Seeking long term solution for Skyway Piers...2.22.18

[seabird]

A few days ago I sent this email to 2 State Senators and 4 House members. I got two replies already which I am posting in separate messages within this thread. I view the responses are positive as you will read. I figure we better step ahead and let the powers that be know that we are concerned.
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Dear State Senator or House Member:

Several friends and I frequently fish at the Skyway Piers State Park. Many tourists come here and part of their visit here involves fishing those piers. Some tourists stay here primarily to fish these piers which are advertised as the longest in the nation.



There has been considerable talk in the fishing community about how long the piers will be viable. Some say they may last only a few more years. There have been some repairs made to the piers during the past several years and they are now fixing the lights, many of which were damaged by hurricane Irma.



Are there any plans or funds available to fix/rehab the Skyway piers so their life can be extended? Is there any timetable for this? Would there be a method to raise monies for such a project? I believe keeping this resource on going in the long term is very good for both local residents and tourists alike. Thank you for your time and consideration.



Sincerely,

[seabird]

Rosario, Shayra <[e-mail]> Feb 21 at 4:18 PM
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Message body
Good afternoon

Thank you for reaching out to your state representative to learn more about the future of the Skyway Piers. I work with State Representative Larry Ahern, we received your message from the office of State Representative Ben Diamond. Since you are a resident of Florida House - District 66, they forwarded your message to our office for assistance. We are currently getting in touch with agency staff to get you some answers. Once we know more, we will gladly inform you of that information. In the meantime, we ask for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Shayra Rosario
District Secretary to Larry Ahern
Florida State Representative of District 66
8383 Seminole Boulevard, Suite B- Seminole, FL 33772
Office Number: [phone]

[seabird]

Meshil, Melissa <[e-mail]> Feb 21 at 4:01 PM
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Message body
Good afternoon xxxx,

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to the legislative office of State Senator Jeff Brandes concerning the Skyway Piers State Park. Senator Brandes truly appreciates you personally reaching out to him with your concerns regarding the viability of the fishing piers.

We truly appreciate your perspective, as we continue to work on this issue. We would like to ensure you that we are aware of the situation. We have been working with government agencies like the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection along with the operational vendors to ensure the survival of these resources. We will continue with this effort and hope that a resolution is made between these groups soon.

Again, we truly appreciate you sharing your thoughts with our office. Please feel free to reach out with any other state legislative questions or concerns.

Kind regards,

Melissa Meshil
Legislative Assistant to State Senator Jeff Brandes
[e-mail]

[shadowxmas]

Seabird,

Glad you are getting some responses from some of our legislators. Proboards members please send emails also. The more they see people concerned about an issue the better they may act to resolve the issue. At this time with the concerns re the school shootings and threats, those will come first to handle abd that is understandable.

[seabird]

shadowxmas: The long term viability of the piers is not an easy solution. It will take time for the State to decide. And you are right, many bigger issues have to be faced. I will keep you all posted if I hear anything more. It could take awhile.

[kingsalmon]

The squeaky wheel gets the most grease.  Everyone should write.  Contact  the state government too!