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Holmes Beach candidates sound off on golf cart/LSV use

Holmes Beach candidates sound off on golf cart/LSV use

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Voting by mail is already underway and the five candidates vying for three seats on the city commission only have a few weeks left until the Nov. 2 election to let voters know where they stand on the issues. This week, they give their thoughts in their own words on the use of golf carts and low-speed vehicles in Holmes Beach by answering the question, “How do you feel about golf carts and low-speed vehicles?”

Renee Ferguson

“We are beginning to make strides on this issue. Our commissioners established a moratorium on future golf cart businesses, we have shared ideas with our sister cities and our traffic engineer is looking at other paths for directing traffic. We need input from all stakeholders to look at alternatives to achieve our goal of safety on this issue.”

John Monetti

“I would preface my response with the recognition that I do not have all the current information available since I currently am not a city commissioner. My feelings on the topics reflect topical knowledge though I do stay abreast of these issues as an interested resident.

I own one. I stay off the main streets and respect the impact I could have on traffic flow if I stray onto our main streets.”

Pat Morton

“I will support the chief and mayor in lowering the speed on Gulf Drive to 25 miles per hour and limit golf carts and low-speed vehicles to roads 25 miles per hour.”

Terry Schaefer

“We have established a six-month moratorium on approval of any new dealers while providing the time to study the larger issue of how these vehicles are and should be integrated into traffic patterns and parking. These vehicles have and will become more popular with residents and visitors and this time to study the trend is appropriate to consider safety of use and effects on traffic flow and parking. There have been many sightings of potential safety concerns and this entire investigation will be open for public comment and suggestion. I believe these vehicles provide efficient transportation on the Island and that this is the time to explore whether additional controls are necessary to protect the safety of those passengers and whether existing controls are adequate.”

Carol Soustek

“Low-speed vehicles. There are a lot of them and safety, not speed, is my concern.”

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Meet the candidate: Rick Hurst

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Rick Hurst has his eyes set on a second term after the November election and is hopeful that the city’s voters agree.

Rick Hurst
Commissioner Rick Hurst waves a campaign sign at the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives while running for his first term in office in 2017. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Hurst first took the dais as a commissioner in November 2017. With only three commission seats available and four candidates, Hurst is squaring off at the polls with incumbents Jim Kihm and Carol Soustek and newcomer Terry Schaefer. To help the voters get to know each candidate, The Sun sat down with Hurst to find out where he stands on the issues facing Holmes Beach. Here are his answers.

What should the voters know about you?

“I’m heavily involved in the community, I have kids, I’m hardworking. I think I’ve been a good commissioner. I take the job seriously and I do it because I want to serve my community and I intend to live here for the rest of my life.”

What has been your greatest accomplishment for the city?

“My greatest accomplishment for the city has been reversing the three-year waiting period between permits for ground-level properties… That would’ve been huge for these ground-level people. I don’t think anyone realizes how big that was. When I found out about that and started talking to real estate agents, even builders, and they said you’re basically going to just kill the ground level homes (with the three-year waiting period for 50% rule FEMA-compliant renovations). I think that would’ve been devastating. I also feel I bring my ability to see all sides of an issue and understand how it can impact the city both positively and negatively.”

What would you hope to accomplish in a new term as commissioner?

“Continue to focus on infrastructure issues and figure out how we can roll back or lower the millage rate. I was very disappointed when that didn’t happen this year. And continue to focus on community, bringing the community together.”

What is the biggest problem facing Holmes Beach?

“Infrastructure. Dealing with potential sea level rise, the cost of the infrastructure changes that are necessary for Holmes Beach, and that includes widening the sidewalks, bike paths, you have crumbling curbs in Key Royale. Dealing with potential sea level rise is very expensive and we have to make sure that we address those needs while trying to reduce the costs to the city… The other one I always look at is the people who live in the R-2 zone who want to live a quiet, happy life and then people who own properties that are trying to make money off those properties. That balance, finding the balance that is justifiable, fair, enforceable and can make the R-2 residents in those zones as happy as possible and that is a challenge.”

How would you fix it?

“The infrastructure has to be dealt with and we have to do it in a systematic manner that minimizes the cost to the residents and that means doing it in a way that we can maximize outside funding as much as possible, which we have been doing… As a commissioner, you try to deal with what’s fair and what’s right. And people do have a right to go to sleep and it be quiet but people spend a lot of money for a place and have a right to come and enjoy themselves and not be hassled by the police unless they’re totally out of hand… To me, it’s an educational thing… Infrastructure’s easy to solve. You just put money at it. The challenge is finding the money. But for this situation (noise issues in residential areas) it’s almost an impossible solution. We’ve just got to find the right solution.”

Do you think the residents have enough of a voice in city government?

“It’s so different than any other government. They vote, they can show up at the commission meetings. I believe that when people do speak at the commission meetings, we do hear what they say. I can’t think of many situations, if any, where people have spoken that has not made me think of how we can smartly accommodate them. Sometimes we don’t always accommodate but that’s because there are other factors.”

What is the most important part of being a Holmes Beach commissioner?

“Understanding the impact of every word of every piece of legislation on the entire city, every resident and the community around us. That’s what I try to do.”

Is there anything else you’d like the voters to know?

“I am raising a 12-year-old daughter. I am a managing partner of The Freckled Fin which makes me a Holmes Beach business owner. That provides me a unique perspective that none of the other commissioners or candidates have. And I’ve worked hard and done my best to do a good job for the city and I believe that I have.”

Related coverage

Meet the candidate: Carol Soustek

Questions on the ballot in Holmes Beach

Four qualify in Holmes Beach