HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Island developer and business owner Shawn Thomas Kaleta, 45, of Holmes Beach, was arrested for driving under the influence and resisting arrest on June 15.
In a 29-page police report, Holmes Beach Police Officer Andrew Adkins said that he observed a black Mercedes-Benz SUV speeding while traveling east on Manatee Avenue. While following the vehicle across the Anna Maria Island Bridge, he noticed that the driver was driving erratically, causing him to initiate a traffic stop.
In the police report, Adkins said Kaleta did not follow directions, left the SUV without being ordered to do so and failed to provide his driver’s license. Once out of the car, Adkins said that Kaleta continued to disregard directions, placing a phone call and giving the officer varying stories about whether he was on his way to visit his mother in the hospital or on his way back.
Kaleta
Adkins attempted a field sobriety test after detecting alcohol on Kaleta, who refused to cooperate, according to the report. When the officer informed him that he was under arrest, Kaleta pulled away and didn’t comply with orders to stop, resulting in Adkins wrestling him to the ground to complete the arrest.
While at the police station, Kaleta complained of being dehydrated and asked for water, which restarted the DUI observation period, according to the report. He then asked for medical attention. After paramedics cleared him, Kaleta requested to go to the hospital, where Adkins said he spent more than an hour in the restroom before Adkins assisted him out.
According to the report, Kaleta was released from the hospital with no medical issues, and declined to give a breath or blood sample. He was transported to the county jail where he was released the following day on $620 bond.
He is charged with DUI and resisting arrest without violence, both misdemeanors, and is scheduled for an arraignment on Monday, July 17 at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Courthouse in Bradenton.
HOLMES BEACH – A much-loved, historic Easter service may be in jeopardy if a multi-story parking garage is erected at Manatee Beach.
Thousands of people gather on the sand every year for the non-denominational Easter Sunrise Service hosted by the Anna Maria Island Kiwanis Club. Residents and visitors from all over the world gather for the service before the sun comes up, celebrating together as the sun rises in the east over the top of the single-story concession stand.
Manatee County commissioners have a plan to replace that building with a three-story parking garage with additional parking on the roof. The bill awaits a decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis. If approved, the county could build the garage despite prohibitions in city ordinances and the land development code. County commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge estimates the 1,500-plus parking space garage will cost $45 million to build over at least two years.
The garage would change the venue where the sunrise service has been held for 58 years, rising at least 36 feet over the beach, casting a shadow on the sand in the morning, and blocking the view of the sunrise during the religious service.
Sandy Haas-Martens, secretary of the Kiwanis club, said that the group is on its summer meeting schedule and have not discussed the future of the service if DeSantis signs off on the parking garage, but she anticipates it will be a topic at a future meeting.
Speaking on behalf of St. Bernard Catholic Church, one of the Island churches that participates in the annual service, Haas-Martens said the Easter sunrise service is something that brings the Island community together, both locals and visitors, and is something each church’s leaders enjoy participating in. The 2023 service was the first time the event was live streamed for online viewers.
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer, who handles security and traffic for the service, said he hopes the service will be able to continue.
“I’m still hoping the county commission comes to their senses and realizes the garage is a bad idea,” he said, noting that the city still had plenty of available parking spaces even over the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend.
If the garage is built, he said trying to get traffic in and out of the planned three-story space would be extremely difficult, especially if a large number of people try to leave at once, which often happens at the beach during a rainstorm, and at the end of the service.
“How are you going to get out when everyone is in line for the exit?” he said.
Representatives from other participating churches, Roser Memorial Community Church, Harvey Memorial Church, The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church could not be reached for comment by press time for The Sun.
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders and residents are making last-minute attempts to get the attention of Gov. Ron DeSantis before he makes a decision on the future of a bill allowing a multi-level parking garage to be built at Manatee Beach contrary to city regulations.
After passing both the Florida House and Senate with unanimous votes of the members in attendance, the bill stalled for over a month before being presented to the governor for consideration. As of press time for The Sun, DeSantis had not signed or vetoed the bill.
The bill, HB 947, was presented to state legislators by Rep. Will Robinson Jr. during the Florida legislative session that ended in May. The bill came at the request of Manatee County commissioners, primarily commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge, to build a three-story parking garage with parking on the roof at Manatee Beach. If built, Van Ostenbridge said the garage is planned to span the entirety of the county’s buildable land at the public beach and be able to house 1,500-1,700 vehicles with paid parking estimated at $2 per hour. To accommodate the garage, all of the existing facilities at the beach, including the concession stand, restrooms and retail, would be removed, along with trees at the property. The concession, restroom and retail facilities would be rebuilt as a part of the new garage. Construction on the project is estimated to cost $45 million and take at least two years to complete during which parking and facilities at the beach would be unavailable to the public.
Currently, there are more than 400 free parking spaces available to the public at Manatee Beach with hundreds more available in auxiliary on-street parking and at beach access points throughout the city.
Now that the bill has been officially presented to DeSantis, the governor has three options – sign it, veto it or ignore it. If he signs the bill, it becomes law upon gaining his signature. If he ignores it, the bill becomes law automatically on July 1. If he vetoes it, the bill goes back to the House and Senate for reconsideration during the next regular legislative session. If the bill passes both chambers with a three-quarters majority vote, it overrides the governor’s veto and the bill becomes law.
With the bill now up for consideration, concerned local residents, stakeholders and city leaders are appealing to DeSantis to veto the parking garage.
