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Tag: Sam Speciale

Lt. John Cosby appointed acting police chief

John Cosby appointed acting police chief

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Lt. John Cosby is now the acting chief of the Bradenton Beach Police Department.

The “acting” designation will be removed from Cosby’s title in early October when current Police Chief Sam Speciale’s 35 years of service come to an official end.

Cosby was appointed acting police chief during the Thursday, Sept. 2 city commission meeting. He now carries all duties, responsibilities and authority given to the city’s police chief. Cosby joined the police department in 1988 and has long served as Speciale’s second in command.

When Speciale tendered his resignation to the city commission last October, he said his final day would be Oct. 9, 2021 – a date that marks 35 years to the day since Speciale joined the department.

Because he accrued so much vacation time and other paid time off during his 3 1/2 decades with the city, Speciale recently decided he would discontinue his active police duties as he waits for his retirement to become official in October.

Earlier this year, Speciale sold his home in Bradenton Beach. He now lives in Bradenton and he and his wife, MaryAnn, now spend much of their free time at their cabin in Georgia.

When proposing Cosby’s appointment as acting chief, Mayor John Chappie suggested Cosby’s salary be immediately increased to the current salary earned by Speciale. According to City Treasurer Shayne Thompson, Speciale’s current annual salary is $109,054 and was to increase to $114,507 when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

“He’s doing the work, he’s done the time, it’s only fair,” Chappie said, noting that he spoke to Speciale about the transition taking place.

Chappie also proposed giving Cosby a $2,500 bonus as compensation for the additional work he’s done during the transition period leading up to Speciale’s pending retirement. The rest of the commission supported the proposed salary increase and the bonus.

Cosby said he appreciated the immediate salary increase offer, but declined to take it because he does not want to impact the final remaining weeks of the police department’s current fiscal year budget. Cosby said he has some departmental expenditures he would rather spend that money on instead.

Cosby said he would accept the mayor and commission’s offer of a $2,500 bonus. Chappie then suggested, and the commission agreed, to increase the bonus by an additional $2,500 using Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funds in appreciation of all the extra work Cosby has done regarding CRA projects and in the CRA district as a whole. The CRA portion of the $5,000 bonus is still contingent on final approval by the seven-member CRA board that includes all five city commission members.

Lt. John Cosby appointed acting police chief
Acting Police Chief John Cosby has developed strong working relationships with city officials, city residents, local business owners and his fellow officers since joining the police force in 1988. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The commission also approved Cosby’s request that he be allowed to reserve his right to work special duty shifts that include marine patrols of the anchorage south of the Bridge Street Pier and other policing duties. Cosby will also continue his long-held role as the city’s emergency operations manager.

Chappie and the commission praised Cosby and Speciale for their many years of service to the city.

“I’ve known the lieutenant and I’ve known the chief for a long, long time. I know that they work together as a team to make this place what we’ve got right now. I want to thank you and him (Speciale),” Commissioner Ralph Cole said.

“You look at our community and the amount of crime and they’ve done an excellent job. My dad was mayor when Chief Sam came in. A lot of good things happened. These guys put us where we’re at right now. They’ve done an extremely great job. John deserves everything that we can give him. I know how hard you work. I’ve watched you work over the years. You should get everything you deserve,” Cole said.

Lt. John Cosby appointed acting police chief
Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale announced his retirement last October. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When discussing a brief potential pre-retirement return to the police department headquarters by Speciale before his retirement becomes official, Cosby jokingly said, “He better come back at some point because he left a lot of stuff in the office that has to go.”

After the meeting ended, Cosby shared some additional thoughts on his new role as chief and the chief’s duties he’s been performing during the transition period.

“Sam’s been semi-retired and working off his paid time. There will be some changes with the police department – stuff that Sam and I have talked about in the past – that are now going to come to fruition,” Cosby said.

Cosby was asked if he plans to appoint someone to serve as his second in command, similar to the role he served under Speciale for many years.

“Yes, I’ll make that announcement in October. I’m going to promote somebody from within,” Cosby said, noting the officer who gets promoted will hold the rank of lieutenant that he himself held for many years.

“We’re lucky to have you,” Commissioner Marilyn Maro said to Cosby as she exited city hall.

BridgeWalk resort enforcing reserved parking spaces

BridgeWalk resort enforcing reserved parking spaces

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Drivers should pay close attention to the signs when parking in front of the BridgeWalk resort in Bradenton Beach.

BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker has received additional assurances from the city regarding her exclusive use of three Bridge Street parking spaces. On Thursday, Jan. 21, the Bradenton Beach City Commission adopted Resolution 21-940, a resolution that codifies in writing the verbal agreement Rodocker and her late mother, Barbara Rodocker, reached with the city regarding the development of the BridgeWalk resort and retail shops in 2000.

The three parking spaces along the 100 block of Bridge Street have long been designated for the exclusive use of BridgeWalk resort guests while checking in, but that exclusive use is often ignored by others in search of a hard-to-find parking space, especially on weekends.

The adopted city resolution now supports and further clarifies the development approvals granted in 2000.

When presenting the resolution to the city commission, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “That parking agreement is not a new approval. That was a use that was already granted and approved verbally but missed somehow – we could arguably state it was scrivener’s error – in the final approval prepared by the attorney at that time.”

When addressing the commission, Rodocker said, “The reason this even came up is because I kept having to deal with people parking there. From the very beginning of this, I always believed that BridgeWalk had exclusivity over those three spots, and that’s what I think should be honored.”

Rodocker said some drivers in the community have the wrong impression about the public’s use of the reserved parking spaces along Bridge Street. She said she recently had to call the police in response to a verbal confrontation that ensued with a man who questioned the BridgeWalk parking restrictions.

“My staff has had to deal with this on and off for years, so I want my signage to be strong and I will fulfill it – which means it’s going to be uncomfortable for some local people for a little while,” Rodocker told the commission.

“There’s been way too many verbal things going on between my staff and people. There’s just so much miscommunication, even for the police department. The guys don’t even know what to do if somebody’s parking there and I call. We just need clarification,” Rodocker said.

Rodocker offered to make the three reserved check-in spaces available to the public during non-peak hours, similar to the after-hours parking allowances provided at the post office parking lot.

Police Chief Sam Speciale said it would be easier for his officers to enforce a parking prohibition that remains in effect at all times, so the BridgeWalk resort parking restrictions will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“That way there’s no question about what those three places are for. That way Angela doesn’t have to deal with people and it’s easier for us to take care of it,” Speciale told the commission.

The commission unanimously supported the resolution request and the resort’s need for the three reserved parking spaces.

Three parking spaces along the 100 block of Bridge Start are reserved BridgeWalk resort guests who are checking in.
These signs help designate the BridgeWalk resort’s reserved parking spaces.- Angela Rodocker | Submitted

Those who continue to improperly park in the reserved spaces now do so at the increased risk of being ticketed and possibly towed. When contacted later, Rodocker said she’ll soon be adding new signs that reinforce the existing signs that say, “Check-in Parking Only Please.”

“I’m so happy that we’re going to get this resolved. The last thing I want to do is have somebody’s car towed away, but we may have to do it to get the message across,” Rodocker said.

Devon Straight named Officer of the Year

Devon Straight named Officer of the Year

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Devon Straight is the Bradenton Beach Police Department’s Officer of the Year.

“I’ve prepared for my law enforcement career for as long as I can remember and I’m more than honored to receive this award. I thank my department for the opportunity and my family for their support. I’m proud to serve with devotion the community I grew up in,” Straight said of the award.

Straight was 19 when he was hired by the Bradenton Beach Police Department in November 2018, making him the youngest officer ever hired by the department.
The award nomination letter written by Police Chief Sam Speciale details why Straight won the award.

“On 07/29/2019, Officer Devon Straight was on patrol. Officer Straight was given information referencing a known burglar seen in the city walking around and possibly prowling to do more vehicle burglaries. Officer Straight was patrolling one of the condos in the city and immediately recognized the known burglar walking in the parking garage which the known burglar did not live at or have any reason to be on the premises,” the nomination letter says.

“Upon the suspect seeing Officer Straight, the suspect quickly left the parking garage and walked across the street. Officer Straight acted as if he was leaving the area but kept an eye on the suspect through his rearview mirror. Officer Straight observed the suspect walk back into the parking garage. Officer Straight turned around and saw the suspect in the pool area. The owner of the condos told Officer Straight he spoke with a male earlier and felt the male was acting suspiciously. Apparently, when confronted by the owner, the suspect gave the owner false information,” Speciale’s letter says.

“The suspect was found in an employees’ only supply closet. The suspect was detained and after looking at surveillance video it showed the suspect walking into the parking garage, casing the parking area and walking between vehicles where the suspect had no reason to be.

