HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth is reacting to the state’s decision to include a fourth option in the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study – eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities and folding the Island into unincorporated Manatee County.
“It’s concerning that none of the mayors were told this was an option,” Titsworth said. “That’s concerning, why there’s no dialogue between us and our state representatives who represent us. Our citizens want to be informed so it’s important that we continue to make ourselves available.”
In an effort to help keep the public informed about the ongoing study, which is expected to conclude in late summer/early fall, Titsworth said the city has purchased the domain saveannamariaisland.com and is in the process of building a website containing facts on the three Island cities and the study as well as information for residents and concerned members of the public who want to reach out to their state representatives. Though consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t up for discussion during the current state legislative session, it’s expected that it will be addressed in 2024. Titsworth says if that happens, she fears an approval for consolidation could go through at the state level quickly and without the input of Island residents similar to the bill to construct a parking garage at Manatee Beach that was approved in 2023 without resident input and against local building regulations. She said she urges everyone who has an opinion on the potential for consolidation to reach out to their state representatives now rather than wait for it to be brought up in bill form for consideration at the state level.
The option joins three other considerations including allowing the three cities to remain as-is, consolidating the cities into one new city or eliminating the three city governments and folding the Island into the city of Bradenton.
The ongoing study, conducted by the state of Florida, is the result of a request from the five-member Manatee County Legislative Delegation and is not being done at the request of the three Island mayors. While the mayors said they would support the study insofar as it looks at potential ways for the three cities to share costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers, they’re not in favor of consolidation. Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown previously stated that he also has no interest in consolidating Anna Maria Island into his city.
If the Anna Maria Island cities are forced into consolidation or elimination by the state, Titsworth said there’s nothing protecting any other Florida municipality from suffering the same fate, including other Manatee County cities.
“If you get on the wrong side of state leaders, it’s no
