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Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report

Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities appears unlikely according to a consolidation study-related letter sent to the three Island mayors last week from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd.

“The OPPAGA study confirms what we have discussed over the past year,” the letter says. “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the unique and special character of the Island and could have a detrimental impact on issues like building height. The lower height of buildings on the Island must be valued and maintained at all costs. Anna Maria Island must never become a high-rise community and anything that would cause that to happen would be a nonstarter to us.”

Dated Jan. 9, the letter accompanied the completed OPPAGA (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability) consolidation study report emailed to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie on Jan. 8. The mayors then shared the report and the letter with their respective city commissioners.

OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature.

The issuance of Boyd and Robinson’s letter and the sharing of the completed 25-page OPPAGA study coincided with the Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting held in Bradenton on Jan. 9. Robinson, Boyd and the other state legislators who comprise the Manatee County Legislative Delegation announced their desire for a consolidation study in 2023.

The consolidation study was requested at a time when Robinson, Boyd and former Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge were at odds with Holmes Beach officials regarding public parking for beachgoers and the county’s desire to construct a parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.

In 2023, Robinson filed legislation that resulted in the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis authorizing the county to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach despite the city’s existing prohibition on multi-level parking garages and substantial public opposition. In August, the county commission reversed course and terminated the parking garage design process.

While pursuing the consolidation study, Robinson and Boyd repeatedly expressed their desire for the three Island cities to reduce operating costs and lower property taxes by consolidating some of the similar services provided by all three cities.

The study

The 25-page OPPAGA report begins with an executive summary that says the Legislature directed OPPAGA to analyze the potential benefits of consolidating the services provided by the three Island cities and present options for the potential restructuring of the Island’s governance.

Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report
The OPPAGA Anna Maria Island consolidation study report has been made public. – OPPAGA | Submitted

The study notes the Island’s permanent resident population declined 42% between 2007 and 2023, from 8,449 residents to 4,915. It also notes that 66% of the new vacation rental properties developed in Manatee County between 2000 to 2023 were developed on Anna Maria Island.

“There are some municipal services on the Island that could be streamlined through interlocal agreements, contracts or government reorganization. This streamlining of services could result in savings for Island residents,” the report says.

The report notes all three cities provide administrative, building and planning, public works, code enforcement and emergency management services; and Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have their own police departments. Anna Maria contracts with the Manatee County Sherrif’s Office for law enforcement services. Using data provided by the cities, the report summarizes each city’s revenues, expenditures, outstanding debt and reserve funds.

The report references four government restructuring options:

  • Leaving the Anna Maria Island governmental structure as is;
  • Combining the three Island cities into one new city;
  • Including the three cities as part of unincorporated Manatee County; and
  • Including the three cities as part of the city of Bradenton.

The analytical report does not include a recommendation of any of the consolidation options, but provides considerations and potential impacts for each consolidation option.

In regard to maintaining the status quo, the report states the duplicated services and the financial impacts created by those duplications would continue and each city’s property tax rates would remain the same. Maintaining the status quo would also avoid the expense, time, effort and disruption of city governance, and Island residents would not have to change their addresses.

Regarding the one city, county and Bradenton consolidation options, the report notes each of those options may produce economies of scale and cost savings but would also result in the elimination of each city’s charter, code ordinances, land development codes and comprehensive plan. Consolidation would also eliminate the current city commissions and advisory boards and require the restructuring of existing municipal contracts.

Robinson and Boyd’s letter notes that Manatee County government and the school district have also been encouraged to become more efficient and lower their taxes and millage rates.
“We know that cutting taxes and finding efficiencies is challenging, but we believe it is possible to accomplish this with hard work and now with this OPPAGA study as a roadmap,” the letter says.

“As we head into the 2025 Legislative Session, we would like to hear from you prior to Feb. 13 on ways you all believe services can be streamlined and better coordinated,” the letter concludes.

Mayors respond

In her Jan. 9 email to The Sun, Mayor Titsworth wrote, “I appreciate the time and effort that the team put into this study. I also look forward to working with the Island mayors, the new county board members and our state leaders in identifying efficiencies to decrease taxes for our citizens. I am pleased that the threats of consolidation and or elimination of our cities has passed and I appreciate the respect our Legislature has for home rule.”

During the Jan. 10 city commission meeting, Mayor Short read aloud some key points contained in Robinson and Boyd’s letter.

“I have reviewed the report,” he said. “I don’t necessarily agree with some of the data that’s in there, but it’s there. I need to digest this some more. I’d like the commission to do the same.”

Short said the report contains some inaccuracies, including some inaccurate financial figures, and he intends to issue a formal response to the report.

Commission Chair Charlie Salem thanked Short, city staff and former mayor Dan Murphy for ensuring the OPPAGA team received the data and information they requested. He also credited the citizens who sent emails and letters of opposition to the state legislators opposing consolidation and reinforcing the importance for the Island cities to maintain their home rule rights.

