Tag: CRA

CRA members discuss 2025-26 budget

Written by Leslie Lake on August 12, 2025. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Community Redevelopment Agency members discussed the proposed 2025-26 budget of $2,231,070 at a work meeting on Aug. 6 in preparation for the next steps in the budget process – two public hearings before final approval.

City Treasurer Shayne Thompson introduced the proposed budget.

“We carried some things forward that were in last year’s budget, for example, some undergrounding and pavers,” he said. “Beyond that, it’s kind of placeholders for the projects to come.”

CRA Vice Chair Ralph Cole said he would like to see the undergrounding projects continue.

Thompson said $300,000 for undergrounding from the previous year’s budget was carried forward.

“I don’t want to say placeholder values can change, but direction can change, priorities can change, so what’s in the budget doesn’t necessarily mean it has to stay where it is,” Thompson said. “If during the course of the year, let’s say, for example, undergrounding isn’t something we can accomplish, those funds can remain for a future time or be reallocated to a new priority project.”

Thompson said some projects such as pier improvements became tied to the storms and were funded differently.

“Do we still have to allocate all that money 100% each year?” Cole asked.

“We have to demonstrate the need to use the funds,” Thompson said. “This budget does that.”

Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby outlined some proposed projects in the CRA district, particularly on Bridge Street.

“We have an unbelievable amount of foot traffic in the CRA district, and we need to look at widening the sidewalks in the main thoroughfare areas,” Cosby said.

Cosby discussed building projects from the ground up beginning with wiring for lighting, irrigation systems and then moving on to the next level including paving, concrete and sidewalks.

“In the past we’ve put stuff in and had to dig it out and we don’t want to do that,” Cosby said. “We want to revitalize what we have there and try to make it more pedestrian friendly.”

Cosby suggested scheduling a work meeting to get input from residents and businesses.

“The hurricane has taken so much out it does give us the opportunity to do this,” he said. “You can see the age of the street when you look at how nice the pier is and the docks and the pergola and you look at the rest of the street and that age really comes out.”

Cosby addressed flooding in the district following heavy rains.

“The rain that we had yesterday that lasted 45 minutes, everything in the CRA district was underwater and it’s because of the system that was put in. The pipe is clogged, and we’ve got to clear that out. We had a conversation with our stormwater engineer about putting in the baskets to collect the silt. It may not look pretty for a little while because we’ve got to get started from the bottom and work our way up.”

Mayor John Chappie said the CRA board could talk about putting out an RFP (request for proposal) at a future meeting.

“Maybe not all in one year or two years, but we could plan that out in stages,” Chappie said. “In the budget we have $675,000 for the CRA enhancements and another $450,000 for district improvements along with the $300,000 for undergrounding and streetlights. There’s quite a nice amount of money in there.”

Chappie said undergrounding has never been on the back burner.

“It’s always been in the forefront and that’s part of the foundation before you start doing the other work on top of the ground,” he said.

“If we have a project that can’t be completed in the coming fiscal year we can plug it into the budget for the following, so we’re still demonstrating using it at a future time,” Thompson said.

CRA member Deborah Scaccianoce said that standing water in the district is a problem and she would like to take steps to move forward with repairs.

“Yesterday when it was raining and with the blockages on Bridge Street, the water was bubbling up out of the storm system because it was so overwhelmed,” Cosby said. “Everything that way is blocked and I want to use that money to fix what’s broken before we move forward and put money into other areas.”

He said the standing water will eventually undermine the roads.

“The pipes are good; the main issue is this damming system that was put in to try to force the water to flow slower and percolate into the ground,” Cosby said. “We’re on a barrier island – that’s not going to happen. When we get that fixed that will take care of that.”

Two public hearings will be held in September for the fiscal year 2025-26 CRA budget prior to final approval.

CRA approves ferry dock repairs

Written by Leslie Lake on October 23, 2024. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city pier and the floating docks were heavily damaged following Hurricane Milton. At the Oct. 17 Community Redevelopment Meeting with an eye on getting ferry service back for Island residents and workers, the board approved up to $500,000 for repairs.

“One of the goals he (Manatee County Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione) has isn’t for the tourism component so much but for displaced individuals and workers who are trying to access the Island without all of the traffic backup,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at the CRA meeting. “This would be something to try to make everybody’s lives a little bit easier for the people who work here and live here to get back onto the Island.”

Perry said the city pier sustained approximately $90,000 of damage.

“It’s largely what I’m going to call cosmetics,” she said. “The pier is structurally sound, it was handrails, boards, possibly a brace or two, but because we were putting the improved bracing system in prior to the hurricane it really did protect that structure,” she said.

She then outlined the damages to the floating dock.

“The piece that manufactured on what I would call part two of the project is in great shape. Golden is the one that manufactured that,” Perry said. “The other portion that was manufactured out of Barcelona is not faring quite as well. Now in fairness, it could be the materials. It could be the fact that we had a tremendous amount of wrecked boats under the floating dock.”

She said those boats included a 42-foot boat. Within that was another boat and underneath those, multiple sunken vessels.

A discussion with Falcione about the possibility of a floating barge was rejected as he didn’t feel it would work particularly well and would require a ramp, Perry said.

“We know financially we’re not in a place where we can drop the money. I believe the price quote that I saw was about $350,000 to redo the floating dock,” Perry said. “Elliott has been looking at ways to market the city and, if we’re able to do this quickly and get the ferry up and running, there is certainly financial assistance to make that happen.”

Perry outlined a discussion she had with Steve Porter of Duncan Seawall about options.

