Suncoast Waterkeeper also invites volunteers to “Become a Mangrove Ranger and help us inventory vulnerable mangroves,” according its website. “One of the most important ecosystems on our coasts is mangrove forests. Unfortunately, mangroves in Manatee County are under enormous development pressure. Using drones annually, we aim to map the extent and health of mangroves in vulnerable areas. We need your help!”
The organization is assembling three to five teams of four people to map mangroves. Each team will consist of a licensed drone pilot, a boat owner, a spotter (no experience necessary) and a data manager.
A training meeting will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 9:30-11 a.m. at the Bahia Mar West Marina, 6918 14th St. W. Bradenton. Attendees will be assigned to a team and will be given instructions and a location for conducting the first mangrove mapping project, along with scheduling the first drone flight.
Mangrove trimming applications must be submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) prior to mangrove trimming or alteration.
The 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act defines a mangrove as any specimen of the species – white, red or black mangrove. The law doesn’t distinguish between living and dead mangroves so the same trimming regulations apply to each.
“Mangroves are important for many reasons, and mangrove trimming is regulated under the Mangrove Act,” according to the FDEP website. “Mangroves serve as a key ecological component in several ecosystems, including serving as a nursery for many game and sport fisheries.”
SW_ERP@FloridaDEP.gov is the southwest Florida email address to apply for mangrove trimming applications.
HOLMES BEACH – There were holiday songs, free food, prizes galore, a 100-foot-long bounce house, police, fire trucks and much more at the Sleigh Bell Social on Dec. 14 at City Field.
Previously, the event was known as National Night Out, a collaboration between the city’s police and code compliance departments to foster relations between the community and local law enforcement. The event ended after the 2019 gathering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody from the city is involved, all the different departments were involved and everybody helped out,” Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “None of this was paid for by the city, there were no tax dollars whatsoever. This was all made possible by donations from our local businesses. We’ve had a huge response from city businesses that have been great for us.”
Tokajer said they were able to give away more than 70 bicycles at the event thanks to donations from the community. There were hundreds of toys given out, along with food from local restaurants, making this an event that brightened the holidays for a number of families. The Sun was one of the event sponsors.
Tokajer also said the event will continue for years to come and he expects it to get bigger and better every year.
ANNA MARIA – Chiles Hospitality hosted the 28th Annual Lawton Chiles Christmas for Kids Party on Dec. 14 at the Grand Pavilion of the Sandbar restaurant, 100 Spring Ave.
Every year, Chiles Hospitality staff plans and executes the event, buying and wrapping gifts for around 80 pre-kindergarten students from RCMA, a non-profit childcare organization, as well as kids from Children First Head Start and Early Head Start.
The annual tradition, started by the late Gov. Lawton Chiles and his wife, Rhea, provides underserved youth with a holiday celebration thanks to the help of private and corporate sponsors.
“We continue to honor the Chiles legacy with this beloved holiday party and our staff looks forward to it each year,” said Chuck Wolfe, CEO of Chiles Hospitality. “With their help and the contribution from local sponsors, it guarantees a happy and memorable day for these students. We are thankful to all those who help us preserve this tradition.”
Parents also showed their appreciation for the effort put into making this event possible once again this year.
“It’s amazing what these people put together. My daughter is going to be exhausted after all the excitement and running around with all these kids,” Donatta Holly said. “The food is amazing and the staff has treated us like royalty. They’re good people.”
In addition to receiving a present, each child in attendance received a new pair of shoes and a new outfit. Of course, Santa was excited to be in attendance and children also got to meet characters from the Frozen film, took a spin in a castle bounce house, and enjoyed a snow machine, music, crafts and other activities, in addition to lunch provided by Sandbar restaurant for the whole family.
BRADENTON BEACH – An ethics complaint filed against Commissioner Jake Spooner has been dismissed.
The complaint, filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics by Bradenton Beach resident Sue Longacre on Sept. 1, alleges that Spooner, a co-owner in the recently approved Bridge Street hotel/restaurant/retail project, had a conflict of interest as a Bradenton Beach commissioner.
“I feel that there is a conflict of interest with Mr. Spooner remaining in the Bradenton Beach public office since Mr. Spooner owns so much commercial and residential property in Bradenton Beach,” Longacre’s complaint reads in part. “The proposed hotel on Bridge Street is within his jurisdiction and currently being considered for more development.”
Spooner recused himself from all hearings related to the hotel project. He is a co-applicant for the project with local developer Shawn Kaleta but was not present at any of the Planning and Zoning Board or City Commission hearings related to the project.
