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Bolus sends city notice of intent to file suit

Bolus sends city notice of intent to file suit

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Home­owner Bob Bolus, an outspoken critic of the city government, has delivered a notice of intent to file a $100 million class action lawsuit against the city based on allegations of fraud and favoritism toward developer Shawn Kaleta.

The letter was delivered to the city by certified mail on Aug. 14.

Bolus, who divides his time between his homes in Bradenton Beach and Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been involved in a legal battle with Kaleta since July 2021. Accord­ing to the Manatee County Clerk of Court website, Kaleta has sued Bolus, doing business as Bolus Truck Parts and Towing Service Inc., for breach of contract.

Bolus’ letter reads as follows:

“To Whom It May Concern:

“Please be advised that this is a let­ter of notice of intent to file a lawsuit pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 768.28 (6), as a required condition precedent to maintaining a claim. As per the applicable statute, Florida’s Department of Financial Services is copied on this correspondence.

“Please consider this your oppor­tunity for one-hundred eighty (180) days to investigate the claim and amicably resolve the matter without the need for litigation, as outlined under Florida Statutes 768.28 (6)(d). All of the facts and circumstances relied upon within my claim oc­curred with the previous three (3) years, fulfilling the requirement of Florida Statutes 768.28 (6)(a) and all potential causes of action are within their respective statutes of limitations under the relevant law.

“During the past year, I sent an informal complaint to The Board of Commissioners as an attempt to resolve these issues, and that complaint was ignored, so now, in order to preserve my rights, I believe I’m left with no recourse but to seek redress in Federal District Court in The Southern District of Florida.

“Due to the devastating effects of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck Anna Maria Island on September 25, 2024 and October 9, 2024, property owners requested “substantial damage assessments” of their properties. The assessments were largely found to determine that the cost of restoring the structure would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of its market value. I have copies of numerous property owners contacts with Bradenton Beach officials.

“Further, I have evidence that through political corruption and graft, Braden (sic) Beach officials have conspired with an individual, Shawn Kaleta, and any number of fictitious entities controlled by Mr. Kaletta (sic) to fraudulently determine that properties are “substantially damaged” at or beyond 50% of their market value in an unlawful agreement wherein Kaletta (sic) would then purchase and develop the properties.

“I also have a witness who is a “whistleblower” with intimate knowledge of these allegations who was dismissed because he refused to go along with what he knew to be morally objectionable.

“I further have reliable evidence of sweeping restrictions imposed on small business owners who were devastated by the 2024 hurricane season that are nothing more than a fraudulent attempt to force them out of business in a conspiracy to benefit Mr. Kaletta (sic), fictitious entities controlled by Mr. Kaleta, and local officials and their associates.

“I plan to consolidate all claims into a class action lawsuit for fraud and any and all other appropriate claims and seek damages, including punitive damages, treble damages, and all other damages allowed by applicable law in a claim for relief of one-hundred million dollars ($100,000,000.00).

“I believe fraud is apparent as there is a knowingly false material misrepresentation, made with intent to deceive, upon injured third parties who relied on that misrepresentation, had a right to rely on that misrepresentation, and were, in fact, injured because of that misrepresentation.

“Lastly, I plan to report graft and political corruption to the Florida Office of Attorney General, as what is happening is criminal, as well as civil.

“Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

“Sincerely,

Bob Bolus, Sr.

cc: Florida Department of Financial Services.”

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie declined to comment on the letter.

Bradenton Beach requests dismissal of Luper lawsuit

Bradenton Beach requests dismissal of Luper lawsuit

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city of Bradenton Beach is asking for a dismissal of an April 25 lawsuit filed against the city by Bungalow Beach Resort owner Gayle Luper.

Attorney Robert Lincoln is representing the city and he filed the motion to dismiss on May 21.

In his motion, Lincoln stated: “Luper improperly seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to attack a quasi-judicial action and decision of the city commission approving her application for a temporary use permit to allow parking on her demolished resort property subject to conditions. Luper attacks both the city commission’s process and decision following its April 17 hearing. Luper alleges the city commission violated her due process rights and violated her parking rights.”

