Palmetto commissioners approve land sale for school

PALMETTO - City leaders on Monday night voted 5-0 to approve a purchase agreement that will sell nearly 12 acres of city land for a new elementary school.

In the deal, the Boys and Girls Club, Just for Girls and the Manatee County School Board will buy the land, and the city will build ballfields for Little League baseball.

Parents and Little League officials have expressed concerns about the impact on the league, which will have to play games elsewhere until the new fields are completed.

In a related move, the City Commission voted 5-0 to allow an easement for a construction trailer and staging area on the site, provided there is no advertising signage.

In other commission action, commissioners:

• Voted 5-0 for an ordinance vacating 15^th Avenue Drive West between 10^th Street West and 12^th Street West.
• Voted 5-0 for an ordinance vacating a portion of 9^th Avenue West between 9^th Street West and 8^th Street West.
• Voted 5-0 for a motion to authorize an application for the fiscal year 2009 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant not to exceed $28,253.
• Voted 5-0 to pay $7,500 to settle a trip and fall incident on the fishing pier.
• Voted 5-0 to accept a FEMA reimbursement of $15,000 for payroll and overtime from Tropical Storm Fay.
• Voted 5-0 to increase the budget for the wastewater treatment plant upgrade because of changes in the design of some project piping.
• Voted 5-0 to change cell phone policy and switch to Verizon as the cell phone provider of choice.

Sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, the board:

• Voted 4-0, with Alan Zirkelbach not voting, to approve the Regatta Pointe Storefront Grant in an amount not to exceed $28,492.50 for awning improvements.
• Voted 5-0 to exercise the 30-day notice period in the Central Economic Development Center contract, terminating it without cause effective June 30, and paying for services from April 1 to June 30 in an amount not to exceed $18,750.
• Voted 5-0 to grant a utility easement on 9^th Avenue.