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Year: 2024

Condominium disclosures a different animal

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

There are loads of different animal species in the world and although some are part of the same group, like mammals, they still have differences within their group. This is the same with real estate. Family homes are one subset of the real estate group and condominiums are quite another.

Last week we talked about stigmatized properties and when and if disclosing certain information to a potential buyer is critical. Now we’ll talk about all the other typical elements of selling a condominium property that may require disclosure.

The seller’s property disclosure form outlines and questions many areas of the property. For example, condition and brand of appliances, water heaters, heating and air conditioning systems, anything permanently affixed to doors and windows like mirrors, window hardware, mounted speakers, water softener, pool and hot tub condition and many more. In addition, the seller needs to disclose any ongoing plumbing issues, roof leaks, water intrusion and wood-destroying organisms.

Homeowners’ associations have additional restrictions that must be disclosed, primarily the fees and assessments and if these items are up to date. Potential buyers will be provided with a copy of the current Declaration of Condominium and Articles of Incorporation. Buyers have three business days from the date the documents were delivered to review them and cancel the transaction if necessary.

Whether you sign a property disclosure form or not, the seller is still responsible for disclosing all items contained within the disclosure form. Since condominiums are a complex entity with a board of directors, there are discussions at board meetings that might not become a change for several months. This could involve special assessments, use-of-property rules or leasing regulations for the property.

If one of these is imposed before the effective date of the contract for sale, then of course any change must be disclosed to the buyer. However, if there is a discussion at a board meeting, a mailing, an agenda item, a note in the board meeting minutes, or even a discussion by a board member that involves a future assessment or a future material change, the best course of action is to disclose the possibility. As an additional step, researching the previous 12 months of meeting notes adds another layer of protection for the seller. By being as transparent as possible, the seller eliminates any possibility that a buyer could seek legal recourse against the seller for a post-closing assessment or material change.

While a seller’s property disclosure form is not required under Florida law, Florida does require sellers and their realtors to disclose any significant property defects that may not be easily visible to the buyer. Buyers still have the responsibility to have the property inspected.

Disclosure is a thorny thing to maneuver through when selling since there are no perfect properties. In my opinion, the best thing is always to disclose. That said, as I’ve stated many times in this space, I am not an attorney so if there is a question in your mind about disclosing, an attorney would be your best source of confirmation.

Think of selling a condominium as a subset of the real estate animal world, understand what’s unique about it and how to protect yourself in the wild real estate kingdom.

Slim’s Place captures first win of season

Slim’s Place captures first win of season

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

ANNA MARIA – In a close one, Floridian Mortgage earned its second win of the season against team Moss Builders 23-19 in the adult co-ed flag football league at the Island’s community center. The Moss squad’s loss was its first of the season after three games.

The ladies of the field showed what tight coverage should look like, as Jasmine Muldoon, playing for Floridian Mortgage, and Moss Builders’ Evelyn Long were a tough match-up for two halves of play.

The game stats show just how close of a pairing the girls on the field were. Muldoon finished the game with three catches, including one for a touchdown, while Long had seven receptions and one TD nab.

On defense, Muldoon had four critical stops and Long snagged three flags. Several long throws were broken up by one of the two key team players, making for fun excitement on the field.

Overall, the defense of team Floridian Mortgage outplayed the Moss Builders’ offense with seven flag pulls and three total interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Offensively, Floridian’s success with the point after attempts helped with game momentum and added three points to the scoreboard.

Travis Bates, Octavious Cole and Jackson Hayes each had a one-point conversion catch.

Chase Richardson threw for Floridian Mortgage, hitting his receivers for three TDs. Richardson’s targets with good hands in addition to Muldoon were Tim Holly and Cole.

On the other side of the football, Richardson read the plays for two interceptions, while teammate Cody Allen caught the ball on defense for Floridian. Allen had two flag pulls and Hayes had a single stop to add to the winning team’s accolades.

The loss for Moss Builders came down to the final seconds of play. Zachary Long and Ryan Moss shared the credit for touchdown throws. Long’s pass to Moss showed the team’s diversity and why they continue to prove to be a team to beat this season.

Long scored his team’s only point after a Moss touchdown. The other two attempts failed due to the strong Floridian Mortgage defense. Long also had two defensive stops for Moss Builders.

Jesse Skipper caught the Moss pass for six of the 19 team points. Defensively, Jonathan Moss and Skipper each had one flag pull that contributed to the team’s efforts in their third game of the season.

R. Moss pulled two flags while playing on defense to help keep his team in the game until the final play.

Team Salty Printing earned their second win last week against Solid Rock Construction, 30-12. The loss was the first for the Solid Rock team.

In the third game of the night, the Slim’s Place squad won its first game of the season in a shutout against team Gulf Drive Café, 19-0.

Losing by 10 points, Edible Cookie Dough Café could not outplay Sandbar Seafood & Spirits. Team Sandbar goes into week four with two wins and a single loss.

