ANNA MARIA – Inspired by Broadway musicals, Anna Maria Island Garden Club members displayed their floral arranging talents and creativity during the club’s annual flower show.
Held in the Roser Memorial Community Church Fellowship Hall in Anna Maria on March 21, this year’s theme was “Lights on Broadway” and the Broadway musicals represented included “Annie,” “Wicked,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Lion King, “Mary Poppins,” “Oklahoma,” “South Pacific,” “Mama Mia” and “Hello Dolly.”
Participating club members entered their floral arrangements in one or more of the 10 design and material categories and several club members entered multiple arrangements. Upon arrival, flower show attendees were given tickets to place next to their favorite arrangement in each of the 10 categories and some of the arrangements were auctioned in the silent auction that concluded the show.
These seven ladies won the 10 categories featured in this year’s “Lights on Broadway” flower show. Front row, from left, are Joanne Taylor Brown, Kathy Morgan Johnson and Renita Bertoluzzi. Back row, from left, are Kitty Kole, Kim Darnell, Ginger Huhn and Janet Riley. – Janet Riley | Submitted
Garden club member Ginger Huhn said she and the other club members were delighted to have as many arrangements as they did given that so many members remain displaced by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Founded in 1951, “The purpose of this club shall be to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening; to aid in the protection of native trees, plants and birds; provide charitable support for our community and to encourage civic planting and conservation.”
Janet Riley created this “Phantom of the Opera”-themed arrangement using white roses, baby’s breath, black feathers, candles and a mask. – Janet Riley | Submitted
Recent AMI Garden Club beautification projects and partnerships include the installation of metal wind sculptures at City Pier Park in Anna Maria and the Island Branch Library in Holmes Beach.
Kathy Morgan Johnson’s “Mary Poppins”-themed arrangement featured miniature umbrellas, daisies, safflowers and palm fronds. – Janet Riley | Submitted
Club members meet once a month in the Roser Church Fellowship Hall. The Friday, April 11 meeting at 11:30 a.m. will feature the club’s annual high tea and will be the club’s last meeting of the season. The club doesn’t meet during the off-season summer months when many members return to their summer homes. The AMI Garden Club welcomes new members and the annual membership dues are $20. For more information, call 941-312-1880 or email gardenclubami@gmail.com.
Ginger Huhn’s “Oklahoma”-themed arrangement included dried wheat and driftwood. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Kitty Kole won the homegrown, non-Broadway-themed Horticulture category with this rattlesnake plant. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Kim Darnell’s “Mama Mia”-themed arrangement featured palm fronds and hydrangea. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Renita Bertoluzzi’s “Lion King”-themed arrangement included sunflowers and roses. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Inspired by Annie’s signature hair style, Janet Riley’s “Annie”-themed arrangement featured miniature red roses and kalanchoe. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Kathy Morgan Johnson’s “Hello Dolly”-themed small design under 12 inches entry featured a miniature tea pot, a dessert tray and yellow chrysanthemums. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Ginger Huhn’s “Wicked”-themed arrangement featured green mums and a single tulip. - Janet Riley | Submitted
HOLMES BEACH – Three years ago, Ben Sato opened his gRub tropical barbeque restaurant in Anna Maria. He now plans to open Mingo’s Rooftop Restaurant and Sports Bar in Holmes Beach with his brother, Jason Sato, as his business partner.
Mingo’s name is derived from the word flamingo and a flamingo holding a tropical drink is featured in the restaurant logo.
The Mingo’s logo includes a flamingo enjoying a tropical drink in a tropical setting. – Ben Sato | Submitted
The 125-seat, family-friendly restaurant and bar will occupy the second floor of the former Wells Fargo bank building at the corner of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive, at 5327 and 5325 Gulf Drive.
The former bank building and properties are being redeveloped by Island businessman Jake Spooner. The space leased to Mingo’s will sit atop Spooner’s ground-level Island Bazaar retail store and the space leased to The Fudge Factory candy and ice cream shop. Spooner’s business operations will also include a miniature golf course on the east side of the property and a small, stand-alone arcade.
The diagram illustrates how the Island Bazaar property will be developed. – Smith Architects | Submitted
Ben will oversee the pending interior buildout of the restaurant space and the day-to-day business operations when Mingo’s opens in late 2025 or early 2026. He recently gave The Sun a tour of the vacant space to be transformed into Mingo’s.
“I’ve known Jake forever. We grew up on the Island together. It’s a great location and being up top here will give us great visibility,” he said.
The wall behind Ben Sato will be removed and a new wall will be built about where he stands. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The exterior wall at the south end of the Mingo’s space will be removed so the interior restaurant space can be extended further south towards Gulf Drive, leaving enough space for a covered deck at the south end of the building. In the center of the deck area will be an artificial turf-covered play area where cornhole and other games can be played.
The cinder blocks indicate where the covered deck will be. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The footprint of the building’s going to be the same. We’ll have a fun vibe with a turf area outside for the kids to play,” Sato said. “The restaurant concept is elevated bar food – bar food with a little twist on it.”
