ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria General Store owner Brian Seymour and Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose provided the Roser Food Pantry with a significant boost during this time of increased need.
On Thursday, April 2, Seymour and general store team members Tom Powers, Mason Jones and Kristen Karnok made a large delivery to the food pantry at 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.
“Our initial order was $6,000-$7,000, but unfortunately about 20% of it did not come in this week. We will continue to reorder every week until we fulfill our commitment to the food pantry,” Seymour said as they unloaded the pickup truck and golf cart filled with non-perishable food.
“We bought everything from canned vegetables, soups, cereals, snacks, rice, beans, canned fruit, shelf-stable milk and much more. We tried to think of as many items as possible that would be shelf-stable and last the longest so those who need to utilize the food bank have food that lasts,” Seymour said.
“This idea to donate food to the Roser Food Pantry was the brainchild of Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose and myself. We read the article in The Sun about the need here and how much Roser’s doing to for the local community, especially the workers out here who are out of work,” Seymour said.
“Steve wishes he could be here, but he was in Colorado when the stay in place order was given, so he’s still there,” Seymour said.
Seymour thanked Rose’s business operations manager Patty Prudente for her assistance.
“The Roser Food Pantry is a place on the Island that offers assistance to everybody, and if anybody can help the food pantry we encourage that too,” Seymour said.
Roser Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and Mason Jones, Brian Seymour, Kristen Karnok and Tom Powers from the Anna Maria General Store unloaded the donated food. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seymour said the food delivered was purchased from H.T. Hackney, the distributor that supplies his general store at 503 Pine Ave.
“I can buy it at wholesale cost, so if anyone wants to make monetary donations that money will go further if you donate to the store and we purchase goods. One hundred percent of the donations will go toward the food pantry,” Seymour said.
Those who want to assist with a personal check can make it out to the Anna Maria General Store and write Roser Food Pantry donation in the memo line.
“We’ll take cash too,” Seymour said.
Seymour said the Anna Maria General Store plans to remain open, even though business has slowed.
Appreciative chairman
Food pantry chairman Jack Brennan said he’s okay with the general store accepting financial contributions on the pantry’s behalf and he appreciates Seymour’s offer.
“It’s pretty nice what the community has done for the Roser Food Pantry. We had the money to purchase food, but we just couldn’t get the products. The Roser Food Pantry greatly appreciates the fact that Steve and Brian recognized our short-term situation and came to our aid,” Brennan said.
Brennan also thanked Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter and All Island Denominations for getting the word out that the food pantry was having trouble finding groceries due to the coronavirus situation. He also thanked those who’ve swung by the food pantry recently to drop off food or financial contributions.
Roser Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and food pantry chairman Jack Brennan put away the donated food. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brennan said he recently went shopping for the food pantry and got several dirty looks from other shoppers who thought he was hoarding for himself.
“I didn’t want to do that again and that’s when Carol put out the memo that we needed help,” Brennan said.
He said he thought it was a memo from the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce that caught Rose’s eye and that inspired him to help.
The donated food will extend the food pantry’s inventory by the three to five weeks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brennan said the food donated by Rose and Seymour would extend the food pantry’s ability to help others three to five weeks.
If you need food, call the Roser Memorial Community Church office at 941-778-0414 to schedule an appointment.
ANNA MARIA – Mark Short has been appointed to fill the Anna Maria City Commission seat formerly held by Brian Seymour, who resigned in August.
Short will serve the remainder of the two-year commission term that expires in November 2020.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Commissioners Carol Carter, Doug Copeland, Amy Tripp and Dale Woodland unanimously selected Short over fellow candidate Jack Bergbom.
The appointment process began with a request for public comment, but there was none. Mayor Dan Murphy introduced the two candidates who applied to fill the vacant commission seat, noting that Bergbom was not present, although the clerk’s office had notified him of the meeting.
Turning to Short, Murphy said Short was currently a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and has lived in Anna Maria long enough to have “sand in his shoes.” Short also served on the city’s Charter Review Commission earlier this year.
Short addressed the commission before the selection process took place. He said he and his wife, Pat, have owned their Anna Maria home since 2012. Two years ago, he retired after a 38-year career in the field of mergers and acquisitions and also as a Certified Public Accountant.
