BRADENTON BEACH – Retired contractor Robert Talham was appointed to serve as the next Ward 4 city commissioner.
Appointed during the Feb. 5 commission meeting, Talham will fill the commission seat vacated by Jan Vosburgh, whose 11-year tenure representing Ward 4 ended on Nov. 20.
“I think I can help the city,” Talham told the commissioners. “I’ve been a contractor for 50 years.”
Talham’s application indicated he would be out of the area from June through August and Mayor John Chappie expressed concern about Talham’s availability.
“Those three months are prior to hurricane season and also it’s budget time,” Chappie said.
“I will make myself available,” Talham said. “I escape the Florida heat in the summer and I have grandchildren up north I want to see.”
Talham said it would not be a problem for him to fly to Florida if needed and he would be available to phone in to city meetings.
“The only challenge I perceive is if there’s more than one commissioner that is missing. You cannot have more than two appear remotely,” City Attorney Erica Augello said.
Commissioner Ralph Cole made the motion to approve Talham as the Ward 4 commissioner and the motion passed unanimously.
Talham’s swearing in date will be announced by the clerk’s office.
Talham is required to take an ethics training class as well as training in public records law adherence and compliance with Florida’s Government-in-the- Sunshine Law.
“Right now, we’ll consider you as a candidate-elect,” Augello said. “Please do not talk to other commissioners about anything that could come before the city. That would be a violation of the Sunshine Law.”
BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners discussed filling the vacant Ward 4 city commission seat, but the lone applicant, Robert Talham, didn’t attend the Jan. 15 meeting.
The Ward 4 seat has been vacant since commissioner Jan Vosburgh’s 11-year tenure ended on Nov. 20.
“To date we’ve had one applicant, Robert Talham,” Mayor John Chappie said.
Talham was not in attendance at the meeting. According to his application, dated Nov. 3, 2025, he is a retired contractor. The application states he is a full-time resident of Bradenton Beach. The application also states he will not be able to attend meetings in the months of June, July and August.
City Attorney Erica Augello explained the process for filling the vacancy.
“We discussed at one of the last meetings to put out an advertisement to see if you could get anyone specifically from Ward 4,” she said. “From any of the applicants that apply, the commission then gets to nominate a person; and then whoever is nominated and seconded, there needs to be a majority vote from the commission.”
She said if the commission chooses not to nominate anyone at that meeting, there would be a second meeting to consider additional applications.
“At that second meeting, if you do not have any nominations you are willing to make, you may nominate any of the applicants based on who you think would be qualified to fill the position,” Augello said.
If there is no nomination at the second meeting, then other qualified applicants from the city at at-large, not just Ward 4, would be considered. Two more meetings would then be needed to nominate and select the candidate.
“Then, if no candidate is nominated and no majority vote is garnered to select that person, it goes to drawing lots (drawing the highest card from a deck of cards),” Augello said. “It is a step-by-step process. You do have to weigh the qualifications of the person and the availability.”
Chappie addressed the difficulty in finding a candidate due to a decreased population in the city.
“We don’t have the population we had years ago. It’s been difficult at times to get people to volunteer and come aboard. I think some time in this year we want to talk about that. I think we’re going to have to face the facts,” he said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Bradenton Beach was 908 residents in 2020. According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office website, Bradenton Beach had 481 registered voters at last count.
Bradenton Beach is the only city on the Island that uses geographically based city commission wards. All commission seats in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach are citywide at-large seats.
‘I like the wards. I like that system, but things have changed,” Chappie said.
Commissioner Ralph Cole said he has known Talham for quite a while.
“He’s lived in Bradenton Beach for a long time. I know he loves Bridge Street. He is living in Ward 4 and has done so for a long period of time,” Cole said.
“The questions I have are about the June, July and August availability,” Chappie said. “That’s hurricane season and we have a lot of stuff going on. I just wanted to voice that. So, we’ll schedule this for our next commission meeting and hopefully we’ll have more applicants.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioner Jan Vosburgh has decided not to run for another term.
But Election Day on Nov. 4 may not be Vosburgh’s last day, according to attorney Robert Lincoln, who represented the city at the Oct. 23 city commission meeting.
“This will be an early issue for your new city attorney,” Lincoln told the commissioners. “My understanding of the law is that she will remain in the seat for quorum and meetings until you go through the process of finding a replacement.”
Lincoln suggested that incoming City Attorney Erica Augello confirm his understanding of the law.
“Generally, under Florida law, you don’t leave office until somebody replaces you,” Lincoln said.
“If nobody stepped up right away, she would be in there until replaced?” Commissioner Ralph Cole asked.
“Right. I believe the standard is if nobody ran for your office, you hold on to it,” Lincoln said.
Lincoln said he had not done a deep dive into the issue, but he wanted to raise the issue to commissioners as it might affect the commission’s operations.
“We advertised for people who want to fill the vacant seat. If we didn’t have anyone from that ward step up, then it would be an at-large seat, limited for one year,” Mayor John Chappie said.
Vosburgh has been absent with excuse for the past several commission meetings.
The assistant Supervisor of Elections was unsure of the procedure without first studying Bradenton Beach’s city charter.
According to the charter; “Whenever there is a vacancy, the Commission shall propose by nomination one or more names of willing and qualified successors for the vacancy. The Commission will then vote among the nominees to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. If a majority of the Commissioners are unable to fill a vacancy or vacancies after two (2) meetings then the successor shall be chosen by lot by the City Clerk from the nominees proposed.
In the event that no appointee can be found residing in the ward of vacancy, the Commission may appoint an individual who would otherwise qualify for elective office pursuant to Article III. Elections, Section 2. Qualifications of candidates for elective office.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The city has gotten one step closer to finding a full-time replacement for former Building Official Darin Cushing. Cushing, a contractual employee of M.T. Causley, was suspended by the city on Jan. 22 and subsequently terminated by his employer.
At a Feb. 14 special city commission emergency work meeting, commissioners approved the hiring of former Manatee County employees Bill Palmer as building official and Sandy Tudor as floodplain manager.
Neither Palmer nor Tudor was present at the meeting.
According to Palmer’s LinkedIn account, he served as Manatee County Building Services Division Manager/County Building Official from January 2022 through February 2025. He was the Building Official/Floodplain Administrator for the City of St. Pete Beach from March 2000 through January 2022.
