On Saturday night, Feb. 24, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is holding its 14th Annual Scallopalooza: We’re Making Waves. The event is a major fundraiser for the organization. This year Sarasota Bay Watch is celebrating its multidimensional approach to water quality and healthy habitats. This approach includes a wide variety of programs headlined by its clam restoration program. Clams are a key focus of SBW because of their filtration properties (last year SBW obtained Florida’s first lease for restoration purposes). Another big focus of the group is the cleanup efforts of marine debris.
This past year, SBW volunteers actively cleaned local waters from Manatee County to the Myakka River in Charlotte County. In cooperation with local dive groups, over 39,900 pounds of debris were removed. This included rubble that entangles and entraps birds and marine animals, as well as damaging sensitive habitats. Island restoration at Jim Neville Marine Preserve is another focus of SBW. Their Youth Legacy Project (in partnership with Sarasota County) engages with students to remove invasive plants and install native flora to attract pollinators and birds, enriching the habitat value of the preserve while training and engaging the leaders of tomorrow. Their work also includes a youth leadership program for local high school students. This program provides leadership opportunities for the high school students who then work with SBW teaching marine science in an eight-week after-school program for fourth and fifth graders.
This year’s Scallopalooza will help support and fund the organization’s many worthwhile projects. Join other engaged community members for a happy hour, dinner, silent auction and entertainment.
If you would like to get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support its mission, visit www.sarasotabaywatch.org. Make sure you take note of the organizations that are major sponsors of this important fund-raising effort. As their motto says, “A healthy bay is everybody’s business,” literally and figuratively! I hope to see you there.
There are loads of different animal species in the world and although some are part of the same group, like mammals, they still have differences within their group. This is the same with real estate. Family homes are one subset of the real estate group and condominiums are quite another.
Last week we talked about stigmatized properties and when and if disclosing certain information to a potential buyer is critical. Now we’ll talk about all the other typical elements of selling a condominium property that may require disclosure.
The seller’s property disclosure form outlines and questions many areas of the property. For example, condition and brand of appliances, water heaters, heating and air conditioning systems, anything permanently affixed to doors and windows like mirrors, window hardware, mounted speakers, water softener, pool and hot tub condition and many more. In addition, the seller needs to disclose any ongoing plumbing issues, roof leaks, water intrusion and wood-destroying organisms.
Homeowners’ associations have additional restrictions that must be disclosed, primarily the fees and assessments and if these items are up to date. Potential buyers will be provided with a copy of the current Declaration of Condominium and Articles of Incorporation. Buyers have three business days from the date the documents were delivered to review them and cancel the transaction if necessary.
Whether you sign a property disclosure form or not, the seller is still responsible for disclosing all items contained within the disclosure form. Since condominiums are a complex entity with a board of directors, there are discussions at board meetings that might not become a change for several months. This could involve special assessments, use-of-property rules or leasing regulations for the property.
If one of these is imposed before the effective date of the contract for sale, then of course any change must be disclosed to the buyer. However, if there is a discussion at a board meeting, a mailing, an agenda item, a note in the board meeting minutes, or even a discussion by a board member that involves a future assessment or a future material change, the best course of action is to disclose the possibility. As an additional step, researching the previous 12 months of meeting notes adds another layer of protection for the seller. By being as transparent as possible, the seller eliminates any possibility that a buyer could seek legal recourse against the seller for a post-closing assessment or material change.
While a seller’s property disclosure form is not required under Florida law, Florida does require sellers and their realtors to disclose any significant property defects that may not be easily visible to the buyer. Buyers still have the responsibility to have the property inspected.
Disclosure is a thorny thing to maneuver through when selling since there are no perfect properties. In my opinion, the best thing is always to disclose. That said, as I’ve stated many times in this space, I am not an attorney so if there is a question in your mind about disclosing, an attorney would be your best source of confirmation.
Think of selling a condominium as a subset of the real estate animal world, understand what’s unique about it and how to protect yourself in the wild real estate kingdom.
ANNA MARIA – In a close one, Floridian Mortgage earned its second win of the season against team Moss Builders 23-19 in the adult co-ed flag football league at the Island’s community center. The Moss squad’s loss was its first of the season after three games.
The ladies of the field showed what tight coverage should look like, as Jasmine Muldoon, playing for Floridian Mortgage, and Moss Builders’ Evelyn Long were a tough match-up for two halves of play.
The game stats show just how close of a pairing the girls on the field were. Muldoon finished the game with three catches, including one for a touchdown, while Long had seven receptions and one TD nab.