The Mingo’s menu will include “Tachos” (nachos made with tater tots), other types of nachos, chicken wings, seafood tacos, flatbreads, salads and more. gRub sells beer and wine but not liquor, so liquor service will be a new experience for Sato; and he’s already developing some signature frozen cocktails with a focus on tequila-based drinks.
“We’ll have full liquor but it’s not going to be a party atmosphere. This concept will be more focused on kids because of the miniature golf course and that’s how I approached the menu, the layout and the vibe,” he said.
Mingo’s will open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., when the miniature golf course closes.
“We won’t have late-night hours,” he said.
The former Wells Fargo bank building will be transformed into the Island Bazaar, The Fudge Factory and Mingo’s. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The south end of the expanded interior space will feature an accordion-style door that can be opened to create an open-air feel inside the restaurant.
“We’ll open it up so it’s basically indoor-outdoor seating with a breeze,” Sato said.
Mingo’s will have a tropical appearance and feel that highlights the pink and teal colors often associated with Florida. The exposed “wave ceiling” will have cloth hanging from it that creates a wave effect when the breeze moves it.
“I learned a lot opening gRub and I’m excited to open Mingo’s,” Sato said.
Balance of power is something we usually talk about as it relates to international positioning between powerful nations. Now the phrase is lending itself to the real estate market and the buyers are finally getting the upper hand.
Homebuyers are benefiting from the fading disappearance of bidding wars. Sellers are willing to lower prices and offer incentives. Increased home listings are working to the advantage of buyers with less competition and more negotiating room. And most important of all, sellers are becoming more flexible, accepting offers below the asking price especially for properties that need repairs – like on Anna Maria Island – or properties that are in less desirable areas.
However, all real estate markets are not equal. The National Association of Realtors indicates that homeowners with ultra-low mortgage rates have been reluctant to sell, but that is starting to loosen up as more people decide they can’t keep putting off a move and wait for rates to take a nosedive. The rates are starting to trend under 7% but not enough yet to move the needle and change the real estate market.
Housing inventories are also rising in certain states where properties look overvalued, so buyers are backing off. Because of the migration to the Sunbelt states during the pandemic, property prices in some southern states rose faster than in other parts of the country. In Florida, for instance, the value of the median home increased 64% over the past five years according to Redfin, compared with 42% in Illinois and 17% in New York. As we know, many of our out-of-state residents come from Illinois and New York.
The huge increase in value that Florida has enjoyed is slowing down as migration to Florida has slowed. The state is importing fewer new high wage earners to support the home prices and the insurance costs, putting affordability of home ownership out of balance for many buyers. Nevertheless, Florida is still a popular state and very tax friendly compared to northern states, with insurance costs starting to trend downward.
February sales statistics for Manatee County are out, published by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Single-family homes closed 22.1% more properties since February of last year. The median sale price was $480,000, down 8.6%, and the average sale price was $662,504, down 10%. Median time to contract was 49 days compared to 35 days last year, and the month’s supply of available properties was 4.6 months compared to 3.9 months last year.
Condos closed 7% fewer properties this February compared to last. The median price was $335,990, down 6.1% and the average was $408,238 down 7.5%. Median days to contract was 60 days compared to 47 days last year and the month’s supply of available properties was 8 months compared to 5.6 last year.
The wrap-up on these numbers indicate that sellers are no longer in a competitive market and need to adjust their expectations. Median sale prices are down, it’s taking longer to sell and new listings are going up across all categories.
Homebuyers have the most leverage over sellers in years. In our region, last year’s storms have increased that leverage. Eventually the market will catch up to the number of properties available, so pay attention buyers, this is your window.
BRADENTON BEACH – Some Pines Trailer Park residents are questioning whether permits exist for a seawall cap built in 2024 at the park that they say may have acted as a dam during the 2024 hurricanes, exacerbating the flooding of mobile homes.
The Sun requested a copy of the permit for the seawall cap on March 13 and the Bradenton Beach permit clerk wrote in an email that she was unable to locate such a permit. The seawall cap is adjacent to another seawall cap reportedly owned by the city.
The Sun asked Bradenton attorney Louis Najmy, who represents Pines Park Investors LLC and its manager, Shawn Kaleta, the owners of the Pines Trailer Park, for a copy of the permit on March 14 and received the following response by text: “While I was not able to confirm if the current ownership did the cap, we’ve confirmed with the city that permits are not required for caps only especially for flood protection when matching neighboring caps,” he wrote.
The city of Bradenton Beach is unable to locate a permit for the installation of a seawall cap at the Pines Trailer Park in 2024. – Leslie Lake | Sun
However, Bradenton Beach Building Official Bill Palmer said a permit and inspection is required for a seawall cap.
“I cannot speak to this particular issue since I was not present at the time, but a permit and inspections are required for a seawall cap,” Palmer wrote in a March 17 email to The Sun. “Section 808 of the City’s Land Development Code regulates the repair and construction of seawalls.”
“We saw it being built around March last year,” Pines Park resident Joe Klingler said, adding that during the hurricanes last fall, water came up from the Gulf side and pooled at the seawall.
“Once it hit that filled up,” he said. “The damage was worse because of that – 100%. I’m a farmer. I built three lakes on my farm and there’s real strict rules. When you put a dam on a farm, you cannot put it against the water – it could come up into the neighbor’s property. This is the same thing. He built a dam knowing it was going to flood us.”