Tudor’s LinkedIn account states she has been Floodplain Section Manager of the Manatee County Building and Development Department since May 2022.
“The last regular meeting I volunteered to talk to some of my contacts at Manatee County for a building official and floodplain manager,” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said. “I reached out to people that I worked with who I know have 20 plus years’ experience in building. She (Tudor) was a floodplain manager for Manatee County before she retired. I know her work ethic and she’s very well regarded. She agreed to talk to the mayor and city attorney, and she agreed to come on board to help us with what we’re going through right now.”
Scaccianoce also reached out to Palmer.
“He was available, and he also has years and years of coastal city experience,” she said. “He is very well-regarded. The mayor and city attorney had a conversation with him, and he also agreed to come on board and help us. He has all the certifications we need and all the experience we need.”
Bradenton Beach is under review by FEMA for the city’s post-hurricane building processes. That review could possibly jeopardize the city’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) discounts on flood insurance, and even the ability for city residents to obtain flood insurance.
“We’ve been in an emergency situation” since being hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, Mayor John Chappie said. “We’ve done amazing in recovery, but we’re faced with a situation that we have to deal with in the recovery process and the FEMA guidelines. We need to be part of the National Flood Insurance Program. Every piece of property in our community benefits from that. There are many guidelines we are required to follow. We need people with experience and understanding of working with FEMA.”
Chappie said that the review process by FEMA may linger for years.
“They (FEMA) are going to come back and they’re going to be asking us for a lot of documentation, and this can go on for years,” he said. “It has gone on in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they’ve actually forced people to tear down houses. Some of those houses weren’t in the same ownership after six years, but you have to follow the guidelines. “If you don’t, you can be yanked out of that NFIP. It’s scary stuff. Our city is not the only one that is experiencing the struggles and maneuvering through all the guidelines.”
Scaccianoce said Tudor has already begun to look through city ordinances to make sure they’re up to date.
“She’s willing to help us with that rating for the city so we can get a better rating,” she said. “We’ll have people now who are dedicated to the City of Bradenton Beach. They would be working to make our city better and get us where we need to be in the current situation.”
All the commissioners, with the exception of Jan Vosburgh, have spoken to the candidates.
Commissioner Scott Bear asked both Palmer and Tudor how long they expected to be in the positions, and both said about one year.
“The idea of hiring them is the right idea,” Bear said. “They will help us get out of the mess we’re in. A year from now, there’s the potential we may be back here and I think they’re great candidates.”
“In a year, we’ll re-evaluate it, but we’re in an emergency situation,” Scaccianoce said. “This is not permanent. We need to get them in here. We’re at a standstill and we can’t have that. Not for our citizens, not for our businesses. We have to get this moving.”
Former Manatee County Building Official Bill Palmer, left, participated in a Nov. 6 meeting with Cortez residents to present FEMA post-hurricane information. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Palmer will be an employee of the city as opposed to being an appointed official. Removal or termination of an appointed official requires majority city commission approval. An employment contract is at will and can be terminated during a trial period, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said.
“In three months, if you decide to make him an appointed official, this is something we can always revisit at any point,” Perry said. “I have to think about FEMA and where we are with the hurricanes.”
“In talking to Bill, he said he’s going to retire in a year,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “It’s more of a temporary situation.”
Scaccianoce asked who would have authority over the building department.
“Ideally we would like a department head in the building department, especially as we are moving forward creating SOPs (standard operating procedures) and establishing standards and getting everything that’s needed from the hurricane recovery fallout, in looking at a delegation of duties, if you’re bringing Mr. Palmer on as an employee and not as an appointed official, you can give him the responsibility in his employment contract to supervise and delegate responsibilities to city staff,” Perry said.
Perry said the current remaining building department budget is $215,977 for fiscal year 2024-25. Palmer’s salary and benefits would be approximately $180,000. The remaining funds could be used for a part-time floodplain manager at a rate of $35 per hour.
Commissioners unanimously voted to approve Palmer as a full-time employee building official, as a non-appointed official, pending the completion of background and administrative requirements for hire. The commission reserved the option to appoint him as an appointed official at a future date.
Tudor was approved unanimously as a part time hire for floodplain manager.
City Clerk Terri Sanclemente will oversee the bookkeeping aspects of the building department and commissioners approved an annual salary increase of $5,000 for the increased duties.
The city remains under contract with M.T. Causley and that company will provide a city planner to Bradenton Beach at least until the contract expires in June.
BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission conducted a work meeting on Jan. 28 to focus on restructuring the building department and the challenges the city faces in finding a permanent replacement for recently-suspended Building Official Darin Cushing.
“I want you to all know the work meeting is for the commission to discuss the current and future staffing of the Building and Planning Services Department,” Mayor John Chappie told attendees in a packed city hall. “Because this is a work meeting, the subject will be what is posted on the agenda, the building and planning department. This is a single subject commission meeting.”
However, during the meeting – particularly during public comment – the conversation evolved into discussions about Cushing and his city-disputed approval of the Drift-In tiki hut.
The commission considered changing the current model of using a contracted building department to hiring an employee.
Chappie began by giving an update on Cushing’s suspension, which he characterized as a “temporary suspension.”
He then read the letter the city sent to Cushing’s employer, M.T. Causley, a subsidiary of SAFEbuilt, which outlined the city’s reasons for the suspension. Chappie said M.T. Causley has place Cushing on administrative leave.
“M.T. Causley is working on a game plan at this time,” Chappie said. “They can provide an inspector on a partial basis. They also can provide online plan review.”
Chappie said the part-time inspector can conduct inspections, including electrical and mechanical, and residential plan reviews, but cannot conduct commercial inspections.
“We are also being backed up Holmes Beach for inspections and commercial inspections when we need them,” Chappie said. “We’re covering our basic current needs at this time.”
Chappie laid out some proposed options for the building department which included putting out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a company other than M.T. Causley, continuing with M.T. Causley, using the building planning services of Integrated Solutions Consulting (ISC), retaining former retired building official Steve Gilbert for floodplain review, sharing building services with Holmes Beach (Joe Payne Inc. – JPI) or advertising for a new employee.
“In the past, the building official was an employee, and we changed that in 2015,” Chappie said.
He said the pros to hiring an employee as a building official are continuity of care, getting to know the public and being an actual supervisor of the building department. The cons include paying for errors and omissions insurance included in a contractual agreement.
