to the general fund, and $36,000 from special project fund reserve to that fund to meet a budget shortfall forecast for the city by the state of Florida.
Oakley said the budget should be reduced rather than transferring funds to meet a loss that has not yet occurred.
“This is an estimate – we’re not really out the money,” she said.
Mitchell explained that the transfer amount requested is small compared to the city’s $7.4 million budget. She said she made the request to call attention to worsening financial expectations for the city.
Oakley’s view was supported by Commissioner Sarah Nichols, who said “Once you get the money out of the bank, it will be a whole lot easier to spend it.”
Former Commissioner Martha Boos agreed. She said taking money out of reserves makes it very vulnerable to being spent. Boos also said there is a lot of fat in the budget that could be cut rather than adding funds.
The rest of the commission backed Mitchell’s request. Vice Mayor Steve Kochick said he would go with Mitchell’s advice, as she is the city’s financial expert.
The vote was 3-2 to make the transfer. Mayor Pat Shontz, Commissioners Terry Lister and Kochick were in favor. Nichols and Oakley were opposed.
The lengthy discussion that ensued over a relatively small amount of money prompted Shontz to comment she’d “never seen so much interest in such a small item in my life.”
Conflict issues raised with commission members
Shontz and Lister have business interests at John’s Pass Village, which could raise potential conflict of interest questions, resident Deby Weinstein said. Shontz leases out property in the village and Lister owns cottages which he rents annually.
Weinstein asked City Attorney Michael Connolly to comment on situations where a conflict of interest would arise when issues relating to the village come before the commission.
Connolly said each case should be looked at on an individual basis. The criteria would be a personal financial gain or loss of a “small class” nature, like rezoning of an adjacent property. A tax that would affect everyone at the village would not be a conflict of interest, Connolly said.
Lister said he planned to excuse himself from voting on an upcoming hotel proposal for a property near his. Shontz said she would take each situation one by one “to make sure we are not treading on the wrong ground.”
Planning Commission vacancies
There are two openings on the city’s Planning Commission. Interested applicants should contact City Clerk Denise Schlegel at 391-9951.
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Article published on Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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