An effort among residents, called Paradise Lost, has sprung up to help bring awareness and mathematically-based reason to the parking garage discussion, led by Allan Levy of Perico Island. Levy, a professional analyst, studied the proposed project and says the construction of the garage would be catastrophic for traffic, causing backups to leave the beach of two hours or more during peak times. He also said that during these backups, traffic in and out of the garage would create a solid wall of vehicles that would be difficult to impossible for first responders, including fire trucks and ambulances to navigate through.
For more information on the effort, visit the group’s website.
There are also two petitions in circulation speaking out against the garage. One on Change.org had garnered over 6,300 signatures at press time for The Sun. Another petition on Manatee Citizens Taking Action has gained more than 2,800 signatures.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth also continues to speak out against the garage, taking to social media on June 15 to post a video directed to DeSantis asking him to veto the garage.
“This is an attack on home rule and a huge governmental overreach,” she said, adding that it would also potentially be the largest garage in the region. Titsworth also noted that the increase in traffic caused by the parking garage would be “a nightmare for first responders.”
During a June 13 meeting, she said that she walked the beach over the Memorial Day weekend, noting the crowds already gathered on the sand without adding another 1,000 parking spaces.
“It’s already umbrella-to-umbrella and shoulder-to-shoulder out there,” she said, adding that she’s not sure where on the sand the additional people would go to enjoy the beach.
Levy argues that congestion and beach capacity studies need to be done before a garage could be built. If the governor approves the bill, he said that he and others would be watching county leaders very closely to make sure that all required studies are completed before any permits are issued.
ANNA MARIA – Beloved Anna Maria resident, newspaper reporter and Island historian Pat Copeland passed away on Tuesday, June 13, at the age of 76.
She passed away at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton from complications associated with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory challenges she faced in recent years.
In 2000, Pat joined the newly-formed Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper as a reporter and copy editor. As a Sun reporter, Pat spent many years covering the city of Holmes Beach, the Holmes Beach City Commission and West Manatee Fire Rescue. As the copy editor, she proofread and corrected almost every story that ran in The Sun during her tenure, which ended in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AMI Sun Publisher Mike Field said, “Pat was the first person I hired for The Sun’s news department when Maggie and I began planning in 1999 to start a weekly community newspaper on the Island. Looking back, that hire was one of the single most important things I ever did as owner and publisher of the paper. Pat’s knowledge of local history and her experience covering Island news brought instant credibility to the upstart Sun.
“Pat knew absolutely everybody and had a deserved reputation for treating the subjects of her stories with respect and honesty. Her accuracy in reporting and attention to detail were phenomenal. She almost never made a mistake. As an editor, she helped many young reporters by deftly catching errors in their copy long before the stories ever made it into print. If you needed to know who to talk to on any given assignment, Pat was the person you asked.
“Personally, I will always remember the wry sense of humor she had, one that often left me in stitches and helped diffuse the mounting pressures of approaching deadlines. It was a pleasure to have worked with Pat Copeland and an even greater one simply to have known her. She will be missed,” he said.
An Island life
Pat was born and raised in Beavercreek, Ohio, just east of Dayton. Her husband of more than 50 years, Doug, hails from the same area. They met while they were both teaching English and language arts at a middle school in Dayton, Ohio.
“We had classrooms next to each other. That’s where we met,” Doug said.
After their first year together, Pat and Doug left their teaching jobs, moved to Celina, Ohio and for a year ran a fishing camp on Grand Lake. At the time, Doug’s parents lived on North Shore Drive in Anna Maria, where in 1972, Doug’s dad presided over Pat and Doug’s wedding during their visit to Florida.
Pat and Doug Copeland were married in Anna Maria and enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage on the Island. – Copeland family | Submitted
When Pat and Doug moved to Bradenton Beach in 1973, Pat went to work at Trader Jack’s and Doug later joined the staff as a bartender.
In 1974, they bought their home in Anna Maria, where Pat would live for the rest of her life.
“Back then, the Island was still a resident-based community. Probably 99% of the people that worked at Trader Jack’s lived on the Island, back when affordable annual rentals were always available. That’s gone away,” Doug said.
Pat left Trader Jack’s in January 1978 when she was pregnant with their first daughter, Layla Copeland.
Island Historian
After giving birth to Layla in 1978 and to Anna Maria Copeland in 1980, Pat spent some time as a stay-at-home mom. In 1981, she became a stringer for the Island Herald. Over the years, she picked up additional freelance duties with several other publications including The Bradenton Herald, Camp-orama magazine and The Weekender. In 1987, she became the editor of the Anna Maria Islander Press, where she also served as a reporter.
When the Islander Press closed, Pat bought all the bound newspaper copies, clip files and other files to prevent them from potentially being destroyed. Anna Maria Mayor Ray Simches put Pat and Island historian and author Carolyne Norwood in touch with each other and in 1990 the two co-founded the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and guided the development of the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum.
Carolyne Norwood and Pat Copeland co-founded the Anna Maria Island Historical Society in 1990. – Submitted
“The first year, they rented the old vet’s office on Crescent Avenue and Ed Chiles paid the rent and the utilities,” Doug said.
A year later, the Historical Society moved to the museum’s current location on Pine Avenue.
“History is important. For the Island, there was no better history than the old newspapers. Pat wrote the Island’s history every week,” Doug said of the news stories that can still be read at the museum.
When asked what Pat loved about being a reporter, Doug said, “The interaction with people. She was honest, had integrity and felt she could present an accurate sense of what was happening on the Island.”