“It is my opinion that it would benefit Bradenton Beach to have an inspector in-house rather than outside,” Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said.
Chappie said the current cost to the city of building official professional services is $215,977 and $70,000 for planning professional services.
“I think we have better options in-house, but I’m concerned about what happens immediately,” Commissioner Scott Bear said. “If we decided to terminate (with M.T. Causley), how do we make sure we don’t have a gap?”
Chappie said M.T. Causley has been advertising for a year or more for a building official.
“It would be a difficult road to hire somebody,” Chappie said. “It could take a lot of time. Right now, M.T. Causley is willing to work with us. They’re working on a game plan to try to get somebody here all the time.”
“We also have the option because we’re still within the FEMA timeframe to get compensation for building services,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “That expires in approximately two months. So, you could under your emergency powers hire the same firm that Holmes Beach is using.”
Perry said she could prepare an RFP within 24 hours if approved by the commission.
“I think M.T. Causley should come up with a solution,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “I have constituents who are concerned and standing in limbo waiting for permits.”
Perry said the city has not missed a single inspection.
“This meeting has nothing to do with the Drift-In application, it has nothing to do with Mr. Cushing’s performance,” Perry said. “It was simply one of the steps the city is going through to get stronger and better dealing with storm events.”
“It was read into the record at the beginning of the meeting, about the Drift-In,” Cole said. “That being said, that’s separate. We need to assure the public that the permits are getting processed and it’s our job to make sure that happens. So here we are, we have to make a decision on what to do.”
Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said, “I have a concern about going forward with M.T. Causley. The Drift-In, the planner in that process, also failed to catch issues, which is an M.T. Causley employee. So, my concern is the quality and the knowledge of that company in our permit review process. I think we need to consider that because how many other poor decisions were made that we don’t know about? That was a big one.”
Perry said there are 55 days left for the city to get FEMA reimbursement for building services.
“There’s a hybrid option for all of this,” Perry said. “There’s floodplain, there’s inspections, plan review, building official services.”
“Another part of the process could possibly be to talk to Mayor Titsworth (Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth) about shared building services,” Chappie said. “In fact, if we were able to work something out with who they’re using. It would help our elected officials in the state realize we are listening to what you say, and we are using the OPAGGA study, as much as we didn’t like it, we are using it as a tool.”
The OPPAGA study recommended that Island cities work together on certain issues to save money.
“We have Causley in place, then we can make a decision rather than rushing,” Cole said. “We have them under contract until June.”
“The hybrid approach makes a lot of sense, that’s a long term solution,” Bear said. “We also need an immediate solution.”
“M.T. Causley is a stop gap until we have more information with regards to what they come up with in their plan,” Chappie said. “To the extent that Mr. Cushing is available, he is on administrative leave. Do we want to continue with Mr. Cushing or have M.T. Causley provide a different building official?”
“I don’t think we should use Mr. Cushing,” Vosburgh said.
“It sounds like he doesn’t want us to use him either,” Bear said. “I think the motion is they provide someone other than him, because having him here as a disgruntled employee is not going to help us. There are two sides to the argument, so I’m not taking one side over the other, I’m just saying it’s a little difficult to have a disgruntled employee.”
“I think the motion should be to continue with M.T. Causley and have them provide a building official so we can make a permanent decision on some type of hybrid approach,” Bear said.
The meeting was then opened for public comment.
Public comment
Linda Cushing asked who the building official of record for the city is. She was advised by Chappie that questions would not be answered during public comment.
“I’ve been a property owner since 1995 and have done numerous building projects. I just wanted to add my two cents about Darin Cushing,” Keith O’Neill said. “I will tell you I was very supportive of him, he was very supportive of our project and regardless of everything I want to speak on his behalf and say he did a great job for the projects I was engaged in.”
“I live in Sandpiper Resort and I’m here to support what may or may not occur with Drift-In,” Bill Wisotzka said. “We’re all trying to recover from a disastrous scenario. I hope you find some compassion to process what we need to do with Drift-In.”
Pines Park homeowner Elayne Armaniaco spoke in support of Cushing.
“Darin is approachable, he was knowledgeable,” she said. “I think the fact that he was so approachable was really helpful because as you all know we went through a terrible situation and through it all he was fair and kind.”
Michael Silberge, president of West Coast Air Conditioning, spoke in support of Cushing.
“My comments today are to support Darin Cushing,” he said. “I have never had any problems with M.T. Causley. Steve Gilbert is a saint in my opinion, and so is Darin Cushing.”
“I’m concerned. There’s been no discussion up here about Darin,” said Angela Rodocker. “What he did on social media is wrong. If I had an employee that did that I would put them on leave too. But I wouldn’t be up here talking about him being gone. I was shocked. There’s been no discussion about a man that has worked in this community and has an amazing reputation. That’s why you hired him in the first place.”
“What’s going on here today seems like a bit of a witch hunt,” Neil Lind said. “Has counsel or Bradenton Beach staff made mistakes in the past? If so, were you terminated? No.”
“I have a lot of employees who are really hurting right now,” Drift-In owner Derek Williams said.
Drift-In owners Helena and Derek Williams speak to commissioners at a Jan. 28 work meeting. From left are Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce, City Attorney Ricinda Perry and Helena and Derek Williams. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Motions
Bear made a motion to continue with M.T. Causley and have them provide a building official until the city can make a permanent decision on some type of hybrid approach.
A second motion was read by Perry to authorize staff and Chappie to pursue emergency services for building department and planning services with JPI and ISC as well as to submit any necessary mission requests to the State of Florida or Manatee County.
A third motion was read by Perry to authorize Chappie and staff to coordinate with Holmes Beach for any additional services that cannot be fulfilled by M.T. Causley in the immediate future to provide building and planning services to the constituency.
All three motions passed unanimously.
“I think we should do everything possible to work with the owners of the Drift-In to help them move on with that building,” Vosburgh said.
Drift-In matters
Perry advised the commission that she would not represent the city in Drift-In matters.
“Mayor Chappie, there is a change,” Perry said. “I have declined representation on behalf of the city. The notices have gone out, the hearing will be the first commission meeting in March. The P&Z meeting and the city commission meeting. I am declining any representation, in large part, because Mr. Williams has retained the law firm of my husband and I am uncomfortable with representing the city with that perceived potential for conflict.”
