A new helicopter is coming to Manatee sheriff’s office

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will be getting a new helicopter.

On Tuesday, the county commission approved the funding, paving the way for the sheriff’s office to purchase the new helicopter, which is estimated to cost $4.9 million.

Since the project was included in the projects to be funded by the infrastructure half-cent sales tax, approximately $1.1 million will be paid with sales tax revenue generated this year while the remaining $3.8 million will come from an interfund loan from the general fund and repaid over two years from sales tax revenues.

But the cost of the new helicopter is higher than originally projected. Last August, it was estimated that the cost be $4 million.

“The MSO has now determined the actual cost will be $4.9 (million),” said Jan Brewer, the county’s financial management director. “The MSO wants to move forward in this current fiscal year 2017.”

Also on Tuesday, the commission:

• Authorized the agreement with Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee for one-time emergency funding of $200,000. The commission approved the agreement without any discussion.
• Approved the settlement agreement, which will allow planned development commercial uses, with Lake Lincoln LLC, which filed a lawsuit in 2012 relating to the “denial of its request to assign development entitlements to a 3.32-acre piece of 10.32-acre parcel located within the Tara Development of Regional Impact at the corner of SR 70 and Tara Blvd.,” according to agenda materials. The court must give final approval to the settlement agreement.
• Authorized sending the letter of non-opposition to Florida Department of Transportation for a proposed 10k charity run on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on March 4, 2018. The race, which is sponsored by the Armed Forces Families Foundation, would mean the bridge would be closed in the morning hours.
• Approved an ordinance that would permit vehicles parked outside businesses that serve alcohol to remain overnight “without the risk that the vehicle may be towed without written approval by the property owner,” according to county documents.
• Heard end-of-session reports from Rep. Jim Boyd, Sen. Bill Galvano and Rep. Wengay Newton.
• Approved a resolution that will designate the county’s hearing officers to preside over county code parking infractions since beginning July 1, the civil traffic infraction hearing officer in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit will no longer do so.
• Accepted the $32,000 grant from the Knight Foundation for the Speak Up Bradenton project.
• Authorized the execution of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Agreement between The Patterson Foundation and Manatee County to participate in the program as part of the county’s parks and natural resources department’s summer camp program.
• Approved a temporary suspension on acceptance of certain right-of-way permit applications due to recent Florida Legislature action. During this period, the county will work on regulatory changes to the Right-of-Way Management Code to present to the commission for consideration.
• Approved an Economic Development Incentive Grant and Transportation Impact Fee incentive for Project Catalina, which will locate a warehouse/distribution facility in Manatee County. “Project Catalina is a customized EDI grant projected to provide a significant capital investment of $12 M in the Southwest District and create 65 quality jobs over five years,” according to agenda materials.
• Authorized sending a letter to the Florida Gulf Consortium Chair with Manatee County’s project proposals for the county’s participation in the Florida Gulf Consortium Restore Act program.
• Reappointed Ed Chiles, Jiten Patel, Dale Sconyers and David Teitelbaum to the county’s Tourist Development Council.
• Directed staff to bring back implementing documents to allow the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program to operate in unincorporated Manatee County.
• Heard a presentation from the Florida Department of Transportation on the Central Manatee Network Alternatives Analysis and possible locations for a third bridge.
• Approved establishing a school zone in front of Pinnacle Academy, a private school on Lorraine Road in Lakewood Ranch.

This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 6:57 PM with the headline "A new helicopter is coming to Manatee sheriff’s office."