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Year: 2023

City officials to discuss noise ordinance lawsuits

Vacation rental legislation moving forward

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – City Attorney Becky Vose has requested separate shade meetings to discuss separate lawsuits pertaining to repeat noise ordinance violations at two vacation rental properties.

The shade, or private, meetings are scheduled immediately after the Thursday, April 13 city commission meeting.

The lawsuits were filed after Special Master Gerald Buhr, in separate actions, declared each vacation rental property to be a public nuisance because vacation rental guests at each property received three noise ordinance violation citations within a 12-month period.

In June 2022, the city filed a lawsuit against Mangoes on Magnolia LLC for the repeat noise ordinance violations that occurred at a vacation rental home at 313 Magnolia Ave. Orlando resident Rajendra Patel is listed as the LLC’s registered agent.

City officials to discuss noise ordinance lawsuits

Multiple noise ordinance violations led to this vacation rental home at 205 South Bay Boulevard being declared a public nuisance. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In the Mangoes on Magnolia lawsuit, the city seeks as injunctive release a court order that would prevent the home from being used as a vacation rental for up to one year.

In August 2022, the city filed a lawsuit against Beach to Bay Investments Inc., AMI Locals LLC and developer Shawn Kaleta for repeat noise violations that occurred at a vacation rental home at 205 South Bay Blvd.

On March 22, the attorneys representing the city and Beach to Bay In- vestments agreed to a 30-day extension to conduct settlement negotiations.

“The parties have agreed to enter settlement negotiations to possibly avoid further litigation in this matter,” according to the extension request document.

When requesting the shade meetings, Vose said, “I desire advice regarding the litigation.”

After noting that none of the current commissioners have participated in a shade meeting, Vose explained the behind-closed-doors process that will include the mayor, the five commissioners, the city attorney and a court reporter who will create a verbatim transcript of the discussion. The transcript of the private meeting becomes a public record after the lawsuit is over.

To date, no court hearings have been scheduled for either case.

City commission revises water taxi agreement

City commission revises water taxi agreement

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The city commission has returned a revised interlocal agreement regarding the City Pier being used as a water taxi stop to Manatee County officials for further consideration.

The proposed agreement establishes the city and county’s proposed conditions for the use of the City Pier.

County officials could reject or revise some of the revisions made by the Anna Maria Commission, but at some point, an interlocal agreement must be finalized and approved by the city commission before the City Pier can be used as a water taxi stop.

The pier-based water taxi stop would be part of a county-funded water taxi service that would travel between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, with stops at the City Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach.

The latest version of the proposed agreement includes revisions sought by the city commission during its March 9 and March 23 discussions, when commissioners authorized Mayor Dan Murphy to return the revised agreement to the county.

“The purposes of the water taxi are to relieve automobile congestion coming to and from the Island and to provide an affordable means of public transportation to and from the Island for visitors, residents and workers,” the agreement says.

Terms & conditions

The revised agreement drafted by City Attorney Becky Vose includes several terms and conditions requested by the city commission.

The mayor and commissioners have repeatedly stressed their desire that Island employees be allowed to ride the water taxis for free or at a reduced rate. The proposed agreement does not specifically say Island employees will ride for free, but during Thursday’s meeting the commission requested the following language be added to the agreement: “All workers’ fares between Anna Maria and Bradenton shall be subject to the approval of the city to ensure that fares for workers are affordable.”

The city does not seek input on the fares to be charged to other users.

City commission revises water taxi agreement
Manatee County wants to use the City Pier in Anna Maria as a water taxi stop. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The agreement proposes, and the city commission insists, that the county be responsible for all water taxi-related improvements made to the existing boat landing area and/or any other part of the pier. The improvements could include the installation of safety railings at the landing area only. They may also include other enhancements needed for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The agreement also proposes the county, or its contractor, be fully responsible for any costs associated with the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi dockage components located on the pier.

The agreement says the county must assume all legal liability associated with the operation of the water taxi service.

The revised agreement says: “The water taxi route must include service between downtown Bradenton and the City Pier on every regularly scheduled day of operation, weather permitting. Any scheduled route for the water taxi must include the city of Anna Maria both coming and going to and from downtown Bradenton. No route shall return to Bradenton without having Anna Maria as its last stop before Bradenton. Elimination of this route negates this interlocal agreement.”

The revised agreement says, “The county agrees to provide a detailed plan in advance to the Anna Maria City Commission for approval showing the proposed landing area on the pier and any modifications or improvements required for the dockage and the pier. The city has the right to cancel this agreement if it finds that such modifications or improvements are unsatisfactory to the city.”

