I hope you had the opportunity to attend the 2023 EcoSummit in Sarasota this past week. In case you missed it, I wanted to share some of the excellent presentations that were given and provide you with some resources to get a glimpse of what was one of the most well-planned, presented and attended environmental events I’ve had the pleasure of attending.
On Monday morning, Dec. 4, Suncoast Waterkeeper board member Rob Brown and I took summit organizers Dave and Jennifer Shafer, lead sponsor Elizabeth Moore, her daughter Grace, and award-winning Australian documentary filmmaker and EcoSummit Keynoter Damon Gameau and his daughter Velvet, 9, on Suncoast Waterkeeper’s patrol boat.
That night, the event kicked off with a screening of Gameau’s film 2040 (watch it on Prime Video). The premise of the movie is Gameau’s imagining what the future might look like for his then-4-year-old daughter if climate change solutions are brought to scale and the problem is solved. In choosing what to feature in the film, Gameau limited it to solutions that are already available or have the potential to contribute to reversing climate change by the year 2040. The movie was screened at the Bay Nest at Bay Park in Sarasota and was very well attended.
The next two days of the summit featured a list of speakers who presented a diverse spectrum of ideas, solutions and ways to be involved in and live a sustainable life, now and in the future. One of the highlights of the event was an evening with best-selling author Carl Hiaasen, who was joined by environmental journalist and author Craig Pittman and dolphin researcher Randy Wells. It was a humorous and entertaining evening that featured a standing ovation by the sellout crowd in the Roskamp Auditorium at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. During the three days, attendees were serenaded by the excellent music of the Karen Jonas band.
Here’s a round-up of resources from the organizers to help you keep the momentum going.
There were 497 guests, including 54 speakers, over the two-day event from across the U.S. and as far as Australia and Mongolia! Speaker bios can be found in the EcoSummit Program.
If you are interested in doing more in your community, use the EcoSummit Next sign-up form to indicate your areas of interest and they will get you connected! Sign up at bit.ly/2023ecosummit-next.
If you’re interested in taking steps to help build a green, healthy and sustainable future for you, your family and your community, they recommend 24 local sustainability solutions and have organized them as action steps. Choose the solutions that make the most sense for you and pledge to make them happen. Also, visit their greenlivingtoolkit.org for curated expert advice.
This year’s event was the second organized by the Science and Environment Council’s founders, Dave and Jennifer Shafer, and the turnout proved the effectiveness of the group’s mission and the interest of the public in a sustainable future for our children and future generations.
This may seem redundant, but Anna Maria Island is an island and, like every island in the world, it’s surrounded by water. There are two bridges to the Island from Bradenton, one north and one south, and the traffic approaching these two bridges backs up consistently. Oh, by the way, the bridges are drawbridges that open every half hour, and one of them is slated to be torn down sometime in 2025, maybe, and will be replaced with a fixed-span bridge.
Now that I’ve told you something that you already know, what’s my point? My point is what do the individuals who work on the Island but don’t live there experience daily? I think a lot about this from time to time, since I too worked in Anna Maria for many years, and frequently felt like I was back in midtown Manhattan.
The success of Anna Maria Island is the envy of many coastal towns in the country. Our real estate values are sky-high and construction is on practically every street. The vacation rental market has sapped the life out of any long-term rental properties to turn them into weekly and sometimes daily rentals, leaving very little to choose from for just regular residents who need to rent rather than buy.
Many of these displaced renters are individuals who work in the Island’s restaurants, hotels and rental properties. One of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is not only the surge in real estate prices and the abundance of new visitors to the Island, but also the many service employees who never came back to the workforce when restaurants finally opened and visitors started returning. About a month ago, I read a fascinating story in the Wall Street Journal’s Mansion section about two high-end vacation locations that are enjoying the same success as Anna Maria Island and facing the same problems.
Those towns are Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and Vail, Colorado. Although entirely different geographically, they share the same issue of finding local people to work in restaurants, resorts and multi-million-dollar properties. I’ll start with Nantucket, since that’s a place I’m very familiar with. There is only one way to get to Nantucket and that’s by boat. The ferry from Cape Cod takes two hours or a bit less for the fast ferry, which, of course, costs more. If you’re in no hurry, it’s a lovely ocean voyage that can be subjected to frequent weather delays. In 1983, Nantucket established a land bank, buying up available property to promote conservation and recreation. This, of course, impacted the amount of buildable land.
Vail may not be surrounded by water but it’s still a substantial drive to the charming village to work for the day. Vail’s local government has built some housing restricted to local full-time residents, but it doesn’t totally solve their problem. They may as well be on an island.
Getting back to Anna Maria Island, without a land bank or resident-only rentals, the responsibility is totally on service employees and their employers. There is that new ferry that is starting service from downtown Bradenton to the Island, but it’s not planned to be available daily and will probably be mostly for tourists and day trippers with some future dispensations for Island workers.
Maybe there is still a way to mitigate the shortage of help. Certainly, including the problem in conversations about consolidation of the three cities could be a first step. The result of doing nothing will be higher prices for residents and visitors to the Island and, although I dislike saying this, declining real estate values.
The decision to reduce local wetland buffers to Florida state minimum standards by the Manatee County Commission has been challenged by former commissioner Joe McClash.
The policy couched by commissioners as ending a “taking of public property” was approved in a 5-1 vote on Oct. 5 despite strong opposition from the citizens of Manatee County and a “no” vote from the Manatee County Planning Commission.
Commissioner George Kruse voted against the change.
The rules change allows construction to occur closer to wetlands and, despite the commission’s claim (since debunked) that the current rules negatively affect 66,000 property owners in Manatee County, only two people with ties to development interests spoke in favor of the change.
Previously, environmental groups would have immediately challenged the ruling except for the recent passage of Senate Bill 540, which would make litigants in a case pay court costs if they lose. In the past, the prevailing party could ask for court costs, but this bill makes that automatic. The bill in effect limits public access to the courts.
According to McClash, “Challenging the elimination of our wetland policy by our county commissioners is a huge undertaking that needs community support. The decision is so wrong in many ways. There was no science to support the decision. The disrespect shown by the commissioners to the public at the meetings could only be described as surreal. The biggest reason is the unknown impacts on our coastal environment. We know certain trends are evident. Our water quality trend is not great; with excessive fish kills, excessive Lyngbya (poopy algae), and even people getting severe infections from swimming in our waters. We know the sea level is rising. We know wetland buffers, especially in the coastal areas, are critical to mangrove adaptation and the so-called “engineering solution” can’t replace the value of the current 50 feet of land required for mangroves to survive. Without mangroves, our whole coastal ecosystem collapses.