“Don’t get me wrong, we still would have had a flood, but we wouldn’t have had it hit the wall, stay and go higher and come back this way and sit here for four hours,” Klingler said. “That’s where you get the seepage and it’s more damage. When the water just comes up and goes away, we wouldn’t have even had to come up and replace our walls.”
He said the sea life that was once abundant beyond the seawall is no longer there.
“No matter what, they made a lake out of this place,” Klingler said. “We used to have manatees and fish at this wall, not anymore. The seagrass there is gone.”
Another Pines resident, who asked not to have his name used, said, “While proving motive in court is difficult, what’s undeniable is that this 200-foot illegal structure acted as a dam, significantly worsening the flooding.”
In his email, Palmer outlined the requirements of permits and inspections: “808.6. Permits. An application for a permit to construct a seawall shall be submitted for review, along with plans and specifications. Permits for construction or repair of a seawall shall not be also a permit to dredge, fill, and grade.
“808.8. Specifications – Caps. Caps shall be cast over tops of the sheet piles and shall be continuous. Caps shall be reinforced by horizontal bars not smaller than No. 4, and shall have a minimum of two (2) inches of concrete cover in all directions. Design, spacing, and reinforcing shall be provided according to the referenced standards for formed in place concrete. When forms and reinforcing bars are in place, the building official shall cause an inspection to be made before the concrete is poured.
“808.9. Tiebacks. Vertical sheet piling bulkheads shall have tiebacks every 12 feet, and the anchor block shall be a minimum of 12 feet from and at right angles to the bulkhead. Tiebacks shall be hot dipped galvanized at minimum and not less than ¾” thick. Backfill shall be placed after tiebacks and anchor blocks shall have been inspected and approved by the city.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Six months after Hurricane Helene and subsequent permitting obstacles shuttered the doors to the Drift-In, the Bridge Street bar will reopen, at least temporarily pending city review, on Friday, April 4.
The city commission voted unanimously on March 20 to grant the Drift-In a temporary use permit allowing the use of the main building and new tiki bar pending the completion and inspection of remaining improvements.
In a narrative submitted to the city, property owner Derek Williams (1715 Ventures LLC) stated that the Drift-In property was damaged during last year’s hurricanes, and he has been diligently working to re-open and put his employees back to work.
“The tiki structure and tent area existing on site prior to the hurricanes were replaced with a single tiki structure and the property owner is in the process of seeking Major Development Plan approval for the permanent use of that structure,” according to the document. “The property owner is requesting that the city consider issuing a Temporary Use Permit so that the tiki area may be utilized in the meantime to allow this business to operate during this critical season.”
The proposed use would have the same number (60) and configuration of outdoor seats as existed on the site prior to the hurricanes.
Attorney, commissioner comments
Williams was represented by Bradenton attorney Mark Barnebey at the March 20 public hearing.
“This is a fairly simple request,” Barnebey said. “We’ve been moving forward with this project after the hurricane damaged the tiki hut and the tent that had been there previously. We requested a building permit that was approved to replace the damaged structures and then somewhere in the process it was determined that additional approvals were needed. This delayed things and we have gone through the process of seeking a major development plan approval for the permanent use of the structure.”
He said Derek and Helena Williams are anxious to get the establishment up and operating.
“This is very difficult for them and their employees and their customers,” Barnebey said. “We understand that this is something that would be temporary. We propose 180 days or until you make a final decision on the major development permit. We believe this will mitigate some of the costs to the client and we are respectfully requesting approval of the temporary use permit.”
“The seating is the same as under the tents. The tiki hut was there before and there were tents. All this does is put a tiki structure under the entire area that was covered before, there’s no increase in seating at all,” Barnebey said.
“If in granting the temporary use, if you want to condition it or limit it, that might be appropriate,” attorney Robert Lincoln, representing the city, told commissioners.
Attorney Robert Lincoln represented the city during the March 20 public hearing. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mayor John Chappie asked if the intent was to open not only the outdoor area, but also the indoor bar area.
“As early as an hour ago, Mr. Palmer (Building Official Bill Palmer) and I spoke, and I spoke to Mr. Serna (Luis Serna), your city planner,” Williams said. “I’m trying to get the final clarification on the permit for my walk-in cooler, to get that installed and am trying to do it the right way. Once that walk-in is in and the ice machines are there, I can open the inside of the building. The way the beer is delivered into the bar, it’s through the other bar. Once I get out of here today if you say yes and Mr. Palmer says yes, I have the people at the ready, I will get the installation completed and I will open the place safely.”
Williams said issues with the fire marshal have been resolved regarding the material used on the tiki hut roof.
“The short answer to that (Chappie’s question) is the intent of this request, while it only talks about outdoor seating, is to include all of the elements that are currently subject to building permitting, including the replacement bar under the tiki, the outdoor seating under the tiki and the ice machines under the tiki and to the extent that it is a zoning issue, a walk-in,” Lincoln said.
Palmer said he has received all of the proper permits from Williams and all that remains is inspections.
“As long as the inspections are approved, he’ll be good to go,” Palmer said.
Prior to the commission vote on the temporary use permit, Lincoln reminded the commissioners that they would be approving it without the zoning report.