In the 1980s, the Copeland family took a pair of month-long summer camping trips in a Volkswagen bus with family friend and well-known
Little League baseball coach Lou Fiorentino. After Lou died, Pat, Doug and others started an annual fundraiser in Lou’s name to raise money to send Island kids to off-Island summer camps, which they did from 1998 to 2014.
When asked how Pat will be remembered, Doug said, “She was a great wife and mother. Honest, ethical and loved by many. I’ll miss her. She was always willing to have a good time.”
Mother Extraordinaire
“She was a great mom. She welcomed everyone in our house. I could show up with anybody and say, ‘Mom they’re having dinner with us,’ and she’d say, ‘OK, no problem,’ ” Layla said.
“Pat’s philosophy was she’d rather have the girls here with their friends than have them out somewhere else not knowing who they’re with or what they’re doing. That’s a pretty good philosophy,” Doug added.
“The 1960s helped shape my mom’s consciousness and who she was. She was part of the hippie era, adamantly opposed to the Vietnam War. She protested for her beliefs, but she also never lost sight of the American soldiers who were her neighbors, classmates and friends. The music of the 1960s was the soundtrack to our childhood and she shared her love of music, writers and poetry with us,” Layla said.
When asked what she learned from her mom, Layla said, “I learned how to cook, how to sew, how to be a mother and how to be a wife. She gave me my best friend, my sister. When mom’s breathing got bad and it was hard for her to talk, we’d text with her every day.
Pat Copeland showed her whimsical side during a childhood bike ride with her daughter Layla. – Copeland family | Submitted
“She was always really funny, really silly and she always made you laugh. She was really generous and always thinking of others. She loved watching our kids draw and play in the pool. When she could no longer go outside, she’d open the window and sit there to watch them play and still be a part of it. We always had a Sunday or Saturday dinner here. In this family, food is love and she was a great cook,” Layla said.
“We always ate together. Both girls became great cooks because they grew up thinking food was important,” Doug said.
Family was of the utmost importance to Pat Copeland. – Copeland family | Submitted
“When I was 14, I decided I was going to be a vegetarian and my sister later joined me,” Layla said. “Mom taught herself how to cook vegetarian food and she cooked two meals every night: one for her and dad and one for my sister and I. Every day, until we went to college, she packed us a gourmet lunch to take to school. She took the best care of us,” Layla said.
In 2014, the Copeland family traveled to Italy together. – Copeland family | Submitted
Anna Maria Copeland lives in Rockville, Maryland. When asked about her mom, she said, “There was so much about my mom that was wonderful. She always uplifted people. Like a lot of parents, she told Layla and I that we could be and do anything, but she really meant it. Whenever I expressed a doubt about my abilities or qualifications, she would gently explain why whatever I was worrying about wouldn’t stop me from doing the thing I wanted to do if I truly wanted to do it. I saw her do this for other people as well. She had a special way of helping people believe in themselves. Another thing that was truly special about my mom was her open heart. She had love and kindness for anyone who needed it. She welcomed so many people into our home and lives and enriched all of us in the process.
“When my daughter Lily was born, I was surprised by how natural and easy it felt to be a mother. Later, I had the realization that it was easy because I had the best example to follow. I learned how to cook and bake and sew from her. I learned how to navigate the world with an open heart. I learned patience. I will miss her love and understanding. I will miss watching her and Lily goof off together. I will miss sitting up late together talking about life. I will miss cooking and eating together.
“I want people to know how special my mother was. She was funny and smart. She loved rock-n-roll and acting silly. She was kind and thoughtful and creative. She wasn’t afraid to be different and she helped others feel comfortable in spite of their differences,” Anna Maria said.
Anna Hayden and her sister, Pat Copeland, got “framed” in this photo. – Copeland family | Submitted
Pat’s sister, Anna Hayden, said, “Pat had such a positive influence on my life. She opened my eyes to the world and always encouraged me with my art and photography. To see that she also had such a positive impact on her community makes me so very proud to be her sister.”
Community icon
In 2017, Pat was named the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year. Last week, the flags at the museum, City Pier Park, City Hall and the City Hall annex were flown at half-staff in Pat’s honor.
In 2017, former Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford presented Pat Copeland with the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year award. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “The loss of Pat Copeland is a heavy loss for our Island community. Pat blazed a trail that is now her legacy. She was the woman who brought to life the images and tales from our Island’s past. Knowing our history is a key ingredient for a community to remain relevant and instill a sense of pride in its citizens. Pat made us all aware that we are ‘Anna Marians,’ ” he said.
The City Pier Park flags flew at half-staff in Pat Copeland’s honor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Historical Society Vice President Barbara Murphy said, “The Historical Society has lost a devoted friend. Pat and Carolyne Norwood not only had a passion for the Island history, but the vision and determination to preserve it for generations to come. A year ago, the Historical Society’s annual scholarship awards were named after Pat. Thank you, Pat, for your contribution to preserving our rich Island history.”
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said, “Pat was an original. She had a deep connection to the Island and was a talented writer. She will be truly missed. We are fortunate to have the years that she invested in her historical work that helped preserve the Island’s treasures.”
Holmes Beach City Clerk Stacey Johnston said, “Pat was a beautiful person. Her smile was contagious. She absolutely loved her family, community, her job and her friends. She was an excellent writer; one I could always trust. Her perseverance towards the history of Anna Maria Island will allow Pat’s memory to live on forever.”