The motion states: “Luper’s sole remedy for attacking the city commission’s quasi-judicial decision is a petition for writ of certiorari (pursuant to state statute). This court may not grant either declaratory or injunctive relief and therefore must dismiss counts I and II with prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”

According to the Florida Bar Association, “A petition for writ of certiorari is generally used to review quasi-judicial orders of county, municipal or state agencies that cannot be appealed to the district courts of appeal under the Administrative Procedure Act.”

In his motion, Lincoln stated: “The city commission must, and did, conduct a hearing to consider Luper’s application for a temporary use permit for the razed parcels. The city commission was required to, and did, apply the standards set forth (in the city’s land development code) to Luper’s application and the facts shown at the hearing. Defendant, city of Bradenton Beach, requests the court enter an order dismissing counts I and II and the entire action, with prejudice, for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”

Hearing and Luper’s  lawsuit

The lawsuit complaint filed by Tampa-based Attorney John A. Anthony on April 25 names Luper Enterprises, Inc. and Coastal Sound Investments LLC as the plaintiffs and the city of Bradenton Beach as the defendant.

Luper’s lawsuit stemmed from a decision by the Bradenton Beach City Commission at an April 17 quasi-judicial public hearing to deny the use of the currently vacant resort property at 2000 Gulf Drive N. for paid parking using a resort pass.

Commissioners questioned the resort pass request for the beachfront bungalows that were destroyed during Hurricane Helene.

During the public hearing, Luper and her attorney, Stephanie Anthony, maintained that as a working resort, a resort pass, which includes parking and access to a private area of the beach, was appropriate because other Luper-owned properties affiliated with the multi-property resort remained operational following the hurricanes.

After a nearly 2.5-hour quasi-judicial hearing in which City Planner Luis Serna recommended denial of the application, city commissioners denied the paid public parking lot application but allowed a temporary use permit for Luper, resort guests and employees to use the lot no later than 9 p.m.

The city commission placed the following restrictions on the property:

  • Parking at the razed parcels (the lot where the bungalows were) is permitted for a period of one year or 30 days from the issuance of a building permit;
  • Parking at the razed parcels is limited to 17 parking spaces, per the city-issued Transient Public Lodging Establishment license;
  • No trailers, recreational vehicles, campers or buses are allowed to park at the razed parcels, and no tailgating, overnight parking or paid parking shall be conducted;
  • Only employees, agents or registered guests of the resort are allowed to park at the razed parcels;
  • Parking at the razed parcels is limited to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. enforced by a towing service secured by Luper.

 Dispute timeline

Hurricane Helene destroyed many of 14 original Bungalow Beach cottages. The buildings were condemned and by Feb. 1 the razed parcels had been cleared of the demolition debris.

“At this time, Ms. Luper advised the city of her plan to reopen the razed parcels to continue parking in the manner that had been conducted by the resort for over 25 years,” Luper’s complaint states. “Ms. Luper was then advised by the city that she must file a parking permit in order to continue to charge a resort fee for parking.”

Bradenton Beach requests dismissal of Luper lawsuit
The Bradenton Beach City Commission denied Gayle Luper’s request to use her resort property for paid public parking. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Luper applied online for the permit on Feb. 3 and said she spoke to Serna on Feb. 4 about the proposed plan to reopen the razed parcel for resort-fee parking to the public. She said Serna advised her that he saw no issues with the plan.

“The resort consists of three separate but interconnected areas. The razed parcels acquired in 1999, the duplex parcel (2103 Ave. C) acquired in 1999 and the single-family parcel (2108 Gulf Drive N.), acquired and incorporated into the resort in 2024.”

According to the complaint, the razed parcels have continuously supplied parking, including overflow parking, for operations at all the resort properties.

On March 14, a portion of the parking lot was reopened for parking at the rate of $50 per-car, per-day for 29 parking spaces.