“I did not want to challenge the county’s action,” McClash continued. “However, the state changed the rules last year to require if you don’t win, you have to pay all the cost of the challenge. The environmental groups that normally challenge the absurd actions of the government are now having to make a financial decision. We have our local state representatives Will Robinson and Jim Boyd to thank for this favor to the developers. However, this decision by the county was so egregious it needed to be challenged. If our citizens can’t afford to challenge the wrong decisions of our government then we become a dictatorship. The county’s decision to eliminate our wetland policies and wetland buffers was not done in the best interest of the public, it certainly was done in the best interest of the developers.”
McClash is to be applauded for this decision and this action must be supported by members of the public who understand the importance of protecting the natural environment that brought us here, who love to fish and who support the economy. Stay tuned for more information as this process unfolds. McClash can be reached at joemcclash@gmail.com.
Last week we talked about first-time buyers who are taking a pause in their house hunting and redirecting their savings. But is this the new permanent reality in a country that includes homeownership as part of the American dream?
According to a new Wall Street Journal/NORC survey, only 36% of voters in the new survey said the American dream still holds. When this same question was asked last year by the Wall Street Journal poll, 68% said yes, almost twice the share of the new poll. In addition, half of voters in the new poll said life in America is worse than it was 50 years ago compared with 30% who said it had gotten better. But the scary outcome of this survey is that among all respondents, 18% said the American dream never held, a very sad statistic.
As reported last week as well, the National Association of Realtor’s October sales statistics fell 14.6% from last year. Manatee County’s sales of single-family homes also fell by 12.8%. This reflects the ongoing low inventory available to buy and higher interest rates. Who could blame young people when they say the American dream doesn’t exist when one of the major components of that dream is the ability to purchase homes?
Even though according to recent data inflation has eased, there is still a disconnect in the way Americans perceive the economy. Since ownership of housing isn’t measured by the Bureau of Labor statistics, the increasing cost of purchasing a home isn’t reflected in the inflation rate, however, not being able to purchase a home matters more than the price of gas or food to home buyers. Since January 2021 home prices have risen 29%, according to the Case-Schiller national home price index. In addition, mortgage rates have nearly tripled.
If you already own a house and have no reason to move, you might not care or be affected by lower sales numbers and higher interest rates. Many long-term homeowners with low mortgage rates are sitting back and enjoying seeing their equity going up, which it has consistently for the most part.
Homeownership is still viewed as achieving the American dream, as remote as it may seem to first-time buyers in this market. So far, this hasn’t lowered homeownership rates, which are higher among almost all age groups than before the pandemic, according to the Census Bureau. That could, however, change if the unaffordability of housing remains high. Mortgage rates have dropped with the easing of inflation, but they are still historically high. The consensus is that home prices will likely not fall in 2024 but level off somewhat. Since so much depends on that assumption it’s almost impossible to know what’s down the road next year.
Since I was a full-grown adult 50 years ago owning my own home, I tend to agree that at least the economic life of people now is worse than 50 years ago. That doesn’t, however, mean that all life is worse. Certainly, medical progress is better, education is more available and better, and women and minorities have more opportunities, not to mention technology, which has made all our lives better.
I believe the housing market will eventually normalize and all the first-time buyers who are booking exotic vacations will start buying again. It’s nice to have wealth, but we shouldn’t measure our happiness by it when so many other things in life are more important.
ANNA MARIA – One of the most anticipated events of the holiday season took to the city’s streets on Sunday evening as dozens of participants came out to Roser Memorial Community Church to take the annual Bethlehem Walk.
Encompassing one city block, the interactive event invites community members to dress up and follow Mary and Joseph as they search for a room at an inn where Mary might rest and give birth to the Christ child. After making several stops and enjoying singing Christmas carols, the group makes its way back to Roser, where the Christ child is born.
This year a crowd took the journey escorted by Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies for safety. Participants were accompanied by a whole host of live animals, from the donkey walking with Mary and Joseph to chickens, bunnies, a potbellied pig and even a miniature horse. Children and adults alike dressed up as shepherds, wise men and women, angels, farmers and more. All of the animals and costumes were provided by the church.
After the nativity scene on the steps of the Roser fellowship hall, it was time to return the animals and enjoy treats provided by the church’s staff and members, including cookies and lots of hot chocolate.
The Bethlehem Walk takes place annually the first Sunday in December.
Each stop along the Bethlehem Walk was accompanied by a prayer for the holiday season. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Rev. Dirk Rodgers, accompanied by a chicken, welcomes everyone to the 2023 Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Mary and Joseph, accompanied by a donkey, arrive at the first stop on the Bethlehem Walk to ask if there is any room for them at the inn. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Jackson Glasscock and Xyza Jaworski ready to take the Bethlehem Walk as a shepherd and an angel. Live animals also were brought to the church for participants to cuddle during the event. Xyza chose a chicken. - Kristin Swain | Sun
This group of Bethlehem Walk attendees dressed the part for the annual recreation of the birth of the Christ child. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Dozens of people took to the streets of Anna Maria, escorted by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Dec. 3 for Roser Church’s annual Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun
One couple brought their own animals to this year’s Bethlehem Walk, a rubber chicken and a stuffed horse. - Kristin Swain | Sun
What would you do if you had a bunch of savings and the thing you were saving for is unavailable? A lot of first-time home buyers in the country are faced with that exact problem but they’re not all making the same decisions.
The housing market nationally is not performing the way housing markets typically do. The price of housing ordinarily goes down when mortgage rates increase, but as we all know, housing values are still going up primarily because of a lack of inventory.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the sale of existing homes was down 14.6% year-over-year in October with home prices still high. This is arguably one of the worst times to buy instead of rent and many first-time buyers are postponing their weekend house-hunting expeditions in favor of enjoying life.
The worst part about this is that the deferment of house hunting is not just for a few months to see what happens with the mortgage rate or the number of homes on the market, but some buyers are talking years before they try again. So, what are these frustrated buyers doing with their inflated bank accounts? Being the Americans that we are, some of them are taking expensive vacations, others are renovating their existing homes and decorations and the more practical are increasing college funds or retirement funds.
The “we want to buy a house but can’t” savers are turning into consumers, completely setting the economists – who a year ago predicted a recession – on their heads. With oodles of cash available and the likelihood of missing the boat on building equity, they are spending on enjoying themselves, keeping the economy in positive territory. Who could blame them; fiddling with interest rates never has a good outcome.