Murphy said he did not yet know if the county plans to use the existing boat landing or some other part of the pier as a water taxi landing.

Additional details

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione is one of the county staff members tasked with bringing the long-desired water taxi service to fruition.

In October, the Manatee County Commission authorized the county administrator to spend up to $700,000 to build two water taxis to initially be owned by the county and to be managed and operated by the Clearwater Ferry company.

When addressing the city and county commissions in the past, Falcione said the water taxis will initially operate from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Additional service days and/or expanded operating hours will be considered if the ridership demand exists.

On Friday, The Sun sought and received some additional information from Falcione. Falcione said each water taxi will be 50 feet long and accommodate 49 passengers.

When asked about free fares for Island employees, he said, “We do plan to have a no-charge service for employees, but it’s complicated, so we do not have a defined plan at this time. We do plan to work with the hospitality owners on the Island to help bring their employees to work via ferry. It’s a program that may not start until the fall.”

In the past, Falcione has mentioned the possibility of Island businesses providing their employees with water taxi passes.

As for when the water taxi service might begin, Falcione said, “We are hoping for a July startup.”

Mote Marine outreach center to open in May

Mote Marine outreach center to open in May

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The grand opening celebration for Mote Marine Laboratory’s education outreach center on the City Pier is scheduled for Friday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy made the announcement during the March 23 city commission meeting, noting that a special event permit for the grand opening celebration was included in that day’s consent agenda.

The celebration will take place at City Pier Park, across the street from the City Pier, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned at the pier. Murphy said a jazz combo will provide the music but, other than bottled water, no food, refreshments or champagne will be served. Manatee County commissioners and other local officials will be invited to the ceremony, which is also open to the public.

After the grand opening, the marine education outreach center will be open to residents and visitors on a daily basis free of charge. The hours of operation have not yet been announced.

Moving forward

When contacted Friday afternoon, Murphy said Mote met its recently extended deadline to submit by Friday an application for a permanent city-issued certificate of occupancy. Building Official David Gilson was expected to review the application and issue Mote its certificate of occupancy on Monday, or soon thereafter.

The certificate of occupancy allows Mote Marine to transport the marine exhibits built offsite and install them in the city-owned pier building. When appearing before the city commission on March 9, Mote Marine representative Kevin Cooper said the marine life will require a little time to acclimate to its new environment before the facility can be opened to the public.

Mote Marine outreach center to open in May
A visit to the pier worksite on March 9 revealed much remaining work to be done. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Manatee County Commission is providing up to $500,000 in tourist development tax revenues for the interior buildout of the city-owned pier building and the installation of the marine exhibits. The city is managing the disbursement of the county funds as invoices are received and reviewed. Any upfront costs that exceed the $500,000 provided by the county will be paid by Mote.

In September 2021, the city and Mote Marine entered into a lease agreement that provides Mote with five years of rent-free use of the pier building, with an additional five-year extension possible if so desired. In April 2022, the city commission approved a one-year extension because of the delays Mote experienced in getting the facility designed and the pier building transformed into an educational outreach center.

According to the lease, Mote’s buildout responsibilities included but were not limited to design, permitting and interior construction that included plumbing, flooring, ceilings, air conditioning, electrical components and more. The county funds also cover the costs to design, build and install the live and virtual exhibits.

Mote Marine outreach center to open in May
Mote Marine’s education outreach center will include live and virtual exhibits. – Mote Marine | Submitted

Once the outreach center opens, Mote will pay for the ongoing staffing and operational costs and volunteers will provide facility manager Jessica Rhodes with additional free labor.

Reel Time: If we don’t do it, who will?

Reel Time: If we don’t do it, who will?

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in First Place, Special Sections.

Red tide; two words that nobody wants to hear but everyone needs to understand. The term is just the common expression of the much deeper problem best described as harmful algae blooms (HABs). Someone who owns a resort hotel, has a restaurant on or near the beach or runs a business that takes people fishing or sightseeing obviously depends on clean, healthy water for their livelihood. It’s easy for the average person to see that these businesses will be negatively affected by HABs or even the mere mention of them. What’s less obvious is that poor water quality and habitat loss (seagrasses, mangroves) affects everyone, from fishing guides to developers, realtors, builders and all the allied trades and suppliers they all depend on.

