HOLMES BEACH – Special Magistrate Michael Connolly is offering one last chance for property owners to come into compliance with his previous rulings on code violations before he levies fines in October.
Code compliance officers presented several cases before Connolly during a Wednesday, Sept. 16 hearing held at Holmes Beach City Hall. Seven of the cases presented were continued to a future hearing for reasons including pending potential changes to the city’s sign ordinance.
While those cases are set to be heard at a future special magistrate hearing, the cases that most concerned Connolly are the five in which he’s already ruled on alleged code violations and property owners have yet to come into compliance with local and state codes or his rulings.
During the September hearing, he gave the property owners a warning – if they don’t come into compliance before the next special magistrate hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, he’s going to start instituting fines.
Anna Maria Island Inn
Three cases involve The Anna Maria Island Inn, 3501 Gulf Drive.
Speaking for the city, attorney Erica Augello said that the property’s sign, advertising daily rentals in a short-term rental zone, has been changed, but that the property’s advertising had not been brought into compliance. According to the special magistrate order, the resort’s owner, Shawn Kaleta, had until Sept. 18 to achieve full compliance with the order.
The order also states that the owner needs new, valid vacation rental certificates for the new units and to apply for demolition permits and demolish two illegally-constructed rental units on the bottom floor of the building. During a previous hearing, it was determined that the two ground floor units, located beneath the flood level established by the Florida Building Code, were constructed by a prior owner without permits, however, it was ruled that they’re now the current owner’s problem and cannot be rented.
Najmy argued that the owner has applied for the permits but the applications didn’t meet the city’s requirements for approval. He said he felt the requirements for approving the permits supplied by Schwartz are “overreaching.”
Augello also said that city code compliance officers have photographs alleging that the units are still being rented in violation of city codes and the special magistrate order. Speaking on behalf of the owner, Najmy said that the units are not being rented but that there are owners using the property. Connolly advised that Najmy may want to have those owners testify during the next special magistrate hearing when he’ll consider the fines.
Bali Hai
Two of the cases involve the Bali Hai Beach Resort, which is also the subject of a lawsuit with the city of Holmes Beach. The first case concerns work done on an accessory building without permits in violation of local and state building codes. The second case concerns selling alcohol on the premises without an approved site plan from the city; the alcohol sales are taking place in the accessory building.
The September special magistrate hearing was held two days before the deadline Connolly gave the property owner to submit a site plan for review and get the required building permits.
Augello said that the site plan has been submitted and is currently under review. To be approved, she said the site plan has to first go through a development review committee, then go to city commissioners for a work session and then a public hearing.
“There’s no way that they could’ve come into compliance by that date,” she said of the Sept. 18 deadline given by Connolly.
Where the property owner is still out of compliance, Augello said, is that none of the required building permits for work already done have been granted.
Representing the property owner, Bali Hai JV LLC, and manager Shawn Kaleta, was attorney Louis Najmy. Najmy argued that the permits have been applied for, but the applications were denied by the city’s building official. Building Official Neal Schwartz said that additional information is needed and the permit applications have to be resubmitted to be considered for approval.
ANNA MARIA – The large sailboat that’s been grounded offshore near the Anna Maria City Pier since mid-December is expected to be removed as early as this week.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Public Information Officer Adam Brown provided an update on the pending vessel removal by email on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
“I’ve reached out to our derelict vessel coordinator and was told the required 35-day waiting period necessary to give the registered owner an opportunity to remove the vessel will have elapsed on Friday, Sept. 18. With that being the case, we have also reached out to staff with WCIND (West Coast Inland Navigation District) and confirmed that they too are aware of this timeframe and are taking the proper steps to proceed with removal if the registered owner has not taken action before Friday. Sometimes the bidding process for removal and the removal itself can take some time, but I feel confident this is something that will take priority and I hope you will see movement beginning next week,” Brown wrote in his email response.
Brown said he also spoke with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy earlier in the week about the long-anticipated vessel removal.
During the Thursday, Sept. 10 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Chair Carol Carter said derelict and liveaboard vessel concerns were discussed at the ManaSota League of Cities meeting she participated in earlier that day.
“We had another public inquiry about issues regarding unsafe liveaboard concerns on derelict vessels,” Carter said.
Carter said Bradenton Beach resident Barbara Baker manages three condominium associations that are having issues with unsafe liveaboard vessels and has contacted state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and former state Rep. and current Florida Senate candidate Jim Boyd about these concerns.
Derelict and liveaboard vessels south of the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach have long been a source of community concern. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Carter said the ManaSota League of Cities members who represent the Manatee and Sarasota County communities plan to add derelict and liveaboard vessel concerns to their list of the League’s 2021 legislative priorities.
“I made comments about our one derelict vessel that has not been moved for nine months or so, even though the mayor tells me there’s plenty of money available. I think there may be some legislation coming up at the next session with regards to these kinds of things because there are many coastal communities in Florida that are affected. We’re bringing to light how much of an issue it is. It affects public safety and it also affects the water quality,” Carter said.
Murphy said during the conversations he had in July with WCIND and FWC officials, he was told the money was earmarked and the vessel would be removed within the next 30 days or so.
CORTEZ – Swordfish Grill managers Tom Polch, Adam Sears and Bob Slicker delivered a U-Haul trailer filled with donated hurricane relief supplies to the Water’s Edge Gathering church in Lake Charles, Louisiana last Wednesday morning.
Donated by community members and business owners, the donated supplies were collected at the Swordfish Grill in Cortez and The Blessing Bags Project headquarters in Bradenton.
In Polch’s 2006 Ford 150 diesel pickup, the trio departed from the Swordfish Grill shortly after 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8 with a cooler full of energy drinks and water and more than enough snacks to make it to west Louisiana. A reporter from The Sun accompanied them on the 53-hour road trip that covered more than 1,700 miles and concluded in Cortez shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday evening.
Tom Polch and Bob Slicker made their final preparations before departing for Lake Charles. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Polch and Sears shared the driving duties, and when not driving, Sears helped navigate using the Waze phone app that provides directions and real-time traffic information. Riding shotgun most of the time, Slicker – the Swordfish Grill’s general manager – served as mission leader, co-navigator and travelogue commentator.
At 7:19 p.m. Tuesday evening, Sears proclaimed, “This is going to be a very uneventful trip. We’re in and we’re out.”
At 1:50 a.m. Wednesday, Sears said, “I think today is our lucky day.”
Those predictions held true during the westward leg of the trip but would be tested during the return trip from Lake Charles.
After driving all night, the group stopped for breakfast just before daybreak Wednesday morning at a Waffle House in Lafayette. The goal was to pull into the uncertain conditions awaiting in Lake Charles after the sun came up.
Twenty-two miles outside of Lake Charles, the first visible signs of hurricane damage appeared along I-10 in the form of tattered and twisted billboards and small trees bent over or snapped off completely by Hurricane Laura’s devastating winds on Thursday, Aug. 27.