“I do not feel Mr. Spooner recusing himself on any development he owns or is co-owner with (Kaleta) are fair and reasonable actions,” the complaint continues.
Longacre wrote that she opposes Spooner remaining in office.
The city commission unanimously approved the hotel project on Dec. 7.
In a public report and order dismissing the complaint dated Dec. 6, the State of Florida Commission on Ethics cited the following from Florida Statute 112.3143 (3)(a): “No county, municipal or other local public officer shall vote in an official capacity upon any measure which would inure to his or her special private gain or loss.”
“The complaint fails to indicate a possible violation (of that section),” the commission wrote. “To indicate a possible violation of the statute, a complaint must allege, in a factual, substantive, nonconclusory manner, that a respondent voted on a matter that would inure to his or her special private gain or loss. There are not allegations in the complaint the Respondent (Spooner) voted on any matter pertaining to his company’s properties or that any matter pertaining to the Respondent’s company’s properties has come before the city commission for analysis or approval.”
The complaint was dismissed for “failure to constitute a legally sufficient complaint with the issuance of this public report.”
Spooner had no comment regarding the dismissal.
In Spooner’s 2022 statement of financial interests, he lists ownership in these Bradenton Beach properties: 302 23rd St. N., 300 23rd St. N., 2301 Ave. B, 108 Third St. S., 110 Third St. S., 112 Third St. S., 112 Third St. S., 117 Bridge St., 115 Bridge St. and 102 Bridge St.
HOLMES BEACH – In her state of the city address, Mayor Judy Titsworth noted that it’s been one month since the state-mandated Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study began.
The main purpose of the study is to determine if the three Island cities should be consolidated into one city, into the city of Bradenton, into Manatee County or remain as three municipalities.
The idea was first broached by members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation during a January meeting where the study request was passed unanimously without notification to or input from any of the three Anna Maria Island cities the study is slated to scrutinize.
While leaders in all three cities said they would support the study looking at ways the cities could share resources to save taxpayer money, they are against consolidation of any kind.
After city leaders were given several months to discuss consolidation of services among themselves, state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) came back in the fall with a letter stating they would be moving forward with the OPPAGA study.
During a Dec. 12 meeting, Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins said he’d spoken with Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown with one of the topics being the OPPAGA study. When asked, Diggins said that Brown has no interest in annexing the Island into his city.
Titsworth said that while the first wave of records requests from the city are over, she expects more in the coming months before the study concludes in 2024 and thanked staff for their hard work to manage the large number of document requests while also attending to their normal duties.
Later in the meeting, Holmes Beach City Attorney Erica Augello said that while the city can’t initiate a referendum to put consolidation of the three cities on the ballot in November, it doesn’t mean that residents can’t. According to the Florida Department of Elections, in order to have a referendum put on the ballot for voter consideration, at least 8% of the city’s voters who voted in the last presidential election must sign a petition to approve the placement of the referendum on the general election ballot and the action must be financially supported by the residents.
Having a referendum to see how many registered Holmes Beach voters are in favor of or against consolidation could potentially override the state if legislators push for consolidation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
BRADENTON BEACH – Santa Claus paid a Saturday morning visit to the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge.
Joined by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer during his Dec. 16 visit, Santa posed for photos and handed out gifts to all the children whose parents and grandparents registered them in advance.
Five-year-old Luca Hudson was among the first to receive a gift from Santa and his helpers. – Joe Hendricks | SunAriana Stupec, Braxton Stupec and Luca Hudson displayed their gifts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The kids came to see Santa Claus and receive their gifts. We do this annually and this is probably one of the larger crowds we’ve had,” Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton said.
Regarding that morning’s rainy weather, Dalton said, “When has weather ever stopped Santa?”
Each youngster was called up by name to receive a gift from Santa and his Moose Lodge helpers.
Moose lodge officers, staff members and volunteers made Santa’s nice list this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The lodge employees and volunteers took their own time to go shopping for each child, knowing their name and age, and matching each one individually with a gift. We started doing that last year. Thank you to everybody who’s a Moose member and helps support our children, our seniors and our local charities,” Dalton said.
Eight-year-old Clare McLaughlin visited Santa and Rudolph. – Joe Hendricks | SunThree-year-old Nora Carson thanked Santa for her gift. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After receiving her gift from Santa, a Play-Doh play set, 3-year-old Nora Carson politely said, “Thank you, Santa.”
The children’s Christmas festivities included a free breakfast featuring powdered French toast sticks, kids’ coloring activities, Christmas carol sing-alongs, candy and more.
