The Bradenton Beach Police Department is getting a new vehicle but the deal is no steal.
The city budgeted $45,943.35 in September for the purchase of a 2022 Ford Interceptor but now needs to buy a 2023 model that costs $7,954.91 more.
Police Chief John Cosby Dec 1 updated city commissioners on a price increase for the vehicle.
Commissioner Ralph Cole motioned to approve spending the money for the newer vehicle and was seconded by Commissioner Jake Spooner. The motion passed unanimously.
In other business, city attorney Ricinda Perry told commissioners the city still is having difficulty collecting a $20,563 settlement from the estate of Reed Mapes, who had volunteered on the planning and zoning board.
A 2019 ruling from the 12th Judicial Circuit Court determined Mapes and five other people who had volunteered for city boards violated the Sunshine Law.
The appeals court ruling was the finale to a lawsuit that began in 2017, when the city sued some planning and zoning board and ScenicWAVES committee members over violations of the Sunshine Law.
The court ordered payments to the city but
Mapes continued to fight the case until his death April 13.
Perry, at the commission meeting, also expressed frustration over a new $70 invoice from attorney Robert Watrous, who has represented the city in the Sunshine Law case and, according to Perry, was paid $502,929.44 for the litigation.
In October, the commission formed a consensus directing Perry to pursue contracting with a collection agency.
Commissioners Jan Vosburgh, Spooner and Cole agreed it best to pay the $70 bill.
In other matters
In other matters at the Dec. 1 meeting, the commission:
- Heard from the city attorney that Colliers Engineering and Design produced a site plan for paid parking in a city lot on Highland Avenue next to the public works department.
- Unanimously voted to continue a public hearing for the expansion of open-air dining at Wicked Cantina, 101 Seventh St. N. until Jan. 19. Vosburgh made the motion, which Cole seconded.
- Voted to pay M.T. Causley $18,612.50 for planning services.
The commission canceled its Dec. 15 meeting, which pushes the next meeting into the new year. It will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
Having difficulty collecting wow, could the former Mayor and the ACLU guy that started the whole brouhaha pony up some money? Wow a half-million to the lawyer that decided the city employees have no protection as city employees, think they claimed since they were appointed not paid they weren’t really employees, yet if they weren’t employees that law didn’t really apply to them because citizens have First Amendment Rights of Speech and Association. Normal government would have punished them for the procedural violation, maybe even dismissed them, but politics in Bradenton Beach demanded flesh! Sure as heck would not let any of the political class ask for my assistance since they appointed them but didn’t stand up for them, bet the city’s punishment for the procedural violation would have cost much less, but lawyers play and get paid with or without merit.