Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
As a follow up, the Building Department is coordinating with the contractor to conduct the repair and cleaning starting at 9:00 am on Thursday morning July 29th. Public Works staff will be there to support and answer any questions about the outfall pipe. If for some reason conditions are not conducive that morning, the work will be rescheduled, but all involved are making every effort to conduct this repair on Thursday morning July 29th. Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Isaac Brownman
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
Thank you Helen, that is good information below, and I appreciate you making sure my statements are more accurate on this. We will continue to get a plan of action to proper resolution.
Isaac Brownman
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman
Thank you for following up. I do appreciate the city’s attention to this matter. However, I feel I must correct some of your statements.
Specifically, regarding your statement that the situation apparently was not called out earlier because the area was in a prolonged drought and the matter probably wasn’t evident, I called the city on 5/18/2026 and have pictures of the street flooded on that day, thus prompting my call. Additionally, my husband spoke to the contractors and they were pulling rubber pieces from the old valve out of the pipe at that time. I reported this to the city. I received a call back from the city telling me that we had to wait for low tide during business hours for the city to observe. Apparently, no action was ever taken by the city after that call. The street flooded again on June 16th, according to my photos, and again last week on July 23. So, I’m not sure why you would make such a statement?
Additionally, counter to your statement As far as a tidal valve at that location is concerned, Public Works cannot install a new valve until the contractor corrects his actions; we cannot get a valve in there under this condition, nor measure for the valve (the WaStops need precise measurements to fit and work), when I spoke to Mark Richardson on July 13th, he explicitly stated that the city was just out here and took measurements for the new valve and the person who measured was out until Tuesday, July 14th, at which time the valve would be ordered. I’m not questioning your statement, Isaac, I am questioning why Mark Richardson would make such an inaccurate statement to me?
Also, regarding this statement that right now, the most important matter is for the contractor to repair the end of the outfall and clean out the pipe, which will help evacuate rainwater better, I must ask, yet again, why it is not the city’s responsibility to clean out the pipe to help evacuate rainwater better? The sewer drain is blocked, please don’t wait for the contractor. This is hurricane season and rain is flooding the street.
Finally, you stated the PZB team will ensure this happens quickly and effectively to avoid a potential stop work order on the contractor’s work. The city must proactively and aggressively coordinate with this contractor exactly how the concrete work around the drain must be completed to accept the new valve. It has been sitting like this for months – was it never inspected during the construction process? The poor construction of the wall around the drain is completely evident and has been since May.
Please get the drain jetted out ASAP. The immediate problem is the rain and the blocked drain. The construction of the wall and missing valve will be a much longer process and I guess we will continue to pray for no storm surges in the coming months. But opening the drain will at least allow us to drive on our street during a rain.
I don’t intend to keep writing to this team, but I do feel that the facts and timeline should be stated correctly. Thank you, again, for your kind attention to this matter.
Helen Elardo
Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
It looks like the contractor overbuilt the seawall in front of an outfall (limiting capacity), damaged part of the outfall pipe, and apparently left some debris in the pipe. The contractor needs to remove the hardened concrete debris and repair the face of the outfall pipe. PZB is going to hold the contractor to swiftly resolve these matters. The situation apparently was not called out earlier because the area was in a prolonged drought and the matter was probably not as evident, or evident at all; I do not believe the seawall was ready for a final inspection. As far as a tidal valve at that location is concerned, Public Works cannot install a new valve until the contractor corrects his actions; we cannot get a valve in there under this condition, nor measure for the valve (the WaStops need precise measurements to fit and work). Also, a valve will not help evacuate rainwater; the valve only helps hold tidal water back – it’s a balancing act. So, right now, the most important matter is for the contractor to repair the end of the outfall and clean out the pipe, which will help evacuate rainwater better, and the PZB team will ensure this happens quickly and effectively to avoid a potential stop work order on the contractor’s work.
As far as the other location is concerned, Public Works can check it, but that is not the kind of valve you want on this outfall. We are phasing those out. All relevant parties have been copied to resolve this matter as soon as possible.
Isaac Brownman
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
Seems like Public Works could shoot this out ASAP – we had too much rain today and more coming tomorrow so the backlog is a huge problem.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman
This is a drain further down with the proper cap that is missing from the seawall in question.