Corbin and Rowan Slicker displayed their coloring efforts. – Joe Hendricks | SunDar-Lynn, Ellie and Susan Elfiore enjoyed the Moose Christmas party. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Many of the adult attendees got their first look at the lodge’s new dining room floor, a project that required the lodge to be temporarily closed at various times during the past few months. The lodge officially reopened on Dec. 13.
“We spent almost 90 days getting our new floor done,” Dalton said.
The AMI Moose Lodge has a shiny new dining room floor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
ANNA MARIA – During each Christmas season, Anna Maria resident Carl Augostini, 85, provides bikes for underprivileged children and adults in need.
“This year, I did a total of 36 bikes – a new record for me, thanks to a lot of friends and neighbors who donated them from the Island and Bradenton,” Augostini said. “Eight adult bikes went to halfway houses in Sarasota, distributed by a close friend who lives there. Two bikes went to a needy family in Bradenton for Christmas. The 26 remaining bikes went to Pastor Greenidge and Charles Wade, with 18 bikes for adults and teenagers and eight bikes for children under 10 years old.”
Carl Augostini donated 36 repaired and refurbished bikes to local community members this year. – Carl Augostini | Submitted
Peter Greenidge is the executive pastor at the Light of the World church in Sarasota. Wade is the facilities administrator at Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria.
Despite the threat of rain, Greenidge and Wade picked up the repaired and refurbished bikes at Augostini’s Anna Maria home on Dec. 16.
Peter Greenidge and Charles Wade loaded the donated bikes into a trailer. – Craig Augostini | Submitted
“My son, Craig, helped me out,” Augostini said. “He did some deliveries for me and helped me clean the bikes up when they were pulled out of storage. He also helped with minor repairs during clean-up that were missed during the build phase. He has been a great supporter and helps me out whenever I need strength to do something.”
Craig Augostini helped clean and repair the Christmas bikes. – Carl Augostini | Submitted
When asked why he does this, Augostini said, “There are several reasons. To begin with, I came from a poor family and we struggled to get a bike, not only for fun but for work and everything in between. If a family cannot afford a bike for their child, I will try to get one for them. I believe it gets them off the couch, away from their iPad, iPhone, etc., and outside for exercise and a healthier environment, making them stronger individuals and making for a better generation to come.
“Another reason I do it is because it’s a hobby for me. It keeps my mind active and keeps me out of trouble. It is unbelievable what I have learned by rebuilding bikes – the tricks of the trade. I see something different on almost every bike. I am a retired electrical engineer and this is all mechanical, but it is a challenge and I love a challenge,” Augostini said.
The refurbished bikes filled a stall in Carl Augostini’s garage. – Craig Augostini | Submitted
Augostini has been doing his annual bike restorations and gift presentations for 13 years or so. In 2020, his charitable efforts earned him the city of Anna Maria’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year award.
“If I am healthy, I will continue to build bikes for kids for Christmas. Hopefully, they will appreciate the bikes and become a better generation,” he said.
ANNA MARIA – City Commissioner Robert Kingan has vacated his city commission seat.
On Dec. 7, Kingan participated in his final Anna Maria City Commission meeting, ending the two-year term he was appointed to in November 2021.
With Commissioner Deanie Sebring’s mid-term departure in September, Kingan’s departure creates a second vacancy on the city commission. Both vacant seats will be filled by city commission appointment on Thursday, Jan. 25.
As the Dec. 7 meeting neared its end, City Clerk LeAnne Addy presented the attending commissioners with Christmas stockings. The other commissioners’ stockings contained candy canes and bells, but Kingan’s contained lumps of coal. Mayor Dan Murphy joked that Kingan was deemed “the naughty commissioner” for leaving the commission.
As a parting joke, Commissioner Robert Kingan received lumps of coal in his stocking. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On a more serious note, Murphy then presented Kingan with a wooden plaque containing a ceremonial key to the city and thanked him for his service.
“You’ve done an excellent job. You’ve been a great commissioner; a great example of community service. In two years, you contributed so much. You’re creative. You’re strong. You have direction. You’ve got scope. Thank you for everything you’ve done,” Murphy said.
“Thank you very much. I enjoyed serving,” Kingan said.
Kingan thanked the city staff, the sheriff’s office, the building department and the public works department and referred to them as the people who make the city run.
“Without your dedication, there would not be a functioning city. What you do is vital to making this organization run and it makes our job so much easier,” he said.
To Murphy, Kingan said, “It has been a pleasure to serve with you and this city is extremely blessed to have you as their mayor. You’ve been here 10 years and you’re still going strong. I thank you very much for all you’ve contributed and for our friendship.”
