Longboat Key needs to apologize for sewage spill near Sarasota Bay | Letter to the editor

I read reporter Mark Young’s article concerning the Longboat Key sewage spill with interest as our environment is so important to our quality of life as we’re reminded daily.

I got to the end of the article without reading once the words, “We’re sorry!” I read the article a second time to be sure I didn’t miss the apology as my 70-year-old eyes don’t always pick up on things at first. Nope. No apology to citizens from their government for dumping a whole lot of feces in places where we like to enjoy the simple things in life and unwind a little and enjoy the smell of fresh air filling our lungs! Excuse me, I mean “leaked material.” And so much for the smell of fresh air.

Instead of a simple apology, we’re greeted with simple phrases like “Let Mother Nature clean up the mess.” “No plans to conduct any clean up efforts.” The leaked material is being “diffused” and “attenuated”. The leak is “not as bad” as first reported. As your government we believe in the rising seas and climate change but a little bit of feces in the water from a broken sewage pipe confirmed by at least two scientific tests is just way too much to believe.

The next time you go to the bay for enjoyment and just happen to see any “leaked material” floating along just be thankful Mother Nature is taking care of it. Look at all the tax dollars you’re saving! And I was beginning to worry we wouldn’t have the money to give out Christmas bonuses for all our government officials this year! The bonuses are saved!

Jay Kent Cassidy

Bradenton

This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 10:44 AM.