Time to look at October Manatee County sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee and see what’s going on locally:
Single-family homes closed 6.5% more this year compared to last. The median sale price was $479,000, down 12.8%, and the average sale price was $658,503, down 7.4%. The median time to contract was 29 days compared to 24 days last year and new listings were up 24.5%, bringing the month’s supply of available properties to 3.3 months compared to 2.8 last year.
Condos closed 7.5% more this year compared to last. The median sale price was $370,000, up 0.4%, and the average sale price was $415,591, up 7.1%. The median time to contract was 30 days compared to 22 days last year and new listings were up 28.3%, bringing the month’s supply of available properties to 3.8 months compared to 2.3 last year.
Lower sale prices for single-family properties may not look like a good thing, but since real estate numbers are always lagging, this could reflect the rapid increase in interest rates. The really good news aside from the increase in closings is the increase in inventory. Per the Association of Realtors, this is pointing to a more balanced future market, hopefully more like pre-pandemic activity.
Those of you who are not first-time buyers but buyers who would like to move up but don’t want to give up your ultra-low mortgage rate should have a little more respect for your mortgage. It’s hard to think of money you owe as an asset but if you have a fixed-rate mortgage below or around 3% you are sitting on a valuable asset. You may not see the asset in the bank, but you are wealthier for having it.
I’m of the school that you should always enjoy life but still find a way to balance that with improving your finances. All of this will return to normal someday, so don’t blow it all on a trip to Tibet to see the Dalai Lama.
“Strip, long strip, stop, short strip, stop, strip,” Harry Neymour called out as I watched the bonefish home in on my fly. Neymour had spotted three fish as they hunted a shoreline in the Dressing Room, a vast shallow mangrove-lined bay on Andros North Bight. The experience I’ve gained over the years combined with the coaching paid off as I lowered the tip of my rod to the water’s surface and set the hook with a short strip strike. The bonefish accelerated immediately, causing the fly line to create a rooster tail of water as it headed for the perceived safety of deeper water. I instinctively took my eyes off the fish, separated my hands and concentrated on clearing the line that lay at my feet on the deck. As the line disappeared through the guides, I guided it onto the reel and gave two more sharp jabs of the rod to make sure the barbless hook was secure.
In what seemed like a split second, the fish was on the reel and deep into the backing on its first scorching run. After the first run of 100 yards, the bonefish turned and raced back towards the boat faster than I could recover line. I dipped the rod into the water so the tension would prevent the hook from coming loose and reeled as fast as I could. After catching up and having the fish on the reel again, I marveled as it made three more runs, each progressively shorter than the last but still strong and fast. Then I was able to work the fish back to the boat where my fishing partner Bill Partridge lifted it from the water for a quick picture and release.
This was the fourth day of a six-day fishing trip that had an inauspicious beginning. We had departed the Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport on a Makers Air flight as a disturbance approached that would generate one of the heaviest rainfall events in the last 11 years. The approaching weather made for a bumpy ride and landing, causing cloudy skies and high winds for the first two days of our trip. We were staying at Frankie’s Two Boys Inn on the edge of North Andros’s legendary North Bight. It was here on Cargill Creek at Bering Point where some of the first anglers chased bonefish with a fly rod and where the Bahamian guide and inventor of the Crazy Charlie lived and fished. The Nemours are an extended family of guides that are regarded as some of the Bahamas’ best and my experience fishing with Frankie and his nephew, Harry, bore that out.
Anna Maria’s Bill Partridge with an average Andros bonefish he caught fishing the Dressing Room with Harry Neymour. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
We had planned on fishing for six days because, in my almost three decades of fishing in the Bahamas, it was routine to have at least two days of weather, clouds and/or wind that resulted in poor fishing. This trip was no different and I didn’t even make a cast for the first two days. That all changed on the third day when fishing with Frankie Neymour. As the conditions and the fish settled down and the skies cleared, we estimated that Partridge and I each caught 15 bonefish, including several doubles. The next day we fished again with Frankie Neymour with similar results in places like Charlie Alley and Bight Landing. On that day I caught my largest bonefish (7 pounds) while wading a point as school after school of bones departed the adjacent bay in waves.
On the last two days, we sight-fished with Harry Neymour, who put us on singles, doubles and trios of fish that required a well-placed fly and a nuanced presentation, my all-time favorite type of fishing. Harry is quickly surpassing the prowess of his father, Charlie, and Uncle Frankie with the energy of a new generation perfecting their style of angling.
Andros, the largest and least populated of the Bahamian archipelago, boasts some of the largest bonefish (November-February) to be found anywhere. Frankie’s Two Boys Inn is quickly becoming one of my favorite bonefishing haunts. It’s one of the most reasonably priced lodges in the Bahamas, is a short run to fishing, and boasts one of the most expansive areas to explore. You must pay for your liquor, make your lunch and fish maybe one hour less a day, but at half the price of most lodges, it’s the best deal and fishing I’ve found in almost three decades of pursuing the grey ghost.
To book a trip, visit Frankie’s Two Boys Inn online. If you are a flyfisher and haven’t fished for bonefish, you have one of angling’s greatest adventures to look forward to!
BRADENTON BEACH – The fifth annual Christmas on Bridge Street on Saturday, Dec. 2 will include a holiday boat parade, live music and family-friendly activities.
Beginning at 3 p.m., the Strolling Crosley Carolers will sing, Santa will be available to pose for pictures, and kids can get their faces painted and make ornaments.
When the sun goes down, the annual decorated boat parade will begin.
The best viewing location for the parade will be on the city pier, where Mike Sales will be hosting music from 6-8 p.m. The boats arrive between 6:30-7:30 p.m.
For those who would like to see the parade from the water, two local businesses are accepting passengers on their vessels and donating the proceeds to charity. Space is limited and tickets sell out quickly; visit www.annamariaprincess.com or www.seedolphins.com.
The parade can also be viewed from the Longboat Pass Bridge from 6-6:45 p.m.
Vessels in the parade will gather near the south end of Jewfish Key. The parade will head northwest along the Longboat Pass Bridge and then continue north in the Intracoastal Waterway, passing the Bradenton Beach City Pier and ending at the Bradenton Beach Marina.
For boaters who would like to join in the boat parade, entry is free and open to both powerboats and sailboats. The downloadable entry form is available at lovebradentonbeach.com.
Parade participants must attend a mandatory captain’s meeting on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bridge Street Pier.