After thanking Kingan, Commissioner Charlie Salem said, “For anybody interested in serving – and for me, who’s new on this panel – this is the person you want to emulate. He’s dedicated. He’s extremely well-prepared. He’s been a great resource and I’m going to miss him.”
Commission Chair Mark Short thanked Kingan for helping the commission face the challenges they faced and for the progress they made during his time in office.
“Good luck Robert, with whatever you decide to do next,” Short said.
Participating by phone, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “I’ll miss you.”
Speaking by phone, City Attorney Becky Vose said, “I just want to thank Commissioner Kingan for all his contributions.”
“It’s been great working with you,” Addy said.
Post-meeting comments
Before leaving city hall, Kingan spent a few minutes with The Sun discussing his departure and tenure as a commissioner.
“It was my first time in a political office. That was very new to me, but the desire to serve the city was there. I felt the Pine Avenue project was something I could contribute to because of my previous career in commercial real estate and development. If there’s one regret I have, it would be that we didn’t get further with the Pine Avenue project. We have a good game plan for Pine Avenue, and including Magnolia and Spring is the way to go. I’d like to continue to be involved with that process to the extent of coming to meetings and giving my input and sharing my experience,” he said.
He cited the May opening of the Mote Marine Science, Education & Outreach Center on the City Pier as the commission’s most significant accomplishment during his time in office.
“It took a long time and a lot of cajoling, but we did get there,” he said.
Echoing comments he made at a previous meeting, Kingan said, “As I said a month ago, I was talking to the Mote Marine manager out on the pier, and they had 70,000 visitors by the end of October. They’re currently running at around 460 a day. If that isn’t a success story, I don’t know what is.”
Kingan was asked what he learned about the city while serving as a commissioner.
“First of all, the city is very well run. The team the mayor has built has done a fantastic job. They are always ready, willing and able to respond to any requests,” he said.
“I like the commission setup. The mayor comes to us and we’re the ones who make the decision. It is a strong mayor form of government, and that puts a lot of onus on that position, but at the same time, as individual commission members, we can contribute and have a real role and responsibility,” he said.
Kingan offered the following advice for his soon-to-be-appointed successor: “Don’t be a one-issue candidate. If you have something that you’re worked up about, you have to get beyond that because this is a position where you’ll be making decisions about a whole range of different issues, some of which you’ve never even thought of. You also need to be willing to read the backup material and put in the work and research to be well-prepared.”
As for what he’ll miss most, Kingan said, “I’ll miss the camaraderie we have. I enjoyed working with the mayor and the other members of the commission, and the range of issues we’ve addressed has been very interesting.”
Kingan said he and his wife, Janet, are having a second home renovated off-Island but will continue using their Anna Maria home as their primary residence for the foreseeable future.
“I may come back (to the commission) a few years down the line, but at the moment I’ve got a lot of things on the go. My wife is having major surgery at the end of January and I need to be available. There are reasons behind this decision,” he said.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria submitted a 19-page response to the consolidation study-related request for information letter received from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) in mid-November.
Sent to all three Anna Maria Island cities, and seeking separate responses from each city, OPPAGA requested written responses to the Island-wide consolidation study initiated earlier this year by state legislators Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and the rest of the five-member Manatee County legislative delegation.
The state legislators requested the study citing a potential reduction of property taxes for Anna Maria Island property owners by reducing the cost of similar services provided separately by the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach. Potential areas of consolidated services include law enforcement, public works, building and planning services, city administration and more.
Covering five years from 2018-23, OPPAGA requested a list of current city services, contact information for city officials, the total budgeted amounts and actual expenditures for each city service provided, a city organizational chart and more.
OPPAGA requested written descriptions as to how services provided by Anna Maria could be consolidated with the other two Island cities. OPPAGA also requested written descriptions regarding the benefits and challenges of three consolidation options: Consolidating the three Island cities into one new city, incorporating them into the city of Bradenton, or allowing them to remain as incorporated municipalities while working to consolidate similar city services.
City’s response
Anna Maria’s response includes three pages of written statements regarding the consolidation of similar city services.
Regarding public works, the city’s response states that the three cities could establish a centralized pool of specialized equipment – equipment not used daily – to be shared by the Island’s three public works departments. The response also mentions a centralized public works workforce for common city functions such as sign maintenance, grass mowing, tree trimming, beach cleanup and more.
“A single centrally located Island-wide work center large enough to house the equipment and personnel for all three cities could result in substantial revenue if the vacated properties were sold. Alternatively, the vacated property could be leased or used as public space for recreational purposes. The hosting city could charge the other two cities rent on a prorated basis.”
