An official is contending Villagers are in favor of a $760,000 half-mile walking path at Lake Miona, despite the ballooning price tag.
Community Development District 6 Supervisor Peter Moeller has championed for nearly a decade the walking trail at the Black Lake Preserve. He originally tried to sell his vision to District Manager Janet Tutt and drove her to the location in his golf cart. She was not enthused. When Richard Baier took over as District Manager, Moeller made a second attempt to get the project off the ground.
“Richard was so enthusiastic I did not think I could keep him in the golf cart,” Moeller said.
However, the price keeps rising. It started out at $150,000. Then it grew to $430,000. And now it’s estimated at $760,000.
Earlier this week, Community Development District 10 Supervisor Steve Bova said he thought the cost was outrageous. He is calling on the Project Wide Advisory Committee, which is considering spending amenity money for the half-mile path, to delay or call off the project.
Moeller raised the issue at Friday’s CDD 6 board meeting at SeaBreeze Recreation Center. He said Villagers are in favor of the path.
“The residents are definitely behind it. They all want to know when it’s going to get done,” Moeller said.
However, Moeller’s fellow CDD 6 Supervisor Linda Grzesik echoed Bova’s belief that people will not drive to Lake Miona to walk a half-mile path, which would be set up as a 1.3-mile out-and-back loop. Pets would not be allowed on the path.
“I think it’s an awful lot of money. I don’t think people are going to drive over there to use it,” Grzesik said.
Moeller said there is plenty of money in the amenity fund.
“We’ve got a lot of money both in reserves and operating capital,” he said.
Moeller predicted PWAC will reach a decision on the walking path at next month’s meeting.
