BRADENTON BEACH – The first reading of a proposed ordinance outlining the details of a Land Development Code (LDC) revision of ward boundaries was approved by the city commission last Thursday night.
The ward redistricting was based on March 31, 2023 recommendations by Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett. Commissioners had reached a consensus to approve the boundary changes at a Jan. 18 commission meeting.
City attorney Ricinda Perry had asked the commission for direction on Jan. 18 in preparing a resolution to modify the boundaries of Wards 1 and 2 and flip the numbers for 3 and 4, so sequentially the south end of the city begins at Ward 4 with Ward 1 at the north end of the city. She had given commissioners boundary maps drawn up by the supervisor of elections to review showing the recommended boundary shifts.
The city charter requires each of the four wards of the city to be established by ordinance, and that each ward contain approximately the same number of residents.
“Manatee County Supervisor of Elections presented the City of Bradenton Beach City Commission with evidence that the 2024 active voter population for the City’s Ward Boundaries could be more proportionate between the four wards (Ward 1-152, Ward 2-151, Ward 3-153, and Ward 4-155) by revising the boundaries,” the resolution states in part.
“This seems to make logical sense,” Perry said.
Wards 3 and 4 did not need redistricting and an additional area from Ward 1 was added to Ward 2, Perry said at the Feb. 1 meeting.
During the public comment section of the meeting, Bradenton Beach resident Chris Johnson said, “When the wards were developed and why they were developed we had a lot more people living in Bradenton Beach. Our voting population is so down with registered voters, can you explain to me why we’re still having wards when we need to have more commissioners challenged?”
“Back when the city first started, the wards were put in there and they’ve been here ever since, no matter what the voting population is,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “The beauty of the wards is it keeps from getting three or four commissioners from one little neighborhood to have neighbors run the whole city.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said the ward system has worked out well and people are well-represented.
“Ralph explained it beautifully, and Jan,” Mayor John Chappie said. “The wards to me are what government is really about. It’s about having someone right in your neighborhood that you can go to and talk to about things.”
A motion to approve the second reading of the resolution on Thursday, Feb. 15 at noon was approved unanimously by the commission. Following the second reading, the commission will declare open the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake Spooner’s resignation.
Commissioner Marilyn Maro phoned into the meeting.
The commission meets at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive North.
