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SEP 12 1984 BOOK 58 FAr,F?7,9 Commissioner Lyons asked if we had, indeed, made a commitment on this project, and Chairman Scurlock stated that we have not. Commissioner Lyons did not quite understand where we stand on this project or where the federal government stands on this issue. He pointed out that the bill just recently signed by the President provides the Corps of Engineers with a supplemental appropriation for the purpose of beach renourishment studies and does not actually mean that the Corps will decide to study our beaches. It is their decision to make. Chairman Scurlock stated that his personal feeling is that we gave a commitment, at this point, to Congressman Nelson, but he did not particularly like being put in the position of being told by anyone to agree not to go to the people in order to gain support for something. He had voted to go along with it because he wanted to keep it in -the hopper, so to speak, which is what we have been doing for the last 2-3 years. He did not understand the fear of having some sort of a straw ballot on the November election, but he stated he is not in favor of having a binding referendum at this time. Commissioner Lyons wanted to see the minutes of the meeting where it was decided to go with the 60/40% split, as he did not remember saying that a referendum could not be held, and he also didn't remember agreeing that this issue could not ever be rethought by the Commission or the people. Chairman Scurlock reiterated that Congressman Nelson had told him over the phone that if we pursued a referendum this November, he would withdraw support from this particular submission. Congressman Nelson's position, however, is that he supports local determination of the issue, so let's go ahead and have a straw ballot so we can see what the taxpayers want. 45 M M -