Bradenton Beach commissioners voted 4-1 to reduce city money going to litigation over a new Cortez Bridge from $15,000 to $5,000.
City Commissioner Jan Vosburgh voted against lowering the amount.
“I don’t see how you could lower it,” Vosburgh said April 8.
But Commissioner Ralph Cole said it would be more appropriate for individuals opposed to the bridge to contribute private money.
A federal court challenge is underway to halt the construction of a high, fixed-span bridge to replace the drawbridge on Cortez Road. Earlier this spring, Bradenton Beach commissioners voted to support litigation brought by two former county commissioners, one a Cortez resident, and two other longtime Cortez residents and against the Florida Department of Transportation. The plaintiffs seek a compromise — a mid-size drawbridge instead of the planned high, fixed-span bridge.
The city has not officially joined the litigation, as more information and clarification was sought.
City attorney Ricinda Perry said involvement could cost six figures in legal fees.
She also said the goal is to try and resolve this issue outside a courtroom.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s chief council for District 1, attorney Angela Tucker, contacted Perry to arrange a conference call.
Tucker said the DOT would allow Bradenton Beach officials to express concerns in the call regarding the megabridge plan.
“I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to placate the concerns that are out there or resolve all the hurt and angst that especially the Cortez fishing village has with this bridge that’s coming, but I want to at least put a foot forward and see where we can go with this and have a good conversation,” Perry said.
“This is our best chance to try to resolve this amicably,” she added.
The conference call was set for April 16.
Commissioners determined that no decision on joining the anti-megabridge litigation will be made until after the call.
For the record: In earlier votes…
Bradenton Beach city commissioners voted unanimously March 18 to join Joe McClash et al. in the legal action against FDOT to oppose the 65-foot-clearance Cortez Bridge.
In that vote, the city agreed to become the fifth plaintiff to achieve a compromise on a new bridge — a 35-foot-clearance bridge.
At the March 18 meeting, city attorney Ricinda Perry recommended the commission also approve a motion to direct her to coordinate with outside counsel to represent the city’s interest in the suit. Commissioner Jan Vosburgh made that motion and Commissioner Marilyn Maro seconded it.
Maro said at the March meeting that she did not want to see “our last original fishing village in the United States” become destroyed.