On defense, Muldoon had four critical stops and Long snagged three flags. Several long throws were broken up by one of the two key team players, making for fun excitement on the field.
Overall, the defense of team Floridian Mortgage outplayed the Moss Builders’ offense with seven flag pulls and three total interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Offensively, Floridian’s success with the point after attempts helped with game momentum and added three points to the scoreboard.
Travis Bates, Octavious Cole and Jackson Hayes each had a one-point conversion catch.
Chase Richardson threw for Floridian Mortgage, hitting his receivers for three TDs. Richardson’s targets with good hands in addition to Muldoon were Tim Holly and Cole.
On the other side of the football, Richardson read the plays for two interceptions, while teammate Cody Allen caught the ball on defense for Floridian. Allen had two flag pulls and Hayes had a single stop to add to the winning team’s accolades.
The loss for Moss Builders came down to the final seconds of play. Zachary Long and Ryan Moss shared the credit for touchdown throws. Long’s pass to Moss showed the team’s diversity and why they continue to prove to be a team to beat this season.
Long scored his team’s only point after a Moss touchdown. The other two attempts failed due to the strong Floridian Mortgage defense. Long also had two defensive stops for Moss Builders.
Jesse Skipper caught the Moss pass for six of the 19 team points. Defensively, Jonathan Moss and Skipper each had one flag pull that contributed to the team’s efforts in their third game of the season.
R. Moss pulled two flags while playing on defense to help keep his team in the game until the final play.
Team Salty Printing earned their second win last week against Solid Rock Construction, 30-12. The loss was the first for the Solid Rock team.
In the third game of the night, the Slim’s Place squad won its first game of the season in a shutout against team Gulf Drive Café, 19-0.
Losing by 10 points, Edible Cookie Dough Café could not outplay Sandbar Seafood & Spirits. Team Sandbar goes into week four with two wins and a single loss.
I am writing to express my appreciation for this year’s Climate Champions Award nominees.
On Feb. 15, The Climate Adaptation Center (CAC) will honor five amazing individuals who have made contributions to putting the CAC’s best science information into use. They are on the front line of Climate Adaptation! As such, we are celebrating their contributions not only to honor them but also to inspire our community.
The Second Annual Climate Champions Awards luncheon will be held at Michael’s on East ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 15 with check-in at 11 a.m. and program from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.This joyous program honors those who are helping our community speed climate adaptation actions to help lower the risk from climate-induced disruptions like sea level rise, flooding and more frequent and intense hurricanes, just to name a few.
While the impacts of a warming climate can be difficult, we must celebrate and inspire. I encourage the community to come and honor our 2024 Climate Champions Nominees for the prestigious Beacon Award. Nominees include Jennifer Rominiecki – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; Dr. David Tomasko – Sarasota Bay Estuary Program; Jessica Meszaros and Steve Newborn – WUSF Public Media; and Marshall Gobuty – Pearl Homes, Cortez.
Digital photography and videography continue to evolve as phones advance. Anglers have never had more access to capturing images and videos, right in their pocket. Whether you are capturing a picture or a video clip to remind you of your catch, to share with friends and family, or to post on social media, photography has never been easier. Anglers can enjoy this remarkable technology no matter their level of experience. The best part is that these devices are always close at hand, so you have opportunities that somehow always seemed to appear when you didn’t have an SFR camera at hand. Most smartphones employ AI technology and come with software or apps that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in many ways. You can send the images to social media via email (straight from a phone), download them to your computer, edit and even print them out to frame and display.
Even though snapping a picture has never been easier, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture that special image.
Before ever leaving the dock, be sure you have a full charge on your phone and an extra battery bank with cables to recharge. Shooting video on an iPhone or Android device uses up a lot of power and you don’t want to run out of juice late in the day. Also, carry a cleaning cloth and make sure your lens stays clean.
There is almost always a certain amount of chaos associated with catching a memorable fish, so get an idea in advance of where you’ll compose your image.
An image from an iPhone takes a memorable shot when well-composed and exposed. Rallis Papas’ trout took a black Clouser in Waccasassa Bay. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
Check the background through the viewfinder carefully for distracting and cluttered backgrounds. Make sure you don’t have any unwanted objects, like a rod appearing to stick out of someone’s head.
Look to capture photographs that aren’t posed and remember that the sooner you get your picture the more vibrant the colors of a fish will be. First and foremost, fill the frame with the subject, eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the composition.
Since you’re filming on the water, check that the horizon is straight. Most phones have the option of putting a grid on the field of view.
Many photographs taken on the water are exposed in bright light. When possible, shoot with the sun at your back and use fill flash when shooting with the sun in the background.