This billboard along I-10 was a sign of the hurricane damage to come. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As Lake Charles drew closer, the damage got worse and included tipped over trailers, damaged or destroyed structures, larger fallen trees and toppled power lines.
Supplies delivered
Shortly after 8 a.m., Polch pulled the truck and trailer into the Water’s Edge Gathering church parking lot. The large metal building was still standing and mostly intact despite roof damage, water damage and the loss of electricity.
Tom Polch stretched his legs after arriving at the Water’s Edge Gathering church in Lake Charles. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Church volunteer Katy Rozas arrived a short time later, accompanied by her boyfriend and fellow volunteer Jonathan Wilson. The supplies were unloaded and carried into the darkened church auditorium now serving as a makeshift warehouse and staging area.
The Water’s Edge Gathering church in Lake Charles, La. is still standing but sustained roof and water damage. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The donated supplies from Cortez included coolers filled with cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, lighter fluid, several bags of charcoal, tents, tarps, flashlights, gloves, a used chainsaw, a used hedge trimmer, stuffed animals, pillows, three large plastic barrels that could be used as rain barrels and more.
Slicker also delivered more than $1,500 in donated Walmart gift cards to be used at the nearby Walmart on I-10 that has power and remains operational.
These were some of the supplies that helped fill the church auditorium that served as a makeshift warehouse. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Wednesday’s delivery was preceded by a truckload of donated supplies collected by the Swordfish Grill and The Blessings Bags Project that were delivered to the church Sunday afternoon by Joe Cadmus. The bed of Cadmus’ flatbed truck was filled with charcoal grills, tents, tarps, cleaning supplies and more.
Water’s Edge received additional supplies from other donors in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin and beyond.
While giving a tour of the church, Rozas noted normal church activities include a homeless ministry and a food pantry.
“This is probably the only time this has been empty,” she said of the dark and damp food pantry that was still drying out.
Rozas and Wilson rode out the storm in Lake Charles.
“The sound was terrifying. We lost some shingles, some awning, an entire fence, some shutters, some gutters and my garage door, but we lived. I still have a sound structure. I have three rental properties. One of them had three trees on it. One had the neighbor’s roof on it and the third had a larger tree on it. My house and my structures are OK and we’re working to make sure our tenants have a safe place to come home to when we get power back. We’re still in a mandatory evacuation, so people are not supposed to be here. They’re asked to come secure their stuff and leave, but we’re a bunch of Cajuns,” Rozas said.
“We had power tools and the first thing we did was cut our way out. We walked the block and saw total losses. It’s just mass devastation,” she said.
Katy Rozas knows she belongs at the Water’s Edge Gathering church. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Rozas said the Water’s Edge buildings fared better than some of the other churches in the area, including some that were severely damaged or destroyed.
“We are blessed,” she said. “Our community relies on us. When people ask where they can get tarps, they’re told to come to Water’s Edge. The people trust us to have some answers – and if not, some hugs. We can use everything you gave us and pour it into our community.”
The secondary building still under construction behind the main church building has a large hole in its roof. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Church volunteer Jennifer Hawkes looked at the donated supplies and said, “This is just amazing. We’ve got a lot from Florida and I have another shipment coming. I had a group of guys from Wisconsin drive down yesterday in their pickup. We’re getting donations from all over. We’re disbursing it to our community and we’re sending it out to the communities and small towns that aren’t getting the media attention Lake Charles is getting.”
“We still don’t have power at my home. I live maybe 15 to 20 miles from here and I’m still running off a generator. I have water, but no power. We’re under a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. It’s dark at night and there’s been some looting, but the patrol officers have been great. Our mayor is awesome and he’s out in the community daily. Our community has pulled together, but it’s going to take months,” Hawkes said.
Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker shows Water’s Edge volunteer Jennifer Hawkes the supplies delivered from Cortez. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As 10 a.m. approached, the heat and humidity of the looming day could already be felt. Wilson said local officials estimate it will be at least another two or three weeks before power is restored in some areas.
Post-delivery sentiments
Water’s Edge volunteers Luke Cooper and Brittany Straub arrived and gave Slicker and The Sun a tour of the surrounding damage while Polch and Sears briefly napped in the truck.
At about 11 a.m., the Cortez contingency pulled out of the church parking lot and headed toward D’Iberville, Mississippi to spend the night at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort using previously accumulated credit card points.
Polch, Sears and Slicker were asked how they felt about their completed delivery.
“You feel OK, but you don’t feel jubilated. You wish you could do more. They seemed like great people,” Polch said.
“I hope what we’re doing gives those people hope to carry on the good work they’re doing to help others,” Sears said.
“We didn’t bring them a trailer full of stuff, we brought them hope – at least for one day. It’s a bit bittersweet. I feel blessed and grateful to be able to do it, but then in the same breath I feel like I’m letting them down by not staying and helping more,” Slicker said.
These coolers from Cortez were distributed to Lake Charles residents on Friday. – Brittany Straub | Submitted
In 2018, the Swordfish Grill collected and delivered relief supplies for Hurricane Michael victims in Port St. Joe in the Florida panhandle. In 2017, the Swordfish Grill collected and delivered relief supplies to Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas.
“When we’re gathering supplies the first thing I think about is, ‘How can we help’? The second thing is to figure out how to get it there,” Slicker said. “I tell people that being a small part of something like this becomes part of a much bigger thing – and when you see a trailer load of supplies delivered you see that it does make a difference. It’s already getting hot and those people are going to be out there all day with nowhere to cool off, and nowhere to cool off tonight. We get to go to air-conditioned hotel rooms and eat a hot meal.”
Road trip tribulations
West of Baton Rouge, Polch’s truck developed a tire vibration that became a source of growing concern and was initially thought to be caused by towing an empty trailer. The group decided to stop for lunch and reassess the situation at Parrain’s seafood restaurant in downtown Baton Rouge.
During lunch, Sears called the U-Haul office in Bradenton and inquired about dropping the trailer off in Baton Rouge instead of returning it to Bradenton. After several more phone calls, a local drop-off was arranged, but the uncured tire vibration remained.
Before departing Baton Rouge, more phone calls were made in search of a tire store that could remedy the issue. At approximately 3 p.m., a Plantation Tire Pros representative said they could look at the truck and try to make the needed repairs, but they closed at 5 p.m. sharp.
The prognosis was that the inner structure of one of front tires broke and was coming apart internally. The recommended cure was two new front tires. The employee dispatched to retrieve the new tires was initially given the wrong-sized tires and had to make a second trip to the local supplier. At approximately 6 p.m., Polch’s truck was back on the highway and riding smoothly again.
Tom Polch’s truck received two new tires at Plantation Tire Pros in Baton Rouge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The group arrived at the Scarlet Pearl shortly after 8 p.m. Showers were quickly taken and Tampa Bay Lightning attire was donned before the group headed down to the casino to watch the playoff game won by the Lightning on a last-second goal. After a late and delicious dinner at Scarlet’s Steak and Seafood, the weary travelers called it a night.
Thursday’s trip home was uneventful and highlighted by an early dinner at the taxidermy-filled Big Wood BBQ and Grill in Live Oak, Florida.