The Copeland family sometimes gathered at Duffy’s Tavern in Holmes Beach. – Copeland family | Submitted
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “She always gave the police department a fair shot. She reported everything fairly and she mentored other reporters to do the same. She was always a pleasure to speak with. I will miss her.”
Retired WMFR Fire Chief Andy Price said, “As a reporter, she would always ask questions so she could understand the issue – and not just enough to write a story. What she reported was accurate and it told the right story because she understood what was going on. When Pat wrote an article, it was accurate to the T. Pat was one of the best journalists I’ve ever dealt with. Pat was a wonderful person and it showed in her reporting.”
Former Holmes Beach Mayor and County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, “I met Pat when I first got into Island politics in 1991. Throughout the years we became friends and we still communicated after she left the paper. She was a wonderful person and she had a passion for the Historical Society. I’m happy I got to know her and Doug.”
Pat and Doug Copeland served as “The Bowling Police” during one of the annual O’Connor Bowling Challenge tournaments.- Copeland family | Submitted
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said, “Pat was a wonderful lady who really loved the Island community. She was a real giver and she was always there for the community.”
Island resident and business owner Ed Chiles said, “Pat was dedicated to the history and the character of the Island. She was indefatigable, always working on it and never not involved. She was a great citizen of the Island. She will be missed but she will not be forgotten.”
Bradenton resident and longtime family friend Jean Couser said, “I’ve known Pat since the 70s, when she and I were waitresses at Trader Jack’s. Pat and Doug were schoolteachers who escaped the cold for something new, but I don’t think Pat ever strayed very far from educating people, even if she didn’t do it in a classroom. Her family was so important to her and she and Doug created a purposeful life together. They raised two smart, talented women and Pat had a big influence on how successful those girls are.
Pat and Doug Copeland dressed as Lois Lane and Superman for Halloween. – Copeland family | Submitted
“Pat’s talents went way beyond writing. She sewed Halloween costumes and knitted baby blankets. She surrounded herself with creative people and the parties she and Doug hosted were never dull. In many ways, I think Pat was the spirit of Anna Maria. She was always doing research for Historical Society, doing a story for The Sun or collecting books for her Little Free Library. She really loved the community.”
Pat Copeland had the first Little Free Library in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
AMI Historical Society board chairperson Liz Hager said, “We’re going to miss her. I loved working with Pat and Doug. Doug is a good friend of the museum too. I hope what they did for and on Anna Maria Island for so many years is appreciated. They named their daughter Anna Maria. That shows quite a bit of loyalty to the Island.
“When Pat could no longer stay on as president of the board, I was recruited to take it over. I loved going to talk to her and learning from her. During COVID, she’d leave a chair for me outside on the lawn and she would open the window and she’d stay inside and we could chat that way and have her bring me up to date on all the things that still needed to be done for the museum. My husband, Dennis, and I enjoyed going out to dinner with Pat and Doug. They were great connoisseurs of restaurants in the area. We had dinner together in April,” Hager said.
Bradenton resident Carrie Price was close friends with Layla and Anna while growing up on the Island.
“I was a frequent guest at their house for dinner. I probably ate there 150 times. Pat was a big part of my time on Island. She was so welcoming to me and always a great host. I was just one of many people who frequented their house for dinner and their company. Pat was very warm and inviting. She was a wonderful mom. She was so dedicated to the girls and she ran a very organized household. I have a lot of respect for that now that I have my own kids. She was a great reporter and she was so dedicated to everything she did,” Carrie said.
The Sun staff is remembering Pat Copeland fondly after the news of her passing last week.
Pat was the first reporter hired to staff the Anna Maria Island Sun. Publisher Mike Field remembers hiring her while sitting on paint buckets in the newspaper’s brand-new office.
Pat was working for the Bystander at the time and was a colleague of Tom Vaught, who was writing for the Island Free Press.
“Competition was not Pat’s style, nor mine,” he said. “We met each other in February 1993 at Holmes Beach City Hall. I did not truly know what to expect. Pat volunteered her knowledge of the Island and local city politics. I knew I could trust her with her wealth of Island background expertise.”
The Island Free Press folded and Vaught joined the Bradenton Herald team.
“One evening, Pat called me informing me about her leap to a new Island paper, the Anna Maria Island Sun. She asked me to consider a change along with her. I went to this newly created paper’s co-founding publisher and owner, Mike Field, and became a reporter along with Pat.”
Retired since 2020, Vaught remembers Copeland, then a copy editor, teasing him for his mistakes, like a sibling.
“We never doubted each other’s talents,” he said.
Copeland never aspired to work in a big city, he said. She wanted to cover the Island where she and her husband, Doug, raised their two daughters, and she did.
“She was the queen of Island journalism,” he said, “and above all, a good friend.”
Shown here with West Manatee Fire Rescue Fire Commissioner Randy Cooper, Pat Copeland covered the WMFR meetings for many years. – Submitted
Staff writer and Digital Editor Kristin Swain recalls Copeland taking her under her wing and helping her establish her career on Anna Maria Island and in the news industry.
“By the time I arrived in the area fulltime in 2014, Pat was already established as a long-time Island legend,” she said. “Pat was one of the first people that I have been privileged to know on the Island. She was one of the nicest, most genuine and welcoming people I’ve ever known. Pat was one of those rare people who is impossible to forget and one that I will always be grateful to have had the privilege of knowing.”
Copeland worked diligently to help make her community a better place through her work with The Sun, her volunteerism, her work with the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and other organizations, Swain said.
