BRADENTON BEACH – After last week’s recall election, Jack Clarke is now the city’s highest ranking elected official.

As sitting vice mayor, Clarke assumed former Mayor Bill Shearon’s mayoral duties Wednesday morning. He will be formally sworn in as mayor on Monday, June 1, during a ceremony that will take place at city hall at 1 p.m.

Clarke chaired a commission workshop on Wednesday and a 38-minute commission meeting on Thursday that was aided by a light agenda and produced not a single dissenting vote.

On Friday, he said, “It’s been somewhat hectic. I will be carefully evaluating all the input I’ve received since the recall. I will prioritize it and soon let everyone know what I hope to accomplish.”

As for the reaction he received from city staff, Clarke said, “They’re ecstatic. They were waiting outside city hall to congratulate me and welcome me, and I’ve requested as many as possible be released from their duties long enough to attend the swearing in ceremony.”

Several city employees said morale has already improved since Shearon left office.

The numbers

On Tuesday, May 19, city voters decided by an eight-vote margin that Shearon would be removed from office six months prior to completing his two-year term as mayor. On the follow-up ballot question that only mattered if Shearon was recalled, voters decided by a 13-vote margin that Clarke would replace Shearon and serve as mayor until the regular city elections in November, when both men plan to run again.

Of the city’s 759 registered voters, 358 participated in the recall election that produced 47 percent voter turnout. A total of 182 voters (50.8 percent) supported Shearon being recalled and 174 (48.6 percent) opposed it; 185 then voted for Clarke as mayor (51.68 percent) and 172 (48.04 percent) for Shearon, making him the first commission member in city history to be recalled from office.

Of the 220 votes cast in person at the Annie Silver Community Center, 117 supported the recall, 101 opposed it, 117 supported Clarke and 102 supported Shearon.

Of the 138 mail ballots cast, 73 opposed the recall, 65 supported it, 70 supported Shearon and 68 favored Clarke.

The new mayor’s people

Clarke awaited the results at Island Time Bar & Grill, joined by his wife Karen, owner Bill Herlihy, Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, former Mayor John Shaughnessy, former Commissioner Gay Breuler, several public works employees, local business owners Fred Bartizal, Steve Schewe and Jake Spooner and many others.

“I’m humbled by the faith and trust the citizens of Bradenton Beach have placed in me. I promise to work on bringing the city back to normal and healing the divisions within city hall and the greater population,” Clarke said, after receiving a congratulatory call from Shearon.

“I’m glad the turmoil is over so we can start getting things done. I think we’ve got the right man to move our community forward,” Herlihy said.

“Congratulations to Jack, and thank you Mayor Shearon for your service,” Vosburgh said.

“We frickin’ won,” Breuler said.

“Congratulations to Mayor Jack Clarke. I look forward to working with him,” Public Works Director Tom Woodard said.

Using one of Shearon’s favorite phrases, public works employee Christine Watson smiled and said, “It is what it is.”

“Enough is enough. Now we can do our jobs without fear of retaliation,” said her co-worker David Higgins.

“The people have spoken,” Commissioner Ed Straight said later in the week.

“I am thrilled about Jack Clarke winning the election and I look forward to his approach on leading our city,” said resort owner and Bridge Street Merchants President Angela Rodocker on Friday.

“I hope the residents of Bradenton Beach can be objective, give Jack a chance and put their differences aside because we’re all in this together,” supporter Betsy Sillars said on Saturday,

Gracious in defeat

Shearon spent election night with friends and supporters at his Linger Longer resort.

“The voters spoke and it was eight votes, but eight votes is eight votes. I wish the mayor-elect the best and we’ll see what Jack can accomplish in six months,” he said by phone.

When asked if he would challenge the results, Shearon said, “No, I wouldn’t do that. It is what it is. We move forward and the voters will have a chance again in November.”

As for how he plans to spend his newfound idle time, Shearon said, “I’m going to get my life back for six months, catch up with family, do some traveling, and we’ll get back to it in November.”

 

BRADENTON – Because of the congestion the expansion in tourism has produced, Manatee County officials are looking to expand a program used for controlling traffic on the mainland.

That’s the word from L. K. Nandem, Florida Department of Transportation Traffic Operations Engineer, who addressed the Manatee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, May 19.

Nandem said he had met with then-Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon and Police Chief Sam Speciale, who were concerned about the gridlock in their city and the other Island cities during the height of the tourist season.

Nandem said the county engineers responded with a suggestion to expand the advanced traffic management system being implemented at busy streets and intersections in the city.