Supplies disbursed
On Friday, all the supplies donated to the Water’s Edge church were disbursed to those in need.
At 12:27 p.m., Straub sent a text message that said, “We took on way more damage in the church than we originally thought and we’re having to empty the entire church as people are getting their things.”
Lake Charles residents lined up Friday afternoon to receive donated relief supplies. Brittany Straub | Submitted
At 3:07 p.m. Straub sent another text that said, “Forty-seven minutes after we opened it was all gone. That was incredible.”
The hurricane relief supplies donated from around the country were distributed in 47 minutes Friday afternoon. – Brittany Straub | Submitted
Straub said the folks in Lake Charles were keeping an eye on Tropical Depression 19 – which on Saturday was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sally as it headed toward Louisiana and Mississippi with the possibility of developing into a hurricane.
LAKE CHARLES, LA. – After delivering hurricane relief supplies Wednesday morning to this city hard hit by Hurricane Laura, Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker and The Sun toured the extensive damage sustained in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Water’s Edge Gathering church volunteers Luke Cooper and Brittany Straub provided the tour of their devastated hometown. Cooper is a local musician who sings and plays guitar and keyboards. He also is a member of the Water’s Edge Gathering church band.
“Almost every musician in Lake Charles has a gig in a church because it pays well,” he said.
Straub had been working as a nurse, but she quit her job on Aug. 14 to focus on earning a degree that will allow her to become a crime scene investigator.
Water’s Edge Gathering church members Luke Cooper and Brittany Straub provided Bob Slicker and The Sun with a tour of the hurricane damage. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Before Hurricane Laura hit on Aug. 27, Cooper and Straub and Straub’s son evacuated to San Antonio with her parents.
Their apartment building in Lake Charles survived the hurricane, but Straub and Cooper’s apartment suffered water damage and is still without power. The couple is currently staying at her parents’ home in nearby Beaumont, Texas.
In Lake Charles, water service had been restored in many areas, but electricity remains scarce.
“There’s not a neighborhood that’s gone untouched in Lake Charles. This is a lower-income area and it got hit brutally. We’re 30 miles inland. The further south you get, the worse it gets,” Cooper said, noting the small coastal city of Cameron was essentially demolished by the hurricane and storm surge.
Lake Charles homeowners now face the prospect of repairing or rebuilding their homes. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Most of the damage happened in the poorer neighborhoods and the older homes got hit the hardest. Unfortunately, we’re finding out that there’s quite a few people that didn’t have home insurance, so they’re going to be at the mercy of FEMA – and so far, that’s not been very much help. We’re afraid quite a few people are going to have to leave with whatever they get. Our poorer community members don’t have much of a choice. A lot of them rebuilt after Hurricane Rita 15 years ago and to rebuild again may be impossible,” Cooper said.
“It’s also a lot of older people and a lot of vets on social security and disability, so rebuilding this neighborhood is going to be hard. They have money to relocate, not to rebuild,” Straub said.
Cooper said he’s heard of homeowners being offered only $10,000 in FEMA funds, but a local attorney’s office has reached out and offered its assistance.
“They’ve been incredibly helpful with the appeals process for FEMA – and what we’re empowered to do and how we can hold everybody’s feet to the fire,” Cooper said.
Most homes in the area toured on Sept. 9 had at least one tarp on the roof and many were covered with multiple tarps, including some that were professionally installed and included spray-painted ID numbers.
“That’s the Army Corps of Engineers. They started going to the houses of the people who signed up for help,” Cooper said.
These tarps were installed by the Army Corps of Engineers. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While approaching the Tommasi Mobile Village, Straub pointed to the wire fence across the street and said, “The fence was filled with all the skirting and siding from the trailers.”
This doll was among the personal belongings sitting outside of a damaged mobile home in the Tommasi Mobile Village. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Straub also noted most of the power poles at the far end of that field were tilted to the left.
“I don’t think one place looks habitable,” Slicker said of the damage that included a fifth-wheel trailer turned on its side and significant damage to many mobile homes.
Hurricane Laura tipped this fifth-wheel trailer on its side. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Regarding the local schools, Straub said, “Ninety-seven percent of all the schools in the school district have severe damage. They haven’t even started yet. With COVID, they were figuring out the virtual learning or the in-person learning, and then this hit. They were supposed to start the 24th and then this happened.”
When passing a large church building that was missing its second story wall, Straub said that was the Glad Tidings church building used for Sunday school and other youth education purposes.
The Glad Tidings Church children’s building suffered significant damage. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Regarding the local churches’ role in the recovery efforts, Cooper said, “We have a bunch of churches that are doing all they can, but a lot of churches were completely devastated. Trinity Baptist fared pretty well. They have a supply delivery and hot food every day. We’ve got people fixing our facility right now so we can do the same. We normally have a food pantry every week, but for the time being it’s a liability issue having people come into a potentially moldy facility.”
This fallen cross sits atop the damaged Glad Tidings Church children’s building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cooper said the Biolab chemical manufacturing plant in Lake Charles caught fire after the hurricane passed and leaked chlorine gas. Straub said a casino boat broke free and rammed a bridge near the scene of the fire and those two incidents resulted in the I-10 bridge being closed for several days.
Cooper said Hurricane Laura may have inadvertently resolved a debate regarding a Confederate statue.
“Most of the community spoke out in favor of removing it. Lake Charles is 52% African American, but some of the votes don’t go that way. The city council voted to keep the statue regardless of the public outcry and then Laura came and destroyed it. They picked it up the next day,” Cooper said.
Straub said Lake Charles residents are doing their best under trying circumstances.
“Lake Charles has fared well. There hasn’t been a whole lot of crime. This city is really special when things like this happen. It’s really tight-knit. There’s been some looting, but it’s nothing compared to previous storms,” she said.
Straub said a 14-year-old girl in nearby Leesville was killed by a fallen tree during the storm. Now the concern is about people dying due to the improper use of generators. According to NPR, five people in one Lake Charles home died of carbon monoxide poisoning after fumes from a generator running in the garage entered the home through an open or partially open door.
Jobs and the economy
“The port and the oil and gas industries are huge here. Most of our people are working-class people and now none of us have jobs. Our small businesses were already crippled because of COVID-19,” Cooper said.
“The jobs are gone. People are coming to town to work on the cleanup or local people are hiring on with cleanup crews. That’s kind of what we’ve got right now,” Straub added.
The Lake Charles business community is trying to recover from the one-two punch of COVID-19 and Hurricane Laura. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cooper said he’s only aware of a handful of businesses that are currently open, including the Walmart store.
Straub was in the Air Force and was not living in Lake Charles when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. Cooper endured Hurricane Rita and the recovery and rebuilding processes that followed.
“You were here in 2005 and you don’t want to leave?” Slicker asked.
“I do now. I don’t want to do this again. I want to clean up and I want to help, but I don’t want the stress of this again. It’s too much,” Cooper said.
