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Tag: Amber LaRowe

Anna Maria hosts parking study meeting

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Mark Short spent more than two hours speaking to approximately 150 people during the city’s town hall-style parking study meeting. 

The well-attended meeting was held Aug. 31 in The Center of Anna Maria Island’s gymnasium. Upon entry, attendees were given a QR code to access additional information posted on the city website and enlarged copies of the revised parking study map placed on placards around the seating area.

The parking study, the updated parking map and more parking-related information can be found at the city’s parking management page at the city website.

Opening remarks

When the meeting began at 4 p.m., Short said, “There’s two main objectives of today’s meeting. The city wants to provide all of you an update and clarify items regarding why the city is looking into the parking study, where we are with that study and what our next steps are. But more importantly, this meeting is to solicit input from our stakeholders – your thoughts, your concerns, your questions regarding our parking study.”

The parking study meeting was well attended. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“This meeting is intended to be an overview. This is not exact. It is concepts, and in often cases you’ll hear generalizations, but it is not meant to be specific. So, when you look at maps and you look at a particular street, you’ll see a lot of this is still open for us to continue to evaluate. This meeting is not intended to be a debate,” Short said.

Mayor’s letter

After making his introductory remarks, Short read aloud a letter about parking in Anna Maria. 

Short’s letter mentioned the need for a well-designed parking system that helps manage the pressure placed on the city’s parking capacity by tourism and Manatee County’s continued growth. 

His letter notes the city wants to reduce overflow parking on narrow streets, prevent blocked driveways and address safety and emergency-access issues. The revenue generated by the proposed paid parking component would help maintain and repair the city’s streets, drainage systems and beach access points.

Updated parking presentation

Short presented an updated version of the parking study presentation that  WSP consultant Christine Fanchi previously presented to the mayor and city commissioners on Aug. 11. The updated presentation included a revised and more accurate parking map than the map Fanchi previously presented.

According to the revised map, most of the streetside parking near the northwestern tip of the city along the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of North Bay Boulevard, Gladiolus Street, Fern Street, Rose Street, Jacaranda Road, Poinsettia Road and Holly Road would be mainly resident permit only, with some potential paid public parking spaces in those areas too.

According to the revised parking map, no parking would be allowed in the parallel parking spaces along Gulf Drive in front of Harry’s Grill, AMI Beach Hut, Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café and The Porch. 

The revised parking map identifies these parking spaces in front of Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café as future no-parking areas. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

According to the mayor and the revised map, the parallel parking spaces along Pine Avenue would provide free parking with an enforced three-hour time limit. 

The map notes the parking areas around The Center remain a work in progress. 

Q and A

After a short break, Short and City Clerk Amber LaRowe spent a long time answering written and verbal questions posed by meeting attendees and those listening via Zoom.

Short said they would do their best to answer every question, but there might be questions they don’t yet have answers for.

Mayor Mark Short and City Clerk Amber LaRowe answered questions posed by the meeting attendees. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“This is still a process for us. I want to be clear, decisions have not been made at this point,” Short said. “We do value your input, it will be evaluated, but we are going to focus on our residents and our commercial businesses, as well as the visitors. And ultimately, whatever we do, we’re going to try to balance that out as best we can.”

Short said parking data for every street in the city has been collected and evaluated.

“We have the concepts that I think makes sense, but that doesn’t mean ultimately that’s where this will end up. We just have to wait and see,” Short said.

Short cautioned the meeting attendees not to get too caught up in various parking designations listed on the revised map that are intended to provide a framework for the broader parking concepts.

When asked, Short said Fanchi’s original $11 million annual paid parking revenue estimate is expected to be much lower than that, but he did not provide an estimated paid parking revenue number.

LaRowe addressed the potential $4.50-per-hour parking rate presented by Fanchi on Aug. 11.

“I received quite a bit of angry emails about the $4.50. We’re not going to start at $4.50. I will assure you that it will not be $4.50 or any greater than $4.50. It’s just the first proposal, a discussion point, and probably should have been more vetted before it was presented,” LaRowe said.