“The suspect was arrested for burglary to a structure and several other charges. If it hadn’t been for Officer Straight paying attention to the information given to him about the suspect, and his initiative of patrolling the resorts, the city of Bradenton Beach would have possibly had several crimes committed by this suspect. Therefore, the Bradenton Beach Police Department is proud to announce Officer Devon Straight as the Officer of the Year,” Speciale’s letter says.

Family tradition

Straight has wanted to be a police officer for most of his life. He is the grandson of Bradenton Beach residents Ed and Gail Straight, the founders and curators of Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center, where Devon has long served as a volunteer.

Ed Straight served several terms as a Bradenton Beach City Commissioner. He spent nine years as a paramedic for Manatee County Emergency Medical Services, 13 years as EMS chief and seven years as the chief of the county’s Emergency Communications/911 center. He also served for more than two decades as a reserve deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

“It’s always nice when you’re doing a job and your supervisors notice it. The best compliment of all is being able to use good judgment, and these days, not everybody is capable of doing that. People who use good judgment tend to eventually end up in leadership roles,” Ed Straight said.

“Devon’s work with us at Wildlife Inc. helped him stay on the right path. It’s really important when you’re doing rehabs and rescues that you pay close attention to detail. I think that carries over into Devon’s police work. We’re quite proud of him. He did well at school, he did well at the police academy and he knew all along that if he wanted to be in law enforcement, he had to keep a good, clean record,” Ed Straight said. “In these times we are in, we are of course concerned about law enforcement, but we know Devon will use good judgment in whatever situation he encounters.”

Spring break is in full swing

Spring break in full swing

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island beaches are busy and business owners are enjoying a banner Spring break season.

A mid-week visit to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach found a quartet of students from Indianapolis among those enjoying a beautiful beach day.

“We have family that lives down here. It’s a clean beach, the sand feels great and the water’s clean,” said high school senior Brenna Garrard, while sitting on the beach Wednesday afternoon with her twin brother Tyler and their high school friends Alexis Weston and Samara Gephart.

Tyler graduated high school early and is now studying mechanics as a freshman at Indiana University.

“We went over to Siesta Key and we’ve been in Clearwater a few times. I like this beach a lot better. Clearwater is more packed. Here it’s more relaxed,” Tyler said.

On Friday, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “People have been behaving very well. Most of our guests have been families that have had a wonderful time on the Island. We had two groups of unruly college students that were evicted from their rental units for underage drinking, jumping off the roof into the pool and other things they shouldn’t have been doing. The rental agents were notified and they evicted them.

“We’ve also had many well-behaved and respectful groups of college kids on the Island from Ohio, Minnesota, a group from Indianapolis and a couple groups from Tampa. We enjoy having the groups that respect our rules and ordinances and are responsible and understand we have zero tolerance for any alcohol on the beach,” Tokajer said.

“Spring break has been very busy this year, probably the busiest I can remember in the past 10 years,” said DCoy Ducks’ bartender Brad Lisk. “The crowds seem younger this year and there are a lot more college-aged kids. For the most part, they’ve been well-behaved. They’re here to party but they’re being respectful while enjoying the beach, the sun and some drinking.”

Anna Maria

The Pine Avenue business district in Anna Maria is also abuzz with visitors.

“I don’t know if it’s perception or because we went through such a long dry spell with the red tide and the fact that we lost the pier, but it seems to me that we have a bumper crop this year,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said. “It seems to me there’s more families visiting and more younger people. The streets are filled on weekends with young people. I think it’s great for the businesses. I know it’s a little hectic for those who live here full-time, so I ask everybody to be patient, welcoming and kind because it’s good that people are enjoying our city. They’re basking in the sunshine and enjoying themselves.”

Spring break is in full swing
The line was long at the Donut Experiment in Anna Maria Wednesday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Brian Seymour says sales are up at his Anna Maria General Store & Deli.

“The first couple weeks were definitely college kids. This week and next it’s mostly families. It’s nice to see the Island busy again. There’s downsides for the residents with the increased traffic, but people have come back to the Island and they’re supporting the local businesses,” Seymour said.

“We are having a great spring break. We are much busier than last year. That’s good news and we are renting to families, not college kids,” said Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan.

Bradenton Beach

“We’re having an extremely busy spring break with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. We’ve got people everywhere,” said Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale.