“I’ve always been one to get involved wherever we’ve been,” Short said, noting that he also became a member of The Center’s financial committee in 2018.
In addition to his financial background, Short said he thought being a newer resident of the city would bring a new perspective to the commission.
City Clerk LeAnne Addy then provided the four commissioners with a ballot form on which they were asked to individually rank the two candidates in terms of their first and second choices. The ballot also contained a “none of the above” option.
All four commissioners ranked Short as their first choice and Bergbom as their second choice.
“Congratulations Mr. Short,” Murphy said after Addy tallied the results.
Before being sworn in, Short tendered his written resignation from the Planning and Zoning Board. Addy then administered the oath of office and Short took his seat on the dais to participate in the rest of the meeting.
Mark Short takes the oath of office administered by City Clerk LeAnne Addy. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the commissioners’ reports toward the end of his first meeting, Short said, “I’m looking forward to being on the commission and working with all of you.”
“Thank you for stepping up,” Murphy said.
“Yes, absolutely. Thank you,” Carter added.
Another appointment pending
After the city elections conclude in November, Short, Tripp, commissioner-elect Carter and commissioner-elect Jon Crane will appoint someone to fill the seat to be vacated by Woodland.
Carter and former Planning and Zoning Board Chair Crane are running unopposed in the 2019 city elections. Woodland sought re-election but failed to qualify when he paid his qualifying fee with a personal check instead of with a check issued from a registered campaign account.
After the two-week qualifying period closed, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett told Woodland he’d been withdrawn from the race for the city’s three available commission seats.
Woodland said he hopes to be reappointed to serve another term. After the November elections, Woodland’s newly-vacated seat will be filled using the same application and appointment process used to fill Seymour’s vacant seat.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria must fill two city commission seats by appointment – one this month and one in November.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, the commission hopes to appoint someone to serve the remainder of former commission Chair Brian Seymour’s two-year term that expires in November 2020. Seymour resigned from the commission last month. The deadline to submit an application to fill his seat is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
In November, the commission will need to appoint someone to fill the commission seat currently held by unopposed Commissioner Dale Woodland.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett called Woodland and told him he was disqualified from the 2019 city elections because he paid his $48 qualifying fee with a personal check instead of with a check drawn from a designated campaign account.
This means Woodland is not eligible for re-election in the upcoming city elections that will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 5. When contacted that afternoon, Woodland said he wants to serve another term in office and he hopes he’ll be reappointed in November.
Woodland said Bennett was very polite when delivering the news Wednesday morning.
“The law’s the law,” Woodland said.
Longtime Commissioner Dale Woodland will seek reappointment in November after failing to qualify for the upcoming city elections. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Woodland said he paid his qualifying fee on the first day of the two-week qualifying period and assumed the elections office would contact him if there were any problems with his qualifying papers or fee payment.
Woodland’s disqualification leaves incumbent Commissioner Carol Carter and Planning and Zoning Board Chairman Jon Crane as the only two candidates running unopposed for the three commission three seats open to election this fall.
Carter now serves as the commission chair in the wake of Seymour’s resignation on Friday, Aug. 30.
Commissioners receive an annual salary of $4,800 and are subject to the Florida Sunshine Law during their time in office.
Appointment process
Application forms for those seeking Seymour’s vacated seat can be downloaded at the city website, obtained by email or mail from the city clerk’s office or picked up in person at city hall. To contact the clerk’s office, email amclerk@cityofannamaria.com or call 941-708-6130.
Applicants must be city residents who have lived in Anna Maria for at least two years. They must also be registered city voters, legal residents of Manatee County and on their applications, list three reasons why they wish to be considered for a commission seat.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Anna Maria Commission held a special meeting to discuss the process for appointing Seymour’s replacement. Woodland’s disqualification was not discussed.
At the suggestion of Mayor Dan Murphy and City Attorney Becky Vose, the commission agreed to utilize the same appointment process utilized when Commissioner Nancy Yetter resigned in early 2018.
During that process, the commissioners ranked the three candidates in order of their personal preference. The applicant receiving the lowest total score – Amy Tripp – earned the appointment.
The application forms received from those seeking Seymour’s vacated seat will be provided to the four sitting commissioners in advance. During the Thursday, Sept. 26 commission meeting, the commissioners will then fill out a form in which they rank the applicants as their first, second and additional choices, depending on the number of applications received.
