Group questions Ed Smith Stadium report

SARASOTA - When Sarasota City officials inked a deal to transform Ed Smith Stadium into a state-of-the-art ballpark to lure the Baltimore Orioles, residents like Madonna Sullivan were on board at first.

"I just don't want anyone to be harmed because the Orioles what to change Ed Smith Stadium," Sullivan said.

But recently watchdog group Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government said it discovered a series of surprising e-mails by city officials which detailed the environmental toxins at play just feet away from neighborhoods and a school.

"If I were living near Ed Smith Stadium and my children, and my children were playing in those little league fields and sliding into second base I would want to know what is going on," Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government board member Cathy Antunes said.

At one time the neighborhood ballpark was a landfill so city commissioners requested a thorough environmental check before teaming up with the Orioles.

Recently, the group obtained a 117-page report, commissioned by the city, which shows a plume of vinyl chloride contamination, along with a series of heavy metals and organic compounds that far exceed safe EPA levels.

At a press conference Monday, Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government implied city officials knew about the dangerous toxins during an initial report, but kept it quiet in order to push their major league agenda.

"It's particularly troubling we know the city voted on it without complete information and that's a problem," Antunes said.

But Deputy City Manager Marlon Brown disputes that.

"Staff has always provided a summary to the city commission in terms of what the issues are. Should we have provided a full report to the commission, looking back maybe we should have provided a report," Brown said.

But residents like Sullivan won't be happy until she's assured the community's health and well being won't be treated like a game.

The watchdog group is asking to see the full environmental report. If it doesn't happen soon, members said they will seek legal action.