Council helps bankroll emergency sand infusion, but sand gift puts ‘a burr' in Wood's side (UPDATED with POLL and PHOTOS)

Money for emergency renourishment on Holiday Isle shouldn’t come out of the pockets of taxpayers, according to Councilman Jim Wood.

Wood surprised the council at Monday night’s meeting by casting the only vote against allocating $170,000 from city coffers to help fund an emergency beach restoration project on about 2,600 feet of Holiday Isle. He said this vote really “put a burr in my side,” and he couldn’t look himself in the mirror if he supported the motion.

“We’ve been fixing beaches in different ways in this area for years, and every year or two it’s the same thing again,” said Wood, who weeks ago voted to put up $30,000 toward emergency restoration. “You can call it political suicide, but I’ve gotten fed up with government handing out money.”

To see the latest erosion photos from Holiday Isle, click here.

To read about how the county also chipped in, click here.

While murmurs of disapproval could be heard from the crowd as Wood made his statement, not everyone in attendance disagreed with the councilman. Betty Kenyon of Destin said that she should be able to use the beach at Jetty East if the condominium is getting public funding for beach renourishment. But she said the last time the city helped out Holiday Isle, she was sent away when she tried to use the private beach.

“I pay taxes, I do it diligently, but where’s my public beach?” Kenyon asked.

Council candidate and Holiday Islander Larry Hines countered that Holiday Isle also contributes a lot to the city.

He said each of the units on Holiday Isle contribute about $10,000 a year in bed taxes and ad valorem taxes.

“We’re doing our share,” Hines said. “We contribute a lot of money to the city, and we will continue to do so.”
City Manager Greg Kisela said that about a third of the beach that the project would restore is public.

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He said the Army Corps of Engineers could potentially add 50 to 75 feet of beach to the designated area, which would make it possible to place protective berms on top of the sand. This project would place about 10 times as much sand on Holiday Isle as the small restoration projects in the area in 2006 and 2008, according to Kisela. He said the city will contract with the dredge already scheduled to arrive in Destin in April or May to complete the restoration project on Eglin Air Force Base to save mobilization fees.

“This will provide about one to two years of storm protection for the affected area, buying us time to get to work on the permanent project,” Kisela said. “We’re hoping by this time next year the permanent project will be ready to move forward.”

The $1.2 million project is being funded by a public/private partnership. In addition to the city’s $200,000 contribution, which includes $30,000 the council approved for use in obtaining the proper permits at their last meeting, the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council will contribute $415,000, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will contribute $200,000 and the 738 property owners in the affected area will contribute $415,000.

Despite the protests of a few, the audience erupted in cheers as the council passed the motion to help fund the emergency restoration project 6-1.

“They are in dire straights over there on that beach,” said Councilman Kelly Windes. “We’re getting close to actually getting something done, and I think it’s imperative that we go forward.”

The County Commission approved its portion of the funding Tuesday morning, hours after the City Council vote. The commission voted unanimously to authorize the TDC to help pay the tab.

“I dread the day we wake up and Jetty East is in the Gulf of Mexico and there’s nothing we can do about it,” said Commissioner Bill Roberts.