Judges will be randomly selected from the crowd at the city pier. Vessels can win a cash prize in one of two categories: Best Decorated Vessel or Most Enthusiastic Vessel.
Christmas on Bridge Street attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item and help “Stuff the Truck” for the Manatee Food Bank.
ANNA MARIA – On Nov. 16, each of the three Anna Maria Island mayors received a letter requesting information from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA), which is conducting a study on consolidating city services and governments.
The study was requested in January by the Manatee County Legislative Delegation that consists of Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton), Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), Rep. Tommy Gregory (R-Lakewood Ranch) and Rep. Mike Beltran (R-Apollo Beach).
On Nov. 16, Mayor Dan Murphy and the Anna Maria City Commission discussed the OPPAGA study, the request for information received earlier that day and the initial Zoom meeting that Murphy and Commission Chair Mark Short had with OPPAGA representatives on Nov. 7.
Speaking first, Short said he learned during the Zoom meeting that OPPAGA Staff Director Emily Leventhal is overseeing the three-person team assigned to conduct the study.
“The scope of their project is to look at the possibility of consolidating services across the three Island cities; and separately, to do an analysis of the consolidation of government structure (the three city governments),” he said.
Short said that each city will be analyzed separately, but the analysis and data pertaining to all three cities will likely be combined into a single report.
“Their goal is to provide options with respect to what could be done and provide both pros and cons with respect to each of those options. They told us they are not making recommendations about what to do. It is unlikely they will recommend any specific course of action,” Short said.
Short said the first step for the city is to provide OPPAGA with the requested information by Dec. 8, if possible. He said OPPAGA representatives will also interview city officials as the study continues.
“They will then prepare a report that will be made available to the state Legislature. That report will be made available to them, not to us. Their goal is to have this analysis done by July of 2024. Probably the most surprising thing I heard on this call was that they are not obligated to share their report with us,” Short said.
After noting that OPPAGA is exempt from public records requests, Short said, “They will share it if the Legislature authorizes them to share it with us. Otherwise, they have no obligation to share with us whatever’s in this report, which, personally, I found to be extremely disappointing.”
Mayor Dan Murphy hopes the OPPAGA study can help reduce property taxes. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy provided an overview of the questions posed and information requests made in the letter. Most of them pertain to city services, but there’s also a three-part question about the potential consolidation of the three Island cities and their governments, he said.
The information request period spans from 2018-23. OPPAGA requested a list of current services the city provides, including, but not limited to, law enforcement, public works projects, public safety, elections, solid and liquid waste disposal treatment, code enforcement and building and planning services. OPPAGA wants email addresses and contact information for the appropriate city official to contact for each service listed, and the total budgeted amounts and actual expenditures for each service.
OPPAGA also wants a description of how the city services provided by Anna Maria could be consolidated with the other two Island cities.
Commissioner Robert Kingan said he doesn’t see how the projected cost savings for the consolidation of services between three cities can accurately be estimated.
Regarding the potential consolidation of the three city governments, the OPPAGA request letter says, “Please provide the following information on government consolidation: A description of the benefits and challenges to individual citizens as well as to government operations related to the following potential options for local governance on Anna Maria Island.
“Option 1: All three cities on Anna Maria Island are consolidated into one new city on the island.
“Option 2: All three cities on Anna Maria Island were incorporated as part of the city of Bradenton.
“Option 3: All three cities on Anna Maria Island remain as incorporated municipalities on the island and work to consolidate existing services where that makes sense,” the request letter says.
OPPAGA’s request for information does not mention Manatee County as a possible consolidation/annexation option.
Commission discussion
Murphy said he received a phone call from Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown the previous day and Brown told him he had not received any consolidated study-related correspondence from Boyd or Robinson.
According to Bradenton Public Records Liaison Bill Ackles, as of Nov. 18, Brown and the city of Bradenton had not received any correspondence from OPPAGA.
In the consolidation study-related letter that Boyd and Robinson sent to the three Island mayors in August, the state legislators stated their goal was to reduce property taxes by consolidating similar services provided by each Island city.
“If the purpose of this study is to reduce taxes, which is what they said at the very beginning, there might be some good in this,” Murphy said.
However, noting that Anna Maria’s property tax millage rate is 2.05 mills and Bradenton’s millage rate is 5.8 mills, he added, “Can you imagine what that would do to your taxes?”
Short noted the two biggest tax levies on an Anna Maria property owner’s tax bill are the taxes levied by Manatee County and the taxes levied by the Manatee County school district. Short said property taxes levied by the city of Anna Maria only account for approximately 10% of a property owner’s total tax bill.
“I think this is something we can embrace and we might get some good out of it and we might be able to shave people’s tax bills,” Murphy said. “I met with a couple yesterday who showed me their tax bill of $50,000 for their home. They’re not homesteaded. They’re retirees from Atlanta. They built a house and didn’t take into consideration the tax implications. Granted, a lot of that is the school board and Manatee County, but a portion of it is ours. I think the push in the next budget year is to reduce our ad valorem taxes. If OPPAGA can help us do that, let’s do it. If we can reduce taxes, we can attract more people to live here,” Murphy said.
Commissioner Jon Crane said, “I’m going to exercise my right to be a little skeptical.”
During public input, Anna Maria resident John Kolojeski suggested the city do some legal research on annexation and whether the state Legislature can force a community to be annexed into another community.
Confused? Of course you are, if you’re a potential buyer. We are living through a very dysfunctional housing market and the maze doesn’t look like it’s ending any time soon. Should you buy, should you rent or should you find a tiny accessory home? The answer is different for everyone.
Buying has almost always been favored over renting when it comes to housing. For some, renting is considered “throwing money away” while buying is an “investment.” The truth is the answer is much more nuanced and really depends on what is the right fit for you.
Renting is a short-term solution as opposed to homeownership, which is much more of a commitment in terms of finances, time and labor than renting. Nevertheless, the argument for home ownership has always been building equity and doing as you please with your property.
In today’s real estate world, homeownership is very elusive to first-time buyers. Inventory is in short supply, interest rates are rising and particularly in Florida, insurance is totally unpredictable from one renewal to the next. Right now, the cost of buying a home versus renting one is at the most extreme since at least 1996. The average monthly new mortgage payment is 52% higher than the average apartment rent, according to CBRE, a global commercial real estate services company.
A person buying a home today will pay 60% more for monthly repayment costs than if they had bought the same house three years ago. As a comparison, rents rose by 22% over the same period, a little ahead of the inflation rate but far below the cost of purchasing on a monthly basis.