We seem to only focus on the things that directly impact us in the present, finding it easier to “kick the can down the road.” Maybe we should consider how we’ll feel when our children and grandchildren look us in the eye and ask, “What did you do to make sure I had some of the same opportunities that you did?”

Second Place
Serious Column (Sally Latham Memorial award)
2024

Things took a devastating turn five years ago with a massive and long-lived harmful algae bloom (red tide) that devastated coastal waters from Naples to St. Petersburg, rendering Sarasota Bay a virtual wasteland. Since that event, Sarasota Bay has lost more grass than had regrown in the prior 40 years.

On top of that, a release of over 200 million gallons of polluted process water from the legacy phosphate facility at Piney Point in late March 2021 led to the worst algae bloom in Upper Tampa Bay since the 1970s, killing thousands of tons of sea life.

Resident anglers have seen firsthand the decrease in water quality and the resulting loss
of habitat, seagrass and its negative effect on local fisheries. Unfortunately, those who recently relocated here have no understanding of what has been lost and what that means for future anglers. The concept of “shifting baseline” describes a gradual change in the accepted norms for the condition of the natural environment due to a lack of past information or lack of experience of past conditions.

It’s critically important that we vet the politicians who represent us and are charged with enacting rules and regulations to protect our natural resources. A good source of that information is the League of Conservation Voters (lcv.org). The LCV is non-partisan and tracks the voting records of members of the Senate and Congress on environmental issues in its National Environmental Scorecard. This is a clear indication of how those tasked with representing our interests vote. It’s critical that we take decisive action now.

Research candidates before you cast your vote and consider joining and working with advocates like Suncoast Waterkeeper and their Eyes On The Suncoast Program, Vote Water and Sarasota Bay Watch. If we don’t do it, who will?

Veterans go fishing thanks to Elks Club

Veterans go fishing thanks to Elks Club

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors.

CORTEZ – In 2013, the Bradenton Elks Club began an annual event to spend a day fishing with local veterans, and 10 years later, it’s still going strong.

This year’s fishing trip featured eight boats and 31 area veterans hitting the water on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, March 22. The trip was made possible by a grant from the Elks’ National Foundation.

“This year, Bob Slicker helped me by putting me in contact with two people, Pete Anderson and Daniel Colson,” Elks member Mike Dinius said. “They reached out to the veterans they know and they put the group together.”

Eight local captains provided their boats and services to make this year’s fishing trip a reality. According to Dinius, the fish were biting that day and the catch was good. Thanks to Slicker’s Eatery owner Bob Slicker, they didn’t have to throw their catches back in the water, since his restaurant had an afterparty where he provided drinks, appetizers and cooked their catch for dinner.

The person on each boat who caught the most fish also won a Slicker’s shirt to remember their successful day on the water.

Vintage Beach begins season with win

Vintage Beach begins season with win

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – Week one of adult co-ed recreational soccer opened up the spring season with an action-packed game between Vintage Beach and Duncan Real Estate.

In the close match-up, both teams showed impressive passing and shooting to start the season, but the shooting efforts of the Vintage Beach squad eked out the 4-3 win in the final seconds of the game.

Starting the game in goal, Danny Free made six saves for the Vintage team before being replaced by designated goalkeeper Mark Rudacille.

Rudacille finished the game with eight stops, while Charles “Tuna” McCracken protected the net for team Duncan Real Estate. Credited with 12 saves, McCracken’s stops helped his team stay in contention for the full 40 minutes of regulation play.

On the scoring side of the game, team captain Kevin Roman scored a single goal. Tyler “Bean” Brewer eluded the Vintage Beach defense and keeper with two goals, keeping his team in the game.

Joey Hutchinson, captain for Vintage Beach, successfully struck twice for two points. Mid-game, Mandy Sky struck hard and accurately at the Duncan net for a goal.

Vintage Beach team member JD Webb’s ball handling and ability to move around the Duncan defense al- lowed him to get past McCracken with a scoring shot.

The offensive assists by Free, Hutchinson and Rudacille helped give the Vintage Beach squad their first win of the season.

To round out the first week of adult soccer play, Pool America handily defeated Moss Builders by seven points, with the final score 10-3.

Solid Rock Construction won by two goals against Sato Real Estate, putting them at the top of the leaderboard along with the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits team.

Finishing the night of soccer at The Center, the Sandbar easily won against Gulfview Windows & Doors. Team Sandbar scored 12 goals in the game, with a nine-point lead over Gulfview.

With six regular-season games to go, the Island’s community center adult soccer league is sure to give spectators and players a fun season of strikes, stops and scoring.

