ANNA MARIA – The city commission will host a second and final public hearing for the adoption of the city’s $17.89 million 2023-24 fiscal year budget on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 5:01 p.m.
During the coming fiscal year, the city expects to receive $14.68 million in revenues, including $4.2 million in ad valorem property tax revenues generated by maintaining the current 2.05 millage rate. The budget includes $3.2 million in existing fund balances reserves, net and assets carried over from the 2022-23 fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.
The $14.68 million in budgeted expenditures includes $2.84 million for general government expenses, $1.36 million for law enforcement and public safety, $4.42 million for the public works department, $984,506 for the planning and development department, $454,525 for parks and recreation, $1.74 million for stormwater and drainage improvements and maintenance, $2.6 million for capital outlay projects, and $192,344 in debt service.
The budget includes 6% wage increases for all city employees, including 3% annual salary increases and 3% one-time lump sum wage payments due Oct. 1.
The proposed expenditures include $1.74 million for stormwater and drainage improvements and maintenance, and approximately $3.3 million for the expanded Reimagining Pine Avenue project that will include new sidewalks, crosswalks and streetlights.
The proposed capital expenditures include $306,000 to install shade sails above the children’s playground at City Pier Park, to expand the existing shade sail structure and to install shade sails at the T-end of the Anna Maria City Pier.
The proposed capital expenditures also include $200,000 for city hall consolidation and improvements, $275,000 to study permanent alternatives to dredging the Lake La Vista channel entrance every two or three years, $500,000 to install a standalone public restroom facility on the city hall/city parking lot property, $21,200 to redesign the Island Players parking lot, $75,000 for a stormwater pumping station design study, and $500,000 to extend the existing multi-use path along Gulf Drive.
The 2023-24 budget also includes $75,000 to potentially study if and how incentives can be given to retain and attract full-term residents and long-term renters.
ANNA MARIA – Manatee County’s two newly-built water taxis have arrived and negotiations continue between the county and the city of Anna Maria regarding the City Pier being used as a water taxi stop.
On July 13, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione issued a press release regarding the arrival of the two newly-built pontoon catamarans that will serve as the Gulf Island Ferry Service fleet.
“The two 50-foot catamarans, as part of the highly anticipated Gulf Island Ferry Service, have splashed down in Cortez. The water ferry service is set to transport visitors and locals between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. The service is anticipated to launch later this summer,” according to the press release.
The new water taxis were placed in the water at the N.E. Taylor Boatworks in Cortez. – Manatee County | Submitted
“We anticipate families parking in downtown Bradenton, hopping on the ferry at the downtown port located just off the riverwalk near Green Bridge and enjoying a beautiful boat ride out to the Island. At the same time, visitors staying on the Island can enjoy a leisure boat ride to downtown Bradenton to enjoy our amazing restaurants and attractions located on the mainland,” Falcione said in the press release.
This map illustrates the proposed water taxi stops. – Manatee County | Submitted
Traveling on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway, the Clearwater-based Gulf Island Water Taxi company will operate the Gulf Island Ferry Service. The family-owned parent company, Clearwater Ferry, already runs a water taxi service between Clearwater and Dunedin. The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is part of Manatee County government, is marketing the water taxi service.
Initially operating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., the county-funded service will include water taxi stops at the city of Bradenton-owned Riverwalk Day Dock near the Green Bridge in downtown Bradenton, the city-owned floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier and the county-owned Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach, across the street from Coquina Beach.
The county plans to run the water taxi from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. three days a week. – Manatee County | Submitted
The county also proposes using the Anna Maria City Pier as a landing spot but the city of Anna Maria and Manatee County have not yet entered into an interlocal agreement approving the destination.
The county is willing to pay for any improvements needed at the various water taxi docking stops to ensure public safety and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including safety railings. But the county wants each city to pay for the ongoing maintenance of any county-funded water taxi-related improvements made to their docking facilities.
The Bradenton and Bradenton Beach city commissions have already approved their city-specific, water taxi-related interlocal agreements with the county and those two city commissions agreed to pay for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related improvements made by the county.
The recently expanded floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier will be used as a water taxi stop. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When approving the interlocal agreement earlier this year, the Bradenton Beach Commission noted the county’s water taxis are welcome to use the recently expanded floating dock as a landing area on a first-come, first-served basis like other users, but the city is not creating a reserved and designated water taxi landing area on the floating dock.
Negotiations continue
As part of the ongoing interlocal agreement negotiations that began last year, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission would like the county to also pay for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related safety improvements made to the City Pier – a provision the county has not agreed to.
During past discussions, Murphy said the City Pier cannot be used as a water taxi stop without a city commission-approved interlocal agreement with the county.
The county proposes using the existing boat landing near the T-end of the Anna Maria City Pier, with some additional safety improvements potentially needed. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In March, the city sent the county a revised agreement that proposed the county pay for the ongoing maintenance. In June, the city received back from the county a version of the interlocal agreement that contained the following language: “Prior to the commencement of water taxi services to the dock, the county shall ensure that the dock is ADA accessible for water taxi service to the public, including constructing any ADA improvements that may be required. The cost of ADA improvements, permits or required ADA-related improvement studies required for dockage of the water taxi vessel or for related upland property are the responsibility of Manatee County and its contractor. Following installation of ADA improvements and acceptance by the city, subsequent maintenance of the cost thereof for the Pier shall remain the responsibility of the city.”
The proposed agreement discussed in June also says, “The county agrees to provide a detailed plan in advance to the Anna Maria City Commission for approval showing the proposed landing area on the pier and any modifications or improvements required for the dockage and the pier. The city has the right to cancel this agreement if it finds that such modifications or improvements are unsatisfactory to the city.”
At that time, the county had not yet provided city officials with the plan referenced in the proposed agreement.
On July 13, Murphy provided the city commission with a status update on the still unresolved agreement negotiations.
Murphy said City Attorney Becky Vose met with county officials after the city commission’s June discussion and earlier in the week he received the county’s latest proposed agreement.
“I’ve gone through that proposal. There’s still some gaps. Late last night, I received a proposed picture of the landing spot, where they would like this to land. I have not received the ADA improvements that are required nor a cost of those ADA improvements, which we would need,” Murphy said.
Vose said she engaged in lengthy discussions with Falcione and one of the assistant county attorneys.
“They, unfortunately, did not implement my requested changes,” she said.
“In the big picture, we certainly do not want to let small details interfere with this, but I’m putting together a short list of some things that need to be changed in the agreement, particularly having to do with liability issues,” Vose said.
She said the negotiations are more challenging for the city because the Bradenton Beach and Bradenton city commissioners already signed the agreements as proposed by the county.