Regarding the consolidation of the Island’s three building departments, Anna Maria’s response says, “Any consolidation savings of the building department functions would result in permit fee savings but not ad valorem property tax savings. Currently, there are three separate building officials serving the three cities. Possibly, one of these officials could be eliminated, however, fluctuations in the workload may result in delays in the construction industry. Consequently, it is not recommended this be pursued.”
Anna Maria doesn’t have a police department and instead contracts with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to provide the city’s law enforcement services. The Anna Maria response suggests that establishing a single Island-wide police department or contracting with the sheriff’s office for all three cities could potentially produce significant cost savings, while also expanding the scope of law enforcement services provided to the three cities.
Regarding code enforcement, the response says, “Similar to law enforcement, some synergy could be achieved through a single code enforcement agency serving all three cities.”
Consolidation options
The Anna Maria response addresses the three consolidation options cited in OPPAGA’s request for information letter and acknowledges some potential consolidation benefits. The city’s response acknowledges having a single governmental entity instead of three separate city governments could produce cost savings and the elimination of three different sets of local laws, regulations, and codes might create less confusion for visitors, vendors and contractors.
The response then mentions the diversity that exists among the three Island cities and the loss of each city’s uniqueness that would occur if the three cities were consolidated.
“The result would be both a cultural and economic loss to the county and the state,” the response says.
Regarding consolidation with Bradenton, the response says, “With the stated goal of taking steps to reduce taxes, the annexation of the three Island cities into the city of Bradenton would have the opposite result. The tax rate within Bradenton is 5.7726, while the combined tax millage rate of the three Island cities averages approximately 2.1. The result could be a 275% increase in ad valorem tax rate for Island residents.”
Regarding the consolidation of the three cities into one new Island city, or into the city of Bradenton, the response says, “Under either scenario, there is the loss of the existing charters and comprehensive plans which establish strategy, density, structural heights, zoning, quality of life issues, etc. Loss of these plans has the potential to create a negative impact on the Island community and be disruptive to both businesses and residents. Either scenario is disruptive and almost certain to be met with strong legal opposition, thus making such an effort costly as well as time-consuming and delaying any savings from services consolidation.”
Regarding the consolidation of similar city services, the Anna Maria response says, “This option would be the least disruptive and potentially reap the quickest taxpayer savings. Island businesses, residents, and visitors could all benefit from service consolidation. If successful, the consolidated services could bring about taxpayer savings as well as streamlined processes for all three cities.”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Heavy rains, high tides and storm surge produced localized flooding throughout Anna Maria Island Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Shortly after 11 p.m., ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Bob Harrigan noted on TV that the Rod & Reel Pier camera showed the Tampa Bay waters rising nearly to the level of the pier decking and the base of the pier-based restaurant building.
In Bradenton Beach, around that same time, Drift In employee Mike Cook said rising water was crashing over the shoreline and flooding Bay Drive South. A short time later, two Bradenton Beach police officers arrived at the Bradenton Beach Pier to further secure the police boat that sits on an elevated boat lift that was nearly submerged.
At the other end of the floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier, two boats, including one that appeared to be sinking, were pushing up against the recently installed perpendicular finger dock pilings. The owner of the non-sinking boat braved the high waves and rough surf in her efforts to better secure her boat to prevent it from damaging the new finger docks.
A post-midnight tour of the north end of Bradenton Beach revealed street flooding along Gulf Drive North and significant street and yard flooding between 22nd Street North and 25th Street North, from the bay nearly to Avenue C in many locations. Street flooding also occurred in the Sandpiper Resort mobile home park.
In Cortez, the Tide Tables restaurant parking lot flooded.
When the Sun rose on Sunday morning, several areas were still flooded. In Holmes Beach, Marina Drive was flooded with deep standing water near city hall and the Island Branch Library.
In Anna Maria, Ginny’s & Jane E’s parking lot was flooded. So was North Bay Boulevard, where Anna Maria resident Doug Copeland said a couple of inches of water seeped into his house.
When asked about the flooding in Anna Maria Sunday morning, Mayor Dan Murphy said, “Not as bad as Hurricane Idalia, but close. We are pumping on the north end, near Bean Point.”
He also said there was significant shoreline erosion near the Rod & Reel Pier.
