The abate debate is over.
The Bradenton Beach city commission decided at its meeting Sept. 4 to shave $1,135 off the monthly rent for the proprietors of the Cast-N-Cage restaurant, Rusty Anchor bait and tackle shop and the Pelican Perch concession beginning with the September payment and continuing until the Historic Bridge Street Pier is again open to the public.
Claiming that the ongoing reconstruction of the pier is hurting business, Roland Pena approached the commission in early August asking for a rent reduction and refunds for past payments amounting to more than $30,000.
The commission rejected the idea of refunds early on, with Mayor Bill Shearon citing legal issues.
“We can’t go back,” he told Pena at an earlier commission work session. The mayor had championed the abatement alternative.
The commission waited to make a final decision until the city pier team had the opportunity to weigh in. That group met the Sept. 3, at which time Pena, his wife Tammy Kemper-Pena and bait shop operator Jeff Roberts made their case to the pier team facilitator, Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale.
“The day the construction sign went up our business took a nosedive,” said Kemper-Pena. “Today decides whether or not we will have to lay off employees.”
After noting that the construction was ahead of schedule, the parties discussed problems stemming from the construction, as well as unrelated issues such as signage, parking and the safety of the pier area for employees after hours. After more than 30 minutes of back and forth, Speciale said the pier team would recommend reducing the rent by $1,135 — $750 for the concession stand and $385 for the fishing kiosk.
“We do care,” Speciale said of the issues raised by Kemper-Pena and the others. “We have a vested interest in the building too.”
According to Kemper-Pena, this amount would preserve two of the employee positions at the Cast-N-Cage.
Pena and Roberts also attended the meeting and thanked the commissioners for their consideration prior to any motion being made on the matter.
Vice Mayor Jack Clarke failed to be moved by their appreciation, or by the pier team’s recommendation. He made a motion to deny the abatement, stating that it was “an improper use of funds.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh seconded the motion, but it failed to pass.
Janie Robertson countered with a motion to approve the rent reduction that was seconded by Commissioner Ed Straight. Robertson’s motion passed 3-2, with Shearon voting in favor and Vosburgh again joining Clarke in opposition.