“There was a talk with Steve – do we salvage what’s there from Barcelona and try to work with that? The plan is to salvage what we can, but the system itself he feels is an inferior product and by the time you continue to do these repairs over and over, seeing how well the Golden (Golden Marine Systems) product held out, we are going to reuse that,” she said. “That is 100% salvageable. Even the boards are in good shape. We think it’s probably wiser to spend a little bit more and just get Golden to rip out the first part.”

She said the rollers and floats on the floating dock are salvageable.

Porter committed to getting the work started quickly, Perry said. By the end of the month, he expects to have something for the ferry to operate off of.

“What I would like is a motion that authorizes me and Chief Cosby to make the necessary repairs to the city pier and floating dock with funds to be determined by the city treasurer and ISC (the contractor who manages the FEMA cost reimbursement paperwork) as well as the TDC (Tourist Development Council) at a cost not to exceed $500,000,” Perry said. “That is the motion that I’m looking for so I can get bodies back onto this Island, especially those that don’t have cars. We know that about 80% of the cars were destroyed out here. If we can do anything to help our people come back and forth I think we should do that.”

Mayor John Chappie made the motion to approve and it was seconded by CRA member Jan Vosburgh. The motion passed unanimously.

Following the vote, CRA member Debbie Scaccianoce questioned why boats were allowed to be at the pier during a storm.

“We can’t deny somebody safe port. If they come tie up to your dock and they think it’s safe we can’t do anything about it,” CRA chair Ralph Cole said. “In a storm like that, there could have been boats that came from across the bay or the Seafood Shack. Boats were moving every which way and eventually a lot of them hit something and sank.”

“In the past, we’ve had boats that have come up from Sarasota Bay and crashed into our structure,” Perry said. “Boats are the most destructive force. It’s the vessels that are causing the most damage every single time. And there’s no way to stop it.”

Cole said Chief Cosby and the police department have done a great job getting rid of derelict vessels and there are very few left to be disposed of.

“That wind was blowing stuff every which way,” Cole said. “We’re lucky to have what we have left.”

Bradenton Beach budgeting begins

Written by Joe Hendricks on July 22, 2024. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials will maintain the current 2.3329 millage rate as part of the $4.85 million budget being prepared for the 2024-25 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

The proposed budget represents a $359,969 increase over the current fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

The Bradenton Beach mayor, commissioners, department heads and city treasurer held their first 2024-25 fiscal year budget meeting on July 16.

As he does each year, Mayor John Chappie said, “The budget is the single most important document that we act on throughout our year. The budget is a reflection of where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going as a community.”

Chappie then thanked the department heads and city staff for continuously working on the budget throughout the year.

Bradenton Beach’s annual budgeting process begins with each department head preparing a departmental budget that serves as a needs and wish list. The city treasurer then compiles the departmental budgets into a budget worksheet for the mayor and commission to review and tentatively approve department by department. On July 16, the mayor and commission tentatively approved each departmental budget presented and the proposed 2.3329 millage rate.

City Treasurer Shayne Thompson said he previously met with each department head and commission member and the new fiscal year budget is built on two primary assumptions: maintaining the current 2.3329 millage rate and providing the city’s hourly employees with 8% wage increases and a $500 increase to the tiered longevity bonuses that will now range from $1,250 to $2,500 according to length of time employed by the city. It was noted the salaried department heads would also receive pay increases, but the no exact figures were provided.

“With those assumptions, the budget is very sound,” Thompson said.

On July 23, Thompson provided The Sun with additional details. He said the department heads and himself, a salaried non-department head, will receive 8% salary increases. And, in an effort to keep pace with what other cities are paying, the department heads and Thompson will also receive “salary equalization adjustments” to be added to their annual salaries.

City Clerk Terri Sanclemente will receive a $10,000 salary equalization adjustment in addition to an 8% salary increase. An 8% salary increase and a $10,000 salary equalization adjustment will also be added to the future salary of the yet-to-be-hired replacement for recently departed Public Works Director Tom Woodard.

Thompson and Police Chief/Emergency Operations Manager John Cosby will receive $5,000 salary equalization adjustments in addition to their 8% salary increases. Building Official Darin Cushing is contracted through a third-party firm and his salary is determined by his direct employer.

According to Thompson, the city anticipates receiving $2.47 million in ad valorem tax revenues during the coming fiscal year, compared to $2.26 million during the current fiscal year. Due to increased property values, maintaining the current millage rate will subject Bradenton Beach property owners to higher property tax bills.

Factoring in grants, matching funds and various other taxes and revenue sources, the city anticipates receiving $5.05 million in total revenues during the new fiscal year, versus $4.56 million in the current fiscal year, Thompson noted some non-ad valorem revenue projections might change slightly before the final budget is published and adopted in September.

Thompson said the city hopes to add $225,000 to $250,000 to the uncommitted reserve fund.

Cosby said a healthy reserve fund is vital because it can be used to temporarily fund post-disaster recovery and cleanup efforts while awaiting reimbursement from FEMA and other agencies.

The numbers

Sanclemente proposes $833,347 for administrative department expenditures in the coming fiscal year, including wages and employee benefits, a $74,254 departmental increase.

The budget proposes $208,009 in city commission expenditures, including the mayor’s $9,600 annual salary, each commissioner’s $4,800 annual salary and a $16,000 increase for attorney fees, for a $19,140 overall increase.

Cosby proposes $1.92 million in police department expenditures that include slightly more than $1 million for wages and benefits, a $141,043 overall increase. He also proposes spending $92,400 for emergency management operations and $109,455 for code enforcement.

Acting as the interim public works director since former director Tom Woodard’s recent departure, Cosby proposes $503,199 for street and road expenditures, including $366,619 for wages and benefits, a $43,252 overall increase.

