The No Name Sports Bar in Sebastian, owned by Damien Gilliams & Bonnie Fey Gilliams, is facing a non-compliance notice due to a malfunctioning septic tank, causing sanitary nuisances. The Indian River County Environmental Control Hearing Board will hold a public hearing on December 7, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. inside the County Chambers in Vero Beach.
After multiple extensions, the health department has charged the business with the following:
- Public Health Threat
- Failure to Comply with Notice to Correct
- Environmental Damage
“You are charged with failure to comply with a Notice to Correct Violation, and violations resulting in a Public Health Threat and a Sanitary Nuisance,” the Order to Appear reads. The county has raised concerns that the ongoing issue could pollute the Indian River Lagoon or introduce human disease organisms. As a consequence, bar owners could be subjected to a daily fine of as much as $500, starting from April 2023.
A county visit on March 24, 2023, confirmed violations, including septage overflow. The Florida Department of Health’s investigation found solid waste near the dumpster and property line. A subsequent inspection on March 31 showed no improvements, with trash and waste near the open septic tank. You can read the violation and investigation by clicking here. Despite a formal notice on April 21, 2023, requiring a connection to the centralized system, conditions remained unaddressed.
The bar has a sewer hookup available approximately 75 feet away, according to a letter sent to Gilliams by the Department of Utility Services. County officials say he continued operations serving food and drinks despite the failing septic system and improperly treated waste seeping into the environment. The hookup has been available since 2019.
Sean C. Lieske of the Indian River County Department of Utility Services wrote a letter to Gilliams about the sewage on the ground and the potential impact on the Indian River Lagoon. Travis Stevens, an Environmental Specialist with the Florida Department of Health, also penned a letter urging him to comply, stating the bar is being maintained in a manner capable of introducing and perpetuating human disease organisms or vectors into the community.
The business has a history of non-compliance. In one example last March, a code enforcement officer asked Gilliams to move an outdoor grill that was too close to the roadway. Although they moved the grill to meet compliance, the bar responded by mocking the officer on social media.
Gilliams took a picture of the code enforcement officer and used it in a paid Facebook advertisement. The bar’s social media post made light of the situation, sarcastically thanking the City of Sebastian for their safety concerns over the grill’s placement.
The caption of the photo read, “Sebastian Code Enforcement came by to tell us our BBQ is in violation and must be moved south by 6 inches to a foot! Thank you, City of Sebastian, for keeping us so safe.”
Here’s the No Name Sports Bar advertisement showing the code enforcement officer:
This year, Gilliams has received two separate 90-day extensions to adhere to regulations and connect the No Name Sports Bar to the county sewer system, a service that has been accessible since 2019.
About two weeks ago, Gilliams was released from jail after completing his sentence for crimes he committed while serving as a Sebastian City Council member. Ironically, he campaigned for City Council during the past two years while out on bond, appealing his case, which was ultimately denied by the Florida Supreme Court.