“It can change the timing on the stoplights to help keep traffic moving,” Nandem said. “We did not consider the Island for this system because the drawbridges prohibited us from installing the fiber optics needed to monitor traffic.”

He said they decided to use a Bluetooth system.

“It needs to be reliable and cost effective,” he said. “We need to monitor travel time and speed.”

He said they would need to lease some landlines to monitor Gulf and Marina drives because of the intersection’s configuration.

Nandem said they estimate the project would cost $70,000 to design, $340,000 to construct and $70,000 to install.

County Commissioner and former Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said he had attended Island Transportation Planning Organization meetings where the problem of congestion was discussed. He asked if they might include integrating the opening and closing of drawbridges into the plan.

“We would need to convince the Coast Guard before they would allow it,” he said. “We’ve got the data needed, but the cities will have to get involved.”

Chappie asked about the problem at 119th and Cortez Road West, where a pedestrian crossing and stoplight can tie up traffic coming off the Island. Nandem said they might consider another lane up to the intersection.

Nandem said it might take two or three years to get the funding.

County Commission Chair Betsy Bernac said this is a good first step.

“We can’t expand the lanes on the Island, but we have to do something,” she said. “New bridges to the Island are being discussed and designed, so the timing is right.”

HOLMES BEACH – Two groups of residents, one from Key Royale and one from south of 52nd Street, attended the second of three Neighborhood Watch training sessions May 14

The sessions were conducted by Bradenton Neighborhood Watch specialist Tami Spyker and HBPD Sgt. Vern McGowin and focused on personal safety.

Spyker told participants, “Personal safety is 90 percent up to you, and you are 70 percent safer when you go out with someone.”

She said strangers use all types of tactics to get a victim’s attention such as asking for directions, money, a light or the time off day.

“They are strangers; someone you don’t know,” she stressed. “The best way to be safe is keep your head up. If you are walking, walk with confidence. Don’t look like a victim. Use your ears and eyes, senses and instincts.

“Glance behind you occasionally. If you see someone behind you, make eye contact, and then you can identify that person. Always have an exit.”

She said if someone violates your personal space or gets too close, “give off the impression that you are in control of the situation” and don’t scream or yell help, but yell “fire” or “no, no, no” forcefully and keep it up.

“Carry your cell phone with you at all times,” she continued. “If you want to carry pepper spray, go to a gun range and get trained on how to use it because it could blow back in your face.”

Leaving home

She said when leaving home, lock all doors and windows, and as you are leaving, survey the neighborhood. When you get in your vehicle, lock the door immediately.

If stopping at a convenience store, “make sure there is no one hanging around that seems suspicious, lock your door and go inside. If the cashier is surveying someone, go somewhere else because they’ve already identified someone who is suspicious.”

When you are leaving the store, if you see someone suspicious outside, tell the manager, and if the manager does not act, call police. Always lock your door when you re-enter you vehicle.

In store parking lots, always park near the store and under a light. Don’t park in between large vans or trucks, and don’t put your purse or valuables in the trunk.

Let employees help you out, if that is an option, and if not, look around while placing items in your vehicle. Don’t let strangers help you.

Avoid panhandlers because “you don’t know what their background is,” she advised. “If you see someone panhandling or bothering someone, please call it in to police. If they walk up to your car, lock the doors.”

Identity theft

“Don’t give out any information about yourself to anyone you don’t know,” she stressed. “If you become a victim of identity theft, it takes five to 10 years to get your identify back.”

Watch for scams such as someone calling and pretending to be from the Social Security Agency or IRS, neither of which call people; pretending to be a relative needing help; or offering help with your computer.

She advised men to keep their wallets in the front pocket because of pickpockets, especially when attending events with crowds, and women not to carry purses.

“If someone tries to snatch your purse, don’t fight,” she added. “Your life is more important than anything you are carrying.”

She said people should carry only one credit or debit card or one check or cash and one form of ID. Don’t carry Medicare or Social Security (SS) cards, which contain SS numbers.

HOLMES BEACH – The third Neighborhood Watch training session focused on home security.

Bradenton Neighborhood Watch specialist Tami Spyker and HBPD Sgt. Vern McGowin talked about various types of devices that residents can install or have installed on their doors and windows to make them more secure.

“Whenever you hire someone to do the work, make sure they are licensed in the state and check them out with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber,” Spyker advised.

She cautioned against deadbolt locks that require a key to get out because they can be a fire hazard and said anyone who has one should put an emergency key somewhere close to the door and in a low place because smoke rises.

