There is little doubt that the Long Key Club plays a major role in making Longboat Key such a desirable place for discriminating people to retire and vacation. The Key Club is one of the premier private communities in America. The careful planning and farsightedness of both the developers of the Key Club and the Longboat Key government crafted a high end community that has had a positive influenced on how Longboat has grown for the past twenty years.
	Having said that I also feel that it is desirable for the Key Club to respond to both its age and the changing expectations of the younger generations who will be the future residents of the Key Club.

I want to express my concerns about the current Key Club proposals for expansion. If elected I will attempt to work with both management and residents to find a win-win solution to what has become a contentious issue on the island. The residents see the spirit of an agreement with management when they purchased property at the Key Club, while the management now seems to be looking at the letter of the law.

The eventual outcome of any expansion or renovations at the Key Club will reverberate up and down the island. A poorly designed solution could further impact Longboat's being a desirable destination for generations to come.

Much of the island was developed decades ago and is beginning to show its age in several areas. What were once viewed as ideal community blueprints are now considered dated and out of character with current development models that Americans now perceive as the norm in this country. The current economic downturn has severely slowed the rebuilding of Longboat.

Longboat is a unique island community both because of its residential nature and because it offers a variety of life styles and amenities. Over the years land values have increased to the point where there are no longer affordable homes for a large segment of the American population. Longboat Key has become increasingly exclusive. A variety of social and economic factors have altered the character of our community and we have lost much of the tourism on the north end of the island. We have also seen a decrease in the once thriving and diverse retail sector.

If we are not careful Longboat Key could eventually become a dated community that people do not think of when they are looking for an exclusive vacation destination or a place to buy that dream retirement home.

I believe that the expansion at the Key Club, as currently proposed, is not in the best interests of home owners within the confines of the Key Club and is not an ideal solution for the island as a whole.

I believe there is a way for the Key Cub to expand and to become even more attractive without compromising the interests of the property owners and the island's existing lifestyle.

As a commissioner I will work for an optimal solution for our island.