That prompted an exchange between Drift-In owners Derek and Helena Williams and Chappie.
“In regards to the city attorney’s comment, as a business owner if she’s now stating she has a conflict of interest, from what we’ve been told there’s no replacement,” Helena Williams said. “So, in my opinion it looks from our perspective that we’re at a standstill until somebody else is appointed to represent you, so how that’s going to affect our business and us opening I would like to know the answer to that. There needs to be a replacement. When is that going to happen? Because we would like to move forward and open our business.”
Derek Williams said, “First let me say, I’m not attacking anybody, including Miss Perry. I feel the tensions back and forth since I arrived. The email I received last night said Ricinda got our 30-day public notice out and I have to wait for 30 days. There’s been some questions about when the Planning and Zoning meeting would be. All of these things get addressed in one day? There’s not been a lot of clarification. That means potentially I’m closed for another 30 days.”
“The only comment I’ll make is Ricinda is going to recuse to be clear there’s no conflict and it’s the safest way. Drift-In knew her husband was in the firm,” Chappie said.
Williams said, “I was told they’re divorced.”
“You knew who her husband was, and it is what it is,” Chappie said. “We’ve got to protect the city’s rights.”
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.
BRADENTON BEACH – Following discussion at a Jan. 16 city commission meeting about a possible restructuring of the city’s building department, commissioners decided to meet on Tuesday, Jan. 28 for a work meeting on the subject.
The city has been at odds with Building Official Darin Cushing over his issuance of a permit for the Drift-In tiki structure on Bridge Street.
“Right now, we are currently under a contractual agreement with SAFEbuilt to provide a building official and planner,” Mayor John Chappie said. “This is opposed to the way it used to be with a department head as employees of the city.”
Chappie said over the years, the system of contracting has worked out for the most part, but said he would like commissioners to evaluate the return of the building department positions to the city.
“The past four or five months have been very challenging as we all know,” Chappie said, citing the importance of having department heads at emergency team meetings.
Cushing serves as the city’s building official with Luis Serna as land planner. Both are contractual roles.
Commissioners approved a contract for Cushing on Jan. 18, 2024 as city building official following the Dec. 15, 2023 retirement of former building official Steve Gilbert. Cushing has been a licensed building official since 2005.
“There’s some differences that need to be addressed so that we can function a lot better for our community and our property owners,” Chappie said. “There’s been some concern and bumps in the road that made it a little more challenging than it needed to be at times. I want to set up a work meeting so we can take action and discuss the overall functions of the building department and the comparisons to actually having an employee.”
City Attorney Ricinda Perry noted that as a contractor, Cushing does not have the same authority over the building department as a department head.
“There’s this whole reassessment of what is working and what isn’t working and how do we properly supervise the department,” Perry said. “You need somebody who has that authority under the employee handbook. I will tell you by state statute the building official is the chief code enforcement officer for a municipality.”
She said the hurricanes magnified weaknesses and also shed some light on the strengths of an independent contractor.
“This department is under a tremendous amount of demand right now, a very high level of demand and that department is under tremendous strain. They are in our next phase of recovery and a critical component for getting permits turned around so people can return to their normal life,” Perry said. “It is also critical for turning over the properties that are damaged and are being redeveloped or rebuilt for purposes of getting those properties back on the tax rolls.”
Prior to the November return of Gilbert and the arrival of a team of 20 inspectors provided by the state to assist with damage assessments, Cushing had been tasked with evaluating the damage to hundreds of storm-affected homes citywide since Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26.
Perry asked the commission to assess whether the city needs more resources or restructuring to go back to an employee scenario.
“We need to get information from you as to what you need and solve the problem, but I agree with the mayor that a separate work meeting is needed at this point, it’s critical,” Perry said.
“I believe this is something that needs to be discussed and addressed,” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said.
Commissioner Scott Bear asked what the expectations are from those under contract.
“Prior to the meeting we’ll look at their contract to see what services they’re supposed to be providing,” Bear said. “That would help us understand what we’d want from any employee as well.”
A work meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
BRADENTON BEACH – Along with FEMA guidelines and city flood ordinances, fire code and setback regulations have become part of the discussion about the continued existence of 86 mobile homes at the Pines Trailer Park.
Following the storm surge from Hurricane Helene, Building Official Darin Cushing said in October that FEMA guidelines characterized the subsequent water intrusion into the Pines’ mobile homes as major damage triggering a city ordinance requiring elevation of the units.
On Oct. 29, West Manatee Fire Rescue District (WMFR) Fire Marshall Rodney Kwiatkowski drafted a letter outlining fire safety and regulatory standards to be followed for all new mobile home installations at the Pines.
Citing Florida Administrative Code 69A-42: Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Mobile Home Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks, Kwiatkowski’s letter states “Specific attention must be given to Section 69A-42.0041, which governs the required setbacks between structures.”
That regulation states that no portion of a mobile home, excluding the tongue, shall be located closer than 10 feet side-to-side, 8 feet end-to-side, or 6 feet end-to-end horizontally from any other mobile home or community building.
“The city has reached out to the property owner to discuss some of the concerns about the health, safety, and welfare there and I’ve had a number of conversations with Shawn Kaleta and Sam Negrin about what their plans are and how we can all work together to save as much of the community there as possible,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said on Nov. 1.
Kaleta is the manager of Pines Park Investors, LLC, which owns the Pines Trailer Park. Negrin has been the spokesperson for the LLC at recent public meetings.
“I think we’ve come up with a solution that complies with the FEMA regulations and the city’s floodplain ordinance as well as the Florida Building Code,” Perry said. “We’re looking forward to solidifying that plan and putting it forward at the city commission meeting to the commission for approval in as much of an expedited timeframe as possible.”
Perry said the Pines Trailer Park will be a topic of discussion at the Nov. 7 city commission meeting. Public comment will be allowed at that meeting.
“Because of a discussion in the field with the West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) District about elevating the buildings and also some fire separation, a large number of trailers in the Pines are actually out of compliance with setbacks as it relates to the city’s codes as well as the West Manatee Fire District codes, so Rodney (Kwiatkowski) issued a letter saying as you’re doing the restoration it needs to meet those setback requirements,” Perry said.
“Ultimately the property owner has the right to make sure that that development, as it relates to public health, safety, and welfare, addresses their concerns. You don’t want to have another situation where every single structure floods out,” Perry said. “They’re working with the city to find a way to make that happen.”
