Businesses show progress toward reopening
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

Scott Page/Gulf Breeze News The four-laned Via de Luna is reopened and attracting speeders. Deputies are currently writing tickets to control speed.

The Santa Rosa Island Authority met for the first time in 2008, and members heard that many of the leases that were in default are currently showing signs of recovery.

Five Flags Inn owner Baker Clark informed the SRIA he is negotiating with a potential buyer for the vacant land, but if the sale does not go through, the Inn will be rebuilt with 75 to 100 standard hotel rooms. Construction is expected to commence in November with an opening date planned for January of 2010.

Jubilee Restaurant at the Quietwater Boardwalk,which is still closed since Hurricane Ivan, got approval to sublease the facility to another PCB Landholdings, LLC for another restaurant/retail/lounge.

Jim Reeves, owner of Holiday Townhouses and Tiki Motel, will pursue a change in density.

In other business, Jayne Bell was appointed Director of Administration, replacing Sharon Santurri who left to join the staff of Rep. Jeff Miller. Dottie Ford was selected to be the Director of Finance. Ford has been on staff at the SRIA since 2005.

The board discussed the need to control speeding on the newly opened four lane Via de Luna. Deputies are patrolling the area and one has already written three ticket books full of citations to speeders on the roadway.

A meeting was scheduled Jan. 13 for business owners to learn how the ad valorem lawsuits are being settled and what it may mean for existing businesses, and to discuss marketing efforts to attract visitors to the beach.

The board made these committee assignments for the upcoming year:

Administrative Committee: Ed Guernsey, chair; Dr. Thomas Campanella and Vernon Prather, members

Architectural and Environmental Committee: John Peacock, chair; Fred Gant and Prather, members.

Development and Leasing committee: Tammy Bohannon, Chair; Campanella and Guernsey, members.

Operations committee: Prather, chair; Peacock and Gant, members.

Special Projects: Gant, chair; Peacock and Bohannon, members.