 

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

 

Jan. 29 – Youth Flag Football

8- to 10-Year-Old League – Week 3

 

 

Moss Builders (3-0) 45

Solid Rock Construction (1-2) 12

 

 

Adrian Griffin Interiors (2-1) 13

Chick-Fil-A (0-3) 6

 

 

Cheesecake Cuties (3-0) 26

Sato Real Estate (2-1) 6

 

 

Beach House/Waterfront Restaurant (1-2) 21

AMI Coconuts (0-3) 18

 

 

Jan. 30 – Youth Flag Football

11- to 14-Year-Old League – Week 3

 

 

Moss Builders (3-0) 20

Solid Rock Air Conditioning (2-1) 7

 

 

Solid Rock Electrical (2-1) 26

Wings N Things (0-3) 14

 

 

Progressive Cabinetry (2-1) 32

Freckled Fin (0-3) 6

 

 

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (2-1) 24

HSH Design (1-2) 12

 

 

Feb. 1

Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer – Week 1

 

 

ServisFirst Bank 23

Mi-Box 10

 

 

Sato Real Estate 7

Slim’s Place 7

 

 

Bucky Construction 9

Pool America 7

 

 

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Week 3

 

 

Floridian Mortgage (2-1) 23

Moss Builders (2-1) 19

 

 

Salty Printing (2-1) 30

Solid Rock Construction (2-1) 12

 

 

Slim’s Place (1-2) 19

Gulf Drive Café (1-2) 0

 

 

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (2-1) 22

Edible Cookie Dough Café (0-3) 12

Captains for Clean Water invites community to join cause

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA – In an uphill battle against corporate interests to maintain healthy water quality, Capt. Chris Wittman said mobilized individuals can make a big difference.

Wittman, co-founder of Captains for Clean Water, spoke at The Center of Anna Maria Island on Jan. 23.

Noting many attendees at his talk were “some heavy-hitter fishermen,” he told his story of the quest to fight for clean water in Florida.

“I grew up in Sanibel and became a fishing guide,” Wittman said. “I saw water quality impacts to other fishermen and to my way of life.”

Despite witnessing the impacts that red tide and algae blooms had on the fishing industry and tourism, Wittman said it was years before he took action.

“I was 16 years into my guide business and had not played a role and was not active in trying to fix it. I didn’t see how as an individual l could make an impact on these huge issues, like the Lake Okeechobee runoff,” he said. “I cared a lot; I was directly impacted. But without having a pathway to make an impact I simply adapted.”

He adapted by picking up clients in other areas and avoiding the problem sites until the widespread red tide of 2016 became his wake-up call.

“In 2016, my 16th year guiding, we came into a water crisis many of the guys in this room remember,” Wittman said. “We had this horrendous red tide. It was so toxic that it was killing sea turtles, grouper, dolphins, tarpon, snook, cobia, redfish, you name it. A 27-foot whale shark washed up on the beach of Sanibel Island.”

That was when Wittman decided things had to change.

“If we continued down this path, my life as I know it would not exist in the way that I knew it,” he said. “The program that I built for 16 years – my clients would save up all year to come fish with me for a week at a time – would cease to exist.”

He talked to fellow fishing guides and teamed up with Capt. Daniel Andrews to co-found Captains for Clean Water.

“The more we talked to people, the more we realized there were tens of thousands of people just like myself that were impacted by water quality and were aware of water quality issues, but were not active in driving solutions for those issues because they didn’t have an outlet, they didn’t have a path,” Wittman said.

He said that development and a sewage infrastructure that couldn’t keep up with the rate of growth were factors in diminished water quality, but he said the discharges from Lake Okeechobee were what was crippling the fishermen’s way of life.

“That red tide shut down everything,” Wittman said. “Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach were at a 90-95% vacancy in March – the peak of the season.”

Wittman learned there was a plan put in place in 2000 to fix the areas affected by Lake Okeechobee runoff.

 Captains for Clean Water invites community to join cause
Captains for Clean Water co-founder Chris Wittman speaks about water quality at The Center of Anna Maria Island. – Leslie Lake | Sun

“Those same issues that were affecting me in Sanibel were affecting my friends over in Stuart and St. Lucie, in the Florida Bay… all these issues were connected,” he said. “Water from the Everglades systems which would naturally flow from the Kissimmee River all the way to Lake Okeechobee through the river of grass all the way down to the Keys could no longer do so. That system was compartmentalized, it was drained, it was diverted, it was controlled.”

Wittman referenced the bi-partisan Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan of 2000.

“It’s the largest ecosystem restoration project ever undertaken in the history of the world. Sixty-eight projects would reconnect the flow of water to the Everglades,” Wittman said. “There was this plan to fix it and it was estimated it would take 30 years to complete 68 projects. Massive reservoirs, taking down of canals. All these projects would work in concert together to reconnect the hydrological flow back to Florida Bay.”

