Sewer line conflict assessment ends, dispute continues

The sewer-line dispute between Bradenton Beach, Manatee County and Shawn Kaleta is inching along — in court and now in a dispute resolution process.

Manatee County sued the city, Kaleta and two of his companies in August 2017, asking the 12th Circuit Court to declare an easement on Kaleta-owned land in Bradenton Beach where a sewer pipe is buried.

As a Jan. 10 conflict assessment meeting at a county administrative building concluded, Bradenton Beach officials told county and developer representatives they would bring their viewpoints to the city commission.

The parties sent attorneys and officials, including Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker, to the meeting under a conflict resolution procedure the city invoked in November 2017.

State law provides for conflict assessment and joint meetings of governmental entities if a dispute leads to one entity suing another.

The lawsuit claims the city failed to properly vacate a street where three Kaleta-owned properties remain subject to the right of way.