A commissioner’s top choice receives one point, a commissioner’s second choice receives two points and so forth. Each commissioner’s rankings will be revealed during the appointment process.
If the first set of rankings produces a tie, the commissioners will rank the candidates again. If the second round also produces a tie, the winner will be determined by cutting cards, drawing straws, throwing dice or some similar game of chance.
A similar appointment process will then take place in mid-November to fill the seat vacated by Woodland after the city elections conclude.
Potential implications
During last week’s meeting, Carter asked what happens if a replacement for Seymour is not found. Murphy said the city could put out another call for candidates and could operate as a four-member commission until a fifth member is appointed.
Commissioner Carol Carter now chairs the Anna Maria City Commission. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said he would prefer not to have a four-person commission because that creates the potential for 2-2 tied votes at a time when the city budget must be adopted and decisions about the new City Pier must be made.
ANNA MARIA – City Commission Chair Brian Seymour tendered his immediate resignation Friday morning.
His resignation came one day after his fellow commissioners voted 4-0 in favor of not pursuing a potential city ordinance amendment that might have allowed Seymour to open a takeout package liquor store next to his Anna Maria General Store on Pine Avenue. Seymour planned to lease the adjacent retail space vacated by Island Charms, but those plans are now scrapped.
Brian Seymour planned to open a package liquor store in this space next to his Anna Maria General Store. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The commission reached this unanimous decision during a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 29. Seymour did not attend the meeting in order to avoid a potential conflict of interest between his business activities and his commission duties.
“It is with regret that I tender my resignation as city commission chairman/vice mayor effective immediately,” Seymour wrote in an email sent to Mayor Dan Murphy Friday morning.
“It is time for me to return and focus on my private life and private business ventures,” Seymour’s letter said.
In closing, he wished the mayor and the commission well.
The remaining commissioners must now appoint someone to serve the rest of Seymour’s two-year term that expires in November 2020.
Commission decision
During Thursday’s meeting, City Attorney Becky Vose said she received an email on Monday, Aug. 26, that included a written opinion from City Planner Robin Meyer regarding Seymour’s proposed business operations.
Adopted in the late 1980s, the city’s liquor ordinance prohibits liquor sales within 2,500 feet of Roser Memorial Community Church.
Meyer’s Aug. 26 email to Seymour said sales of alcohol for consumption off premises is a normal retail sale and is not covered by the city ordinance.
“This is further supported by Florida Statutes Chapter 563.02, which clearly states that licensing is different for establishments selling alcohol for consumption off premises … it goes even further by stating such uses shall not be subject to zoning by municipal or county authorities. It is my interpretation of this section that the city must treat any business selling alcohol for consumption off premises as a normal retail use, and we are banned by state law from placing any other restrictions on them,” Meyer wrote.
“I knew that the opinion written by the city planner was incorrect,” Vose told the commission.
Vose said she immediately called Seymour and reached out to the mayor. As a precautionary measure she drafted for commission consideration a potential city ordinance that would have allowed a package liquor store to operate on Pine Avenue.
Vose said time was of the essence because Seymour had contractual obligations to meet regarding the liquor license and additional leased space.
Commissioner Dale Woodland said when the ordinance was adopted the intent was not to allow any additional liquor establishments within 2,500 feet of the church.
“I don’t recall anybody opposing this ordinance when it was passed,” he said.
It was noted that Bortell’s Lounge, which is currently closed, was grandfathered in because it predated the ordinance. It was also noted the Waterfront restaurant later successfully petitioned the city to serve liquor on premises. Both establishments are within 2,500 feet of the church.
Commissioner Doug Copeland expressed concerns about Seymour’s businesses and liquor license being sold someday and potentially being used for on-site liquor consumption.
Vose said the city’s zoning laws could limit Seymour to takeout sales only and those restrictions would also to apply to any future owner.
The commission, minus Seymour, then voted not to move forward on an amended ordinance.
Seymour’s reaction
Immediately after Thursday’s meeting, The Sun visited Seymour at the location he proposed to use for his liquor store.
“Those liquor licenses are based on supply and demand and do not come available that often. I had a choice: sign for it or lose it. And the new space is almost ready,” Seymour said.