Take several shots from different angles and get the angler excited and talking to you. One of the great advantages of digital is that you can take lots of pictures and edit them on the go to make sure you have the shot you want.
Modern phones have built-in software to edit images but there are also apps including Lightroom and Photoshop that can be used. Since lighting on the water can be challenging, shoot and then review important shots.
The one disadvantage of phone photography is the lack of telephoto capabilities. There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today that give you that option if needed but today’s phones take excellent images of fish and fishing. Phones can take amazing images, but they have their limitations so if you’re interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Taking the time to capture the moments of life pays in dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.
ANNA MARIA – The newly formed Mom’s Café group provides moms of all ages a place to gather and share their motherhood experiences.
The inaugural Mom’s Café gathering took place on Jan. 24 in the Fellowship Hall at Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave.
Led by Liz Rodgers, the Mom’s Café group now plans to meet two Wednesdays a month from 9:30-11 a.m. The next meeting is scheduled on Feb. 14 and will feature a guest speaker sharing hints and advice on healthy habits for moms. Additional meetings are scheduled on Feb. 28, March 13 and 27, April 10 and 24 and May 8 and 22.
“The first meeting is about getting to know each other, find out what’s meaningful for them and make sure we tailor this to what the moms’ needs are,” Rodgers said as the attending moms arrived, mingled and enjoyed free coffee and refreshments.
“It’s for all moms,” Rodgers said, noting the mix of younger and older moms is an important component of Mom’s Café.
Liz Rodgers, standing, leads the Mom’s Café meetings. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Before the first meeting started, Jen Serra and Laura Seubert shared their thoughts on motherhood and the Mom’s Café meetings. Serra’s kids are 13, 11 and 8 years old. Seubert’s kids are 17, 14 and 9.
When asked about the challenges currently faced by parents and youngsters on Anna Maria Island, Seubert said, “Social media is huge.”
“Yes, social media,” Serra agreed.
Seubert said scheduling is another big challenge.
“Our kids are so involved and so active. When I got home from school, I went out and played until the streetlights came on. Nowadays, our kids are doing community service, athletics and more. Getting everybody in one place and having a sit-down meal is challenging,” she said.
Serra said there’s a viable network of Island families but connecting as a community can be challenging.
“On the Island, there’s not a lot of focus on moms with kids in school and younger. That demographic exists but isn’t always noticed with all the snowbirds and visitors,” she said.
When asked about the challenges posed by living in neighborhoods dominated primarily by vacation rental homes, Seubert said, “While this is a really busy Island for visitors, it’s a rural community for residents with very few families that can interact. For our kids to do sports, other than at The Center, they go off the Island. For Boy Scouts, they go off-Island. It’s like being in the boonies; you have to drive to where you want to go.”
Rodgers, who lives just off-Island, said, “In my neighborhood, there’s two moms that are new to the area. They have little kids and feel isolated and they don’t get out. This is a venue to help moms connect with each other and share their journey, their experiences and what they’ve learned about mothering.”
“I go to a moms’ workout group at CrossFit but it’s not really advertised. It’s all word of mouth,” Serra said. “There’s a bunch of families that go play kickball together, but if nobody knows you and you’re not on the email list you’re not going to get the invite. It’s as close to a pick-up game as we can get when you can’t just go next door.”
Serra said she went through a period where she invited 10-15 kids over every Wednesday night to swim and share a potluck dinner. She also hosts a craft night for her friends every three months.
“Just to get connected,” she said.
As for what attracted her to Mom’s Café, Seubert said, “Having a place where moms can come together.”
“To carve out some mom time and to connect the younger moms and the older mentor moms,” Serra said.
Sharing something she learned as a mom and wants to impart to others, Seubert said, “Our kids go to Saint Stephen’s. My oldest is a senior in high school and he’s applying to college. We’ve had to go back in our memories and come up with the things he’s done to put on his resume. So, I started Google documents on my phone for my 14-year-old and my 9-year-old. Every time they get an award or an honor or volunteer for something I add it to the list. I tell other moms to start doing that now.”
Chinda Sanger and her husband, Tom, recently joined Roser Church. They have a 5-year-old in kindergarten and an 8-year-old in third grade, both of whom attend Anna Maria Elementary. They also have a 4-year-old who attends the School for Constructive Play in Holmes Beach.
“Jen is the president of PTO at Anna Maria Elementary. I know most of the women from the school and I’m here to meet other moms,” Sanger said.
Accompanied by her 12-week-old son Axl – named after Gun’s N’ Roses singer Axl Rose – Christine Mullen was the newest mom in attendance.