In conclusion, Short said, “This was an Island-wide effort. This wasn’t just us. It was all three cities, as well as support from others off-Island. I take comfort in this letter, but I’m not 100% convinced that it’s completely done.”

When contacted on Jan. 10, Mayor Chappie said he was glad the state legislators shared the report with the Island mayors, which is not a legal requirement.

Chappie also questions some of the figures and facts stated in the study, but he feels the study reinforces the unique characteristics of the three Island cites and the need to maintain local governance.

Chappie feels the three cities can use the OPPAGA report to help address Boyd and Robinson’s ongoing cost-cutting and tax reduction concerns.

“This is going to be a tool to help us look at ourselves as a community and how we can better our community,” he said.

Hundreds rally against consolidation, garage

Hundreds rally against consolidation, garage

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – The Florida heat didn’t stop a crowd from gathering at City Field on Saturday to express their opposition to the Manatee County Commission and Florida Legislature consolidating or eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities and building a parking garage at Manatee Beach.

The rally, held on May 4 by the Save Florida Home Rule grassroots activist group, brought hundreds of people to the pavilion, including residents, visitors, property owners and other interested community members. The rallying cry for the group was “save home rule.” It was a sentiment echoed by all in attendance as Island elected officials, residents, city staff and a county commission candidate took the stage to share facts with the community on both issues and speak out against the ongoing state-mandated Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study and a planned parking garage at the public beach.

Save Florida Home Rule organizer Barbara Ehren was first to take the stage, telling onlookers about the grassroots effort to stop government overreach at the state and county levels to bypass municipal land development codes and ordinances regarding development on the Island. The rally was the second official event for the group following a Hands Across the Sand event held in April that was attended by more than 300 people.

Stepping in for Mayor Judy Titsworth was Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer, who said he believes that the push to dissolve the cities is to get rid of land use regulations to allow for increased development on the Island. He said that city leaders are working to mount a “strong defense” against government overreach and that he’s happy to see so many community members getting involved in the effort with the hopes that the battle to hang on to the cities won’t get that far.

Hundreds rally against consolidation, garage
Commissioner Terry Schaefer stepped in for Mayor Judy Titsworth to speak on behalf of the city of Holmes Beach. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Schaefer discussed the ongoing unfounded rhetoric largely being voiced by county commissioners, primarily that the city does not have enough parking and that city leaders refuse to work with the county. He said the parking garage and OPPAGA study efforts began at a January 2023 Manatee County state legislative delegation meeting. The parking garage effort was moved through the state House and Senate in an effort to allow the county to circumvent Holmes Beach regulations that do not allow for multi-level parking garages as a land use or paid parking in the city. He said that no county staff or commissioners approached the city to seek a potential exemption for a parking garage at Manatee Beach.

City leaders are required to provide just over 500 parking spaces at beach access points, including the county-owned Manatee Beach under an interlocal agreement governing beach renourishment. Schaefer said the city provides 752 parking spaces at the beach and beach access points throughout the city with hundreds more marked spaces available within a quarter mile of the beach. Police Chief Bill Tokajer regularly counts parking spaces during high-traffic events, such as holiday weekends, and noted that even during spring break there were regularly 70-100 or more spaces available to the public.

“The turnout at a recent Hands Across the Sand and today is certainly encouraging and inspirational to all of us,” Schaefer said. He thanked the assembled community members, stating that he believes it will take not only the Island’s elected officials fighting back but also the residents and property owners to maintain their current way of life.

Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins also spoke, as well as Anna Maria residents stepping in with short statements from their city leaders, all stating they are against the consolidation of the cities.

One name that came up multiple times during the rally was that of County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge.

Speakers stated that Van Ostenbridge was largely the catalyst behind the effort for the parking garage, an effort that he previously told The Sun he was putting forth to make the beach accessible for all. If the parking garage is built, Van Ostenbridge said it would be paid parking. It would also make Manatee Beach and the restroom, food and beverage, and retail facilities there, along with parking, inaccessible during three or more years of construction on the parking garage. The existing facilities would be destroyed and new ones would be built in the three-story garage with additional parking on the roof. Previously, Titsworth said that she’s fighting to keep parking in Holmes Beach free for everyone, but that if a paid parking garage was constructed at Manatee Beach city leaders would have to rethink their stance on that. Holmes Beach is the only Island city that does not allow paid parking. Currently, there is no funding to build the parking garage.

County commission candidate Diana Shoemaker spoke, sending a few shots at Van Ostenbridge, whose seat on the dais she’s seeking to fill. Shoemaker will face off against either Van Ostenbridge or Tal Siddique on the November election ballot, depending on which one wins the August Republican primary.

If elected, Shoemaker vowed to work with Island residents to make sure that their voices are heard at the county level and to work to stop government overreach in the municipalities.

