Sail Honeymoon on Dunedin Causeway to Go Up for Bid?
Sail Honeymoon, a kayak and sailboat rental stand on Dunedin Causeway, is fast approaching the end of its lease with the city, and residents want officials to amend the contract so the business can stay. It's up for discussion at tonight's public hearing.
Legally, the city is required to put the iconic Causeway kayak and sailboat rental concession out to bid.
But Dunedin Causeway residents and Commissioner Julie Scales are asking city leaders to disregard the agreement and keep 20-year owner Glen Steinke of Sail Honeymoon right where he is.
"We have a million visitors pass through the Causeway going to Honeymoon Island every year, and Glen has been our eyes and ears to assure the maintenance of this entire Causeway area," Norma Tilleges, president of Dunedin Beach Civic Association, wrote in a Jan. 12 letter to commissioners.
Steinke operates Sail Honeymoon through a license agreement with the city that expires July 31.
In order to ensure continuous service on the causeway and also remain fair and transparent, city staff must open the concession to others in a formal RFP (Request for Proposal) process in advance of the expiration.
Steinke is allowed to re-bid for his business, and the city may give preference to the standing concessionaire, according to the city's purchasing policy.
The deadline to put out the RFP was Jan. 18, which was all laid out in Steinke's three-year contract.
Scales asked to defer the Jan. 18 date and negotiate another contract with Steinke at a Jan. 10 public meeting at City Hall.
"You have a legal obligation under your agreement to put this out to bid," City Attorney Tom Trask said. "You're contractually obligated, unless you want to amend that agreement."
"Then let's do that," Scales said.
The city postponed the RFP process three years ago, after a six-year lapse with no agreement at all. Two commissioners referred to it as an "uncomfortable" situation.
Vice Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski called foul.
"It's the only agreement in our city that we don't go out to bid for? We have to do that," Bujalski said. "In my humble opinion — Glen, you know I love you buddy — but in my humble opinion, you've been there for a long time, I can't imagine somebody is gonna come in and take that business from you. I just don't see it happening. But I do think our purchasing policy, we have to go out to bid ... and to come back and change it right before we're doing it — "
The commission agreed to postpone the RFP process a few days so they could discuss the issue of disregarding the lease agreement and amending the contract at Thursday's public hearing.
Dunedin's business community honored Sail Honeymoon last year with the Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year award.
"We feel Glen Steinke helps keep our Mission for all what he has done and continues to do for us," Tilleges' letter says.
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Residents can attend Thursday's public hearing at Dunedin City Hall or watch it live beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Dunedin TV (Channel 615 for Bright House customers or Channel 15 for Knology and Verizon customers).
In This article
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Sail Honeymoon
61 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, FL -
Dunedin City Hall
542 Main St, Dunedin, FL -
Melody Urso
8:16 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Sail Honeymoon simply must stay! As an icon on the Dunedin Causeway, as well as an example of a very successful business, it would be abominable to see this business taken away due to City bureaucracy. Go through the process, if you must, then change the law.
Bill Storck
8:23 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
If legal and not subject to any future lawsuits from third party plaintiff's, then I don't have a problem as a law abiding tax paying citizen. My emphasis is future lawsuits, how do we guarantee this???
Michael J. Kovac
9:16 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
It sems like a gross violation of ethics to forgo the bidding process. Sounds like the city commissioners need to take an ethics course at SPJ. What is the annual revenue brought in by the Sail Honeymoon business ?That's supposed to be public information...
Mike Catley
6:27 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I feel it would be mistake to lose Glen. He runs a good business that is a credit to the city and just as important he is a friend to those of us that use the Causeway. There are litle things he does for others that aren't seen, the intangibles that you can't put a cost on. With his help our sailing club works to promote sailing in Dunedin.
We all understand there needs to be a process, however please don't fix something that isn't broken
Mike Catley
Owner, Ellies Sailing Shop
Commodore, Tampa Bay Catamaran Sailors Inc.
Jim Graves
6:27 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Glen has done nothing but good things over the last twenty years for the causeway.
Jim Graves
doug srofe
9:46 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I, along with my son Ryan have been sailing off of Dunedin Causeway since the 90's and have known Glen just as many years. Glen has not only grown that business to the point where he was honored for Small Business of the Year, but has, as some one else pointed out, done so much more that very few know about or simply take for granted. He is always quick to lend a hand, equipment and advice to sailors on the causeway when they are in need. He also keeps an eye out no only for the safety of his customers but for everyone else sailing in the area. As example, I remember a couple of years ago when I was helping someone on the beach, my own boat got blown off the beach by the wind and started to sail away. By the time I realized what had happened, Glen had already launched one of his own boats and went after it. He had a business to run. He didn't have to do that. I have personally watched him early in the morning clean up the beach not only around his rental, but all the way up and down the beach at Dunedin Causeway. He not only wants to make smart business decisions to keep his business thriving but in addition he simply does what is right. His presense on Dunedin Causeway is a great asset to Dunedin. It is my hope that Dunedin realizes that and treats it as such.
Doug Srofe
Ashley King
11:30 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Glen is an important community member and helps keep the causeway safe and clean. His business is so awesome and everyone loves it there. It would be a real shame if we lost him... Dunedin Causeway would not be the same and the community would suffer as well.