It’s been a game of fits and starts for the floating dock at the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
A Sept. 25 email to Police Chief Sam Speciale, the lead on the project, from Erik Sanderson, CEO of Technomarine, stated the dock was transported to Technomarine’s laydown yard in Tampa and would be delivered by barge to Bradenton Beach. Technomarine was hired in April 2017 to build and install the dock.
As of Sept. 28, Technomarine had not provided the city with an updated schedule for installation and Technomarine has not obtained a permit for the work.
At a special community redevelopment agency meeting Sept. 26, building official Steve Gilbert said permitting questions he provided in July were unanswered by Technomarine.
“It’s just amazing to me that it’s been since the beginning of July that Steve gave them what they needed and we’re still here today,” Commissioner Jake Spooner, CRA member, said Sept. 26. “I’m just wondering if the specs meet what we originally paid for.”
Speciale said the concern is not with the dock, but with the pilings. Originally, the construction specs included 17-20 pilings, but the most recent information from Technomarine called for seven pilings.
Additionally, wind load and ability to withstand wave action is a concern, since the city is replacing a dock destroyed by big storm events.
The original submittal stated the new dock would withstand 120-mph winds, but the latest plans show the dock can withstand 29-mph winds, according to Gilbert.
Gilbert said the new system would withstand rough waves better than the previous dock because it doesn’t contain concrete. Still, he’s concerned Technomarine reduced the number of pilings twice since it initially submitted specs.
He said he needs Technomarine’s reference document for the engineering so he can ensure they “did their homework.”
Gilbert also said the city cannot take ownership of the dock until it is installed.
“We need to get what we paid for,” Mayor John Chappie, a CRA member, said Sept. 26. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
Commissioner Ralph Cole, CRA chair, pointed out Technomarine won’t get paid the $36,000 balance of its contract until the job is done.
A motion for Speciale to continue pursuing communication with Technomarine for the engineering specs to complete the construction permit passed 6-0. CRA member Ed Chiles was absent with excuse.
The CRA board will continue discussing the dock project at its next regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.