BRADENTON BEACH – The Christmas season officially began on Bridge Street with the Nov. 18 lighting of the city Christmas tree.
Prior to the event, the Magic of Manatee chapter of the Sweet Adelines serenaded the crowd with a variety of Christmas songs. They sang, “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” inviting attendees to sing along to “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
The late John Shaughnessy, a former Bradenton Beach mayor and commissioner who passed away in May, was honored at the tree lighting.
Emcee and local businessman Sherman Baldwin introduced Shaughnessy’s widow, June, and spoke of the former mayor’s vision for Bradenton Beach.
Emcee Sherman Baldwin recognized June Shaughnessy and the accomplishments of her husband, the late John Shaughnessy, who formerly severed as a Bradenton Beach city commissioner and as mayor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“He would be so proud and happy to be here on a night like this,” Baldwin said. “The vision he saw for this street and Bridge Street pier is nothing short of amazing.”
Joe Cuervo, the former owner of the Drift In, was given the honor this year of lighting the tree.
Former Drift In owners Joe and Angie Cuervo helped light the tree. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“He also brought a vision to this street, always a positive influence and is definitely a part of what makes this street what it is today,” Baldwin said of Cuervo.
Cuervo wished the crowd a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The illuminated tree brought cheers from the crowd. The 42-foot tree, located at the post office on Bridge Street, lights up the night sky with more than 20,000 lights.
Michael, Mickey and Liam get into the holiday spirit at the Bridge Street Christmas tree lighting. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Following the tree lighting, the movie, “Elf,” was played on an outdoor screen.
The holiday event was sponsored by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the city of Bradenton Beach and local merchants.
Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said the tree lighting typically attracts around 1,000-1,200 people to Bridge Street.
Santa and Mrs. Claus are seated by the tree before the Bridge Street Christmas tree lighting. – Leslie Lake | SunThe Christmas tree stands in the Bradenton Beach post office parking lot. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
BRADENTON BEACH – Bradenton Beach commissioners do not want Paradise Boat Tours to continue refueling at the county-owned barge dock near Longboat Pass.
The mayor and commissioners took this position on Thursday, Jan. 21, when discussing an email that City Attorney Ricinda Perry and others received from Manatee County Environmental Program Manager Alan Lai Hipp two days earlier.
In his email, Lai Hipp questioned whether the city wanted to expand an existing interlocal agreement between the county and the city to allow mobile refueling at the county barge dock.
Paradise Boat Tours uses the nearby Bridge Street Pier to pick up and drop off its passengers. Rather than pay the fuel prices charged at marinas, Baldwin has long used a modified Ford pickup truck to refuel his tour boat at the county-owned barge dock at the south end of the Coquina South boat ramp property.
Last week’s refueling discussion was not noticed in advance on the Jan. 21 meeting agenda, but it was added to the agenda when the meeting began, with Baldwin not in attendance.
Commission discussion
Mayor John Chappie said he’s not in favor of expanding the existing interlocal agreement to allow mobile refueling at the county dock.
Mayor John Chappie does not support refueling operations taking place at the county barge dock. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I can envision all kinds of boats lining up with trucks full of gas in this public recreational area. I can see this is a safety issue,” Chappie said.
“I think you’re opening up a can of worms,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “There’s a lot of people that fish off that seawall. It is a recreational area and you have plenty of places to fuel a boat. I don’t think that’s the place to do it.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “I think Sherman is a big asset to Bradenton Beach. I don’t want to hurt his business by not being able to gas up.”
Commissioner Marilyn Maro said she agreed with Chappie.
In response to Vosburgh, Chappie said, “There are plenty of certified fueling places he can go to. We have a marina right here in Bradenton Beach. There’s a marina in Holmes Beach. There’s at least one, maybe two or three, in Longboat Key.”
Chappie also mentioned the possibility of a fuel spill.
“Who’s going to clean it up if it does spill?” Commissioner Jake Spooner asked.
“It seems the response for Alan would be no, we don’t want to allow that type of activity,” Chappie said.
Perry said she would relay the commission consensus to Lai Hipp and Parks and Natural Resources Department Director Charlie Hunsicker.
Baldwin’s response
When contacted Thursday afternoon, Baldwin said he was not upset with the city commission’s decision, but he would have liked to have been included in the discussion.
The following day he emailed Chappie and the city commissioners.
The fuel travels through a hose from the fueling truck to the tour boat. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“On Jan. 12, I attended the Manatee County Commission meeting and was informed by Commissioner Whitmore that Bradenton Beach has jurisdiction over the fueling issue. Not seeing it on the agenda for yesterday’s meeting, I opted not to attend,” Baldwin’s email said.