“I don’t want to leave, but we’ve talked about relocating anyway. Is now the time? There’s definitely going to be turnover,” Straub said.
“We’re looking at central Texas,” Cooper said.
“Austin,” Straub added.
“Dallas or Austin,” Cooper said.
Government response
“Our mayor, Nic Hunter, is doing a great job. He’s boots on the ground, bringing generators to old people who didn’t want to evacuate. He’s making sure they get their medicine and stuff like that,” Cooper said.
“Lafayette is the closest city to here and they refused refugees from Lake Charles because they were afraid of ‘rabble-rousers’ coming in and disturbing the peace. Their churches were opening their doors to accommodate the displaced people and they were told they couldn’t do that. Josh Guillory is their mayor-president. He’s terrified of ANTIFA invading,” Cooper said.
According to The Acadiana Advocate newspaper, Guillory’s chief administrative officer distributed an email urging shelter providers to pause any action to establish shelters. Concerns about outside agitators coming to Lafayette stemmed in part from tensions already being high in that city due to ongoing protests pertaining to a recent police shooting. The Washington Post picked up on The Acadiana Advocate’s reporting on the refugee shelter story.
The damage inflicted by Hurricane Laura left many Lake Charles residents in need of shelter. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When asked about Gov. John Bel Edwards’ statewide relief and recovery efforts, Straub said, “He said we dodged a bullet. He was referring to us not getting the storm surge that was predicted. We did dodge a bullet by not getting the storm surge, but when people heard that they assumed we dodged a bullet altogether and that’s hurt us. We’re suffering for it.”
Cooper said, “I think he did great with COVID, but he underplayed this and it affected how people carried the story.”
Media and social media
Straub said a local TV station suffered significant damage.
“Their whole tower collapsed,” Straub said.
“Our mayor said he’s worried that because this is a smaller community, about 80,000 people, people are going to turn a blind eye and it will be forgotten,” Cooper said of the national media’s brief coverage of the hurricane damage in Lake Charles.
Slicker noted Lake Charles is the state’s fifth-largest city.
City officials and city residents hope the local recovery efforts won’t be forgotten or overlooked. – Joe Hendricks Sun
“We have people that are trying to be as vocal as they can to raise awareness of the situation. What we’ve found, especially from the people in Florida, is that anybody that’s aware of the level of destruction that occurred really cares. I’m not worried about people caring, I’m worried about people not being aware of our situation. Florida has come through strong and we thank you so much,” Cooper said.
The national media may be gone, but social media platforms are being used to raise awareness of the ongoing struggles in Lake Charles.
Cooper said the Water’s Edge church received a truckload of supplies earlier in the week as a result of a TikTok video Lake Charles resident Tara Parks shared online.
“That’s gotten a lot of attention. She made a TikTok to explain what it’s like to be on the ground living with two children in a tent and not knowing when you’re going to get water or electricity again. So, we’ve seen traction with social media moving the needle. It’s such an asset,” Cooper said.
Cooper said his friends who stayed for the hurricane used and continue to use Facebook and other social media platforms to find out where food, water, ice and other supplies can be found.
Clean-up crews continue to clear the neighborhood streets in Lake Charles. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
If there’s one thing I learned over the years it’s that the more “stuff” you put on a boat the more you have to deal with. Having said that, there are a few things I have found worth the effort. Chief among those is a trolling motor. Recent advances in technology have made the problems I encountered in the past less of a problem.
I’m an inshore angler most of the time, only venturing into the Gulf seasonally in pursuit of tarpon, little tunny, cobia, tripletail and Spanish mackerel. While l prefer to use my push pole most of the time, there are times the trolling motor is “indispensable.” Chief among them are the times I fish alone and use the trolling motor to set myself up for drifts or to work a shoreline. Then there are the times when the trolling motor gives me a distinct advantage over anchoring or drifting when targeting tripletail on crab buoys or fishing lights in the pre-dawn hours.
My first trolling motors were analog and operated with air switches. I remember them as being more trouble than they were worth. Fortunately, advances in technology brought us digital motors that were far more reliable and coatings that make them far more saltwater resistant.
Today, technology continues to advance at a dizzying pace and trolling motors and anglers are reaping the rewards. The advances are particularly notable for big boat owners. While there are two major brands available to anglers, this article centers on Minn Kota, the motor I use and I think has made the biggest strides for saltwater anglers.
All Minn Kota saltwater models have coated lower units. Thelower unit is grit-blasted, aluminum coated, then powder coated for protection against oxidization and rust. The other parts of the motor that are most susceptible to the corrosive effects of saltwater are the motor’s control board and electronics, which arecompletely encapsulated to keep saltwater out. All motors are also equipped with a technology they call a “digital maximizer” that extends the life of the batteries that power the motors.
The technology really benefits offshore anglers and guides who depend on a trolling motor every day. The new Riptide Terrova has an 87″ shaft and a GPS system with a feature called Spot-Lock that automatically holds a boat over a chosen location like a favorite reef, eliminating the need to anchor in deep water. The GPS also allows an angler to follow a particular track or heading automatically keeping hands free for fishing.
Other features include a bow-mount stabilizer to lock the motor in place when you hit heavy chop and wake, and a quick-release bracket for easy motor removal. The innovations get even more hands-free with the introduction of an i-Pilot Link which connects Riptide trolling motors to a Humminbird fish finder unit, enabling the angler to control their motor from a Humminbird fishfinder.
The Riptide Ulterra® increases the ease of use with a button that automatically deploys and stows the motor and adjusts it up and down. All this can be controlled with a hand-held controller, from a smartphone app or on the fishfinder unit.
With these advances in technology, the only work you’ll be doing on your trolling motor is maintenance. In truth, finding someone to work on my trolling motors has always been a problem. That issue was resolved when I met the Trolling Motor Guy. Robert Schroeder operates a factory-authorized Minn Kota service center right here in Bradenton. Local Island anglers can even drop their motors off to be serviced in Cortez!
Trolling motors have come a long way since I hung the first one on my boat and have become an integral part of a lot of the fishing I do. This article just touches on many of the possibilities. The Trolling Motor Guy can be reached by calling 941-518-9940.
With the championship game scheduled as the last of the night and the clouds and rain threatening to stop adult soccer play at The Center, two games were completed before a power outage ended action on the pitch.
The first game of the night ended with team Sato Real Estate capturing the first of two spots in the Paul “Ace” Hayward Championship Cup game by beating a talented Moss Builders squad by three goals.
Former Ross Built team member Connor Bystrom got a hat trick last Thursday night, with supporting goals by team captain Josh Sato and Hakan Toka. With seven saves by goalie Steve Oelfke and a single recorded assist by Murap Akay, the Sato team goes on to the final game with a date and time yet to be determined.
The 10 saves by keeper Zack Long, solo assist by Brent Moss, and points scored by Danny Anderson and team captain Ryan Moss just were not enough, making it their last game of the season.
As the rain continued to threaten, the second semifinal game was played. Underdogs – but highly effective – Vintage Beach had nothing to lose playing the first seed team Beach Bums for the last seat at the championship game table.