While Van Ostenbridge has not been directly linked to the ongoing OPPAGA study looking at options to consolidate the cities into one, dissolve the municipalities and consolidate them into either unincorporated Manatee County or the city of Bradenton, or leave them as-is, his strained relationship with the elected officials of the cities, particularly Holmes Beach, has been well-vocalized by the commissioner both on and off the dais. After a recent OPPAGA visit, Holmes Beach leaders were left with the distinct impression that the option being most strongly considered is the elimination of the three municipalities, folding them into unincorporated Manatee County and directly under the authority of the county commission.

Ending the rally, Ehren restated the motto of the Save Florida Home Rule group, “Keep your hands off our cities.”

Holmes Beach logo

Mayor, state legislator discuss consolidation

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth met with Rep. Will Robinson Jr. recently to discuss the potential for consolidation or elimination of the three Anna Maria Island cities. She said that after the meeting, she feels he’s listening to city leaders’ concerns.

Robinson is one of the five-member Manatee County state legislative delegation that initiated the process for the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study looking at consolidating the three Island cities into one, eliminating the cities and folding them into unincorporated Manatee County or the city of Bradenton, or leaving them as-is. The results of the state agency study will be sent to Robinson and Sen. Jim Boyd for review, but are not required to be released to city leaders or to the public.

During the April 23 conversation, Titsworth said that they discussed the report and Robinson said he’s looking forward to seeing the report and related numbers. One of the sticking points with state legislators and the Island cities has been a lack of consolidated services in an effort to save taxpayer money on the 7-mile Island. Titsworth said that’s something that Robinson asked about and wants to see some progress on.

While all three Island cities are looking to partner with the city of Longboat Key on enforcing mangrove protections as agents of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Titsworth said she and Police Chief Bill Tokajer are in preliminary talks with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy about the Holmes Beach Police Department taking over law enforcement in the northern city. Currently, the city of Anna Maria is the only Island city without its own police force, contracting with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement. Titsworth said the two cities are looking at the numbers and a draft interlocal agreement to see what the options are.

In the meeting with Robinson, Titsworth said that if Island cities were given back the amount of tourist development tax they earn for the county and could use those monies for infrastructure that it would greatly reduce the burden on taxpayers. The city of Holmes Beach is one of the largest earners of tourist development tax monies, which come from a bed tax paid by visitors to the area. The funds are controlled by Manatee County commissioners and are earmarked for projects that benefit tourism. In recent years, county commissioners have withheld funding from Holmes Beach for projects due to disagreements between the two groups of elected officials. Titsworth said that Robinson agreed with her that the funds should not be “weaponized” by county leaders.

“He listened and I appreciate that,” she said.

Another discussion was about beach parking. Titsworth said that Robinson was happy with the strides made by the city to make public beach parking in residential areas easier to identify.

Robinson said he wants to meet with the Island city leaders again soon.

“I felt pretty good when I left,” Titsworth said.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that he feels the meeting with Robinson was a positive first step, but that he feels the battle is long from over. His goal, he said, is to meet with Boyd prior to organizing a town hall meeting with the community. He said that thus far his efforts to schedule that meeting with Boyd have been dismissed by the state representative, but he wants to give it another shot before scheduling the community meeting, which he hopes will be broadcast for any state or county leaders who want to view it but don’t want to attend.

Locals join hands to fight big government

Locals join hands to fight big government

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – A grassroots movement to bring awareness to Florida legislators’ efforts to consolidate or eliminate the three Anna Maria Island cities drew about 300 people to its first event, a peaceful protest on the sand.

The crowd gathered just north of Manatee Beach on April 13 for a Hands Across the Sand event held by Save Florida Home Rule, a group of residents, vacationers and property owners who want to stop the overreach of state government. Members of the group are vocally against the consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities as well as the construction of a parking garage at Manatee Beach.

Locals join hands to fight big government
Betty Dimmick waves a sign at the entrance to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach directing protest participants to the meeting spot. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Joining hands, the group shouted, “Protect paradise” and “Keep your hands off our Island cities” as messages to Manatee County and Florida state lawmakers to stop governmental overreach and allow local municipalities to govern their own cities.

The parking garage bill passed the Legislature without protest in 2023. The bill allows for Manatee County commissioners to construct a garage at the beach property against city of Holmes Beach land development regulations and zoning codes. The garage bill was protested by residents, visitors, property owners and city elected officials, but those protests were ignored at the county and state levels. Resident and one of Save Florida Home Rule’s organizers, Barbara Ehren, wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again with the elimination of the cities.

“There is a group of people who are gathering together to save Anna Maria Island because we are very concerned about the move afoot in the Florida Legislature to either consolidate the cities or disband them and put them under either Bradenton or (unincorporated) Manatee County,” Ehren said. “We do not want to see that happen because we suspect, and I believe it’s more than a suspicion, that what would happen under those circumstances is we would lose our zoning and get lots of high-rises. And then lovely Anna Maria Island that everyone adores would become Miami Beach. The visitors don’t want that and those of us who live here don’t want that to happen.”