“I hope to make connections with moms who are going through similar trials and to learn from the more seasoned moms and get advice from them. I’m scared every day. I just want to raise a good person who has a servant’s heart and I want him to be a good guy,” Mullen said.
Mom’s Café meetings are free, with free childcare provided. The meetings are open to all moms regardless of age or religious affiliation. For meeting dates and more information call 941-778-0414 or visit www.roserchurch.com/moms-cafe/#more-8062.
Manatee County – Local water quality is improving through the efforts of Manatee County environmental staff, according to the county’s Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker.
“Our people in water quality and environmental protection are working hard every day,” Hunsicker told commissioners on Jan. 23. “And with our utility partners and public works partners, we are working to protect the water quality in Manatee County.”
Hunsicker said water is monitored at more than 80 sites around the county, with more than 11,000 samples being tested annually.
“Manatee County is working hard to always observe where we are in our water-quality picture,” he said.
Hunsicker presented numerous charts showing county efforts to maintain water quality that include:
• Wastewater treatment upgrades ($600 million invested over the next five years);
• Increased street sweeping;
• 5,000 seagrass plugs planted;
• 25,000 trees planted in 2023;
• 15,000 acres of habitat restored; and
• 1,500 vertical oyster gardens installed.
“More than 18 million gallons of water were saved last year alone in water irrigation efficiencies (through the IFAS University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences),” he said.
Hunsicker said 114,262 acres of seagrass off the coast of Manatee County in Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are dependent on water quality.
“We also have storm sampling for bacteria,” Hunsicker said. “Last year and the years before we were faced with possible closures of our recreational beaches along the Gulf because of bacteriological readings that were taken around Palma Sola Bay and assumptions made by the health department that contamination extended throughout the entire county. We were able to respond to them and keep our beaches open and to prove and demonstrate with our own sampling efforts that bacteria were not affecting the Gulf beaches of Anna Maria Island.”
“This is really important, and it is of major concern to our residents,” Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Ray Turner said.
Commissioners praised the Natural Resources staff for being stewards of voter-supported efforts to purchase more preservation land through the County’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC).
“I hope the board hears that the investments the county is making into natural resources is bearing fruit,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.
You may think in the land of sunshine, surf and sand there can be nothing defined as stigmatized. Maybe not, since the word can mean different things to different buyers.
The National Association of Realtors refers to “stigmatized property” as a property that has been psychologically impacted by an event occurring on the property, even where there was no physical harm to the property.
The typical property that is considered stigmatized by events occurring there is one where a crime occurred. A violent crime is a problem for both buyers and sellers. Buyers may not feel comfortable buying the home since they might be uncomfortable living in a property with a violent history. Because of this, sellers may face the possibility of an adjustment to their price or a renovation to remove any reminders of the event. Two infamous stigmatized properties are the house in Fall River, Massachusetts where Lizzie Bordon is said to have murdered her father and stepmother in 1892. The Borden house has been turned into a tourist attraction for those with a macabre interest. And, of course, the most well-known murder home in the country is where actress Sharon Tate and four others were murdered by the Manson Family cult in 1969. The Los Angeles house was ultimately demolished and a new home with a different address was built in its place.
A price adjustment can depend on whether the property has any notoriety attached to the violent act, especially if the event was reported in the newspapers with details and police involvement. A death on the property, whether natural or suicide, is less of an issue to most buyers. Nevertheless, in the real estate market, we’re experiencing a shortage of available properties. Buyers may be willing to overlook many negatives, especially if the pricing is favorable.
Another potential problem for sellers is not necessarily a property stigmatized because of a death or violent act, but because it is out of the norm for the region. For example, something quirky about the property, whether it’s construction or decorating that can’t be easily removed.
One-of-a-kind architectural properties not compatible with everyday living, actual castles, or castle-like construction, and caves built into the side of a mountain are all examples of stigmatized properties. The problem here is the narrow market for unusual properties and the impact that may have on their value.
The National Association of Realtors goes on to say that selling a property with a reputation may be difficult. In Florida, state laws do not oblige a seller to reveal extraordinary occurrences such as a crime, suicide or unnatural death that occurred on the property or even cases where there are reported hauntings.
However, sellers and their agents would be advised to disclose all potential psychological negatives about the property. Hauntings might be a stretch to disclose but certainly, deaths of any kind could come back to haunt the seller if withheld.
That said, there are certain disease-related negatives that buyers may want to know about, like AIDS and COVID-19. This is a very gray area and may be considered a protected class and not able to be disclosed. This type of situation requires careful consideration and legal input if you are an owner getting ready to sell a similar property.