“They just took what was presented, signed it and sent it back,” Vose said.
The city-owned Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton will serve as a water taxi stop. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said, “There’s attachments missing and I’m not going to put the city in the position of recommending to you signing a contract with attachments that are blank, or not attached or not filled out. Secondly, I’m not real satisfied with the terms and conditions. I’ll come back with a recommendation one way or the other.
“I’m hoping that we can successfully do this, but if we can’t, we can’t. There’s some things you just need to walk away from and hope that things get better later. The legal issues are going to be escalated to the county attorney himself (Bill Clague) rather than to an assistant attorney. There are legal aspects of this contract that to me seem serious and not something that is in the best interest of the city. Those all have to be ironed out, but I think we need to get this off the table one way or the other in two weeks.”
Commissioner Robert Kingan said, “You would certainly think that the county would have engaged us much earlier in the process and got this sorted out at the beginning.”
“It’s a serious matter. I don’t want to be an obstacle. I don’t want bad will, but our interests have to be looked out for,” Murphy said.
Since the water taxi agreement discussions began in 2022, the mayor and commission have also continually expressed a desire for discounted water taxi fares for the service industry employees and others who work on Anna Maria Island and commute from the mainland. During Thursday’s meeting, Anna Maria Commission Chair Mark Short noted the county’s proposed agreement makes no reference to discounted fares for Island employees.
Murphy said he’ll present a “last, best and final proposal” during the commission’s Thursday, Aug. 3 meeting. At that point, the commission will approve or reject the proposed agreement.
After Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said he also received from the county a diagram that illustrates how the county proposes using the existing landing area near the T-end of the pier as a water taxi landing. That diagram was not shared during Thursday’s meeting and as of press time had not yet been provided to the media due to the city’s pending review of the plans that may require some additional pier improvements.
The water taxi service is also scheduled for discussion at the Tuesday, Aug. 1 Manatee County Council of Governments meeting taking place at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto at 4 p.m.
ANNA MARIA – The city’s 2023-24 fiscal year budget may include a feasibility study aimed at attracting and retaining permanent residents through property tax breaks and building code incentives.
On June 22, with Mayor Dan Murphy absent, the city commission participated in the first of at least three preliminary three budget meetings to occur before the final budget and the yet-to-be proposed millage rate are finalized during two public hearings in September.
Thursday’s 30-minute budget meeting focused on capital outlay projects and other potential miscellaneous expenditures.
The budget proposes $325,000 for road repaving and Commission Chair Mark Short said there are only about four streets left in the city that have not been repaved in recent years.
The proposed budget includes $1.93 million for the Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvement project that will include new sidewalks, crosswalks and streetlights along Pine Avenue.
The Pine Avenue sidewalk and crosswalk improvements will be funded by a $1.28 million state appropriation approved last year. The Pine Avenue streetlight improvements will be made using $460,000 in remaining American Rescue Plan funds previously provided by the federal government.
The proposed budget includes an additional $1.41 million in recently approved state funds to expand the Reimagining Pine Avenue project to include portions of Magnolia Avenue and Spring Avenue.
The budget proposes the design and permitting of a pumping station to address flooding along Archer Way. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The budget proposes $525,000 for the ongoing maintenance of the city’s existing stormwater and drainage systems, $1.21 million for stormwater-related capital improvements and $75,000 to design a pumping station to address frequent flooding along Archer Way.
Additional projects
The proposed budget includes $1.8 million in additional potential capital projects that will require further commission discussion and decision-making.
The budget proposes installing shade sails above the City Pier Park playground. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The potential projects include $156,486 to install shade sails over the children’s playground at City Pier Park, $79,660 to expand the existing City Pier Park shade sail structure and $69,912 to install shade sails over the T-end of the City Pier.
The budget proposes installing shade sails at the T-end of the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The budget proposes $200,000 for improvements to the city hall building that would allow building department personnel to vacate the rented annex building on Pine Avenue and return to city hall, with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit possibly moving into the annex building.
The budget proposes $275,000 to engineer and permit a permanent solution for the Lake LaVista jetty and canal area that would eliminate the need to dredge that area every two or three years.
The budget proposes $500,000 to construct stand-alone public restrooms on the city-owned property that contains City Hall, the Island Players theater and a public parking lot.
“This has come up because of the number of people using the beach and going into the stores and coming in here (city hall) to use the facilities,” Short said.
The budget also proposes $21,200 to redesign the Island Players parking lot to make it more disabled accessible and to include a designated passenger drop-off area.
The budget proposes $500,000 to extend the existing multi-use path along Gulf Drive. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The budget proposes $500,000 to extend the multi-use path along Gulf Drive that currently extends from the entrance of the city to Willow Avenue.
Incentivizing residents
To retain and attract permanent residents, Commissioner Charlie Salem proposes budgeting $75,000 for a feasibility study pertaining to property tax breaks and building allowances being given to residential property owners who voluntarily agree to deed restrictions that would prohibit them for 25 years from renting their homes out for less than six months at a time.
Salem said Murphy supports the idea, which has also been discussed with City Planner Ashley Austin.
Citing U.S. Census data, the one-page document Salem shared with commissioners noted Anna Maria’s population declined from 1,814 in 2000 to 1,504 in 2010 and 968 in 2020.
Salem cited three primary goals: Retaining existing permanent residents through tax and building code incentives, marketing Anna Maria as a place to relocate for permanent residents and creating a better long-term rental market that allows more Island employees to live in Anna Maria.
To attract new residents and families, Salem suggests enacting building code incentives that include enhanced lot coverage, living area ratio and parking requirements in exchange for a voluntary deed restriction, with property tax relief as another potential incentive. Salem noted more people work from home these days and Anna Maria is an excellent place for that.
To increase the availability of long-term rentals, Salem and Austin suggest allowing code-compliant accessory buildings to be used as long-term rentals of more than six months, with a deed restriction in place.
Salem suggests creating a marketing plan to attract long-term residents and encourage existing residents to take advantage of any incentives given.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Commissioner Robert Kingan said, noting the city must be able to recapture benefits given to a property owner who agrees to a deed restriction and later tries to walk away from it.
Short suggested asking the City Attorney Becky Vose to provide her legal insight on Salem’s proposal before funding and conducting a feasibility study.
Vose said she would conduct that legal research because there’s no reason to conduct a study if the proposed deed restriction concept isn’t legally sound.
“This is a pressing issue,” Kingan said. “If it legally passes muster, we should fast-track this because we don’t have a lot of time. A lot of people are leaving.”
The commission reached a unanimous consensus in preliminary support of all the proposed expenditures, including the feasibility study.