Cosby proposes $249,132 for stormwater management expenditures, including $158,566 for wages and benefits, a $15,541 overall increase.

Cushing proposes $498,353 for planning department expenditures, a $31,821 increase. Cushing noted the planning department is the one department that covers most of its own expenses through permitting fees and other development-related fees.

The budget doesn’t propose any new capital or infrastructure improvement projects for the coming fiscal year but does include $119,526 carried over to complete previously planned projects.

CRA budget

The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) fiscal year budget was briefly discussed during a separate budget meeting that day. The CRA operates as a separate but interconnected city entity with its own budget, revenues, expenditures and project pursuits.

According to the CRA budget worksheet Thompson prepared, the CRA anticipates $799,724 in redevelopment shared revenues, for an increase of $164,065.

CRA revenues include a mandatory $145,656 contribution from the city’s general fund and the worksheet anticipates CRA revenues totaling $948,398, a $167,205 increase.

The worksheet anticipates $344,606 for total CRA expenditures. That includes $213,612 for employee wages and salaries, including $119,112 for additional policing in the CRA district and $84,500 for salaries associated with streets and roads.

The CRA budget worksheet lists a projected net balance of $603,792. According to Thompson, most of that net balance will remain unspent and be carried over into the 2025-26 fiscal year for a utility line undergrounding project conducted in unison with the pending replacement of the Cortez Bridge.

Funding for Old Town Trams extended

Written by Leslie Lake on September 12, 2023. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Old Town Trams may be rolling just a little bit longer.

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted at its Aug. 15 meeting to remove the $52,000 subsidization for the free ride service from its 2023-24 budget. However, after much debate about the necessity of the trams at a Sept. 6 CRA meeting, a compromise was reached. Members voted unanimously to fund the tram, with conditions, until the end of this year.

“This was temporary until it could stand on its own,” Mayor John Chappie said. “I don’t mind helping people and getting people started, but for a limited time.”

Launched as a pilot program in November 2020, the Old Town Trams were put in place to help address the lack of parking on and around Bridge Street. The trams are a free park-and-ride shuttle service in the CRA district (from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South) using two electric golf carts.

“I don’t think any of us like to see it go away because it does provide some type of service,” Chappie said. “The problem is, who’s paying for it? And what kind of involvement will there be from businesses? That’s what the service is there for.”

The service is provided by the Sarasota-based Easy Parking Group, owned by Joshua LaRose. It is supported by the CRA at a cost of $52,000 per year and is partially funded by advertising sales.

LaRose attended the Sept. 6 meeting and offered concessions to help defray some of the costs to the city.

“The pilot program didn’t work out and we need to terminate the pilot program,” CRA member David Bell said. “I think what we need to do is see what Tram 2.0 looks like.”

Bell asked LaRose to tell the board what he thought would make it successful.

“Cutting out of season to the weekends is a possibility,” LaRose said. He also offered to cut service on slower days, possibly Monday and Tuesday.

LaRose said the profit margin for the tram service is minimal.

“I might make $1,000 a month, if that sometimes,” he said. “I’m not complaining. You came out and wanted this service.”

LaRose said that upkeep on the carts is expensive, and with the ongoing sewer construction he has had to replace tires multiple times. He also said that insurance is costly at $1,100 per month.

CRA member Jan Vosburgh, who has been a vocal opponent of funding the tram, said the tram is unnecessary, especially given the construction in the area.

“If we could privatize it, we could use that money to do a lot of things,” CRA member Ralph Cole said.

“There needs to be a designated route and stick with the timing needed between different stops, designated times, designated stops, the signage and upkeep on the carts. I’ve heard a few people complain about the upkeep and how they look,” Chappie said.

“Once the construction is done, I always thought there should be a dedicated route,” CRA member Jake Spooner said.

“This isn’t a free ride, we’re giving you so much money as a temporary thing and we want you to be able to make it on your own,” Chappie said to LaRose.

Chappie suggested taking a hiatus for several months to see if LaRose can get support from local businesses during that time. Bell disagreed and said it would be too hard to start again after a break. Cole said if the tram were stopped for a hiatus, advertisers would be lost.

“We need to leave our options open,” Chappie said. “Do we want to set aside a certain amount of money for some type of tram service? We still have a little time, not much. We have to figure out the budget process and set aside a few dollars to support this in some way to help it move along.”

CRA members agreed that participation and support from local businesses would be desirable and necessary to keep the trams going.

“Merchants aren’t equally participating and contributing,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said.

One local business owner asked for a balance.

“The city planned the street (Bridge Street) that way with no parking, the city agreed to put businesses in there with no parking,” Silver Resorts owner Angela Rodocker said. “There is a balance that has to be looked at if we want that to continue to thrive. I don’t think it looks like what it looks like right now. Certainly not $50,000.”

The tram is funded by the CRA until October.

“We could fund it for a few more months,” Cole said.

Contractually the city is on the hook for over $104,000 if the advertisers leave, Perry said. She also said $10,000 in funds could be reallocated for several months’ extension.

“Now we put it out there, and people realize we don’t want to fund it anymore,” Cole said.

“I think a clear message has been sent, ‘Time’s up,’ Chappie said. “If we can figure out how to make it better, ok and if we can’t then that’s it.”

A motion to fund and operate the tram service until Dec. 31 passed unanimously.

Big changes could be coming to the Coquina Beach Trail.

TDC approves proposal to use Coquina Beach Trail for shuttles

Written by Jason Schaffer on April 26, 2023. Posted in Business, Featured, Tourism.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) is recommending a plan to Manatee County commissioners to widen the Coquina Beach Trail for shuttles.