Perry said the Pines ownership’s goal is to have the Pines community stay in that section of the city.
“There are setbacks that we know about, there are densities and intensities, there’s zoning and comp plan provisions, so it’s just a matter of laying that all out and coming up with an organized game plan to get that park staying a part of the community here in the city,” she said.
West Manatee Fire Rescue letter
Kwiatkowski said he drafted the Oct. 29 letter at the request of the city and a copy was made available to the city and Kaleta.
“Please be advised that all new installations at your park shall meet the NFPA 501A: Standard for Fire Safety Criteria for Manufactured Home Installations, Sites, and Communities, 2017 Edition,” the letter states in part. “This standard outlines critical fire safety criteria for the construction, installation, and maintenance of manufactured homes and their surrounding areas.”
In addition, the letter states that compliance with the Florida Administrative Code 69A-42: Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Mobile Home Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks is mandatory.
Setbacks must be adhered to unless one of the following conditions is met:
The exposed composite walls and roof of either structure are without openings and constructed with materials that provide a one-hour fire resistance rating.
A one-hour fire-rated barrier separates the structures.
The Bradenton Beach City Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Dr. N.
BRADENTON BEACH – Pines Trailer Park residents Mary Mox and Lesley Mullaney are among those who’ve been told their mobile homes are considered uninhabitable, mostly due to flood damage sustained during Hurricane Helene.
Citing FEMA substantial damage guidelines and the city’s floodplain ordinance during the Oct. 17 city commission meeting, Bradenton Beach Building Official Darin Cushing offered his assessment that the flood-damaged mobile homes in the Pines Trailer Park are uninhabitable; as are the flood-damaged homes in the Sandpiper Resort Co-Op mobile park at the north end of the city.
After Thursday’s meeting, Mox and Mullaney sat on fellow Pines resident Joe Klingler’s swinging chair and lamented what’s transpired since back-to-back hurricanes struck the mobile home park they’ve long called home.
Trying to find a glimmer of joy in a devasting scenario, Mox and Mullaney joked about the amount of time they’ve spent on Klingler’s swing over the years.
“We’re the two old ladies that constantly bothered him, and he loves it,” Mullaney said.
Mox, an Ohio native, lived in the Pines seven months a year. Mullaney, a New York native, lived there full-time and has no other home.
Many Pines Trailer Park residents attended Thursday’s city commission meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When asked about the city meeting, Mox said, “I was disappointed. I really was.”
“At one point I felt we were being scolded, and that they felt that it was all about them and how hard they’ve been working,” Mullaney said. “Yes, they’ve been working hard every day and night. I get it, but these are our homes. This is my only home.”
“How long do we have to sort through stuff to try to keep pictures and stuff like that?” Mox said. “We don’t know.”
“We don’t know anything. I feel defeated and sad,” Mullaney said.
“I feel very let down,” Mox said.
The watermarks on this home in the Pines Trailer Park show how high Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters rose. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mulaney and Mox hold little hope that park owner Shawn Kaleta and his investment partners will provide any assistance or relief.
“I think we all know that,” Mullaney surmised.
During Thursday’s meeting, a Pines resident noted many in the park had already paid their October lot rent by the time the back-to-back hurricanes struck.
“I was wondering if there was any way to get our money back from the owner,” one resident said. “Our places are unlivable.”
In response, Kaleta representative Sam Negrin said, “It seems there’s a misconception there is just one owner. There are over 10. It’s an investment conglomerate. We cashed the October rent checks because we still have to pay our very high mortgage on the property. This will have to come up for discussion and there will be compassion shown.”
Then, now, next
“My husband’s been coming here for 76 years. We’ve been married for 54 years,” Mox said. “We came every year with our kids and we bought in here 32 years ago. We have supported this Island with our hearts and souls and the gal that spoke up for us at today’s meeting is to be commended. She said everything perfectly. We’ve been working for two solid weeks, pulling stuff out and trying to do things right and no one ever came along and said you might want to hold up. Basically, we’re out here by ourselves with no guidance from anybody.”
“My mom lived in #2 for over 17 years,” Mullaney said. “My husband and I would come down on vacation. We just loved it here. We couldn’t wait until we retired so we could buy a place here, and that’s what we did. I’m glad my husband just passed away because this would have killed him. He loved this place.”
These were among the more colorful mobile homes in the Pines Trailer Park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The mobile home on the left bears the moniker “Reel Lucky” and the one on the right says, “One more day.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mox is currently staying at a friend’s vacant mobile home in Palmetto. Mullaney didn’t say where she’s staying.
As for what’s next, Mullaney, said, “I have no idea. This is my only home. Everything’s gone. When the claw came to pick up the stuff that we had emptied from the house, it was just a sickening sound. It went right through your bones. It was awful. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up from this nightmare and it’s not happening. I’m just going to put on by ‘big-girl’ panties and move forward.”
(Sun reporter Leslie Lake contributed to this story. The Oct. 17 city commission meeting video is archived at the Anna Maria Island Sun Facebook page.)
BRADENTON BEACH – Less than 24 hours after the Aug. 9 city closure of Shawn Kaleta’s four paid parking lots, the lots were reopened following the intervention of Kaleta’s attorney, Louis Najmy.
The paid parking lots at 101 Bridge St., 206 Bay Drive N., 207 Church Ave. and 102 Third St. N. were granted temporary use permits by the city commission subject to multiple stipulations, including the submission of a professionally drawn site plan to the city building official for approval.
Building Official Darin Cushing said most of those stipulations had not been fulfilled, and on Aug. 1, he sent Kaleta a letter that stated his intent to barricade the parking lots on Aug. 9 with a permanent closure deadline of Sept. 6 and revocation of the temporary use permit, if all the stipulations for city approval had not been satisfied by that time.
On Aug. 9, with police vehicles onsite, barriers were placed at the parking lot entrances, and the payment kiosks and signs were covered, but by Aug. 10 the parking lots were back in business.
Mayor John Chappie told The Sun on Aug. 10 that the barriers were not removed by city staff and that the process is currently in abatement, meaning temporarily suspended.
After a meeting on Monday morning among city officials to discuss how to proceed, Chappie said the issue remains “under review” by the city.