ANNA MARIA – The city won’t enact any additional prohibitions or regulations pertaining to commercial activity in city rights of way and other public spaces.
The Anna Maria City Commission reached this unanimous decision on June 8 after further discussing concerns that Commission Chair Mark Short raised during the commission’s May 25 meeting.
On May 25, Short said he didn’t want Anna Maria’s rights of ways and public spaces being overrun with commercial activity similar to what’s occurring along Manatee Avenue at the Palma Sola Causeway in west Bradenton, where multiple commercial entities offer horseback rides, personal watercraft rentals, kayak and paddleboard rentals and more.
Several businesses conduct commercial activity along the Manatee Avenue causeways in Bradenton. – Charlie Trygg | Submitted
After the May 25 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy asked City Attorney Becky Vose and City Planner Ashely Austin to review how the city currently addresses commercial activity in rights of ways and public spaces and what more could be done if the commission identified specific problems to address.
During the June 8 meeting, Murphy reminded the commission that additional enforcement efforts might require additional personnel and/or equipment.
Austin said the city’s code of ordinances already prohibits commercial activity in city-owned rights of way, but things get trickier when regulating commercial activity on the beaches. She noted the city already prohibits motorized vessels, including personal watercraft, within 300 feet of Anna Maria’s public beach areas. She said the city also prohibits using a cart or vehicle on a public beach to offer goods and services.
The city of Anna Maria owns the shoreline near the City Pier and along Bayfront Park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Vose told the commission there’s state legislation in the form of Senate Bill 170 awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature. If adopted as state law, the state legislation would require local governments to prepare business impact estimates before adopting new regulatory ordinances. The state legislation would also allow courts to award the recovery of attorney fees for those who challenge a new local ordinance. If enacted, the new state law would take effect Oct. 1. Vose advised the commissioners to act before then if they want to adopt any new regulatory ordinances.
Providing a potential solution to the commission’s commercial activity concerns, Vose said the city of Cocoa Beach previously created small, designated areas where commercial activity is allowed on those public beaches.
Short asked if all of Anna Maria’s beaches are public. Murphy said the majority of the beaches in Anna Maria are privately owned, and those who own beachfront property that hasn’t been renourished by the county have property rights that in some cases extend into the water.
The city of Anna Maria owns several beach access points, including this one near Bean Point. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s not wet sand, dry sand,” Murphy said regarding the private ownership of non-renourished beaches.
Austin said private ownership creates a gap in the city’s ability to regulate beach activities.
Murphy said the city owns the beach area near the City Pier, the beach area at Bayfront Park and several beach access points and can regulate commercial activity in those areas.
Murphy reminded the commission that Anna Maria residents are among the beachgoers who use beach cabana and beach equipment delivery and set up services and food delivery services, and that those service providers are local business owners.
The discussion ended with the commission reaching a unanimous consensus not to take any additional regulatory action.
ANNA MARIA – Dr. Michael Crosby and his Mote Marine Laboratory associates have until Friday to present the final conceptual plans for an educational outreach center on the City Pier.
Mote’s latest plans are expected to be presented during a special Anna Maria City Commission meeting on Friday, April 22 at 2 p.m. The commission is willing to abandon the project if Friday’s deadline is missed.
On Sept. 30, Mote and the city of Anna Maria entered into a five-year, rent-free lease agreement that would allow Mote to occupy the larger city-owned building at the T-end of the City Pier. The smaller pier building is occupied by the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop.
The pier building’s bayside windows provide a view of Tampa Bay. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In September, Mote Marine staff member Kevin Cooper said he expected Mote to complete its interior buildout and exhibit installation by March and open the facility soon thereafter.
As of Thursday, April 14, Mote officials and their contracted architect, Barron Schimberg, had not yet submitted their final plans for the long-delayed facility. Schimberg previously served as the city’s contracted architect for the pier replacement project completed in 2020.
The original plans presented in early 2021 included live marine exhibits. – Mote Marine | Submitted
The original plans that Mote presented in early 2021 featured live marine exhibits. In January, Mote provided the city with an alternate plan that featured virtual exhibits instead. Murphy said then that the city commission would ultimately decide whether the Mote facility includes live exhibits, virtual exhibits or both.
Project update
On Thursday, April 14, Murphy provided commissioners with a project update.
“We’ve had numerous false starts. I anticipated having a proposal for you today. I also anticipated having a proposal for you two weeks ago and a month ago. None of those have happened. For various reasons, the goal post has been moved several times. We’re now at the point where there’s no more moving the goal post. I had a conversation with Dr. Crosby last night. I told Dr. Crosby how disappointed I was that we didn’t have a proposal ready. They have all the information necessary to put together a proposal. This latest delay was caused by the architect. He had all the information, but didn’t have the time to put it together,” Murphy said.
“We have a lease contract that we signed back in September and that lease contract gave them 180 days to produce and/or request an extension. I’m here today to give you two options. You can enforce the contract as it is and decide to not extend it any further. This is the end of it and we tell Mote farewell and move on. The other option is that they have a proposal to us by Friday of next week. I propose to you that we’ve gone this far and that we go one more week,” Murphy said.
Murphy expects Friday’s presentation to include visuals, live exhibit examples and non-negotiable start and completion dates.
Commission feedback
In September, Commissioner Mark Short opposed the commission’s 4-1 decision to pursue an educational outreach center rather than a full-service restaurant or open-air cantina.
Commissioner Mark Short expressed his frustration during the April 14 meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the April 14 meeting, Short said, “This Mote exhibit was supposed to be done now and we don’t even have the final plans yet. There’s been delay after delay. There’s nothing to show a year after the commission agreed to move forward with Mote and 180 days after the lease was signed. I’m fine giving them another week, but I just don’t think this is the right path to go down.”
“It’s been an extreme disappointment,” Commissioner Deanie Sebring said.
Sebring said the proposed shift to virtual exhibits seems to be an attempt by Mote to use the City Pier to advertise the new Mote Science Education Aquarium being built in Sarasota.
“What they offered us was something that was going to be quite unique and incredible and it’s turned into nothing. It’s disheartening. I’m getting a bad taste in my mouth thinking they’re not going have any live exhibits,” Sebring said.
The alternate plans provided in January proposed virtual exhibits. – Mote Marine | Submitted
Commissioner Robert Kingan said, “I completely agree. I think we should give them one more week, but that’s it. They’ve had ample time to make preparations.”
“I kind of agree, but my vision is a little longer-range. I think this project has the potential to be fabulous. I’m happy to give them another week,” Commissioner Jon Crane said.
“I agree with all of you. I’m disappointed that it’s taking so long, but I do think it will be a good project,” Commissioner Carol Carter said.