SUN SCOREBOARD

MARCH 23

ADULT CO-ED SOCCER
WEEK 1
Vintage Beach (1-0-0) 4 Duncan Real Estate (0-1-0) 3

Pool America (1-0-0) 10 Moss Builders (0-1-0) 3

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (1-0-0) 5 Sato Real Estate (0-1-0) 3

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (1-0-0) 12 Gulfview Windows & Doors (0-1-0) 3

Castles in the Sand

Rate sensitive

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Mortgage rates appear to be controlling the real estate market across the country. My new favorite term is “rate sensitive.” This means that a buyer who would have been happy at 6.75% ran for the hills when the rates rose to 7%, about where they are as of this writing for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage.

I’m not dismissing the importance of rate increases in real money to buyers’ budgets, but nevertheless, a lot of them are walking for not a lot of money. To be fair, a one-point increase in a mortgage rate would have the same effect on affordability as a 10% increase in home prices, per First American Financial Corp. This could eliminate the buyer from qualifying for the home they are currently considering, lower their home buying expectations or cause them to disappear completely from the marketplace.

Earlier in the year when the rates were solidly in the 6% or a little over range, buyers were on the move. This may explain why our Manatee County statistics this

month show more pending properties in February 2023 compared to January 2023 even though the annual trend has been going down monthly. This was a surprise to many professionals in the housing market who now think that gain may be given back. The general consensus is that buyers now are much more cautious and are paying more attention than the people that were buying last year.

Here are the February sales statistics for Manatee County reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:

Single-family homes closed 10% fewer properties than last year. The median selling price was $490,000, up 2.5% from last year, and the average selling price was $639,562, down 7.7% from last year. The median time to contract was 39 days compared to six days and the month’s supply of properties is 3.1 months compared to 0.6 months last year.

Condos closed 21.1% fewer properties than last year. The median selling price was $369,900, up 13.8%, and the average selling price was $435,748, up 17.3% from last year. The median time to contract was 29 days compared to 5 days and the month’s supply of properties was 3.4 months compared to 0.5 months last year.

March and April generally are busy months for closings in Florida before buy- ers return north. The next two months may tell a slightly different story, but there is no doubt that higher interest rates are having an effect.

One quick note about your home’s as- sessed value. Property taxes across the country have risen in recent years based on the increased value of your home. When you receive the new assessment and tax bill, don’t just file it in one of those folders that you’ll never look at again. Read it over for errors that could be anything from the size of your lot to the size of your home and the size of your new pool. Don’t be afraid to contact the assessor’s office and review this with them.

It’s also a good idea to stay on top of the recent sales in your neighborhood. Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com will give you just about anything you need to know in addition to the Manatee County public records. If you really feel your home has been appraised higher than it should be, you can ask a licensed Realtor for an evaluation or a licensed appraiser. A Realtor may prepare an evaluation as a goodwill measure, but a licensed appraiser will charge a fee, however, an appraiser’s evaluation may hold more weight. And don’t forget to apply for any exemptions you may be entitled to.

We are living through a sensitive time for just about anything related to finances. Keep the tissues handy and your head on straight.

AMI Chamber awards scholarships

AMI Chamber awards scholarships

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Events.

HOLMES BEACH – The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Business Card Exchange is always a great networking event, but the March 23 event at LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air was extra special for three area high school seniors who were each awarded a $1,000 college scholarship by the Chamber.

Evan Christenson, Hannah Ferguson and Terrance Johnson Jr. were on hand to accept their awards and meet Island business owners and managers.

Christenson is graduating from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School with a GPA of 4.24. He is a member of the varsity lacrosse team and volunteers at the AMI Center. Evan has been accepted to Florida State University and will major in finance and law. He hopes to return to Bradenton to establish his career and to dedicate time to help seniors and veterans who need business and or legal services.

Ferguson graduates from Braden River High School and has been engaged in businesses of her own from an early age, from her lemonade stand to her bakery. She became the “leader” in

the classroom as well as captain of the volleyball team and girls’ flag football team. She will major in entrepreneurship and innovations at the University of South Florida next fall. Her dream is to own a successful business on Anna Maria Island.

Johnson graduates through the AICE program at Palmetto High School. The pandemic significantly impacted him with the loss of face-to-face instruction. He overcame the situation by setting and maintaining his own goals to maintain good grades. He will attend Florida A&M University to study business, marketing and information technology.