Like all discussions about disclosure, whether it’s water pipes or death, always best to be cautious and disclose. Grandma’s ghost and nasty sharks in Tampa Bay may be exceptions.
MANATEE COUNTY – Despite having candidates to fill seven vacancies on the nine-seat county Library Advisory Board, county commissioners declined to make any appointments or reappoint two candidates to the board.
Library Services Manager Tammy Parrott presented the applications to the county board of commissioners during a Jan. 23 meeting. While she said it was nice that there were multiple applicants for some of the vacant seats, including the one designated for an Anna Maria Island or Longboat Key resident, some of the seats had only one applicant. Parrott asked commissioners if they were ready to make an appointment to those seats or if they would like to open it back up to see if any more applicants put their hats in the ring for consideration.
Of the seven open seats, one is for a city of Bradenton resident, one for a city of Palmetto resident, one representing the Island communities, one for a Lakewood Ranch/Myakka resident, one for a librarian with a Master of Library Science degree, one for a parent/guardian of a child currently enrolled in Manatee County schools and one for a parent/guardian of a child that is homeschooled in Manatee County.
Only the seats representing the Island communities, Lakewood Ranch/Myakka and the librarian received multiple applications. The applicants for the city of Bradenton and Palmetto seats were seeking reappointment to the board. Putting their names up for consideration for the Island communities’ seat were Ashley Dawson, Nancy Deal, Karen Moss and Corey Wright.
Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he was “not satisfied with any of the applicants on the list” and recommended reopening the application process.
“This is the most robust applicant pool I’ve seen since I started working at the county,” Parrott said. “I was very pleased with the response.”
She noted that the current Library Advisory Board expires at the end of January and she was planning for the new appointees to be in place and begin work in February. She said she was happy with the applications received.
“I don’t see many individuals on this list who are like-minded with this board,” Van Ostenbridge said.
Parrott said three seats are expiring at the end of the month. Currently, there are five people on the board, which is planned to be expanded to nine in 2024. She added that with three seats expiring on the current board, the advisory board would be left with only two members in February with commissioners not making any appointments.
Rather than amending his motion to table the entire discussion until new applicants could be found for all of the seats, Van Ostenbridge said, “I’m not willing to amend my motion. Some may consider it hostile if they like but I would rather the board not meet at all than have a board that’s going to meet and make decisions that are not in line with this county commission.”
In a Jan. 23 email, President of Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library Sue Ann Miller said that she felt Van Ostenbridge’s comments could possibly be seen as discrimination since no board member asked him to define “like-minded.”
“I applied for the AMI position on the county’s Library Advisory Board,” Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal said. “I would not be upset if someone more qualified than I was considered but none of the AMI applicants were considered.”
“I have no idea what I could have written on my application form that indicated any kind of ‘minded,’ let alone ‘not like-minded’ with BOCC,” Deal said, questioning if the decision made by the board was a form of bias against Island residents.
Commissioner George Kruse, who gave the lone dissenting vote on Van Ostenbridge’s motion to table the discussion, said that he felt the application process was well-advertised and the applications were well-received with one of the applicants for reinstatement on the board serving since 2017.
“These are people who clearly care,” Kruse said.
He also noted that the advisory board is tied to a millage rate being collected by the county and he worries that the county cannot collect millage due to failure of the board to meet. He advised that the commissioners should have the county attorney look at the ordinance governing the board before making a decision. County commissioners voted 6-1 to table the discussion.
MANATEE COUNTY – Commissioners and staff at West Manatee Fire Rescue kicked off the new year on a festive note as the district presented its annual awards, recognizing the contributions to the department and community made over the previous year.
Taking home the year’s top honors were firefighters Cameron Frazier and David Miller, who were awarded Officer of the Year and Firefighter of the Year, respectively. Frazier also received an award in recognition of his 10 years of service to the fire district. Miller was recognized for completing his first year with WMFR.
The Rookie of the Year award went to Zackary Misiura while firefighter Jerrod Apple took home the Soteria award, named for the Greek goddess of safety, deliverance and preservation from harm.
Firefighter Mark Tuttle received an award in recognition of his first year of service with WMFR. Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski received recognition for his 15 years with the district. Though not present, firefighter Nathan Bergbom received an award for 25 years of service and firefighter William Bowen received recognition for 20 years of service.
Commissioner Robert Bennett was recognized for serving as the board chair in 2023.
Commissioners also congratulated firefighter Casey Fischbach for her promotion to firefighter second class.