Murphy told Mote officials the city doesn’t want virtual exhibits.
“What we signed up for was live exhibits,” he said.
“The commission has to decide: Do you fish or cut bait?” he added.
The commission unanimously agreed to give Mote until Friday to present its final plans.
County support
In June 2021, the Manatee County Commission agreed to provide $500,000 for the design, interior buildout and installation of the Mote facility, with Mote covering the remaining $40,000-$50,000 in estimated start-up costs. Mote also agreed to staff the facility at its own expense for the duration of the lease, with the city covering the utility expenses.
County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge attended Thursday’s meeting. He left before the Mote discussion ensued, but he addressed the commission before departing.
County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge encouraged city officials to continue supporting the proposed Mote Marine facility. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I know there have been a significant number of delays. I share your frustration, but I think the project is a great project. I advocated strongly for the project and I was able to get our board to unanimously approve a half-million dollars for the project. I think it will be worth the wait,” Van Ostenbridge said.
“I did speak with Dr. Crosby this morning and he assured me that Mote now has all the information they need to move forward with the engineering. They want to make sure the pier can hold what they put out there and withstand the weight of the exhibits. There will be aquariums. There will be live exhibits. It sounds like things are headed in the right direction,” he said.
ANNA MARIA – Water taxi operators aren’t expressing interest in operating a water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.
Wednesday, March 30 was the deadline to submit a proposal to the Manatee County Procurement Division in response to the invitation to negotiate (ITN). No proposals were received.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione is among the staff members Manatee County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes tasked with bringing a long-anticipated water taxi system to the county.
“As of yesterday, at the end of the day, the Manatee County procurement office did not receive a proposal,” Falcione said. “So, how are they handling it from this point moving forward? They’ve sent an email request to the vendors we previously sent the invitation to negotiate to. We hope to see where we can improve the solicitation process using any feedback they may have. That process has begun.”
“We’re still optimistic that we’re going to pursue a water taxi operation. We have to pursue this for the greater good of enhancing multi-modal transportation in our community. We’re going to interact with vendors who have done charters or similar types of businesses in our community to see what they need to move this thing forward,” he said.
“I don’t look at this as a negative. It’s part of a process and we’re going to do our best to make this happen. The Tourist Development Council embraces this, the board of county commissioners wants to move this forward and we know the municipalities in the county want enhanced multi-modal transportation. This is the best, first step we can take as part of that process,” Falcione said.
The opportunity to submit a proposal ended last Wednesday and has not been extended.
“That process is closed,” Falcione said. “Based on the feedback we receive, we’ll come up with plan B. The procurement office is looking at the law to see if now that we’ve gone out to solicitation with no bids do we have the opportunity to negotiate with vendors who have interest? We want to keep this moving forward. I’m sure I’ll know a lot more next week as to what we can and can’t do, but I know we’re going after feedback from the vendors we know who received the invitation to bid.”
The Sun asked Falcione if he was surprised that no proposals were submitted.
“This is new to me, so I can’t say whether I’m surprised or not. I’m a positive kind of guy and I’m not going to look at this as a negative. We’ve just got to keep on the pedal, communicate well, continue to work for the greater good and do all we can to meet the objective of getting a water taxi system going sooner than later,” he replied.
Does the lack of proposals signal concerns from the private sector about the financial feasibility of a water taxi operation between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island?
“No, because the invitation to negotiate was so open-ended. It was pretty much an opportunity for them to tell us what we need to get an operation going. There weren’t any specifics related to a water taxi operation. We’ll see if we missed something as we try to get feedback from the vendors that are licensed to do what we’re asking them to do and who really know this community. We’re going to take it one step at a time,” he said.
The initial lack of proposals may suggest a water taxi system may need to be operated by Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) as a county-funded public transportation service that is similar to the bus system.
“I think that’s an obvious option as we go through the process of finding out if this is a public/private partnership or is this a public operation? I think that could be a question at some point, but we’re still looking at this as being a public/private partnership,” he said.
Falcione invites interested people to contact Purchasing Official Jacob Erickson at 941-749-3053 or by email at jacob.erickson@mymanatee.org. Erickson is a member of the Manatee County Procurement Division.
Vendor feedback
Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin was among the tour boat operators Erickson spoke with on Thursday.
Paradise Boat Tours operates in a small terminal subleased from the city of Bradenton Beach and uses the public day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier to load and unload passengers.
Baldwin previously served as a first officer for Hy-Line Cruises – a Massachusetts-based company that operates a high-speed ferry service with destinations that include Hyannis, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
“I worked with them on the logistics of high-speed ferry travel and I was part of the team that helped make that transportation model viable,” Baldwin said.
After moving to Florida, Baldwin was part of a group that contemplated operating a high-speed ferry service between Sarasota, Bradenton Beach and downtown Bradenton. Those plans were never fully pursued due to a number of contributing factors, including delays with the Bradenton Beach dock replacement project, red tide and the coronavirus pandemic.
“The invitation to negotiate did not accurately reflect the challenges an operator would face in making this a viable commuter option, which is ultimately the goal for this. In my opinion, this looked like a glorified tour boat operation without solving any problems we face with our land-based transportation model that is being squeezed to the limit,” Baldwin said.
“This is a go big or go home venture. You’ve got to change the hearts and minds of people as to how they move around this region and that’s going to take time, money and investment. I talked to Jacob and said we’re talking about big dollars, but let’s not forget a single MCAT bus costs about a million dollars. We’re talking two $3 million boats that operate long hours, seven days a week, plus approximately $4 million a year in operating costs. Then you’re really talking about a program that could take some pressure off our land-based transportation system.”
Baldwin thinks a water taxi service might be even more feasible if pursued collectively by Manatee County and Sarasota County.
Anna Maria discussion
On Thursday, March 24 Falcione provided the Anna Maria City Commission and Mayor Dan Murphy with an update on the county’s efforts. He mentioned the March 30 submission deadline and said the county hoped to have a water taxi service operational by Memorial Day weekend, if possible.
“Let’s do all we can to get cars off the roads,” he said.
Falcione said the ITN process allowed the county to negotiate with multiple potential water taxi operators at the same time. He said the general nature of the process allowed interested people to develop their own plans regarding the types and number of vessels used, trip frequencies, operational hours, costs and more.
“It’s wide open,” he said. “We’re not going to lock ourselves into anything. We believe that maybe the low-hanging fruit is hop-on, hop-off, up and down the Island. When they come off the water, they hopefully either walk, bike or get on the trolley. The other part is downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.”
Falcione said water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and the Island requires connectivity with the free trolley service MCAT already provides on AMI. He said he believes hospitality industry workers who work on the Island and live on the mainland will use the water taxi system if it satisfies their commuting needs.