The group was joined by Holmes Beach Commissioners Pat Morton, Terry Schaefer and Carol Soustek, who all participated in the event.

Locals join hands to fight big government
Holmes Beach Commissioners Terry Schaefer, left, and Pat Morton lend their support to the community at the Hands Across the Sand event. – Kristin Swain | Sun

“This is the community,” Morton said, gesturing to the gathered residents, visitors and other concerned individuals. “I’m going to go out here to see if I can find some beach people to come and join us. This beach is for them too, it’s not just us. We’re trying to open up some people’s minds to what’s going on. A lot of people in Bradenton, over in Manatee County they think ‘Oh, it’s your problem.’ No, it’s your problem over there too. They don’t realize this is going to affect them too.”

“This is a citizens’ generated event today and that’s certainly what’s going to be most helpful in making everyone in our area, not just on our Island, aware of the threat of dissolution of our Island, our cities,” Schaefer said. “This is a first step in kind of igniting interest community-wide and getting people out physically to the beach to determine and show that there is a line of defense in supporting and maintaining our way of life and quality of life.”

Soustek joined other volunteers in helping to gather signatures on letters protesting the elimination of the three Island cities prior to the start of the event from participants. She said the letters are to be sent to state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd. The two are members of the Manatee County state legislative delegation and both support the parking garage and the state-sponsored Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study looking at the possibility of eliminating the cities. The OPPAGA study is the first step toward a special act of the state Legislature eliminating or consolidating the three cities.

Locals join hands to fight big government
One of the event’s organizers, Barbara Ehren, thanks participants for showing up to lend their support to the peaceful protest. – Kristin Swain | Sun

The study is looking at four possibilities – consolidating the three cities into one new city, eliminating the cities and putting the Island under the jurisdiction of unincorporated Manatee County or the city of Bradenton, or leaving the cities as is. On a recent visit to Holmes Beach, Mayor Judy Titsworth said OPPAGA representatives were looking at eliminating the cities and putting them under the jurisdiction of unincorporated Manatee County, meaning that the county commissioners would decide all matters of government for the Island. The majority of county commissioners live east of I-75 and only one, at-large Commissioner George Kruse, frequently visits the Island to speak with residents and local elected officials. District Three Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge is the county’s largest supporter of the removal of the existing historic cafe building at Manatee Beach and installing a three-story parking garage there. Building the garage would also mean that beach parking in all three Island cities would largely be paid parking instead of free for the public. Currently, Holmes Beach is the only Island city that does not allow paid parking.

To keep up and get involved in the ongoing effort to preserve the Island cities, visit www.facebook.com/savefloridahomerule or email savefloridahomerule@gmail.com. The group also has T-shirts, baseball caps and other items to help raise awareness for sale at the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum at 402 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

Holmes Beach logo

Commissioners address consolidation

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners again discussed their concern about a move by the state Legislature to eliminate the three Anna Maria Island cities, consolidating them into one city, into the city of Bradenton or into Manatee County.

During an April 9 meeting, Commissioner Terry Schaefer addressed the elephant in the room, stating that he and other city leaders believe that the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study is likely to recommend elimination of the cities and place Anna Maria Island under the control of Manatee County commissioners. He said the study is due to be completed by the end of July.

City Attorney Erica Augello said that the report will be sent to the legislators who requested it but otherwise, the results of the study may never be seen by anyone else. State leaders are under no obligation to release the study or its results to any other officials or the public.

Schaefer said the members of the Manatee County state legislative delegation, particularly Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd, requested the report.

At the same meeting, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the average response time for his officers is two minutes. The department has its own dispatcher, meaning that only calls to 911 have to go through the county’s dispatchers, saving response time for callers directly to the police department. Schaefer said that one adverse effect of the elimination of the cities would be that all emergency calls would need to go through the county and be answered by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, exponentially increasing response time and potentially creating a public safety issue.

“That’s just one example of a potential issue that can arise for our residents,” he said.

Schaefer also noted that city leaders cannot put a referendum on the ballot to vote against consolidation or elimination of the cities, but local voters can. He said that he encourages members of the voting public who are against consolidation or elimination to consider creating a ballot referendum.

If a referendum is created, it could be the only chance voters have to make their voices heard on the matter. State legislators can force the cities into consolidation by creating and voting on a bill. As long as it’s approved by the governor, the bill would become law without any input from the local governments, community members or voters.

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November.

Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question posed, discussing everything from parking and traffic to the possible consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities.

On the subject of traffic and making the Island trolley service more efficient during peak times, Kruse said that if there’s traffic, the trolley is stuck in it the same as any other motor vehicle. He did say that he would look into the possibility of adding additional trolleys during peak times, such as over holiday weekends and spring break to help reduce the amount of time spent waiting for transportation that may be too full to accept more riders.