“Though she’s no longer with us, her legacy in this community will endure for many, many years to come. Her community spirit will continue to radiate through the city of Anna Maria and the Island as a whole,” she said. “My sincerest condolences go out to her family, friends and everyone whose lives she touched. Pat left a little bit of her light with everyone she met. That light will continue to shine.”
Sun Editor Cindy Lane recalls Copeland often breaking from her office demeanor with quick-on-the-uptake jokes, followed by her trademark smile and deep, hearty laugh.
Her coverage of the city of Holmes Beach earned her a reputation of accuracy and trustworthiness, and she covered the arts community and historical stories with enthusiasm, she said.
A model of organization, she archived every edition of The Sun at the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, which she co-founded with Carolyne Norwood.
With her trademark spiral-bound calendar filled out each year in advance with reminders of upcoming events, she never missed a story, and as the “newsroom mom,” never let another reporter miss one of theirs, Lane recalled.
Widely known and appreciated for being detail-oriented as a reporter, Copeland was also an exacting copy editor with an institutional memory that saved everyone on the staff from embarrassment at one time or another. Once, a new reporter mentioned Lawton Chiles in a story without noting that he was a former Florida governor, and Pat caught the omission in time.
“Pat always made sure all the ‘i’s were dotted and all the ‘t’s were crossed,” Lane said. “She set an admirable example and a high bar for The Sun to follow.”
“As the Sun’s longtime copy editor, Pat Copeland caught and corrected many typos and mistakes I made when writing my weekly news stories, thus sparing me the embarrassment of seeing my errors in print,” Sun correspondent Joe Hendricks said.
Each Monday, Pat would go to The Sun office, print out every page of the paper and with her red marker notate all the corrections she’d then make using the computer software used to lay out the paper, he recalled.
“Working closely with editor and publisher Mike Field, Pat’s keen eye and attention to detail made The Sun a better paper, and she made me a better reporter with her historical perspective, factual knowledge, journalistic insights and corrective actions.”
In 2013, Pat took a brief leave of absence and went to Maryland to help care for her first grandchild, Lily.
“At the time, my duties with The Sun were limited to those of a part-time freelance correspondent. During Pat’s time away, I covered her Holmes Beach beat that included city commission meetings and other governmental matters. That assignment led to me later being assigned to cover the cities and city governments of Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria, which I still cover today,” Hendricks said.
“In 2017, I was honored to write about Pat being named the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year – an award she earned for the community spirit she embodied and the tireless work she did with the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.
I was also fortunate to become friends with Pat, her husband, Doug, and the Copeland family. Pat will be forever appreciated and greatly missed. Thanks, Pat for all you did for me, The Sun and the Anna Maria Island community. The Island is a better place because of you and a lesser place without you.”
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission are not yet willing to sign a proposed interlocal agreement that would allow Manatee County to use the City Pier as a water taxi stop.
The county hopes to start its Friday, Saturday and Sunday water taxi service using two covered pontoon boats shuttling between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island this summer. The proposed route for the county-funded service includes multiple stops per service day at the City Pier, the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach.
During the June 8 city commission meeting, Murphy said he recently received the county’s latest draft of the interlocal agreement, which City Attorney Becky Vose had already briefly analyzed. Murphy said he was sending the proposed agreement to the city commissioners for them to review before accepting, rejecting or revising the agreement at a future meeting.
The original draft agreement the county introduced earlier this year stated the county would pay for any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other water taxi-related improvements made to the City Pier.
Murphy and the city commission responded with a revised agreement that proposed the county also be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related improvements made to the pier.
The agreement Murphy recently received strikes out the city’s recommended revisions and again proposes the city pay for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related pier improvements. The county’s proposed agreement also stipulates the city must reimburse the county for any such improvements if the city signs and later opts out of the water taxi agreement.
Murphy noted the county agreement, as currently written, is supported by the Bradenton Beach and Bradenton city commissions.
The new finger docks alongside the Bradenton Beach Pier will accommodate the county water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I’m disappointed with what I received. They basically threw our agreement out and now they want us to hurry up and approve this. There’s some things in this agreement that need serious consideration. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to what we sent out,” Murphy told the commission.
“I hate to be obstinate. I’m not trying to be. I want to be cooperative, but this can’t become carte blanche. The pier is the center of our universe here. There’s things in here that don’t make business sense. I’ve got to have a complete understanding of exactly what they have in mind,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione have had many discussions about the proposed water taxi agreement, but no one else from the county staff contacted him or Vose when crafting the proposed agreement.
Murphy plans to meet with county staff within the next week or so. He asked the city commissioners to review the agreement on their own and provide him with any feedback they want shared with county staff.
Murphy said he’s not trying to “poison the well” but he doesn’t believe it’s in the city’s best interest to act quickly and enter into the proposed agreement as currently written.
Throughout the ongoing water taxi discussions that the county initiated in February 2022, the mayor and commission have insisted the water taxi service provide transportation for Island employees for free or at a discounted rate. The county agreement does not specify any fare rates for water taxi passengers.
“If we refuse to sign their onerous agreement, we could still get some workers coming up to the city by way of Bradenton Beach and then the trolley,” Commissioner Jon Crane said.
During Thursday’s meeting, the commission took no formal action on the county’s proposed agreement.
Manatee County has not yet provided the city with a plan that details exactly how the City Pier would function as a water taxi stop. – Joe Hendricks | SunDuring past discussions, Murphy noted the City Pier cannot be used as a water taxi stop without a city commission-approved interlocal agreement. He also noted the county must provide the city with a detailed plan that shows exactly where and how the City Pier would be used as a water taxi stop. To date, that plan has not been provided.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law new state legislation that will impact condominium associations and owners.