“What is the cost associated with that? Might somebody need to subsidize a water taxi system? Manatee County knows it would probably need to be subsidized,” Falcione said.
He noted that tourism tax dollars collected from hotels, resorts, vacation rentals and other lodging accommodations cannot be used for transportation, but there may be other ways to use those tax dollars to help sustain a water taxi service.
Potential landing spots
Falcione said Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier that is slated for expansion.
City leaders in Bradenton Beach would welcome a water taxi service on the day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
He also said that Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the city-owned day dock along the Riverwalk, just east of the Green Bridge. Falcione said the city of Bradenton’s dock is located near a city-owned parking garage that has plenty of space for water taxi users.
Falcione said the Anna Maria City Pier could be another potential landing area, but it would be up to the water taxi operator to initiate that request.
“I know you would have to approve an ordinance or a resolution to be able to utilize your pier for a water taxi,” he told Anna Maria commissioners.
In 2021, 3.4 million visitors came to Manatee County, including those who came for a day to visit family or friends, Falcione said, adding that 900,000 of those visitors stayed in short-term vacation rentals and 400,000 of those stayed on the Island. That equates to 1,100 rental guests per day or more than 7,600 short-term rental guests per week.
“One thousand one hundred people per day. Is that the problem? I don’t think so. What’s the problem? It’s the people coming on and off the Island for the day,” Falcione said, noting that about 60% of the people who stay in the downtown Bradenton area take a day trip to the Island.
Commission feedback
Commissioner John Crane mentioned the labor shortage on the Island and said he’d like to see subsidized ridership for those who work in the hospitality industry.
Commission Chair Carol Carter said she talked to one business owner who has 90 employees and none of them live on the Island. Carter also questioned whether beachbound “day-trippers” with families and beach gear would use a water taxi.
Commissioner Mark Short said it’s critical to get workers to and from the Island and some need to arrive early in the morning while others work well into the evening. Short said someone making $15 an hour is not going to spend $30 a day to commute by water taxi.
County or city business owners would have difficulty subsidizing the service, Falcione said.
“We’re going to lean on the proposers to see what they present to us,” he said. “I’m sure the county administrator is figuring out options and I think it’s important to interact with the corporate community and the hospitality industry.”
The Anna Maria City Pier has a landing area that could accommodate water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Most water taxis would be 35 feet or larger, he said. Murphy noted the city pier already features a landing area near its T-end. He said the water there is 12 feet deep and the pier can accommodate vessels up to 75 feet long.
Murphy said he hopes that the water taxi service providers focus first and foremost on transporting the Island’s workforce.
ANNA MARIA – Erika Lane was bitten by a shark on Dec. 22 while wing-foiling in the waters near the Anna Maria City Pier.
Erika Lane was bitten on her left leg – Erika Lane/YouTube | Submitted
On Dec. 30, Lane shared a video recap of the incident on her YouTube channel. The 54-second video includes still photos of the bite wounds she received, the bite marks in her wet suit and the bite marks on the mast that connects to the submerged hydrofoil. Her injuries were not life-threatening.
Erika Lane was bitten on her left ankle. – Erika Lane/YouTube | Submitted
In her YouTube video, Lane says, “I am thankfully OK. I was attacked by a shark. I was out wing-foiling and I was heading back towards shore. I felt large creatures swimming beneath me. I could feel the turbulence of them swimming underneath the foil and then something grabbed me and pulled the foil and board out from under me. As soon as I hit the water, I was bitten. It was more scary than painful. And then, I saw the flash of a shark’s face and jaws go right towards my face, right past me, and I jumped on top of my wing. It was my instinct and the beautiful, red wing kept me afloat above the water and out of the frenzy.”
Lane commented in her YouTube post: “I jumped on my floating wing and out of the chaos. I am thankful for that wing. I realized I had to get myself back to shore. I had to get back in the water to get on my board and pump back on foil. I was so scared,” she wrote.
Wing foil rider Erika Lane encountered a shark offshore of Anna Maria. – Erika Lane/YouTube | Submitted
“I got going again and went straight to shore. I looked down and saw blood running down my leg through my wetsuit and teeth marks puncturing my wetsuit. I realized I was actually bitten by a shark. I was very lucky. I know it was a case of mistaken identity. The water was cloudy and my foil probably looked like a fish and I just got in way of the confusion. If the shark wanted to eat me it would have. I am back in the water again foiling and enjoying the ocean. I won’t let this rare incident stop me from doing what I love,” Lane wrote.
A wing foil set-up includes a sail-like wing foil, a board, a tether, a mast and submerged hydrofoil wings. – www.forcekiteandwake.com/| Submitted
ANNA MARIA – Dogs on the beach are a growing concern in Anna Maria.
City officials believe the steady stream of tourists, the lack of verification requirements for service dogs and dog-friendly sheriff’s deputies are contributing factors.
Mayor Dan Murphy initiated discussion on these topics during the Thursday, Jan. 28 city commission meeting. He told the commission he started getting more complaints about dogs on beaches in October and asked the Anna Maria Unit of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to increase its enforcement efforts.
“We get complaints, and the complaints are escalating,” Murphy said, noting they’re not all coming from the same people.
As a result of Thursday’s discussion, the city commission informally asked Murphy to put together a proposal detailing the potential cost of using code enforcement officers employed directly by the city to enforce the city’s dog-related regulations.
City ordinances
According to Sec. 38-28 of the city ordinances, “It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any domestic animal to allow such animal on any beaches, coastal barrier sand dunes or parks located within the city limits.”
According to Murphy, this includes the beach at Bayfront Park and the public beach areas near the City Pier.
The ordinance does not prohibit keeping a domestic animal on private beach property, as long as it isn’t allowed to stray onto public beaches, coastal barrier sand dunes or parks.
According to Sec. 14-61, “The owner or custodian of a dog or cat must have direct control of such animal at all times.”
According to Sec. 14-62, “Any feces deposited by a dog or cat on public property, public walks, recreation areas or the private property of others must be immediately removed by the person who has custody or control of the animal, unless otherwise authorized by the property owner.”
Service dogs and photographs
When addressing the commission, Murphy said, “Part of the problem with this is if it’s a service dog there’s nothing that can be done about a dog on the beach. Under the law, the only thing that’s required is for the person to say it’s a service dog. It doesn’t have to have a license. You don’t have to have a little jacket on it. You don’t have to have anything. The word has gotten out, so everything’s a service dog.”
He then deferred to Commissioner Deanie Sebring, whose diabetic alert dog, Humphrey, she carries in a pouch worn around her chest and torso.
