Huibers leaving Clean Water Committee

HOLMES BEACH – Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee founding member and longtime Chair Ron Huibers is leaving the committee after its May 14 meeting.

In January, Huibers relinquished the chair’s position and nominated board member Dr. Jennifer Miller to succeed him, a nomination the other committee members unanimously supported. On April 9, Huibers announced he’s leaving the committee after the May meeting.

Established in December 2021, the committee currently includes Huibers, Miller, fellow Holmes Beach residents Marty Hicks, Bill Romberger, Mike Pritchett and Jeffery Drinkard and Anna Maria resident John Kolojeski.

The committee’s vision is “To ensure that waters will meet their designated human uses for recreation, swimming, fishing and drinking while sustaining healthy natural ecosystems that support natural processes and reliant plant and animal communities.” The committee’s objective is “To research means by which to sustain and im­prove upon the condition and purity of the natural waters and drinking water around Anna Maria Island.”

When announcing his departure, Huibers said, “The next meeting will be my last meeting. I’m going to step down after 3 1/2 years. I’ve been thrilled and honored to do it but it’s time for somebody else to maybe take a different swing of the bat and see if they can get more done than I did.”

Huibers will leave the committee with one unfulfilled goal that he tirelessly pursued – securing the city, county and/or state funds needed for the city to buy an aquatic harvester to be used to remove harmful algae blooms and dead fish and marine life from the city’s canals and other waterways. Despite his perseverance, the quest for that $100,000 piece of equipment remains elusive. Huibers said he learned it’s much easier to accomplish things in the private sector than it is in the public/local government sector. He also said the committee is in good hands under Miller’s leadership.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer helped form the committee and serves as the city commission liaison to the committee, and he faithfully attends the committee’s monthly meetings.

“Ron, you’ve led the charge for three and a half years,” he said. “You’ve done a phenomenal job of staying focused and identifying the greatest needs. I think the committee has been as successful as it has because of many of your initiatives and the cohesive­ness of the group. Everyone on the committee is a contributor and it takes good leadership to keep it focused. On behalf of the entire city, we thank you for your efforts.”

Huibers thanked Schaefer for his help in forming a committee that was never shy about making its recommendations.

“The reason we’re doing it is we all want clean water. As a concerned citizen, you can count on me to help out where I can,” Huibers said.

Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee membership is not restricted to Holmes Beach residents and anyone interested in serving on the committee can contact City Clerk Stacey Johnston by email at cityclerk@holmesbeachfl.org or by phone at 941-708-5800 ext. 226.

Before Huibers made his announce­ment, the April 9 meeting included discussions about sea grass scarring, the committee-affiliated Islander­s4CleanWater organization’s “Pass on Plastics” theme for April, monitoring water-related news stories (includ­ing Mote Marine being awarded a $710,473 FDEP grant for nutrient reduction using Microbe Lift) and state legislation (including CS/HR 661, a bill proposing a one water approach to water resource management), Huibers’ participation in a water testing program and Miller’s pending appearance before the Manatee County Tourist Develop­ment Council (TDC) on April 21.

Seagrass scarring

Hicks said he’s concerned about boats near his house speeding and damaging seagrass in the shallow water. Miller said she sees the same from her balcony and she wonders whether rental boats are contributing to the problem.

“Don’t be an idiot. Don’t drive boats on seagrass,” she said.

Huibers said a state statute allows those who damage seagrass to be ticketed. Attending City Commissioner Dan Diggins suggested the committee reach out to local boat rental companies and ask them to educate their clients about seagrass protection and preserva­tion.

Pass on Plastics

Produced and funded by the city, the Islanders4CleanWater 2025 calendar features a different theme each month. The April theme is “Pass on Plastics.” The message contained on the calendar says, “Keep the sea plastic free” and it suggests reducing the use of single-use plastic products (water bottles, shopping bags, drinking glasses, straws and more), sup­porting legislation to curb plastic production and waste, proper recycling, participating in beach and river cleanups, avoiding products containing the plastic microbeads found in some cosmetics, beauty products, cleaners and toothpastes and support­ing groups and organiza­tions that address plastic pollution.

Microplastics and pharmaceutical particles in drinking water and natural waters are frequent topics of discussion at the committee meetings and both can be harmful to humans and wildlife.

Huibers said he collected eight local water samples and submitted them to the University of Florida as part of the university’s research on pharmaceutical particles in natural waters.

TDC presentation

The committee members reviewed and refined the presentation Miller was scheduled to make at the April 21 TDC meeting. Miller’s TDC meeting appearance was the first by a Clean Water Committee member. The goal of Miller’s introductory presentation was to inform TDC members about the committee’s efforts and the need to protect the natural waters that attract so many tourists to Anna Maria Island and Manatee County. Miller wasn’t seeking any specific tourist development tax funds at the time but the committee may seek county commission-approved tourist tax revenues in the future.

Free Islanders4CleanWater calendars, stickers, koozies and other items are available inside the city hall lobby and stylish, message-bearing T-shirts can be obtained from Code Compliance Chief James “JT” Thomas for a donation, or for engaging in a cleanup effort or other activity beneficial to the clean wa­ter cause. Contact Thomas by email at jthomas@holmesbeachfl.org or by phone at 941-932-6426. Learn more at the Islanders4CleanWater website.