Team captain Joey Hutchinson scored three points for his Vintage Beach team, while Amy Ivin matched the scoring shots for the Beach Bums team.
The additional two points put on the scoreboard by teammate Sean Flynn just were not enough, as the Beach Bums squad put a total of 10 points up in lights on The Center’s scoreboard.
Three of Beach Bums’ players scored two goals each: Connor Haughey, Yuri Pereira and Kevin Roman. Andrew Sullivan had a lone goal and five saves for the team, with an additional five nabs by Haughey during his time as the goalkeeper.
Due to the power outage, the championship game was delayed. The crowning of the Hayward Cup champion remains much anticipated.
HOLMES BEACH – It took a little while to work out, but commissioners and city staff finally have a budget and a millage rate that they can agree on.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposed millage rate and the proposed budget, both of which underwent some changes since they were last discussed during budget workshops.
One major change is that instead of increasing the millage rate, it will remain the same at 2.25 mills for the upcoming 2020-21 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The millage rate is the amount charged in ad valorem property taxes per $1,000 of the taxable value of the property. Though the millage rate remains the same, due to property value increases it represents a 4.61% increase in rates over the previous year. The rollback rate is 2.1641 mills. The rollback rate is the millage rate that would bring in the same amount of tax revenue for the city as the previous fiscal year.
The proposed budget for the city is $17,879,270 including $8,492,673 in carryovers and reserves. City treasurer Lori Hill plans for a break-even budget. During the Sept. 10 meeting, Hill told commissioners that some expenses, such as new computers and phones for commissioners, had been removed from the budget and pushed to future fiscal years.
She added that some revenue sources, including the fifth cent gas tax, half-cent discretionary tax and FEMA monies expected by the city, had increased since the previous hearing. Total funds from the fifth cent gas tax are estimated at $70,225 with the half-cent discretionary tax coming in at $614,171. The increases amounted to about $85,000 over the previously anticipated amount of state funding, giving the city a planned $803,160.
Local revenues, Hill said, are planned to bring in about $27,000 less than previously estimated, bringing that number to $8,583,437, including the property taxes paid by Holmes Beach property owners.
While it sounds primarily like good news, Hill said that year over year, last fiscal year as compared to the coming one, the city is poised to lose about $125,000 in state revenue and about $145,000 from local revenue sources. She did note that there is an approximately $100,000 increase in estimated stormwater revenue due to FEMA funding. Locally, the city-assessed stormwater fee is estimated to bring in $423,132 in additional funding over the previous year, a total of $1,391,554. Hill said that the city also is poised to receive $500,000 in grant funding for stormwater improvement projects.
She estimates the city will have $4.7 mil in rollover cash at the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. This will leave the city with an unrestricted reserve amount of 24.69% of the city’s total budget, meeting the Florida League of Cities’ suggested cash reserve amount to fund ongoing operational costs.
“In the eight years I’ve been here, this is the lowest year-over-year increase in expenses we have had,” Hill said. She estimates the city’s expenditures have increased by about 3% from the 2019-20 fiscal year.
The budget for mayor and commission was reduced to $200,403. Commissioner Jim Kihm, who had previously offered to give up his stipend if it put the city in a better financial position, said he had requested that Hill reinstate his salary since the city’s financial needs were able to be met without increasing the millage rate. Commissioner Kim Rash had also made the offer to forgo his salary in the best interests of the city but since he is up for re-election in November, only Kihm’s salary had been removed from the budget.
The general government budget topped out at $1,783,926 with no major changes from the previously proposed budget.
The code compliance budget came in at $590,666 including increases in the budget for special magistrate hearings and $12,000 for special magistrate hearing engineering if needed.
The budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department topped out at $3,616,206, an increase of about $45,000 due to previously unanticipated increases in insurance costs and $35,000 for the purchase of body cameras for officers.
Public works showed increases in that department’s budget, which comes in at $1,971,893, due to funding for some projects being moved into that department, including the reserve funding from the Hagen Foundation for lighting the shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, Hill said.
The building department’s budget came in at $866,406, including an increase for additional staff training to reduce outsourcing.
Commissioners thanked Hill and the city staff for working to find a way to meet the city’s needs without increasing the millage rate.
“I think it’s a very fair budget,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said.
“This is a very difficult budget year for the city,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said. “I think it’s a good budget and one that I can support.”
Commissioners will host a second public hearing and final vote for the millage rate and budget on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy says the City Pier grill and bait shop lease negotiations are going well with Brian Seymour and his partners, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham.
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Murphy told the city commission he’s still on track to present them with a proposed lease contract on Thursday, Sept. 24. Next Thursday’s commission meeting will begin immediately after the conclusion of the 6 p.m. final budget hearing.
During last week’s commission meeting, Murphy said he and Commissioner Jon Crane had their first fact-finding meeting earlier that week and planned to have their second meeting the following day.
“I think we’re on target, and I committed to coming back to you with a contract on the 24th. It looks pretty good. We made some significant progress in terms of getting organized. The next major step is for the city attorney to provide a draft of a contract.”
City Attorney Becky Vose told the mayor and commission she’d been working on the lease contract for three days and would finish it that night and send it to Murphy.
Murphy said he and Crane would look over the contract and send it to Seymour and his partners to review.
“And then, we can hopefully come to some agreement. We’re on track for the 24th,” Murphy said.
Crane said he echoed the mayor’s comments.
“I found the group, the three of them, to be very cooperative, very helpful. The questions they asked of us were astute and few, and they really seemed like they’re ready to get going and put out a good product out there. I was reviewing their menu again today and my mouth started watering. It was a good meeting,” Crane said.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the city commission deemed the group consisting of Seymour, Mattay and Graham its top choice to operate the City Pier grill and bait shop.
Seymour’s group proposed paying $6,000 per month in rent, with an annual 2.5% rent increase. The trio anticipates spending an additional $41,350 to complete the interior buildout of the city-owned building.
From left, Nick Graham, Brian Seymour and Vic Mattay are forming a partnership to operate a grill and bait shop on the Anna Maria City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seymour owns and operates the Anna Maria General Store & Deli in leased space on Pine Avenue. Mattay owns Dips Ice Cream, and shares space inside the general store. Graham manages Dips and he and his brother, Aaron, own and operate Graham Slam fishing charters in Cortez.
Seymour, Mattay and Graham are equal partners in the Pine Avenue Bait & Tackle store adjacent to the general store and are forming a similar partnership for their anticipated pier-based business operations. Seymour recently told The Sun he hopes to open the grill and bait shop before Thanksgiving.
The commission favored the Seymour group’s proposal over the proposal submitted by FP Growth Partners, who proposed paying $5,500 per month in initial base rent or 6% of gross revenues, whichever was higher. FP Growth Partners also offered to take the bait shop building as is and complete the interior buildout at no additional expense to the city. Murphy said that could save the city $50,000 to $75,000 in upfront costs.
FP Growth Partners owns and operates multiple Poppo’s Taquerias, including the Pine Avenue location.
