HomeCommunity NewsBradenton BeachSpeciale steps down as...

Speciale steps down as dock facilitator

BRADENTON BEACH – Police Chief Sam Speciale will no longer serve as the facilitator and city liaison for the Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) yet-to-be completed floating dock project.

Speciale made the announcement in an email sent to Mayor John Chappie and the city commissioners at 1:29 p.m. on Thursday, April 18.

“With the sending of this email, I am officially stepping down as facilitator for the floating dock project. A recent shift in the duties of individuals has put the direction of this project in a direction I do not agree with, and it is for these reasons I am stepping down. I will forward any correspondence to date with any and all of the parties involved and will advise all parties to forward any further correspondence to the city attorney and to the city treasurer,” Speciale’s email said in its entirety.

Speciale’s email did not specify which duties had changed and when contacted later in the week he declined additional comment. Speciale is not retiring as the city’s police chief.

City Hall was closed on Friday due to the Easter holiday and no formal discussion had taken place yet as to who would replace Speciale as the dock project facilitator.

Until last week, Speciale served as point man for the CRA-funded efforts to install a floating public day dock along the south side of the Bridge Street Pier. The new dock will replace the storm-damaged floating dock removed in 2017.

The dock project began in early 2017 when the CRA contracted the Technomarine Group to manufacture and install the floating dock for $119,980. Due to circumstances beyond the control of Speciale and the CRA, the yet-to-be-completed project has dragged on for nearly two years.

In mid-2017, Technomarine representative Ben Talbert predicted the dock would be installed that September or October. After that potential deadline was missed, Technomarine CEO Erik Sanderson promised subsequent completion deadlines that were also missed. Earlier this year the CRA severed its working relationship with Technomarine.

On April 10, the CRA members directed City Attorney Ricinda Perry to draft a contract to enter into with the Gibsonton-based Hecker Construction Company to install the pilings and the pre-manufactured deck sections alongside the pier for $105,754. This will bring the estimated final cost of the floating dock project to between $190,000 and $195,000.

During the April 18 city commission meeting, Perry said she was still working on those contract terms. The CRA members want the contract to include a specific completion date, but that request is complicated by a separate permitting process with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The CRA needs an updated submerged land lease before the new floating dock can be installed.

Until last week, Speciale also served as the CRA liaison with the Environmental Science Associates (ESA) consulting firm that is assisting the CRA with the submerged land lease update. The update is required not only for the floating dock but also for the pending installation of a police department boatlift and the proposed installation of additional finger docks that would expand the public dockage provided by the floating dock.

On April 10, ESA representative Dianne Rosensweig told CRA members she would submit the needed documents to FDEP and the Army Corps by mid-May. She said she does not anticipate any more delays with the submerged land lease update, but she said she couldn’t promise when those two agencies would sign off on the lease update that is needed before the floating dock can be installed.

When the dock project started, FDEP considered it to be a standalone project, but the state agency now wants all three pier area projects combined into a single submerged land lease update.

Related coverage

Increased costs anticipated for Bradenton Beach dock project

Digital trail leads to undelivered day dock

Day dock project pushed back again

Most Popular

More from Author

Six charter amendments proposed

ANNA MARIA –The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee is propos­ing six...

AMI Moose Lodge hosts kids’ Easter party

BRADENTON BEACH – Due to rainy weather, Saturday morning’s Easter egg...

Business owners oppose multi-use path extension

ANNA MARIA – Some business owners are concerned about the city’s...

Anna Maria seeks to amend CBD prohibitions

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria is trying to...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...