ANNA MARIA – After taking a second look at the moratorium passed on Monday, Sept 22, during an emergency meeting, the city commission reaffirmed its intention at a special early meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25.

The motion stated the circumstance that brought on the moratorium is because investors are building structures that would have as many as eight bedrooms. The city commission wants to see if a building like that could be treated as a motel and banned, since the only motels in the city are grandfathered in before the city banned them many years ago.

Commissioner Dale Woodland said he wants to make it illegal to rent a house to more than one family, and Commission Chair Chuck Webb agreed.

“In defining a sleeping area, the building official will have to determine usage,” said City Attorney Jim Dye.

Commissioner Doug Copeland asked if there is a limit to the moratorium and Dye said there could be a time limit.

“I am sensing a lot of disagreement on the commission and it takes time to iron it out,” Dye said. “You could always extend the moratorium. You could say the moratorium will be in effect until they find an answer.”

Most of the crowd of residents that spoke at city hall was in favor of the moratorium. Dave McCormick said get on with it; Jill Morris said she is very committed to what she was hearing.

Jason Sato, who is building a house for his family in Anna Maria, said it is frustrating for him when city can dictate what he can do.

Longtime resident Carol Anne Magill drew applause when she said, “I’m so proud of this city. People were frustrated and stopped coming meetings but things change.

"We opened up Pine Avenue to business and when we gave them what they wanted, they wanted more. I’ve been here since 1976 and everyone here does what is needed.

Builder Greg Ross was opposed to regulations on bedrooms.

“I haven’t built a three-bedroom house in years,” he said.

The commission agreed to continue the workshop to Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. to find solutions during the moratorium.

BRADENTON – Manatee County commissioners last week approved a resolution establishing guidelines for using the surplus beach concession revenues.

“It sets forth a process by which those revenues can be used for projects benefitting the Island,” County Attorney Bill Clague explained.

He said guidelines include a joint letter from the three Island mayors with a description of the project and an interlocal agreement between the county and cities. The project must be a one-time project that benefits the Island, all three cities must agree on it and they must apply to the county for project approval.

No matching funds

Anna Maria Mayor SueLynn said the city is in agreement with the changes, but takes issue with the requirement for the cities to provide matching funds.

“We feel like there are millions of dollars that the county receives through a variety of ways, including the tourist development tax, that it feels like we’re having to double back and use that money we have already given,” she explained.

“We would like to see the match removed, or if you want to keep the language, qualify how much is required.”

Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon agreed, and Holmes Beach Mayor Carmel Monti was unable to attend the meeting.

County Commissioner Mike Gallen asked if it is more advisable not to have a strict definition of the amount because the cities “may handcuff themselves.”

“It’s an issue of fiscal policy,” Clague replied. “The idea is they would provide a percent of the cost. That creates a greater incentive for both parties to keep costs down.”

The board agreed not to add specific language regarding the amount of the match.

ULI study

SueLynn also asked that the county fund the entire Urban Land Institute study for the three Island cities. The county had agreed to fund $125,000 if the cities would fund the remaining $5,000.

County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said “everybody needs to have a little skin in the game” and “$5,000 is not that outlandish,” while Commissioners Carol Whitmore said she has no problem with $130,000 ‘as long as it doesn’t cost the county anything.”

Shearon pointed out, “The study requires gathering a lot of information and data. We don’t have big staffs. That will be quite a bit of skin in the game.”

Commissioner John Chappie agreed with Shearon, and the board voted to fund the entire amount.

New tourism marketing campaigns may make slow Septembers a thing of the past.

In hot September, the slowest month of the year on Anna Maria Island, tourism lags so much that some businesses close their doors for vacations or renovations, beachgoers have large stretches of beach to themselves and open parking spaces are the new normal.

The rest of the year, congestion has become so challenging on the Island that a congestion committee was formed in Holmes Beach to examine solutions.

At the height of the tourist season, in March, 62,600 visitors to Manatee County produced an occupancy rate of 90.4 percent in 2013, according to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau statistics.

In comparison, in September 2013, (2014 statistics are not yet available), 31,900 visitors produced an occupancy rate of 53.9 percent.

Septembers already are getting busier – five years earlier, in September 2008, the occupancy rate was only 32.8 percent.

And new marketing campaigns aimed at Brazilian shoppers and National Geographic fans may reinvigorate tourism in September and the rest of the year.

Shop Florida

In 2015, state tourism marketers plan to launch Shop Florida in Brazil, capitalizing on the fact that Florida is Brazil’s number one overseas destination, according to Visit Florida.

Most U.S. merchandise is more affordable than in Brazil, according to Visit Florida, which is partnering with Brand USA, created in 2010 to encourage travelers from all over the world to visit the U.S.

Some strategies include marketing the state at Fashion Week Sao Paulo and in Sao Paulo’s upscale neighborhoods and shopping centers and giving Brazilian visitors to Florida an international smartphone service that will feature retailer partners in Florida.

National Geographic

Visit Florida also is working with the National Geographic Society to tell the world about Florida’s wild environment .

This month, a team of National Geographic journalists will begin reporting from Florida, and National Geographic readers will be invited to submit their favorite Florida wild and natural experiences.

In December, National Geographic photographers will begin posting an "On Assignment in Florida" blog, and a booklet detailing Florida’s outdoor adventures will appear in the December/January issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Florida will be featured on www.NationalGeographic.com beginning in January with an interactive map showing reporters’ and readers’ recommendations and photo galleries.

Reservations

The marketing efforts may add to the problems faced by the Holmes Beach Congestion Committee, chairwoman Carol Soustek said.

