BRADENTON — The City of Bradenton believes it has found the best solution to a lingering challenge concerning where to place a temporary lift station in a neighborhood within the City’s Ward 4. The catch? The property the city intends to purchase has ties to a former city councilman.
In May, the Bradenton City Council unanimously approved the purchase of the property at 2502 Riverside Drive East for $441,000. The property was severely damaged during Hurricane Helene and has sat virtually abandoned since then.
Public records indicate that the home is owned by former City Councilman Bill Sanders and his now-ex-wife, Ellen. The two divorced in 2021, and since that time, the division of the couple’s marital assets has led to lengthy and contentious legal battles.
Currently, Bill Sanders’ name remains on the deed; however, an Iowa court awarded his ex-wife the Florida home, and Sanders was awarded the couple’s Iowa home—a point both parties confirmed to TBT.
A subsequent ruling led to the enforcement of that order, in which Sanders was legally compelled to sign a quitclaim deed to transfer the property’s ownership to his wife.
The ownership matter remains legally unsettled, at least in a documented sense, due to issues with the required witness signatures on the quitclaim deed signed by Sanders, and because Sanders believes he was unfairly coerced into signing the document, which he contends should have been overseen in the Florida court system.
The home was listed for sale by Ellen Sanders in January and has been an active listing on the MLS for six months. Its last recorded list price was $450,000.
The property is currently "pending" after the City of Bradenton offered to purchase it to install a temporary lift station needed to service approximately 170 homes in the area.
Lift Station 13 is one of the oldest existing lift stations of the City’s wastewater system. Positioned directly on the Manatee River along Riverside Drive East in Bradenton, the degraded lift station has been in operation since the 1950s.
In its current condition, the lift station is only functioning with the assistance of a loud, unsightly, and often smelly sump pump generator. The sump pump has been aiding the lift station for eight years.
A sump pump generator has been in place for eight years to support the city's 70-year-old failing Lift Station 13.
Photo by Dawn Kitterman, The Bradenton Times
The long-range plan for Lift Station 13 is to phase it out of the wastewater system entirely once a new collection system is constructed, and Lift Station 3, a few blocks south, is rebuilt with expanded capacity. City officials hope the entire project can be completed within 2-4 years. Once it is, Lift Station 13 and its temporary replacement will be removed, and the improved Lift Station 3 will serve the area.
Before entering into negotiations with Ellen Sanders, the City had identified only one other likely location for the installation of a temporary lift station—a small pork-chop-shaped median that lies in the middle of Riverside Drive East at the intersection of Crescent Court.
The “pork chop,” as city officials and residents refer to it, is located on the diagonal between the Sanders property doorstep and Lift Station 13.
However, some residents in the neighborhood weren’t thrilled with the idea of placing the temporary lift station there, citing concerns about the potential for roadway impediment, appearance, and the possible impact on their home values.
Map view of subject property (2502 Riverside Drive East), existing Lift Station 13, and the median previously considered for the installation of a temporary lift station.
Manateepao.gov/Oblique Imagery
Some city officials weren’t crazy about the idea either.
Bradenton City Councilwoman Lisa Moore, representing Ward 4, wrote about the project and aspects of the complicated undertaking in a Council Corner piece published by TBT earlier this year.
The project is just one of the many being prioritized within the City’s wider Face it and Fix It campaign, which outlines the larger overall initiative of updating the City’s vast and aging utilities infrastructure.
Mayor Gene Brown and City Administrator Rob Perry spoke with TBT about the initiative following last year’s devastating storm season, which brought a record-setting storm surge that impacted not only residents but also the city’s wastewater system, leading to system failures and discharges into the Manatee River.
“The City has dedicated nearly $75 million to infrastructure repair, capital repair, and replacement efforts through a series of utility funds, state loans, and federal and state grants,” Perry told TBT in January. “We anticipate further and continuous investment of $100 million for complete modernization of our water utility over the next 3-4 years.”
In June, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s FY 2025-2026 budget, which included $8.3 million in combined appropriations to the City of Bradenton for utility improvements. A total of five projects received funding, one stormwater project and four wastewater projects.
In addition, the City of Bradenton has secured a $1.5 million FDEP grant and applied for additional flexible funds toward lift station rehabilitation and sanitary sewer collection upgrades through FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s local mitigation and resilience strategies grant.
During Bradenton City Council meetings held in April and May, city officials shared that they remain confident that utility improvements can continue to be prioritized, funded, and move forward, but the significant undertaking will take time to complete.
As for temporary lift station 13, it appears to be among the items on the to-do list that will be checked off sooner rather than later, especially if the city can secure the purchase of the property on Riverside Drive East.
Based on the upcoming city council meeting agenda, the city appears prepared for the possibility that “collateral matters” arising from the couple’s asset disputes could potentially delay the sale.
