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BOOT( 64 rvF 88 <br />DISCUSSION OF TOWN OF ORCHID CONTRACTION <br />Chairman Scurlock recalled that at last week's meeting <br />we had a discussion as to the future of the Town of Orchid, and <br />he had some pretty strong concerns re a municipality consisting <br />of only 8 individuals possibly impacting the infrastructure of <br />the county. He informed the Board that he and Attorney Vitunac <br />met with Mayor Lee Johnston, Darrell Fennell, Attorney for the <br />Town of Orchid, and Harold Melville, Attorney for Deerfield <br />Groves Partnership, which is the major property owner in the <br />Town. Their discussion revolved around the uncertainty of the <br />Town's future development, and they were assured by the Mayor and <br />the attorneys that while they had no immediate development plans, <br />they did think in terms of low density, high quality development <br />consistent with what is on the barrier island. Attorney Vitunac <br />wished to have more assurance than that, however, and it was <br />agreed to reduce to writing the various verbal agreements we have <br />with the Department of Community Affairs and revisit the more <br />formal agreements and strengthen those so that the County would <br />have a more secure feeling. <br />Attorney Fennell, who has represented the Town of Orchid for <br />20 years, confirmed that the Town as presently constituted has <br />every intention of fulfilling all of the obligations that any <br />prior Town Council has made and the Council and Deerfield Groves <br />also has assured him that they are well aware of the sensitive <br />nature of the barrier island. They want to continue to be good <br />neighbors and feel that when development does occur in the Town <br />of Orchid, it will be something that the County will be very <br />proud of. <br />The Commissioners each expressed their feelings with regard <br />to the continuing of the fine relationship between the County and <br />the Town, and Commissioner Wodtke noted that Cubit Engineering is <br />doing a $90,000 study of the entire barrier island and it would <br />be helpful if they could get through the gates at Deerfield <br />Groves to put down some control points. <br />16 <br />