Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/356321
county staff had contributed to the delays in the completion of some items. (According to his website, Seery is the founder of Michael Seery & Associates Inc., a real estate firm in Sarasota.) "I don't want to make excuses," Seery told Wittmer, "but this is the domino effect," add- ing that he had talked with one staff member in the hallway immediately after the March 21 hearing to start the process rolling to achieve completion of the punch list. However, Wittmer told Aker later, "There's nothing that I heard today that was so compelling that would suggest that [Bob's Boathouse] should be allowed an extension" of time, without penalty, to complete items on the list. MAKING THEIR POINTS At the outset, Wittmer cautioned Aker and Bossard, "This is a penalty hearing. We are not opening up the case … again." She added that she would accept only a limited amount of argument regarding whether penalties should be imposed. With the first witness, Aker sought to show that county staff had thwarted the business from completing some work in a timely manner. Aker asked Mike Mehan, regula- tory manager of the county's Public Utilities Department, whether he had told Seery that the business needed to submit an application for a right of way permit necessary to aban- don the existing water service to the site. In spite of repeated questioning, Mehan main- tained, "No, the contractor is the applicant," A new fence has been installed around the lift station area at the rear of the 5515 S. Tamiami Trail property. Photo by Rachel Hackney Sarasota News Leader August 1, 2014 Page 62