“Who could guess how many of the 68 projects had been completed by 2016?” Wittman asked attendees. “Zero, not a single one.”

“There was no political will, there was no passion to change the water management system in Florida,” he said. “The more we looked into this, we figured out there were two drivers, a lack of political will because there was a lack of public pressure and because the lawmakers who were charged with funding these projects were being influenced by the industrial sugar industry, one of the top two political donors in Florida.”

“The only way we can combat that is not dollar for dollar or lobbyist for lobbyist,” Wittmann said. “The way we can do it is to create public pressure. If we can get everyone to understand how important their voice was and to give them a mechanism to use their voices.

“If we can educate people on these issues, they’re more likely to use their voices and create educational and outreach meetings like this,” Wittman said. “Advocacy creates public pressure, and that is what we can leverage to influence policy.” 

He encouraged attendees to email their legislators and attend meetings.

For more information, visit https://captainsforcleanwater.org/.

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Featured, Tourism.

ANNA MARIA – After launching on Jan. 14, Manatee County’s Gulf Islands Ferry service is now operating three days per week.

The county contracts with Clearwater-based Gulf Coast Water Taxi LLC to operate the ferry service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.

According to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, the ferry service is funded by three sources: passenger fares, the county’s tourist development tax and beach concession revenues.

“Ad valorem taxes (property taxes) are not being used for this project and the residents aren’t paying for it. We’re using the tourist tax dollars that come from visitors,” Falcione recently told The Sun. “And we’re using a little money from the beach concession fund for the docking enhancements.”

Manatee County levies a 5% tourist development tax on owners of accommodations rented for six months or less including hotels, motels, vacation rentals and other lodging. The tax generates more than $25 million a year for the county.

According to state law, tourist development tax revenues can only be spent on projects and activities that enhance and promote tourism and cannot be used for general infrastructure improvements, daily governmental operations or law enforcement.

The county’s beach concession fund is generated by the percentage of revenue the county receives from the concessionaires who lease concession space at the county-owned beaches in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.

Ferry costs

In 2022, Manatee County commissioners approved the purchase of two 50-foot, 49-passenger catamaran pontoon ferries at a cost not to exceed $950,000.

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service
The Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton serves as a home base for the Gulf Islands Ferry service. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In 2023, the county and Gulf Coast Water Taxi LLC entered into a five-year operating agreement in which the ferry operator keeps the passenger fares and also receives an additional monthly subsidy from the county to help offset expenses and operational costs.

The operating agreement lists a likely one-year scenario in which a 55% annual ridership rate generates $364,483 in passenger fares and requires a $298,213 annual county subsidy.

The operator must provide monthly reports that detail revenues, expenses and ridership. Twice a year, Falcione and his staff will reconcile the reports and potentially increase or decrease the monthly subsidy for the subsequent six-month period. The subsidy adjustments do not require county commission approval.

On Jan. 25, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Senior Fiscal Services Manager Jayne Roberts told The Sun the county has already reimbursed the ferry operator $20,703 for initial operating expenditures and will now pay the operator a $27,529 monthly subsidy to be reviewed and reconciled for the first time on Sept 30. At the current rate, the county’s total first-year subsidy would be $330,348.

“We told the board the projected operational shortfall would probably be in the range of $300,000 to $400,000,” Falcione said. “We’ll have a better handle on our revenues and expenses in six months, and more so after the first year. We’re going to work to make this a sustainable operation, but we understand there’s a chance an operation like this may always need to be subsidized. The county is also searching for federal transportation grants to help enhance or subsidize the service.”

Falcione said one grant-funded enhancement might include the future addition of a larger, faster ferry that would make the Manatee River run between Bradenton and Anna Maria Island with the two pontoon ferries traveling between the Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach stops.

Work in progress

Weather permitting, the ferries currently operate Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Falcione said additional service days have already been discussed for the peak tourist season in March and April.

“We’re up and running and we’re going to work through the bugs, communicate with consumers and keep building the framework of the system,” Falcione said. “If you buy tickets and we have to delay or cancel because of weather you’ll get a text. Customer service will also try to call.”

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.gulfcoastwatertaxi.com. The website also provides the most current information regarding schedules, delays and cancellations.

A round-trip fare for adults is $10 and a one-way trip is $6. A round-trip fare for seniors, active military members and youths ages 4 to 18 is $6, and a one-way trip is $4. Children ages 3 and younger ride for free.

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service
A metal ramp and two non-submerged metal pilings assist with the ferry landings at the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When launched on Jan. 14, the ferry service initially traveled only between the Anna Maria City Pier and the Riverwalk day dock in downtown Bradenton. Based on initial observations and feedback, Falcione talked to Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy about possibly installing a SlideMoor docking system at the City Pier.

“We’ve installed SlideMoors at the day dock in Bradenton and it really helps hold that ferry in position. We’re going to continue to enhance the terminals for the safety and stability of the ferries,” Falcione said.

