I have a confession to make. When I first saw a boat with the novel (at the time) Power-Pole, I remember thinking, “That will never get off the ground.” Boy, was I wrong. Not only are these mechanical “anchors” present on most inshore fishing boats, now there’s also one on my boat! The originator of this game-changing accessory for anglers was John Oliverio, a Sarasota native. The concept was hatched one day in 1998 when he was fishing Sarasota Bay’s Longbar with Sweet Lady Vidalia, his dog and favorite fishing partner. He noticed that when he spotted fish, they often spooked before he could stop his boat with an anchor or push pole. According to Oliverio, “I wanted something I could lower from anywhere on the boat without taking my eye off the fish.” It didn’t take Oliverio long to also realize the environmental benefits of his invention too. A friend who was monitoring seagrass on popular flats areas had noticed that anglers’ anchors dragging in those beds had left scars.
In 2008, Power-Pole added a new innovation to their invention that was quickly catching on with tournament anglers in salt and fresh waters alike. Oliverio had the environment in mind again with his next advancement of the product. The original Power-Pole was designed never to leak, but Oliverio realized that it was inevitable that with continued use in all conditions, the petroleum-based hydraulic fluid that powers the device would find its way into the water.
“I was thinking we needed to do the right thing here,” Oliverio said. “These guys using Power-Poles are in the best places to fish. The worst thing that could happen would be to spill out a quart of hydraulic fluid in your favorite fishing hole.” He made the decision to develop a bio-degradable fluid that wouldn’t harm the environment if a Power-Pole did begin to leak hydraulic fluid.
Since their introduction, Power-Pole anchors have had a huge impact on inshore fishing, first in saltwater and then in fresh water. Produced by JL Marine Systems in Tampa, Power-Pole anchors are available through over 3,500 dealers, retailers and boat manufacturers.
But don’t expect to hear from Oliverio about how he alone made this concept so successful. “I didn’t bring this company to the level of success we enjoy today all by myself,” he said. “It’s been with the efforts of all the employees associated with the company. Everyone has worked together to make Power-Pole anchors a leader in the marine industry.”
When Suncoast Waterkeeper obtained its patrol boat, the board quickly recognized the value of an innovative “green product” like Power-Pole. Much of the organization’s work is done on the shallow grass beds around Sarasota Bay. Whether it’s monitoring water quality, conducting debris cleanups after storms, flying drones to assess mangrove health or participating with Kids for Clean Water to monitor sea grass health, the Power-Pole is the perfect partner. Ever the environmental ambassador, Power-Pole provided us with an anchor. That’s what led me to see the benefits of the device and put one on my boat. I highly recommend this innovative accessory for the ease of use and practicality and its value to protecting the angler’s greatest resource, our grass flats. To learn more about this product and get one for your boat, check out a dealer near you.
Coconut palm trees were delivered to Bridge Street in May for planting. – Leslie Lake | Sun
In a partnership between the City of Bradenton Beach and developer Shawn Kaleta, 80 coconut palm trees were planted along Bridge Street on April 23. At an April 3 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting, the board approved the partnership in which Kaleta accepted responsibility for maintenance of the trees and indemnified the city against liability for damage caused by falling coconuts. The agreement was signed by Kaleta and Mayor John Chappie on May 28. Since the planting of the palm trees, at least five have fallen during storms and have been removed by the city.
PINES TRAILER PARK
The Pines Trailer Park was flooded by Hurricane Helene. Many residents are being allowed to rebuild. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Following water intrusion into the mobile homes at Pines Trailer Park from Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, residents were told at an Oct. 17 city commission meeting that FEMA guidelines related to any hurricane-related water covering their floors deem the properties to have major damage. That damage assessment triggered a city floodplain ordinance requiring the mobile homes to be elevated in compliance with city code. In-person inspections by the city building official, however, determined that any storm damage repairs to 83 of the 86 the mobile homes would cost less than 50% of the pre-storm structure value, in compliance with the FEMA 50% rule. In early December, city Building Official Darin Cushing notified residents that they would be allowed to repair their structures with the proper permits. The city waived permit fees until April 30.