When asked, Short said the future parking status has not yet been determined for the city-owned parking spaces near the City Pier, City Pier Park, the Bayview Plaza and the Waterfront Restaurant. Short said it hasn’t been determined yet whether the city-owned public parking spaces near the Anna Maria City Pier and City Pier Park would be free, timed parking spaces or paid parking spaces.

The future status had not yet been decided for the parking spaces near the Anna Maria City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Short said Island Players theatergoers would not be subjected to paid parking in that city-owned parking lot.

LaRowe said the WSP consulting group and the city have identified a need to provide employee parking for approximately 143 employees who work in Anna Maria. She said that estimated figure remains subject to trial and error and will be further evaluated and revised if needed.

“We did try really hard to acknowledge the business area and their employees,” LaRowe said.

Anna Maria General Store owner and City Pier tenant Brian Seymour said, “I’m kind of a trifecta. I’m a business owner, resident and leaseholder with the city of Anna Maria.”

Seymour said he likes the revised parking map a lot more than he liked the original map presented on Aug. 11.

Seymour said he thinks LaRowe may have underestimated the number of employees who work in Anna Maria. He offered to assist the city in gathering what might be a more accurate count of those employees.

Parking permits

LaRowe said issuing two resident parking permits per household has been discussed but not finalized. This would be in addition to the driveway parking already allowed on residential properties. LaRowe said the preliminary thought is residents with resident parking permits would not pay to park when using the city’s paid parking spaces. She said parking allowances for residents’ guests might include a temporary registration process and short-term parking passes. 

Meeting attendees reviewed the revised parking map. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Vacation rental guests are not expected to receive resident parking permits from the vacation rental owner or management company. Rental guests could park for free in the rental property’s designated spaces, but that would not grant them access to resident permit parking spaces. 

LaRowe said contractors might receive parking permits, but landscapers and cleaners would not be required to have parking permits.

Discounted parking permits are not currently being considered for Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Manatee County and other non-Anna Maria residents. 

During the Aug. 11 presentation, Fanchi recommended not using physical pay stations because of the cost and the durability concerns. The paid parking payment options would include a website, QR codes, payment by text, payment by phone and physical permits, if needed.

Regarding enforcement, Short noted a parking ticket carries a $75 fine, and a new ticket can be issued every two hours for the same ongoing violation.

The revised parking map contains existing no-parking zones that will remain in effect. It was noted that specific streets – Chilson, Palm, Magnolia, Spring, Crescent, North Shore and Jacaranda – would be individually reviewed based on the street width, drainage elements and emergency access.

Northwest Bradenton resident Kim Kesten said her children attend Anna Maria Elementary School. She said she and her family are Center members and she has friends who operate businesses in Anna Maria.

Kesten expressed her concerns about non-residents who spend a lot of time in Anna Maria being subjected to three-hour parking limits and paid parking requirements that might impact how much time they spend in the city. Short acknowledged this was a scenario the city had not fully considered.

Post-meeting comments

After the meeting, Short said, “The input we got from people today will help guide us in terms of whatever direction we do end up deciding to take. We still have some homework to do.”

Related coverage: Mayor’s letter addresses parking study

City clerk appointed city administrator

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – City Clerk Amber LaRowe will also serve as Anna Maria’s first city administrator when the new 2026-27 fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

On Aug. 27, the Anna Maria City Commission unanimously approved Mayor Mark Short’s request to appoint LaRowe to also serve as city administrator.

Short noted the city charter provides for the creation of the city administrator position. The charter says, “Subject to the approval of the city commission, the mayor may appoint an individual to act as an administrator to report to and serve at the pleasure of the mayor. The qualifications and duties for this position shall be defined within the administrative code of the city.”

The charter also says, “The city clerk may, if appointed by the mayor, with approval of the city commission, fulfill the office and duties of city treasurer and/or administrator.”

When presenting his request, Short said, “I’ve been in office now for almost two years and I believe that it is in the best interest for the city operationally, as well as from an organizational standpoint, that we have a city administrator to assist me in managing and keeping tabs of basically everything that’s going on in the city. For a little city, we have a lot going on.

“I want to be clear: These duties do not change what the mayor is responsible for, per the charter. People hear administrator, they think city manager. These are two completely different things. This is not someone who’s replacing the mayor. This is helping the mayor, as well as working with our departments within the city to make sure we are cohesive,” Short said.