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service
A ferry landing sign now graces the entrance to the Anna Maria City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The first few weeks of service didn’t include stops at the Bradenton Beach Pier but an ADA-compliant wheelchair lift has now been installed on the floating dock and ferry service is expected to begin there the first weekend of February.

Tourist tax subsidizes Gulf Islands Ferry service
An ADA-compliant wheelchair lift and ferry signage have been installed at the Bradenton Beach Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“The great thing about the two stops on the Island is you have amenities within walking distance. You can get off at the City Pier in Anna Maria and enjoy the Mote Marine Science Education and Outreach Center and then walk a couple blocks along Pine Avenue to all the boutiques, restaurants and other attractions. And then a few blocks beyond that are our sugar-white sand beaches.

“It’s the same in Bradenton Beach. You can enjoy the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, the shops and restaurants on Bridge Street and a few blocks beyond that are the beautiful beaches,” Falcione said, noting the free Island trolleys and private shuttle services provide Island-wide ground transportation elsewhere on the Island.

Falcione said efforts are underway to accommodate Coquina Beach beachgoers with a ferry stop at the north or south Coquina boat ramp. He also envisions a future ferry stop near the Bradenton Area Convention Center near the new Marriott Bonvoy hotel in Palmetto and another in Longboat Key.

Morgan, McMullen join Anna Maria Commission

Morgan, McMullen join Anna Maria Commission

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

ANNA MARIA – Kathleen Morgan and Gary McMullen are the newest members of the city commission.

On Jan. 25, commissioners Mark Short, Jon Crane and Charlie Salem appointed Morgan and McMullen to fill the city commission seats previously vacated by Robert Kingan and Deanie Sebring.

Morgan, McMullen join Anna Maria Commission
Gary McMullen was appointed to complete the commission term that expires in November. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When making the appointments, the three sitting commissioners individually ranked the two candidates according to their personal preferences. Short, Crane and Salem each listed Morgan as their top choice and McMullen as their second choice, with Crane participating by phone.

The rankings were based in part on the 31 questions Morgan and McMullen answered during a candidate forum held at city hall on Jan. 11.

After the rankings were announced, Morgan was given the option to serve the remainder of the two-year term vacated by Kingan that expires after the November 2025 elections, or the remainder of the two-year term vacated by Sebring that expires later this year, after the November 2024 elections.

While completing the remaining months of Sebring’s vacated term, McMullen can seek election to a full two-year term in November if he so desires.

After the appointments were made, City Clerk LeAnne Addy administered the oath of office to the two new commissioners.

Morgan, McMullen join Anna Maria Commission
Kathleen Morgan took the oath of office administered by City Clerk LeAnne Addy. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Morgan, McMullen join Anna Maria Commission
Gary McMullen was sworn into office by City Clerk LeAnne Addy. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“It feels good to have a full commission again,” Short said as the new commissioners took their seats on the commission dais and participated in the remainder of the meeting.

The reconfigured commission will meet next on Thursday, Feb. 8.

In early December, candidate Sharon Wisniewski withdrew her application. In late December, three additional candidates – John Kolojeski, Pat Olesen and Susan Stephen – said they withdrew their applications to avoid being potentially subjected to the State of Florida’s expanded Form 6 financial disclosure requirements that now apply to elected city officials.

Letter to the Editor: Commissioners stall library board appointments

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

On Jan. 23, I listened to the Manatee County Commission meeting. It has been about a year of discussion to expand the current “volunteer” Library Citizen’s Advisory Board. After the ordinance passed, people within the community came out, adhering to the specific demographic requirements. Sure, some positions only had one candidate, but others had multiple. As Tammy Parrott stated, she was happy with the candidates.

The motion to table was made by Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, stating, “I’m not satisfied with the applicants on the list… the individuals on the list are not like-minded to this board.” Not one of you asked him to define what like-minded means to him. So, I ask, what is the definition? Without an answer, I can only conclude Commissioner Van Ostenbridge only wants Republican-registered applicants to apply for advisory board positions. If this is true, we live in a democracy and this attitude is discrimination.

Your continuing disregard and disrespect for the professionals who lead this county, not only in the Library Department, but other departments, shows a lack of good conduct on your part as an elected leader, and inappropriate means for change.

Thank you to Commissioner Kruse, the only one of you who had the resolve to question and dissent from the motion set forth.

Now you have tabled the appointments and because of this decision, the advisory board does not have a quorum and can’t meet! There was no reason why the two returning members should have been restricted from approval and no reason why the positions with multiple applicants could not have moved forward. How did you vet the process?

Your residents came out to volunteer, several are college educated (with masters), extensive employment backgrounds and volunteer experience. What a letdown for them.

I respect the work of the County Library Department leaders and staff, and they have responded positively to all your requests for library changes and improvement. What a letdown for the staff!

As a resident of Manatee County, I am very disappointed with the rhetoric I heard and the silence from this Board of Commissioners. Remember, in the United States we live in a democracy.