Bridge Street took on a great deal of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 after heavy rain soaked the Island. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED
A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED
Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED
A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED
Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED
The Ginny’s and Jane E’s parking lot in Anna Maria was flooding Sunday morning. - MIKE FIELD | SUN
Magnolia Avenue at North Shore Drive was blocked off Sunday morning due to high water. - CINDY LANE | SUN
The Tide Tables parking lot in Cortez experienced some overnight flooding. - ALASKA JOE | SUBMITTED
Portions of North Bay Boulevard were covered with floodwater Sunday morning. - DOUG COPELAND | SUBMITTED
Holmes Beach resident Scott Moore took this photo Sunday morning. - SCOTT MOORE | SUBMITTED
Jennifer Hewitt took this photo of Marina Drive, in Holmes Beach, while traveling to church Sunday morning. - JENNIFER HEWITT/FACEBOOK | SUBMITTED
Much of Bay Drive South in Bradenton Beach was flooded by midnight. - JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
HOLMES BEACH – A routine check on a vehicle at the 52nd Street beach access turned into an arrest for possession of marijuana, felony grand theft of a firearm and other charges for one suspect.
Officer Christopher Liotti was on routine patrol on Nov. 27 in the 100 block of 52nd Street when he saw a silver Chevrolet Malibu parked with its lights on and engine running at the public beach access. As he approached the driver’s side, the front window rolled and he noticed what he described as a substantial cloud of smoke with the unmistakable odor of marijuana.
Liotti made contact with the driver and two juvenile passengers in the back seat. Due to their age, those involved in the incident were not named, but are referred to as juvenile #1 and juvenile #2 in Liotti’s official report. The driver was ordered to exit the vehicle, handcuffed and placed into temporary custody as Liotti awaited back-up officers. A pat-down did not reveal any illegal drugs or weapons on juvenile #1, who was also cuffed and removed from the vehicle.
This was not the case for juvenile #2.
“During the pat-down of juvenile #2, a large bulge resembling the handle of a firearm was felt outside his right front pants pocket. In an attempt to conceal the item, he tensed his body and pressed against the vehicle,” Liotti wrote in his report. “Upon further inspection, a black handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition was discovered in his pocket. The firearm was handed over to Officer Michael McNamee and the serial number was provided to Holmes Beach police dispatch for an NCIC/FCIC check. Positive results indicated that the firearm was reported stolen from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.”
After the three suspects were put into separate patrol vehicles, a search of the vehicle was conducted, yielding a glass pipe, 36 vape pens, a marijuana joint and a large blue container filled with what was later identified as a large quantity of marijuana where the second underage person was seated. There was also a Crown Royal bag containing marijuana, a digital scale, a marijuana grinder and four partial 12 packs of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Officers contacted the first juvenile’s parents while the second agreed to voluntarily speak to Liotti after being read his Miranda rights.
“He claimed that the firearm was not his, but rather, he was holding it for a friend. He stated that he received the gun a few days ago and offered no specific reason for possessing it, denying any purchase or trade involvement to obtain it,” Liotti wrote in his report. “He asserted carrying it merely because he liked it. He was also informed that the gun was reported as stolen and denied any involvement in the theft. Regarding the narcotics in the vehicle, juvenile #2, post-Miranda, admitted ownership, emphasizing personal use and denial of any intent to sell. He claimed ownership of the scale, indicating a personal interest in tracking marijuana quantity.”
The second juvenile suspect was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams and felony grand theft of a firearm. Due to his age, details of his bail and court date are not publicly available.
According to police, the first juvenile also was read his Miranda rights and acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He said their purpose was solely to smoke marijuana. Juvenile #1 received a citation for the possession of marijuana less than 20 grams.
The driver, upon being read his Miranda rights, acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He claimed their intent was only to smoke. The driver, who is listed in the report as under 21 years old, received a citation for the possession of multiple containers of alcohol located in the vehicle.
A field test of the suspected marijuana onsite yielded positive results.
After the evidence was gathered, the parents of both juvenile backseat passengers arrived at the scene. Juvenile #1 was released to the custody of his mother. Juvenile #2’s father was briefed in detail about the circumstances of the situation, provided with case information and given procedural information.
When weighed at the station, the marijuana found in the large blue container weighed 128.6 grams, while the marijuana in the black container weighed 11.5 grams, totaling 140.1 grams, more than a quarter of a pound. The recovered firearm was secured and placed into an evidence locker by Officer Ryan Welch.
Juvenile #2 was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center. Staff at the center informed Liotti that he required medical clearance from the hospital due to marijuana consumption. After getting medical clearance from on-site doctors, he was transported back to the jail and released to the custody of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Liotti’s report also notes that the vape pens found in the vehicle were taken as possible evidence related to a burglary case being investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (Case #2023015521). The details of this incident coincide with the firearm found in juvenile #2’s possession.
Attempts were made to contact Ava Clark, the owner of the recovered handgun, via phone call and text, however, these attempts were unsuccessful. Clark was instructed to contact HBPD regarding this incident.