“I respectfully request that an agenda item be added to the Feb. 4 commission agenda and I be allowed a brief period of time to provide important details that I believe the commission needs to consider. I also request that any answer to Alan Lai Hipp’s email be delayed until after the commission has taken up this issue at the Feb. 4 meeting,” Baldwin’s email said.
Past discussions
On Dec. 14, Baldwin addressed his suspended refueling efforts in an email sent to County Administrator Cheri Coryea and others.
“Six weeks ago, sheriff’s deputies informed us that they have been instructed to prevent us from refueling there anymore – and that it was Alan Lai Hipp who they received their instructions from. In fact, if we refueled there again, we would be subject to arrest,” Baldwin’s email said.
“Marina fuel is over $2 more per gallon than the street price,” Baldwin’s email noted.
It also noted that his mobile fueling operations reduce his fuel costs by approximately $650 per week.
On Dec. 15, Baldwin shared his plight with county commissioners. The county commission agreed they did not want to see Baldwin arrested, but they also did not support the county dock being used for refueling.
County Attorney Mickey Palmer said he was not aware of any county code or regulation that currently prohibits refueling at the county dock. He recommended the county take no enforcement action until the matter was further researched.
The county commission supported Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge’s request for the county attorney’s office to prepare a document that formally prohibits refueling activities at the loading dock – and potentially at county boat ramps too. That document has not yet been presented to county commissioners.
Later that week, Baldwin resumed his mobile refueling operations at the county dock.
BRADENTON BEACH – Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin questions the county’s request that he no longer refuel his tour boat at the county-owned loading dock near Longboat Pass.
The loading dock and seawall are located near the mouth of the pass, at the south end of the Coquina South boat ramp area.
For several years, Baldwin and his employees have used a modified pickup truck to refuel the tour boat at the county-owned loading dock, rather than pay the higher cost of refueling at a marina.
Concerns expressed
On Monday, Dec. 14, Baldwin addressed his concerns in an email to county commissioners, County Administrator Cheri Coryea and several county staff members.
His email noted he’s been using the county loading dock for nearly seven years.
“During this time, our refueling operations have been inspected by The United States Coast Guard, the Florida Wildlife Commission, Manatee County Marine Sheriff’s deputies and Bradenton Beach officials. All without incident or infraction. Two years ago we were asked to elaborate in writing our refueling protocols by the city of Bradenton Beach prompted by the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department, specifically Alan Lai Hipp. All seemed good,” Baldwin stated in his email.
The fuel travels through a hose from the storage tank in the bed of a pickup truck and into the tour boat’s two 44-gallon fuel tanks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“However, six weeks ago sheriff’s deputies informed us that they have been instructed to prevent us from refueling there anymore, and that it was Alan Lai Hipp who they received their instructions from. In fact, if we refueled there again, we would be subject to arrest,” Baldwin wrote.
“We invested over $10,000 in modifications to a Ford F150 to be in compliance with federal regulations and now we are told to cease fueling operations without hearing or recourse. Marina fuel is over $2 more per gallon than the street price. This additional cost will force us to terminate at least one employee due to an increased fuel cost of over 65%, representing almost $650 per week loss. We were informed that our only option is to attend and speak at public comment at a commission meeting,” Baldwin wrote.
His email then stated his intent to refuel at the county dock at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 – even at the risk of arrest.
On Tuesday, Dec. 15, Coryea sent the commissioners the response she received from Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and his staff.
“This vendor was observed using this facility without permission in reports we received from Property Management Parks Maintenance and Public Safety Marine Patrol staff over several months – prior to our department issue of written notice to discontinue unauthorized use in 2019,” Hunsicker stated in his email to Coryea.
“In February of 2020, we engaged in several written exchanges with the vendor in response to letters of concern posted by this vendor to the board of county commissioners which asked for permission to continue private vessel refueling operations at this location. This operator refuses to accept our recommendations as manager of this dock space which have been clearly and repeatedly communicated with him,” Hunsicker wrote.
“Despite claims to the contrary, this private business operator never received permission from our department to operate a private vessel fueling operation at this location; nor does the city of Bradenton Beach have any record of approval.
“Despite the operator’s assurance that he has the capability to safely operate his private business from this facility, there are substantial risks to the county unique to marine operations to continue to allow this operation from an unstaffed public facility without extensive provisions for release of liability waiver, environmental damage insurance and other risk management driven considerations,” Hunsicker wrote.
“Use of this dock previously has been limited to and allowed for heavy construction vendors under contract to the city of Bradenton Beach for public pier and dock repairs, the State of Florida for maintenance activities for the Longboat Pass Bridge and Longboat Pass maintenance, and to Manatee County for deployment of material for offshore artificial reef sites and beach renourishment related construction activities.