The city currently has no plans to seek a tenant to operate a full-service restaurant in the larger of the two City Pier buildings.
HOLMES BEACH – After being extended by Mayor Judy Titsworth on a weekly basis three times, commissioners have voted unanimously to extend the mandatory face mask ordinance for a little longer – until their first meeting in January 2021.
The city’s initial ordinance requiring anyone in a Holmes Beach business or public building to wear a face mask, unless exempt by a health condition or age, was adopted by commissioners June 25 and expired on Aug. 25. Since the expiration, Mayor Titsworth has been extending the ordinance for seven days at a time under a mayoral directive allowed by the city- and state-declared states of emergency. Currently, the Florida state of emergency, extended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is set to expire in early November, though city attorney Patricia Petruff said she expects the state of emergency to be extended again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commissioners agreed to take the burden of extending the mask mandate off the mayor’s shoulders and extend it for a period longer than seven days. After discussing several different end date options, they settled on the end of the year, amending the end date to their first meeting in January. The decision was made to extend it into 2021 to avoid any potential lapses in the mask regulations in case the mask mandate needs to be extended again due to the threat of the coronavirus.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said if the threat of the virus has receded prior to the expiration of the ordinance, commissioners can vote to rescind the mask mandate.
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the mask mandate has been working well and that enforcement also has gone well with the city’s business owners supporting the measure. He added that his officers are doing spot checks at local businesses to ensure compliance and that only one issue has arisen where a business manager called the department because a patron refused to wear a mask while inside. Tokajer said the individual was cited for trespassing and removed from the property.
Commissioner Pat Morton said he felt the ordinance was working well to help protect both visitors and residents from the virus’ spread. Commission candidate Jayne Christenson agreed, adding that she thinks it’s a good ordinance.
Because the ordinance was enacted to address a declared emergency it does not have to have a second reading or vote, which is normally required for ordinance approval in Holmes Beach.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s (DBPR) decision to allow Florida bars to reopen at 50% capacity Monday is not expected to have an impact on Anna Maria Island.
That’s because five of the Island’s six stand-alone bars are already open and have been for quite some time.
On Sept. 10, DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears issued Executive Order 2020-10, which repeals the bar restrictions he set forth in EO 2020-09 on June 26.
No longer in effect, Beshears’ June 26 order said, “All vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises who derive more than 50% of gross revenue from such sales shall suspend sales for consumption on premises. Vendors also licensed as public food service establishments or restaurants may continue to operate for on-premise consumption of food and beverages at tables so long as these vendors derive 50% or less of gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption.”
Beshears issued his June order after the number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 increased significantly, especially among younger individuals.
“Some of these cases involving younger individuals are suspected to have originated from visits to bars, pubs or nightclubs,” his order said.
On July 1, Beshears amended EO 2020-09 and allowed bars with food licenses to resume the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption.
Beshears’ actions were preceded by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ March 17 executive order that prohibited bars from selling alcohol for on-site consumption. On June 5, DeSantis allowed bars to reopen at 50% capacity, but that allowance ended with his blessing when Beshears issued his own executive order in June.
Island bar openings
On July 16, Anchor Inn owners Darla and Bobby Tingler figured out a way to open their Holmes Beach bar at 50% capacity under their existing liquor license.
“With our 4COP license we have a pre-packed food license. That means we can serve any type of pre-packaged food. This was an existing part of our license that we weren’t aware of until this morning. We didn’t have to go get a food license,” Darla Tingler said that night.
Tommy Knockers in Bradenton Beach opened in a similar fashion later that day, followed later by the Drift In and the Sports Lounge in Bradenton Beach and Dcoy Ducks in Holmes Beach.
The Tinglers later obtained a DBPR-issued food license that fully secured their ability to operate at 50% capacity.
On Aug. 4, DBPR shut down the Drift In for not having a food license – an enforcement action taken in response to a complaint lodged by an unknown person.
On Aug. 14, the Drift In reopened for the third time since the pandemic began, this time with a DBPR-issued food license.
When contacted Sunday and asked about Beshears’ latest order, Darla Tingler said, “We’re thankful the other bars that played the loophole are now legal and won’t be shut down. But everyone still had to play by the rules and capacity limits.”
Drift In manager Doreen Flynn felt the same and said, “I’m waiting for him to say restaurants can be increased to 75% so I can put 12 more barstools back in our bar.”
At 50% capacity, The Drift In is operating with 28 indoor seats and a doorman who monitors capacity and ensures masks are worn when walking around or dancing inside the establishment.
Bartender Courtney McGough said Beshears’ latest order has no impact on the Sports Lounge: “We’ve been open. We enforced strict rules and followed them during every shift. We always stuck to 50% capacity, which for us is 30 people. We did not apply for a hospitality/restaurant license.”
Tommy Knockers bartender Courtney Call said, “We have been open with ready to eat foods and have been doing our best to keep to rules. We’re just hoping everything gets back to normal soon.”
Dcoy Ducks general manager Richie Brown did not respond to The Sun’s request for comment.
According to its website, The Doctor’s Office in Holmes Beach remains closed but is operating a “pop-up clinic” with a limited classic cocktail menu at its nearby sister establishment, Eat Here.
Since there are no perfect houses, when it comes time to sell your imperfect home, just how honest do you have to be about its defects?
Basically, you should disclose anything that might affect a buyer’s decision to buy the property or anything that might influence the buyer’s offer. To accomplish this, pretend you’re the buyer of your own home.
If you list your home with a Florida Realtor, they will likely provide you with a Seller’s Property Disclosure form created by the Florida Realtors Association. While a Seller’s Property Disclosure form is not required under Florida law, the state still requires sellers and their Realtors to disclose any significant property defects that may not be easily visible to the buyer. If this sounds like a conflict, it’s really not. The form just provides the avenue whereby sellers can be reminded to provide the best information to a buyer that will protect them and provide a good faith and accurate disclosure to the buyer.
Some of the items the disclosure form will address are:
Structures, systems and appliances being in working and in sound condition, and whether the home contains aluminum wiring,
Termites, other wood-destroying organisms and pests relative to current activity, past treatment and damage,
Flooding, drainage, mold, or water intrusion issues,
Plumbing leaks, septic systems and wells, if applicable, relative to condition and potable water,
Roof soundness, leaks, age, repairs you’re aware of and any other roof defects,
Pool and hot tub condition and safety features,
Any knowledge of sinkholes,
Full disclosure of homeowner’s association restrictions and financial records,
Lead-based paint and radon gas, if present,
Government claims and litigation against the property, zoning violations or nonconforming use of the property.
Don’t put yourself in a position where a buyer can use anything against you down the road. In our area, the most significant areas of litigation pertain to water penetration and flooding. These are easy areas for a buyer to verify, so don’t fib. That said, you are only obligated to disclose what you know even if it’s something the buyer can’t see.
Is there anything that doesn’t have to be disclosed?