Julie Perry

Friends of the Island Library

Letter to the Editor: Climate Champions awards

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I am writing to express my appreciation for this year’s Climate Champions Award nominees.

On Feb. 15, The Climate Adaptation Center (CAC) will honor five amazing individuals who have made contributions to putting the CAC’s best science information into use. They are on the front line of Climate Adaptation! As such, we are celebrating their contributions not only to honor them but also to inspire our community.

The Second Annual Climate Champions Awards luncheon will be held at Michael’s on East ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 15 with check-in at 11 a.m. and program from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.  This joyous program honors those who are helping our community speed climate adaptation actions to help lower the risk from climate-induced disruptions like sea level rise, flooding and more frequent and intense hurricanes, just to name a few.

While the impacts of a warming climate can be difficult, we must celebrate and inspire. I encourage the community to come and honor our 2024 Climate Champions Nominees for the prestigious Beacon Award. Nominees include Jennifer Rominiecki – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; Dr. David Tomasko – Sarasota Bay Estuary Program; Jessica Meszaros and Steve Newborn – WUSF Public Media; and Marshall Gobuty – Pearl Homes, Cortez.

We are so proud of them!

For more information and tickets visit www.theclimateadaptationcenter.org.

 

Bob Bunting

Sarasota

Reel Time: Capture the moments

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

Digital photography and videography continue to evolve as phones advance. Anglers have never had more access to capturing images and videos, right in their pocket. Whether you are capturing a picture or a video clip to remind you of your catch, to share with friends and family, or to post on social media, photography has never been easier. Anglers can enjoy this remarkable technology no matter their level of experience. The best part is that these devices are always close at hand, so you have opportunities that somehow always seemed to appear when you didn’t have an SFR camera at hand. Most smartphones employ AI technology and come with software or apps that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in many ways. You can send the images to social media via email (straight from a phone), download them to your computer, edit and even print them out to frame and display.

Even though snapping a picture has never been easier, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture that special image.

Before ever leaving the dock, be sure you have a full charge on your phone and an extra battery bank with cables to recharge. Shooting video on an iPhone or Android device uses up a lot of power and you don’t want to run out of juice late in the day. Also, carry a cleaning cloth and make sure your lens stays clean.

There is almost always a certain amount of chaos associated with catching a memorable fish, so get an idea in advance of where you’ll compose your image.

Capture the moments
An image from an iPhone takes a memorable shot when well-composed and exposed. Rallis Papas’ trout took a black Clouser in Waccasassa Bay. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Check the background through the viewfinder carefully for distracting and cluttered backgrounds. Make sure you don’t have any unwanted objects, like a rod appearing to stick out of someone’s head.

Look to capture photographs that aren’t posed and remember that the sooner you get your picture the more vibrant the colors of a fish will be. First and foremost, fill the frame with the subject, eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the composition.

Since you’re filming on the water, check that the horizon is straight. Most phones have the option of putting a grid on the field of view.

Many photographs taken on the water are exposed in bright light. When possible, shoot with the sun at your back and use fill flash when shooting with the sun in the background.

Take several shots from different angles and get the angler excited and talking to you. One of the great advantages of digital is that you can take lots of pictures and edit them on the go to make sure you have the shot you want.

Modern phones have built-in software to edit images but there are also apps including Lightroom and Photoshop that can be used. Since lighting on the water can be challenging, shoot and then review important shots.

The one disadvantage of phone photography is the lack of telephoto capabilities. There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today that give you that option if needed but today’s phones take excellent images of fish and fishing. Phones can take amazing images, but they have their limitations so if you’re interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Taking the time to capture the moments of life pays in dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.

Chamber awards trolley grants

Chamber awards trolley grants

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, Business.

CORTEZ – More than a hundred people packed the Seafood Shack’s Neptune Room on Jan. 25 for the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s latest Business Card Exchange, which featured the annual Trolley Grant Awards.

This year’s awards went to 16 nonprofit organizations that requested money for specific projects to better the community through their efforts.

To keep the familiar trolleys that carry passengers up and down the Island free of charge, the AMI Chamber sells advertising space on the inside and outside of the trolleys. After administrative costs and expenses are covered each year, excess revenue is dispersed in the form of grants to nonprofit organizations on the Island and in Cortez. The annual award winners are selected by a committee and awarded annually on the fourth Thursday of January based on submissions that are due in mid-December.

The program was founded by Ed Hunzeker, former Manatee County administrator, along with the late David Teitelbaum, of Anna Maria Island Resorts.

This year’s ceremony gave back more than $25,000, bringing the total grants given to nonprofits on the Island and Cortez since the inception of this program to more than $471,000. AMI Chamber officials say they are honored to manage this program with Manatee County that gives back to the community.

Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Trolley Grant recipients:

• Anna Maria Elementary School PTO

• Anna Maria Island Art League

• Anna Maria Island Garden Club

• Anna Maria Island Privateers

• Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

• Annie Silver Community Center

• Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island

• Cortez Village Historical Society

• Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum

• Friends of the Island Branch Library

• Island Players

• Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island

• Roser Memorial Community Church

• Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island

• The Center of Anna Maria Island

• Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Inc.