On June 9, DeSantis signed the legislation recently adopted by the Florida Legislature as Senate Bill 154 and House Bill 1395.
Taking effect on July 1, the new law requires structural inspections of all condominium buildings three or more stories in height and at least 30 years old by Dec. 31, 2024 and again every 10 years thereafter.
In accordance with the Florida Building Code, the inspection requirement includes the most popular type of condominium building on Anna Maria Island – three-story buildings with two elevated living levels and ground-level parking below.
The new law builds upon the state law previously created in 2022 with the adoption of Senate Bill 4-D. The legislation adopted in 2022 and 2023 is in response to the partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside that killed 98 people in 2021.
The new law applies to all qualifying condominium buildings in Florida regardless of location and it deletes the 25-year inspection requirement adopted last year for condo buildings located within three miles of the coastline.
The new law clarifies that all owners of a condominium building must share the costs of the structural inspections via annual assessments. Condo owners must also share the cost of repairing or remedying any structural distress or weakness identified in a structural inspection.
The law authorizes local governments to enforce the milestone inspection requirements and allows local enforcement agencies to accept an inspection report completed before July 1, 2022, if the inspection and the report comply with the milestone requirements.
The law requires condo associations to provide notice to condo unit owners about the inspection deadlines and inspection findings.
HOLMES BEACH – A new effort is rising to fight against a Manatee County and state-led effort to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach.
The effort is being led by a group of concerned city and county residents who hope to convince state legislators to abandon House Bill 947, the local bill backed by Rep. Will Robinson Jr. to circumvent the city’s building regulations and land development code to allow a 1,500-plus space parking garage to be built at the county-owned property located in Holmes Beach. The bill passed votes in both the Florida House and Senate without opposition.
As of press time for The Sun it had not been presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration. Legislators have until June 30 to present the bill. If the bill doesn’t get presented, it dies along with Manatee County commissioners’ immediate plans for the garage. If it is presented and DeSantis signs or ignores it, the bill becomes law upon signing or on July 1, whichever happens first. If he vetoes it, the bill goes back to the House for consideration during the next regular session.
The first part of the effort, spearheaded by Performance Analysis Expert Allan Levy along with a group of residents, is to sign petitions speaking out against the garage and to write DeSantis encouraging him to veto the bill if it comes to him for consideration.
If the bill becomes law, the second part of the effort is to focus on engaging Manatee County commissioners, who eventually would have to approve a budget, construction plans, building permits and a contractor for the project.
Another part, Levy said, is to make sure that all of the studies required for parking garage development are done in accordance with the law. Of particular note is a traffic congestion study which is required for any parking garage construction in Manatee County.
After observing the congestion created in Holmes Beach near Manatee Beach without the assistance of a large, three-story plus roof parking garage, Levy said his professional experience tells him that the structure would greatly increase congestion for beachgoers, not relieve it.
In fact, he said he believes his analysis will show the parking garage would create a condensed wall of traffic that would impede emergency personnel when responding to an emergency situation.
If emergency personnel couldn’t get to the site of an accident, fire, medical emergency or to medical care inland, Levy fears it could lead to dramatic increases in deaths.
He also believes the backup of traffic from the parking garage could cause driver delays of two hours or more to get back to the mainland.
Before retiring to the Anna Maria Island area, Levy used his skills for 30 years working with Fortune 50 companies to help them make sound, rational decisions. He’s using those same skills to analyze the problem of the parking garage to see what impact it will have on the area.
The group is hoping to join forces with Holmes Beach city leaders to fight against the parking garage, though no plans have been confirmed at press time for The Sun.
To sign one of the two petitions against the parking garage or learn more about the Paradise Lost effort, visit https://paradise-lost-109036.weebly.com/.
BRADENTON BEACH – Mayor John Chappie proposes further elevating the Tingley Memorial Library to create a ground-level public parking lot below the library building.
The city-owned library was built in the early 1990s using $240,000 of the $678,801 that Beulah Hannah Hooks Tingley bequeathed to the city in 1986 to create a public reading room. The remaining funds continue to be used to fund the operations of the library, which isn’t part of the county library system.
The library building is already elevated by approximately 6 feet, but that doesn’t leave enough space below for parking.
The library building is already elevated by approximately 6 feet. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Chappie initiated the library discussion during the June 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting.
He said the city doesn’t have the money to purchase additional land for public parking and the goal is to create more public parking spaces on land already owned by the city.
Chappie said he discussed the idea with Building Official Steve Gilbert and Gilbert suggested issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for the architectural and engineering services needed to determine the feasibility of elevating the library building.
CRA Chair Ralph Cole asked Gilbert if the building could be elevated.
“That’s why we go out and hire an architect, with an engineering firm in back of them, to look at it and tell us that,” Gilbert said, noting the wooden library building sits atop steel beams.
The wooden library building rests atop large steel beams. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“You can jack up just about any building you want to, it just depends on how many zeros you want to throw under it,” Gilbert said of the potential cost.
He said the combined insight of an architect, an engineering firm and a house moving company would provide the CRA and the city with a better understanding of what’s possible.
“Will it work? Is it feasible? And if it will work, then how do we want to proceed? At that point, you have several decisions to make,” he said.
“I think it’s worth looking into. We need as much parking as we can get,” Cole said.