“The zoning report is going to be critical to the major development plan,”” Lincoln said. “If when you hear the application for the major development plan it is possible there could be zoning criteria that the tiki doesn’t meet such that it could only be improved by a Planned Development approval and that is one potential scenario.”
The tiki hut project had been approved by former city Building Official Darin Cushing, but was placed on hold when City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at a Jan. 16 commission meeting that the permit approval should not have been issued based on factors which included the city-owned easements on the property as well as the size of the new tiki structure. She said the project should be classified as a major development and must undergo the hearing process.
The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning board will consider the major development application on Wednesday, April 2 and the city commission will meet on Tuesday, April 8 to consider the major development application and easement modification.
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said she is in favor of reopening the Drift-In.
“The rules and the regulations they have to follow seem to be very easily overcome,” she said.
Commissioner Ralph Cole said he would like to see the Drift-In open up as soon as possible.
“I am excited that the Drift-In is going to be back bigger and better,” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said.
Cole made the motion and it was seconded by Vosburgh.
The motion passed unanimously and was followed by applause from the Drift-In employees and supporters who attended the hearing.
ANNA MARIA – The annual Heritage Day Festival took on even greater significance this year because of the storm surge damage that the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum suffered during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, 2024.
Hosted by the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and held on the museum grounds at 402 Pine Ave., Heritage Day celebrated the history of an Island that’s weathered many storms since it was first settled in the mid-1800s.
The storm surge destroyed the museum’s display cases but most of the historical artifacts and items inside them were salvaged and placed in newly-reconfigured displays after the floors were replaced and the water-damaged walls were repaired. Some historical documents and newspaper archives were damaged, lost or displaced, including The Sun’s archives, which suffered minor damage and are no longer on display.
Caroyln Orshak is the president of the board of directors for the AMI Historical Society. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach resident Carolyn Orshak serves as president of the board of directors for the Historical Society and about halfway through the four-hour event, she said, “This is phenomenal. We had people here before we started at 10 o’clock. They’ve been so supportive and some were in awe that the museum has come back from the damage they saw in the pictures we shared on Facebook. Thank you to everyone that helped and supported us.”
The AMI Historical Museum building was originally an icehouse. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Inside the museum building originally constructed as an icehouse in 1920, attendees enjoyed self-guided or docent-guided tours of the exhibits that include vintage clothing and military uniforms, historical artifacts, informational plaques, maps and illustrations, antique fishing gear, a digital photo collage of the damage that Hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted on the Island and more.
The museum exhibits have been reconfigured. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
This year’s event featured a dedication ceremony for a painting donated by local artist and longtime Island resident Joan Voyles. The painting Voyles created in 2012 now hangs near the dresses and other artifacts she depicted in it.
Joan Voyles unveiled her pastel of the interior of the museum. – Cindy Lane | Sun
“The painting by Joan was done when we had our museum refreshed and restored around 2011 and 2012,” Orshak explained. “Joan came in and saw these beautiful dresses and artifacts and went back to her studio and painted what our museum looked like back in 2012. It’s a pan pastel painting and it’s absolutely gorgeous. She came across this painting just a few weeks ago, brought it to the museum and asked if we’d like to have it. I was overcome with emotion because it captures our museum’s history; and Joan was happy to see the dresses had been saved. Heritage Day is the essence of us giving back to the community, everyone that’s helped us stay alive as a historical society and the donations and support from the townspeople, including artists like Joan.”
Festival activities
Holmes Beach-based Pizzano’s Pizza was this year’s food vendor and the festival featured a dozen other vendors whose offerings included locally-themed paintings, gel wax candles, jewelry and crystals, local honey, lemonade, face painting, crocheted items, historical novels and more.
Tony Marhi and Juan Montanz sold Pizzano’s Pizza by the slice. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Longtime festival participant Donna Stansbury used her old-fashioned spinning wheel to once again demonstrate how yarn is spun from wool. Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal and Assistant Librarian June Battersby represented the Friends of the Island Library and local musician Mike Sales provided the live music.
Donna Stansbury and her old-fashioned spinning wheel have become Heritage Day fixtures. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Carrying on a Heritage Day fundraising tradition, Historical Society members Mary Lange, Renée Goodheart and Barbara Murphy sold strawberry shortcake for $5 a serving. Detwiler’s Farm Market donated four flats of fresh strawberries and Pine Avenue-based Hometown Desserts provided the gourmet shortcake.
The trio also sold 18 loaves of Settlers Bread baked at home by volunteers using a traditional recipe. The Anna Maria Island Coffee Shack donated the coffee sold for $1 a cup and the fundraising activities also included raffles and a silent auction.
Mayors jailed
At noon, the Anna Maria Island Privateers captured and shackled Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and transported them to the “Old City Jail” on the museum grounds where they were held captive until they raised enough ransom to secure their release. The phone calls received from family members and friends posting bail included a call from Titsworth’s mother.
“It takes three mayors to run this Island,” Titsworth proclaimed as festival attendees contributed to the mayors’ fundraising efforts that collectively raised $1,425 for the Historical Society.
Historical Society member and museum docent Judy Hildman chaired this year’s festival and she addressed the crowd while the mayors awaited their release.
