BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission appointed CRA leaders and liaisons to community organizations at its Feb. 20 meeting, and appointed Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce as vice mayor.
“What we have done in the past is rotated who is vice mayor,” Chappie said. “In the past it has gone to the next person with seniority. Debbie Scaccianoce is the next one in line. I think she’ll be a great vice mayor and has already proven her worth in a number of areas in the city and that would be my recommendation.”
Commissioner Ralph Cole was the previous vice mayor.
According to the city charter, when there is a vacancy in the office of the mayor, the vice mayor succeeds to the office of mayor until the next election.
“Next item is CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) chairman, we haven’t rotated that very much for quite a while,” Chappie said. “I think Scott (Commissioner Scott Bear) would be good. We all know the good job Ralph has done.”
Bear was appointed chair and Cole was appointed CRA vice chair.
“I think Ralph knows how it’s run if Scott’s not available,” Chappie said.
“We do have several projects that are in the works that are moving forward, but with the hurricane they kind of set on the back burner,” Cole said. “So, as we get rolling and follow up on finishing up on some the projects, we could start new projects as they come up anytime. If something new comes up that we can add to the CRA district, then we need a chair or vice chair to run the meetings. Lately we’ve been trying to get some of the projects we’ve got going completed before we dive into new ones.”
Operating with its own budget, the CRA is a separate but related agency of the city government. All five city commission members, including the mayor, serve on the CRA board. In the past, the CRA board has also included a representative from the Bradenton Beach business community and a city resident.
“The CRA boundaries are the northern border of the FDOT right of way for Cortez Bridge and Fifth Street South, the south property line of the properties on Fifth Street South from water to water,” Chappie said.
Chappie recommended Scaccianoce to help with the building department reorganization.
“To me that is a definite liaison position where she is taking on that extra task to help with the building department and working with our building official and floodplain manager,” he said.
Scaccianoce was also appointed to the liaison position with the Manasota League of Cities.
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh will be liaison to the Scenic WAVES committee and Keep Manatee Beautiful.
Bear will be the liaison to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, the Annie Silver Community Center and The Center of Anna Maria Island.
Cole was appointed the liaison to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.
Chappie will be liaison to the Bradenton Beach Merchants Association, the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center, the Island Transportation and Planning Organization and the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
All commissioners participate in pier team meetings and department head meetings and can attend meetings of the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials, Manatee Council of Governments, Manatee County Commission and Manatee County Tourist Development Council.