“The schools let out a couple weeks ago and we’ll be seeing a lot of people out here until Easter. We’ve got college kids, high school kids and a lot of families coming down. Everybody’s been really well-behaved and it’s been a nice, quiet spring break. You’ve got to give credit to the kids and the families for coming down here and enjoying themselves without causing any problems. The vacation rentals are all filled. We haven’t had a lot of noise complaints, but we’ve had a few. The few we’ve had quieted right down when our officers went there and we haven’t had to go back,” Speciale said.

Jake Spooner owns the Bridge Street Bazaar and The Fish Hole miniature golf course on Bridge Street.

Spring break is in full swing
The Bridge Tender Inn is among the many Island bars enjoying a boost in Spring break business. Jake Spooner | Submitted

“It’s been a great 2019 and Easter is later this year, so we’ll have a longer season. I’m seeing mostly families – grandparents, parents and kids. Our numbers are up over last year. The Bridge Street bars have been packed too. Everybody seems a lot busier this year,” Spooner said.

Cortez

Business is up in Cortez too.

“I think our crowd might be a little younger this year, but I don’t know if it’s Spring breakers or just families. There just seems to be more people here on Spring break,” Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said. “I think there’s more people here too because of what happened in the panhandle with Hurricane Michael. Some people told me they’re here for the first time because they used to go there. We’re up a bit more than normal, which I’m very grateful for. We’re off the beaten path but more people know about Cortez every year.”

Spring break is in full swing
This sandcastle was left as a souvenir of someone’s time at Manatee Beach on Wednesday. Joe Hendricks | Sun
Bradenton Beach anchorage

Amended anchorage ordinance proposed

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials are working on an ordinance that would provide for greater enforcement of the navigable waters and unmanaged anchorage south of the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry presented Ordinance 17-479 on first reading during the Thursday, Feb. 16 city commission meeting.

If adopted upon second reading at a future meeting, the new ordinance will replace Ordinance 09-412, adopted in 2009, when the city was pursuing the creation of a managed mooring field. Those efforts were later abandoned due to the permitting and construction costs associated with anchoring mooring balls into state-owned submerged land.

Although the mooring field was never fully pursued, the 2009 ordinance still works in unison with permission granted by the State of Florida that provided the Bradenton Beach Police Department with expanded enforcement boundaries. These boundaries still extend 1,500 feet from the shore and out into the Intracoastal Waterway from Eighth Street South to Cortez Road. The police department also has enforcement jurisdiction within 500 feet from shoreline for the rest of the city, on both the bay and Gulf sides.

Last week’s meeting included no discussion on any present pursuit of a managed mooring field, but the new ordinance would still allow for a managed mooring field or anchorage at a later date.

Consensus reached

Police Chief Sam Speciale discusses the amended ordinance with Bradenton Beach commissioners. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

City Police Chief Sam Speciale told the commission he needs an updated ordinance in order to address his concerns about property management operations being advertised and conducted in regard to renting sailboats out as places of residence. Speciale said is it virtually impossible to identify the true owners of many of the vessels being rented, which leaves the city on the hook for removing the vessels that sink.

The commission reached consensus on several key elements contained in the ordinance.

The commission agreed to allow code enforcement regulations to be enforced in the city waterways. This would allow escalating fines to be levied on repeat offenders, rather than the $75 citations issued by the police department.

Commissioners agreed that business operations conducted on vessels anchored in city waters would be required to obtain a business tax receipt from the city, but this would not apply to water taxis and ferries that dock temporarily at the public day dock, where financial transactions are prohibited.

The commission agreed to strike language proposed by Perry that would have established a permitting or licensing process for water taxis and ferries. The commission agreed that these were desired activities and there was no desire to inhibit them.

Commissioners also agreed that the ordinance would be broad enough to incorporate the enforcement of state, county, city and Coast Guard laws and regulations.

After differentiating that mooring involves tying off to a fixed or submerged structure and anchoring simply involves dropping anchor, the commission agreed that all such references listed in the ordinance would apply to mooring, anchoring and tying up to another vessel – a practice known as rafting.

The commission agreed that various fines could be issued for different infractions and differing fine amounts could be established by a city resolution that is easier to amend than a city ordinance.

At the suggestion of Perry, the commission agreed that gambling boats will not be allowed to dock at the public day dock or debark anywhere in city waters.

The commission agreed to strike all references to the dinghy dock that were included in the 2009 ordinance in anticipation of a managed mooring field. Instead, the dock between the Bridge Tender Inn and the pier will be treated simply as one of the city’s public docks, with no special rights given to those who use dinghies to commute between their offshore vessels.