If the home you’re considering buying is a long-term investment and you can scrape up the monthly costs with a little extra for inevitable repairs, then in the long run you’re better off. But this decision is an individual one based on job security, family needs and the desire to grow equity.
Trying to fill the lack of the affordable property gap are tiny homes or ADUs (accessory dwelling units). These are typically small apartments tucked away in the backyard, over garages or extended out from the main house. They are getting a second look from buyers who are building, and contractors are providing options for these units as part of new construction. This is a growing trend to keep an eye on.
Finally, I feel that in the best interest of homebuyers, I must mention this last item. Realtors – specifically The National Association of Realtors (NAR) – are facing two federal antitrust trials relative to commissions charged. Realtor commissions are typically 6% shared between the listing and the selling agents, creating a potential conflict of interest. Keep in mind this is not set in stone and sellers can ask for a lower rate before they enter into a listing contract.
The first of these two antitrust cases was decided by a jury against the NAR on Oct. 31. The decision will be appealed, and it could take years before there is any final conclusion. The second case has not gone to trial yet, but we can assume there will be more antitrust cases going forward.
This ruling and others that may be coming can possibly change the way business is done in the real estate community. I know how hard most real estate professionals work and how much experience they offer their clients; therefore, I’m staying neutral.
Well, if you were confused before, I just made it a little more confusing. However, renting or buying should not be confusing, it should be well thought out before moving forward.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said she was told the city of Bradenton will be included in the Anna Maria Island consolidation study being conducted by the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA).
On Nov. 8, Titsworth had her first study-related virtual meeting with OPPAGA representatives. Later that day, she contacted The Sun and said OPPAGA Staff Director of Government Operations Emily Leventhal told her the city of Bradenton will be included in the consolidation study and will be considered as one of several potential annexation options if the three Island cities and city governments are to be eliminated by the state.
Titsworth said she was told that Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown would soon receive a letter from OPPAGA informing him that the city of Bradenton will be included in the consolidation study and may be considered as an annexation option. Titsworth said there were two other witnesses in the room with her during her meeting with OPPAGA representatives.
The following day, Titsworth posted a lengthy consolidation study-related statement at the city of Holmes Beach’s Facebook page titled “The Future of Anna Maria Island: The Fate of Our Cities Are at Stake.”
“In continuing to keep our Holmes Beach residents, property owners and friends informed on issues facing our city, it is important to share with you updated information on the OPPAGA study initiated by our state leaders, and specifically what I learned during yesterday’s OPPAGA Entrance Conference,” Titsworth stated.
“Legislative leadership has tasked this research team, with the support of the entire Manatee Delegation, to conduct an immediate study and to review the potential benefits of consolidation of municipal services and/or government structures for Anna Maria Island.
“During the conference, it was revealed that the city of Bradenton and Manatee County are also included in this study, though they have not yet received correspondence from the research team. There will be large record requests starting next week that the cities will need to respond to, along with more tailored follow-up requests, interviews and potential site visits that will be conducted along the way.
Titsworth
“The research team is anticipating a completion date for July 2024 to present their results to legislative leadership. These recommendations will then be presented to the senior leadership person, most likely (state Representatives) Will Robinson or Jim Boyd. If leadership decides that the report should be published, it will then be available to the cities and the public. Otherwise, the findings and recommendations remain confidential and exempt from public disclosure. It is anticipated that the data gathered and analyzed will provide state leaders with the information needed to determine the fate of our cities,” Titsworth stated.
“The biggest concern I have with this study is that neither the residents nor city officials asked for it. They were not consulted about the development of the scope and remain unaware of the motivations behind this emboldened act of the Legislature. It is my understanding that we are the only coastal cities in Florida being threatened by consolidation, though we may not be the last as there have been more than 80 bills passed by the state Legislature in recent years that have greatly diluted home rule.
“It is unclear what the path forward looks like if state leaders move to consolidate, especially when it is an act not supported by the cities and citizens which are directly impacted. Is a referendum by the people even necessary when the decision is made at the state level? Is the governor tasked to appoint a board to write a new charter, zoning districts, comprehensive plan and land development codes? Is a new charter even needed, or will one city absorb the others; and if so, which city?
“Will the new board respect current density and height restrictions? If there is a new charter, are the grandfathered minimum length of stay restrictions for resort housing to be preserved or will they be removed, turning neighborhoods into motels?
“I urge all citizens to pay attention to decisions being made at the local and state level. Do these leaders have your best interests at heart? These decisions will have a profound effect on quality-of-life issues. Our unique small-town identities and a century of history could soon be lost to consolidation and to the neighboring city of Bradenton,” Titsworth stated.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and City Commission Chair Mark Short participated in their first virtual meeting with OPPAGA representatives on Nov. 7.
When asked about that meeting later in the week, Murphy said, “Commissioner Mark Short and I did indeed meet with OPPAGA representatives this week. I feel obligated to first inform our city commissioners as to the status of the study. I will discuss what was covered at our next city commission meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16.”
Last week, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie also participated in his first virtual meeting with OPPAGA representatives. As of Monday afternoon, Chappie had not responded to The Sun’s requests for comment on his meeting with OPPAGA officials.
Study requested
OPPAGA serves as the research and analysis arm of the Florida Legislature and supports the Legislature by providing data, evaluation, research and objective analyses used to make legislative decisions.
Since the AMI consolidation study was first requested in January by the Manatee County legislative delegation, the general assumption was if the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach were consolidated by the Florida Legislature, the three Island cities would either be consolidated into one Island city and city government, or the three cities would be annexed into Manatee County and the three existing city governments would be eliminated. The possibility of the three Island cities being annexed into the city of Bradenton adds a new twist to the ongoing consolidation discussions.
The delegation consists of Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton), Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), State Rep. Tommy Gregory (R-Lakewood Ranch) and State Rep. Mike Beltran (R-Apollo Beach).
Boyd
Touted in part as a means to reduce property taxes for Anna Maria Island property owners, the study pertains to the potential consolidation of the similar services currently provided separately by all three Island cities and/or the possible consolidation of the three cities or the elimination of the three cities and their respective city governments.
The delegation put the study request on temporary hold to provide the three Island mayors time to discuss and devise potential areas of consolidation services with potential cost savings to be identified with law enforcement, code enforcement, public works, building departments and permitting and other services currently provided by all three cities. Those mayoral consolidation discussions produced no tangible results.
On Aug. 21, Boyd and Robinson sent letters to three Island mayors informing them of the delegation’s renewed pursuit of the OPPAGA consolidation study.
