Mayor John Chappie clarified his comments to The Sun on Jan. 24 that Cushing is temporarily suspended, not temporarily terminated as originally reported.
BRADENTON BEACH – The city temporarily terminated the contractual services of Building Official Darin Cushing on Jan. 22 pending discussion at the next city commission meeting.
“Temporarily suspending his services pending talking with the commission and M.T. Causley and that’s all I can say,” Mayor John Chappie said.
The next scheduled regular city commission meeting is Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m.
Cushing declined to comment on the suspension.
Cushing is a contractual employee who works for SAFEbuilt Inspections. M.T. Causley is a subsidiary of SAFEbuilt. The city has a contractual agreement with M.T. Causley to provide building official services.
Chappie did not give a reason for the suspension, but the city has been at odds with Cushing over his approval of a permit for the tiki hut at the Drift-In on Bridge Street.
At a Jan. 16 city commission meeting, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said that the permit should not have been issued based on factors that included the city-owned easements on the property as well as the size of the new structure.
“This was administratively approved and it should have gone through a public hearing,” Perry said. “Legally, I believe it should have been a major development.”
A major development application must first go through a Planning and Zoning Board hearing and then return to the commission for a public hearing.
Cushing wrote on Facebook on Jan. 21 in part: “It was approved administratively and needed no more than that. But others aren’t getting their way (or that property) so I’m being asked to pull back my approval and force the owner to go through a ridiculous set of processes. My job is actually in question over this and other things.”
In Cushing’s absence, permits and inspections will continue in the city, according to Chappie.
“Hopefully, somebody will be here today from M.T. Causley and we’ll try to run business as normal as possible in the interim,” Chappie said.
A city commission work meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. to evaluate the current model of contracted building department staff versus city employees.
On Jan. 21, Cushing posted on Facebook, writing in part:
“Come on out to the City of Bradenton Beach ‘work meeting’ on 1/28/25 if you truly believe that I’ve done a good job as building official,” he said, adding, “They’re trying to take me out to bend over for developers. I will not compromise my integrity or my license.”
Drift-In owner Derek Williams, who serves as president of the Bradenton Beach Merchants Association, posted on Facebook in support of Cushing. He asked the business community to attend the Jan. 28 meeting.
“Sticking together as business and property owners has never been more important. You might be aware there is a special ‘WORKSHOP’ scheduled on 1/28 at 9 a.m. regarding the building official and his permitting of the renovations at Drift-In AMI. The city has determined that the work is deemed a major development and not consistent with the approvals given by the city planner and city Building Official Darin Cushing. The city would like to discuss the status of an independent contractor versus an employee in the capacity of the building department. My thought is the business community needs to be present. If you can make it, we would love to see you there.”
The work meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 9 a.m. at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