BUILDING OFFICIAL WEIGHS IN
“The applicants sent me some site plans via email earlier this week, but they are not satisfactory to meet the after-the-fact stipulations and requirements that were set forth by the commission,” Cushing wrote in an Aug. 9 email to The Sun. “They started to put in some of the landscaping around the Bridge Street lot, but again, they need to submit a site plan showing the landscaping and other items that were stipulated, get it approved and then do the work, in order to get final approval of the temporary use permits.
“I gave them until today to get that done. Though they keep assuring me that they are scrambling to get this done, it’s too little, too late at this point,” Cushing wrote in the email. “So yes, I will be shutting the lots down by close of business today. In the letter that was sent to the property owner, I also gave them until Friday, Sept. 6 to have everything completed and approved or we will then revoke the temporary use permits, and the signs, parking stops and everything related to the parking lots will have to be removed.”
“Darin (Cushing) is doing a great job and he has my support,” Chappie said.
KALETA’S ATTORNEY RESPONDS
“This was much ado about nothing. It was resolved in less than five hours,” Najmy wrote in an Aug. 10 text to The Sun, blaming the issue on “a miscommunication between departments at the city.”
Najmy said the process of closing the parking lots requires due process through the city’s code enforcement department.
“Actions to block access and possession and business operations require due process,” Najmy wrote. “We all want this. Totalitarian regimes outside of the U.S. don’t require due process but the U.S. and State of Florida do.”
Chappie said the city commission does have the right to revoke the temporary use permits. They were granted on Feb. 15 for 101 Bridge St. and on March 21 for the other three lots.
“Maybe the city had a different property than my client’s properties to close off, but the city certainly had no ability, nor as they told me any desire, to do this and after talking with the city leaders they confirmed the goal to continue working together to get these much-needed improvements and operations in place that Mr. Kaleta is generously investing for the entire city’s benefit,” Najmy wrote. “Although Mr. Kaleta suffered some financial loss from this error yesterday, he is contemplating working it out with the city, once again to the city’s benefit. He appreciated their cooperation so far on this matter.”
Kaleta’s parking lots have been up and running with parking rates of $15 an hour since February, illegally, according to the city.
“The actual permits have never been approved and are currently sitting in an under-review status,” Cushing wrote in the Aug. 1 letter to Kaleta. “Furthermore, the parking lots have all been in operation since February of this year, technically illegally, as they have never been approved by the Planning and Zoning Department.”
Cushing wrote that the applications for the temporary use permits were submitted after the fact, as the paid parking lots were all created and put into operation prior to any application being made to the department.
Najmy wrote that Kaleta plans to satisfy the outstanding stipulations as soon as possible.
“They respect the city’s desire and need for this. It will be done ASAP now that we have control back. It will be done right this time,” he wrote. “These stipulations require the outlay of money and, once again, Shawn is the only one willing to do that for the benefit of the improvement to the city but yet he gets attacked for doing so. It’s the classic case of the negative spirits biting the hand that feeds them.”
Easy Parking Group’s Josh LaRose contracted with Kaleta in January to run the parking enforcement and operations of the lots. On July 12, Kaleta terminated the contract with LaRose and on July 18, LaRose filed a lawsuit against Kaleta and Beach to Bay Investments Inc. claiming fraudulent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and breach of agreement.
BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners approved termite tenting at Tingley Memorial Library on June 6.
“We have to tent,” said Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby, who is also acting as interim Public Works Director. “A few years ago the library had some termite infestation and Tom (former Public Works Director Tom Woodard) brought the proposal to have it tented and it was denied and the termite company did some treatment and they’re back.”
Cosby said termites are in the walls and digging up under the baseboards of the building.
He recommended the commission approve additional inspections at an annual cost of $1,220 every year for four years.
“That wood is aged enough and has had enough humidity from being out on the Island,” Cosby said. “We’ve had conversations about salvaging it and raising it for enhanced parking and doing some improvements. If we don’t keep up with it there may not be anything.”
He said the books also need to be protected from termites.
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said she did not go along with the add-on option.
“I agree we should tent it, but I think the other is a waste of money,” Vosburgh said.
“It’s an inspection and a treatment,” Cosby said. “It’s the spot check and if they get it, we don’t wind up where we’re at now.”
“They’re going to tell you as soon as they remove the tent you can get termites right away,” Mayor John Chappie said. “I’m ready to vote for the tenting, but I am concerned about the other.”
Commissioners unanimously approved the $6,100 bid from Cloud Pest Control but did not approve the annual inspections.
The Tingley Memorial Library was built in 1994. The non-profit corporation is independent of the Manatee County library system and was funded originally by benefactor Beulah Tingley.
The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting.
She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake Spooner. Spooner, a local businessman, ran unopposed in 2023, but resigned in December citing the state’s financial disclosure requirement.
Bradenton Beach resident Gary Michniewicz was the other applicant for the commission seat. The deadline for applications was March 13.
Deborah Scaccianoce was sworn in as Bradenton Beach Ward 1 commissioner by City Clerk Terri Sanclemente at the March 21 city commission meeting. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Scaccianoce is the co-owner of Double Deez Chicago Style Hot Dogs in Holmes Beach.
She addressed the commission prior to the nomination.
“My family has been a part of the Bradenton Beach area for the past 45 years. It’s been my permanent home for almost 12 years. My brother was the chief of police here, Sam Speciale. In the 80s, my father worked for the planning board. We’ve been around a very long time,” she said.
Scaccianoce said over the years she’s watched Bradenton Beach grow and develop.
“I’ve watched all the changes, some painful, others amazing,” she said. “I think I bring a unique perspective. I’m also a small business owner and I understand the balance we have to have with the balance of the city’s needs the balance of our residents, the balance with our commissioners and their various wards, business owners and our visitors.”
“I think Debbie would be a great commissioner with her history and experience,” Mayor John Chappie said. “I’d like to name her as nominee.”
Michniewicz did not attend the meeting.
“We also have the other gentleman, Gary, I’ve talked a little bit with him, he is, I believe, out of town. He knew about the meeting, I can’t really add anything else besides his resume that I have here as well,” Chappie said. “The gentleman said he would also be qualified and interested in other positions, such as the CRA Board and the Planning and Zoning Board.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh that while both applicants had excellent resumes, she felt that Scaccianoce had more experience with government work.
“I look forward to getting another member up here,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said.
City Attorney Ricinda Perry read the following motion:
“To approve the Mayor’s nomination of Deborah Scaccianoce as Ward Representative One.”