“After parking approximately 14 cars on the morning of March 14, Evan Harbus, in his capacity with the Code Enforcement Division of the city, directed that all parking at the razed parcels cease immediately,” the lawsuit complaint states. “The city’s officials advised that any vehicles violating these instructions would be towed, including vehicles owned by the plaintiffs, vehicles of resort employees, its construction or maintenance-related crews, previous and potential guests and the paying public.”

On March 16, Luper submitted an application for temporary parking.

“The resort, properly permitted to conduct a defined and legitimate business, has never ceased operating even for a day and has continuously charged a resort fee of $50-$59, which included parking,” the complaint states. “The resort charging a resort fee to the public for parking and amenity use is a consistent and well-founded practice employed by several similar resorts in the region, frequently known as a ‘resort pass.’”

Related coverage:
Parking lot owner files lawsuit against city

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling

Sandpiper Resort evaluating FEMA guidelines, damage assessments

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Residents of Sandpiper Resort Co-Op are questioning FEMA guidelines that deem some mobile homes with flood damage uninhabitable. City Building Official Darin Cushing said during an Oct. 17 city commission meeting that those FEMA guidelines identify the hurricane-related damage as substantial damage, making the homes uninhabitable.

“We assumed this would be on a case-by-case basis, by the 50/50 rule,” Tracy Moon, Sandpiper manager said on Oct. 18. “Some of the units only got a couple inches of water, some got maybe 15-16 inches, but people can live in them. It’s a matter of replacing floors and some drywall, not a blanket condemnation of the whole co-op.”

Moon said the co-op is receiving legal advice and an attorney representing Sandpiper will be reaching out to the city for clarification of the FEMA rules.

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling
Debris lined the streets of the Sandpiper mobile home park after Hurricane Helene. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“We were completely caught off guard by the city’s interpretation of the FEMA ruling of substantial damage,” Moon said.

Cushing had read the following at the Oct. 17 meeting, “In accordance with FEMA’s damage assessment guide, there are different degrees of damage when it comes to mobile homes, or as they call them manufactured homes, and those different degrees of damage are affected, minor, major and destroyed. By these degrees of damage, all of the mobile homes in the Pines and many in the Sandpiper, but not all, have major damage by that guideline.”

He said that major damage is determined when water covers the floor system and enters the living space of the residence but is below the ceiling.

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling
Hurricane Helene debris was placed alongside this elevated mobile home in the Sandpiper mobile home park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“There was some question whether major damage is the same as substantial damage. In speaking with FEMA representatives yesterday in person, that’s what they considered,” Cushing said at the Oct. 17 meeting. “By this description, according to FEMA, the structure is considered to be substantially damaged and in accordance with the city of Bradenton Beach flood ordinance it says if an existing manufactured home has incurred substantial damage as the result of a flood it shall be elevated such that the bottom of the frame is at the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus three feet.”

According to Cushing, the BFE at Sandpiper is seven or eight feet depending on the section of the park.

The 50/50 rule says if damages to a structure are to a level such that it would cost 50% or more of the value of the structure to bring it back to its original condition, it has to be elevated to flood compliance and Florida Building Code, according to Cushing at the Oct. 17 meeting.

Moon said there are 166 mobile homes at the co-op. Of those, 120 are shareholders and own the land in its entirety. The other 46 mobile homes are rented.

Cushing said approximately 150 of those mobile homes were impacted by flooding.

 

Sun reporter Joe Hendricks contributed to this story

Related coverage:

 

Pines, Sandpiper homes deemed uninhabitable

Signed palm tree agreement remains elusive

Signed palm tree agreement remains elusive

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – A newly-planted coconut palm tree that fell over on Bridge Street last week has raised questions about whether the city obtained a signed indemnification agreement prior to planting it and 79 other trees.

At the April 3 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting, members unanimously approved the installation of 80 coconut palm trees along Bridge Street in a city partnership with developer Shawn Kaleta.