Heritage Day Festival Chair Judy Hildman thanked all those who helped and supported the Historical Society and the museum. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Heritage Day is an annual event. It is our gift to the community that supports us and is so generous to us. Our museum was devastated and when you walk into that museum you’ll see what we did with the help of the community,” Hildman said.
“I want to thank the mayors for being such good sports. It’s an honor to have you in our jail. I also want to thank the Privateers, the volunteers and our great board of directors that led us from devastation to where we are today,” she added.
After being released from captivity, Chappie said, “This is part of the tradition of the Island. This is ‘old Florida’ and the community getting together to celebrate our heritage.”
“That’s the second year in a row I had to be locked up in that un-air-conditioned jail, but it was for a great cause,” Titsworth said.
“A big shout out to the mayors of the other Island cities for participating in this fundraiser and to the community that turned out for this. It’s another example of the great things that happen on this Island. We’re still recovering but we’re certainly on the right path,” Short said.
Offering free admission, the museum officially reopens on March 25 and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the end of March. Beginning April 1, the museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and those hours will remain in effect through the summer and fall seasons. An announcement is expected soon regarding the weekly Settlers Bread sales that help fund the Historical Society’s annual scholarship awards.
This Sept. 28 photo shows how high Hurricane Helene’s storm surge rose against the museum door. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach resident Jerry Newbrough watched the hurricane damage digital photo display. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Joan Voyles’ painting hangs near the vintage dresses depicted in her painting. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
This Joan Voyles' painting depicts how the renovated museum looked in 2012. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Museum docent Dave Haddox, right, shared his historical knowledge with Heritage Day attendees. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
This exhibit features antique fishing gear and an old fishing story about the Rod & Reel Pier, which was recently destroyed by the two hurricanes. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The fundraising activities included raffles and a silent auction. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The last loaves of Settlers Bread didn’t last long. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Artist and muralist Corin Finnie participated in her third Heritage Day Festival. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short enjoyed Heritage Day with his granddaughter, Harlowe Self. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Community member Mike Sales entertained festival attendees. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Nancy Deal and June Battersby shared information about the Friends of the Island Library. - Joe Hendricks
Robin Hankinson brought her Wicked Jewels & Crystals to Heritage Day. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Made of gel wax, Dancing Starfish Candles were among the Heritage Day Festival vendor offerings. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
HOLMES BEACH – Island leaders are under a deadline to respond to a letter they received this month from the new state DOGE task force, and the Holmes Beach mayor has already taken action.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on Feb. 24 that created the Florida State Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) task force. On March 18, the Office of the Governor’s new DOGE task force electronically transmitted a two-page letter to the cities of Holmes Beach, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and all other Florida municipalities regarding their financial condition.
Addressed to “Dear Local Official,” the letter begins by stating, “Pursuant to Executive Order 25-44, the Executive Office of the Governor has established an EOG DOGE Team which will use advanced technology to identify, review and report on unnecessary spending within county and municipal governments and recommend legislative reforms to promote efficiency, maximize productivity and eliminate waste in state and local government. These efforts are focused on ensuring fiscal responsibility throughout Florida.
“In addition to assessing your municipality’s publicly available information over the coming weeks and months, the EOG DOGE Team is also assessing compliance with the financial management requirements set forth in section 218.503, Florida Statutes. This provision outlines the circumstances under which a local governmental entity is deemed to be in financial emergency or distress, triggering necessary corrective actions,” the DOGE letter says.
“To fulfill our oversight role, and in accordance with article IV, section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, we respectfully request confirmation as to whether your municipality has encountered any instances of financial emergency or distress, including those listed in section 218.503(1), Florida Statutes, such as:
Failure to pay short-term loans or obligations when due as a result of lack of funds.
Failure to make debt service payments on bonds, loans or other debt instruments when due.
Failure to timely pay uncontested claims from creditors for more than 90 days due to lack of funds.
Failure to transfer taxes, Social Security contributions or retirement plan contributions as required by law.
An unreserved or total fund balance deficit in the general fund or any major operating fund that persists for two consecutive years.”
The letter says, “If your municipality has encountered any of these conditions since state fiscal year 2018-19, or anticipates potential financial distress in the next six months, please provide a written response detailing the specific circumstances, any corrective actions taken, a point of contact and any additional information relevant to compliance with statutory financial obligations.”
In closing, the DOGE letter says, “Please submit your response no later than April 8 to ensure timely review and, if necessary, assistance from state authorities. If we do not receive a response from you within 45 days, it will be presumed that your municipality is in possible statutory violation and in need of assistance. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining the fiscal integrity of local governmental operations.”
The letter is signed, “Sincerely, EOG DOGE Team.”
Florida league of cities’ response
The following day, the Florida League of Cities (FLC) distributed an electronic letter to city officials that said, “We are reaching out to confirm that the letter your city received from the Executive Office of the Governor DOGE Team is legitimate and was sent to every municipality in Florida. The governor’s office has requested that each city respond within 45 days of receiving the letter.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis shared this graphic on social media when announcing the formation of the DOGE task force. – Gov. Ron DeSantis | Submitted
The FLC letter includes a draft response cities can use when submitting a response if the city can answer ‘No’ to all five questions posed in the DOGE letter and has not encountered any instances of financial emergency or distress.
