Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/239386
Sarasota News Leader January 10, 2014 "On Thursday, December 26, 2013, staff from County Administration and the County Attorney's Office met with legal counsel representing Bob's Boathouse restaurant to discuss the state of the restaurant's Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO). During the discussions, I indicated that no additional extension to the current TCO would be considered or issued until the outstanding utility capacity fees owed to the County are paid in full. During said meeting, I also communicated that in accordance with recent written correspondences sent to the proprietors germane to the matter, water utility services to the restaurant would be disconnected on or about 5:00 p.m. on 12/31/2013 if the aforementioned utility capacity fees were not paid in full. Subsequent to the 12/26/13 meeting, and as you are aware, a complaint was filed in the Circuit Court of Sarasota against the County [on Dec. 27]." Page 24 Cunningham continued, "During follow-up discussions with legal counsel representing Bob's Boathouse restaurant … it was indicated that the full amount of the utility capacity fees will be paid to the County on 12/31/13 via a Cashier's Check contingent upon a 60-day extension of the TCO. Staff has agreed to a 30-day extension, with the possibility of an additional 30-day extension prior to expiration, contingent upon receiving the full payment of the utility capacity fees before 4:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. If the fees are not received, water utility services ... will be disconnected." The fees were paid as Bob's Boathouse's counsel had indicated, but Commissioners Nora Patterson and Joe Barbetta were not happy. In an email sent at 7:17 p.m. on Dec. 30, Barbetta wrote Cunningham, "Please know that I do NOT agree with this. I thought the Residents on Montclair Drive, across Phillippi Creek from Bob's Boathouse, have been the most frequent source of complaints about noise emanating from the restaurant. File photo