“I’m asking the commission to not only approve the city administrator position, but also to approve Amber LaRowe as becoming the city administrator effective October 1.”

Mayor Mark Short requested the creation of the city administrator’s position. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Commissioner Charlie Salem asked about the fiscal impact of the city clerk also serving as the city administrator. Short said there would be a $17,000 impact, but there’s no need to hire an additional employee. As city clerk, LaRowe’s current salary is $114,500, and she was already scheduled to receive a salary increase during the coming fiscal year.

Salem asked if the city administrator’s position is addressed in the administrative code.

Short said he didn’t have a copy of the administrative code with him, but it would be made available.

The commission voted 5-0 in favor of the mayor’s request.

ADMINISTRATOR’S DUTIES

The following day, the clerk’s office provided a copy of the administrative code that states the mayor remains the city’s chief executive, and the administrator will serve as the mayor’s principal day-to-day administrative officer.

“Nothing in this policy shall diminish, transfer or supersede any power, duty, professional responsibility or independent authority assigned by the charter or applicable law to the mayor, city commission, city clerk, city treasurer, city attorney, superintendent of public works, building official or any other city officer,” the administrative code says.

“The mayor shall retain direct responsibility for the appointment, suspension, termination and other final personnel decisions concerning department heads,” the code says.

PAST COMMENTS

In September 2024, while seeking election to the mayor’s office, Short and fellow mayoral candidate Brian Seymour participated in a candidate forum and were asked where they stood on the potential appointment of a city manager or city administrator.

Short said then, “I do not believe the city needs a city manager or a city administrator. If you read the city charter, that is the job of the mayor. You’re electing someone to do exactly what a city administrator or manager would do. If the voters want a city manager, then we need to change the city charter.”

Seymour said, “I’m very much in favor of a city administrator-type position to help oversee the city. It has become such a large city with so many departments and so many employees. I really believe that would be beneficial to the city.”

When contacted on Aug. 28 and asked about his past comments, Short said, “After spending almost two years in office, it has become clear to me having an administrator helping with the day to day activities in the city is a positive thing. To be clear, this is to assist with administrative tasks and to continue to promote operational efficiencies and coordination between departments in the city. It does not impact the duties of the mayor as called out in the city charter.”

Professional Municipal Clerks Week honors AMI’s city clerks

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – In honor of Anna Maria Island’s city clerks, the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have proclaimed Sunday, May 3, through Saturday, May 9, as Professional Municipal Clerks Week.

During their respective city commission meetings, Anna Maria City Clerk Amber LaRowe, Bradenton Beach City Clerk Terri Sanclemente and Holmes Beach Clerk Marina Hovious were honored with similar proclamations provided by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

Deputy City Clerk Barbara Jeffries, left, and Anna Maria City Clerk Amber LaRowe, right, received framed proclamations from Mayor Mark Short. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

According to the proclamations, “The office of the professional municipal clerk, a time-honored and vital part of local government, exists throughout the world.

“The office of the professional municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants.

“The office of the professional municipal clerk provides the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and agencies of government at other levels.

“Professional municipal clerks have pledged to be ever mindful of their neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all.

“The professional municipal clerk serves as the information center on functions of local government and community.

“Professional municipal clerks continually strive to improve the administration of the affairs of the office of the professional municipal clerk through participation in education programs, seminars, workshops and the annual meetings of their state, provincial, county and international professional organizations.

“It is most appropriate that we recognize the accomplishments of the office of the professional municipal clerk. Therefore, be it proclaimed the week of May 3 – May 9, 2026, be known and recognized as Professional Municipal Clerks Week and farther extend appreciation to all professional municipal clerks for the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent,” according to the proclamations.

The Sun also expresses its appreciation and gratitude for the services and assistance provided to the media and the public by the Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach city clerks, deputy clerks and administrative assistants. The Sun also thanks former Holmes Beach City Clerk Stacey Johnston for the many years of service and assistance she provided the media and the public before her recent retirement.

Professional Municipal Clerks Week honors city clerks

AMI city clerks honored during Professional Municipal Clerks Week

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The annual proclamation of Professional Municipal Clerks Week is a reminder of the important roles city clerks and their staffs play in the operation of a city government.