ANNA MARIA – With six applicants already seeking to fill two vacant city commission seats, the application period remains open until Friday, Dec. 15.
John Kolojeski recently became the sixth applicant seeking appointment to the city commission in January. Kolojeski joins previous applicants Gary McMullen, Kathleen Morgan, Pat Olesen, Susan Stephen and Sharon Wisniewski in the quest to fill the commission seat vacated by Deanie Sebring in September and the commission seat vacated by Robert Kingan on Dec. 7.
The one-page application form is available in person from the city clerk’s office by email at amclerk@cityofannamaria.com, or online at www.cityofannamaria.com by clicking the “I Want To” tab at the top of the city homepage.
During the Dec. 7 city commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy said that having six candidates, and possibly more, may require some procedural revisions for the applicants’ public forum to be held at city hall on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m.
The applicant presentation process was first used in January when Charlie Salem and Brian Seymour applied to fill the commission seat vacated by Carol Carter. One at a time, the two applicants were given as much time as they needed to answer 24 questions provided to them in advance. Those presentations resulted in Salem being appointed to the commission.
During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said the format would likely need to be adjusted to accommodate a forum featuring six or more applicants. He added that the city has already received at least 30 questions to potentially be posed to the applicants.
Murphy suggested that the order in which questions are answered be rotated so each applicant gets a chance to answer some questions first, some questions last and some in the middle.
Salem suggested grouping the questions into similar categories.
Commission Chair Mark Short suggested capping the Jan. 11 forum to no more than two hours.
Commissioners authorized Murphy to work out a revised forum format as he sees fit.
The city will continue accepting written questions from the public until Wednesday, Dec. 27. The compiled questions will be presented in advance to the candidates on Friday, Dec. 29.
On Jan. 25, commissioners Short, Salem and Jon Crane will each rank all the candidates in order of their personal preference, with the combined scores then determining who fills the two vacant seats. The resident appointed to fill the seat Deanie Sebring vacated in September will serve until December 2024. The resident appointed to fill the seat vacated by Robert Kingan in December will serve until December 2025.
BRADENTON BEACH – If the Old Town Tram continues providing rides within the city, it will do so without the financial support of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
At its Dec. 6 meeting, the CRA board voted unanimously to discontinue funding of the free park-and-ride service it began subsidizing in November 2020 at a cost of $52,000 per year.
Using two electric golf carts, the tram was launched as a pilot program to help address the lack of parking on Bridge Street. It is partially funded by advertising sales.
Annual funding for the service was cut from the city’s 2023-24 budget, but CRA board members agreed at a Sept. 6 meeting to a $10,000 expenditure to keep it going until the end of 2023.
That temporary funding was based on the understanding that Joshua LaRose, owner of Sarasota-based Easy Parking Group and provider of the tram service, and CRA Chairman Ralph Cole would work together to look at options to make the service self-supporting.
One of those options included LaRose securing additional advertising from the businesses that benefit from having customers brought to their doorsteps.
LaRose said at the Dec. 6 meeting that he spoke to local business owners about advertising on the tram, but without success.
“People offered to donate $50-$100 a month to keep it going,” LaRose said. “They’re saying right now how slow it’s been over the summer and they don’t have the funds to do a full advertising.”
LaRose offered an option to save money.
“I can cut the hours and days back out of season, to maybe four to five days a week and maybe start a little bit later in the afternoon. That would dramatically bring down the cost,” LaRose said. “If we did a later start time and less days a week, we could probably do it with the advertisers we have now. I could keep one car going.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh has been an opponent of financial support for the tram service.
“I think we should discontinue it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s up to the taxpayers to pay for this.”
Cole echoed that sentiment.
“Businesses benefit the most from it,” Cole said. “Those are the people that need to step up to the plate.”
Commissioner Jake Spooner suggested the possibility of having the tram in service during the busier times of the year.
LaRose said in season the tram was giving nearly 8,000 rides a month.
“It’s encouraging that you said you could survive on its own with one car,” Chappie said. “We haven’t been satisfied. It was worth a shot. I’d like to see you do it on your own.”
LaRose indicated that he will likely continue the tram service with one cart.
“This fellow took over and is trying to support our businesses,” Bradenton Beach resident Jim Hassett said during public comment. “I think his business needs to be supported.”
In addition to board members Chappie, Cole, Spooner and Vosburgh, member David Bell was in attendance. Marilyn Maro phoned into the meeting. Member Ed Chiles was absent with excuse.