The approval was based on assurances by City Attorney Ricinda Perry that a maintenance, indemnification and hold harmless agreement with Kaleta would be in place prior to planting the trees, with Kaleta taking re­sponsibility for tree maintenance and indemnifying the city against liability for any damage caused by the trees.

The palm trees were planted the week of April 24. On May 15, a Facebook post showed that one tree had fallen over from unknown reasons, causing no known dam­age. Bridge Street workers have reported seeing people picking coconuts from the newly-planted trees.

As of May 19, after multiple Sunshine Law requests to the city from The Sun, no signed and fully executed agreement had been produced by the city. That docu­ment is a public record and subject to the Florida Sunshine Law.

In the absence of a signed con­tract between the city and Kaleta, liability for damage that could be caused by the trees is in question.

Signed palm tree agreement remains elusive
A newly-planted coconut palm tree on Bridge Street that fell on May 15 and was subsequently replanted is being supported by string tied to a piece of metal. – Leslie Lake | Sun

A May 15 Facebook post shows one of the new palms near 120 Bridge St. laying on the ground, apparently having been uprooted. By May 17, the fallen tree had been replanted and was being supported by a string tied to a metal stake.

AGREEMENT ELUSIVE

On April 25, One of Kaleta’s attorneys, Sean Kelly, sent Perry and Kaleta an email that said, “Shawn asked me to finalize this agreement for the coconut palms on Bridge Street. Will you please send me the Exhibit A site plan and the dollar amount for the CRA’s contribution? Then I can update the document and have Shawn sign.”

This email exchange occurred the same week the trees were being planted.

On May 6, The Sun emailed the city clerk asking for a copy of the agreement between the city and Shawn Kaleta (or his business entity) showing the maintenance and indemnification agreement for the newly-planted palms on Bridge Street. The email was sent to city clerk Terri Sanclemente, Perry and Mayor John Chappie. No response was received.

On May 7, a Sun reporter went to city hall to obtain a copy of the contract and was told by the city clerk that it was not there and she had been told it was still being worked on. Another email was sent to Perry that day requesting a copy of the agreement and no response was received.

On May 9, Perry sent an email to Kaleta and attorney Sean Kelly that said, “It took me a bit to find a way to document in a ‘site plan’ the palms and to make sure we knew exactly where Miguel was planting everything.” Kelly responded that day to Perry in an email that said, “Do you have the dollar amounts to insert for contributions from the city and from Shawn?”

Perry wrote that the CRA was contributing $40,000 toward the tree planting project and Kaleta was to contribute $10,000.

On May 14, another Kaleta attorney, Rainier Altiere sent Perry an email that said, “Here is the completed maintenance agreement. The only thing missing is the start date. Please provide me with that and let me know if this is OK for us to have Shawn sign.”

On May 15, Perry sent Kaleta, Kelly and Altiere an email in which she wrote, “This corp (corpora­tion) named in the document was set up at the end of last month. Is it just a ‘shell company’ with no assets or insurance to cover the harm/damage caused by a falling coconut? At a minimum, the company will need an insur­ance policy naming the city that actually covers damage caused by the coconuts. I can’t just have a piece of open (missing word) with no actual protection for the public. Ideas?”

A May 15 email request to the city clerk for a copy of the signed agreement received an “out of of­fice” reply. The same day, The Sun emailed Perry requesting a copy of the signed and fully executed agreement.

Sanclemente, Chappie and Police Chief/Interim Public Works Direc­tor John Cosby were among those copied on The Sun’s email request.

In her response, Perry wrote, “I’ll see if the deputy clerks can access the signed agreement. If not, we’ll have to wait until Terri gets back.”

Perry did, however, provide a copy of a blank draft version of the agreement, which did not identify the other party involved with the project and did not include any details regarding the cost of the project or the manner in which the material, installation and mainte­nance costs would be shared. The agreement is for 30 years. She also provided copies of some of the emails referenced in this story.