When the new Cortez and Manatee bridges are built, Kruse said he hopes that there will be an express lane – a third lane for emergency and transit vehicles.

“You’re not going to reduce the want of people to go to the beach, you have to get them out of their cars,” he said, adding that with the current situation, one lane in each direction, people won’t want to sit on a bus in traffic instead of in their vehicles. The way around that would be to have a dedicated express lane for those people to bypass congestion on the way to the beach. Kruse said he’s spoken with Florida Department of Transportation representatives about including an express lane in the design for the new bridges but hasn’t received a definitive answer.

When it came to talking about a parking garage and the availability of beach parking on the Island, Kruse said he doesn’t currently see the benefit in building a parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach. With paid beach parking now existing in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria, he added that he believes it’s just a matter of time before Holmes Beach city leaders will have to reconsider their stance on paid parking.

Currently, Holmes Beach is the only Island city that does not allow paid parking. Speaking up during the discussion, Mayor Judy Titsworth said that she’s not in favor of charging for beach parking and will avoid it in Holmes Beach for as long as possible. She said she feels the beach should be free for everyone to access, not limited to those willing to pay to park to access the sand.

Though the city has an updated parking map on its website, the map does not show parking space availability in real time. Titsworth said that to install the sensors and develop the corresponding applications for use would cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” funds that the city doesn’t have to commit to the project. To complete the project, she said the parking would have to be paid parking, going against what she believes is in the best interests of the city.

When the conversation turned to the state study concerning consolidation of the three Island cities, Kruse said he’s unsure that anything will come out of it, but he thinks what would be in the best interests of the residents would be to leave the three cities as-is with the possibility of consolidating some services to save taxpayer money.

An ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study was begun at the request of the Manatee County state legislative delegation and against the wishes of city leaders in the three cities. While city leaders said they would support the study for the purposes of potentially saving taxpayer funds, they don’t support the other three possibilities – consolidation of the three cities into one, or elimination of the three city governments and annexation of Anna Maria Island into unincorporated Manatee County or the city of Bradenton.

Kruse added that he can’t truly guess what state leaders plan to do with the results of the OPPAGA study because there’s no precedent for the state eliminating a municipality without cause, such as the municipality being financially insolvent, which is not the case in any of the three Island cities.

To hear what Kruse had to say about these issues and more, visit The Sun’s Facebook page to watch the town hall discussion in its entirety.

Mayor: Don’t break up the team

Mayor: Don’t break up the team

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Characterizing the possible consolidation of the three island cities as “breaking up the team,” Mayor John Chappie spoke out against consolidation efforts at a Dec. 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting.

On Oct. 31, the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) sent a letter to the mayors of all three Anna Maria Island cities saying that the Florida Legislature has directed the organization to review the potential consolidation of services and government entities on Anna Maria Island. Options discussed include annexing the Island into the city of Bradenton or Manatee County, or creating a new city from the Island’s three cities.

At the Dec. 6 CRA meeting, city attorney Ricinda Perry updated the board on the OPAGGA study.

“The CRA is part of the OPAGGA study,” Perry said. “If they decide to consolidate there is a very real chance the CRA will no longer exist, which would be a major detriment to the improvements we’ve been making, and very substantial improvements.”

Perry outlined city efforts to comply with requests for documents from OPAGGA.

“The state has issued the OPAGGA study to the city and staff has spent a very considerable amount of time working through the documents and preparing the reports and the correspondence that has been requested from OPAGGA,” Perry said. “I want to recognize the clerk’s office. Terri (Sanclemente, the city clerk) has been compiling every single contract that the city has and the CRA has, and that as a team, Chief (John Cosby), Tom (Woodard, public works director) Shayne (Thompson, city treasurer ), me, Mayor (John) Chappie and Terri have gotten together to respond.”

Perry said she is hopeful that the state elected officials see the value in allowing the municipalities that have been authorized by the state Legislature to maintain their status.

“That deals with some of the concerns about cities versus services, consolidation, non-consolidation, elimination or whatever,” Chappie said. “With a smaller municipality, and the CRA, we had the ability to utilize funds to establish a viable commercial district out here on the Island.”

Chappie said that in the past, the central area of Bradenton Beach consisted mostly of bars.

“When we started, it was dying here,” Chappie said. “The ability of local government to work and transform an area, and create a viable commercial district, it’s incredible what you can do with local government, smaller government and CRAs. Without that it would have never happened, if it had been all the county.”

Chappie said with the reputation that Bradenton Beach had in years past, he doubted the current revitalization would have ever taken place.

“And that’s my pitch for not breaking up the team,” Chappie said.