Firefighter
Zackary Misiura took home WMFR’s Rookie of the Year award. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Commissioner Larry Jennis congratulates
firefighter David Miller on his Firefighter of the Year award win. - Kristin Swain | Sun
WMFR firefighter Jerrod Apple receives congratulations
from Deputy Chief Jay Johnson on his win of the 2023 Soteria award. Firefighter
Cameron Frazier received the Officer of the Year award. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Commissioner
Robert Bennett was recognized for his time as chair of the fire district’s board of commissioners in 2023. - Kristin Swain | Sun
WMFR firefighter Jerrod Apple receives congratulations
from Deputy Chief Jay Johnson on his win of the 2023 Soteria award. - Kristin Swain | Sun
BRADENTON BEACH – A new building official has been hired following the Dec. 15 retirement of Steve Gilbert.
Commissioners approved a contract for Darin Cushing on Jan. 18 as city building official for an initial probationary six-month period.
“I have been a licensed building official since 2005,” Cushing told the commission. “I started doing this in Bradenton for five years, and was a building official in Longboat Key. I worked at Manatee County and was a construction project manager at Coquina, the pavilions and concession stands.”
Cushing worked for SAFE-Built inspection services throughout Pinellas County as well as Palmetto for the past year.
When Gilbert was getting close to retirement, he expressed interest in the position.
“I look forward to serving the city as well as Steve did,” Cushing said. “If it was just building code, it’s the same throughout the state. All these little municipalities I work with are all different. I’ll learn it as I go along.”
“Since he has a contract with SAFE-Built, he is not an employee,” Mayor John Chappie said. “So we have to go through another step to grant him the ability to sign some things and do some things that Steve did for us.”
SAFE-Built provides building department services nationwide.
“The city found it was more cost-effective to go with an independent contractor situation,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said.
Perry said Cushing will have supervisory duties over the department.
The commissioners unanimously approved a motion to “Direct Cushing to supervise the building department and its personnel in the same capacity as the former building official on a probationary period for six months and to authorize the mayor to take any action necessary to effectively administer building department services, including any modification of the probationary period up to and including making the supervision permanent.”
Cushing introduced new permit technician Annabre Veal to the commissioners.
“She’s doing a great job,” Cushing said.
Veal is a Manatee County native and has been with the city since September 2022.
Commissioners Jan Vosburgh and Ralph Cole were in attendance at the Jan. 18 meeting. Commissioner Marilyn Maro attended by telephone.
CORTEZ – The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) is gearing up for the 42nd Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival.
The first festival in 1981 drew just 500 people, but an average of 15,000 people are expected to come to the fishing village this year the weekend of Feb. 17-18 to enjoy live music, food, arts and crafts vendors and a celebration of commercial fishing.
This year’s theme, “Cortez Commercial Fishing, It’s A Way of Life,” reflects the importance of commercial fishing to the history and future of Cortez.
“FISH exists to support the commercial fishing industry in Cortez and throughout Florida. During the early years of the festival, the majority of the seafood we served was from the Cortez commercial fishing industry and we desire to return to our roots,” Carol Kio-Green instructed potential food vendors last year on the FISH website. “We are asking all vendors who serve seafood to indicate the source on their menu and make an effort to serve commercially wild-caught seafood from Florida. Our goal is that 25% of all seafood served at the festival will be from the Florida commercial industry.”
Proceeds from the festival are used to fund the FISH Preserve – 98 acres of undeveloped habitat bordering Sarasota Bay along the east side of the historic Cortez fishing village.
“Habitat restoration throughout the preserve is creating coastal habitat for the public to enjoy, complete with trails and educational signage,” according to the FISH website. “Grant money assists our efforts, but our most important partners are our members, neighbors, participants and volunteers. FISH has also purchased significant historic buildings within the village for preservation and community use.”
The festival is planned and run solely by volunteers, who incorporate an educational component into the festival.
The University of Florida and Florida Sea Grant have partnered with this event to present “Dock Talks” each day at the Fulford Fish House, to educate the public on local marine life and commercial fisheries. A touch tank in the Kids Zone gives children a close-up view of local marine life.
The festival also will feature arts and crafts and a photo contest gallery show at the A.P. Bell Fish Co. fish house.
The festival will be held on 46th Avenue West at the end of 123rd Street West in Cortez.
Admission is $5, with kids under 12 free.
The Boy Scouts, in partnership with FISH, will offer on-site parking at the FISH Preserve, one block east of the village off Cortez Road, for a $5 donation. Golf cart transportation to the festival entrance at 123rd Street Court West will be provided.
Free MCAT bus service between Coquina Beach and G.T. Bray Park on 59th Street West in Bradenton to and from the festival will be available.