When asked by The Sun that day for a signed and fully executed copy of the agreement, Perry wrote, “There is a signed agree­ment. The clerk is out of the office and can provide further docu­ments upon her return.”

On May 17, a Sun reporter attempt­ed to obtain the document in person from the city clerk’s office and was told the contract was not there. That day, The Sun emailed Perry, Kaleta and Kelly asking Kaleta or Kelly to provide The Sun and/or Perry a copy of the signed agreement. As of May 20, The Sun had not received a response to that request.

The email exchanges indicate there was no signed agreement in place when the trees were planted in late April. As of May 20, the city and Perry had not provided any documents that confirmed that a signed and fully executed agree­ment existed that day.

In order for the agreement to be fully executed it must be signed and dated by Chappie, who was out of town for the Governor’s Hurricane Conference taking place in Palm Beach County May 12-17, according to the clerk’s office.

(Sun reporter Joe Hendricks contributed to this story)

Related coverage:

Irrigation system to be installed on Bridge Street

Eighty new coconut palms line Bridge Street

 

Bradenton Beach confirms COVID-positive employee

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city of Bradenton Beach has confirmed that at least one city employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

City Clerk Terri Sanclemente said the city will not identify the employee or confirm other cases in an Aug. 20 email response to an inquiry by The Sun.

“As you are aware, we are a very small city and have to protect the citizens’ and employees’ rights at all costs. With that being said, we have had an employee test positive for the COVID-19 virus. The city does not disclose how many or the names of the impacted individuals,” Sanclemente’s email said.

“The city has implemented protocols in our workplace to help protect both its citizens and employees. There is a checklist that is done every day, and employees are taking temperatures as well as any citizens. We have signs stating you must wear a mask when entering city hall and sanitizing stations at the front and rear entrance, along with sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer and Gamma-MENE spray,” Sanclemente’s email said.

“We are also following the CDC’s guidelines. We are doing our very best to keep everyone’s rights protected and not trying to violate any state or federal laws when replying to questions like yours,” Sanclemente wrote in her response to The Sun.

“Please see the attached policy we have applied historically in the city, and the mayor provides clarification as needed,” her email concluded.

The policy Sanclemente provided is a copy of a 2009 city resolution that pertains to communicable diseases and references the H1N1 virus.

“The supervisor or mayor, after consultation, may order a city board or committee member, city volunteer, independent contractor or employee home if that person reports or shows signs or symptoms of a communicable disease. Persons sent home pursuant to this resolution will not be allowed to return to city facilities or work until they are able to furnish proof or certification from an individual or facility duly licensed to practice medicine that there is no threat of a communicable disease,” the resolution states.

“Employees sent home pursuant to this resolution shall use sick leave time until it is exhausted and then they may use vacation and/or personal days,” the resolution states.

“The supervisor or mayor shall take all necessary measures to ensure that all city facilities exposed to a communicable disease are cleaned and disinfected,” the resolution states.

When a positive COVID-19 test result occurs, that result is reported in association with the tested person’s home zip code and it is not attributed to the person’s workplace or the location where the test occurred.

COVID-19 Data

According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Saturday, Aug. 22 daily COVID-19 data report, 27 positive COVID-19 cases had been reported in Bradenton Beach since the local pandemic began in March.

According to Saturday’s report, there had been 18 reported cases in Holmes Beach, three in Anna Maria, three in Cortez, 6,849 in Bradenton and 10,014 reported cases in Manatee County.

According to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) COVID-19 Data Dashboard, an additional 109 non-county residents have tested positive.

Bradenton Beach confirms at least one COVID-positive employee
This graphic illustrates the reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths as of Saturday. – FDOH COVID-19 Dashboard | Submitted

According to the COVID-19 Dashboard, 705 people have been hospitalized in Manatee County with COVID-19 since the pandemic began. According to the FDOH daily update, 43 individuals were currently hospitalized in Manatee County with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 as of Saturday evening.

According to the FDOH Dashboard, 248 people have died in Manatee County with COVID-19, with 117 (47%) of those deaths attributed to residents or employees of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care facilities.

