Skip to main content

Tag: Anna Maria

Vacation rental bills looming large

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Archives.

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Legislature is getting closer to potentially taking away local governments’ ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals and vacation rental advertising.

And Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioner Carol Carter are among those who are concerned that state legislators may finally succeed in their annual efforts to strip away cities’ home rule rights.

Similar in nature and intent, Senate Bill 1128 and House Bill 1011 are progressing toward possible final votes on the House and Senate floors.

As recently noted by Florida League of Cities Legislative Advocate Casey Cook, legislators who support the proposed legislation want to turn over the regulation of vacation rentals to the already understaffed and under-resourced Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulations.

And new this year, state legislators are including in their proposed legislation a requirement that all vacation rentals advertised through Airbnb, VRBO and other online platforms must be fully licensed and registered with the state. This is the legislature’s attempt to ensure that vacation rental-related taxes are remitted to county tax collectors, including the sale tax revenues to be remitted back to the state.

Originally filed by Sen. Manny Diaz Jr, R-Miami/Dade, SB 1128 passed through its second committee stop on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Commerce and Tourism Committee ruled favorably on the amended bill by the 3-2 vote and committee chair Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, was one of three senators who voted favorably on the bill.

The Senate bill has been referred to the Rules Committee for its third and final committee stop but it was not included on the agenda for the committee’s Wednesday, Feb. 26 meeting.

If SB 1128 passes through the Rules Committee, it is likely headed to the Senate floor for a final vote by the Republican-controlled Florida Senate.

Serving as the House companion, HB 1011 is co-sponsored by Rep. Jason Fischer, R- Jacksonville, and Rep. Mike LaRosa, R-St. Cloud.

HB 1011 passed through its third and final committee stop on Thursday, Feb. 20, when the Commerce Committee ruled favorably on the bill by a 14-9 margin. State Rep. Will Robinson Jr., a Republican from Bradenton, broke ranks with his party and opposed the legislation. The following day, Murphy sent Robinson an email expressing his appreciation.

“Thank you for voting no on HB 1011 concerning vacation rentals. Your stance on this critical issue is greatly appreciated and respected.  It was apparent that you were the only Republican who had the courage on the committee to stand up for what is in the best interests of the community. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed and will not be forgotten. We thank you for your continued support of the city of Anna Maria and your understanding of the impact of this proposed legislation,” Murphy’s email said.

HB 1011 now appears to be headed to the House floor for a final vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

If identical bills are adopted by the Senate and the House, the legislation would be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign into law or veto. The 2020 legislative session is scheduled to end on March 13.

Local concerns

On Friday, Murphy discussed his concerns and said he’s in daily contact with Chip Case, the city’s lobbyist.

“I’m very concerned about this legislation getting to the House and Senate floors. We need to keep the pressure on the Senate Rules Committee,” Murphy said.

“When Commissioner Carter and I were in Tallahassee two weeks ago, every person we visited, including Fischer, said we certainly got a lot email from your constituents. That’s important. It might be falling on deaf ears, but if we didn’t have that public pressure and we appealed to the governor, the legislators could say there’s been no public objection to this bill,” Murphy said.

“If it passes as written, we’re through regulating vacation rentals. Occupancy limits, inspections and registration would all be out the door. We would lose the ability to know, from a law enforcement point of view, who’s responsible for that house. Now we know who’s responsible because we make sure every vacation rental has a registered agent, a person we can contact 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s critical if there’s a fire, a burglary, an issue with noise or some other issue. Without registration, we have nothing. You’re not going to call anybody at Airbnb. Most of these homes are listed under an LLC and in many cases, it’s foreign ownership,” Murphy said.

“The annual inspections are good, and the occupancy limits are important too – Airbnb wants to cram 25 people in those houses – but the loss of knowing who’s responsible for that house and having that contact information is critical,” Murphy said.

On Monday, Feb. 24, Carter distributed an email that said HB 1011 could be headed for a final vote on the House floor as early as Thursday.

“Time to reach out to all house members to vote no,” she wrote.

She also noted SB 1128 could be on the Rules Committee’s March 3 agenda.
“Must keep up the pressure on our senators,” Carter wrote.
She urges concerned citizens to contact Republican Rules Committee members Lizbeth Benacquisto, Rob Bradley, Jeff Brandes, Anitere Flores, Travis Hutson, Tom Lee, Kathleen Passidomo, David Simmons, Wilton Simpson and Kelli Stargel.