Off-site parking will be available at Cortez Road Baptist Church (between 99th and 100th Streets on Cortez Road) with free shuttles to and from the festival provided by The Monkey Bus.
ANNA MARIA – The winter flag football season kicked off last week at The Center of Anna Maria Island. Despite a winter storm, the 8- to 10-year-old and adult leagues managed to play through the rain and cold.
The 11- to 14-year-olds were rained out, making up the game this week.
Eight youth teams played under the threat of rain last Tuesday. Two teams blew out their opponents.
Sato Real Estate and Moss Builders were dominant with the ball and on defense, keeping Beach House/Waterfront Restaurant and Chick-Fil-A, respectively, out of the endzone and scoreless.
Team Cheesecake Cuties were victorious over the Adrian Griffin Interiors squad, 22-6. In a close game, Solid Rock Construction was denied the win by team AMI Coconuts. Winning by six points, AMI Coconuts shares the top of the ranks after week one play.
Narrowly escaping the storms, the adults took to the Island gridiron last Thursday night starting with team Edible Cookie Dough Café, a new team sponsor, and Gulf Drive Café going head-to-head.
In an exciting game, Gulf Drive Café won by 14 points, despite a strong battle and comeback by their opponents.
Dallas Buchholz led the Edible Cookie Dough Café team as the quarterback. With three passing touchdowns, Buchholz hit Alonzo Lemus for two scores, while Steven Pavina grabbed the other scoring catch.
Pavina had a strong opening game with four catches, three flag pulls and two interceptions, including one for a TD. Alex Besaw scored the lone two-point conversion, helping with the team’s 26 total points in the game.
Defensively, Besaw had a stop, along with flag pulls by teammates Buchholz and John Sevier.
Helping Gulf Drive Café win the opening game of the season, Zack Price also threw for three touchdowns. Hitting Jaden Grant, Anthony McCance and Brandon Rolland for 18 receiving points, Grant also put up six points in a running play.
The defensive strength of the Gulf Drive team made the difference as Grant and Price each had four big flag pulls. Teammates Hayley Gerken and Rolland had single stops each.
The Gulf Drive Café interceptions, including two pick sixes, contributed to the team’s first win of the season. Karri Stephens and Grant each had the all-important defensive catches and took the football to the endzone. Stephens had three interceptions in the game.
Adding to the team’s momentum in the game, Grant had a two-point conversion, while McCance and Rolland each had successful point after catches.
Rounding out the night, Solid Rock Construction beat Slim’s Place by three points. New team sponsor Floridian Mortgage shut out Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, winning 14-0.
In the final game of the night and closing out week one of flag football play, team Moss Builders eked out the win over Salty Printing by three points.
With weeks of play remaining, winter flag football looks to be another exciting season of youth and adult action.
Push poles have been used to propel boats for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Today’s push poles have come a long way since then. They’ve evolved from wooden poling oars hewn from tree limbs to technological wonders constructed of carbon fiber, Kevlar and graphite. In the early years of flats fishing, short poles were all that were needed. In those days, anglers pursued fish by poling from the deck, standing on coolers and from the top of their boat’s motor. As boat design advanced, elevated platforms were built to allow guides a higher vantage point to spot the fish they were pursuing. That required longer poles to reach the bottom, which proved cumbersome because of the increased weight. That compelled Miami angling innovators Dick Snyder, Lee Cuddy and John Emory to search for lighter materials to propel them across the flats. Fiberglass vaulting poles were explored but proved too heavy, so lighter versions were developed. According to Miami outdoor writer Bob Sterns, the first person to make dedicated push poles from Fiberglas was Bill Marks. Marks had a backyard company that he called Moonlighter Marine.
As rod design advanced from Fiberglas to graphite, push poles followed suit. Graphite was lighter, allowing anglers to pole their skiffs faster while expending less energy. Graphite also stores more energy under a load, giving it a much faster recovery rate. That translates into more energy to propel the boat. Graphite also allowed manufacturers to create a more dynamic product that was stiff and used less material.
Initially, these new poles were crafted of pure graphite, but due to the cost and issues with breakage, products were developed that blended graphite with Fiberglas. The new push poles incorporated the strength of Fiberglas with the lightness and dynamics of graphite. It also lowered the price point of the pole. Modern push poles are now constructed of cutting-edge materials including Kevlar, carbon fiber and resins originally developed by the space industry.