“Moreover, if a private vendor of any size or complexity were to request to be allowed to operate at this county public facility, any business proposition would have to be thoroughly vetted through a competitive process to open this opportunity to any prospective vendor who would likewise enjoy the benefit of using this public facility without the charges invoked at many private marinas in Manatee County that offer commercial fueling capabilities,” Hunsicker wrote.
Commission discussion
During public comment at the Tuesday, Dec. 15 county commission meeting, Baldwin read his email aloud to county commissioners.
During the discussion that followed, commissioners Vanessa Baugh and Kevin Van Ostenbridge were among those who expressed strong opposition to a business owner being arrested for refueling his boat.
County Attorney Mickey Palmer told the commission the loading dock is located in a county-owned public park and trespassing someone from that public space is not advised.
Palmer also said he’s not aware of any county code or regulation that currently prohibits refueling at the county dock. Palmer recommended the county “stand down” and take no action until this matter is further researched and sorted out.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore expressed concerns about other commercial boat owners, operators and fishermen engaging in similar fueling activities if Baldwin is allowed to do so.
The commission was in unanimous agreement that boat fueling is not a desired activity at that location.
Van Ostenbridge made a motion directing the county attorney’s office to prepare a document that formally prohibits refueling activities at the loading dock – and potentially at county boat ramps as well. That document is expected to be discussed and potentially adopted in January.
Refueling resumes
On Thursday, Dec. 17, Baldwin and Capt. Justin Jones resumed their refueling operations at the county dock.
Captain Justin Jones assisted with last Thursday’s refueling activities. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Baldwin said he realizes a county prohibition is likely forthcoming, but he can still experience at least one month’s worth of fuel cost savings until then. Baldwin said he’s looked for alternative locations to continue refueling in this manner and has not found one.
Baldwin said one refueling operation provides enough fuel for 10-12 boat tours, and Paradise Boat Tours operates as many as six tours per day.
UPDATED Aug. 22, 2020 – ANNA MARIA – Four local entrepreneurs interested in operating a grill and bait shop on the new City Pier have submitted bid proposals to the city of Anna Maria.
The bid proposals received are in response to the request for proposals (RFP) the city recently issued seeking a tenant to lease the 300-square-foot bait shop building at the T-end of the new pier.
The city seeks a tenant who will operate a takeout grill that offers a limited menu throughout the day in addition to selling bait and possibly offering additional fishing supplies.
The bidders hope to lease the city-owned bait shop building on the Anna Maria City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The deadline to submit a proposal was 1 p.m. on Friday. A few minutes after that deadline passed, Mayor Dan Murphy opened the four bid proposals and announced who submitted them.
The four bidders are F.P. Growth Partners; Brian Seymour, Vic Mattay and Nicholas Graham; Sarah Baldwin/Tevatan LLC and Harry’s Continental Kitchens.
Kim Nemeth, Brian Seymour and Patrick Coleman attended Friday’s bid opening, with Public Works Manager Dean Jones also present. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Patrick Coleman represented F.P. Growth Partners at the public bid opening held at city hall in the city commission chambers. F.P. Growth Partners’ business operations include the Poppo’s Taquerias on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria and on Manatee Avenue in Bradenton.
Seymour is the owner/operator of the Anna Maria General Store and Deli on Pine Avenue that leases space to Mattay and his Dips Ice Cream shop. Graham is the co-owner and operator of Graham Slam fishing charters in Cortez.
Anna Maria resident Kim Nemeth represented Tevatan LLC. Nemeth is the manager of Paradise Boat Tours and Bridge Street Bait Shop at the foot of the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
Tevatan LLC is led by CEO Sarah Baldwin and her father, Sherman Baldwin, who serves as the LLC’s general manager. Tevatan also operates Hart’s Landing in Sarasota in space leased from that city.
Harry’s Continental Kitchens is located in Longboat Key and was not represented at Friday’s bid opening.
Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar owner Jason Suzor and Star Fish Co. restaurant owner Karen Bell participated in the recent pre-bid meeting but neither submitted a bid proposal.
Murphy said he will now review the four bid proposals that will also be provided to city commissioners. The proposals will not be made public until placed on an agenda for a future city commission meeting or a special city commission meeting to be held within the next 30 days.
When the bid proposals are presented for commission discussion at a public meeting, each commissioner will individually rank the bidders and their proposals according to their personal preferences. One point will be awarded for a commissioner’s first choice, two points will be awarded for a commissioner’s second choice and so on. The bidder and proposal with the lowest combined score will then be given the opportunity to attempt to negotiate a lease contract with Murphy and the city.