“These scholarships are open to any Manatee County graduating senior who is pursuing further education, whether it be a four-year degree, two-year degree or a trade school,” AMI Chamber President Terry Kinder said. “The applications are turned in to the Chamber, which has a committee that goes through the applications and scores them, then picks the beneficiaries.”

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Ellen Scott is now an honorary member of the Anna Maria Island Privateers.

The Privateers surprised Scott with the honor during a March 15 fundraiser at the Drift In. The Privateers frequently partner with the Drift In to raise funds for the scholarships they award to local students and the Christmas gifts they provide to underprivileged families. The proceeds from this event were donated to the Privateers themselves as part of the “Raise The Skullywag” fundraising campaign for repairs and upgrades needed for their pirate ship-themed parade vehicle.

As she does during all Privateers’ fundraisers at the Drift In, Scott spent the evening urging patrons to purchase raffle tickets for the lotto board that contained $300 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets and a $100 bill. The raffle also included a liquor-filled gift basket valued at $300 to be given to some lucky ticket holder.

“Every time we do an event here, Ellen insists on creating the lotto board. I bring her the tickets and she arranges it, laminates it and then sells the hell out of those tickets,” Privateer John “Lil John Arr” Rutherford said.

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer

Honorary Privateer memberships are bestowed upon community members who go above and beyond in their ef- forts to assist the Privateers.

“It doesn’t make them an official member, just an honorary member,” Rutherford said.

He noted Drift In manager Doreen Flynn is also an honorary Privateer.

“Ellen’s always there to help the Privateers,” Flynn said. “She’s a fantastic lady and she’s been doing this for more than 20 years.”

Flynn said that Drift In patron and retired BeachHouse restaurant chef Donald White is also an honorary Privateer. Several of Scott’s family members attended the fundraising event but she didn’t know they were there to see her honored.

Her son, Bob Slicker, said, “Since I was a child, my mom has always been involved in something to help someone else. She’s a true inspiration.”

Her grandson, Brian Slicker, said, “When I was young and living in Michigan, I got involved in charitable drives because of her. She taught me to help others.”

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer

When presenting Scott with her honorary membership plaque, Privateer Kim “Syren” Boyd mentioned the lotto board and said, “Miss Ellen has been instrumental in helping us do this and we cannot think of a better way to thank her than to make her an honorary Privateer.”

Boyd then read aloud the plaque inscription: “This is to certify that Ellen Scott is held in such high esteem by this organization because of her overwhelming support and generosity to our krewe and to our mission, ‘Pirates for kids and community,’ that the membership and krewe has elected to confer upon her the privilege of honorary membership.”

Drift In owner Derek Williams then presented the Privateers with a $500 check for their “Raise The Skullywag” campaign and Drift In employee John “Baitman” Maguire donated an addi- tional $100.

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer
Drift In owner Derek Williams presented Privateer Kim “Syren” Boyd with a $500 check. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When discussing her honorary membership, Scott said, “It made me cry. It’s a great honor. I do it because I love the Privateers and I love who they help and what they work for, scholarships for kids and helping families have Christmas.”

Later that evening, the winning raffle ticket was pulled and Massachusetts resident and seasonal Flori- da resident Raye Young won the liquor basket and the lotto board that produced for her $98 in additional lottery ticket winnings.

Ellen Scott deemed honorary Privateer

Lotto board winner Raye Young was joined by Privateers John “Lil John Arr” Rutherford, Carmela Odriscoll, Kim “Syren” Boyd and Adam “Duck” Cross. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

According to Rutherford, Scott generated $2,126 in raffle ticket sales that night and the Privateers received an additional $850 in cash donations, bringing their “Raise the Skullywag” fundraising total to $5,001 at the time.

Hope remains for residents purchase of Pines Trailer

Price increases for Pines Trailer Park residents

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Pines Trailer Park residents will have to pay $250,000 more than they expected should they decide to purchase their park from the owner.

Residents met again on March 15 to discuss their ongoing efforts to cooperatively purchase the 2.78-acre waterfront mobile home park property. The meeting at the Pines Trailer Park community building was open to residents only, who were presented with a seven-page document titled, “Join your fellow residents as we purchase The Pines.” The document, presented by Lifestyle Choice Realty Inc., notes its preliminary nature and says, “Numbers are subject to change as more information is obtained.”

Hope remains for residents purchase of Pines Trailer
The residents’ meetings take place in this Pines Trailer Park building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Another meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, March 29.