HURRICANE DAMAGE IN CORTEZ
Gov. Ron DeSantis and FEMA Executive Director Kevin Guthrie meet with Star Fish Co. owner Karen Bell to view hurricane damage in Cortez. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with state and federal officials, including FEMA Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, visited Star Fish Co. in Cortez on Oct. 11 to discuss state-wide hurricane clean-up efforts and to survey local hurricane damage.
A community supply distribution hub for all Cortez residents was in place at the Sunny Shores Park clubhouse. The hub opened shortly after Hurricane Helene and ended in December.
Sunny Shores Trailer Park got electrical power restored in October with the help of Hydro One, a Canadian-based electricity transmission and distribution provider. Working as part of a Florida Power and Light Emergency Response Team, the crews made their way through piles of debris to install electrical equipment.
The 12th Annual Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival, scheduled for Nov. 9-10, was canceled due to the impacts of back-to-back hurricanes. The festival typically draws more than 5,000 attendees to Cortez and features live music, crafts and local seafood.
NET CAMP
Following a six-year legal battle between Raymond “Junior” Guthrie and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) over the existence of a net camp stilt structure in Sarasota Bay, the agency prevailed in May and Guthrie was ordered to dismantle and remove the building. FDEP claimed the net camp was built on state submerged lands and Guthrie countered that the structure he rebuilt in 2017 was replacing a historic structure that had been in his family for decades. Net camps were wooden shacks used by fishermen to hang fishing nets to dry. According to historic photos, there were dozens of net camps on the bay off Cortez. One net camp adjacent to Guthrie’s remained, but was destroyed in September by Hurricane Helene.
BRADENTON BEACH GOVERNMENT
CRA board member David Bell resigned from the board following the March 6 meeting. Bell, a CRA member for five years, wrote in his resignation letter that there has been too much focus on parking versus circulation, accessibility, safety, environmental issues and aesthetics.
Deborah Scaccianoce was sworn in on March 21 as Ward 1 commissioner. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake Spooner. Spooner resigned in December 2023 citing his opposition to the state’s financial disclosure requirement.
City commissioners voted on Sept. 5 to modify the makeup of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board from a seven-member to a five-member board. The five-member board will consist of commissioners and act as a governing body as opposed to the prior board makeup as a recommending body.
The Bradenton Beach City Commission voted unanimously on Sept. 19 in favor of naming Police Chief John Cosby permanent director of public works. Cosby had served in the role temporarily following the May departure of former Public Works Director Tom Woodard.
Bradenton Beach resident and retired engineer Scott Bear was sworn in as city commissioner for Ward 2 on Nov. 18. Bear, who ran unopposed, filled the seat formerly held by city commissioner Marilyn Maro.
SAND SIFTING
In a large-scale beach restoration project to replace sand pushed across Gulf Drive during back-to-back hurricanes, tons of beach-grade sand are being sifted, cleaned and returned to beaches at the Coquina Beach processing site. Construction-grade darker sand, such as is found in parking lots, is being transported to the eastern part of the county for future use in road building and infrastructure projects. Manatee County is operating the project and expects to be reimbursed by FEMA debris funds.
PAID PARKING LOTS
The Pines Trailer Park parking lot at 201 First St. N. was converted to a public paid parking lot on Dec. 5. The lot was used by approximately half of the 86 Pines homeowners at a cost of $750 per year and provided the only parking facility for them. Pines Park Investors LLC owns the parking lot and the mobile home park.
One of four paid parking lots owned by Shawn Kaleta was brought into compliance by the city’s 2019 deadline by adhering to several stipulations. The applicants chose to close the remaining three lots at 102 Third St. N., 206 Bay Drive N. and 207 Church Ave. All requirements for the paid parking lot at 101 Bridge St. were met.
HURRICANE CONDEMNATIONS
A 1930 Gulf Drive bungalow was demolished on Oct. 23 after storm surge from Hurricane Helene pushed the 739 square foot home to the end of 12th Street South before coming to a stop and sustaining significant damage along the way.
The City of Bradenton Beach released a list of 25 condemned properties due to hurricane damage. At a Dec. 4 city commission special emergency meeting, Public Works Director and Police Chief John Cosby told commissioners that the homeowners are responsible for the demolition and removal of the condemned buildings.
