The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 14 No. 23 - April 2, 2014

headlines

Shining performances for ‘Mama Won’t Fly’
Carol Whitmore

tOM VAUGHT | SUN

Robin Rhodes, as a woman getting married in
Las Vegas, prepares to attack Judy Keenan, who runs
the all-night chapel. Vinnie Conte plays the groom to be.

 

ANNA MARIA – “Mama Won’t Fly” was a challenge for the Island Players, mainly because the large number of roles required that almost everyone who participates in the annual plays be in the cast. And even then, there was still some duplication where an actor had to play more than one role.

But throw in a hilarious script full of belly laughs, some unique stage automobiles from the State College of Florida, plus a Manatee High School student who flashed placards across the stage between scenes, and you end up with some marvelous insanity that never fails to deliver.

Anne Bean was fantastic as Savannah Honeycutt, the daughter who gets stuck driving her mama, played lovingly by Cathy Hansel-Edgerton, from Birmingham, Ala., to Santa Monica to see her brother’s wedding because mama won’t fly. They are joined by mama’s future daughter-in-law, Hayley Quinn, a bubbly, wistful woman played perfectly by Megan Dunn Cox.

There is friction between mama and daughter, and Hayley Quinn has to deal with it, wondering what other surprises will await her when she meets more members of her future husband’s family.

The trip is delayed at one point as they stop at a bra museum in the middle of nowhere. Jo Kendal was wide-eyed crazy as she turned in a hilarious performance as the elderly matron of the museum. After they “escaped” from the museum, they watched as a thief stole their vehicle, but mama would find a cheap used vehicle – a Mini – which meant the three ladies were crammed even closer to each other.

There were other great performances including three by Robin Rhodes, who did her patented “fanny chewing” on some of the characters – she would have made a great Marine Corps drill instructor.

Rick Copp was good as a confused highway patrolman and Cousin Chicken and Vinnie Conte had some appearances that he aced. Herb Stump and Bruce Whitton came out as a Texan and a spritely Irishman who had opened a restaurant and couldn’t decide on the cuisine.

In all, the stops were as funny as the road trip and the cast certainly did the script justice. Go see “Mama Won’t Fly.”

 

Board questions taking funds from Grassy Point

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners expressed their displeasure at a request by Public Works Superintendent Tom O’Brien to take $20,000 from the Grassy Point Preserve line item in the public works budget and put it toward the purchase of a small backhoe.

In a memo, O’Brien said the backhoe is essential to maintain the city’s drainage system. He said $20,000 would be allocated from maintenance funds set aside for Grassy Point, and the remainder of the $37,812 would be from the stormwater utility fund.

Mayor Carmel Monti noted, “It’s a really good investment to improve drainage.”

Commissioner Jean Peelen asked how much is in the Grassy Point line item.

Monti said $40,000 and added, “Last year we had $180,000 set aside for Grassy Point that we used for other things. This year, we are planning to do some grant applications.”

Commissioner Marvin Grossman said they should discuss plans for Grassy Point at a work session and said there are plans for a boardwalk and other improvements.

Peelen agreed with bringing the plans to the city commission for discussion.

“There are lots of things we want to do at Grassy Point,” Commissioner David Zaccagnino stressed. “I don’t have a problem with the backhoe, but if you take $20,000 from that fund, we’re never going to get the $300,000 to build a boardwalk or have matching funds to do anything there.”

He asked why all the money is not coming from the stormwater utility fund, and Monti said that money is allocated for other projects.

Chair Judy Titsworth agreed with Zaccagnino and pointed out, “We had $180,000, and it’s gone; now $40,000 is down to $20,000.”

Human Resources Analyst Mary Buonagura said she is seeking both technical and beatification grants for the preserve and noted, “The previous plans were never developed and fleshed out. This project is evolving rather quickly, and I hope to bring you a discussion paper on April 24.”

Zaccagnino said the city needs the bobcat, but the board should refocus its attention on Grassy Point.

“Taking money from Grassy Point is a bad thing, but we need the bobcat,” Commissioner Pat Morton said.

Peelen made the motion to approve the funding for the bobcat, but to try and seek the money from another place in the budget, and it was approved.

