The Brief
- Manatee County commissioners are expected to vote Tuesday on whether to approve a new contract amendment tied to the ongoing Piney Point cleanup.
- The vote comes after commissioners deadlocked 3-3 last week, with some questioning whether local taxpayers should continue covering millions in cleanup costs.
- Staff reports the county is short some $23.4 million in unpaid expenses.
PALMETTO, Fla. – Manatee County commissioners are expected to revisit a controversial Piney Point contract amendment Tuesday after a vote on the item failed last week in a 3-3 tie.
Piney Point contract fight
What we know:
The issue is whether the county should approve a new agreement to keep remediation work moving at the former phosphate plant, where cleanup costs have grown far beyond what some county leaders say they anticipated.
Commissioners recently learned the county is facing a $23.4 million shortfall tied to the prolonged cleanup effort. County officials say state reimbursements have not kept pace with the costs of keeping the work going.
Manatee County spending debate
What they’re saying:
The debate has divided commissioners over whether Manatee County should continue dipping into its general fund to cover Piney Point expenses, or whether the state should take on more of the financial burden.…