Seymour said he was now contractually obligated to pay a $35,000 deposit toward the full $350,000 due in September. He also recently signed a long-term lease with the property owner, Lizzie Vann.
“The letter I received from City Planner Robin Meyer said I was not subject to the city’s 2,500-foot rule. That’s for restaurants and bars,” Seymour said, noting he received similar opinions from previous planners.
“When this ordinance was written in 1987 it created a monopoly. According to the city’s interpretation, it blocks anyone else from opening a package store. The way I interpret it is you can’t have a bar or restaurant that serves liquor in our business district because everything’s within 2,500 feet of the church,” Seymour said.
“I already sell beer and wine to go in the General Store,” Seymour said, noting that those who wish to purchase liquor for offsite consumption must drive to Holmes Beach since Bortell’s closed.
When contacted again on Friday, Seymour said, “Thankfully, I was able to get out of the liquor license contract, and I’m working on getting out of my verbal agreement on the lease.”
Regarding possible legal action against the city, Seymour said, “That’s probably the last thing I’d want to do, but I’m still in discussion with my attorney as to what my exposure has been and the city’s liability in that. There’s a lot of expenses that have been paid to this point, and we haven’t discussed the future profit damages,” Seymour said.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island beaches are busy and business owners are enjoying a banner Spring break season.
A mid-week visit to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach found a quartet of students from Indianapolis among those enjoying a beautiful beach day.
“We have family that lives down here. It’s a clean beach, the sand feels great and the water’s clean,” said high school senior Brenna Garrard, while sitting on the beach Wednesday afternoon with her twin brother Tyler and their high school friends Alexis Weston and Samara Gephart.
Tyler graduated high school early and is now studying mechanics as a freshman at Indiana University.
“We went over to Siesta Key and we’ve been in Clearwater a few times. I like this beach a lot better. Clearwater is more packed. Here it’s more relaxed,” Tyler said.
On Friday, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “People have been behaving very well. Most of our guests have been families that have had a wonderful time on the Island. We had two groups of unruly college students that were evicted from their rental units for underage drinking, jumping off the roof into the pool and other things they shouldn’t have been doing. The rental agents were notified and they evicted them.
“We’ve also had many well-behaved and respectful groups of college kids on the Island from Ohio, Minnesota, a group from Indianapolis and a couple groups from Tampa. We enjoy having the groups that respect our rules and ordinances and are responsible and understand we have zero tolerance for any alcohol on the beach,” Tokajer said.
“Spring break has been very busy this year, probably the busiest I can remember in the past 10 years,” said DCoy Ducks’ bartender Brad Lisk. “The crowds seem younger this year and there are a lot more college-aged kids. For the most part, they’ve been well-behaved. They’re here to party but they’re being respectful while enjoying the beach, the sun and some drinking.”
Anna Maria
The Pine Avenue business district in Anna Maria is also abuzz with visitors.
“I don’t know if it’s perception or because we went through such a long dry spell with the red tide and the fact that we lost the pier, but it seems to me that we have a bumper crop this year,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said. “It seems to me there’s more families visiting and more younger people. The streets are filled on weekends with young people. I think it’s great for the businesses. I know it’s a little hectic for those who live here full-time, so I ask everybody to be patient, welcoming and kind because it’s good that people are enjoying our city. They’re basking in the sunshine and enjoying themselves.”
The line was long at the Donut Experiment in Anna Maria Wednesday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brian Seymour says sales are up at his Anna Maria General Store & Deli.
“The first couple weeks were definitely college kids. This week and next it’s mostly families. It’s nice to see the Island busy again. There’s downsides for the residents with the increased traffic, but people have come back to the Island and they’re supporting the local businesses,” Seymour said.
“We are having a great spring break. We are much busier than last year. That’s good news and we are renting to families, not college kids,” said Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan.
Bradenton Beach
“We’re having an extremely busy spring break with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. We’ve got people everywhere,” said Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale.
“The schools let out a couple weeks ago and we’ll be seeing a lot of people out here until Easter. We’ve got college kids, high school kids and a lot of families coming down. Everybody’s been really well-behaved and it’s been a nice, quiet spring break. You’ve got to give credit to the kids and the families for coming down here and enjoying themselves without causing any problems. The vacation rentals are all filled. We haven’t had a lot of noise complaints, but we’ve had a few. The few we’ve had quieted right down when our officers went there and we haven’t had to go back,” Speciale said.