Commissioner Deanie Sebring has a diabetic alert dog with her at all times. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Sebring said the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require the dog owner to carry a card or the dog to wear a vest that designates it as a service dog.
“They don’t want a disabled person to be singled out by your dog actually having a vest or a card,” Sebring said, noting that she carries such a card.
“The only way a service dog can be asked to leave is if it’s behaving in a manner that’s not acceptable. If the dog is behaving, there really is nothing that anyone can do about it. As far as comfort dogs, I believe that’s a whole different situation. But there again, it’s someone’s word the police officer has to take,” Sebring said.
Murphy said a new and additional complaint has also recently surfaced: He’s now getting complaints about sheriff’s deputies posing for photos with dogs on the beach, and he’s been asked what signal that sends to others.
“They must come to a conclusion that it’s OK to have a dog on the beach because they’re taking a picture with the deputy,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he discussed this with Anna Maria Unit leader Sgt. Brett Getman.
“He feels very strongly that the people are doing nothing wrong because it’s a service dog. And if they ask for a picture on the beach with a dog that’s just good public relations. My perspective is different than that. Perception becomes reality. If the perception is that we’re allowing dogs on the beach because we have a deputy having their picture taken with a dog, then to me that exacerbates it. I can pursue this further with the sheriff and see if we can have a change of heart in that regard, if that’s what the commission is interested in,” Murphy said.
Canine concerns
“There’s no bad dogs, there’s only bad people. And bad people don’t pick up their dog feces.” Commissioner Jon Crane said. “Dog feces is one of the two reasons you don’t want dogs on the beach. The other is they might bite people.”
Crane said he’s not in favor of deputies posing for photos with dogs on the beach, and he’d like to see the sheriff’s office take this entire matter more seriously, but he doesn’t want to pick a fight with the city’s contracted law enforcement agency.
“I wouldn’t mind tripling the fines for people that don’t pick up their dog poop,” he added.
Later in the discussion, Crane said, “I had an experience walking my dogs across the roadside edge of Bayfront Park, which I guess is wrong – I was told it is wrong by a sheriff’s deputy. They didn’t take a picture with me and they shooed me off of Bayfront Park. So, I don’t know how widespread this is, but they handled me appropriately.”
Commissioner Joe Muscatello asked about the fines for having a dog on the beach or not cleaning up after it. Murphy said he thought those fines were $500 and he noted the fine for not cleaning up after your dog applies anywhere in the city.
Commissioner Joe Muscatello believes the city must defend its beaches. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Muscatello noted Anna Maria beaches are considered bird and turtle sanctuaries: “If that’s what we’re going to be, then we need to stay true to that. We’re a special beach here and we need to maintain that.”
Crane said he’d like to see more enforcement of the city’s leash law, because a dog on a leash isn’t going to chase down a turtle or a seabird.
Raising another concern, Sebring said she often sees dogs “running amok” on the beach after coming off a boat: “I see them pulling up and they don’t put them on leashes. The dogs run up into the dunes and do whatever.”
Muscatello acknowledged it’s difficult to enforce dogs coming off boats, but he still expects the sheriff’s deputies to enforce the laws: “We need to make sure we’re not opening this up to be a kennel on the beach.”
COVID and costs
“We have some special issues this year with COVID,” Commission Chair Carol Carter said.
Carter said she’s seen social media posts about vacation rental guests bringing four dogs with them. She believes there are more dogs in Anna Maria now due to travelers driving instead of flying. She also said she hears more dogs barking and sees more dog feces on the ground when she’s out walking.
“I don’t think these are owners or residents with their dogs. I think these are visitors who don’t understand our rules. I would like to see us create a little more awareness than what’s being done by the sheriff,” Carter said.
“If the sheriff doesn’t want to take any further action, I think we ought to consider code enforcement helping with some of this. I’m really concerned about the number of dogs running around on the beach.” Carter said, noting that she loves dogs and has had one most of her life.
Muscatello asked if the vacation rental companies make their guests aware of the city regulations regarding dogs on the beach. Murphy said some do and some don’t. Murphy said that information could be added to the list of best practices already provided to vacation rental guests regarding sea turtle protections, beach lighting restrictions and other local regulations.
Sebring noted the only public beach near Anna Maria Island that allows dogs is off-Island, along the Palma Sola Causeway.
Murphy said if the commission wants to use code enforcement officers to patrol beaches, he could come back with a proposal that details the estimated costs.
“It’s going to take vehicles and it’s going to take more bodies – as long as you understand that up front. We’re going to need a vehicle that can go on the beach,” Murphy said.
“We have to defend this beach. If that’s what it takes, that’s what it takes,” Muscatello said.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is frustrated with the lack of action regarding the removal of a derelict sailboat southeast of the new City Pier.
The large, multi-hulled, partially sunken sailboat has been grounded in that location since mid-December.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, Murphy sent city commissioners and County Administrator Cheri Coryea an email update on the removal process that involves the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND).
“We still do not have a date for removal of the derelict vessel in the water near South Bay (Boulevard) and the pier. I have asked our lobbyist (Chip Case) to escalate this issue to Gov. DeSantis’ office for resolution. I feel an inquiry from his office is necessary to clear up a bureaucratic mess of no one being responsible for removal, and no sense of urgency among any of the officials involved,” Murphy’s email said.
Earlier that day, Murphy emailed FWC Public Information Officer Adam Brown in response to a phone conversation they had the previous day.
“Per our discussion, it is my understanding that although money has been allocated for this project, FWC still does not have a firm date as to when the derelict vessel can be removed. Please be advised and pass on to those involved in this process that this is a very serious matter and the vessel, since December of 2019, has continued to pose a threat to our pier and our beaches in the city of Anna Maria. It would appear that the vessel is now leaking oil and fuel into Tampa Bay and contaminating our beach. Please provide us with a firm date of removal,” Murphy said in his email to Brown.
The city of Anna Maria is still trying to get this abandoned sailboat removed. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted by The Sun via email late Thursday afternoon, Brown wrote, “I received notification yesterday from the West Coast Inland Navigation District that a removal bid was accepted and approved by the FWC Division of Boating Waterways. A final approval from the FWC legal office is needed to allow WCIND to remove the vessel. Once we receive that approval, WCIND will contact us with a date and time of removal.
“Regarding the derelict vessel investigation, the FWC does not remove derelict vessels from area waterways. After a law enforcement investigation involving the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement or local law enforcement agency is complete, we work with municipalities and navigational districts to assist them with derelict vessel removal grant funding, but removal is ultimately performed by the area municipality or district, if they so choose, and if the vessel owner does not remove it themselves,” Brown’s email to The Sun said.