Cole made the motion and it was seconded by Vosburgh. It passed unanimously.
After being sworn in by City Clerk Terri Sanclemente, Scaccianoce took her seat at the commissioner’s table.
Commissioners receive a stipend of $4,800 per year. Her term will run until November 2025.
Commissioner Marilyn Maro did not attend or phone into the commission meeting.
BRADENTON BEACH – The park across the street from city hall, referred to only as City Park, will be renamed after longtime City Commissioner Jan Vosburgh.
The discussion of the naming of the beach access park just south of the Beach House parking lot was introduced at the March 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting by Mayor John Chappie.
“I put this item on the agenda, I also have it on the agenda for tomorrow’s city commission meeting,” Chappie said.
The impetus behind naming the park was the need to include it as a named park on a soon-to-be-released bicycle map.
“The Scenic Highway WAVES committee is developing a bike map, a scenic bike map and they are requesting that we officially name the city park, or come up with a name for that area,” Chappie said.
The printing of the bike map is going to be done by the AMI Moose Lodge. Chappie said the map is being produced along with a booklet called, “Your Guide to the Legacy Trail Sarasota and the Gulf Islands” at no cost to the city.
“The other cities have done the same thing, they have theirs ready and they’re about ready to go to print on this one,” Chappie said. “They would just like us to make a decision so that name could be on that actual map.”
City Attorney Ricinda Perry said it was a city commission responsibility to name a park.
“So, again I have it on tomorrow’s commission meeting agenda,” Chappie said. “I would like to see a nice name on the park, it’s the way we honor people once in a while. I’d like to have it called Jan’s Park or Jan Vosburgh Park. That would be my vote.”
“She’s been involved with a number of elected officials and mayors over the years and that alone is worth a Purple Heart,” Chappie added jokingly.
“I think it’s a great thought,” CRA member Ralph Cole said.
The CRA renaming recommendation was brought up at the March 7 commission meeting, and the commission voted unanimously to rename the area Jan Vosburgh Park.
BRADENTON BEACH – The proposed hotel/restaurant/retail project on Bridge Street is a go, with 106 rooms, a 60-seat restaurant, 5,396 square feet of retail space and 154 on-site parking spaces.
At the end of a four-hour city commission public hearing on Thursday night in which revisions to parking and hotel design were presented, commissioners voted unanimously to approve the project.
Following a Nov. 13 recommendation by the city Planning and Zoning Board, the Dec. 7 hearing was the second public hearing at which commissioners considered three items: A major development consisting of a resort hotel, restaurant, retail space and parking; recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Board; and the second reading of Ordinance 23-552 establishing a Planned Development Overlay District.
“I want to tell the commission that this is a dream of mine,” co-applicant Shawn Kaleta said at the hearing. “We care deeply about the Island. This will be an aesthetically pleasing high-end luxury resort.”
Kaleta and his co-applicant, Jacob Spooner, were represented by attorney Stephen Thompson of Najmy Thompson, architect Shaun Luttrell, planner Susan Swift and traffic engineer Jay Calhoun. Spooner is a Bradenton Beach City Commissioner and recused himself from the hearings.
DESIGN CHANGES
At their first public hearing on Nov. 16, commissioners expressed concern about the design of the hotel, specifically a lack of balconies and covered pedestrian areas, along with a shortage of parking. The applicants’ team came prepared on Dec. 7 with a number of changes to the design.
“At the last hearing your comments were heard loud and clear,” Luttrell said.
Luttrell’s new plans consisted of the addition of an 8-foot covered walkway, bike racks, balconies and additional on-site parking with 38 dedicated spots for a lift system. The parking lift elevates a vehicle hydraulically on a platform, creating space for another vehicle to park underneath. Valets will park vehicles on the lifts.
“With the lift system, this brings us up to 154 spots, which is 10% above what is required,” Luttrell said. The previous parking plan had 99 designated parking spaces.
In a Dec. 5 email to City Planner Luis Serna from Luttrell, the following stipulations were proposed by the applicants in response to commission concerns from the Nov. 16 hearing:
• “Gulf Drive Setback – We will abide by the 15-foot building from the property line along Gulf Drive setback in lieu of the previously proposed 10-foot and 20-foot staggered building setbacks;
• Bridge Street Pedestrian Experience – Feedback was well received and we will pursue a covered walkway at the ground level to allow a more pedestrian-friendly experience, free from the elements. This will still allow pedestrians along Bridge Street to utilize the private property of the hotel to access the shops along Bridge Street;
• Bridge Street Activity/Engagement – Again, feedback from the commissioners was impactful. Accordingly, we will pursue a series of balconies at all guest suites to improve the social interaction between the hotel rooms and Bridge Street.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked about the timeline for the project.
“The sooner the better,” Kaleta said. “I have my demo crews mobilized.”
Demolition on Joe’s Eats and Sweets on Gulf Drive began on Monday.
PROJECT SIZE CONCERNS
Commissioner Ralph Cole expressed concern about the Land Development Code and city Comprehensive Plan that state that 18 units per acre are allowable. The 106-unit hotel will be on 1.61 acres. He also expressed concern and questioned whether the rooftop pool area would boost the building into four stories, in excess of the allowable three stories.
“I want to approve this, but I want to make sure I’m not changing the face of Bradenton Beach,” Cole said.
Swift and city staff addressed Cole’s concerns.
“I think the confusion is because the city’s code uses many terms for different kinds of units in the Bridge Street overlay,” Swift said. “Your code is challenging. It specifically says commercial uses, allowable uses – this is on Bridge Street – equal hotel, motel, bar, restaurant, retail etc. So I think what’s causing the confusion of the 18 units per acre, that is not the right measure. That talks about timesharing, Airbnb, those kinds of units which are more residentially designed so that is why they used 18 units per acre. This is a hotel, an integrated building, not with separate entrances. They’re not residential units that are being used for renting.”
As commercial buildings are measured by floor area ratio, Swift said the hotel project is well within those guidelines.
Building official Steve Gilbert cited the Florida Building Code, which confirmed that a rooftop-level pool deck is not considered a fourth story.
Kaleta said that he owns 12 lots on the property that could be built with 10 units each with a total of 240 bedrooms.
“That is substantial density,” Kaleta said. “We have eliminated roughly 150 units (with the hotel).”