A resolution has been scheduled for City Council's adoption on July 23, which would approve an eminent domain action as an alternative means of acquiring the property with less risk of delay.
Delays—in more ways than one—are precisely what has some area residents concerned.
Restoring Public Trust
Longtime resident Linda Seybold lives two doors down from the Sanders property and one street back from Lift Station 13. Her uniquely shaped double-parcel abuts Riverside Drive East at its backside.
Speaking by phone, Seybold shared that after the placement of the sump pump generator eight years ago under the premise that it would be “temporary,” she has reservations about the installation of a temporary lift station anywhere—whether that be at the “pork chop” or the Sanders property.
While she concedes that the Sanders property would certainly be a more ideal location than the roadway, she worries that installing a temporary lift station could serve as a “band-aid” fix that could become a more long-term issue, like the large blue generator.
A semi-retired realtor, Seybold was engaged by Ellen Sanders as the selling agent when she listed the property for sale. Given her proximity to the situation from the listing agent's perspective, Seybold also has some concerns about the former couple’s ongoing asset disputes.
“As it stands now, I’m not even sure the property can be sold outright until the deed disputes are settled,” she shared with TBT.
She added that she hasn't been directly involved in any of the negotiations, “The city took their offer directly to Ellen, and she accepted, so I was cut out of it altogether.”
“I don’t understand why the city would want to enter into some convoluted contract with a property that may not be legally clear to sell,” she continued. “If that is the situation, how much additional delay or expense could it potentially add to the acquisition and overall project?”
During an April 9 City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved half a million dollars—which included contingency funds—to be allocated toward the temporary lift station materials, piping, and installation.
During the meeting, City Administrator Perry and City Infrastructure Engineer Kim Clayback provided details of the project and responded to council questions.
Councilwoman Moore and Councilwoman Pam Coachman gave voice to the concerns Seybold and other residents share regarding whether the temporary lift station would, in actuality, be temporary.
Mayor Brown emphasized that, despite any prior actions taken under a previous council or city leadership, current officials remain committed to moving the project forward, and the necessary collection system and Lift Station 3 expansion are among their top priorities.
It’s Complicated
As if the couple’s high-conflict dissolution isn’t messy enough, there is another layer to the potential purchase or “public taking” of the property by the city; Bill Sanders' history of vocal criticism of city leadership, and conflicts with other elected officials, city staff, and even the local chief of police.
Sanders was elected to represent the City Council’s Ward 4 in 2018, but lost his bid for reelection in 2022.
In 2024, Sanders entered the city’s mayoral race, challenging incumbent City Mayor Gene Brown. The campaign was mutually hostile, with Sanders levying allegations of corruption, and Brown contending Sanders was dishonest and spreading disinformation.
Reached by phone, Brown stressed that Sanders' connection to the property wasn’t a factor in the city’s desire to purchase it, highlighting its uninhabitable condition, that it was listed for sale, and its unique potential to serve a significant public purpose.
“This isn’t personal,” Brown said on the call. “Take every other factor out of this. Staff were instructed to look at what would be the best-suited location for the project, and this is it.”
When asked about the possibility that an eminent domain proceeding may be necessary, given that the property is currently the subject of an ongoing asset dispute, Brown reiterated that the city’s focus was on the public need and the ideal location of the seller’s property.
“If this doesn't count as an imminent public purpose, I don't know what does,” he said.
Brown’s comments echoed much of what was discussed by Perry and the council on May 28 when the board approved moving forward with the purchase.
Perry explained during the meeting that public works staff and city engineers had determined a temporary lift station was necessary to safeguard against potential future failures of Lift Station 13 and while Lift Station 3 undergoes upgrades to become the permanent fix.
Design for Station 3 had already reached 60% completion, said Perry.
Officials agreed that the property would be used solely for the placement of the temporary lift station, and when it was no longer needed for that purpose, it would be surplused and listed for sale.
“The quicker we get this done, everybody’s property values will improve, as well as the piece of property we are buying,” said Mayor Brown. “Hopefully, it will be worth more, too, making this a prudent purchase and sale by the city.”
Bill Sanders is skeptical.
Reached by phone, Sanders told TBT that he doubts the city would have the ability to close on the sale—or to readily complete a public taking through eminent domain.
“I don’t believe the sale can occur because of an act of fraud,” Sanders said. The fraud he was referring to is related to a matter that he said is actively under appellate review, related to the property deed.
Sanders added that he disagrees with how the city entered into a purchase contract with his ex-wife.
“I don't agree with how this was done at all; it was coy. They never even reached out to me, and my name is currently on the deed,” he told TBT. “They ran me out of office, they won the mayoral race, and now they are planning to buy the property from my ex-wife. It seems they’re doing it in retaliation. In my opinion, that is an abuse of office.”
Though his name is still on the deed, Sanders acknowledged that his wife was awarded the house by an Iowa court, following their divorce.