City eyes ban on truck traffic

ANNA MARIA – Mayor SueLynn used a map at last Thursday’s commission work session to explain suggested changes to the traffic ordinance as they continue to deal with the flood of cars and trucks that visit the city.

Perhaps the most radical was an effort to keep truck traffic off the side streets and streets parallel to Pine Avenue. The mayor initially wanted to erect signs with the international code circle with a slash over a picture of a truck and the wording “8 Tons” on it.

Resident Leslie Vanderberg has a petition with 33 signatures on it asking the city to ban the big vehicles on those residential streets.

Sgt. Paul Davis, of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office patrol in the city, said the ban might pertain to lawn service trucks as well.

SueLynn asked residents of those side streets to call the Sheriff’s office at 708-8899.

“We will ticket those drivers who disobey the law,” she said. “If a truck driver gets a ticket, he might lose his license and his way to make a living.”

City Attorney Jim Dye said they should change the traffic ordinance if they erect the signs.

BAN ALL TRUCKS?

SueLynn said truck drivers who deliver on Pine Avenue would have to find a way to turn around because they won’t be able to use the side streets. She asked Dye if they could remove the “8 Tons” from the sign to make it all trucks.

She was reminded that would make it illegal for pickup trucks to use the street, but Davis said the deputies would have the discretion for enforcement and they would not apply the law to the popular vehicles.

Other changes include removing asphalt along the right of way at Galati Marine because it causes flooding during storms and eliminating parking on the right of way; enforcing no parking in the middle of the circle on Blue Heron; adding stop signs at the beach entrance at Coconut and Gulf Drive to eliminate speeding; prohibiting parking at Crescent Avenue before the bridge where people sometimes park in front of the city’s maintenance garage; adding crosswalks at Palm and Palmetto avenues across Gulf Drive and crosswalks across Magnolia Avenue between the western corners of Magnolia and Gulf; eliminating parking for Rod and Reel Motel customers to allow more pier customers to park there; and adding no parking signs along swales because cars tear up the swales. In addition, they will reconfigure the city hall parking lot to make more spaces.

Win a pink sapphire and diamond bracelet

submitted

Aa lucky ticket holder can win a pink sapphire
and diamond bracelet

ANNA MARIA – Put some sparkle into your life and get into the pink of things by winning a pink sapphire and diamond bracelet at An Island Affaire on Saturday, April 12.

Donated by Bridge Street Jewelers, this stunning bracelet is appraised at $4,500 and was designed by John Krake. It is a 14k, white gold, ladies hinged bangle with a safety catch, and it contains two rows of princess cut, fine, Burmese pink sapphires (4.0 carat total weight), which are accented on both sides by a row of diamonds (0.50 carat total weight).

Tickets are one for $25, three for $50 or seven for $100 and are available prior to the event at the Community Center lobby, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. You do not have to be present to win, and only 300 tickets are available.

Bridge Street Jewelers donates an exquisite piece of jewelry every year for the Affaire to help raise money for the children’s programs at the Center. In addition, the jewelry store has donated a Wyland painting for the live auction.

You also can win a specially designed and built Club Cart by Custom Carts of Sarasota at the event. Tickets are one for a $10 donation or five for a $20 donation and can be purchased at various participating Island locations and at the Community Center.

Anna Maria Island Resorts and the Chiles Group of restaurants sponsor the golf cart drawing. You need not be present to win.

The Affaire will be held in the Grande Ballroom at the Center and include a champagne reception, an open bar and a selection of hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6 p.m.; a dinner catered by Harry’s Continental Kitchens with a dessert bar; live and silent auctions and entertainment featuring singer Bertie Higgins.

Individual tickets are $175, and tables of eight or 10 are available. There also is the option of attending the Pre-Affaire VIP party at 5 p.m., which includes special entertainment, VIP seating and a private auction preview for $250 per person.

Black tie is preferred. The Center will provide valet parking services.

Seating is limited, so reserve your seats today. RSVP by April 10 to Wende Webb at wendew@myamicc.com or by calling 941-778-1908, ext. 9203.

Sponsorships for the Affaire are available by contacting Webb and include Diamond, $10,000; Gold, $5,000; Silver, $2,500; VIP Table, $2,000; Bronze, $1,000; and Underwriters, $250 to $999.