“The derelict vessel adjudication and removal process can be lengthy and can include multiple court hearings and court orders in order to finally remove a vessel from state waters. The FWC makes every effort to work with the vessel owners to have them either remove the vessel from state waters themselves or return it to non-derelict status to minimize the cost to taxpayers,” Brown wrote.
When previously contacted by The Sun on Sept. 16, Brown said, “I’ve reached out to our derelict vessel coordinator and was told the required 35-day waiting period necessary to give the registered owner an opportunity to remove the vessel will have elapsed on Friday, Sept. 18. With that being the case, we have also reached out to staff with WCIND (West Coast Inland Navigation District) and confirmed that they too are aware of this timeframe and are taking the proper steps to proceed with removal if the registered owners have not taken action before Friday. Sometimes the bidding process for removal and the removal itself can take some time, but I feel confident this is something that will take priority and I hope you will see movement beginning next week.”
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria and GSM Partners LLC have reached an agreement that allows Nick Graham, Brian Seymour and Vic Mattay to operate the City Pier Grill on the new City Pier.
Operating in the smaller of two city-owned spaces at the pier’s end, City Pier Grill will offer “family-friendly” takeout food that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner items, ice cream, desserts and beer and wine. The business operations will also include a bait shop that offers live and frozen bait, fishing tackle and more.
Seymour is the owner/operator of the Anna Maria General Store & Deli on Pine Avenue. Mattay operates his Dips Ice Cream shop inside the general store and Graham manages the ice cream shop for Mattay. The three men are equal partners in the adjacent Pine Avenue Bait and Tackle store and they recently formed GSM Partners for their City Pier Grill operations.
Seymour said the trio will share the decision-making responsibilities and he will serve as the managing partner authorized to speak on the partnership’s behalf.
Seymour said they hope to open City Pier Grill the week before Thanksgiving.
Lease contract approved
On Thursday evening, the city commission voted 4-0 in favor of authorizing Mayor Dan Murphy to sign a five-year lease contract with GSM Partners.
“We’ve come up with this contract which I think is very fair and equitable,” Murphy said of the lease terms he and Seymour negotiated.
The lease includes one five-year renewal at the tenant’s option.
GSM Partners agreed to pay the city $6,000 per month in base rent, $500 of which is for the use of additional space inside the larger primary pier building. The building’s future use has not yet been determined.
The space inside the primary building will house a portable cooler and a portable freezer that will both be on wheels and easily relocated if the city later leases the entire primary building to another tenant. In that case, GSM Partners’ monthly rent would decrease by $500.
City Pier Grill will operate in the space on the left side of the pier. The future use of the space on the right side of the pier remains unknown. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to the lease, the city reserves the right to negotiate with GSM Partners for the expanded use of the primary pier building, but also reserves the right to lease the entire primary building to another tenant.
Seymour told the commission he and his partners look forward to a lengthy business relationship with the city and they may one day also consider leasing the primary building.
GSM Partners will reimburse the city for 10% of the actual cost to maintain the pier and pier facilities.
“It will never go below 10%, but it could go above 10%,” Murphy said of those costs to be reviewed annually.
GSM Partners will also be responsible for 20% of the total utility bills associated with the pier.
The lease states the tenant has 45 days to complete the interior buildouts and be open for business. Murphy said there’s an incentive in the lease that provides up to 30 days free rent if they open sooner.
“I think it’s a good partnership. I think the right person got the bid. We’re very pleased to have you as a tenant on the pier,” Murphy said.
“I just wanted to thank the commission and the mayor. We think it’s fair for both the city and for us and we’re excited to get started. I’m proud to be a part of it. I think we’re going to make it a great place for everybody,” Seymour said.
“I’m thrilled that we have a resident of the city Anna Maria who’s heading up this partnership,” Commission Chair Carol Carter said.
Carter noted the city also has some commitments to fulfill as its share of the interior buildout process.
“We have to do the drywall, the hood and the grease trap,” she said.
Seymour said the $25,000 grease trap the commission previously approved as part of the city’s anticipated buildout costs won’t be necessary.
“There is a need for a grease trap, but not a big one buried on land. We only need one under the three-compartment sink, before the drain, to keep the grease in the trap. The grease trap the commission approved was for a full-service restaurant,” Seymour said when contacted later that night.
Seymour said the kitchen will have a flattop grill, a charbroiler and a deep fryer; the grease from the deep fryer will be recycled in a separate container.
“I have a cooking oil company that comes and collects all the used cooking oil,” he said.
“Amen and namaste,” Commissioner Jon Crane said during the meeting, before making the motion authorizing Murphy to sign the lease.
“This relationship is benefitting several businesses and several people, all who have close ties to the city of Anna Maria,” Commissioner Mark Short said.
“That influenced my vote as well,” Commissioner Joe Muscatello said.
“Especially looking forward to your desserts,” Muscatello added in reference to Anna Maria-based Hometown Desserts providing the dessert offerings in addition to Mattay’s ice cream offerings.
“We look forward to working with you and I think all the residents and visitors will be thrilled to have the grill and bait shop open on the pier,” Carter said.
Eager to start
After leaving city hall, Seymour said, “We’re already in the process of getting the final designs from our designer. We’ve got our equipment purchase list done. We need to hire a general contractor so we can start the permitting process and start building the space out. We’ve already been contacted by at least a dozen local hospitality workers who are interested in being part of this. We’re going to put together an excellent team that’s got a lot of experience right from the start.”
ANNA MARIA – On Wednesday, Feb. 19, Mayor Dan Murphy provided city commissioners with an e-mail update regarding the request for proposals (RFP) the city issued in January seeking a new city pier tenant.
The new tenant will occupy the new city-owned restaurant and bait shop buildings at the T-end of the new pier.
“We don’t anticipate receiving any responses to the RFP until we are close to, or most likely on, the due date. This is the norm for any RFP process. Serious bidders take as much time as possible to perform their due diligence, evaluate the market and prepare a business case,” Murphy’s email update said.
“As of today, 10 restauranteurs have expressed interest in our outstanding RFP. That is not to say that all 10 will submit a bid, but a significant level of interest exists in the local hospitality community. We have received inquiries from St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Lakeland, Bradenton/Sarasota and Anna Maria Island,” Murphy wrote.
An optional meeting for interested bidders was scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 10:30 a.m.
“Interested parties who may have open questions remaining would probably attend,” Murphy wrote.
“The final submission date for the RFP is Tuesday, March 10 at 1 p.m. The bids will be opened at that time, but only the name of the bidders will be disclosed. We will have 30 days to evaluate and rank the bids. Details of the bid contents are confidential during that evaluation process,” Murphy wrote.