Jake Spooner owns the Bridge Street Bazaar and The Fish Hole miniature golf course on Bridge Street.
The Bridge Tender Inn is among the many Island bars enjoying a boost in Spring break business. Jake Spooner | Submitted
“It’s been a great 2019 and Easter is later this year, so we’ll have a longer season. I’m seeing mostly families – grandparents, parents and kids. Our numbers are up over last year. The Bridge Street bars have been packed too. Everybody seems a lot busier this year,” Spooner said.
Cortez
Business is up in Cortez too.
“I think our crowd might be a little younger this year, but I don’t know if it’s Spring breakers or just families. There just seems to be more people here on Spring break,” Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said. “I think there’s more people here too because of what happened in the panhandle with Hurricane Michael. Some people told me they’re here for the first time because they used to go there. We’re up a bit more than normal, which I’m very grateful for. We’re off the beaten path but more people know about Cortez every year.”
This sandcastle was left as a souvenir of someone’s time at Manatee Beach on Wednesday. Joe Hendricks | Sun
ANNA MARIA – City officials and former Code and Parking Enforcement Officer and administrative assistant Angela Albrecht hold differing views on the events that preceded her recent firing.
Albrecht was fired on Jan. 24 after meeting with Vice Mayor Brian Seymour, City Clerk LeAnne Addy and Deputy Clerk Debbie Haynes. Mayor Dan Murphy was on a cruise when the firing took place and was not consulted on the decision. Seymour, as the City Commission chair, was serving as the acting mayor and based on input received from Addy, Haynes and labor attorney Brian Koji, decided to terminate Albrecht.
According to Addy’s notes from the Jan. 24 meeting, Seymour wanted to address an email Albrecht sent Addy that day. He also wanted to address Albrecht’s allegation that the three of them were overheard discussing a need to talk to City Attorney Becky Vose about firing Albrecht.
According to the meeting notes, Seymour told Albrecht that Vose was not consulted because she’s not the city’s labor attorney. Albrecht told Seymour she would not resign, and he would have to fire her.
“Brian stated to Angela that we have tried working with her for over six months. Due to the tone of her emails, her unprofessionalism and the argumentative nature he will be letting her go today,” according to the meeting notes.
The printout of those notes was later signed by Seymour, Addy and Haynes.
Vice Mayor Brian Seymour and Code Enforcement Manager Debbie Haynes were part of the decision-making process that led to Albrecht’s termination. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Feb. 7, Mayor Dan Murphy discussed the firing. He referenced the employee handbook when asked if he felt the firing was justified.
“Continued employment with the city is at the will and pleasure of the city of Anna Maria and as such employment may be terminated or disciplinary action taken without cause. Employees are hired and fired as ‘at-will’ employees and as such the city maintains the right to end your job with or without cause,” he said.
Albrecht on firing
When contacted by The Sun on Feb. 7, Albrecht was asked if she felt she was wrongly terminated.
“Yes,” she said, noting that she doesn’t feel the reasons for her firing were fully explained.
“They didn’t go into any specifics,” she said.
When asked if she plans to file a lawsuit against the city, Albrecht referenced a comment Murphy made to the press about being happy to tell the truth if this matter winds up in court. He also referred to her as a disgruntled employee.
“Right now, I don’t. After he made that comment I am going to look into it,” Albrecht said of a possible lawsuit. “I’m not a disgruntled employee.”
Albrecht alleges parking tickets were issued by non-certified parking enforcement officers.
“Some of the officers did not complete the certification course. Some officers were allowed to issue parking tickets without that certification,” she said.
Pam Gibbs was the Code and Building Department Manager until she retired in early 2018. Haynes is now the Code Enforcement Manager in charge of parking enforcement.
Albrecht said she felt code enforcement officers were no longer allowed to enforce pool fence and other safety issues after Murphy’s mid-2018 directive that parking, signs and trash issues be the primary enforcement concerns.
“If a fence isn’t closed there’s no way of knowing if there’s a pool behind there. I feel I should have been able to do my full job, like I did before,” Albrecht said.