A condemnation notice on Gash Caudill’s Gulf Drive home was rescinded following an in-person inspection by City Building Official Darin Cushing.
SEA TURTLES, SHOREBIRDS
A nesting sea turtle wandered onto Gulf Drive on June 19 and was struck and killed by a vehicle. The turtle had nested in nearby sand dunes and was likely disoriented by streetlights illuminating a crosswalk, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.
A least tern colony began nesting in Bradenton Beach the week of May 6. Their numbers grew to include 45 birds, with 20 of them sitting on eggs, along with five new hatchlings. Rainfall during the week of June 10 raised concerns about the colony’s survival. At that time many of the eggs had been incubating for more than 25 days and were expected to be close to hatching. Not only did the colony survive the storms, but throughout the weekend five chicks could be seen peering out from under their parents, according to Mazzarella.
Sea turtle nesting season came to an early end due to the remaining nests being washed out by Hurricane Helene. Anna Maria Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring’s largest fundraiser, Turtle Watch Wednesday, was canceled in 2024 due to hurricane damage on the Island.
HURRICANE RECOVERY
Bradenton Beach celebrated hurricane recovery and reopening of businesses on Dec. 7 with a Christmas on Bridge Street celebration. Following the storm surge from Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, many parts of the city were covered with more than 4 feet of sand pushed up from local beaches. A concerted cleanup effort with FDOT and public works crews removing sand and debris from local roads allowed the celebration to take place.
ANNA MARIA – Executive Director Chris Culhane and the staff, board of directors and volunteers at The Center of Anna Maria Island are The Sun’s Persons of the Year for 2024.
The Center staff includes Director of Development Jillian Ptak, Operations Director Tyler Bekkerus, Marketing and Office Administrator Aris Thompson, Director of Customer Service Morgan Blackburn, Youth Programs Director Erica Nielsen, Sports Programs Manager Charles McCracken, Youth and Sports Coordinator Marissa Brink, Culture and Events Coordinator Raul Loera, Fitness and Wellness Director Chris Emkey and Front Desk Coordinators Tyler Brewer and Shelby Eikel.
The Center staff made Santa’s nice list again in 2024. – The Center | Submitted
Don Purvis chairs the board of directors that includes Daniel Anderson, Remi Drigan, Sheila Fusé, Elizabeth Hager, Caroline Leibfried, Christine Major-Hicks, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Ben Webb.
The Center offers numerous athletic, fitness and wellness activities and initiatives for youths and adults, after-school programs, senior outings, dance classes, bingo, a book club and much more.
Tyler Bekkerus is The Center’s operations director. – The Center | Submitted
The Center hosts community events and fundraisers that include Lester Family Fun Day, the annual Murder Mystery performance, The Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament, The St. Patrick’s Day parade and more. In July, The Center and The Waterfront restaurant co-hosted the “Rise Up for River Benefit” fundraiser to assist with infant River Anasis’ ongoing battle with a rare immune deficiency disorder.
The annual Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series serves as a primary fundraiser for The Center. Taking place at The Center, this year’s series began with Sheena Easton, continues with The Wailers on Jan. 11 and includes Robby Krieger of The Doors, The Moody Blues’ John Lodge and The Infamous Stringdusters.
Culhane was already associated with The Center when he was named executive director in 2018. At the time, The Center was struggling financially and some Anna Maria officials feared the city might have to take over operations of the facility located on city-owned property at 407 Magnolia Ave.
Under Culhane’s leadership, The Center’s financial condition improved dramatically in the years that followed. The annual report for The Center’s 2023-24 fiscal year that ended in June notes The Center finished the fiscal year with a positive net income of nearly $35,000 and experienced a 50% increase in fundraising revenues that totaled $1.09 million. Ptak became Director of Development in 2023 and the report recognizes her efforts regarding the increased fundraising revenues.
Jillian Ptak became director of development in 2023. – The Center | Submitted
“We are proud of the financial management that has enabled The Center to continue delivering on its mission and invest in the future of our community,” Culhane stated in the report. “We are also incredibly grateful for our community’s ongoing support, which makes all things possible.”