When contacted Friday, Murphy said 14 parties have expressed interest or posed questions about leasing the pier buildings.
“There’s lots of interest out there. That makes me feel good,” he said.
Questions and answers
Upon request, Murphy shared a document containing written questions posed by potential tenants and the responses provided by the city. That document is referred to as Pier RFP Addendum #2 and it does not reveal the names of any potential bidders that posed questions.
In response to one question, the RFP addendum says there is no draft lease for potential tenants to review, but they can obtain a copy of the previous pier lease.
Current pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder’s lease expires in mid-December. In January, the commission rejected his final offer to pay $8,000 in initial monthly base rent as part of a new 10-year lease.
The addendum says it is negotiable as to whether the city will provide the pier tenant any allowance for the interior build-out of the city-owned pier buildings.
According to the questions posed and the answers given were:
The tenant will be required to obtain liability insurance for at least $2 million.
The tenant is allowed to sell retail items and merchandise.
Restaurant and bait shop patrons will have the shared use of the pier’s common areas.
Hours of operation are negotiable.
The bait shop can sell beer, the tenant’s ability to obtain a liquor license is negotiable and there is no city ordinance prohibiting liquor service on the pier.
Live music in the outside common area is negotiable, as is the tenant’s ability to place additional outdoor seating in the common area at the pier’s T-end.
Maintenance costs will be shared by the tenant and the city on a prorated basis, and those financial terms are negotiable.
Regarding menu expectations or requirements, the addendum says, “Good quality food.”
Regarding there being any city expectations or requirements for the restaurant’s name, the addendum says, “Yes – City Pier Restaurant, but negotiable.”
The city prefers that breakfast be served, but that is negotiable.
The number of parking spaces provided to the tenant will depend on how many seats the tenant proposes.
The city is unable to provide an estimate on the taxes and utilities to be paid by the tenant.
The city is unable to provide data regarding the average number of pier visitors in past years.
Potential bidders can request a tour of the pier and pier buildings with their own architect and/or builder.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is working to resolve the design conflicts recently discovered between the architect, Barron Schimberg, who designed the new pier buildings and the engineering firm, Ayres Associates, that designed and engineered the new city pier.
The design conflict pertains to the pitch of the new pier’s T-end decking for drainage purposes.
I+iconSoutheast built the pier walkway and support structure for the T-end decking, restaurant and bait shop.
Mason Martin Builders is building the exterior shells of the new pier buildings.
On Thursday, Oct. 31, Murphy met with several representatives to address the design conflict issues
The following day, Murphy sent an e-mail update to city commissioners bringing them up to speed on the results of the meeting. His email stated those who met with the mayor included Lisa Fleming from Ayres Associates, Schimberg, Mason Martin Builders owner Frank Agnelli, Building Official Luke Curtis and Eddie Miller from Infrastructure Solution Services, one of the city’s new city engineering firms.
“All proposed solutions associated with correcting this issue were identified and discussed. Some of the solutions require further details prior to implementation and any changes will be reviewed by our building official to ensure they meet code,” Murphy wrote.
“Another meeting will be held next week to nail down these details and a plan formulated to move forward. I will update you next week at the conclusion of that meeting,” Murphy’s email stated.
When contacted Friday afternoon, Murphy provided additional details.
“Schimberg designed it to be flat and Ayres designed it to be pitched, so there’s a difference of six or seven inches and that has to be compensated for,” Murphy said.
“It’s not a huge problem, but it’s a problem. So, they’re going to have to make some changes to buildings. It doesn’t look like it going be anything astronomical. They need to raise some of the door frames and probably pour concrete and drill a few holes in the platform to enhance the drainage,” Murphy explained.
“The city is not going to pay for any of that since it’s a problem between the design and the plans,” he added.
Murphy noted the new decking to be installed at the T-end of the pier will sit elevated above the concrete platform that serves as the base for the T-end buildings and decking.
Murphy was asked if the issues identified impact the work Mason Martin Builders has already done according to the plans they were provided with.
“Yes, he’s got door frames he’s probably going to have to move. There are other details that are going to have to be worked out. He’s probably going to have to level the flooring in the restaurant. It doesn’t appear to impact the walls at this point. There’s no plan to move any of the walls,” Murphy said.
Murphy was asked if these issues could further delay the anticipated pier opening in early 2020.
“That’s what we’re going to finalize next week. It depends upon the details of some of these things need to be done. I’m going to guess there might be some delay, but at this point, that’s pure speculation on my part,” Murphy said.
ANNA MARIA –The latest round request for proposals (RFP) to rebuild the city pier closed Oct. 3. Five Florida-based construction companies entered their names as candidates.
Mayor Dan Murphy said during the Sept. 27 Anna Maria City Commission meeting he hoped 11-12 companies would enter proposals.
The companies: Cone & Graham, Inc. from Port Saint Lucie, GLF Construction Corporation from Miami, Speeler & Associates, Inc. from Largo, and i+iconUSA and American Bridge, both from Tampa, submitted RFPs to the city by the 3 p.m. deadline.
Speeler & Associates, which was hired to demolish the city pier, and i+iconUSA had previously sent in construction proposals during the city’s last RFP round in July.
The last round of proposals were over the city’s expected budget. Speeler & Associates proposed a reconstruction price at $3.72 million and i+iconUSA also had previously given the city a $4.13 million offer. They were the only two companies to send in proposals, and both bids were rejected by the mayor with unanimous City Commission support.
The city has budgeted almost $2.5 million for the reconstruction, which includes only the main pier structure and the T-end located at the end of the pier. The city has not opened RFPs for the buildings at the end of the pier, where the bait shop and Anna Maria City Pier restaurant operated from.
City officials declined to comment on the latest proposals or on further details.
The city has purchased concrete pilings for the pier. Murphy said Sept. 27 he’s laid eyes on the pilings, and they’re “sound and accounted for.”
If all goes according to plan, if a proposal is accepted, officials have said they hope reconstruction work will begin in December.
ANNA MARIA – The city pier restoration project banner was vandalized at some point over the weekend. Located near the foot of the pier that is currently being demolished, the banner featured a rendering that showed what the new pier will look like.
On Sunday morning, July 15, Public Works Manager Dean Jones sent Mayor Dan Murphy an email that said, “Someone slashed the pier picture banners. I am going in to look at video and do a police report. Going to leave the banners like that until I can get there, take photos and get the deputies involved.”
Police are looking for his man who was photographed near the pier banner that was vandalized. – Submitted | Sun
Later in the day, Jones shared photos taken from the surveillance camera near the pier. According to Murphy, no arrest had been made as of Sunday afternoon. Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to call 866-634-8477.