“Never touch that key except in an emergency,” she stressed. “Use a different key to get out the door.”

Spyker recommended single cylinder deadbolt locks as opposed to double cylinder ones and said homeowners with jalousie windows should replace them. She said homeowners should keep garage doors down at all times, have a deadbolt on the door from the garage to the house and lock the garage windows.

Exterior home safety

Regarding exterior safety, Spyker said, “Your bushes should be no higher than 2 feet, and your trees should not canopy down lower than 6 feet. If they are too high, burglars can hide behind them, and no one can see them, not even the officers driving by your house.”

Other exterior safety features include lights such as photocells, plants with thorns, house numbers that are visible from the street and motion sensors.

When going on vacation, Spyker recommended timers for the interior lights, and said, “Make your house look lived in. Don’t put your hurricane shutters down. Maybe you can have a neighbor do that.”

One resident said some insurance companies require homeowners to put down the hurricane shutters when they leave.

Responding to a question about alarm companies, McGowin advised homeowners to shop around and learn what services are offered and the cost.

Spyker said homeowners should ask how many people the alarm company calls before it calls police, and McGowin advised them to call police as soon as the alarm sounds and not wait for the company to call police.

All of the information regarding various ways to secure a home is available in a booklet from the police department.

HOLMES BEACH – Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials have sent a letter to Jose Vivero and his attorney, Greg Hagopian, regarding sea grapes in the 4300 block of Second Avenue recently trimmed by Vivero without a permit.

Attached were a compliance inspection report and recommendations for corrective action that state that an owner can obtain an exemption from DEP for maintenance trimming of sea grapes.

“However, the exemption allows for no more than a one third reduction in height of the tree annually and no more than one third of the leaf mass removed annually,” the report continued. “Any proposed trimming beyond what the exemption allows would require a department permit.

“The cutting that occurred exceeded the allowable criteria for a department exemption In addition, since this cutting occurred on city property, a department permit would not have been issued without specific approval from the city.”

The report asked Vivero or his attorney to respond with in 15 days and

• Describe what he has done to resolve the issue;

• Provide information that either mitigates the concerns or demonstrates them to be invalid; or

• Arrange for a DEP inspector to visit the site and offer suggested action to return to compliance without enforcement.

Vivero is asked to document the compliance or corrective action concerning the violations and the letter said failure to respond promptly in writing or by e-mail, “may result in the initiation of formal enforcement proceedings.”

BRADENTON BEACH – After city voters recalled Mayor Bill Shearon from office last Tuesday, Commissioner Janie Robertson objected to how the voters’ edict was carried out.

At 9:48 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, the night of the recall election, City Attorney Ricinda Perry sent an e-mail to City Clerk Terri Sanclemente, Shearon, the commissioners and that department heads that explained when and why Shearon would step down.

“As you are aware, the voters have recalled Mayor Shearon from the office of mayor. Michael Bennett, the supervisor of elections, has certified the election results. Accordingly, a vacancy in the office of mayor has been created. Neither state law nor the charter provides for a holdover period for recalled officials. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the mayor, the vice mayor shall succeed to the office of mayor until the next election.

Thus, Vice Mayor (Jack) Clarke shall fill the vacancy in his capacity as a commissioner beginning on 5/19/15 until he, as the winning candidate of the next election, can take office,” Perry’s e-mail said.

According to Perry’s e-mail, Shearon could not chair or participate in the pier lease and request for proposal commission workshop he had scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Having arrived at city hall before the workshop began, Shearon began clearing out his office while workshop took place in the adjoining commission chambers.

Clarke, as the vice mayor acting in the absence of a sitting mayor, chaired the workshop and the participants included Robertson, Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, Pier Team Chair and Police Chief Sam Speciale and Public Works Director Tom Woodard. Commissioner Ed Straight was absent with excuse.

The workshop ended shortly after 11 a.m. and at 12:13 p.m. Shearon exited city hall and received a ride home from Speciale.

Robertson objects

At 12:52 p.m., Robertson sent Sanclemente and others an e-mail voicing her objections to Clarke chairing the workshop and the commission meeting scheduled for the following day. Robertson did not share her concerns about procedural legalities with Perry.

“I was shocked to find that Mayor Shearon was not chairing the commission meeting this morning. It was chaired by citizen Clarke, who resigned his commission seat as of May 19. He is no longer vice mayor. He should not be on the dais until he is sworn into the office of mayor on June 1. If tomorrow’s meeting is not chaired by Mayor Shearon, it should be cancelled,” Robertson wrote.