Lawmakers go silent on consolidation

Lawmakers go silent on consolidation

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON – The Manatee County Legislative Delegation did not address their plans for a consolidation study of Anna Maria Island cities as expected at an Oct. 5 meeting, the deadline they set for the three Island mayors to respond to their September request for information on the issue.

All three mayors sent their responses prior to Oct. 5 and the study was expected to be a topic of conversation at the meeting, held at Bradenton City Hall.

However, participants made no mention of the proposed state study on the consolidation of the three Island cities into a single municipal government. A September letter from Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) to the mayors said that the state lawmakers expected a response before the Oct. 5 meeting from each of them on how they were working together to consolidate services, or they would go forward with demanding a consolidation study.

Each mayor responded that while they are in favor of the proposed study if its results would help reduce the burden on taxpayers, they were not in favor of consolidation.

The city of Holmes Beach was the only Island city with representation at the meeting. Attending were Mayor Judy Titsworth, Commissioner Terry Schaefer and City Attorney Erica Augello. When it was time to speak, Schaefer took to the podium to discuss the importance of home rule.

“Over the past three years alone, 81 bills have been passed by the Legislature that have critically diluted home rule,” Schaefer said. “We have had our differences with you over two home rule issues recently, however, we are encouraged by the process and sincere discussions occurring with your leadership and the Island’s three mayors. We all hope to produce the best outcome for Island residents, visitors and stakeholders and appreciate the opportunity to work with you in earnest.”

The only member of the delegation to speak to Schaefer’s comments was Boyd. He said that while he agrees with Schaefer’s statements on home rule, the place where the two differ is on the governance of land use.

During a meeting held in January, the delegation brought up the consolidation study and voted in favor of it.

They also presented a local bill to allow Manatee County to build a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach against the city’s land development code and local ordinances. That bill passed at the state level during the 2023 legislative session and gained Gov. Ron DeSantis’s signature despite local opposition.

Holmes Beach logo

Holmes Beach mayor responds to consolidation threat

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are making sure that state leaders know where they stand on the idea of consolidating the three Anna Maria Island cities.

Prior to an upcoming Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting planned for Thursday, Oct. 5, Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Manatee) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Manatee) sent out a letter warning the mayors of all three Island cities that if they don’t have a proposal for how the three municipalities can better work together, the state leaders would be seeking a state-funded and run study to determine if the cities should be consolidated into a single municipality.

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth responded individually to both legislators on behalf of the city in letters dated Sept. 26. During a meeting on the same day, she added that she’d also spoken with Boyd on Sept. 22 and felt that they’d had a productive discussion.

Titsworth said that while city leaders are not in opposition to the study if it is used to find ways to reduce the tax burden on residents, they’re not in favor of using it as a means of paving the way toward consolidation of the three Island cities. While the cities share a single 7-mile island, she said they each have their own character that charms both residents and visitors alike.

She added that during her discussion with Boyd, she apprised him of the steps the leaders of all three Island cities are taking toward making processes more streamlined across the board, such as the building permitting process and the efforts they’re making to work together to consolidate some other processes.

While state leaders had made suggestions such as combining law enforcement, public works and building department efforts into a single department across the Island instead of one for each city, there are currently no plans to integrate any of those departments into one.

Island consolidation back on table

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The threat of consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t over. Members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation have warned Island mayors that they’re getting ready to start up talks again at an October meeting.

In an Aug. 21 letter, delegation members Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) sent a letter to all three Island mayors noting that they’re ready to initiate a Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study, known as OPPAGA, to “focus on the potential benefits of combining the three municipalities of Anna Maria Island, which encompasses the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.”

The letter is in response to Jan. 30 talks with the mayors about the possibility of combining city services. In the Aug. 21 letter, Boyd and Robinson said they haven’t received a major update from the mayors and blamed Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth.

“We understand the mayor of Holmes Beach does not want to participate in the coordination talks, given it will be seen as a first step toward consolidation of the three Island cities,” the letter states, giving the mayors a deadline sometime prior to the delegation’s planned Oct. 5 meeting for a response.

In speaking to The Sun on Aug. 24, Titsworth said that she hasn’t stopped participating in any talks among the three Island mayors. In fact, she said she’s been hosting the ongoing talks at city hall in Holmes Beach.

“Staff is working on it,” she said of the process to combine or streamline some services. She noted that the building departments in all three cities are working to see how they can streamline their processes to make applying for permits in each municipality easier for homeowners and contractors. Though the mayors have all been participating in the talks, she said that at only about eight months in, they’re not at a point where any specific service has been identified for consolidation or streamlining.

“As mayors, we all have full plates,” she said, adding that the mayors are committed to all working together. She said that her city’s code compliance officers have helped to train code enforcement officers in the other cities.

“We’re not trying to be defiant,” Titsworth said. “This was just dropped on us in January. We’re trying to work on what the delegation has requested but they need to have some patience.”