You don’t have to disclose the reason you are selling, and neither should your broker. This includes if you totally hate your next-door neighbor as long as the neighbor is not generally considered a nuisance except to you. You don’t have to disclose if someone passed away in the house and you definitely don’t have to disclose that your house is haunted even if you think it is.
So, put your buyer shoes on before you advise the seller or their broker about condition or fill out a disclosure form. Remember, Florida law requires a seller of a home to disclose to the buyer all known facts that materially affect the value of the property that are not readily observable or known by the buyer. Be as straightforward as you can be, and stay safe.
CORTEZ – The Blessing Bags Project, the Swordfish Grill and the Cortez and Bradenton communities have teamed up to assist with the hurricane recovery efforts taking place in Lake Charles, La.
Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 27 and did significant damage to many Lake Charles homes and businesses. Residents are also dealing with the loss of electricity and water as well as supply shortages.
The supplies gathered by The Blessing Bags Project and the Swordfish Grill will be delivered Wednesday morning to the Waters Edge Gathering church in Lake Charles.
On Tuesday afternoon, Swordfish General Manager Bob Slicker and Managers Adam Sears and Tom Polch are leaving for Lake Charles towing a 6 x 12 trailer filled with donated supplies. The bed of Polch’s diesel pickup truck will also be filled with donated supplies.
The donated supplies include charcoal grills, charcoal, coolers, tents, hammers, tarps, flashlights, work gloves, toilet paper and paper towels, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies and more.
Community members began dropping off donated supplies at the Swordfish Grill on Wednesday and those efforts concluded Saturday, with a few more supplies donated on Sunday.
“A bunch of people helped and the whole community stepped up with supplies,” Slicker said Sunday evening.
The Blessing Bags Project conducted an ongoing online fundraiser that has thus far raised approximately $1,700. Blessing Bags Project President Betsy Plante said that money was used to purchase grills, coolers, flashlights, personal hygiene products and other supplies that were later delivered to the Swordfish Grill.
Plante received $1,500 in additional cash donations from local churches and individuals. That money was used to purchase $50 Walmart gift cards to be delivered by Slicker, Sears and Polch.
The Blessing Bags Project also filled 250 backpacks with personal hygiene products and also boxed up school supplies to be delivered by the Swordfish Grill trio.
According to Slicker, Cortez Bait & Seafood Market Manager James “Wyre” Lee secured a pallet full of supplies donated by John Hargreaves, president of the Maintenance Too Paper Company in Bradenton that supplies paper products to the fish market.
Some of the weatherproof and waterproof supplies received from Hargreaves and others were then reorganized and placed on pallets that were loaded onto local resident Joe Cadmus’ flatbed truck. According to Plante, Cadmus delivered those supplies to the Waters Edge Gathering church at 2:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
“That was a Godsend for us, because we were able to put the heavier stuff on Joe’s truck. When he called, his was perfect because we were just trying to figure out what we were going to do about a bigger truck,” Slicker said.
These were among the first relief supplies delivered from Cortez to Lake Charles on Sunday. – Betsy Plante | Submitted
Slicker said he spoke with Cadmus Sunday evening.
“He said they don’t expect power for three weeks and most all the streets are closed with downed power lines. There’s no phone service. He said a block from the church it’s just foundations of houses and buildings. He said the people there feel left out because no one is talking about them. The average income for the people that live there is about $22,000 and they need help,” Slicker said.
Mr. Hannon, a Lake Charles resident and military veteran, sustained significant hurricane damage to his home. – Josh Quayhagen | Submitted
“If people go to The Blessing Bags Project website and give money we will continue to send gift cards to the church. There’s a Walmart close to town that’s still open. People are living in tents and the gift cards will help a lot,” Slicker said.
When asked why they’re doing this, Plante said, “This all started because a woman I know on Facebook, Kelli Stawecki, lives in Lake Charles and has a homeless ministry there – and now she’s homeless too because of the hurricane. The people there need help. They have no water, no electricity and they’re homeless.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The parking tram pilot program in Bradenton Beach is expected to begin service on Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) members unanimously approved a one-year contract on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with Easy Parking Group owner Joshua LaRose, who in June was selected as the CRA’s top choice over two other bidders.
Easy Parking Group already provides daily tram service for the Daiquiri Deck and the Bridge Street Bazaar businesses that operate in the building owned by CRA member and City Commissioner Jake Spooner.
Utilizing two electric, golf-cart-like trams, the pilot program will be funded by the CRA. The trams will be owned, operated, maintained and insured by the Easy Parking Group and one of the trams will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The rides will be free for passengers, but tram drivers will gladly accept tips.
The one-year contract provides LaRose with exclusive rights for five one-year renewals.
When service begins, the trams will provide park-and-ride shuttle services in and around the CRA district that extends from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South. The county-owned parking spaces at Cortez Beach – along Gulf Drive and south of Bridge Street – will be among the locations where motorists can park for free and catch a free ride to various destinations in and around the CRA district. The county-owned parking spaces further south at Coquina Beach may also be used.
City Attorney Ricinda Perry said there’s “absolutely no need to go to the county” regarding the use of the county-owned beach parking spaces currently used by Island residents, county residents, non-residents, the Monkey Bus and others. Perry said there’s nothing that prohibits or prevents the CRA from running trams to those public parking areas.
The city-owned parking lot behind the BridgeWalk resort and the city lot next to the public works department building may also serve as park-and-ride destinations, as could the after-hours parking spaces at city hall.
The trams will also provide park-and-ride service to employees who work in and around the CRA district.
“It will move them to the Coquina and Cortez beach areas if the owners of the establishments tell their people they need to park elsewhere and open up more spaces closer to the businesses we have in the Bridge Street/CRA area,” CRA member and Mayor John Chappie said.
Tram routing
The initial tram plans envisioned trams running back and forth between Cortez Beach and the public works parking lot, using Fifth Street South, Bay Drive South, Church Street North, First Street North and Bridge Street as the proposed travel routes.
This led to some public resistance from residents who live along Fifth Street South and Bay Drive South, which led to additional CRA discussions about potentially using a route that relies more on Gulf Drive and Bridge Street.
The initial tram route was proposed to the follow the route highlighted in red, with Cortez Beach shown to the right. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
During Wednesday’s meeting, resident Terry Gephardt again expressed her concerns about the potential tram route.
“I want to make the same comment I’ve made all along: Please do not run the tram down Fifth Street South. We are a neighborhood. We want to be a community, we don’t want to be a commercial endeavor,” she said.
The exact tram routes and operating hours will be subject to ongoing review and revision.
“This is a pilot project. We need to decide where it runs, where it will be best suited, how often it will be used and what the peak seasonal needs and demands are,” Perry said.
Chappie also addressed the routing concerns.
“The routing is going to be flexible. I’ve heard what the concerns are on Fifth Street and there’s a lot of good points there. I think we need to look at these other areas, along with the Fifth Street area. I think we need to move forward with it and see how this shakes out,” Chappie said.
Perry said LaRose is willing to treat the pilot program as a fluid situation as long as the CRA commits to two trams.
The contract calls for LaRose to provide the CRA with ridership and route data that can be used to continually evaluate the program’s impact and success.