“I think you’re halfway there,” CRA member Ed Chiles said when suggesting looking further into the future to account for the city’s continued growth and increase in visitors.
“That’s not going to stop,” Chiles said.
He noted that the library property is located next to the city hall property and the two properties combined would create a large area to work with.
“I think we should look at the whole campus. If you’re going to go up, combine the library and city hall. That’s what we need for the next 30 years,” Chiles said.
Chappie noted there are state-imposed restrictions that limit the use of CRA funds. He said City Attorney Ricinda Perry will write a legal analysis/position paper that supports the proposed use of CRA funds.
“What I’m asking today is to direct Ricinda, myself and Steve to work on an RFP to utilize CRA funds for a public parking lot,” Chappie said.
The CRA members unanimously approved Chappie’s request.
ANNA MARIA – The city won’t enact any additional prohibitions or regulations pertaining to commercial activity in city rights of way and other public spaces.
The Anna Maria City Commission reached this unanimous decision on June 8 after further discussing concerns that Commission Chair Mark Short raised during the commission’s May 25 meeting.
On May 25, Short said he didn’t want Anna Maria’s rights of ways and public spaces being overrun with commercial activity similar to what’s occurring along Manatee Avenue at the Palma Sola Causeway in west Bradenton, where multiple commercial entities offer horseback rides, personal watercraft rentals, kayak and paddleboard rentals and more.
Several businesses conduct commercial activity along the Manatee Avenue causeways in Bradenton. – Charlie Trygg | Submitted
After the May 25 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy asked City Attorney Becky Vose and City Planner Ashely Austin to review how the city currently addresses commercial activity in rights of ways and public spaces and what more could be done if the commission identified specific problems to address.
During the June 8 meeting, Murphy reminded the commission that additional enforcement efforts might require additional personnel and/or equipment.
Austin said the city’s code of ordinances already prohibits commercial activity in city-owned rights of way, but things get trickier when regulating commercial activity on the beaches. She noted the city already prohibits motorized vessels, including personal watercraft, within 300 feet of Anna Maria’s public beach areas. She said the city also prohibits using a cart or vehicle on a public beach to offer goods and services.
The city of Anna Maria owns the shoreline near the City Pier and along Bayfront Park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Vose told the commission there’s state legislation in the form of Senate Bill 170 awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature. If adopted as state law, the state legislation would require local governments to prepare business impact estimates before adopting new regulatory ordinances. The state legislation would also allow courts to award the recovery of attorney fees for those who challenge a new local ordinance. If enacted, the new state law would take effect Oct. 1. Vose advised the commissioners to act before then if they want to adopt any new regulatory ordinances.
Providing a potential solution to the commission’s commercial activity concerns, Vose said the city of Cocoa Beach previously created small, designated areas where commercial activity is allowed on those public beaches.
Short asked if all of Anna Maria’s beaches are public. Murphy said the majority of the beaches in Anna Maria are privately owned, and those who own beachfront property that hasn’t been renourished by the county have property rights that in some cases extend into the water.
The city of Anna Maria owns several beach access points, including this one near Bean Point. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s not wet sand, dry sand,” Murphy said regarding the private ownership of non-renourished beaches.
Austin said private ownership creates a gap in the city’s ability to regulate beach activities.
Murphy said the city owns the beach area near the City Pier, the beach area at Bayfront Park and several beach access points and can regulate commercial activity in those areas.
Murphy reminded the commission that Anna Maria residents are among the beachgoers who use beach cabana and beach equipment delivery and set up services and food delivery services, and that those service providers are local business owners.
The discussion ended with the commission reaching a unanimous consensus not to take any additional regulatory action.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has authorized a $1,400 analysis of an existing city parking lot in hopes of creating additional public parking spaces.
The authorization is contingent on a pending determination from City Attorney Ricinda Perry as to whether restricted CRA funds can be used to fund the parking analysis, which would be conducted by Collier’s Engineering.
On June 6, the CRA members discussed the parking analysis of the city-owned public parking lot next to the cell tower and the public works building presented by Public Works Director Tom Woodard.
This diagram illustrates the potential reconfiguration of the existing public parking lot. – City of Bradenton Beach | SubmittedCRA member John Chappie said reconfiguring the unpaved parking lot with angled parking spaces and other low-budget improvements could create seven to nine additional parking spaces, with four spaces still reserved for public works personnel. Improvements might also include parking for golf carts and bicycles, he said.
The parking lot would remain unpaved and stormwater and drainage elements would not be impacted, according to Chappie.
Woodard told The Sun the proposed parking improvements are not directly related to the city commission’s desire to potentially implement paid parking in that lot and other city-owned parking lots and spaces in the CRA district, which extends from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South.
The Fifth Annual Bigfoot Snook Tournament is coming soon to a beach near you. The tournament was the brainchild of Compound Board Shop owner Jacob Shields.
“My idea was to help level the tournament playing field so younger kids and less experienced fly fishers had a good chance of competing against more experienced fly fishers,” Shields said. “The format also allows kids with a bike to be able to get to a spot as easily as someone with an expensive skiff. All our events are free, so there’s no reason not to participate. Many fly-fishing tournaments are about pride and ego, and I guess this one boasts that the main objective is to get the community together. After a fun night at the captains’ meeting, anglers are off to walk the beaches and bays on Saturday. I love the relationships that have been formed through our shop and I feel this event is just another way to become friends with other people that share the same passion.”