The FLC draft response says, “Dear Executive Office of the Governor DOGE Team, This correspondence serves as [City Name]’s response to the financial review letter received from your office. After careful evaluation, we confirm that our municipality has not encountered any conditions of financial emergency or distress, as outlined in the letter, since the state fiscal year 2018-19. If additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact us.”
In closing, the FLC letter says, “Please note: If a response is not received within 45 days, the governor’s office will presume that your municipality may be in possible statutory violation and in need of state assistance.”
Holmes beach response
On March 20, using the FLC draft response, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth sent the following recommended response to the DOGE team: “This correspondence serves as the city of Holmes Beach’s response to the financial review letter received from your office. After careful evaluation, we confirm that our municipality has not encountered any conditions of financial emergency or distress, as outlined in the letter, since the state fiscal year 2018-19. If additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact us.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Some Pines Trailer Park residents who withheld lot rental payments following last year’s hurricanes were served with demand for payment notices on March 17. The notices required either immediate payment of the full amounts of past due lot rental fees or vacating the premises within five days.
The notices, taped to the doors of mobile homes at the park and sent by certified mail, are from park ownership Pines Park Investors LLC and the Agent for Community, The Urban Group.
Demand for payment notices were taped to mobile homes at the Pines Trailer Park. – Leslie Lake | Sun
“You have failed to pay lot rental amount for the period through March 17, 2025 in the amount of ($…). The total amount due as of the date of this demand is ($…),” the notice states, with amounts due varying by unit.
“Demand is hereby made that you pay the total lot rental amount now due, or deliver possession of the premises to the undersigned within five days from the date of delivery of this notice (allowing five days from the postmark date, excluding Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays). If the total lot rental amount now due is not paid on or before April 1, 2025, your lease agreement is terminated and you must immediately vacate the premises.”
The letter states that if lot rental payment is not made and premises are not vacated, an eviction action will be taken, and the recipient may be liable for court costs and attorney’s fees. The letter also states that late charges and delinquency fees will also be due.
The letter closes with: “Please govern yourself accordingly.”
On Dec. 9, 83 of the 86 Pines Trailer Park homeowners received notice from the city that they could repair their hurricane-damaged mobile homes with the proper permits. On Jan. 4, however, the homeowners received notification from the park’s ownership that the park was being closed: “As a direct result of the community-wide damage dealt by hurricanes Helene & Milton, coupled with non-payment of lot rent, Pines Trailer Park is no longer sustainable as a trailer park and must be closed, with an official park closure date of July 31, 2025.”
In a Jan. 27 letter to the Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association (HOA), Pines Park Investors LLC offered to sell the mobile home park to the residents for $75 million.
On Aug. 5, 2023, Pines Park Investors, LLC purchased the 2.78-acre waterfront mobile home property from The Jackson Partnership LLLP for $16.25 million.
Pines Trailer Park homeowners received an email in February outlining terms for abandonment of their mobile homes and possible extension of their tenancy to Jan. 31, 2026. Those terms include transferring the ownership of their mobile homes to Pines Park Investors LLC.
Resident defends nonpayment
Pines residents have contended that they withheld lot rent payments due to the disrepair of the park following the hurricanes and lack of amenities that are included in the lot fees.
“Nothing has been repaired. The clubhouse is a mess, there is no laundry facility or showers,” said one Pines resident who asked not to be named. “After the hurricanes we cleaned the park up ourselves and many people paid for their own dumpsters.”
The parking lot for nearly half of the Pines residents was converted to paid parking in December.
Developer Shawn Kaleta is the manager of Pines Park Investors LLC.
“If he (Kaleta) had come here even once after the hurricanes and shown some caring and taken care of the damage here, everyone would have been paying their rent,” the resident said.
That resident, who has lived at the park for more than 30 years, is packing up their belongings from the mobile home.
“I’m not a snowbird. I’m not a tourist,” the resident said. “This was my home.”
HOLMES BEACH – City staff proposes amending the city’s Land Development Code (LDC) to assist property owners whose non-conforming structures were damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
According to Holmes Beach city code, a non-conforming structure is a structure that was compliant, conforming and lawful when built according to previous code requirements but then became non-conforming when new codes were adopted.
The proposed LDC amendment will be discussed during the Tuesday, March 25 city commission work session. On March 18, Director of Development Services Chad Minor sent the mayor and city commissioners a memo informing them that city ordinance imposes a 180-day timeframe within which the owner (or contractor) of an existing non-conforming structure must secure a building permit and start reconstruction. In his memo, Minor initially recommended extending the deadline to 360 days. The proposed amendment language later included in the work session meeting packet recommends 365 days.
The March 25 work session meeting packet includes this proposed ordinance language. – City of Holmes Beach | Submitted
Minor’s memo notes the Wednesday, April 9 deadline to secure those permits is rapidly approaching and is unrealistic for many property owners. Minor’s memo says some property owners are still waiting on their insurance providers and/or are having trouble securing contractors, demolition contractors and specialty tradespeople that include surveyors and engineers, and owners may also be impacted by other hurricane-related factors.