“Attorney Perry has no authority to advise Clarke that he return to the dais before he is sworn into office…Clarke has no authority to place himself there on the dais…Today's meeting did not have a quorum to proceed,” she added.

In response to Robertson, Sanclemente wrote, “If you would have read Ricinda’s e-mail from last night you would not have had to send this e-mail. Please refer back to it because I believe it will help you understand the procedure.”

At 2:47 p.m., Perry responded to Robertson’s objections.

“It is the job of the city attorney to make sure that the city’s laws are upheld and explained as needed. It is completely inappropriate for a commissioner to direct a department head to undertake a legal task that could place the city in legal jeopardyand especially to circumvent the city attorney in this regard while copying the media,” she wrote.

In response, Robertson thanked Perry for her assistance and wrote, “We all do things inappropriately from time to time.”

Shaughnessy up next

Before Thursday’s commission meeting, Robertson informed Sanclemente that she would be out of town from May 28 through June 8. She will not attend Clarke’s swearing in ceremony or participate in the June 4 commission meeting when Clarke nominates former Mayor John Shaughnessy to serve the remainder of his Ward 1 commission term.

Robertson’s presence is not required for the nomination to be approved by the Vosburgh, Straight and Clarke quorum, and Shaughnessy’s subsequent return to the dais will enable the commission to pass legislation that requires the super-majority support of at least four commission members.

BRADENTON BEACH – Sunday was the last day of business for the Cast-n-Cage restaurant.

On Monday morning a handwritten sign on the door said, “We are closed, thank you for your business,” although the adjacent bait shop remained open.

This ends Roland Pena’s year- and-a-half long struggle to operate a successful business in the city-owned restaurant space located on the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

Pena and his wife, Tami, now have until Sunday to remove their possessions the restaurant, bait shop and former harbor master’s office they leased from the city, which will reclaim possession on Monday, June 1.

Bait shop desired

With the search soon to begin for a new tenant, a revised request for proposal (RFP) process was discussed at last week’s commission workshop, during which the attending commission members reviewed the RFP package prepared by Pier Team Chair Sam Speciale and City Attorney Ricinda Perry.

The commission agreed that a bait shop is highly desired. City Commissioner Janie Robertson said it would provide a public service on the city-owned pier, and she noted the city holds a fishing license that allows folks to fish there without a license of their own.

“Plus it’s a money maker,” Vosburgh added.

During Thursday’s commission meeting, anchorage resident and commercial vessel owner John Maguire offered to run the bait shop until a new tenant is found, or provide another form of on-site bait sales for pier users in the interim period.

On Friday, Robertson e-mailed Speciale and suggested the Public Works Department hire someone on a temporary basis to operate the bait shop until a new tenant is found. Speciale said he would present these suggestions to the commission in the near future.

Menu options

The RFP states that prospective tenants must respect the pier’s character and its feel as a traditional, non-chain franchise that is beach-oriented in nature, while noting that a chain operation would be considered if certain concessions were made.

This led to a discussion on what the next restaurant menu should look like.

Speciale and Robertson would like to see a more casual, less expensive menu, in part because the last two pier restaurants that adopted high-end approaches failed.

“It got away from the $3 breakfasts and the $5 hamburgers,” Speciale said. “The concessionaires were catering more to the tourist population and left the local people behind. We have to get back to where the people in the trailer park can have an affordable breakfast.”

Clarke and Vosburgh believe the next tenant should make those decisions based on their own past experience and expertise; and Vosburgh said past failures had more to do with management than menu offerings.

“It’s not up to the city to tell them what kind of food to put in there,” she said.

It was agreed that potential tenants would be made aware of these concerns during the RFP pre-conference that will occur before bids are submitted for the commission and staff to consider.

A final draft of the revised RFP will be presented to the commission before it is advertised and made available to bidders at the city clerk’s office and online at www.cityofbradentonbeach.com.

Lease refined

During a previous workshop, the commission further modified the new pier lease, adding a three percent annual increase to the previously agreed upon $2,500 monthly base rent that will cover the city’s estimated $30,000 in yearly pier expenses.

Those who submit sealed bids to lease the pier structures will offer at their own discretion a percentage of gross revenue to also be paid monthly. It is hoped the new lease model will produce greater revenues for the city during peak season while providing the tenant with greater relief during the off season.

The Penas paid $6,800 per month for the three pier structures.

The new lease will be for five years, with two, five-year renewals possible; and the new tenant can sublet the bait shop and harbor master’s office if he/she wishes.