Commissioner questions attorney’s fees

HOLMES BEACH – After Commissioner Marvin Grossman questioned the city’s legal fees at last week’s city commission meeting, Mayor Carmel Monti provided a breakdown of the fees for January and February.

Grossman, thinking that the $11,000 for professional services was due to commissioners calling the attorney, told the board, “We’ve been spending a lot of money. In January, we spent $19,000 on attorney bills, and over $11,000 of it was for calls.

“We have a policy if you have a problem and want to ask the attorney, you should go to Stacey (City Clerk Stacey Johnston) first. Also, if you’re going to call somebody that you pay by the minute, you should write out the question first.”

However, Human Resources Analyst Mary Buonagura pointed out, “No staff contacts the attorney without the mayor’s permission.”

Buonagura said that a great deal of the attorney’s time has been spent on the new floodplain management ordinance mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which the city’s insurance depends on; updating the capital improvement plan; and revising the building code, which had to dovetail with the floodplain management ordinance.

“Looking at the bill does not determine if it’s correct or incorrect. You can’t poke holes in something without knowing the details,” Monti stressed, adding that in addition to city commission meetings and work sessions, the attorney has been present at all of the charter review commission meetings.

At Thursday’s work session, Monti produced a meeting comparison showing that from October 2011 to September 2012, there were 26 city commission meetings and work sessions, and from October 2012 to September 2013, that more than doubled to 53.

From October 2013 to the present time, there have been 10 city commission meetings and 10 work sessions in addition to 10 charter review commission meetings.

Repeal of vacation rental law possible ...

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Both branches of the Florida State Legislature are considering bills that would repeal a portion of the vacation rental law created in 2011 by the passage of House Bill 883.

The new legislation would return to local officials the ability to pass legislation pertaining specifically to vacation rentals. The state law enacted in 2011 dictates that local legislation cannot single out vacation rentals and must apply to all residential properties.

Details still need to be worked in regard to potential duration of stay requirements and the protection of property owners from an outright ban on vacation rentals.

If passed, Senate Bill 356 would allow local governments to impose a seven-day minimum stay on vacation rentals. House Bill 307, by comparison, calls for no such limits and would still allow daily or weekend rentals. In addition to allowing for short-term rentals, the House bill includes language that prevents city governments from banning rentals altogether. Because of these stipulations, the House bill appears to have the greater likelihood of being passed.

On Wednesday, March 26, state senators approved on third and final reading the Senate bill that includes a seven-day stay amendment proposed by Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

The bill reads: “A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not limit the frequency of rentals, or set a minimum stay requirement for a vacation rental of greater than seven days.”

Having been approved by a 37-2 margin, the bill originally introduced by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Members of the House are also working on their own repeal bill.

Last amended on March 21, House Bill 307 reads: “A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals, or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals.”

Neither bill would supersede local laws, ordinances, or regulations adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

At press time, the House had yet to cast a vote on their bill; nor have they taken any action on the bill approved last week by the Senate. In order for either bill to become state law, one of the two bills must be passed by a majority of members in both legislative branches.

A more likely scenario is a reconciled bill that contains elements of the both the House and Senate bills, and leads to compromise agreeable to representatives and senators alike.

If an agreement cannot be reached, both bills would die on the floor and the status quo would be maintained for at least another year. The 2014 legislative session ends May 2.

Local officials say repeal is needed so cities can address noise, parking, overcrowding and other quality of life concerns created by rentals that become party houses and mini-hotels in residential neighborhoods.

 

 

... while reactions differ widely

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Many Island residents are closely following two bills working their way through the state legislature that pertain to the partial repeal of the vacation rental law created by House Bill 883.

Holmes Beach Commissioner Jean Peelen and Anna Maria Mayor SueLynn have been at the forefront of the local efforts to repeal HB 883.

“It (a repeal) would at least return to us a portion of what we had before they snatched it away in 2011, when it was up to cities to regulate vacation rentals in their city,” Peelen said. “They had no right to do that, and it would be best if they returned it completely, but I’m also practical, so I say a half a loaf is better than none, and this is half a loaf that would give us some authority to regulate our cities.

“In Holmes Beach, we could at least put into effect what I consider to be safety and health requirements on rentals that we were not allowed to do in the past unless we put those requirements on every house in the city,” she added.

