As the Florida summer creeps up, air conditioning becomes a concern.
And, as any Floridian can attest, air conditioning problems need to be addressed before they worsen.
At its June 1 meeting, Bradenton Beach commissioners reached consensus on two issues regarding failing air conditioning units at city-owned buildings.
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency approved a $73,536.89 bid in April for engineering and construction to place new air conditioners on a new roof deck on the restaurant at the Historic Bridge Street Pier.
The tenant, AMOB, is required to close for two weeks during construction, and the city is allowing a rent deduction of $10,750, including employee compensation, advertising fees and rent abatement.
Additionally, the contractor will face a $1,000-per-day penalty, to be paid by the city to AMOB, if construction extends beyond 28 days.
Initially, AMOB owner John Horne proposed a $3,000-per-day penalty if construction extends beyond the projected two-week limit.
The contract with Southern Cross Contracting Inc., which is in negotiation, specifies a $250-per-day penalty.
Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon said he was comfortable with the proposal, excluding the $3,000-per-day penalty, adding that he did not support a higher daily penalty for Southern Cross.
“They were the only contractor to bid on the project and, if we lose them, we would have to start from scratch,” Shearon said June 1.
Shearon also said he feels uncomfortable with the financial risk.
“Three-thousand dollars per day could add up quick,” Shearon said. “I’m not comfortable exposing the city to that kind of fee.”
“I’m not asking you to pay it, I’m asking you to make sure the contractor pays it,” Horne said.
Perry said, according to the city’s lease agreement with AMOB, the city “has no obligation to pay you a penny.”
“I think the point that’s being missed here is you will inherit a new air-conditioning system that you would have had to pay for if you were two years into your lease,” Perry said. “That’s a really great benefit and an unknown that’s taken off of your plate.”
The commission also discussed keeping the restaurant open by using scaffolding during construction, but nixed the idea before voting unanimously to accept Horne’s final request for $10,750 with a $1,000 per day penalty after 28 days, and the option to employ scaffolding after 28 days, so the restaurant could operate in the event of a longer delay.
In other matters, the city voted June 1 to fund repairs not exceeding $5,000, with 50 percent paid by the library board, for a failing air-conditioning unit at the Tingley Memorial Library, 111 Second St. N., Bradenton Beach.
The library is owned by the city.
Woodard said he received a $1,478 bid from Anthony’s Cooling Heating Electrical to repair the unit, with a clause if the compressor needs to be replaced, which would instead cost $3,997. He said he also received a bid from Air America to replace the compressor for $2,943.60.
The repairs are not included in the city’s budget.
Woodard said both businesses inspected the system, and both said replacement was not necessary.
Perry said there is money in the library board trust fund, but the city has no binding legal document to share expenses with the board.
“We need some type of an official agreement document so we don’t keep running into this,” said Vice Mayor John Chappie, board liaison to the library.
The board agreed.
Chappie motioned to accept the repair bid from Anthony’s to be matched by the library board, not to exceed $5,000, and to plan a workshop with the library board to discuss a financial agreement.
“We usually do a 50/50 split with the library board and I suggest we stick with that until we have some type of official agreement. We don’t want to jeopardize the books in the library,” he said.
The motion passed unanimously.
The next city commission meeting will be at noon Thursday, June 15, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.