Bradenton Beach confirms at least one COVID-positive employee
This graphic illustrates a recent downward trend in COVID-19 cases in Manatee County. – FDOH COVID-19 Dashboard | Submitted

From Saturday, Aug. 15 to Friday, Aug. 21, 455 new positive COVID-19 cases were reported in Manatee County. Since Aug. 1, the number of daily reported cases has declined or held steady and there have not been significant daily increases similar to those in July.

As of Saturday, the overall percent positive of all those tested in Manatee County was 11%; the percent positive of those tested the prior day was 3.82%.

Sunshine defendant accused of violating mediation confidentiality

Sunshine defendant accused of violating mediation confidentiality

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – On behalf of the city of Bradenton Beach, attorney Robert Watrous has filed a motion seeking to impose sanctions on Sunshine Law lawsuit defendant Reed Mapes.

In July, Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas ruled Mapes, Tjet Martin, John Metz, Patty Shay, Bill Vincent and his wife Rose Vincent violated the Florida Sunshine Law in 2017. The Sunshine violations occurred when the then-city advisory board members repeatedly discussed advisory board business at their non-city-sanctioned Concerned Neighbors of Bradenton Beach meetings.

In November, Nicholas ruled the city was entitled to recover attorneys’ fees and costs from the defendants, but he did not issue a ruling at that time as to what the recovery amount would be. Nicholas later ordered the parties to participate in a mandatory mediation session and the parties agreed on Bonnie Marmor as their mediator.

The motion Watrous filed on Friday, Feb. 14. pertains to the court-ordered, closed-door mediation session that took place at the Manatee County Judicial Center in downtown Bradenton on Jan. 13.

The mediation session provided the defendants and the city an opportunity to broker a settlement as to how much the defendants were willing to reimburse the city for the attorney fees and costs the city and its taxpayers incurred in this case.

As of Tuesday, Feb. 18, the city had incurred $477,062 in attorneys’ fees and costs, according to City Treasurer Shayne Thompson.

Watrous’ written motion notes all parties who attended the Jan. 13 mediation session were advised by the mediator to keep the details of that session to themselves. And that any settlement offer proposed would have to be discussed with and either accepted or rejected by the Bradenton Beach City Commission.

Watrous’ motion cites Florida Statute 44.405, which says, “Except as provided in this section, all mediation communications shall be confidential. A mediation participant shall not disclose a mediation communication to a person other than another mediation participant or a participant’s counsel. A violation of this section may be remedied as provided by s. 44.406. If the mediation is court-ordered, a violation of this section may also subject the mediation participant to sanctions by the court, including, but not limited to, costs, attorney’s fees, and mediator’s fees.”

According to the motion, the mediator contacted Watrous on Jan. 14, the day after the mediation session, to facilitate communication of a new settlement offer. Watrous then communicated with Metz’s attorney, Thomas Shults, who in turn relayed mediation-related information to his client and the co-defendants who no longer retain the services of their own attorneys.

Watrous’ motion notes that on Jan. 28, the Bradenton Beach Commission held a closed-door shade meeting that provided city commissioners an opportunity to consider and respond to a settlement offer tendered by Shults.

“On January 29, a media article appeared in the Islander stating that ‘Reed Mapes, one of the six defendants alongside John Metz, Tjet Martin, Patty Shay, Bill Vincent and Rose Vincent, told the Islander that John Metz offered $200,000 to settle with the city after a Jan. 13 closed-door mediation session failed to result in an agreement,’” Watrous’ motion states.

Watrous’ motion states that on Feb. 10, he sent Shults the city’s written response to the settlement offer Shults tendered on Jan. 14. Watrous’s motion does not indicate what the city’s response was.

“At present, the defendants have not responded to that offer,” the motion states.

Sunshine defendant accused of violating mediation confidentiality
A fee award hearing has been scheduled before Judge Edward Nicholas on Wednesday, April 29. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

If the parties can’t reach a settlement on their own, Nicholas will eventually be asked to determine how much the defendants must reimburse the city and its taxpayers.

