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Treasure Island commissioners have change of heart, advance living shoreline

After voting to delay the project, commissioners realized the city was in danger of losing grants totaling $1.87 million.

TREASURE ISLAND — What a difference a few weeks can make.

City commissioners, who earlier had voted to delay the living shoreline project at Treasure Bay, came to realize the city was in danger of losing grants totaling $1.87 million, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for a seawall. So on Nov. 19, they reversed course and voted in favor of a $3 million contract.

Lost grants would include:

  • $100,000 from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program grant.
  • $1.4 million from a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant for the living shoreline.
  • $202,100 from the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund for the living shoreline and ponds.
  • $127,800 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for a walking trail, picnic pavilions and exercise stations.
  • $50,000 from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program for the ADA kayak/paddleboard launch.

Ultimately, Mayor John Doctor and Commissioners Minning and Dickey voted in favor of the contract with Sea & Shoreline for $2.7 million, including a construction contingency for a total of roughly $3 million.