BRADENTON BEACH – Since April 24, Miguel Mancera’s landscaping crews have been busy laying stone, planting and, in some cases, removing and replanting multiple coconut palm trees on and around Bridge Street.
Mancera, the owner of M&F Lawn Care in Bradenton, sent an invoice to the city on April 19 for a $25,000 down payment toward the $50,000 cost of the trees and landscaping work, and as of May 30, he said he has not received payment.
“I have payroll to meet every week,” Mancera said, adding he has 12 employees. “They haven’t paid me yet. I called Ricinda (City Attorney Ricinda Perry) and she is supposed to talk to Thompson (City Treasurer Shayne Thompson).
Mancera said he paid for the stone and trees out of pocket in anticipation of payment by the city.
“I don’t know the exact amount, but it cost more than half (of the $50,000),” he said. “There was more than 20 yards of rock, so that was $6,000 just for the rock.”
M&F Lawn Care was hired by the city to plant up to 80 coconut palm trees on and around Bridge Street, as well as to lay white river rock.
The tree planting project is a city partnership with developer Shawn Kaleta. According to the city clerk, Kaleta made his agreed-upon donation of $10,000 toward the project on April 10.
Mancera, who has done work for both the city and Kaleta, said he had been contacted by Perry and Kaleta for the tree project.
“They called me up and I met them a couple of times on Bridge Street so they could show me where to plant the trees,” he said.
On May 24, Mancera’s crews were back to remove what he said were 22 of the coconut palms that they had planted in the roundabout and traffic islands of Gulf Drive South as part of the project.
The trees were removed after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) informed the city that coconut palms were not allowed on state roads due to safety concerns about sight lines along with falling palm fronds and coconuts. That section of Gulf Drive South falls under the jurisdiction of the FDOT.
“We took out 22 trees and we replanted 18,” Mancera said. “Some were replanted on Bridge Street, some in front of the parking lot at the Pines Trailer Park and some along the pier across from the oyster restaurant (Anna Maria Oyster Bar). I don’t know about the other four.”
The city clerk sent The Sun a copy of the April 19 M&F Lawn Care invoice which showed a total cost of $50,000 for the landscaping and planting of the palm trees. M&F had requested a $25,000 down payment which was due within 30 days or subject to a 1.5% late charge.
The invoice was marked with a handwritten: “OK to pay. JRC (Mayor John Chappie’s initials).” The city clerk confirmed by email on May 30 that payment had not been made.
Editorial: Signed palm tree agreement better late than never
City releases signed coconut palms agreement
Editorial: Palm trees and other shady endeavors
FDOT: Wrong trees, wrong place
