Cortez: a town ready to fight
Twenty four years ago this month the St. Petersburg Times carried this headline, "Cortez: a town ready to fight."
The front page article with color pictures of Cortez natives talked about the village's opposition to the proposed Cris Craft Marina. If you don't know that story, ask for directions to the Cris Craft Marina on your next visit to Cortez and you will enjoy hearing about it.
Today folks in Cortez are gearing up to fight a proposal to give public property to an out of state resident that will cut in half the Fish Preserve and make it impossible to use the property for the planned park and preserve.
This web page will explain the purpose of FISH Preserve:
http://cortezfishingfestival.org/preserve/
Thousands of Manatee County residents have supported creation of the Fish Preserve and contributed money, time and energy to the project. The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival proceeds have been used to buy the land and develop it for protection of the habitat and community use. Hundreds of volunteers; Cortez residents, winter guests and local school children have helped clear the property of trash, debris and non-native vegetation. Now an out of state resident has convinced several commissioners they should give
away the public land so this person can increase the size and value of their property. If this happens, FISH would be required to try and buy this land and a newly inflated value in order to restore the FISH land and access.
Manatee County Clerk, R. B. "Chips" Shore has come out publicly against the land giveaway and is supporting FISH and Cortez. Several Commissioners have voiced support for Cortez in the past but we need to do everything possible to let all the Commissioners know how important this is to the FISH preserve.
This photo and quote from then 90 year old Charlie Guthrie, in his wheelchair in front of his home would apply today just as it did in 1985. He told the reporter "it'll do more harm than good, I'll tell you that" , he said with a grim thrust of his strong jaw. "They are trying to tear Cortez apart."
(photo - St. Petersburg Times)
Newspaper articles about the FISH preserve and this issue:
www.amisun.com/archives/2008/11-12-08/reeltime.htm
www.amisun.com/archives/2009/02-18-09/headlines.htm#three
www.islander.org/1-28-09/cortez_preserve.php
We hope you will call, write or email the Manatee County Commissioners to voice your support of Cortez and the Fish Preserve. This is an important issue we need everyone to let the Commissioners know you want and expect them to support Cortez on it.
The contact information for the County Commissioners is below:
Manatee County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34206-1000
1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone: (941) 748-4501