The trail is a paved path about the width of a city sidewalk that begins at the south end of the Coquina Beach parking lot and runs 1.5 miles along the beach north to Fifth Street South. The plan, discussed at the April 24 TDC meeting, would resurface and widen the trail, potentially for the use of the Old Town Tram golf cart shuttle service owned by Josh LaRose’s Easy Parking Group and partially funded by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

Big changes could be coming to Coquina Beach Trail — Easy Parking Group’s ‘Old Town Trams’ currently service Coquina Beach to Bridge Street, but are not allowed to drive on the current beach trail, making for a bumpy ride for passengers, or long waits in heavy beach traffic. This tram stopped for a break in the shade near 13th Street South. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

“They desperately need a way to get people back and forth from Bridge Street to here without sitting in traffic for an hour,” said Doris Snyder, who comes to the beach from Palmetto on a regular basis. “We like to hit one of the restaurants on Bridge Street for lunch or dinner when we come down here, but it’s impossible to park in that area unless you get incredibly lucky. We use the golf cart service a lot, but even if they drive off the road in the parking area instead of sitting in traffic, the ride beats you to death. A cart path would be amazing.”

Project Manager Mike Stern told TDC members that the trail improvements would cost $1.5 million – including the removal of 96 Australian pine trees whose roots are damaging the pavement – and take about eight months to complete. Stern said a large part of the cost will be building a root barrier, which will require the current trail to be removed so that the barrier can be placed underground to prevent future tree roots from growing under the trail and destroying it, causing more unnecessary cost in the future. With the barrier, the trail should last for many years with little serious maintenance, he said.

“While this sounds like a large investment, we hope this will last much longer than the original trail did because we are fairly confident that there was not as much root barrier, if any, used the first time around,” said Chad Butzow, director of Public Works for Manatee County. “Hopefully we’ll get a bit more longevity this time around.”

The county currently spends between $35,000 to $40,000 a year maintaining the trail, and Public Works says that the steps being taken with the new trail will save that money because the tree roots will no longer be an issue. If this holds true, a third of the cost of the project would be covered by the nearly half a million in repair dollars that wouldn’t need to be spent over the next decade.

When asked by TDC members if the trail could be widened enough to make ample room for golf carts and pedestrians, Stern explained that as long as they were working from the existing footprint, no new permits would be needed, but because of environmental issues due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, any size expansion proposals would require permits at the state level that could take months or even years, and be potentially costly.

While not addressing Easy Parking Group’s Old Town Tram by name, TDC member and Bradenton Beach restaurant owner Ed Chiles stated that six-passenger golf cart trams should be allowed to use the path so people could park at the beach and not have to endure the sometimes impossible task of finding a parking space near the Bridge Street shopping and dining area.

“The biggest single issue in Bradenton Beach is lack of parking,” Chiles said. “Coquina Beach may be the most parking spaces anywhere in one place in the county. This trail offers connectivity. I don’t want to see all the golf carts on there, I want to see one set of trams. That connects 1,200 parking spaces that this county has worked so hard on to what the CRA has worked so hard on in downtown Bradenton Beach.”

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the trams using the trail would also be a big help for water taxi passengers to get to and from downtown Bradenton Beach when the service begins in July of this year.

TDC Chairman James Satcher moved that the proposal be presented to the Board of County Commissioners, with the option to expand the scope of the proposal, such as a wider trail with a shell path adjacent, at a later date. The proposal was passed at the close of discussions.

In other business, it was reported that phase one of the ongoing drainage project at Coquina Beach is now complete, which added 192 parking spaces. Phase two is estimated to be completed by early July, adding 862 additional parking spaces, according to Stern.

Stern said the paving of the parking lot should be completed by the end of May, but there will still be more work to be done. He was pleased to report that fewer of the Australian pine trees that offer shade to the picnic area along the beach and parking area would need to be removed than first thought. This will not only save time and money, but keep much-needed shade in the area.

CRA parking tram remains a work in progress

Written by Joe Hendricks on January 11, 2021. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Refinements to the recently launched parking tram pilot program are sought by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) that’s funding it.

The intent of the pilot program is to encourage those visiting the Bridge Street business district to park a few blocks south at Cortez Beach, or elsewhere in the CRA district, and ride the free trams to and from where their vehicles are parked.

Revisions to the parking tram program were discussed on Wednesday, Jan. 6.

The discussion began with City Attorney Ricinda Perry asking CRA members how they want to handle the monthly invoices received from Joshua LaRose. LaRose heads the Sarasota-based EasyParking Group that is providing the CRA with two golf cart-like electric trams and the tram drivers.

The CRA recently received an $8,675 monthly invoice from the EasyParking Group for services provided in December, which was the first full month of tram operations. The CRA also received a $5,360 invoice for the first partial month of service in November.

Perry asked the CRA members if they want city staff to simply pay the monthly invoices as they arrive or place them on the monthly consent agenda for board review and payment authorization.

CRA chairman Ralph Cole said he wants the invoices included on the monthly consent agendas and the other board members agreed.

Advertising revenues

During past CRA discussions, Perry and the board members expressed hope that advertising panels placed on the two trams would generate enough revenue to cover all or most of the pilot program expenses. The long-term goal is for ad revenues to create a breakeven tram operation.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Perry said the proposed ad rates were originally based on how much revenue is needed per month to break even.

“What Joshua found was no one was willing to pay that,” Perry said. “Times are tough for businesses and they’re looking to be judicious with their expenses on advertising. I accept nothing, or I accept a reduced price for the advertising,” Perry said.

“I don’t believe if we fill the signage on the trams in its entirety that we will break even,” she added.

Operating as a separate but related city entity, the Bradenton Beach CRA receives $400,000 to $500,000 per year in annual tax revenues. During past discussions, Cole expressed concerns that the proposed tram pilot program could potentially require a large portion of the CRA’s annual tax revenues.

