By Mary Thurwachter
A plan to extend a natural gas line to Hypoluxo Island is a go, but not without some controversy. In October, the town of Lantana mailed letters to island residents asking for a yes or no vote on the issue. Proponents of the gas line needed 186 votes, or 60 percent affirmation. By the Feb. 15 deadline, 197 property owners said “yes” and 56 voted “no.”
But a look at the town’s spreadsheet with tabulated results revealed that 22 residents who first voted “no” changed their votes to “yes.”
The drive for natural gas was a well-coordinated effort spearheaded by island residents Rod Tennyson and Robert Barfknecht, who put together a team of proponents who went door-to-door. They argued that natural gas would be a good enhancement to the island, saving residents energy and money.
But the voting system didn’t sit well with some residents.
“The process is very troubling,” said Richard Schlosberg, an island resident who was not in favor of the gas line. “I thought it was a secret ballot,” he said. “I thought once a person voted, that was it. The voter didn’t get to vote again and change his vote.”
Town attorney Max Lohman said that once votes come in they are public record and anyone can look at them. And voters can change their votes before the deadline, if they choose, Lohman said, in the case of “a referendum-like vote” such as this.
Another Hypoluxo Island resident, Virginia Ferrer, told the Town Council at its Feb. 10 meeting that she thought the vote was secret. She said she opposed the gas line and didn’t think she should have to pay for something she wouldn’t use. (Property owners would owe about $260 a year for 10 years to pay for the line.)
“I don’t want the mess after the inconvenience of the bridge construction,” she said.
Ferrer complained that promoters of the natural gas line visited her home four times to persuade her to change her vote.
Council member Malcolm Balfour, who lives on the island, too, but voted to support the project, said Ferrer was “not alone.” He said others had complained about repeated visits by proponents.
Balfour’s wife, Ilona, said she didn’t need a natural gas line.
“We’re not going to change appliances at this point and we already have solar,” she said after the Feb. 10 council meeting.
Mayor Dave Stewart, who also lives on Hypoluxo Island, said islanders had been talking about a natural gas line extension for three years and had a right to rally votes.
“You have the same right,” he told Ferrer. He said the town had assurances from Florida Public Utility that roads would not be torn up to install the line.
The town agreed to create a special assessment to provide financing of running the lines to the property boundaries. Property owners will pay additional costs to complete the gas line connection to their properties.
The estimated construction cost of the project is $534,396. The new line would connect to one already extended to the Carlisle, a luxury senior living facility at the corner of East Ocean Avenue and A1A.
Once the line is in place, Florida Public Utility will assume ownership, operation and maintenance.
In other action, the council set hours for its parks — official hours had not been set previously. The Nature Preserve, on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway, will be open from sunrise to sunset. Sportsman’s Park, on the west side of the bridge, will be open 24 hours because of fishing, and Bicentennial Park, also on the west side of the bridge, will be open from sunrise to sunset except for the fishing pier, parking and the restrooms.
There will no election in Lantana on March 11. Council members Phil Aridas (Group 4) and Tom Deringer (Group 3) reclaimed their seats with no opposition.
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