“Also, the current process to request an extension to the 180-day timeframe is burdensome and unnecessary,” Minor stated in his memo.
He proposes providing one-time city staff approved administrative extensions that do not to exceed a total of 365 days and do not require city commission approval on an individual basis.
The proposed LDC amendment can’t be voted on during the informal, preliminary commission work session and the amendment will be presented again for formal city commission approval on Tuesday, April 8.
HOLMES BEACH – The parrots that live at the Sun and Surf Beach Shop, 5418 Marina Drive, are back at their familiar perch.
On Oct. 7, two days before Hurricane Milton struck, the parrots were relocated to the Birds of Paradise sanctuary in Bradenton founded and operated by Debbie Huckaby. That ordeal required five vehicles, numerous dog crates and a U-Haul truck to transport the large parrot cages that are once again wheeled back inside the store each night.
On Oct. 7, the Sun and Surf parrots were evacuated before Hurricane Milton arrived. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On March 8, the parrots spent their first day outside the store again. A visit to Sun and Surf on March 11 found store owner Jennifer Moore feeding and caring for her avian friends while waiting for her business in Holmes Beach to reopen, which she expects to happen very soon.
The parrots have been part of the Sun and Surf business for 30 years. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After expressing her thanks for Huckaby and the Birds of Paradise sanctuary, Moore said,
“The birds are back. They don’t like change and they’re so happy to be back in their home environment. They missed the sunshine and salt air. They definitely missed our customers and we’re looking forward to our customers coming back soon.”
Congo is a cross between a green-winged macaw and a scarlet macaw. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The parrots have been part of the Sun and Surf business operations in The Island Shopping Center for 30 years. Moore’s step-dad, Marty Duytschaver, founded the store in 1983.
Duytschaver and Moore’s mom, Heather, shared a love for parrots that eventually became part of the Sun and Surf business model for the store that sells clothing, shoes, swimwear, accessories, beach supplies, souvenirs and more. The Sun and Surf website touts the business as “The Store with the Birds.” Marty and Heather are now retired and live in Michigan.
The parrot cages are wheeled inside the store at night. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“My parents, the original owners, would rescue them and adopt them out,” Moore said. “I came in when I was 11 and I’ve taken over the store.”
Sun and Surf owner Jennifer Moore cares for the beloved mascots. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Regarding the current parrot population, Moore said, “They are not for sale. This is their forever home and these birds are our forever babies. They’re the mascots of the store and sort of an accidental attraction.
“Birdie is the oldest bird here. She’s in her 50s. We adopted her from a lady who had to go into a nursing home. She had her for 30 years and we’ve had her for something like 20 years now. She sings ‘Old McDonald had a Farm,’ she loves opera and she brings a lot of joy to the store. And Buddy is our greeter.
Birdie’s more than 50 years old and she’s still going strong. – Jennifer Moore | Submitted
“All these birds bring a lot of joy to people. They have their own little fan club and people look forward to seeing our birds every year. They sing songs with them, dance with them and the birds get socialization every day. It makes the store a little different than all the other stores on the Island. It’s something we’ve done for 30 years and the birds are part of the Island. They made their mark and it makes the Island even more special,” Moore said.
Yosemite Sam was hatched in 1995. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Sun and Surf employee Lori Kee later said of the parrots’ return: “We’re very happy and that was an emotional day.”
HOLMES BEACH – The city of Holmes Beach donated $5,000 to the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center Inc. to assist that non-profit organization’s ongoing hurricane recovery efforts.
In February, Wildlife Inc. volunteer and Holmes Beach Planning Commissioner Gale Tedhams encouraged the city and the Island community to support the struggling animal rescue and rehabilitation center that Gail and Ed Straight have operated from their Bradenton Beach home for nearly 40 years.
The Straight’s home and property were severely damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton at a time when Ed was already dealing with significant health issues. Tedhams encouraged folks to make an online donation at the “Hurricane Relief Fund for Wildlife Inc” GoFundMe page.
Wildlife Inc. volunteer Gale Tedhams encourages the community to support the Bradenton Beach-based organization. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the Feb. 25 city commission meeting, Commissioner Terry Schaefer suggested the city immediately increase its annual $750 donation to $2,500. “They are experiencing terrific financial difficulties and most of here are aware of what they do in our community,” he said.
Mayor Judy Titsworth suggested continuing the $2,500 donation in future years to support the area’s primary animal rescue organization. Commissioner Carol Whitmore suggested making a $5,000 contribution now and donating $2,500 in future years.
“They’ve lost everything. I really think they need help,” Whitmore said.
The commission unanimously supported Whitmore’s suggestion. As of March 19, the “Hurricane Relief Fund for Wildlife Inc” GoFundMe page had raised more than $38,000 and donations are still being accepted.
ANNA MARIA – City commission approval of a special use permit to operate a package liquor store at 501 Pine Ave. has been delayed for at least two weeks.
Ryan Quigley and Jake Parsons hope to open a package liquor store in space to be leased from Barbara and Jason Sato.
“There’s some additional information needed from the applicant so we’ll likely discuss that at the next meeting,” Commission Chair Charlie Salem said when removing the special use permit request from the agenda for the March 13 Anna Maria City Commission meeting. The commission meets next on Thursday, March 27.