In late January, the Jackson Partnership LLLP ownership group informed park residents and the residents association of their desire to sell the mobile home park. Under state law, potentially impacted mobile homeowners must be given the first opportunity to purchase a mobile home park property before it can be offered on the open market.

According to the financial document presented on March 15, Jackson’s original asking price has increased by $250,000, from $16 million to $16.25 million.

The park contains 86 individual mobile home lots, according to the document. Those lots are currently owned by Jack- son and monthly rent is charged for the use of each lot. The park has a shared community building that would also be part of the sale and the park owners hold riparian rights that allow for boat dockage along the east end of the park.

The document assumes each single share of the park would sell for $200,000, plus an additional $1,000 in closing costs for each lot. It also provides a breakdown of the anticipated costs per ownership share. A shareowner who makes an initial $20,000 down payment would then borrow $181,000. Their monthly share payment would be $1,513, plus a $325 monthly maintenance fee, for a total monthly cost of $1,838.

Hope remains for residents purchase of Pines Trailer
The Pines Trailer Park has riparian rights that allow for boat dockage along the waterfront park property. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The document cites an assumed 8% fixed interest rate amortized for 20 years. With the current $16.25 million asking price, the document proposes a $10 million loan that would result in a $6,250 remaining balance due for each lot – to be paid by the mobile home owner or the park co-op.

“For those of you who buy in, there will be no more rent and no more rent increases. Instead, you pay a monthly maintenance fee based on the cost to operate the park and a budget the owner’s association has approved,” the document states.

The final page of the document is titled, “How a resident-owned community works for you.”

The document describes a resident-owned community as “a community in which the residents have joined together and purchase their community from the landlord/owner.”

Regarding the initial organization of a resident-owned community, the document says, “Lifestyle Choice Realty recommends such communities be organized through a residents’ cooperative. It is the method favored by most residents.” Resident cooperatives are non-profit corporations owned by the residents who chose to participate.

“Lifestyle Choice Realty recommends cooperatives for two reasons. First, the initial purchase is faster and easier because the cooperative buys the entire community, eliminating the need to survey and subdivide each individual lot. Second, the cooperative operates through its board of directors, a group of residents elected by all participating residents,” the document states.

The document notes an existing mobile home and its associated cooperative share can be sold to another buyer.

It also addresses what happens if a resident chooses not to buy into the cooperative.

“In that case, the resident’s current lease agreement and prospectus remain the same. The main difference is the resident pays rent to the cooperative and will not be allowed to vote in how the park is operated.”

One meeting attendee, who wished to remain anonymous, said the Pines residents remain “cautiously optimistic” that the cooperative purchase of the park can be accomplished, but nothing had been finalized yet.

Garden Club flower show proves flowers can be art

Garden Club flower show proves flowers can be art

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Clubs, Contests, Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – It was St. Patrick’s Day on the Island, but the shirts, hats and beads weren’t the only thing green that was drawing attention. March 17 was also the annual Anna Maria Island Garden Club’s Flower Show at Roser Church.

With more than 100 members and 72 years on the Island, the AMI Garden Club remains active and strives to share the joy of growing plants, as well as turning them into works of art, with anyone interested in learning and participating.

AMI Garden Club Flower Show proves flowers can be art
Categories at this year’s Anna Maria Island Garden Club’s Flower Show included one that had to be arranged in boots. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

“The Garden Club is here to help the three cities here on the Island with beautification and education and trying to bring people together to learn about flowers and how they can use them,” garden club member Ginger Huhn said. “We have a plant sale every year, and of course this event as well as others. We stay very active and busy.”

Other than the hot, stormy months of June, July and August, when they take a break, the non-profit organization is meeting, fundraising and working with the community the other nine months out of the year.

“We have monthly meetings and we try to hit a lot of different topics in those meetings,” Huhn said. “We’ll have a plant talk, so people can learn about growing and raising certain types of plants, and other similar subjects.”

The flower show has different categories every year. For 2023 some of the categories included plants arranged in boots, hats, and more. The categories are changed for each year’s show to keep it “fresh.” All arrangements in the show are made by club members but judged by the public.

AMI Garden Club Flower Show proves flowers can be art
The Anna Maria Island Garden Club’s Flower Show on March 17 featured the best arrangements from club members that were judged by the public by placing a ticket in a bowl corresponding to their favorite arrangements. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

When the show started, people threw pennies in a bowl next to their favorite arrangements for judging. Club members later realized there had to be a better way than counting thousands of pennies. They then moved to a format where judges would decide, but that didn’t get the best results either, since there was a lot of pressure on the judges. Recently, they began giving every visitor a certain number of tickets. With the ticket judging, the judges remain anonymous, and the endless supply of pennies problem was solved.