On Oct. 31, Murphy and Short received a letter from OPPAGA Coordinator P.K. Jameson; Titsworth and Chappie received similar letters.
In her letter to Murphy and Short, Jameson wrote, “As directed by the Legislature, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability is reviewing the potential benefits of consolidating municipal services and government structures for Anna Maria Island.
“OPPAGA expects to begin this review immediately. To assure the least disruption to your agency, OPPAGA staff would like to meet with you or your representative to discuss the procedures for this review. Your office will be contacted in the near future to establish an appropriate time and place for the meeting. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Leventhal.”
Additional responses
On Nov. 9, The Sun emailed Leventhal seeking confirmation that she told Titsworth the city of Bradenton would be included in the study and considered as a potential annexation option. That email also contained questions about the actual implementation of any consolidation or annexation actions.
Later that day, The Sun received a phone call from OPPAGA General Counsel Janet Tashner.
“Unfortunately, we’re not able to comment; and I can tell you it’s a little early for these questions. The study just began,” Tashner said.
Tashner was asked if she could at least confirm whether the city of Bradenton will be considered as one possible annexation option.
“They’re not going to know what those possibilities are until the study’s complete,” Tashner said.
On Nov. 9, The Sun emailed Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and Public Information Officer Jeannie Roberts inquiring as to whether Brown had yet received any correspondence from OPPAGA, Boyd or Robinson regarding the consolidation study.
Roberts responded with an email that said, “The city of Bradenton is advising media to contact the offices of Rep. Will Robinson or Sen. Jim Boyd, as this is a state initiative.” The Sun again asked Roberts or Brown to provide a copy of any OPPAGA-related correspondence Brown received or receives.
On Monday morning, Bradenton Records Management Liaison Officer Bill Ackles acknowledged The Sun’s records request. As of Monday afternoon, no consolidation study-related correspondence was yet provided and Brown had not responded to The Sun’s inquiry.
On Nov. 9, The Sun emailed Boyd seeking his insight on the city of Bradenton being included in the consolidation study. As of Monday afternoon, Boyd had not responded.
Robinson response
On Nov. 9, The Sun emailed a similar inquiry to Robinson. On Nov. 10, Robinson called The Sun and spoke briefly about the consolidation study. He said the city of Bradenton is one of many possible consolidation/annexation options. The other options could also include no consolidation or annexation at all, consolidating the Anna Maria Island cities into one Island city or annexing the Island cities into Manatee County.
“To make the most complete decision, the delegation has asked that the OPPAGA study analyze each and every option, including doing nothing,” Robinson said later via text message.
On Nov. 10, Robinson provided The Sun with a lengthy written statement regarding the OPPAGA study and what prompted it.
Robinson
“Growing up, my mom and dad would take me to Anna Maria Island a lot. We would visit for the day, go to the beach and bring a bagged lunch, as we didn’t have a lot of money. I still enjoy to this day going out there. It is paradise. My public battle on beach parking and access is solely focused on allowing all families the chance to enjoy our great beaches, including those that cannot afford to live on the Island or pay the high weekly vacation rental fee,” Robinson stated.
His statement addressed the state legislation adopted and approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year which allows Manatee County to build a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach despite the city’s continued opposition.
“Unfortunately, roadblock after roadblock was put up by the city of Holmes Beach to reasonably solve this issue and the Legislature was forced to act. That (parking garage) bill passed unanimously – all Republicans and all Democrats in both the House, 116-0, and the Senate, 39-0. The mayor of Holmes Beach blamed the Legislature for not understanding the issue. Believe me, they did.
“Many members could not believe the restrictions put in place by Holmes Beach to take away parking that had existed for decades, with the goal of making it more difficult to allow anyone to visit the Island. In that battle, many residents on the Island reached out to ask that we look at the political structure of the Island. Because of the over-regulatory policies, traffic and ability to sell homes at a high price, residents are fleeing the Island.
“About a year ago, the Manatee County legislative delegation unanimously requested a study from OPPAGA to analyze all the political options for the Island. Senator Boyd and I met with the three Island mayors earlier this year and they asked for us to pause the OPPAGA study so they could work on coordinating services. The delegation paused the study, in good faith, to allow that important work to continue. Unfortunately, the mayor of Holmes Beach blocked any progress, fearing that would lead to consolidation. Senator Boyd and I sent another letter to the mayors asking them to work on coordination. Mayor Chappie outlined wonderful suggestions and Mayor Murphy committed to find ways to save taxpayer money. Unfortunately, the mayor of Holmes Beach once again offered no help or coordination. Left with no option, the independent state agency, OPPAGA, has begun work on the study. The Island cannot function long-term with residents fleeing, selling their homes and creating more vacation rentals, budgets souring with out-of-control regulation – like in Holmes Beach restricting reasonable beach parking.
“The study will look at all options available to make the Island stronger and more efficient. On a 7-mile stretch of land, do we really need three police departments? Do we need three building departments or public works departments all with different standards and ways of doing things? Do we need three city commissions and three mayors with never-ending rising revenues but a plummeting resident population?” Robinson stated.
“I don’t have all the answers to any of these questions because we don’t have the data, and I have not heard from all the residents. The OPPAGA study will look at all options, including doing nothing. The study will take several months to complete and it is my strong opinion that if a change is made, the (existing) building height on the Island should be 100% legally protected from going any higher, as that is critical to the charm and quality of life on the Island,” Robinson stated.
“Even though the mayor of Holmes Beach continues to block progress and any reasonable coordination, I urge the mayors to get back in a room and find ways to save taxpayer money. I am happy to play whatever role you need and offer any help. The Legislature is forced to proceed with this study because residents have asked us for help and some have told me they are scared to speak up for fear of repercussions from the city of Holmes Beach.
Robinson noted none of the 2023 city commission races on the Island were contested and all eight incumbent commissioners seeking reelection ran unopposed. He noted there hasn’t been a contested commission on the Island since 2021.
He noted that as of 2023, Bradenton Beach had 644 registered voters, Anna Maria had 925 and Holmes Beach had 2,638.
“As the voting population continues to dwindle, will there be enough eligible islanders to fill all of the mayor and commission seats? Overall, the Island has lost a significant amount of its voter population in 15 years, even as Florida has exploded in growth. Over the last 20 years, the Island has exploded in vacation rental growth, while the resident and voting population has plummeted. That trend does not seem to be ending. And, just to the north, the town of Longboat Key has more population than all three Island cities combined and is on a bigger island,” Robinson stated.