Barring a settlement, the parties are scheduled to see each other in court again on Wednesday, April 29, when they appear before Nicholas at 1:35 p.m. for a three-hour hearing pertaining to award/amount of attorney fees.

Related coverage

Sunshine lawsuit judge rules in favor of city recovering attorney fees

City seeks reimbursement for Sunshine lawsuit expenses

City responds to Suncoast Waterkeeper water pollution concerns

City responds to Suncoast Waterkeeper pollution concerns

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – On Monday, Feb. 17, the city of Bradenton Beach issued a press release in response to concerns raised in a Friday, Feb. 14 press release issued by the Suncoast Waterkeeper organization.

The Suncoast Waterkeeper press release pertained to higher than usual bacteria levels discovered in the bay waters near the Bridge Street Pier and along Bay Drive South.

“On Friday, February 14, the city was informed by Joe McClash and Andy Mele that Suncoast Waterkeeper performed two water samplings somewhere in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Class 3 body of water adjacent to Bay Drive South. The city was told that the test result identified the presence of Enterococcus. Enterococci are normally present, as colonizers, in the intestinal tract of human beings and animals, and can be recovered from feces in large quantities,” the city’s press release said.

“Mayor John Chappie has been in communication with Tom Larkin at the Manatee County Health Department. Mr. Larkin was made aware of the boating community activities in the waters tested, the Manatee County force main construction activities adjacent to that area and recent boring activities for the undergrounding of utility lines on Bridge Street. Mr. Larkin indicated he was also in communication with the Florida Healthy Beaches Program in Tallahassee regarding this matter.

“Mayor Chappie has asked the Bradenton Beach Public Works Department to conduct local inspections at and around the Bridge Street Pier. It was noted a recent CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting that there have been higher counts of pelican fecal matter on the pier and floating dock, which may be the contributing cause for the recent water samplings collected by Suncoast Waterkeeper,” the city press release stated.

The press release also mentioned environmental projects previously pursued and currently being pursued by the city and/or the CRA.

“The city of Bradenton Beach has partnered with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and invested in the development and creation of a customized stormwater management plan to clean the water going into the water table and the water bodies.

“The city, through the Community Redevelopment Agency, has invested substantial funds to develop a living shoreline and use nature to promote an environmentally friendly aquaculture.

“The CRA recently authorized $5,000 to monitor the water quality impacts of the 2019 clam restoration project conducted in the waters near the pier. That authorization also includes the installation of seagrass cages that promote seagrass growth.

“The CRA also authorized $10,000 for the purchase and installation of 14 of the larger-sized Mini Reefs to be placed in the waters off the east end of the Bridge Street Pier through the Center of Anna Maria Island’s Go Green initiative,” according to the press release.

“The city has partnered with Mote Marine, S.T.A.R.T., Oceans Habitats Inc., Sea and Shoreline LLC and local restaurants and local fishermen for these projects. The city also supports the clam mitigation efforts proposed to the Florida Legislature in House Bill 3829,” the press release said.

Mayor’s thoughts

On Monday, Chappie also discussed these matters with The Sun.

He said city officials inspected the pier on Friday and looked for any possible sources for the bacteria.

He said the Public Works Department pressure washes the pier and floating dock every Friday and he noted that during a January CRA meeting Public Works Director Tom Woodard commented on the inordinate amount of pelican feces accumulating on the new floating dock.

Chappie said those weekly cleaning efforts may be a contributing factor to the higher bacteria levels.

City responds to Suncoast Waterkeeper water pollution concerns
The floating dock in Bradenton Beach is a popular destination for pelicans. – John Chappie | Submitted

“This is something we’re going to continue to follow. We want to find out what the source is,” he said.

Chappie also said the city commission recently reached consensus to add twice-yearly E. coli testing to the water monitoring being done as a follow-up to last year’s clam restoration project.

Related coverage

 

Higher enterococcus levels cause for concern