HURRICANE RELIEF
In 2024, Culhane and The Center played vital roles in the Island’s hurricane recovery efforts. The Center partnered with the Manatee County Tourist Development Council to host the Rock N’ Support hurricane relief concert at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto on Nov. 15 with Lynyrd Skynyrd as the headliner and Marcus King as the opening act.
Chris Culhane and The Center helped bring the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert to Palmetto for hurricane relief. – The Center | Submitted
According to Culhane and Anna Maria Oyster Bar CEO John Horne, the concert raised nearly $380,000. The Center, the Anna Maria Oyster Bar-affiliated “Shuckin’ Good Cause” initiative and the Women’s Resource Center then partnered to distribute $500 Rock N’ Support grants for hurricane-impacted full-time hospitality and tourism industry employees, and $250 grants for part-time employees, who work on Anna Maria Island, Cortez or north Longboat Key. As of Dec. 23, 680 grant applications were received and 628 applications were approved for a total of $293,500. Grants can still be applied for at www. centerami.org/rocknsupportgrant/.
Culhane and The Center also assisted Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan with her hurricane relief efforts.
“When I started receiving relief supplies at my dock in the wee hours the morning after Helene hit, I immediately called Chris and said, ‘Get The Center open. We are bringing supplies,’” Duncan said. “A handful of neighbors and friends pulled together and The Center relief efforts began. I organized off-Island supply donation drop-off locations and trucks to bring the supplies to The Center. It was truly amazing to see what unfolded so quickly.”
Chris Culhane and Darcie Duncan teamed up to bring hurricane relief to Anna Maria Island. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Culhane and The Center also partnered with Duncan and others on the “Let’s Give Thanks Together” community gathering that resulted in 400 free Thanksgiving dinners being served to community members at The Center on Thanksgiving Day.
Duncan praised Culhane’s leadership skills, his level-headedness, his open mind and his willingness to listen to others as situations arose and evolved. She also praised “the incredible Center staff” that helped Culhane implement The Center’s hurricane relief responses.
The Center is also currently assisting with the Stimart family’s Build Back the Beach post-hurricane shoreline replanting project taking place from Bean Point to Sycamore Avenue on Jan. 25-26. The Center is assisting with volunteer recruitment efforts and volunteers can register for one of three planting shifts at this link.
COMMUNITY PRAISE
During his recently-completed 10-year tenure as Anna Maria mayor, Dan Murphy had many interactions with Culhane and The Center.
“Immediately after the hurricanes, The Center stepped up and became the hub for the Island’s recovery,” Murphy said. “They not only provided hot meals and much-needed supplies, but they also became the focal point for volunteers from the mainland who wanted to help with the cleanup. I was amazed at all the good deeds they did. The Center played a critical role in restoring normalcy.”
In June, Murphy and the city commission provided Culhane and The Center with $50,000 to help replace The Center’s aging air conditioning system and $28,000 for a restroom remodeling and shower installation project.
When recommending commission approval of the funding requests, Murphy said, “I firmly believe that improving our own property is the right thing to do. I also like the way the community center has been running for the last couple years. There were times when I worried about having to take over that community center because it was adrift. I have to congratulate Chris and his staff on bringing it back in line. You’re running a good operation there.”
November marked the ninth year that Chris Culhane has been associated with The Center. – The Center | Submitted
Regarding The Center’s hurricane relief efforts, longtime city commissioner and new Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short said, “The Center was amazing in its efforts to help Island residents after the hurricanes and I commend Chris, his team, the volunteers and the donors who all came together in a critical time of need. Their efforts helped redefine what The Center can do to support our Island.”
Former Director of Development Jim McDaniel said, “Chris has learned so well how to manage and balance his responsibilities. Whether it is donating a kidney or dropping everything to support a friend in need, caring for the Island and its people is his passion.”
“I was thinking we needed to do the right thing here,” Oliverio said. “These guys using Power-Poles are in the best places to fish. The worst thing that could happen would be to spill out a quart of hydraulic fluid in your favorite fishing hole.” He made the decision to develop a bio-degradable fluid that wouldn’t harm the environment if a Power-Pole did begin to leak hydraulic fluid.