A push pole allows a guide to get clients up close and personal with their quarry. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
The points and forks of most major push poles do not vary significantly. Most are made from a specially formulated abrasion-resistant plastic for longer wear. The majority of forks are a simple Y-shaped design. A better option is a fork with a tapered mud bar that runs between the legs of the fork. The best push poles are cupped, widened in the center for support and designed to shed mud better than standard forks. They allow the angler more latitude when poling over a soft bottom, so less effort is expended pulling the pole out of soft mud. Anglers who pole over hard bottom can opt for a metal tip that screws into the end of the point of the push pole. The tip grabs the bottom, wears longer and is easier to push into the bottom to hold the boat.
Push poles are one of the most important components of the modern flat boat. The best poles have a price tag north of $1,000 and they’re worth it for ardent sight fishers. The type and length of the push pole are best determined by the depth of the water, the height of the poling platform and the amount of time you’ll be using it. Eighteen- to 24-foot poles are most common.
The two most popular brands on the market today are crafted by Stiffy Push Poles and Carbon Marine. Moonlighter Poles are also available. Visit their sites for detailed information at www.fibertexandsupply.com/push-poles/, www.moonlighterpushpoles.com and www.carbonmarine.com. Push poles help you approach fish quietly, a big advantage as more and more boats ply the flats, making fish more skittish and harder to approach. A quality pole will last a lifetime so get the best one you can afford. Poling is a wonderful way to expand your angling horizon above and below the surface.
Every day I watch the tides change. Sometimes they’re low, sometimes they’re high, and every day is different. You could say almost the same thing about mortgage interest rates, but the tides for rates are starting to get lower.
Mortgage rates are ringing in the new year much lower than their near 8% peak this past fall. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage has decreased for multiple weeks with a slight uptick. However, the overall trajectory of mortgage interest rates in 2024 is expected to decrease according to the National Association of Realtors.
While mortgage interest rates ease there will be weekly shifts in the average rate, however, the National Association of Realtors is predicting that the 30-year fixed rate mortgage will average 6.3% in 2024. Between late October and mid-December 2023, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage decreased by more than a percentage point. In real money, the difference between a 6.62% rate and a 7.12% rate is $173 monthly on a $400,000 loan, enough of a difference for some buyers to qualify for a home or a better home. Lower mortgage rates are certainly welcome and will make news, but the problems of dealing with the challenges of low inventory and high home prices will not change quickly on a national basis and may continue to rise. Buyers are more optimistic but are still facing a lack of properties that are being held onto by owners with ultra-low mortgage rates.
End of year 2023 sales and December sales for Manatee County are both looking better than the national numbers. Let’s see what those statistics look like reported by the National Association of Realtors and the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.
Nationally, sales of previously owned homes dropped to the lowest in 28 years, down 19%. Manatee County single-family sales were up 7.3% and sales of condos were down 0.8%. The single-family median selling price for Manatee County in 2023 was down 2.1%, but the median selling price for condos was up 5%.
The December sales compared to December 2022 nationally for previously owned homes fell 6.2%. Manatee County’s single-family closed home sales were up 13.6% from December 2022 and the median sale price was $499,900, down 1.4%. Condos closed 25.4% fewer in December 2023 compared to the previous year, and the median sale price was $350,000, up 1.6% from December 2022.
The month’s supply for both single-family and condos is up. Single-family homes have a 3.3-month supply of properties available and condos have a 4.6-month supply of properties available.
Our area continues to outpace the national market. Manatee County appears to be stabilizing with more inventory available and is pointing to a good upcoming sales season, however, what happens overall in the country can still affect Florida.
We’re all hoping for a good year since the tide of real estate has an overall effect on the economy. The number of properties sold impacts the furniture business, remodeling companies and the sale of everything from paint to lawnmowers. The jobs market is also closely tied to the real estate market, not only in retail but for real estate companies and their employees.
The owner of the first real estate company I worked for once said, “If you’re gone for a week, the entire real estate market is different when you return.” That is essentially true. Properties sell, others are listed and interest rates change. The ebb and flow dictate the marketplace and always will.
This past year, SBW volunteers actively cleaned local waters from Manatee County to the Myakka River in Charlotte County. In cooperation with local dive groups, over 39,900 pounds of debris were removed. This included rubble that entangles and entraps birds and marine animals, as well as damaging sensitive habitats. Island restoration at Jim Neville Marine Preserve is another focus of SBW. Their Youth Legacy Project (in partnership with Sarasota County) engages with students to remove invasive plants and install native flora to attract pollinators and birds, enriching the habitat value of the preserve while training and engaging the leaders of tomorrow. Their work also includes a youth leadership program for local high school students. This program provides leadership opportunities for the high school students who then work with SBW teaching marine science in an eight-week after-school program for fourth and fifth graders. 