So there are two issues and the first can be resolved while we wait for the new cap/valve. Is this PZB or Mark Richardson?
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
Thank you for following up on the drainage related concerns associated with seawall construction at Longboat Dr. N. The Town’s Building Official has been in contact with the seawall contractor, who has indicated that he will be addressing impacts right away created from the recent seawall construction. Please feel free to report any additional concerns related to construction activity in that area to the Planning, Zoning & Building Department (phone # 941-316-1966 or email.
Isaac Brownman
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Let us do some background work to understand the issue and we’ll update you.
Howard Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
This is from a very frustrated resident (full time) in the Village. They have been dealing with this issue since May. I find it hard to understand when there is a potential flooding problem caused by repairable issues that we only look at them if low tide happens between 8 and 4 Monday-Friday. This is the kind of customer service that seems poor. Can you help them? Also, why knowing the problem existed since May did they wait til the end of July to order a new valve? Let me know.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
What follows is my exchange with Mark Richardson regarding the issue I mentioned.
Here’s a quick summary:
– 7157 Longboat Dr N installed a new seawall
– The city (Mark) indicated that they buried/destroyed the tidal valve and the tube leading to the valve is blocked (we have no direct proof, but the pipe is plugged)
– The sewer is now blocked at that site and rain causes severe flooding (see picture attached from Thursday)
– I called on May 18th. The city told me they need to wait for low tide during business hours to check it
– I called several more times. Same story.
– When I called on July 13th, Mark Richardson called me back to say that they finally determined that they need to get a new tidal valve. And that they’d be ordering this in a few days and it will take 6-8 weeks to get it.
– I asked why they waited two full months and he claimed there was no low tide during business hours between May and July for them to evaluate! Also funny that they just happened to get to this the day before I called (or so Mark claims).
– I emailed Mark yesterday – see our exchange below!
– The drain is blocked. It needs to be jetted out. Regardless of the valve. Why are we waiting for the inept contractor who caused this problem to fix it?
-The city needs to jet out the drain asap, regardless of any other actions.
– We’ve been here 6 years and the street has not flooded like this from rain ever.
– Please have a look; any help or guidance would be most appreciated!
Helen Elardo
Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Parks and Recreation Director Mark Richardson
Thank you for responding, Mark. So I’m hearing that the street is flooding into our driveways and yards and potentially into our homes as we near the peak of hurricane season and we are all just sitting and waiting for the whim of a contractor to fix the damage they caused? Are you telling me that the city can’t intervene and require that this be rectified immediately? Or alternatively the city can’t hire a contractor to fix this drain damage caused by the seawall and bill the homeowner?
This has been known for months now. This response does not sound reasonable on any level.
Helen Elardo
Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Helen Elardo
We are still waiting on the seawall contractor to remove the excess cement, seawall panel, damaged tidal valve and jet the pipe. This is being handled by the PZB Department. I have reached out to PZB to check to see if they have an estimated time for their work.
Please be aware that tidal valves are installed to hopefully keep salt water from backing up onto the roads but are not for alleviating rainwater from the road. During high tides and heavy rainfall, the draining process will always be much slower as the tides do not allow the valves to open as much.
Mark Richardson
Streets, Facilities, Parks & Recreation Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Drive North
To: Longboat Key Parks and Recreation Director Mark Richardson
Where is the town with the new drain valve for Longboat Drive North? Rain last night caused major flooding all the way up driveways. This is unacceptable as hurricane season intensifies. I called on this months ago, as you are aware. Please provide an update and ETA for the fix.
Hele Elardo
Longboat Key
FEMA
To: Florida League of Cities Allison Payne
We have been monitoring the FEMA issues. LBK is owed over $24 million in reimbursements from past hurricanes with no funds yet received. Below is a review of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I strongly believe this must be a major focus on the FL League of Cities priorities next year.
This was monitored by our lobbyist – Adam Cross
Last week, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee held a hearing on potential FEMA reforms that may be of interest. The bottom line is that both parties are dissatisfied with FEMA’s performance in delivering aid to communities, and there is a bipartisan desire for reforms that would help communities like yours prepare for (and respond to) disasters like hurricanes.
There is little optimism that the FEMA Act will pass this session, but it is good news that there is bipartisan agreement that the difficulties the town has been experiencing originate at the federal level and therefore need to be resolved soon. Here is a quick summary of the hearing and some of the discussions regarding FEMA and the need to protect communities from disasters.
