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By Times Correspondent
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 28, 2000
TREASURE ISLAND -- Contractors have removed most of the rocks and dirt from an Isle of Capri site that had been used as a staging area for the John's Pass jetty project.
City officials asked Durocher Dock & Dredge to clear the site after residents complained about the operations.
Public Works Director Don Hambidge said contractors were preparing to bring in a small crane to remove the remaining stones from the property on 117th Avenue. He said the city will inspect the site to ensure that it has been restored to its original condition. The city gave special permission for contractors to use the site after the company complained that the original staging area was inadequate. The contract with Pinellas County calls for the staging area to be on the west side of the John's Pass Bridge near the Rock House.
Rick Alexander from Durocher said it was too difficult to haul the rocks across the Rice family property and into the water. From the city property, Alexander was hauling the rocks to the jetty by boat.
Alexander said he was working with city officials to respond to the neighborhood complaints when he received the letter to abandon the 117th Avenue property. "We were working closely with the city to cure the most important item and that was dust" which, he said, was worse than expected because of the drought.
Alexander said the jetty project is about 40 percent complete. The $1.3-million project is designed to stop erosion on Sunshine Beach and keep the sand from collecting in John's Pass. The jetty is expected to extend about 400 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. and is supposed to be completed by Aug. 24.
Hambidge said the contractors had been looking at a possible staging site in Madeira Beach.