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Letter to the editor

Snack Shack's future gloomy

Commissioners want it gone; petitioners have one last chance to save it.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 10, 2007

MADEIRA BEACH - Unless petition organizers can come up with enough signatures, it appears the historic Archibald Park Snack Shack will be demolished after all.

A majority of city commissioners agreed Tuesday they would rather tear down the log cabin building than refurbish it and reopen it to the public.

The only thing stopping that from happening is a voter petition that calls for the commission to either pass an ordinance guaranteeing preservation of the Snack Shack or a citywide referendum allowing voters to decide on the building's fate.

The original petition turned in to the city last month fell 272 signatures short of the needed 833 signatures of registered voters who are residents of Madeira Beach. There also were issues relating to how the petitions were witnessed.

The petition organizers have until June 25 to come up with enough signatures. Eddie Lee recently informed the city that his group intends to obtain the necessary signatures and meet other requirements by the deadline.

A previously scheduled demolition was put on hold last month, largely at Mayor Charles Parker's urging, as public pressure mounted to preserve the 1930s-era building.

Now, Parker wants the city to move ahead immediately to tear the building down.

"The petition was a failure. We don't have to wait. I want to tear down the building as soon as possible, " Parker said at Tuesday's commission workshop.

But, at the urging of City Manager Jill Silverboard, the commission decided to wait until the June 25 deadline for an updated petition before making a final decision.

Commissioners also decided not to ask for formal proposals for renovating and reopening the Snack Shack.

Guidelines for proposals were discussed at a recently held public forum on the future of the Snack Shack.

There is, however, a clear consensus that most commissioners want to demolish the building.

"From a business standpoint, there is no way the building could pay for itself, " said Commissioner John Wolbert.

Commissioner Steve Kochick said he was "disappointed" at the number of residents who participated in the public forum.

He suggested the only way it would be feasible to save the building would be this: "The people who want the Snack Shack should put up their own money" to repair and maintain it.

"It should have been torn down a month ago, " said Commissioner Arnold Alloway. "The whole forum was a waste of money."

The city has already spent some $500, 000 to settle a lawsuit with a concessionaire who had wanted to build a "destination restaurant" at the Snack Shack. That plan was halted by the U.S. Interior Department, which ruled the building could only be used to support recreational uses of the beach park.

The beach property was deeded to the U.S. government in 1931 for use by veterans. In 1972, the property was turned over to the city with the stipulation that it remain a public park.

The log cabin building was converted to a beach-related snack shack for beachgoers and operated for years by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

Still at issue is the original deed which prohibited any commercial use of property. That prohibition is not included in the city's agreement with the Interior Department.

[Last modified June 9, 2007, 21:01:19]