Albrecht said her work environment became “toxic” after Gibbs retired and those supervisory responsibilities were transferred to recently-hired Building Official David Greenbaum.
“Nice guy, but he just didn’t know the job. I think he was in over his head,” Albrecht said.
Greenbaum was replaced by current Building Official Luke Curtis last summer.
On Feb. 5, Albrecht emailed city commissioners regarding the joint meeting of the Charter Review Committee and the City Commission scheduled for the following day. That meeting was to include discussion on whether Anna Maria needs a city manager. Albrecht’s email alleged Addy desired that position.
Addy applied for the city of Rockledge, Florida’s city manager’s position in June 2016 and was hired as Anna Maria’s clerk in August 2016.
Albrecht’s email referenced her Jan. 24 meeting with Seymour and said, “The background of City Clerk LeAnne Addy needs to be investigated. Public records I have received from the state of Wisconsin shows a past of bankruptcy, foreclosures and other issues.”
“There’s no shame in filing bankruptcy. It was fully disclosed to me before I hired her, I took it into account and I have no regrets,” Murphy said of hiring Addy, a former City Clerk in Wisconsin, who acknowledged the bankruptcy and foreclosure resulting from her husband’s job loss.
Additional allegations
On Dec. 3, the city received notification from the Spielberger Law Group that Albrecht was alleging the city violated federal and state employment laws and was in the process of filing discrimination charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
That letter was preceded by a July 16 letter from the same law firm.
“Our investigation indicates the city’s treatment of Ms. Albrecht violates state law. City has subjected Ms. Albrecht to disparate treatment in retaliation to a complaint she had previously filed. Specifically, Ms. Albrecht contacted Mayor Dan Murphy to report unlawful and unethical practices, including a building official who allows those without work permits to work on certain projects,” the July letter said.
The July letter alleged the city harassed Albrecht rather than responding to her complaint and noted that Albrecht felt she was being positioned for termination.
“Our investigation suggests that city retaliated against Ms. Albrecht in violation of Florida’s Private Whistleblower Act,” the letter said.
“It is my understanding those are closed,” Albrecht said of the issues raised in those letters.
Disciplinary action
Albrecht received a written reprimand from Haynes on Jan. 16 regarding her conduct on Jan. 11.
Haynes serves as the Code Enforcement Manager and oversees parking enforcement.
Her reprimand stated Albrecht willfully and intentionally ignored a known safety issue and failed to report it to her. The issue stemmed partially from Albrecht’s dissatisfaction with Murphy’s 2018 directive that code enforcement officers concentrate primarily on parking, sign and trash issues.
“That directive did prioritize parking, debris and signage and cannot be interpreted by any competent code enforcement officer as requiring you to ignore safety. Your dissatisfaction with your job assignments is contributing to your misconduct and negative attitude. That type of conduct and attitude must cease immediately,” the reprimand said.
“The city has expanded considerable energy working to accommodate you. Please be advised that any continued misconduct or failure to meet the expectations of the city will result in more serious discipline, up to and including the termination of your employment,” the reprimand concluded.
In response to Haynes, Albrecht wrote, “You chose not to follow up on any of the open case items sent to you, including the pool safety fence at 752 North Shore.”
Parking and permits
Murphy addressed Albrecht’s assertion that parking tickets were written by uncertified parking officers.
The city took over parking enforcement in 2015. Before that, parking was enforced by the Anna Maria branch of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
“My directions, since the very beginning of parking enforcement in 2015, were that every code enforcement officer must be certified. But in 2017, for two months, tickets were issued by an uncertified officer. I was not cognizant of that until yesterday and I’m still investigating,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he reviewed 15-20 tickets written by the uncertified officer and he feels the photos that accompany the citations support their validity.
Murphy said he asked Vose if state certification is required for the city’s parking enforcement officers.
“The state has requirements for certification, but Florida Home Rule seems to supersede that requirement. If a city wants to have a different certification program they can do so,” Murphy said.
Murphy addressed Albrecht’s claim that Addy ordered the building department to close fence permits in early 2018 without conducting final inspections.
“I can’t imagine how the city clerk would be involved in closing a permit when permits are the purview of the city planner and the building official,” Murphy said.