Holmes Beach logo

Commissioners reach out for community support

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners are fighting to maintain home rule and they’re seeking community support to make that happen.

During a Jan. 23 meeting, Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that he hopes members of the community will reach out to their state legislators by writing letters expressing their opinions on the proposed parking garage at Manatee Beach, approved by the Legislature in 2023. He also requested public input on the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) state study looking at the consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities and on HB 1537/SB 280, which would assign control of vacation rentals to the state instead of allowing local municipalities to regulate that industry in their locations.

Schaefer added that while city leaders are sending letters to Tallahassee, he said the city’s lobbyist advised him to not send every bit of correspondence to Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Will Robinson Jr. While those two men represent Manatee County at the state level, Schaefer said the lobbyist is trying to repair the relationship between the city and the two state legislators and too much correspondence could “put salt in the wound.”

“They know where we stand and we know where they stand,” Schaefer said.

During comments, Commissioner Greg Kerchner said he’s concerned that the OPPAGA study will state that there is a cost savings in consolidating the three Island cities and that it will come down to a public relations move by the state to try and convince residents that consolidation or elimination of the three cities is good for them. He encouraged his fellow city leaders to direct staff to create a financial analysis to get ahead of what he feels is an inevitable discussion between the city and state.

Commissioners reach out for community support
Mayor Judy Titsworth visits with Congressman Vern Buchanan on Jan. 23. – Submitted | COHB

Mayor Judy Titsworth said she met earlier that day with Congressman Vern Buchanan to discuss issues facing the city, potential appropriations requests and what city leaders and staff are doing to improve the area for residents and visitors.

“He’s a great friend to the city and our community,” Titsworth said of Buchanan.

Mom’s Café is a place to gather and learn

Mom’s Café: A place to gather and learn

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Clubs, Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – The newly formed Mom’s Café group provides moms of all ages a place to gather and share their motherhood experiences.

The inaugural Mom’s Café gathering took place on Jan. 24 in the Fellowship Hall at Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave.

Led by Liz Rodgers, the Mom’s Café group now plans to meet two Wednesdays a month from 9:30-11 a.m. The next meeting is scheduled on Feb. 14 and will feature a guest speaker sharing hints and advice on healthy habits for moms. Additional meetings are scheduled on Feb. 28, March 13 and 27, April 10 and 24 and May 8 and 22.

“The first meeting is about getting to know each other, find out what’s meaningful for them and make sure we tailor this to what the moms’ needs are,” Rodgers said as the attending moms arrived, mingled and enjoyed free coffee and refreshments.

“It’s for all moms,” Rodgers said, noting the mix of younger and older moms is an important component of Mom’s Café.

Mom’s Café is a place to gather and learn
Liz Rodgers, standing, leads the Mom’s Café meetings. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Before the first meeting started, Jen Serra and Laura Seubert shared their thoughts on motherhood and the Mom’s Café meetings. Serra’s kids are 13, 11 and 8 years old. Seubert’s kids are 17, 14 and 9.

When asked about the challenges currently faced by parents and youngsters on Anna Maria Island, Seubert said, “Social media is huge.”

“Yes, social media,” Serra agreed.

Seubert said scheduling is another big challenge.

“Our kids are so involved and so active. When I got home from school, I went out and played until the streetlights came on. Nowadays, our kids are doing community service, athletics and more. Getting everybody in one place and having a sit-down meal is challenging,” she said.

Serra said there’s a viable network of Island families but connecting as a community can be challenging.

“On the Island, there’s not a lot of focus on moms with kids in school and younger. That demographic exists but isn’t always noticed with all the snowbirds and visitors,” she said.

When asked about the challenges posed by living in neighborhoods dominated primarily by vacation rental homes, Seubert said, “While this is a really busy Island for visitors, it’s a rural community for residents with very few families that can interact. For our kids to do sports, other than at The Center, they go off the Island. For Boy Scouts, they go off-Island. It’s like being in the boonies; you have to drive to where you want to go.”

Rodgers, who lives just off-Island, said, “In my neighborhood, there’s two moms that are new to the area. They have little kids and feel isolated and they don’t get out. This is a venue to help moms connect with each other and share their journey, their experiences and what they’ve learned about mothering.”

“I go to a moms’ workout group at CrossFit but it’s not really advertised. It’s all word of mouth,” Serra said. “There’s a bunch of families that go play kickball together, but if nobody knows you and you’re not on the email list you’re not going to get the invite. It’s as close to a pick-up game as we can get when you can’t just go next door.”

Serra said she went through a period where she invited 10-15 kids over every Wednesday night to swim and share a potluck dinner. She also hosts a craft night for her friends every three months.

“Just to get connected,” she said.

