Recent complaints about the firm the city of Anna Maria contracted for building department services may lead to action.
Mayor Mark Short said at an Aug. 28 city commission meeting that he met with local builders, as well as Joe Payne and Craig Green of Melbourne Beach-based Joe Payne Inc., and was exploring action to address the builders’ concerns.
Those concerns were aired by a group of builders headed by Frank Agnelli, owner of Agnelli Pools & Construction and Mason Martin Builders, during an Aug. 14 city meeting.
Agnelli and other contractors complained that they experienced resistance with permitting and the use of private inspectors since Green began as building official in April.
They called for the city to replace Green with a full-time building official.
The city hired JPI earlier this year to provide building department, floodplain management and some engineering services through Sept. 30.
Under the agreement, JPI’s designated building official, Green, is required to spend an average of 6-8 hours over at least one day a week at city hall. Otherwise, the contracted work is completed remotely.
For payment, JPI receives half of the city’s building permit application fees every month of the contract, with a $35,000 guaranteed monthly minimum.
Short said he had met with local contractors Aug. 21.
The next day, the mayor met with Payne, the owner of JPI, and with Green on Aug. 26.
As a result of those meetings, potential action may be taken to address concerns with the firm’s services but, as of Aug. 29, it remained unclear what that action might be.
“There are some things in motion that we are addressing and evaluating that I’m not prepared at this time to go into any detail with the respect to those things,” Short said.
During public comment, local builders again pushed the city to act.
Monica Simpson, who provides consulting services to local builders and property owners, said she recently received comments on a project from Green that were “basically all wrong.”
“We are spinning our wheels. We’re wasting our time. We have an official who is not representing the city well at all,” she said.
Kevin Hutchinson, a local contractor, alleged Green incorrectly claimed he exceeded the 50% rule on a project. He said the allegation had harmed his reputation and he had yet to receive an apology letter from Green and JPI.
Commission Chair Charlie Salem said he was looking forward to Short’s update on the matter.
The city commission will meet next at 5:01 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.