One sticking point is that Titsworth said she and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie are unwilling to give up their individual police departments, allowing those two cities to be patrolled only by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies who now provide law enforcement services to the city of Anna Maria. Titsworth said she’s happy with the services provided by the Holmes Beach Police Department and doesn’t want to change the law enforcement situation in the city.

As for the study, she said that it’s important to note that the example given in the letter from Boyd and Robinson of Longboat Key having had a study to determine if it should remain in two separate counties has a major difference from the one proposed on Anna Maria Island – the people of Longboat Key asked for the study.

“They asked for that study; we didn’t,” she said.

If state leaders insist on conducting the study on Anna Maria Island, Titsworth’s response is, “Bring it. I’d love to find ways to help save taxpayer money.” The letter states that the purpose of studying the benefits of consolidation would include saving taxpayer money and potentially reducing taxes for property owners.

While Titsworth said she was unable to attend an Aug. 24 Anna Maria Commission meeting, she said Mayor Dan Murphy had her approval to speak on her behalf giving an official response to the letter on behalf of all three mayors. She said the mayors met earlier in the day to discuss their response and decided that they’re in favor of the study if it can help save taxpayer money. However, they’re not in favor of consolidation of the three Island governments.

The topic of consolidation came as a surprise to the three mayors when the members of the state legislative delegation started the conversation at their Jan. 11 meeting, voting unanimously to approve the OPPAGA study for the Island. That was the same meeting in which the idea of sponsoring a bill to allow Manatee County commissioners to approve and build a parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach against the city’s land development code was initiated. That bill, HB 947, was passed earlier in the summer by the state Legislature after receiving unanimous votes in the House and Senate before gaining the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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Proposed consolidation study concerns city officials

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners continue to express concerns about legislative actions recently proposed by State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other state legislators.

On Jan. 12, Robinson (R-Bradenton) and his fellow Republican members of the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their intent to pursue state legislation that could potentially allow Manatee County to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s land development code in order to build a multi-story parking garage on county property to provide more parking for beachgoers and other visitors. Robinson and his fellow state legislators also announced their desire for a state-funded study regarding the possible consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities and city governments.

Led by Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the Manatee County legislative delegation also includes Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Tommy Gregory and Rep. Mike Beltran. State legislators began a special 12-day legislative session on Monday, and their regular annual 60-day legislative session begins on March 7.

Bradenton Beach concerns

On Feb. 2, the Bradenton Beach Commission again discussed these legislative matters. Mayor John Chappie noted that City Attorney Ricinda Perry referenced the state legislators’ efforts in a letter she sent to the accounting firm that annually audits the city’s finances. In that letter, Perry identified current or potential legal actions or litigation that could impact the city’s finances.

“The city of Bradenton Beach has been placed on notice that Representative Robinson may propose a study funded by the Florida Legislature to determine if the three Anna Maria Island Cities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria – should be consolidated or dissolved,” Perry stated in her Jan. 31 letter.

“The impacts of this would impair all existing contracts, leases, franchise agreements, employment agreements, endowments and retirement accounts. There has been real property gifted to the city that may have reverter clauses. The city would cease to exist if the special act creating the municipality would be repealed and the city was dissolved by the Florida Legislature,” Perry’s letter said.

“To date, the city has not received notice that the study has been authorized, nor has the city received notice that Representative Robinson has filed a local house bill to dissolve the city,” Perry’s letter said in closing.

Perry noted eliminating the city would also eliminate the city charter. Among other things, the city charter includes height restrictions that prohibit the construction of high-rise structures.

Perry receives legislative updates from the city’s contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba. Ramba believes Robinson will push for the consolidation study during this year’s legislative session and wait until the 2024 session to decide what to do with the recommendations made in the study. Perry said the study is one of Robinson’s top legislative priorities.

Perry also spoke with Florida League of Cities attorney David Cruz and was told the League will be part of the efforts to defeat the legislative actions sought by the Manatee County delegation.

“This is a new attack on home rule,” Perry said.

Perry said she spoke with Robinson, too. She said he’s concerned about the tax burdens placed on the Island’s taxpayers and wants to know whether consolidating some or all of the services provided by each of the Island cities would reduce those tax burdens.

After noting that people voluntarily chose to live and own property on Anna Maria Island, Perry said, “If the extra (property) tax is the concern, then by virtue of his claim every municipality in the state is an overtax on people and every county should be a county with no municipalities in it.”

Chappie noted the city only receives a small percentage of the tax revenues Manatee County collects in Bradenton Beach.

Perry said Robinson also feels the three Island cities, in general, need to find or create more parking for beachgoers and visitors, but one city in particular (Holmes Beach) is the state legislators’ main concern.

On Jan. 30, Chappie, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy met with Robinson and Boyd at Anna Maria City Hall in a private meeting arranged by Murphy.