As for what attracted her to Mom’s Café, Seubert said, “Having a place where moms can come together.”

“To carve out some mom time and to connect the younger moms and the older mentor moms,” Serra said.

Sharing something she learned as a mom and wants to impart to others, Seubert said, “Our kids go to Saint Stephen’s. My oldest is a senior in high school and he’s applying to college. We’ve had to go back in our memories and come up with the things he’s done to put on his resume. So, I started Google documents on my phone for my 14-year-old and my 9-year-old. Every time they get an award or an honor or volunteer for something I add it to the list. I tell other moms to start doing that now.”

Chinda Sanger and her husband, Tom, recently joined Roser Church. They have a 5-year-old in kindergarten and an 8-year-old in third grade, both of whom attend Anna Maria Elementary. They also have a 4-year-old who attends the School for Constructive Play in Holmes Beach.

“Jen is the president of PTO at Anna Maria Elementary. I know most of the women from the school and I’m here to meet other moms,” Sanger said.

Accompanied by her 12-week-old son Axl – named after Gun’s N’ Roses singer Axl Rose – Christine Mullen was the newest mom in attendance.

“I hope to make connections with moms who are going through similar trials and to learn from the more seasoned moms and get advice from them. I’m scared every day. I just want to raise a good person who has a servant’s heart and I want him to be a good guy,” Mullen said.

Mom’s Café meetings are free, with free childcare provided. The meetings are open to all moms regardless of age or religious affiliation. For meeting dates and more information call 941-778-0414 or visit www.roserchurch.com/moms-cafe/#more-8062.

Manatee County makes strides in improving water quality

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Water Quality.

Manatee County – Local water quality is improving through the efforts of Manatee County environmental staff, according to the county’s Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker.

“Our people in water quality and environmental protection are working hard every day,” Hunsicker told commissioners on Jan. 23. “And with our utility partners and public works partners, we are working to protect the water quality in Manatee County.”

Hunsicker said water is monitored at more than 80 sites around the county, with more than 11,000 samples being tested annually.

“Manatee County is working hard to always observe where we are in our water-quality picture,” he said.

Hunsicker presented numerous charts showing county efforts to maintain water quality that include:

• Wastewater treatment upgrades ($600 million invested over the next five years);

• Increased street sweeping;

• 5,000 seagrass plugs planted;

• 25,000 trees planted in 2023;

• 15,000 acres of habitat restored; and

• 1,500 vertical oyster gardens installed.

“More than 18 million gallons of water were saved last year alone in water irrigation efficiencies (through the IFAS University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences),” he said.

Hunsicker said 114,262 acres of seagrass off the coast of Manatee County in Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are dependent on water quality.

“We also have storm sampling for bacteria,” Hunsicker said. “Last year and the years before we were faced with possible closures of our recreational beaches along the Gulf because of bacteriological readings that were taken around Palma Sola Bay and assumptions made by the health department that contamination extended throughout the entire county. We were able to respond to them and keep our beaches open and to prove and demonstrate with our own sampling efforts that bacteria were not affecting the Gulf beaches of Anna Maria Island.”

“This is really important, and it is of major concern to our residents,” Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Ray Turner said.

Commissioners praised the Natural Resources staff for being stewards of voter-supported efforts to purchase more preservation land through the County’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC).

“I hope the board hears that the investments the county is making into natural resources is bearing fruit,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.

Island Players catch audiences with ‘The Mousetrap’

Island Players catch audiences with ‘The Mousetrap’

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

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players are smashing previous attendance records with their newest production, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”

Director Heiko Knipfelberg assembled a talented cast for the production, the longest-running play in history. The crew knew attendance would be good, but selling out every seat for every performance was a surprise.

The Island Players staff found that requests for tickets could not be fulfilled shortly after the beginning of the second week of the run. According to the theater’s box office staff, the combination of a record number of season subscriptions and providing both online and in-person sales resulted in demand beyond availability.

To celebrate its 75th season, the Island Players also host receptions on different nights of each show as a small token of thanks to the many season ticket and single ticket holders who sustain and support the theater. The receptions also provide audience members a meet and greet with some of the many Island Players volunteers who staff these receptions.

The next play will be “Communicating Doors,” a comedy by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Preston Boyd and co-produced by Sato Real Estate. Run dates are March 7-24.

The curtain rises Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.theislandplayers.org. Box office sales will begin on Monday, Feb. 26. Box office hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and opens for Sunday matinees at 1 p.m. for “will call” tickets only. The box office can be reached at 941-778-5755.

An Artful Evening at the museum

An Artful Evening at the museum

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Events.

ANNA MARIA – Local artists Barbara Truemper-Green, Judy Vazquez, Karen Beach and LuAnn Widergren enjoyed An Artful Evening at the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum on Jan. 24.

In addition to displaying and offering for sale some of their past work, three of the four artists created new works in real-time at the well-attended event.