The 56th Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week is being celebrated this year from May 4-10 and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks provided proclamations to be read aloud by city mayors in honor of their city clerks.

The one-page proclamation notes the office of the municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants and municipal clerks play vital roles in the operation of local governments worldwide. The office of the municipal clerk provides the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and agencies and county, state and federal agencies while serving as the information center for the community and the local government.

“Municipal clerks have pledged to be ever-mindful of their neutrality and impartiality, rendering service to all,” the proclamation declares. “It is most appropriate that we recognize the accomplishments of the office of the professional municipal clerk.”

AMI Clerks

Stacey Johnston has been the Holmes Beach city clerk for 14 years. Before that she served as a Holmes Beach deputy clerk for five years under former City Clerk Brook Bennett, who retired in 2011.

Terri Sanclemente has been the Bradenton Beach city clerk for 10 years. Before that, she spent nine years working as an assistant or deputy clerk.

Amber LaRowe became the Anna Maria city clerk on March 25. She now handles the clerk’s duties long-performed by LeAnne Addy, who until recently served as city clerk and city treasurer and now serves as treasurer only. LaRowe became the St. Pete Beach city clerk in 2020 after serving as assistant city clerk for the city of Palmetto, which is her hometown.

When asked why she became a city clerk, Johnston said, “I’d say I fell into it. My mother had a hand in encouraging me to apply for a temporary position in the city clerk’s office for the city of Coffeyville, Kansas right out of high school, filling in for a girl on maternity leave. The new mother decided not to return and I was offered the position and that led to being appointed as their city clerk seven years later.”

Sanclemente became the Bradenton Beach clerk during a tumultuous period in Bradenton Beach that included Mayor Bill Shearon being recalled from office and the termination of two short-lived city clerks who served before her.

Professional Municipal Clerks Week honors city clerks
Bradenton Beach City Clerk Terri Sanclemente has served in that role for 10 years. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I wanted to serve the people the best possible way I knew how and I thought it would be by becoming the city clerk since our city couldn’t seem to find the right fit,” Sanclemente said of those uncertain times.

As for why she became a clerk, LaRowe said, “I’ve always had a heart for public service. I started my career with the state attorney’s office in 2003, but when I had the opportunity to serve in local government I jumped at the chance. I never set out to be a city clerk and, at first, I wasn’t sure exactly what the job involved; but once I got started, I realized how much I love helping people every day, connecting with the community and playing a part in shaping local government. I’m passionate about open government, transparency and making sure everyone has a voice.”

Regarding the roles and functions of a city clerk, Johnston said, “Many people do not know what a city clerk does. While the city clerk’s roles are not always noticed and do not get a lot of public attention, the city clerk position is vital for a city. While each city clerk position is a little different, we touch everything that happens in the city in some way or another. As a charter employee (appointed by the city commission), the city clerk serves as the official records custodian responsible for the city’s records, historical information and legal documents, meeting coordination, business taxes and other city-owned rentals and permits, records requests, elections, insurance claims and serving as the liaison between the public and the elected officials.

“I love working and serving as city clerk for the city of Holmes Beach. We have excellent elected officials, committee members and employees and I really enjoy working with the residents and the public. Being a city clerk is not just a job, it’s a profession that I am truly blessed to say I have,” Johnston said.

Regarding her role, Sanclemente said, “Making sure that all of the city’s and citizens’ needs are met and that they know they can always rely on the city clerk’s office for all their needs.”

LaRowe said, “Being a city clerk is about more than just paperwork and policies: it’s about building relationships. City clerks are a bridge between the public and their elected officials. Every day, I get to meet new people, hear their ideas and help them navigate city processes. I love helping residents find creative solutions or turn a challenge into a new opportunity. My favorite part of this job is the personal connections I get to make and the chance to serve such a wonderful community.”

Professional Municipal Clerks Week honors city clerks
Anna Maria City Clerk Amber LaRowe began her tenure with the city in March. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Sun thanks all of Anna Maria Island’s city clerks, deputy clerks and administrative assistants, past and present, for the services they provide the community and the local media.