MANATEE COUNTY – County staff is reportedly being subjected to harassment and threats related to a proposed cruise terminal project near Rattlesnake Key.
In a Feb. 4 email distributed to media members, Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan wrote, “There has been great interest in a proposal submitted to Manatee County outlining plans for a cruise port on the Gulf side of the Skyway Bridge. That interest has sparked robust discussion, debate and disagreement. Unfortunately, some of that disagreement has spilled over the typical settings of social media posting or petition signing.”
Logan’s email included a message from Manatee County Administrator Charlie Bishop: “Manatee County values civic engagement and respects the right of residents to express their views on matters that affect our community. It has come to my attention that multiple county employees, as well as members of their families, including children, are being subjected to harassment, threats and intimidation related to a proposed private-sector cruise terminal project in the very early stages of review.”
Bishop said no county employee should be harassed for doing their job and no child should be targeted because of where their parent works.
Bishop’s statement did not specify which employees or which departments were being subjected to “harassment and intimidation.”
Bishop also clarified the approval process for projects such as the proposed cruise port.
“As part of routine economic development operations, county staff may send preliminary letters to private-sector entities that meet basic statutory criteria indicating that a project is eligible for economic development incentive programs,” he wrote. “Consistent with Chapters 288, 163 and 125 (of) Florida Statutes, this administrative correspondence does not constitute project approval, guarantee funding or advance a project through the development review process.”
Bishop stated any proposed project must proceed through the normal development review process that includes technical review, review for code and regulation compliance and public hearings before advisory boards and the Board of County Commissioners when required.
“These processes are public and provide multiple opportu nities for community input,” Bishop stated. “County staff do not approve projects. The Board of County Commission ers is the ultimate decision-making body for discretionary land use matters.”