“We understand what could be there,” Mayor John Chappie said.
Hotel project co-applicant Shawn Kaleta addresses the city commission at the Dec. 7 hearing on his hotel/restaurant/retail project. – Leslie Lake | Sun
While there was no public comment session during the second hearing, Bob Bolus, a Bradenton Beach property owner who has been a vocal opponent of the hotel, stood up during the meeting and told commissioners the hotel is a mistake.
Chappie told Bolus he was out of order and two police officers stepped forward. Bolus left the meeting without further incident.
“This is going to court,” Bolus said following the hearing, adding that he plans to file a lawsuit to stop the project.
Prior to the commission vote, Thompson addressed commissioners.
“We’re going to meet all of your parking requirements,” he said. “You have a rare opportunity for a quality project on Bradenton Beach.”
Thompson urged the commission to make a decision.
“We need an answer. We need a decision,” he said.
Kaleta also addressed the commission prior to the vote.
“I’m here to get an answer,” he said. “I have to make a business decision in a timely manner. We’re coming into season and I have to remove one building. I can’t do that until there is a commission approval or denial.”
Demolition on the former Joe’s Eats and Sweets building began Dec. 11. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Commissioners Cole, Vosburgh and Chappie, along with Commissioner Marilyn Maro voted unanimously to approve the project. Maro, who has been absent with excuse from the commission meetings since January, voted by telephone.
One stipulation of approval is that applicants will split 50/50 any cost associated with any litigation the city may incur related to the approval of the project. Also, the city would be held harmless for any damage caused by the lifts in the parking garage.
The commission also adopted two recommended stipulations for the Planning and Zoning Board – the hotel will have blackout curtains and educational information about sea turtles and the prevention of ambient lighting from rooms facing the beach, and the applicants shall provide an easement to the trash receptacles serving the Daiquiri Deck property at 107 Bridge St. and grant an easement for the use of the hotel’s dumpsters.
BRADENTON BEACH – The creation of needed public parking by elevating or moving the Tingley Library was discussed at both the city commission and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meetings.
The scope of funding for various portions of the proposed parking project is to be divided with CRA funds used for some of the parking and city funding for elevating or moving the building itself, along with some of the costs associated with parking. The Tingley funds left to the city are earmarked for any improvements to the library building.
The city-owned library was built in the early 1990s using $240,000 of the $678,801 that Beulah Hannah Hooks Tingley bequeathed to the city in 1986 to create a public reading room. The library isn’t part of the county library system.
At the Sept. 6 CRA meeting, members acknowledged the need for public parking, but one member questioned whether CRA funds should be used for the design build project.
“I asked for this to be put on the agenda,” Mayor and CRA member John Chappie said. “The best solution would be to come up with a design build and relocating of the Tingley Library to utilize the square footage of the lot to create the largest amount of parking spaces in that area. The RFP (request for proposal) would cover the engineering design aspects.”
He requested approval to have City Attorney Ricinda Perry to draft an RFP.
“We’ve talked about it, I think we need to do it,” Chappie said. “I think funds are available in the Tingley Library bequeath for the library itself. And there’s some other funds I think would be available through the CRA.”
“If we do end up doing paid parking it would probably pay for itself in no time,” Jake Spooner said.
Member Ed Chiles suggested city hall modifications should be considered also.
“It seems to me you would take advantage of that opportunity and study city hall as well,” he said.
Chappie said the discussion is just dealing with the library and the property the library is on.
“Over the last several years, we’ve discussed city hall,” Chappie said. “It would appear over the years that in the majority of discussions, people do not want to get rid of city hall.”
“I’m not talking about getting rid of city hall but seeing it survives a storm,” Chiles said.
“We’re not allowed to use city funds for city hall,” Chappie said.
Chiles suggested cost-sharing as an alternative.
“We’ve got a very vulnerable city hall,” he said. “We’ve got sea level rise and storm surge. If we get hit hard city hall’s in trouble.”
Chappie made a motion to direct Perry to prepare an RFP for a design build for Tingley Library to elevate, relocate, create a parking lot area, with regards to stormwater and possible landscaping.
The motion was seconded by Spooner.
“I don’t feel the design or the modification of city buildings is a good fit for the CRA,” member David Bell said. “I understand how you’re trying to get parking and I can see how the CRA could participate in funding some of that parking. But to do the modifications on the building it seems out of our charter here.”
Perry explained how funding between entities would be allocated.
“To the extent you have engineering costs to elevate the building so you can have parking, you have engineering costs so you can lay out a parking lot, those are all direct costs to create parking,” Perry said. “Any costs to modify the building, those are city funds and could also come from the bequeath.”
The motion was passed by a vote of 3-2, with Bell and Chiles casting the dissenting votes.
City Commission meeting
At its Sept.7 meeting, the city Commission approved the issuance of a design build Request for Proposal (RFP) to elevate or relocate the Tingley Library to create ground-level parking under the building. The parking area could possibly accommodate 20-25 spaces, according to Mayor John Chappie.
CRA member Ralph Cole made the motion at the meeting to approve the issuance and posting of an RFP for relocating the Tingley Library.
“I’ll move to approve issuance of a design build RFP to relocate the Tingley Library and to direct Ricinda Perry to draft and post an RFP,” Cole said.
CRA member Jan Vosburgh seconded the motion.
During public comment, Bradenton Beach resident Marcelyn Harman questioned the elevation of the library.
“I walk in that area, and I know the library has a pie-shaped area in the back of it to the east,” Harmon said. “Could there be parking spaces there instead of raising the building? We are getting a new roof on it and it looks amazing.”
Chappie responded to those concerns at the close of public comment.
“Land is so expensive we have to utilize every single inch that we have,” Chappie said. “It looks like we can get at least 20-25, maybe a few more, parking spaces. The land is too valuable just to leave it go as wasteful underneath it. Parking is at a premium.”
“We couldn’t afford to purchase that land now that’s for sure,” he added. “We need the parking. That’s the reason we’re choosing to go forward.”
“We have some funds lined up to pay for this hopefully,” he said. “The RFP is going to give us a lot of answers to unknowns at this point.”
“The RFP will address all the concerns the member of the public has,” Perry said. “It’s more of an information gathering, planning aspect,”
The motion passed unanimously among commission members, who in addition to Chappie, Cole and Vosburgh, included Commissioner Jake Spooner.