Anyone in attendance didn’t have to leave empty-handed, as many of the arrangements were offered in a silent auction. The highest bidder could take home their favorite and enjoy it. Proceeds from the auction help fund Garden Club activities throughout the year.

Artists’ Guild featured artist celebrates light

Artists’ Guild featured artist celebrates light

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Art, Entertainment.

HOLMES BEACH – There’s still plenty of time to see the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island’s March Featured Artist display.

Sharon Tarras grew up loving to draw and doodle, but the Wisconsin native put her artistic skills to work as the operator of a landscape design firm for 20 years before embarking on a career as a professional artist specializing in watercolors.

“I love the way watercolor works,” Tarras said. “You can see my paintings are pretty soft, and I love light, so I’m calling this display, ‘The Celebration of Light.’ The way the sun sets when it’s low in the sky, I just love that.”

While many artists at the gallery have been painting a great deal of their lives, Tarras only began after signing up for a watercolor class in 2013 when she and her husband began splitting their time between Wisconsin and Florida. She has been hooked ever since and draws inspiration from the people, places, plants and animals around her. Unlike many artists who primarily work on subjects here in Florida, Tarras’ work includes everything from the northern lights to tropical fish. Much like her life, her work is split between north and south.

Tarras is a board member and former president of the Artists’ Guild, and says she really enjoys the closeness and support that comes with being a member of a co-op like the Guild.

“I love the artists and the people I’ve met here,” Tarras said. “There’s 54 of us and we run it like a co-op, so everybody’s doing their part; it’s been really good.”

After Island Gallery West closed its doors on March 10 to move to downtown Bradenton, the Artists’ Guild is the last gallery left on the Island. Tarras confirmed that they have no intention of leaving their location, and look forward to a great future on AMI.

To see more of Tarras’ work, visit her website or email her at smtarras@tarrasdesign.com.

The AGAMI Gallery at 5414 Marina Drive displays member artwork. The all-volunteer, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization was formed in 1989 to promote and support creative processes by bringing together all artists to share experiences, expertise and work together to develop and promote the artistic community.

Privateers hold raffle for The Skullywag

Privateers hold raffle for The Skullywag

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Just about anyone who’s been on Anna Maria Island during a holiday parade or large community event has seen The Skullywag, the road-going pirate ship that almost always has plenty of pirates about, ready to serve the community they care so much for. Unfortunately in recent months, the ship has required extensive maintenance and repairs so, like they always do when other people are in need, the AMI Privateers sprang into action.

“There’s a lot of maintenance on a 65-foot pirate ship,” AMI Privateers President Kim Boyd said. “We’re always having to do extensive maintenance. After we got our transmission fixed and repaired the rear axle, there’s little things that pop up here and there. We had to pull off the rear deck because it was starting to sag and became a safety hazard. We got that fixed, but now the extra weight has caused a suspension issue. It’s not dangerous, but we want it to last us a while.”

Privateers hold raffle for The Skullywag
The Skullywag is a rolling symbol and goodwill ambassador of the AMI Privateers, seen at just about any event on the Island, like this July 4 parade where they had water battles with parade-watchers. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

The ship began life as an International school bus, and there is a limited number of people in the area who can work on it. The Privateers recently upgraded the sound system and want to continue to make the ship the best fundraising tool it can be.

“She’s 40 years old, bless her heart,” Boyd said. “Even 40-year-old people need to go see the doctor every once in a while. She’s got to get a new paint job, new suspension, new wiring and things like that. We also want to add new lighting and other things that will enhance the experience for people who want private events. This will enhance our fundraising possibilities.”

Since most fundraising events held by the Privateers are to raise funds for scholar- ships for kids in the community and events such as their Christmas Families program for children, the Privateers make sure that they are clear when an event is for The Skullywag, such as the one at The Drift In in Bradenton Beach on March 15. The fundraiser offered raffle tickets for $5 each with the prize including a lotto board that contained $100 in cash, along with $300 in scratch-off tickets and a high-end Irish spirits basket with an estimated value of $300.

There is still time to register for the Privateers’ annual schol- arships that are open to any local student who has applied to a secondary education such as a trade school, community college or state college/university. Applications must be postmarked by April 1. For more information on the Privateers and the annual scholarships, visit www. amiprivateers.org.