During last year’s contract discussions with the EasyParking Group, Perry said the CRA could terminate the one-year pilot program at any time.

With no ad revenues, the $8,675 per month pilot program would equate to $104,100 in CRA expenditures during a 12-month span.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Perry said she was aware of current and pending advertising commitments that total about $2,475 to $2,575 per month.

“That’s certainly not going to cover the $8,675,” she said.

The current advertising commitments leave the CRA responsible for about $6,200 in monthly tram operating costs.

The board members unanimously agreed that LaRose should be responsible for securing the ad revenues because his company stands to benefit the most if the pilot program succeeds and becomes permanent.

Tram travel range

The CRA district boundaries extend from the Cortez Bridge to the southernmost property lines along Fifth Street South.

During Wednesday’s meeting, members discussed whether the CRA-funded trams should travel outside the CRA district, and under what circumstances that should occur.

CRA member Jake Spooner suggested putting GPS tracking devices on the trams to monitor where they travel and how often they travel outside the district they are supposed to serve.

Spooner said long trips made outside the district boundaries result in diminished service within the district – and can also result in additional downtime while the electric trams are being recharged.

Perry shares Spooner’s concerns, but she also understands the logic in giving an elderly couple or an intoxicated person a ride to accommodations or a home located north of the Cortez Bridge.

Cole said he wasn’t overly concerned about the trams traveling outside the CRA district as long as they achieve the goal of transporting more customers to the businesses within the CRA district.

When providing public input, BridgeWalk resort owner and tram advertiser Angela Rodocker said, “This tram was designed specifically to relieve parking issues that we have on Bridge Street. It was not designed to provide transportation for people all over the Island who live here. We have a free trolley and there are multiple resources like the Monkey Bus or Uber for people who are trying to get home who live here on the Island. If you go outside of this tram’s design, you have already set it up to fail.”

The board members agreed that the trams should remain primarily within the CRA district and trips outside the district should be limited and only occur when justified.

The board agreed that LaRose should research a cell phone app and other potential means for tram users to request a ride, and they agreed that the CRA should pay for standardized signs at designated tram stops.

The board wants LaRose to start attending the monthly CRA meetings in-person or by phone to discuss his monthly invoices and address any concerns, questions or suggestions the CRA members have.

According to LaRose’s initial ridership reports, the CRA trams provided 1,994 rides in November and 2,980 in December. The highest single-day ridership to date was the 173 rides provided on Dec. 24.

The Jan. 6 discussion concluded with the members unanimously agreeing that the monthly reports provided by LaRose should include illustrations that show where the trams have traveled and also provide analysis and suggestions for additional service improvements.

Bradenton Beach parking tram program starting soon

Written by Joe Hendricks on September 7, 2020. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The parking tram pilot program in Bradenton Beach is expected to begin service on Sunday, Nov. 1.

The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) members unanimously approved a one-year contract on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with Easy Parking Group owner Joshua LaRose, who in June was selected as the CRA’s top choice over two other bidders.

Easy Parking Group already provides daily tram service for the Daiquiri Deck and the Bridge Street Bazaar businesses that operate in the building owned by CRA member and City Commissioner Jake Spooner.

Utilizing two electric, golf-cart-like trams, the pilot program will be funded by the CRA. The trams will be owned, operated, maintained and insured by the Easy Parking Group and one of the trams will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The rides will be free for passengers, but tram drivers will gladly accept tips.

The one-year contract provides LaRose with exclusive rights for five one-year renewals.

When service begins, the trams will provide park-and-ride shuttle services in and around the CRA district that extends from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South. The county-owned parking spaces at Cortez Beach – along Gulf Drive and south of Bridge Street – will be among the locations where motorists can park for free and catch a free ride to various destinations in and around the CRA district. The county-owned parking spaces further south at Coquina Beach may also be used.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said there’s “absolutely no need to go to the county” regarding the use of the county-owned beach parking spaces currently used by Island residents, county residents, non-residents, the Monkey Bus and others. Perry said there’s nothing that prohibits or prevents the CRA from running trams to those public parking areas.

The city-owned parking lot behind the BridgeWalk resort and the city lot next to the public works department building may also serve as park-and-ride destinations, as could the after-hours parking spaces at city hall.

The trams will also provide park-and-ride service to employees who work in and around the CRA district.

“It will move them to the Coquina and Cortez beach areas if the owners of the establishments tell their people they need to park elsewhere and open up more spaces closer to the businesses we have in the Bridge Street/CRA area,” CRA member and Mayor John Chappie said.

Tram routing

The initial tram plans envisioned trams running back and forth between Cortez Beach and the public works parking lot, using Fifth Street South, Bay Drive South, Church Street North, First Street North and Bridge Street as the proposed travel routes.

This led to some public resistance from residents who live along Fifth Street South and Bay Drive South, which led to additional CRA discussions about potentially using a route that relies more on Gulf Drive and Bridge Street.

During Wednesday’s meeting, resident Terry Gephardt again expressed her concerns about the potential tram route.

“I want to make the same comment I’ve made all along: Please do not run the tram down Fifth Street South. We are a neighborhood. We want to be a community, we don’t want to be a commercial endeavor,” she said.

The exact tram routes and operating hours will be subject to ongoing review and revision.

“This is a pilot project. We need to decide where it runs, where it will be best suited, how often it will be used and what the peak seasonal needs and demands are,” Perry said.

Chappie also addressed the routing concerns.

“The routing is going to be flexible. I’ve heard what the concerns are on Fifth Street and there’s a lot of good points there. I think we need to look at these other areas, along with the Fifth Street area. I think we need to move forward with it and see how this shakes out,” Chappie said.