According to the written request that Quigley and Parsons submitted on March 4, “Both applicants were raised on Anna Maria Island and still live on AMI today. Both applicants are sensitive to the issues that the city is faced with and neither applicant has any intention to change the charm of Pine Avenue.”
The written request addresses a city law enacted in 2022 that prohibits liquor sales at an establishment located within a half-mile of another establishment already permitted to sell liquor.
“As required by ordinance, this location is not within a half-mile of any establishment that sells liquor that was permitted after June 1, 2022. Furthermore, there are currently no package liquor stores in the city of Anna Maria,” the written statement says.
The written statement notes that Quigley and Parsons have an agreement in place to purchase an existing beer, wine and liquor sales license pending city commission approval of the special use permit. That state-issued license would not allow for the onsite consumption of alcohol.
Located at 10002 Gulf Drive, Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose has long held a 4COP liquor license that allows his establishment to sell sealed bottles of beer, wine and liquor for takeout, and his grandfathered status to do so predates current city code.
It’s tax time again and tax time is never fun, but this year could be particularly not fun. In view of the 2024 storms, this tax filing season could be quite a bit different in addition to the normal tax benefits afforded homeowners.
I’m not a licensed CPA or even a tax preparer, so you always need to seek advice from a professional when it comes to finance of any type. I did, however, find a couple of points related specifically to Hurricane Milton. On Oct. 11, 2024, the IRS announced disaster tax relief for 51 counties in Florida.
Affected Florida taxpayers will now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal tax returns and make certain tax payments. In addition, Hurricane Milton was considered a federal disaster, therefore, personal casualty losses can be deducted to the extent the losses are attributable to a federally declared disaster.
In normal times for the average taxpayer, your home is still the best shelter from taxes. Mortgage interest for a first or second mortgage or home equity loan is a deduction for taxpayers who itemize deductions. This deduction is for your primary home and to a lesser degree for a second home.
Local property taxes can be deducted subject to the SALT (state and local taxes) cap, which is $10,000. However, the cap is very controversial and there is an ongoing battle in Congress to get it reversed. SALT is part of the temporary 2017 tax law that is due to expire at the end of 2025 which could affect taxpayers in all states with high property taxes.
Home office deduction is frequently a gray area for people who do a lot of work from home. The law is if you receive a W-2 from an employer you cannot take the deduction for working from home no matter how much work you do for your employer from your home. The deduction is for individuals who use part of their home exclusively and regularly for business purposes.
There is a long list of expenses you have in running your home that you cannot deduct: Insurance, including title insurance; wages you pay for domestic help; depreciation; utilities and home repairs; internet or Wi-Fi access; and homeowners or condominium association fees.
The government does provide certain credits affiliated with energy-efficient home improvements up to $3,200 a year. The credit is for 30% of the cost of the improvement. Insulation, windows and doors qualify as well as heat pumps, water heaters and biomass stoves. In addition, homeowners who add solar, wind or geothermal power generation, solar water heaters or battery storage to their homes can claim a residential clean-energy credit.
The biggest tax savings, however, is when you sell your home, particularly if you have accrued a large amount of appreciation in your property. The gain in value in your property is the difference between the selling price and the adjusted base, which includes what you paid for the house, plus renovations or other capital improvements, which could be a long list.
In addition, the government gives homeowners a home-sale exclusion which further limits your capital gains. The exclusion for single tax filers is $250,000; for married couples filing jointly, it is $500,000. To qualify you must have used the house as a primary residence for at least two of the previous five years.
Good luck with your taxes. Remember to always consult a tax professional, especially this year if you have had home damage. Be happy it only comes once a year.
The first day of spring is March 20, and as local water temperatures warm with the approach of spring, local anglers need to be alert for cobia in area waters.
Often mistaken for shark, whose shapes and coloration they resemble, cobia are long and streamlined with a broad, flattened head. Their upper body is brown with a dark lateral line that extends through the eye to the tail. The brown color transitions to white on the belly.
Cobia range up to 6 feet long and can weigh more than 100 pounds. While most anglers target cobia in the Gulf, they range widely throughout local bays, particularly near local passes. Cobia spawn in the spring and early summer and feed on crabs, small fishes and squid.
The recreational and commercial bag limits for cobia in Gulf state waters is one fish per person or two cobia per vessel per day. The minimum size limit is 36” to the fork of the tail.
Cobia have a way of surprising anglers, so it’s wise to have a rig ready should you encounter one. Fly anglers who target cobia opt for at least a 10-weight outfit, although it’s possible to land smaller cobia on lighter outfits.
A favorite fly is a black bunny tied to resemble a small eel, one of their favorite foods. Anglers fishing conventional tackle most often use live baitfish and live crabs, another of their favorite foods. Cobia will also hit a variety of plugs and lures that imitate baitfish.
When fishing this spring, inspect any floating objects you come across like flotsam and buoys as well as structure including markers and artificial reefs.
Cobia are worthy adversaries for local anglers. They can show unexpectedly and be hard to target but put up a terrific battle. Smaller cobia make great table fare but make sure you limit your catch and carefully release any cobia you don’t intend to eat fresh.
