Orlando FL Business and Commercial Law Blog

It's amazing the amount of new ideas that are brought to market by creative people looking to make a living. Last week another idea will be expanded in the Florida market and the company is also announcing franchising opportunities for those willing to make an investment and that love the concept.

Helgerson Franchise Group is launching a national franchise opportunity for IslandTime Treasures, a new concept that provides a unique sand impression art experience for customers to build their own treasure. The company opened its first location in November 2011 in the Bradenton, Florida, area and has had a lot of success with the concept. The company's founders are now ready to expand their idea by awarding mobile units, retail kiosks or cart franchise opportunities to qualified people nationwide.

Contract disputes can be complicated especially when they affect the education of our children. This is the case of a contract dispute with Brevard Public School teachers in Florida and their school board. The Brevard Federation of Teachers is not happy with the recommendations made by a mediator brought in after an impasse in negotiations. Both the union and the school district have now decided to present their cases at a hearing where the school board will act as judge.

The teachers union is not happy that the mediator sided with the school district to give raises to some of its teachers and others would receive a one-time bonus of $700 to those at the top end of the pay scale and $350 to those hired since pay freezes began in the district. The union feels that the district can afford to give all of the teachers pay raises if back-dated to Nov. 1.

Contract disputes involving schools typically get a lot of attention because it directly affects the parents of the children that attend the school. The parents want the best possible education for their children and that means great teachers and reasonable classroom sizes. A charter school in Tallahassee, Florida, is disputing the contract from Leon County Schools.

Both sides appeared before a mediation session with the Florida Department of Education and neither side could come to an agreement. The dispute will now go to an administrative law judge later this month.

With the Florida commercial real estate market making a slow recovery, some investors are taking advantage of the upswing to sell their investments. Odyssey Entities LLC has decided to take advantage of the commercial real estate market and auction Lakeland's Palm Center in order to return money to investors.

The company purchased the 132,000 square foot center in 2009 for $4 million and the center has done really well during the recent tough economic times.