Bigfoot Snook Tournament coming in July
The tournament organizers assemble great prizes from their sponsors and will be giving away over $1,000 in cash as well as prizes. There are no boundaries with the tournament, so people from all over can participate in the event. The only requirement for anglers is that they must attend the captains’ meeting as well as the weigh-in event where they will show pictures of their catch.
The mandatory captains’ meeting will be held on Friday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Compound Board Shop in Sarasota. It’s essential that competing anglers are present to secure their spot in the competition. The challenge is exclusively for those who prefer to go fishing on foot. Vessels can be used to reach a favorite spot, but the catch must be made on foot, no fishing is allowed from a floating craft. The best part may be the fact that there is no entry fee. It won’t cost anglers a dime to participate!
Shields commented, “We believe in spreading the joy of fishing to all passionate souls. Anglers should mark their calendars for Saturday, July 8 when the tournament officially runs from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It’s a chance to showcase your skills, embrace the camaraderie of fellow anglers, and compete for over $1,000 in cash and prizes for the first-place winner.” To sign up, visit the Compound Board Shop website.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been a good week for sea turtles as nest numbers continue to climb, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.
However, the group has documented several disturbances to nests on Island beaches.
“There were lots of large holes on the beach,” she said, thanking Manatee County’s beach cleaning staff for filling them in. “It’s best if people fill in their holes before they leave the beach. That way, they are not hazards to nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings at night.”
The holes also are hazards to people who walk the beach at night.
Mazzarella also reminded people to keep beaches dark at night to avoid disturbing nesting turtles.
“Lights are prohibited on the beach and can disturb turtles that may be nesting a long distance from a light source,” she said. “Several of our nesting females traveled a long distance out of their way because they were following lights instead of using the brightness of the night sky to find the ocean.”
This year, Turtle Watch is using backup stakes to find or remark nests in case a storm washes away existing stakes.
“They are placed in the dunes but sometimes in the middle of the beach,” Mazzarella said. “We urge people to avoid these stakes and leave them in place. Please call code enforcement or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission if you see someone disturbing these nests or a nesting site.”
MANATEE COUNTY – What goes up must come down, but in the release of celebratory helium-filled balloons, it’s the coming down that creates problems.
In addition to adding trash to the waters, deflated balloons can cause marine life to become entangled and die. The balloons also can be ingested by marine life.
In May, researchers from the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) spent five days offshore conducting dolphin research, but they found more than dolphins.
“We collected 76 balloons and other marine debris up to dozens of miles offshore, including two ghost crab trap lines with floats and a beach ball. Most of the balloons had Mother’s Day or birthday messages,” according to the SDRP website.
Mylar balloons are made of synthetic nylon with a metallic coating, are non-biodegradable and can travel long distances.
“They heavily contribute to oceanic waste and animals can become entangled in them or ill from ingesting whole balloons or pieces,” according to the SDRP. “Wayward balloons are also extra dangerous for sea turtles because they resemble jellyfish – one of turtles’ common prey items.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) also warns against the release of balloons as being hazardous to marine life.
“Marine and coastal wildlife can become entangled or trapped in many items such as fishing line, crab traps, balloons with attached string, beach furniture and other types of marine debris. In addition, some of these items may be ingested, leading to further harm,” according to the FWC website. “Monofilament fishing line and other plastics (bags, deflated balloons, etc.) can drift into seagrass beds or snag onto floating vegetation – a sure path to a slow death if a manatee ingests any of these items and is not able to pass it through its digestive system.”
Florida Statute 379.23 prohibits the release of more than 10 balloons within 24 hours. Violation of the law can result in a $250 fine.
ANNA MARIA – Bortell’s Lounge is on the market with a $7.2 million asking price.
Pat Bucko is serving as the broker for Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose.
According to Bucko’s online listing, the purchase includes the land, the 2,850-square-foot building, the business and a 4COP dual liquor license that allows for consumption on premises and package liquor sales.
According to the listing, “Bortell’s Lounge first opened its doors in 1977 and has been an Anna Maria institution ever since. What makes Bortell’s legendary is the long history with the locals and vacationers that have created lifelong memories and friendships over the past 46 years.
“The current owner purchased the building and business in 2015 knowing it was going to need an extensive remodel and in 2018 he closed the doors and began the process. After three years of planning, engineering, construction and blood, sweat and beers, Bortell’s reopened in 2021,” the listing notes.
Steve Rose reopened his renovated Bortell’s Lounge in 2021. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted by The Sun, Rose shared his thoughts on selling Bortell’s.
“It’s just time. I always knew I was buying it to do a renovation and I’ve achieved what I wanted to do. I’ve got some other projects I want to do and it’s the right time to move on. I’ve got a couple things in the hopper that I’m excited about but nothing under contract yet,” he said.
“Bortell’s is for sale but people shouldn’t worry. It was a bar for 40 years when I bought it and I developed it in a way that I believe it will stay a bar for 40 more years. I can’t imagine anybody buying it and doing anything other than that. I’m not expecting a quick sale. We’re still pouring drinks six days a week and we’re firing up the pizza ovens and bringing pizza back beginning on Tuesday (June 13),” Rose said.
“Owning Bortell’s has truly been a dream come true for me. It’s helped me check so many things off my personal bucket list that I had to update my list. I moved to the Island and bought a dive bar. It’s like something from a Jimmy Buffett song. I did not get to this place alone. I owe thanks to everyone who has and does work for me, as well as a huge list of vendors, contractors and sub-contractors, as well as a few people that were just at the right place and time to help us out,” Rose said.