According to the RFP, the city reserves the right to discard any or all bids.
During Friday’s bid opening, Murphy said he hopes to have the grill and bait shop open by the first of the year at the latest, and much sooner than that if all goes well.
While seeking a tenant for the bait shop building to the left, the city currently has no plans for the larger building to the right. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The city currently has no plans to resume its search for another pier tenant to operate a full-service restaurant in the larger of the two city-owned buildings at the T-end of the new City Pier. At this time, the future use of the larger pier building has not been determined.
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.
Community Redevelopment Agency chairman Ralph Cole, center, cut the ceremonial ribbon Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
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.
Anna Maria Oyster Bar president John Horne, right, serves up Bloody Marys and proposes a toast. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
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.
Former Mayor Jack Clarke, right, was among those who visited the new dock Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“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.
These boats were among the first to use the new dock on Friday. – Lynn Horne/Anna Maria Oyster Bar | Submitted
“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.
The new dock was in use again Saturday morning. – Sherman Baldwin/Paradise Boat Tours | Submitted
“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.
The dock cleats bear the name of the Technomarine Group that was dismissed from the dock project earlier this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
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.
CRA chair Ralph Cole and City Attorney Ricinda Perry helped guide the dock project to completion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
BRADENTON BEACH – The Sarasota City Commission has unanimously approved a conditional city-issued water taxi permit that will allow Sherman Baldwin and Tevatan LLC to operate a water ferry service between Sarasota and the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
The conditional elements of the permit approved Tuesday, Feb. 21, include a requirement that Baldwin acquire sublease rights for a city of Sarasota-owned dock building near Centennial Park and the 10th Street boat ramp. The dock and adjacent city-owned building are leased to the all-volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla. Baldwin also plans to inquire about subleasing and sharing the sparingly used auxiliary building for use as a lobby area.
Baldwin was scheduled to meet with Sarasota Parking General Manager Mark Lyons this week to discuss the sublease and to further clarify the parking situation. Depending on the outcome of these discussions, Baldwin hopes to begin his ferry service as early as next month. He originally hoped to begin service in mid-February until he encountered unanticipated delays in the permitting process.
“We’re glad to see the permit is underway. There’s still some work that needs to be done, but I’m convinced that it can be handled.”
– Mark Lyons, Sarasota parking general manager
Sarasota’s water taxi permit ordinance was adopted in 2003 but it was never fully implemented until Baldwin submitted his application. This process revealed the need for future refinement of the ordinance and the commission agreed that would be undertaken as a separate and future commission matter.
In accordance with the existing ordinance, further clarification is still needed in regard to parking. The city-owned dock is located next to the Centennial Park public boat ramps and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in an area that contains approximately 900 parking spaces.
Capt. Sherman Baldwin and Parking General Manager Mark Lyons present Baldwin’s ferry taxi plan to Sarasota City Commissioners. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
There is ample room for parking, but the arrival and department point is not within easy walking distance of Main Street and the downtown business and entertainment district.
Baldwin originally hoped to set up shop in the city-owned waterfront complex that includes the Marina Jacks and O’Leary’s Tiki Bar, but that was not to be.
“I wish it was closer to downtown. I would prefer that it be in the heart of the downtown, but there’s challenges trying to get that done,” Lyons said after last week’s meeting.
This means folks who travel to Sarasota from Bradenton Beach and elsewhere on Anna Maria Island will need to utilize the city’s new Gem Car electrical shuttle service, Uber drivers, taxis and other means of alternative transportation to reach their destinations. Lyons said there is also enough space in that location to accommodate larger shuttle buses.
Sarasota commissioners also expressed interest in Uber-like water taxis transporting folks around the waterfront and across the bay to Longboat Key; and Sherman mentioned this as an anticipated second phase of his ferry operations.
When asked about a ferry stop in Longboat Key, Baldwin told the commission this would not be feasible due to the lack of public docking facilities. He said Uber-like water taxis would be a more practical means of accomplishing that goal.
Lyons said he appreciated the fact that Baldwin came to the city with a plan that did not seek financial subsidies.
“Sherman came forward with a full plan. We’re proud to partner with him and help him out where we can. We’re glad to see the permit is underway. There’s still some work that needs to be done, but I’m convinced that it can be handled,” Lyons said.
The Sarasota commissioners touted the ferry service’s potential to create jobs and economic opportunities in addition to serving as an alternative means of travel between Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Sherman said he was happy that his permit was conditionally granted and he expressed no displeasure about the delays incurred. His future plans include expanding the ferry service to include downtown Bradenton as well, which he hopes to do later this year or in 2018.