Inside the museum, Truemper-Green created a new pastel painting that depicted her memory of a tree-lined Anna Maria shoreline near Bean Point. After noting that she participated in a previous Artful Evening event two years ago, she said, “I love this.”

An Artful Evening at the museum
Barbara Truemper-Green created a new pastel painting during the event. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Working next to her, Vazquez created a new mosaic made by attaching pieces of blue, marine life-themed glass to a frame surrounding a small mirror.

“This is the first time I’m using this glass,” she said.

She also displayed a previously completed mosaic and some smaller inspiration stones.

An Artful Evening at the museum
Judy Vazquez worked on a new mosaic during the museum event. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Participating in her first museum show, Vazquez said, “We have a wonderful group of people here. It’s a nice turnout.”

As she made her rounds, the museum’s Executive Director Caryn Hodge said, “We’re happy all these people came out to see us bringing art and history together at the museum. We are showcasing four amazing local artists who all have different styles and different mediums.

We love supporting our local artists who capture pieces of Anna Maria history and this brings more people to the museum.”

An Artful Evening at the museum
Karen Beach displayed a COVID-era-inspired watercolor painting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Inside the museum, Karen Beach displayed several of her locally-themed watercolor paintings. One painting illustrated the pass at DeSoto National Memorial as viewed from the path she and her husband walked constantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her other works included paintings of a cottage on Gulf Drive, a school of jumping mullet and an outdoor setting in Alaska.

“I like this event very much and I was in it two years ago. It brings people into the museum and you can see people appreciating the museum while we show our work,” Beach said.

An Artful Evening at the museum
LuAnn Widergren created a new oil painting of a local palm tree. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

While working outside on the museum’s front porch, Widergren created a new oil painting of one of the Island’s palm trees – working in a manner and a medium similar to the late TV personality, Bob Ross.

“It’s a very happy palm tree,” she joked when that comparison was made.

One of her previous paintings depicted a grounded, abandoned boat in Cortez that she created during the two days spent outside at the boat’s location. Another painting depicted a beach scene in Holmes Beach.

“I haven’t done this event before, but I’m at the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island with a couple other artists here and they invited me. I couldn’t pass that up,” Widergren said, noting she tries to make a living from the sale of her art.

Attendees also enjoyed free charcuterie provided by Anna Maria Olive Oil Outpost and free wine provided by Time Saver Wine and Spirits.

Disclosure vital in ‘stigmatized’ property sale

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

You may think in the land of sunshine, surf and sand there can be nothing defined as stigmatized. Maybe not, since the word can mean different things to different buyers.

The National Association of Realtors refers to “stigmatized property” as a property that has been psychologically impacted by an event occurring on the property, even where there was no physical harm to the property.

The typical property that is considered stigmatized by events occurring there is one where a crime occurred. A violent crime is a problem for both buyers and sellers. Buyers may not feel comfortable buying the home since they might be uncomfortable living in a property with a violent history. Because of this, sellers may face the possibility of an adjustment to their price or a renovation to remove any reminders of the event. Two infamous stigmatized properties are the house in Fall River, Massachusetts where Lizzie Bordon is said to have murdered her father and stepmother in 1892. The Borden house has been turned into a tourist attraction for those with a macabre interest. And, of course, the most well-known murder home in the country is where actress Sharon Tate and four others were murdered by the Manson Family cult in 1969. The Los Angeles house was ultimately demolished and a new home with a different address was built in its place.

A price adjustment can depend on whether the property has any notoriety attached to the violent act, especially if the event was reported in the newspapers with details and police involvement. A death on the property, whether natural or suicide, is less of an issue to most buyers. Nevertheless, in the real estate market, we’re experiencing a shortage of available properties. Buyers may be willing to overlook many negatives, especially if the pricing is favorable.

Another potential problem for sellers is not necessarily a property stigmatized because of a death or violent act, but because it is out of the norm for the region. For example, something quirky about the property, whether it’s construction or decorating that can’t be easily removed.

One-of-a-kind architectural properties not compatible with everyday living, actual castles, or castle-like construction, and caves built into the side of a mountain are all examples of stigmatized properties. The problem here is the narrow market for unusual properties and the impact that may have on their value.

The National Association of Realtors goes on to say that selling a property with a reputation may be difficult. In Florida, state laws do not oblige a seller to reveal extraordinary occurrences such as a crime, suicide or unnatural death that occurred on the property or even cases where there are reported hauntings.

However, sellers and their agents would be advised to disclose all potential psychological negatives about the property. Hauntings might be a stretch to disclose but certainly, deaths of any kind could come back to haunt the seller if withheld.

That said, there are certain disease-related negatives that buyers may want to know about, like AIDS and COVID-19. This is a very gray area and may be considered a protected class and not able to be disclosed. This type of situation requires careful consideration and legal input if you are an owner getting ready to sell a similar property.

Like all discussions about disclosure, whether it’s water pipes or death, always best to be cautious and disclose. Grandma’s ghost and nasty sharks in Tampa Bay may be exceptions.