Perry said LaRose is willing to treat the pilot program as a fluid situation as long as the CRA commits to two trams.

The contract calls for LaRose to provide the CRA with ridership and route data that can be used to continually evaluate the program’s impact and success.

That data may also be used to support the CRA’s potential future efforts to install a dedicated tram path in the Cortez Beach parking area, running parallel to Gulf Drive. City Engineer Lynn Burnett has already discussed with county staff the possibility of a tram path and reconfiguring the Cortez Beach parking lots using diagonal parking and ropes and bollards to separate the parking areas from the tram path.

Anticipated costs

Perry said the trams will run seven days a week, 365 days a year and the initial hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The city’s contract with the Easy Parking Group is based on daily rates. Perry said the rates will be $155 per day for the regular shuttle cart and $165 per day for the ADA-compliant cart. This equates to $320 per day, approximately $9,731 per month and $116,800 per year.

As he has done during previous discussions, CRA Chair Ralph Cole again expressed concerns about dedicating more than $100,000 per year in annual CRA revenues to a parking tram program. In recent years, CRA’s annual tax revenues have averaged between $500,000 and $600,000, according to City Treasurer Shayne Thompson.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Cole questioned whether the proposed annual tram expenditure might be better used to pursue other CRA projects instead, including the additional undergrounding of utility lines. Despite his reservations, Cole agreed to give the pilot program a try.

Perry said advertising revenue generated by signs affixed to the trams would help offset some of the CRA expenses. Perry said the ad revenues will be noted on the monthly invoices and deducted from the CRA’s monthly payments to the Easy Parking Group. Perry said she’s already been contacted by six business owners interested in advertising.

“If the pilot program’s not successful, we can cancel it. If we decide we can’t appropriate the funds for it, we can get out of it,” Perry said.

Additional comments

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the road construction taking place in and around the CRA district, member David Bell questioned whether Nov. 1 was the best time to launch the program and begin collecting ridership data.

CRA member and Beach House restaurant owner Ed Chiles said, “It seems like we’re on the precipice here of success, and that gives me goosebumps. We’ve been working on this for years and years.”

Chiles noted parking has historically been the biggest problem in the Bradenton Beach business district.

“I think it’s a great overall Bradenton Beach project. We’re going to have something fresh and new as we hopefully come out of this pandemic. I think it’s universally supported by the businesses. Ricinda, thank you for your perseverance. It looks like we’re about to make this thing happen,” Chiles said.

White PVC railings discussed for Bridge Street Pier

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 10, 2019. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is exploring the possibility of replacing the unpainted Bridge Street Pier railings with white plastic PVC railings.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, Public Works Director Tom Woodard encouraged CRA members to consider PVC railings instead of painting if they really want the pier railings to be white.

Woodard made his suggestion in response to the ongoing CRA debate and discussion about painting white the unpainted wooden pier railings and/or the railings on the clock tower boardwalk that leads to the pier.

In recent months, Woodard has consistently opposed painting the wooden railings due to his concerns that Public Works staff would have to continually maintain and frequently repaint them.

CRA member support for painting the pier railings white has waned since the CRA canceled a proposed contract with Lowes Commercial Painting in early September. The members canceled the contract after the painting company requested an additional $3,500 in labor fees above and beyond the $10,900 it originally bid to paint the railings and pier gazebos.

During last week’s meeting, Pines Trailer Park resident Susan Billow said she’s in favor of the pier railings being white because it would make the pier stand out to those crossing the Cortez Bridge. She said it would also help distinguish the pier from the neighboring mobile home park. Billow said she really likes Woodard’s suggestion to use white PVC railings.

CRA chair Ralph Cole said the PVC railings could be installed as a test area on the boardwalk first, before committing to replacing all the pier railings.

Woodard said the wood railings could be repurposed and used elsewhere if the CRA decides to replace them.

The members asked Woodard to bring back some preliminary price estimates for the PVC railings. They also asked him to bring back prices for the Trex composite railings he briefly mentioned.

The pier railing discussions remain ongoing and no final decisions have been made.

Test painting

Members also discussed painting a small, inconspicuous section of the boardwalk railings white as a test area for paint durability and ongoing maintenance needs.

Given the current lack of support for painting the railings, the CRA members debated the need for a paint test. But Mayor and CRA member John Chappie insisted it be done because the members previously approved doing it.

Chappie spearheaded the recent efforts to paint the pier railings white, but during the Oct. 2 meeting he acknowledged he too is having second thoughts. That said, he still feels the unpainted railings have an unattractive color to them because of the previously applied waterproofing sealant.

Woodard said the test area would be painted as previously requested.

Post office parking agreement reached

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 7, 2019. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – After-hours and weekend parking will soon be allowed in the post office parking lot.

The general parking allowance will not take effect until signs are posted that state the hours of operation for general public parking. City Attorney Ricinda Perry said this could take up to two weeks.

The parking agreement also allows the CRA and the city to use the parking lot for special events and markets.

With the support of the Bradenton Beach City Commission, the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is entering into a joint parking lot use agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS). The Miami Beach-based Fryd Family Partnership owns the post office property at 116 Bridge Street.

According to Perry, Postmaster Clyde Chapelle agreed to the proposed terms on Sept. 26.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the CRA members approved the agreement long pursued by Mayor John Chappie and brokered by Perry. The city commission approved the agreement the following evening.

The agreement includes conditions that protect the Postal Service’s parking rights during regular business operations, during the high-volume holiday season and if the employee parking lot behind the post office building becomes flooded or unusable.