Executive Summary:
Support for H.R. 9497 – FEMA Act of 2025 amongst members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was strong on both sides of the aisle. If enacted, the FEMA Act would reestablish FEMA as an independent, cabinet-level agency and make changes to the Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and mitigation programs. Republicans and Democrats alike feel that this act provides necessary reforms for FEMA that would allow the agency to work toward becoming more effective for the nation and its citizens. The most commonly talked about reforms focused on:
Removing FEMA from DHS
Cutting back regulations and laws that cause lengthy approval periods and prevent quick aid from being provided to communities under distress
Giving local governments the ability to decide how disaster relief is spent and what areas within their communities need assistance to best help their constituents
Republicans tended to push the conversation towards the necessity of cutting back red tape to allow local governments and states to make decisions regarding disaster recovery.
Democrats focused on the importance of removing FEMA from DHS to allow aid to be distributed more quickly without waiting for DHS approval.
Professional witnesses who appeared in front of the committee had similar views on the act and FEMA.
Former FEMA Administrator Fugate testified that he felt the regulations caused unnecessary hardship for FEMA to adequately help support communities.
NACo Representative Sheng testified on the importance of building intergovernmental relations to help local governments provide effective aid while maintaining backing from the federal level.
NRECA CEO Matheson spoke about how he believes the FEMA Act will increase agency efficiency and provide necessary reforms.
NAMIC VP Waller focused on the concept that prioritizing preparedness for disasters will protect families from losing money and their homes.
Opening Statements:
Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO): In his opening statement, Chairman Graves talked about how he believes FEMA is broken and continues to be swallowed up by red tape and bureaucracy that control the agency. He said that focusing on preparedness tactics is a method that works to speed up the overall process and urged his colleagues to pass the FEMA Act.
Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA): In his opening statement, Larsen talked about how he believes that FEMA did not have the authority that they needed to help communities post-disaster in the best way possible. He said that FEMA needs to facilitate investment in damage prevention and make it an independent agency again.
Former FEMA Administrator Fugate (Obama):In his opening statement, Fugate spoke on his experience being the former FEMA administrator under the Obama administration. He discussed how many existing regulations make it hard for FEMA to properly help communities, such as OMB’s ruling on double assistance. This prevented FEMA from providing aid to many individuals, as they may have received assistance from insurance and were unable to provide necessary aid.
National Association of Counties Representative Sheng: In her opening statement, Sheng spoke about how she feels the FEMA Act will provide a bipartisan framework to modernize the nation’s disaster response and recovery system. Additionally, she talked about how streamlining the review process and building strong intergovernmental relations are two key steps to increasing response times and fixing FEMA.
National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association CEO Matheson: In his opening statement, Matheson talked about how he believes the FEMA Act will make the agency more effective. He brought up various reasons as to why he feels that way, including how it will better account for localized but costly rural damage and reduce the time required to receive public assistance.
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies VP Waller: In his opening statement, Waller talks about how he believes the FEMA Act is a step in the right direction. He feels that a reworked FEMA should prioritize preparedness, building, and rebuilding more resiliency, including common sense.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce VP Chaitovitz: In his opening statement, Chaitovitz began by arguing that preparedness is a pro-growth framework, stating, “we can pay less before disasters happen, or we can pay far more after they do.” Furthermore, he spoke about how resilience is tied to housing affordability and familial wealth, and that preserving affordable housing protects families from losing money.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Bay Isles question
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Steve Branham
I hope you and Susan are doing well. I wanted to introduce you to my new neighbor, Tim Bello, who recently purchased in the Harbor section of Bay Isles. Tim is working through the process of removing and replacing the pilings on his dock, as well as removing his boat lift to accommodate his boat.
I mentioned to Tim that you and Susan have been neighbors with my parents, Bill and Cathy Bishop, for many years, and that I work with you all on the Longboat Key Garden Club.
Tim, Steve is our LBK Town Commissioner and retired from the United States Coast Guard, as the Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District. Steve, I thought you might be able to offer Tim some guidance or point him in the right direction, so I wanted to introduce you both. I’ll leave it to the two of you to find a convenient time to connect.
Jen Shimek
Longboat Key