“You don’t have to advertise anymore. Word of mouth is carrying this thing,” she said. “We don’t have a problem with people coming, but you cannot push the residents out. This is about the only time of the year that the Island has a little peace and quiet.”

BRADENTON BEACH – Last week, Mayor Bill Shearon shared his thoughts on the commission’s recent decision to move forward with forfeiture of office proceedings against him.

Although he does not believe he should be removed from office, Shearon did support moving forward with the process in order to formally address complaints about his performance.

“What I asked for at the last meeting, and what I’ve repeatedly asked for, is that this has to be narrowed down. Tell me what you don’t like and what you’d like me to do. Most importantly, if you’re going to complain, you should also have a solution,” Shearon said.

“Give me an opportunity to get it corrected, and if you still don’t like what I’m doing, then we’ll evaluate it again. If I don’t follow up, I deserve to be chewed on, but we need to work together instead of having hidden agendas and fighting our own battles,” he declared.

One of the most common complaints mentioned in recent meetings is the alleged low morale of city employees.

“From my perspective, it’s in one department,” Shearon said, in reference to hostile workplace complaints filed by Public Works Director Tom Woodard and others.

“That’s why I’ve asked our labor attorney (Matthew Westerman) for his report. When that comes out, it will be shared with the commission. I couldn’t do anything until I had a formal complaint, and when I did, I hired an outside expert,” Shearon explained.

The report he referred to is expected to be released this week.

He said in this instance, he was not willing to rely solely on the opinion of City Attorney Ricinda Perry.

“Let’s base things on fact. Those findings will give us a pretty good indication as to what the issues are. Once I get that report, I can handle things appropriately. If I’m wrong, I’m not afraid to say I’m wrong and I will make corrections to right any wrong I did, and I expect the same from the other side,” Shearon said.

“Not only that, and this is where I have a real problem with Tom’s other employees filing complaints…As mayor, I am only the supervisor of the department head. I can’t even give other employees direction, and all I can do with department heads is recommend and suggest. That was brought up early in my term, when I thought I had the authority to direct department heads. When it was indicated to me that I was doing it wrong, I changed.”

Shearon said he now asks for permission from the city clerk and city treasurer before making requests of their deputy clerks.

When asked if he is willing to delegate some of his responsibilities to other commissioners in order to lighten his workload, Shearon said, “That’s what I did when I asked the commission to serve as the budget committee. I delegated and stayed out of it so I could focus on other things.”

As for those who want him removed from office, Shearon said, “Just bringing it up, that’s devastating. This is the worst action you can take against the mayor.”

He then mentioned the need for the commission to pull together.

“We have to. It can’t go on this way. It’s not only not good for the city, but it will be our demise because we can’t function under these conditions.”

BRADENTON BEACH – In the wake of two recent meetings pertaining to Vice Mayor Jack Clarke initiating preliminary forfeiture of office proceedings against Mayor Bill Shearon, Clarke’s critics have suggested that his efforts are driven by his desire to be mayor.

Last week, Clarke discussed the reasons he took actions that could potentially result in Shearon being removed from office.

“It’s not a political aspiration, it’s done out of a desire to pull the city out of its nose dive. I believe, under the applicable provisions of the city charter, the mayor should step down and forfeit his position for the benefit of the city as a whole,” Clarke said.

Shearon has repeatedly stated that he needs commissioners to specify what it is he has done wrong and what solutions they propose as corrective measures.

“Due to the mayor’s interpretation of Sunshine Laws, we are not allowed to address him directly with these concerns; and based on past experience, I don’t think he would be receptive to discussing these concerns in an open forum,” Clark said.

“Earlier this year, many legislative initiatives took place to reaffirm the authority of the commission. For about 90 days, those clarifications were applied and there was a freer exchange of ideas, but gradually most of the gains associated with authority, discretion, accountability and the sharing of information went by the wayside,” he added.

Clarke provided specific examples in support of his belief that forfeiture proceedings are warranted.

“Most important to me is the employee relations and how the mayor is perceived in treating staff members and elected officials,” he said.

A labor attorney’s report regarding three workplace claims filed against Shearon was expected Monday. The severity of those findings, or lack thereof, could determine whether Shearon remains in office.

Clark is also concerned about the mayor’s authority to spend up to $2,000 in discretionary funds on any expenditure he feels necessary.

“He can spend the money, but he’s got to tell us what he’s done with it.

There is no accountability, and the commission needs to know,” Clarke said.

“I also believe the mayor has exceeded the authority granted him by our city charter on many occasions.”

He cited Shearon’s previous appointment of Janie Robertson as vice mayor as one example, and Shearon’s assumption that he gets to the chair the Community Redevelopment Agency without being appointed by the commission.

The charter also states that the mayor is not to issue direct orders to department heads.

Clarke agrees with public sentiment regarding the serious nature of a commission attempting to remove an elected official from office.

“It’s of terrific significance, and we did not undertake this lightly, but since it is included in our charter, it’s not an unforeseen circumstance,” he said.

In regard to Shearon being elected, while he ran unopposed, Clarke said, “If no one else ran, the citizens must have felt I offered the best possible representation.”

As for Shearon’s election serving as a mandate from residents, Clarke said, “The mayor defeated incumbent Mayor John Shaughnessy by 17 votes. That means nine votes made the difference. In my opinion, that is not a clear-cut endorsement of the mayor’s policies.”

In conclusion, Clarke said, “I want the citizen’s to know that time is of the essence. Prolonging this action will further demoralize the city, its employees and the city’s interaction with other agencies. In addition, it is unfair to the mayor to have this action hanging over his head for an extended period of time.”