That data may also be used to support the CRA’s potential future efforts to install a dedicated tram path in the Cortez Beach parking area, running parallel to Gulf Drive. City Engineer Lynn Burnett has already discussed with county staff the possibility of a tram path and reconfiguring the Cortez Beach parking lots using diagonal parking and ropes and bollards to separate the parking areas from the tram path.
Anticipated costs
Perry said the trams will run seven days a week, 365 days a year and the initial hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The city’s contract with the Easy Parking Group is based on daily rates. Perry said the rates will be $155 per day for the regular shuttle cart and $165 per day for the ADA-compliant cart. This equates to $320 per day, approximately $9,731 per month and $116,800 per year.
As he has done during previous discussions, CRA Chair Ralph Cole again expressed concerns about dedicating more than $100,000 per year in annual CRA revenues to a parking tram program. In recent years, CRA’s annual tax revenues have averaged between $500,000 and $600,000, according to City Treasurer Shayne Thompson.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Cole questioned whether the proposed annual tram expenditure might be better used to pursue other CRA projects instead, including the additional undergrounding of utility lines. Despite his reservations, Cole agreed to give the pilot program a try.
Tram-based advertising opportunities are expected to help offset the CRA’s tram expenditures. – Easy Parking Group | Submitted
Perry said advertising revenue generated by signs affixed to the trams would help offset some of the CRA expenses. Perry said the ad revenues will be noted on the monthly invoices and deducted from the CRA’s monthly payments to the Easy Parking Group. Perry said she’s already been contacted by six business owners interested in advertising.
“If the pilot program’s not successful, we can cancel it. If we decide we can’t appropriate the funds for it, we can get out of it,” Perry said.
Additional comments
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the road construction taking place in and around the CRA district, member David Bell questioned whether Nov. 1 was the best time to launch the program and begin collecting ridership data.
CRA member and Beach House restaurant owner Ed Chiles said, “It seems like we’re on the precipice here of success, and that gives me goosebumps. We’ve been working on this for years and years.”
Bridge Street will be a primary destination for the CRA parking trams when service begins. – Easy Parking Group | Submitted
Chiles noted parking has historically been the biggest problem in the Bradenton Beach business district.
“I think it’s a great overall Bradenton Beach project. We’re going to have something fresh and new as we hopefully come out of this pandemic. I think it’s universally supported by the businesses. Ricinda, thank you for your perseverance. It looks like we’re about to make this thing happen,” Chiles said.
Last Thursday night at Anna Maria Island’s community center, eight adult soccer teams started playoff action in the ninth season ending in the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup championship game.
The first three games of the evening advanced the number five seed Vintage Beach, seventh-ranked Moss Builders, and top-ranked Beach Bums to the semifinal games.
The fourth semifinal slot was filled by the regular season second place finishers Sato Real Estate in a battle against #6 Signature Granite.
The own goal by Sato Real Estate became the critical point, ending regular season play with the score 2-2. Signature Granite’s Katie Christenson scored the lone goal for her team before the shootout.
Going into extended play, Josh Sato and Hakan Toka had a point each already in the record book. Sato is credited with the winning kick from the penalty mark.
In the win, Steve Oelfke saved 10 shots for Sato Real Estate. Scott Bear, of Signature Granite, had an incredible game with 13 saves for his team in the final quarterfinal game of the night.
Other scorers in the night were Josh Furman and Chris Scott for Solid Rock Construction. A hat trick by Vintage Beach’s Joey Hutchinson was supported by single goals by Nick Bouchard, Sean Flynn and Clancy Vaughn.
Ross Built Construction’s Jake Ross’ goal was just not enough against the four successful shots by Danny Anderson for Moss Builders. Anderson’s teammate, Aaron Parkin, had a solo goal in the game, moving his team to the next round of the playoffs.
Matt Staggs’ point stood alone on the scoreboard for the Blalock Walters team. Their opponent, Beach Bums, solidly captured the win with the final score 5-1.
Kevin Roman finished with two goals in the game. Singles by Robert Fellowes, Amy Ivin and Andrew Sullivan showed why the Beach Bums quad is the team to beat going into the semifinal games.
Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. starts with Moss Builders taking on Sato Real Estate. Vintage Beach follows against Beach Bums at 7:30 p.m.
The Hayward Cup game is scheduled to start at 9 p.m., to follow shortly after the last semifinal matchup.
Summer may be on the wane but you would never know it unless you’re up early or get out later in the day. Savvy anglers know to change their strategies, tailoring their efforts to maximize comfort and opportunities.
One of the prime times to fish during the “dog days” is before the sun crests the horizon. The myriad dock and bridge lights that illuminate the waterways from Bradenton to Venice are prime targets. Basins with deep holes are also a great place to target rolling tarpon. These areas hold schools of snook as well as trout and a host of other species.
Docks with a water depth in excess of 6 feet are best. Tidal flow is another indication of action. Lights on the up-tide side of a structure are best, allowing you more latitude when making a presentation, preventing hang ups and allowing flies, lures and bait to swing to the fish naturally. With a little attention to detail, it’s possible to target some docks on the incoming tide, and others on the outgoing tide.
The presence of hard bottom near a bridge or dock is another indicator of good fish habitat. The presence of bait is directly related to structures like ledges, oyster bars and seawalls. These areas attract the bait that lures the fish. The type of light on the dock can also influence the action. Lights that sit low to the water seem to have a more distinctive shadow line, an area where feeding fish concentrate. In any case, the fish seem to hang on the dark edges of the shadow lines.
When the rising sun lightens the horizon, anglers can move to the flats to target redfish, snook and trout. Concentrate your fishing around flats with good grass cover. In addition, look for flats that feature channel edges, potholes, sandbars and oyster bars. The addition of a strong tide will increase your odds.
In the hottest months, most of the early morning tides are from 1 to 1 1/2 feet, so anglers will seldom see pushes or tails. Instead, concentrate on scattering bait, working birds and schools of mullet. One of the most productive strategies is to fish “seams,” demarcation lines that separate grass, sand, and other structure.
While pre-dawn or early morning is generally the best time during sweltering weather, there is one exception. The late afternoon outgoing tides that correspond to the full and new moons provide some fast action with a variety of species. Areas to concentrate on include the slues and channels that drain the inshore flats and the passes where the funneling effect concentrates game fish and their prey. Passes that have flanking seawalls and rock groins can be particularly productive. These areas attract and concentrate the baitfish on which the predators feed. Work lures and flies close to the structure.
Fishing the “doldrums” can be productive no matter where you fish as long as you follow a few rules. First and foremost, you must find conditions that are acceptable to the species you seek. Snook and redfish are much more tolerant of high water temperatures than trout. In general, water temperatures must not be excessive, and you can count on early mornings and deeper water to moderate conditions. The exception to the rule will be those areas and times where the presence of food overrides the fish’s desire to locate comfortable conditions. Fishing the “Summer Doldrums,” can be challenging, but master the rules and you’ll have a lot of productive fishing to yourself.