The agreement states the CRA and the city shall continuously and without interruption grant the Postal Service the exclusive use of a minimum of three parking spaces at all times. Those three spaces will be segregated from the general public parking by signage or visual enhancements.

“The USPS reserves the right to tow, at the owner’s expense, non-USPS vehicles that are parking in the USPS guaranteed spaces,” the agreement states.

Beyond the three guaranteed spaces, the agreement is expected to curb the recent practice of towing vehicles parked at the post office after hours and on weekends. During last week’s CRA meeting, Vice Mayor Jake Spooner mentioned the towing.

“Do folks need to wait until the signs go up to start parking in there? People ask me all the time, ‘What’s going on with the post office? Are they still towing over there?’ ” Spooner said.

Perry said folks need to wait until the signs are installed before using the post office for general parking purposes.

On Saturday, Oct. 5, Facebook user Lori Jergenson-Mikeska posted a photo of a car being towed from the post office parking lot that afternoon.

Time frames and terms

The parking agreement does not create additional general public parking during regular post office hours, which are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

General public parking will be allowed Monday through Friday from 4:45 p.m. until 8 a.m., and all day on Saturday and Sunday, except for the three reserved spaces.

The parking agreement includes a 90-day trial period that can be terminated by either party with five days’ written notice.

“The intended purpose of the parking lot agreement is to provide parking for active patrons of Bridge Street and the CRA district street, and to provide a safe alternative to driving under the influence when needed,” Perry said later in the week.

“This parking allowance is not intended for employee parking and if during the trial period it’s determined the parking lot has become an overnight parking area for vacation rental and hotel guests the agreement may be terminated,” Perry said.

The agreement requires the CRA to repair and maintain the parking lot and the CRA is responsible for any damages.

The CRA must also provide additional CRA-funded policing for the post office property. During last week’s CRA meeting, Perry said the additional policing was Chapelle’s main concern.

“If the parking lot is not properly policed and maintained by the city and the CRA, the Postal Service can terminate the agreement,” Perry said later in the week.

“The 90-day trial period will give the city, the CRA and the Postal Service time to evaluate and address any complications and challenges that may arise from creating this much-needed parking facility in Bradenton Beach,” Perry said.

The parking agreement is scheduled to terminate on Dec. 31, 2030 and is contingent on the Postal Service maintaining the lease for that property. The agreement provides for three five-year renewals.

Bradenton Beach’s new floating dock now in use

Written by Joe Hendricks on August 6, 2019. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The new floating public dock next to the historic Bridge Street Pier is now open and being used by boaters.

The Hecker Construction Company completed the dock installation last week and City Commissioner and Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) chairman Ralph Cole led a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 2. Cole thanked Manatee County officials for partnering with the CRA on the dock project.

Friday morning’s attendees included CRA and city commission members John Chappie and Jake Spooner, Manatee County Commissioners Betsy Benac, Steve Jonsson and Carol Whitmore, Deputy County Administrator John Osborne, Manatee County Tourist Development Council member Eric Cairns, congressional aide Gary Tibbetts, Anna Maria Oyster Bar president and pier tenant John Horne, Anna Maria Oyster Bar managing partner Lynn Horne, Bridge Street Merchants Vice President and Paradise Boat Tours’ General Manager and pier sub-tenant Sherman Baldwin, City Attorney Ricinda Perry, City Treasurer Shayne Thompson and several others.

Before Cole cut the ribbon, John Horne produced a tray of Bloody Marys and proposed a toast.

The new dock replaces the storm-damaged floating dock removed from that location in 2016. The new floating dock is 10 feet wide, approximately 256 feet long and once again provides recreational boaters with free short-term dockage.

It also provides limited short-term dockage for tour boats, water taxis and other commercial vessels to load and unload passengers. Fishing and overnight docking are prohibited on the new dock.

After the ribbon cutting, attendees walked down the gangplank and onto the new dock.

“It took a while, but it looks awesome. This was a team effort that included all our department heads and especially our police chief, Sam Speciale,” Cole said.

Cole also mentioned the public discussions and strategic efforts CRA members and city staff engaged in during the past two and a half years that ultimately resulted in the long-delayed dock project being completed without any lawsuits filed.

“The process was frustrating at times, but thanks to our CRA board, our city attorney and our city staff we now have one of the best publicly-owned docking sites on the west coast of Florida,” Spooner said.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re glad the county was able to work with the city to get this floating dock. It’s another example of everybody working together toward the common good of Anna Maria Island,” Whitmore said.

“This is fabulous. It’s going to be phenomenal to see the boats back out here again this weekend. It’s going to bring people to Bridge Street. People enjoy going places by water and this will help get some cars off the road,” John Horne said.

“This is a big day for all of Bridge Street. This is even better than I expected,” Baldwin said.

As a boater, Baldwin said he appreciates the rubber rub rail running along the outer edge of the dock that will help prevent docked boats from getting scuffed up.

“This connects the Island to Tampa, St. Pete., Clearwater and other places you can come from by boat. There’s great shopping and restaurants here and they can even go to the Moose Lodge,” charter fishing Captain Scott Moore said.

“It’s another great day for the city,” Perry said.

“This is a great example of what working as a team can accomplish,” Thompson added.

“I’m glad to see that this project finally came to a long-overdue completion,” Speciale said later in the day.

During the previous night’s city commission meeting, Chappie thanked Cole for his efforts.

“It’s been a long struggle. I know it’s a team effort, but you have to have a leader. Great job,” Chappie said.

Project costs

The CRA and Manatee County co-funded the dock project. According to Thompson, the final cost is $191,524. That is $71,544 more than the $119,980 originally contracted with the North Palm Beach-based Technomarine Group in early 2017.

