ANNA MARIA – The city’s pursuit of a proposed Mote Marine educational outreach center on the City Pier continues.
During the Thursday, Feb. 25 city commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy said he planned to meet privately with Mote Marine President and CEO Dr. Michael Crosby and some additional Mote Marine staff members on Wednesday, March 3.
Topics to be discussed during the preliminary fact-finding meeting were to include financial and operational responsibilities and potential lease terms for Mote Marine’s use of the still-vacant city-owned pier building located next to the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop. Based on that meeting, Murphy will then develop a more detailed plan to present for commission consideration later this month.
Murphy said he spoke to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione and submitted a funding application for possible consideration by the Tourist Development Council (TDC) and the Manatee County Commission.
Murphy said he’s trying to gauge the county’s interest in providing some or all of the $500,000 the city would need to raise to establish a marine educational outreach center that would then be operated at Mote Marine’s expense. The Mote Marine proposal does not call for Mote Marine to make monthly lease payments or compensate the city for the use of the pier building.
Additional potential uses discussed on Feb. 10 and Feb. 17 included a full-service restaurant, a special events venue or a retail shop. During those meetings, no public opposition was expressed regarding the proposed Mote Marine facility.
On Feb. 17, the commission voted 4-1 to explore the Mote Marine option first. Commissioner Mark Short opposed limiting the city’s options to a single choice at this time.
During the Feb. 25 meeting, city resident and current Mote Marine board member Bob Carter clarified his role in the pursuit of a Mote Marine facility on the City Pier.
“There’s been some question about my motives in suggesting that Mote be out there,” he said.
Carter said serving as a volunteer Mote Marine board member provides him no financial gain. He also noted that he previously chaired the National Aquarium Board.
“People on the Island know that I, as well as my spouse (Commissioner Carol Carter), am very interested in the environment. We helped bring Philippe Cousteau here to talk about clean oceans. We helped bring John Englander here to talk about sea level rise. I don’t make any apologies for financially supporting and advocating for these causes in education, conservation, environment and global health. That’s why I suggested to Dr. Crosby that he might want to do something out here, and I’m delighted the commission has seen fit to give them a chance to do this. It will set this pier apart from a commercial-only enterprise and it will become a landmark of a different kind,” Carter said.
Comprehensive plan considerations
Carol Carter then referenced the city’s comprehensive plan – the document that establishes the overall vision for the city’s development and future growth. She noted the comp plan includes elements that address recreational, environmental and educational components.
“I think that’s an important thing for us to consider,” she said.
“I’m just astounded some people are still demanding a restaurant,” Commissioner Joe Muscatello added.
“Nowhere in the comprehensive plan does it say that we should be renting property for profit. But it does say we should be providing recreational facilities and we should be endorsing environmental education,” Murphy said. “We don’t get any revenue from the (Island) Players. We don’t get any revenue from the historical museum. We don’t get any money from the community center. This is not a new concept to this city, to take city space and use it to fulfill what’s in the comprehensive plan. I truly believe government fulfills a space that private enterprise cannot fill. That’s our mission.”
Carol Carter thanked Murphy for his preliminary efforts and said, “It’s not a done deal. We understand that.”
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