Ranch landscape contractor sues districts

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch landscape contractor Garden Leaders has filed a lawsuit alleging three Lakewood Ranch Community Development Districts and the Lakewood Ranch Inter-District Authority Board have violated the state's open meeting laws while reviewing bids from prospective contractors.

The districts have not yet been notified officially of the lawsuit but learned of the claims from their attorneys at meetings today.

In a lawsuit filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit in Manatee County on Aug. 23, Garden Leaders asserts the districts should have noticed meetings of the evaluation committee used to select a preferred landscape contractor in Lakewood Ranch CDDs 1, 4 and 5, because the committee was making recommendations to the boards.

CDDs 4 and 5 voted last week to hire a new contractor for landscaping services. CDD 1 was set to renew Garden Leaders' contract today but delayed a decision because of the lawsuit. A vote has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Aug. 30.

Attorney Jeff Russell told CDD 1 supervisors he needed to investigate the matter further, but on first review, he did not think the evaluation committee had violated Sunshine requirements. Committee members reviewed documentation and developed their recommendations independently, he said.

For a complete story, see the Sept. 1 issue of the East County Observer.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].