During Thursday’s commission meeting, Chappie shared some of what was discussed during that meeting, and also during his previous meetings with Titsworth and Murphy. Chappie said the three mayors have had some preliminary discussion about possibly consolidating some of the services provided by each of the three cities, including flood plain management, the flood insurance-related Community Rating System, code enforcement and things of that nature.

“We’re looking at that and that was part of the request from our legislators,” Chappie said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole addressed the potential consolidation or elimination of the city’s police department.

“It’s good to have your own police department. They know the people, how the area works and what’s going on in each neighborhood,” he said.

“Look at the amount of crime out here on the Island and tell us we haven’t done a good job,” Cole said in comparison to crime rates experienced elsewhere in the county.

Regarding consolidation in general, Chappie said, “I don’t think the numbers actually work. We’re going to look at all that.”

“It would be a disaster for this area,” Cole said.

Bradenton Beach Commission opposes state attacks on home rule

Bradenton Beach Commission opposes state attacks on home rule

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Protecting home rule rights will be the city commission’s top priority during the state legislative session that convenes on March 5.

Home rule rights and the ability to self-govern at the local level were already a top priority before Bradenton-based State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their shared desire to preempt home rule rights at the state level so Manatee County can build a public parking garage in Holmes Beach. The delegation, which also includes Republican state senators Jim Boyd and Joe Gruters and state representatives Tommy Gregory and Mike Beltran, are also requesting a state-funded study regarding the potential dissolution or consolidation of the three Island cities.

During the Bradenton Beach Commission’s Jan. 19 meeting, commissioners unanimously agreed that fighting the state legislators’ latest efforts to eliminate the city’s home rule rights would be a top priority for the city and its contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba.

Prior to the meeting, Mayor John Chappie provided the commissioners with a two-page list that detailed the commission’s 2023 legislative priorities. The list was prepared before Robinson and his fellow state legislators expressed their intentions regarding home rule rights and the potential consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities.

According to the priorities list, “Home rule is why no two cities are alike. Intrusion on home rule from the state or federal government undermines the constitutional right of citizens to govern themselves.”

During the Jan. 19 meeting, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “There have been two additions I think the city should implement into this based on the Manatee County delegation meeting: The elimination or consolidation of the Island cities as well as the usurpation of home rule authority on height restrictions for parking garages.”

Chappie then said, “I totally agree. I had a discussion with Rep. Robinson. I voiced my concerns and disappointment and he told me his reasoning, which I disagree with. It is concerning. It is disappointing. As I told our representative, government’s supposed to work from the bottom up, not from the top down. This is local stuff. This isn’t even really party politics, it’s about the best type of governance that they think would be best for us. Who do they think they are?” Chappie said.

“Yes, we depend on the state and federal governments for certain things, but we’re responsible at the local level for health, safety and welfare. If we need something, we go to our legislators. That’s not what happened in this case and it’s a state of affairs. The three Island cities are going to be working together to correct this injustice,” Chappie said.

Chappie said he was meeting with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth the following day. He also said that Perry will work with the Florida League of Cities on these legislative concerns.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said state legislators should focus their efforts on providing state funds for undergrounding utility lines, adding and improving sidewalks and other projects that benefit local communities.

Cole questioned whether a state pre-emption that allows parking garages to exceed city-specific building heights would then lead to the construction of other high-rise structures. He also said Manatee County needs to finish the drainage improvement project at Coquina Beach that’s temporarily reduced parking for beachgoers.

Commissioner Jake Spooner said state legislators should focus more on undergrounding projects, stormwater and drainage improvements and other infrastructure improvements.

Additional priorities

Another home rule-related legislative priority pertains to the continued local regulation of short-term vacation rentals. The city commission supports legislation that repeals the state preemption of the local regulation of short-term rental properties.

“Please reject efforts to restrict our abilities to locally respond to the needs of our community,” the priorities list says.

The commission supports property insurance reform that would address increasing insurance rates, claim duration processes, policy cancellations and benefits assignments.

Commissioners also support the expanded use of Manatee County’s 5% tourist development tax – much of which is generated by lodging establishments on Anna Maria Island. The priorities list notes Bradenton Beach has a resident population of approximately 1,200 people, but during weekends, holidays, peak tourist periods and busy beach days, more than 30,000 people occupy the city at any given time. The commission supports legislation to expand the use of those restricted tourist development tax revenues to also help fund additional policing services and infrastructure improvements.

The commission supports the preservation of the communication services tax and the local business tax and opposes legislation that modifies, restricts or eliminates municipalities’ authority to levy or collect those tax revenues that help fund city services.

The commission also supports legislation that provides recurring funding sources for programs and projects that preserve and enhance water quality and/or mitigate the negative environmental and economic impacts of red tide and other harmful algae blooms that threaten public waterways.

The commission unanimously approved the revised legislative priorities list that now includes the commission’s opposition to the legislative actions proposed by Robinson and the Manatee County legislative delegation.