The Captiva Erosion Prevention District held their regular monthly meeting and their tentative budget meeting on Monday, where commissioners discussed various issues and approved a tentative budget.

CEPD administrator Kathleen Rooker announced that the Blind Pass opening celebration has now been postponed until the parking lot area by the pass can be cleaned up.

In addition, the City of Sanibel has replaced the rocks for the revetment on the Captiva side of Blind Pass.

“We’re on record that we thought it was a safety issue. It’s a good thing they did it because if you look at that area, there’s no sand in front of those rocks now and at high tide, the water is just ripping through there,” said chairman Mike Mullins.

Rooker also told commissioners that the additional dredging of 40,000 cubic yards that was slated for October will not happen.

During the meeting, commissioners learned that the CEPD has experienced a steady increase in parking lot revenue over the last three years. In 2007, collections were $63,081.30 and in 2008 they increased to just over $100,000. So far, in 2009, $159,326 have been collected in parking lot fees.

CEPD chairman Mike Mullins noted that he’s asked Rooker to obtain figures dating back to 2005 because he thinks collections were almost non-existent in 2005-06 due to an inoperable machine.

The board of commissioners also decided to look into paving the Alison Hagerup Beach Access and perhaps adding additional sinage.

After the adjournment of the regular CEPD meeting, the tentative budget meeting for the CEPD took place.

“The rollback rate is .1846 [and] the new, tentative millage rate is .2322, and it’s an increase of 25.79 percent over the rollback rate,” said Mullins.

“The reason that the ad valorem revenues are increased is in order to accrue some reserves necessary for commencing the next beach renourishment project,” Mullins explained.

Commissioner Harry Kaiser motioned to adopt the tentative millage rate and commissioner Doris Holzheimer seconded the motion. It passed unanimously.

The final budget meeting will take place tomorrow, at 3 p.m., in the Wakefield Room at ‘Tween Waters Inn.

If you have questions about the CEPD, call 472-2472 or go to www.MyCEPD.com.