Holmes Beach commissioners had the foresight to enact vacation rental legislation prior to the passage of HB 883. This included establishing daily, weekly and monthly rental zones. This was not the case in Anna Maria, where some feel the propensity of vacation rentals now threatens the character of the city.

“I think it’s an opportunity to have some local control over the balance we need between supporting people renting their properties as vacation rentals and securing the peace and quiet of all our residents,” SueLynn said. “This could be an opportunity to meet the needs of everyone. At least we would have some wiggle room. Without the amendment, we can’t do anything.”

“I don’t think we ever wanted to get into limiting the number of days or the duration of stay. That’s not what’s causing the problems; it’s the sheer number of rentals. It’s better to have this amendment than to have nothing. If we get nothing, our hands are tied, and we have no way to control the destiny of our city,” she added.

Peelen and SueLynn both asserted that neither city intends to institute a ban on vacation rentals.

The industry perspective

In regard to the two bills being considered by state legislators, Island Real Estate owner Larry Chatt favors the House bill because it prevents cities from prohibiting rentals outright, whereas the Senate bill is less clear on that issue.

Chatt said the seven-day minimum stay requirement contained in the Senate bill is less of a concern on the Island, where the average stay is nine days, but might hurt a city like Orlando, where some amusement park visitors favor shorter stays.

He does not foresee an attempt to ban vacation rentals locally, but fears beach communities elsewhere in the state might try to do so, if allowed.

“I think it’s healthy to continue pushing for permanent residents, but we can’t take away the property rights of current owners. With the cost of the home, property taxes, flood insurance and everything else that’s required, there aren’t enough jobs to support the population we’d all love to have on this Island. That’s why we have more absentee owners renting out their homes,” Chatt said.

He also mentioned the need to enforce existing regulations that would help lessen the impact of vacation rentals in local neighborhoods.

“I don’t understand how 883 stops local municipalities from enforcing good and fair guidelines for incoming tourists. The cities don’t enforce what’s on the books now. They’re doing better, but let’s enforce what we have before we institute more guidelines.”

Chatt fears local legislation aimed at the large vacation rental operators would hurt small operators who have fewer resources to accommodate additional regulations.

“I understand the challenges with the larger houses, but they’re allowing those to be built,” he said of local city leaders.

“Many of us are playing nice. They need to find those who aren’t and enforce the rules; and if we aren’t, I expect someone to tell me so I can fix it,” he said.

David Teitelbaum’s resort holdings include the Tortuga Beach Resort in Bradenton Beach. He sees merit in both sides of the repeal debate.

“It’s too bad they have taken away home rule, but there are basic problems that can be solved. Overcrowding is illegal and can be resolved with enforcement. Quiet enjoyment can be enforced too.

“I don’t have these problems in Bradenton Beach. Our guests sign an agreement before they get a key. They agree not to disturb their neighbors; if they do, they get one notice and the second time they’re out.”

In response to those who claim enforcement alone is the answer, Peelen said, “The cities have a constitutional right to govern what goes on in their cities and that was taken away, period.”

City to consider plan for ball field use

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners plan to consider a proposal from resident Andy Proctor, of Manatee West Hurricanes Baseball (MWHB) to improve the city’s baseball field for youth baseball.

The discussion came during a report by City Attorney Patricia Petruff that Manatee County has agreed to the city’s request to terminate the interlocal agreement for construction and maintenance of the baseball field made in 1998.

“The county is OK with it if they are not responsible for maintenance,” Petruff said.

Proctor, who first brought his proposal to commissioners in the fall, said enhancements include adding sod, a moveable pitcher’s mound and artificial turf covers for the base paths, as well as batting cages/pitcher warm up area, a shell walkway from the bleachers to the restrooms and other improvements at a cost of $25,800.

Proctor said MWHB plans to schedule 10 tournaments annually between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1, “with a direct economic impact of at least $18,000 per event.”

Human Resources Analyst Mary Buonagura said Proctor spoke with her and the mayor last week, and she told the board, “There’s matching funds out there to sponsor the improvements to the field to bring the kids back in the Little League way. We’ll get the needs and see if we can’t get some money. He has a 501C(3).”

Commissioners asked that the issue come to a work session, and Chair Judy Titsworth said she would put it on a future agenda.


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