McClash Urges Donations for Neal/Beruff Permit Legal Fight During 2015 Giving Challenge

McClash is urging the community to donate Tuesday, September 1, starting at noon lasting 24 hours during the 2015 Giving Challenge. Every dollar up to $250 will be matched by the Patterson Foundation. There is a minimum donation of $25. There will be $35,000 in prizes for nonprofits that cultivate the highest totals of new online donors, so every donation counts.

The Suncoast Waterkeeper organization participated in the legal fight and is a participating organization. This is a unique opportunity to have a donation matched, but it must be done during the 24 hours starting at noon on Tuesday, September 1.

McClash is also concerned with a lawsuit filed by Beruff that Manatee County has to defend. The suit challenges the county’s Comprehensive Plan language that was in place before Beruff bought the property known as Long Bar Pointe. If successful, the suit could eliminate critical protection to our environment, or pay millions of dollars to Beruff. Suncoast Waterkeepers and others want to join the county’s defense, but this will also cost money.

"There is no doubt our quality of life and local environment are under attack,“ McClash said. McClash says he is confident he can mount a successful appeal with the environmental organizations if there are sufficient legal funds. At this time, however, McClash is worried he won’t have the funds to fight.

The community came out in large numbers to fight off Beruff when he proposed an environmentally destructive development on Sarasota Bay for Long Bar, and there has been community outrage on Neal’s proposal to destroy high-quality mangroves to build four homes on Perico. McClash is urging the community to come together this time with their money to provide the legal resources it takes to win. A minimum donation of $25 is worth $50, $100 is worth $200, while $250 essentially becomes a $500 donation.

McClash emphasized, "We will not have this opportunity again. The time is now to fight or forever lose what we value.“ The link to give is https://www. givingpartnerchallenge.org/# npo/suncoast-waterkeeper-inc.