“Now, more than ever, we need to make the Island stronger and more efficient to bring down taxes, reduce unnecessary regulation and preserve our beautiful beaches for everyone. This study will provide invaluable data that will allow us to review every feasible option available for the Island. It is imperative the Island gets on a better path that reduces taxes, unnecessary and burdensome regulations and is more welcoming to all residents, most especially in greater Manatee County, who also pay taxes to support our beautiful beaches,” Robinson stated.
Titsworth has consistently maintained that her city government is not attempting to restrict parking.
Financial impacts
Consolidating the three Island cities into one Island city or annexing the three cities into the city of Bradenton or Manatee County would have significant financial impacts. If the three Island cities were consolidated into one Island city, the annual property tax revenues currently received by each respective city would be controlled by the Island’s newly-created governing body.
If the three cities were annexed into the city of Bradenton, that city would then receive those property tax revenues. If the three Island cities were annexed into Manatee County, the county would receive those property tax revenues.
For the current tax year, the taxable value of all properties in Holmes Beach is $3.14 billion. The total taxable value in Anna Maria is $2.03 billion and $981 million in Bradenton Beach.
A property owner’s tax bill is calculated using the annual millage rate established by each specific governing body. Anna Maria and Holmes Beach’s current 2.05 millage rates are the lowest in Manatee County. The millage rate in Bradenton Beach is 2.3329 mills. The millage rate in Bradenton is 5.8351 mills and Manatee County’s 2023-24 millage rate is 6.2326 mills.
One mill equals $1 in property taxes owed per $1,000 of assessed taxable property value.
The millage rate calculation formula is: Taxable value divided by 1,000 multiplied by the millage rate equals the property tax owed.
ANNA MARIA – With youth soccer taking the week off for fall festivities, the adult co-ed recreational soccer league was the only play on The Center’s pitches last week.
Four exciting and competitive games last Thursday night were played by the eight teams whose members fought hard for seven weeks in the regular season. The teams that finished in the bottom half of the rankings did not make it easy on their opponents, leading to two shootouts in overtime.
In a close match-up, Gulfview Windows & Doors, led by captain Keith Mahoney, battled it out against a worthy adversary, team Sato Real Estate. Josh Sato, captain for Sato Real Estate, worked with his friends and teammates for two halves of quarter-final soccer only to come up short in the end.
The Sato squad finished the regular season in fourth place, just ahead of Gulfview. With nine saves in the game, keeper Ben Sato and the team’s defensive efforts let one too many in the goal.
Giving B. Sato time to run on the field, J.D. Webb took over as goalie for a short stint. One Gulfview shot got by Webb, contributing to Mahoney’s team’s victory.
Raul Loera saved nine shots as the goalie for Gulfview, while offensively Leo Gonzalez secured a goal and made an assist to Jesus Martinez. Martinez finished the game with a hat trick, pushing his team to the next level of playoff battle.
Amy Ivin and James Noblett played tough offensively for Sato Real Estate, each scoring a goal to close out the season for the team. J. Sato was credited with an assist.
Game two of the night was a defensive battle royale with a final score of 1-1 at the end of timed play. Between three goalies on two teams, 20 goals were saved in the 44 minutes of official regulation play.
For Ross Built Custom Homes, keeper Max Gazzo made 13 recorded saves, while Chris Klotz and Nate Welch shared the goalie responsibilities with three and four saves, respectively, for team Pool America.
Scoring goals was a struggle for both teams. Daniel Hampton scored Ross Built’s only goal during timed play off of team captain Greg Ross’ assist. Opponent Murat Akay scored the only goal for Pool America during the two halves of the game.
Pool America’s team captain Eduardo Schlueter kept his team’s head in the game leading to the night’s first shootout in overtime. Out of five assigned penalty kick shooters for each team, there was only one winner.
Under the pressure of taking the PK shots, Ross Built shooters Ethan Hampton and Andrew Ross both made the first two shots for the team, and that was all that was needed to move their team forward to another week of soccer.
Nate Welch was the first kicker for Pool America and the only shooter for the team to successfully make a PK attempt.
The 8 p.m. game started a bit late but proved to be worth the wait. In the final seconds of the game, team captain Kevin Roman proved why he is a clutch player in the league, controlling the soccer ball and striking the game-winning shot.
Roman’s much-needed goal gave him another hat trick in the season, finishing with three points in the game. Heilo Gomez’s single goal helped make the Gulf Drive victory possible, along with Javier Rivera’s assist and the team’s strong defense.
Once again, goalkeeper Charles “Tuna” McCracken saved the day with nine huge stops. McCracken’s counterpart, Robb Marshall, had a strong season and game with eight saves for the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits team.
Led by Jake Parsons, the Sandbar squad finished low in the rankings, but fought hard all season and made the quarter-final playoff game an exciting nailbiter.
With the crowd cheering with every shot, John Cruz, Justin Fields and Alex Villanueva each got the Sandbar supporters roaring with their goals. Scoreless last Thursday, Sandbar’s Matt Staggs had two assists, contributing to the W.
Those who stayed for the fourth and final round one playoff battle were happy they did. The action-packed game between first-place Moss Builders and last-place Slim’s Place did not disappoint and led to another shootout.
Both team’s goalies, team captain Ryan Moss for Moss Builders and Steve Oelfke for Slim’s Place, finished regulation play with six saves.
Coming off Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos’ pass, Moss Builder’s Erica Nielsen scored the only goal for her team, while Kris Yavalar put the only point on the scoreboard for Slim’s Place.
At the final whistle, signaling the end of regulation time, Slim’s Place’s captain, Yuri Pereira, pulled his shooters together.
Dean Hinterstoisser and Urbiola Bolanos were the first two shooters for Moss Builders. Both players made their shots, perceivably setting the tone for future PKs, especially after the missed shot by Steve Adair, shooting first for Slim’s.
The three subsequent Moss Builders misses, along with goals made by Slim’s Place’s Thomas Mangotic and league founding players Damir Glavan and Yavalar sealed the deal for the underdog team’s rise to the semifinal bracket.
To start the playoff action this week, Slim’s Place will face #5 Gulfview Windows & Doors on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. In the second semifinal game, third-ranked Ross Built Custom Homes matches up against the No. 2 regular season finishers, Gulf Drive Café.
The final two that survive Thursday night’s battles on the Island soccer field will play to see who takes home the Hayward Cup honors on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.