The issue, as Sanders explained, is complicated.
A review of public records revealed that Sanders appealed the district court’s order dividing the marital assets in 2022. However, in 2024, the appellate court affirmed the previous court’s order, with the exception of attorney fees.
Because the records are related to a domestic civil matter, details of the proceedings or arguments of either party are not available for review. Only brief, bullet-pointed summaries of actions are visible on the Iowa Courts online dockets.
TBT was able to confirm that Sanders has subsequently filed a petition for writ of certiorari, which the Iowa Supreme Court granted in January 2025. Although details of the action could not be reviewed, the case appears to be open and ongoing.
Besides the legal matters, as a former city councilman, he said he isn’t at all in favor of the city setting the precedent of purchasing private property for the installation of lift stations.
Ellen has a different perspective.
When contacted by phone, Ellen confirmed to TBT her desire to sell the property to the city, as well as the ongoing dispute with her ex-husband over the deed.
“Bill is trying to break me financially; he’s acting out of retaliation,” she said.
Ellen explained that before the city expressed interest in purchasing the property, two interested buyers backed out when they learned of the city's planned infrastructure projects. That fact, combined with the property requiring a tear-down and rebuild, scared the would-be buyers away, she said.
“If the sale to the city were to fall through,” explained Ellen, “this would cause me substantial hardship. Because the house was awarded to me, it is my responsibility, and if I can't sell it now, I'll have to pay to tear it down and try to sell it after.”
Ellen has taken steps to initiate legal action to have the Florida courts enforce the Iowa court decree regarding asset division.
“If Bill cared about the community and the residents he ran for mayor to represent, I’d think he would support this use of the property rather than fighting against it,” she said.
Summaries of actions in the couple's divorce proceeding in Iowa show that in mid-June, the judge found Mr.Sanders in contempt and issued a bench warrant, which remains outstanding.
Sanders told TBT that he was unable to travel to Iowa for a scheduled hearing due to medical reasons, and despite his request for a continuance on those grounds, the judge denied his request and found him in contempt.
Sanders added that a previous contempt ruling in the case landed him in jail last December, an incident that Sanders said is related to the quitclaim deed and at the heart of his most recent filing with the Iowa Supreme Court.
As for the possibility of an eminent domain proceeding, Ellen says she would be a willing participant. She said that she would honor the previously agreed-upon purchase price if it came to a taking, rather than seeking additional negotiations or legal proceedings that could ultimately cost the city's taxpayers more money.
A Public Purpose
In her representation of Ward 4, Councilwoman Moore led the initial charge on seeking an alternative site to placing the temporary lift station in the “pork chop” median.
Hearing the concerns of constituents in the area, she recognized the imperfection of placing the temporary utility in the roadway.
In April, Moore joined the TBT Podcast to discuss several city priorities, including the city and council’s commitment to address the city's aging utilities infrastructure.
In the episode—available for replay here—she detailed the challenges related to Lift Station 13, the “pork chop,” and citizens' concerns.
TBT followed up with Moore this week to ask her opinion of the Sanders property as a suitable solution.
“My personal opinion is that it is truly unfortunate that the parcel that is most ideally situated to alleviate the concerns of residents regarding the placement of a temporary lift station happens to also be a property of a former councilperson,” Moore said.
“This solution, however, is considerably better than placing it in the roadway pork chop,” adding that the proximity to the existing lift station is particularly ideal.
Regarding residents’ remaining concerns about the temporary lift station being truly temporary, Moore stated that the city administration has been consistent in their reassurances that the project is proceeding full-speed ahead, and the funding is in place to support the completion of Lift Station 3.
According to project details available on the city's website, installation of the temporary lift station could be completed in as little as 90 days once a site is secured.
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ruthlawler
"If Bill (Sanders) cared about the community and the residents he ran for mayor to represent, I'd think he would support this use of the property rather than fighting against it. " stated by Ellen, Bill Sanders ex-wife. It will be interesting to see if Mr. Sanders will do the right thing for his old neighborhood, the residents there and the City. Bill, move this forward, do not stand in the way or create unnessary drama. Ruth Lawler
Sunday, July 20, 2025 Report this
lmseybold
Why has the city of Bradenton delayed a project for 8 years?
Why would we take private water front property to put a lift station on?
Why is the city not providing a permanent solution?
Sunday, July 20, 2025 Report this
Bill
Why would the city pay $ 441,000.00 for a property that was condemned under FEMA rules and the FEMA Value: $161,611 as of January 1, 2025 ??
Sunday, July 20, 2025 Report this
sandy
The FEMA value is the structure only. Property Appraiser's has the Land alone value at $349,775. Total just value (improvement value plus Land) for this address is $493,502.
Monday, July 21, 2025 Report this
gatorheel
Tiny nit: it's a "quitclaim deed" not "quick claim."
Monday, July 21, 2025 Report this