City of Sarasota, FL Accused of being “Coercive Monopoly”

On Tuesday, January 22, 2013 the City of Sarasota, Florida responded to Minder & Associate’s Engineering Corporation’s presentation to the City of Sarasota, Florida City Commission on January 7, 2013.

City of Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino assigned Sarasota Police Department Case No. 13-003952 to M & A’s Complaint of Coercive Monopoly against the City of Sarasota, FL. City of Sarasota, FL Police Chief Bernadette DiPino has assigned Detective Jack Carter to investigate M & A’s Complaint of Coercive Monopoly against the City of Sarasota.

John Minder is asking, “If anyone has any knowledge of why and how the City of Sarasota, FL Purchasing Department is exporting jobs and tax dollars out of the City they should contact Detective Jack Carter whose email is Jack.Carter@sarasotagov.com and his Telephone Number is 941-316-1199.”

The following is the full text of the presentation by John Minder on January 7, 2012:

Good Afternoon Mayor and City Commissioners:

My name is John C. Minder, P. E., P. S. M. and for the Record I am a Registered Professional Engineer and a Registered Professional Surveyor & Mapper in the State of Florida.

I am here this afternoon to request that the City of Sarasota, FL stop violating my rights as a resident, voter and tax payer in Sarasota County and the State of Florida. Minder & Associates Engineering Corporation (M&A) has spent the time and money to prepare the following Three Year Contract Proposals for:

Re: Request For Proposal # 11-13K Consulting Engineer Intersection & Roadway Capacity Enhancements (CCNA)

Re: Request For Proposal # 11-52K Consulting Engineer- Intersection & Roadway Capacity Enhancements (CCNA)

Re: Request For Proposal #11-14-lkd (CCNA) Consulting Engineering Services for Projects including Drainage, Storm Sewer, Curb & Grading, Roadside Design and Sidewalks

Re: Request for Proposal # 12-54K Services for Consulting Civil Engineer for Small Roadway Projects (CCNA)

Re: Request for Proposal # 12-34K Services for Consulting Civil Engineer -Small Utility Projects (CCNA)

Re: Request for Proposal # 12-22k Continuing Consulting Engineering Service Water & Sewer Engineer of Record (CCNA) and although well qualified with all of our key personnel being well qualified as Registered Professionals in the State of Florida and with over ten years of experience in their respective areas of Expertise. M&A was ranked last in the Selection Process by the City of Sarasota, FL Selection Committee and the City of Sarasota, FL Purchasing Department on all of our Proposals.

M&A has repeatedly requested that our Firm be provided with written notarized statements by each of the Selection Committee Members on why M&A was given the ranking we were given and M&A has been told that the written notarized statements are nonexistent. M & A has a right by Florida Statues to be provided with the written notarized statements.

M & A has been told verbally that the reason we were given the ranking that we were given on all of preceding Proposals is that it was the City of Sarasota, FL Purchasing Manager’s Decision that we were not a local firm and we did not have a local office. M&A has been located in Sarasota County for the last twenty six years and is registered with the State of Florida to practice Professional Landscape Architecture, Professional Engineering and Professional Surveying & Mapping Services. We have held a Sarasota County Business License to provide Professional Engineering and Professional Surveying & Mapping Services since 1986 or for last twenty six years.

M&A meets all of the requirements of the City of Sarasota, FL Procurement Code and we submitted Copies of all of our respective licenses in the Proceeding Proposals to City of Sarasota, FL.

It is M&A’s opinion that the City of Sarasota, FL is practicing Coercive Monopoly in the Selection of Consultants for Professional Services. M & A went to the City of Sarasota, FL Police Department to file a Complaint of Coercive Monopoly against the City of Sarasota, FL and Detective Jack Carter, White Collar Investigator, came out and met with me in the Lobby. After discussing the Complaint with me he told me that the next time I heard from him it would be with him and a Detective from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. I received a telephone call and an email from Caption Paul Sutton who was calling and emailing me on behalf of the City of Sarasota, FL recently retired Police Chief telling me that my right to file a Complaint of Coercive Monopoly against the City of Sarasota, FL was being denied because the Police Chief decided that the City of Sarasota, FL Police Department had a Conflict of Interest in investigating my Complaint and I probably would not be satisfied with their investigation. Caption Sutton told me that I had a right to file my Complaint with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s County Sheriff’s Office or any other Law Enforcement Agency. I went to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and met with Detective John Kost who told me that the City of Sarasota, FL Police Department response was a “cop out” and he suggested that I file my Complaint with Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would have a Detective on the Complaint within 24 hours. That Complaint was filed on September 7, 2012 with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office and I have not heard from Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office since I filed the Complaint.

Why can’t a resident of Sarasota County file a Complaint with the City of Sarasota, FL and expect the City of Sarasota, FL Police Department to investigate it in a fair, unbiased and competent manor?