This week’s soccer play leads up to the “smiledeep” soccer tournament on Saturday, Nov. 11 at The Center, honoring Paul “Ace” Hayward, of the Hayward Cup. The tournament is a fundraiser benefitting the community center’s soccer programs. The day’s soccer action will start at 9 a.m. with open play to watch with friends and family if you are not part of the action.
SUN SCOREBOARD
NOV. 2 – ADULT CO-ED SOCCER
QUARTER-FINAL PLAYOFF GAMES
#5 Gulfview Windows & Doors 4
#4 Sato Real Estate 2
#3 Ross Built Custom Homes 1 winner in overtime PKs (2-1)
Once upon a time, there was a great tradition in real estate where sellers listed their homes, buyers made an offer and eventually, both parties met in the middle and, like magic, you had a sound transaction. We haven’t seen much of that tradition recently, but don’t give up, you may start to see more of it.
Sellers, if you can find one, are more receptive to certain requests than they had been previously. Despite hearing that homeowners don’t want to give up their ultra-low mortgages, there is always someone who needs to sell their home. Since the pool of buyers has dwindled recently because of higher interest rates and lack of inventory, motivated buyers need to find sellers out there who are also motivated and more flexible than they were two to three years ago.
The obvious buyer strategy is to ask for money or something that costs money. With mortgage interest rates getting close to 8%, every penny in the hands of a buyer is a valuable one. Offering or asking for help with closing costs isn’t a new concept. Buyers who may be short on cash but qualify for financing may ask sellers to provide a credit at closing to be used for closing costs unrelated to their mortgage rate. This amount can usually be rolled into the financing for qualified buyers and the seller could easily be netting the same.
Sellers know or certainly should know what the flaws in their homes are. They may not want to take on a renovation project but are faced with buyers who may again be short on cash for repairs or adverse to doing renovations. Sellers can agree to make specific improvements to the home before closing. This agreement can be negotiated between buyer and seller so that both feel they come out pretty much with what they want and can close the property.
The next concept is a little more complicated but again includes money passing from the seller to the buyer. Sellers can agree to lower a buyer’s mortgage interest rate, known as a rate buy-down, by offering to pay closing costs in the form of points. If a buyer can reduce points, their mortgage rate can be lowered, resulting in a lower monthly payment. Points are typically 1% of the loan amount, so if a seller gives two points to the buyer on a $300,000 loan, that’s $6,000 the buyer doesn’t have to come up with.
Finally, sellers need to consider capital gains in a conversation with their tax attorney or preparer. A seller who is in a position where they may have large capital gains on the sale of their property needs to know exactly what those gains could be in real money. Entering a negotiation with this knowledge is important since the seller and the buyer may not be that far apart on their offers and counter offers if you calculate what it may cost the seller in additional capital gains. Knowing ahead of time how much flexibility you have between the sale price and capital gains could save the transaction and still net the seller almost what he wants. Holding out for an exact number embedded in your brain could kill the deal and keep you from moving on.
Go out there and make magic. Beat the bushes to bring those sellers out from the scrub. An old high school friend of mine’s mother would say, “There’s a lid for every pot.” And even though she was talking about boyfriends, the principle is the same. Go find your pot.
Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch last weekend when they conducted their 2023 Annual Sister Keys Cleanup. The event was a collaboration of the two non-profit organizations, the Town of Longboat Key and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Close to 50 volunteers worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items. This year’s harvest was especially large, fueled by the storm surge that hit the area during Hurricane Idalia. One of the most unusual items in the cleanup’s 15-year history was uncovered during the event, an 18-foot wooden “sharpie” sailing craft. John Hoover made another impressive find when he uncovered a blown glass sphere. In all, volunteers collected over 1,000 pounds of trash from the islands.
The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early 60s as the Shangri Isle Club and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went up for sale at $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town of Longboat Key purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.
The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today, mature mangroves dominate the waterways and are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands, first created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s, have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.
The cleanup is part of a continuing two-pronged effort to clear the islands of trash and prevent the resurgence of invasive species.
Kayakers and those without a boat were ferried to the island by volunteer boaters Benny Parrish, Mark McBride and Tim Thurman.
Back at the Longboat Key Boat Ramp, event volunteers loaded the debris to be retrieved by the town’s public works employees. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled. The volunteers were treated to a box lunch and beverages provided by the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and the Chiles Group, who have been supporters of the event from the beginning.
The Sister Keys Clean Up is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2021, SBW planted clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay, including an annual monofilament cleanup and more.
Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, fieldwork, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives to hold municipalities responsible for mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act. SCWK also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters. For more information on the groups’ missions and to become a member, visit their websites, www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.
ANNA MARIA – The Island Players are back with the second production of their historic 75th season. “Later Life” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Preston Boyd, is a romantic comedy about a couple that reunites decades after a brief encounter and gets a second chance at love.
“Gurney wrote this play in 1993 and it is set in 1993,” Boyd said. “The purpose for him to write this story was to explore second chances in relationships. People can relate to the fact that we have one or two in our lives that we let get away.”
The action takes place entirely on the large balcony of a high-rise apartment building in the heart of downtown Boston. We meet the host, Sally, a middle-aged high society woman who brings her friend, Austin (Mark Shoemaker), a well-mannered Bostonian out onto the balcony while she finds her friend Ruth, (Valerie Lipscomb), who is in town visiting from Las Vegas after recently separating from her husband. It’s a set-up and what is quickly apparent is that Ruth has one over on Austin – she remembers a time they met decades earlier and he doesn’t. The encounter happened many years before while he was in the Navy on the Isle of Capri.
Ruth is rather flirtatious towards the divorced Austin, but their attempts at rekindling turn into an evening of interrupted conversation as guests keep coming out onto the balcony, breaking in and disrupting Ruth and Austin’s growing connection.
Although not integral to the core plot, the interrupting guests are the source of plenty of laughs and all are played by the same actors. Daphne Du Frane, whom we first meet as Sally, goes on to play at least half a dozen women, with Joseph Smith performing as all the men. In a series of perfect wigs and costumes, they parade in and out, making it difficult for Ruth and Austin to have their meaningful “get to know you all over again” conversation.
All four actors do a superb job and have a solid understanding of their characters, making this one of the most polished performances in recent Island Players history. “Later Life” is not the traditional comedy that audiences who frequent the Island Playhouse may be used to, but this show is a nice departure from the norm and certainly memorable.
“Later Life” runs through Sunday, Nov. 12, with performances Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for $28 at the box office or by calling 941-778-5755, or $30 online at www.theislandplayers.org. The theater is located at 10009 Gulf Drive on the corner of Gulf Drive and Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.