The Anna Maria Island Privateers are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been in existence for 52 years and has donated over $500,000 in scholarships to local high school students. They also contribute to many other charities, adopt families at Christmas, participate in community events and raise money for first responders, as well as promote children’s activities and reading events.

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals

Police officers receive medals for saving a life

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Police officers Devon Straight and Charles “Chuck” Marose received recognition last week for saving a life.

During the March 16 city commission meeting, Police Chief John Cosby presented Straight and Marose with lifesaving medals.

“It’s my honor to come before you today,” Cosby told the commission. “We’ll be presenting Officer Devon Straight and Officer Chuck Marose with a lifesaving medal. On Feb. 17, at approximately 6:09 p.m., both officers responded to a 62-year-old male who was found lying on the sidewalk in the 1900 block of Gulf Drive. Once they arrived, some people that were there were already doing CPR. They took over the CPR and they used one of our AEDs (automated external defibrillator) to bring the gentleman back. He was transported to Blake and a few days later he was released and he went back to Georgia.”

Cosby then stressed the importance of providing officers with the training and equipment they need to do their jobs.

“I keep telling you: Training and equipment. This is a perfect example of it being used appropriately and it saved somebody’s life,” Cosby said.

Included in the meeting packet was a memo that Straight sent Cosby on Feb. 20.

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals
Police Chief John Cosby presented Officer Devon Straight with his medal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In his written description of the events that transpired that evening, Straight noted “Officer Marose then took it upon himself to check on the patient’s condition later that same night and was advised the patient had been stabilized and should recover.”

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals
Police Chief John Cosby presented Officer Charles Marose with his medal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Straight’s memo also included the following assessment: “I believe the quick implementation of CPR from bystanders and officers was critical to the patient’s survival before EMS could arrive, and the added benefit of having a readily available department-issued AED on-scene made our critical lifesaving efforts twice as effective.”

Reel Time: Oyster River Ecology moving restoration forward

Reel Time: Oyster River Ecology moving restoration forward

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

I first met Damon Moore at a Sister Keys Cleanup in 2010 when we were introduced by Ann Hodgson of Audubon. Moore worked in environmental consulting for seven years at Stantec before joining Manatee County. In his words, “I loved challenging habitat restoration projects where good problem-solving and project design skills would result in high-quality, cost-effective projects. I was blessed to have the opportunity to work on Manatee County projects like Perico Preserve, Ungarelli Preserve, the Robinson Preserve expansion and Tom Bennett Park as a consultant charged with designing the restoration plans for those properties. I found my niche.”

Moore has high praise for his mentor Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County’s director of natural resources. “As a consultant, I saw something in him that I was drawn to; Charlie always found a way to move high quality environmental enhancement projects forward, regardless of the challenges. He’s creative and pragmatic and I knew he had big plans for the next 10 years. I wanted to play a direct role managing the implementation of those projects. I joined Charlie’s department and spent the next decade working on some of the most impactful projects in the region.”

When the Robinson Preserve expansion was functionally complete, Moore wanted to branch out and sharpen his skillset by taking on a more diverse geographic range of projects. He found that at Environmental Science Associates, but during a brief tenure there, he said, “I realized the area I call home needed more environmental benefit projects.” That was challenging to facilitate as a consultant, so Moore decided to form a non-profit he would call Oyster River Ecology (ORE) to bring more projects to the Suncoast.

The name ORE is an homage to the Manatee River, historically known as the “Oyster River.” Moore’s understanding of the concept of shifting baselines is a loss of perception of change that occurs when each generation redefines what is “natural.” Moore explains, “To the detriment of residents today and all generations to follow, the prolific oyster beds of the Oyster River were harvested to depletion, but the good news is that restoration projects combined with wise management practices can bring some of that abundance back.” Ultimately, that is Moore’s passion, and his extensive knowledge of restoration practices and proven performance combine to provide hope to all who value the amazing flora and fauna of the Suncoast. ORE recently received its 501(c)(3) designation from the state. Moore is now finalizing the organization’s website and reaching out to the many philanthropic organizations with which the Suncoast is blessed.

Moore currently serves as president of the Manatee Fish and Game Association, where, among many other environmental initiatives, he helped shepherd the passage of the Manatee County land and water referendum, which passed with a 71% vote. The referendum will result in $50 million worth of funding for conservation projects in the county. I and many other anglers and citizens who have seen first-hand the decline of water quality, habitat, and bird and fish populations are excited at the prospect of ORE. Its focus on restoration projects is essential to a region whose baselines are a foundation of the local economy and are critically endangered.