I participated in the Audience Comment segment of the meeting. The minutes record: "Jerry Lester, Village of Polo Ridge, stated he believes the Committee needs to utilize Settlement Agreement Funds to address the level and overall aesthetics of Paradise Lake."
This is the exact text that I read to the ACC:
- PARADISE LAKE NEEDS A TRANSFORMATION
- IT IS A NATURAL BASIN— AS WAS CHERRY LAKE, WHICH IS NOW CALLED LAKE SUMTER.
- PARADISE LAKE APPEARS ON AERIAL PHOTOS DATING FROM 1941 AND INCLUDING 1947, 1958, 1972, AND FINALLY, 1979, WHEN IT WAS SURROUNDED BY HOMES IN ORANGE BLOSSOM GARDENS.
- THE PHOTOS SHOW THE BASIN WITH AND WITHOUT WATER.
- THE DEVELOPER TRANSFORMED CHERRY LAKE, WHICH WAS ALSO A WETLAND INTO LAKE SUMTER.
- UNFORTUNATELY, MR. SWARTZ DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THE SAME FOR LAKE PARADISE IN 1979.
- YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, USING LAWSUIT FUNDS, TO TRANSFORM LAKE PARADISE INTO A “LAKE SUMTER - NORTH”.
- I THINK THIS WOULD BE A MOST APPROPRIATE USE OF THE FUNDS AND WOULD QUALIFY YOU AS “GOOD STEWARDS” OF THE FUNDS.
- TO GET SUCH A PROJECT STARTED REQUIRES AN ENGINEERING STUDY.
- I PROPOSE THAT YOU AUTHORIZE AND IMPLEMENT THAT STUDY. I WILL HELP ANYWAY YOU LIKE.
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Although it may appear from this is a new issue, it is not. It is an ongoing concern that has been addressed to the ACC numerous times. The ACC has simply "stonewalled" it.
Jerry Lester