In 2017, county commissioners agreed to reimburse the CRA for half of a dock project’s total cost, not to exceed $250,000. That agreement, which was later renewed, means the CRA and the county are each contributing $95,762 to the project. The county’s contribution comes from the 5 percent tourist tax levied countywide on hotels, motels and vacation rentals.

Earlier this year, the CRA discontinued its contractual relationship with Technomarine due to the prolonged and ongoing delays. The CRA then turned to the Gibsonton-based Hecker Construction Group to install the dock decking sections previously premanufactured by Spain-based Ronautica Marinas and shipped to Florida in mid-2018.

As the city’s Pier Team facilitator, Speciale served as the primary project liaison until mid-April. Cole, Perry, Thompson and Building Official Steve Gilbert then guided the project to its completion.

Day dock project pushed back again

Written by Joe Hendricks on May 28, 2018. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials expect Technomarine to miss its July 4 deadline to install a new floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier.

On April 5, Technomarine President Jat Talton sent Pier Team facilitator Sam Speciale an email that said, “Technomarine’s plan is to have the day dock open prior to this Fourth of July weekend.”

The revised project schedule called for Technomarine to obtain city-issued building permits by May 11 and complete the project by June 29.

After the permitting deadline was missed, the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) convened on Monday, May 21 to discuss the CRA-funded project. CRA member John Horne was authorized to hand-deliver a letter to Technomarine’s North Palm Beach office.

Written by Horne and reviewed by City Attorney Ricinda Perry, the letter expressed a lack of confidence in Technomarine’s ability to meet its June 29 deadline, noted that a previous letter from CRA chair Ralph Cole went unanswered and acknowledged Horne’s dual interests as president of the Anna Maria Oyster Bar that leases pier-based restaurant space from the city.

“You, the CRA, local businesses and the city have every right to be both frustrated and disappointed with the lack of communication and our missed dates.” Ryan Miller, Technomarine Chief Operating Officer

On Thursday, May 24, Horne met with Technomarine Chief Operating Officer Ryan Miller and attorney Roger Stanton.

Horne received an email from Miller the following morning that said, “Attached you will find what will be the final, worst case, schedule. Our intention is to see this project through to its completion and deliver a docking system for the use of your residents and tourists by September 12.

“You, the CRA, local businesses and the city have every right to be both frustrated and disappointed with the lack of communication and our missed dates. Technomarine USA experienced a series of inexcusable delays in manufacturing which have now finally been resolved,” Miller’s email said.

Talton sent Speciale a similarly-worded email.

When contacted Monday, Horne said, “They hired Ryan Miller and he’s digging them out of a hole they got into. They’ve got two projects – one in Leesburg and ours – that are way behind. We actually have a mutual acquaintance who speaks very highly of Ryan and his ability to get things done. I feel a lot better.”

Technomarine office — CRA member John Horne paid a visit to Technomarine’s North Palm Beach office last week. – Sam Speciale | Submitted

CRA discussion

Last week, Cole asked the CRA members what they wanted to do if Technomarine missed its June 29 deadline.

“Are they in default of their contract?” Horne asked.

“Yes, they’re in breach because their delivery date was set forth in the contract which stated it had to be completed within six months from the date of full execution. However, given that the city has been attempting to work with Technomarine and has not objected to the extended deadlines, I think the city would be hard-pressed to state they are in full breach. To seek any kind of damages would be a challenge,” Perry said.

The CRA entered into its contract with Technomarine in April 2017 and has paid the company $53,990 of the $119,980 contract price. Per its agreement to provide matching funds, Manatee County has reimbursed the CRA for 50 percent of the amount paid.

“How’s this affect our agreement with the county if we were to pull the plug on this? Does the county come back and say we want that $27,000 back?” CRA member Jake Spooner asked.

“I believe they would have the right to request that,” Perry said.

“What do you think the chances are of us getting the $54,000 back,” Spooner asked.

“It never seems to work out that way,” Perry said.

Speciale read aloud a story from the Belle Glade Sun about the city of Pahokee’s decision to cancel a design/build contract with Technomarine due to delays encountered with the renovation of that city’s marina and campground.

During the April 24 Pahokee City Commission meeting, which is available online, City Attorney Gary Brandenburg was directed to relay the commission’s request that Technomarine refund within two weeks $125,000 of the $150,000 paid to the company.

“They have not agreed to repay the $$. I will be filing a lawsuit for the return of the $$ next week,” Brandenburg wrote in his May 26 email response to a Sun inquiry.

Horne said he and Miller discussed the Pahokee contract and Miller didn’t place much blame on Technomarine.

Moose lodge donates $10,000 to police department

Causeway watercraft rentals remain a concern

Request to vacate city property to be placed on fall ballot

Anna Maria cabana rental discussions resume

Commission suspends Second Avenue discussions, for now

Judge dismisses StayTerra lawsuits against Stewart, Warren-Kaleta

Moose lodge donates $10,000 to police department

Causeway watercraft rentals remain a concern

Request to vacate city property to be placed on fall ballot

Anna Maria cabana rental discussions resume

Commission suspends Second Avenue discussions, for now

Judge dismisses StayTerra lawsuits against Stewart, Warren-Kaleta

Salty Dawg: Wade In

Where’s Krysta

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Lightning detection system protects county beaches

The politics of fishing

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AMI Outfitters moves to Holmes Beach

The financial reality of owning a home

To cut or not to cut property taxes

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Cortez Watersports owner optimistic about changes taking place

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Skim competition returns to Anna Maria

Team Cablish & Gentile wins chamber golf tournament

Pat Carlucci discusses ‘Baseball in Paradise’

CENTER SCOREBOARD: Reel Coastal Properties claims flag football title

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City to install guideline signs at pickleball courts

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