BRADENTON BEACH – Characterizing the possible consolidation of the three island cities as “breaking up the team,” Mayor John Chappie spoke out against consolidation efforts at a Dec. 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting.
On Oct. 31, the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) sent a letter to the mayors of all three Anna Maria Island cities saying that the Florida Legislature has directed the organization to review the potential consolidation of services and government entities on Anna Maria Island. Options discussed include annexing the Island into the city of Bradenton or Manatee County, or creating a new city from the Island’s three cities.
At the Dec. 6 CRA meeting, city attorney Ricinda Perry updated the board on the OPAGGA study.
“The CRA is part of the OPAGGA study,” Perry said. “If they decide to consolidate there is a very real chance the CRA will no longer exist, which would be a major detriment to the improvements we’ve been making, and very substantial improvements.”
Perry outlined city efforts to comply with requests for documents from OPAGGA.
“The state has issued the OPAGGA study to the city and staff has spent a very considerable amount of time working through the documents and preparing the reports and the correspondence that has been requested from OPAGGA,” Perry said. “I want to recognize the clerk’s office. Terri (Sanclemente, the city clerk) has been compiling every single contract that the city has and the CRA has, and that as a team, Chief (John Cosby), Tom (Woodard, public works director) Shayne (Thompson, city treasurer ), me, Mayor (John) Chappie and Terri have gotten together to respond.”
Perry said she is hopeful that the state elected officials see the value in allowing the municipalities that have been authorized by the state Legislature to maintain their status.
“That deals with some of the concerns about cities versus services, consolidation, non-consolidation, elimination or whatever,” Chappie said. “With a smaller municipality, and the CRA, we had the ability to utilize funds to establish a viable commercial district out here on the Island.”
Chappie said that in the past, the central area of Bradenton Beach consisted mostly of bars.
“When we started, it was dying here,” Chappie said. “The ability of local government to work and transform an area, and create a viable commercial district, it’s incredible what you can do with local government, smaller government and CRAs. Without that it would have never happened, if it had been all the county.”
Chappie said with the reputation that Bradenton Beach had in years past, he doubted the current revitalization would have ever taken place.
“And that’s my pitch for not breaking up the team,” Chappie said.
I hope you had the opportunity to attend the 2023 EcoSummit in Sarasota this past week. In case you missed it, I wanted to share some of the excellent presentations that were given and provide you with some resources to get a glimpse of what was one of the most well-planned, presented and attended environmental events I’ve had the pleasure of attending.
On Monday morning, Dec. 4, Suncoast Waterkeeper board member Rob Brown and I took summit organizers Dave and Jennifer Shafer, lead sponsor Elizabeth Moore, her daughter Grace, and award-winning Australian documentary filmmaker and EcoSummit Keynoter Damon Gameau and his daughter Velvet, 9, on Suncoast Waterkeeper’s patrol boat.
That night, the event kicked off with a screening of Gameau’s film 2040 (watch it on Prime Video). The premise of the movie is Gameau’s imagining what the future might look like for his then-4-year-old daughter if climate change solutions are brought to scale and the problem is solved. In choosing what to feature in the film, Gameau limited it to solutions that are already available or have the potential to contribute to reversing climate change by the year 2040. The movie was screened at the Bay Nest at Bay Park in Sarasota and was very well attended.
The next two days of the summit featured a list of speakers who presented a diverse spectrum of ideas, solutions and ways to be involved in and live a sustainable life, now and in the future. One of the highlights of the event was an evening with best-selling author Carl Hiaasen, who was joined by environmental journalist and author Craig Pittman and dolphin researcher Randy Wells. It was a humorous and entertaining evening that featured a standing ovation by the sellout crowd in the Roskamp Auditorium at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. During the three days, attendees were serenaded by the excellent music of the Karen Jonas band.
Here’s a round-up of resources from the organizers to help you keep the momentum going.
There were 497 guests, including 54 speakers, over the two-day event from across the U.S. and as far as Australia and Mongolia! Speaker bios can be found in the EcoSummit Program.
If you are interested in doing more in your community, use the EcoSummit Next sign-up form to indicate your areas of interest and they will get you connected! Sign up at bit.ly/2023ecosummit-next.
If you’re interested in taking steps to help build a green, healthy and sustainable future for you, your family and your community, they recommend 24 local sustainability solutions and have organized them as action steps. Choose the solutions that make the most sense for you and pledge to make them happen. Also, visit their greenlivingtoolkit.org for curated expert advice.
This year’s event was the second organized by the Science and Environment Council’s founders, Dave and Jennifer Shafer, and the turnout proved the effectiveness of the group’s mission and the interest of the public in a sustainable future for our children and future generations.
