CORTEZ – Just one day after the Manatee County Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 28 vote to direct staff to explore ways to bring the hurricane-damaged Annie’s Bait and Tackle up to code, a contingent of county staff met Commissioner Tal Siddique to inspect the building.
Annie’s is part of the Seafood Shack parcel that the county recently purchased to create a public boating facility.
“Commissioner Bearden made a motion, within 30 days to present all options for a feasible rebuild to keep Annie’s here was the directive,” Siddique said. “We’re doing our due diligence.”
The inspections will be repeated six more times. In accordance with Sunshine Law, each commissioner will meet with county staff and tour the building separately.
“We’re here to tour the facility,” Siddique said. “We have our natural resources, our building official, our county administrator, all of our county leadership here, plus me as district commissioner. The fire marshal will be out here.”
Siddique said he met with Annie’s co-owner Bruce Shearer during the inspection.
“I feel for him. Just looking at these reports, looking at what the experts are telling me, the building officials and more, this isn’t just a matter of replacing some two-by-fours,” he said.
Shearer has said he would be able to repair the building at a cost of around $5,000 and is hoping to be allowed to do so.
“We have a responsibility to make sure we’re protecting the neighboring communities and we’re upholding all the progress we made in the Community Rating System and we’re not putting that at risk,” Siddique said. “This has to be FEMA compliant. If we break the law, everybody in Manatee County loses their flood insurance.”
He said Annie’s will not be fenced off, allowing Shearer to access the building.
“I ran on preserving our small town feel here and I’m trying to do what we can to keep Annie’s here, but these old school style of buildings, we know they’re not going to last with the way these hurricanes are going,” Siddique said.
Siddique said the dock repairs would require an emergency Army Corps of Engineers permit.
“I don’t want to pre-suppose the board,” Siddique said. “I think what you’re going to see is county come forward with all the pros and cons the proffers we’re making to Bruce (Shearer).”