Related coverage

Vacation rental bills progressing

Local vacation rental regulations under fire again

WMFR commissioners review 2019 results

WMFR commissioners review 2019 results

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s February commission meeting started out on a happy note as two of their own were promoted, a new staff member was welcomed and a team received chief’s coins for their work in the community.

Kicking the meeting off, commissioners welcomed new administrative assistant Andrea Berggren, who took the oath of office and was greeted personally by each commissioner.

New administrative assistant Andrea Berggren takes the oath of office. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Continuing the festivities, WMFR leaders recognized Chad Brunner and Tyler MacDonald who were elevated to the rank of captain. MacDonald’s son was even on-hand to pin his father’s badge on his uniform.

Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski congratulates the newly promoted Captain Chad Brunner. – Kristin Swain | Sun

The non-transit advanced life support team of firefighters Frank Agresta and John Balzer, along with Lt. John Stump, were presented with chief’s coins by Administrative Battalion Chief Jay Johnson for going above and beyond in their service to the community. Johnson said he’d spoken with a woman whose husband was having a hard time entering their Island home and had fallen. The firefighters showed up to help the man up and then they returned to the fire station to build a step to make it easier for him to access his home without falling down. Johnson said he’d received many thanks and compliments from the man’s wife for the actions of the firefighters.

Once the festivities were over, commissioners moved on to other business, including discussions concerning the district’s new administrative home.

In January, commissioners were presented with the opportunity to purchase an additional piece of land complete with a shell building in a commercial area near Blake Medical Center. Commissioner Randy Cooper reported to his fellow commissioners during the February meeting that he had viewed the property and didn’t recommend pursuing the purchase, stating that he felt it doesn’t meet the district’s needs.

In 2019, commissioners purchased a large commercial lot located behind the Fountain Court Shopping Center off of Manatee Avenue and have already engaged the services of an architecture firm to help plan the new building.

Commissioner George Harris said that he would like the district’s leaders to keep all of their options open for the moment. Commissioner Al Robinson said he was disappointed that his fellow commissioners had dismissed the possibility of purchasing the other lot with the shell building, saying he felt it could save the district money in the long run when weighed against the expense of new construction.

During the meeting, commissioners voted four to one with Robinson dissenting to accept a contract for construction manager at risk with Creative Contractors Inc. for the new administration building. The contract grants Creative Contractors payment of 5.5% of the actual cost of work for the construction of the new administration building and includes a bond percentage of 0.81% with 0.82% of construction costs going to insurance.

“It’s been great working with them so far,” Chief Ben Rigney said.

There’s no timetable set yet for construction on the new administration building.

Commissioners also reviewed the 2019 annual report.

Johnson presented the annual report, stating that it reflects the district’s purchase of new air packs and the launch of non-transport ALS service at all three district fire stations. He said the district had a 3% increase in calls in 2019 with 67% of those being medical calls. He added that there were 45 fire incidents that WMFR firefighters responded to in 2019, including 14 building fires. He said the district’s response time improved 27 seconds over the previous year.

Community members are invited to review the annual report online.

Related coverage

WMFR celebrates promotions, awards

Lawsuit filed against fire department

Bortell’s Lounge poised for a comeback

Bortell’s Lounge poised for a comeback

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

ANNA MARIA – Extensive renovations will soon take place at Bortell’s Lounge and the popular Anna Maria watering hole is expected to reopen as early as June.

Located at 10002 Gulf Drive, Bortell’s Lounge closed after its husband and wife owners, Steve Rose and Marci Wilhelm, were involved in a plane crash in South Carolina in 2018. Wilhelm was seriously injured in the crash and the pilot and co-pilot were killed when the private jet they were flying in went off the runaway and crashed after landing.

“We’re both getting back to normal, as normal as we can. We would have been open a long time ago but the plane crash took us out of the game for a year. And right after that my dad got brain cancer and we brought him back to the Island and put everything else on hold,” Rose said when speaking by phone on Sunday.

Rose said he was out of town last week and didn’t know the Shoreline Builders’ permit box had been affixed to the building until several friends texted him about it. Security fencing was also installed last week.

Security fencing is now in place in preparation for the pending renovations. – Submitted | Doug Copeland

“We’re doing a full renovation of the building. It had not been renovated in 40 years. We needed electrical, plumbing and a new roof. I like to say we needed one of everything and two of some things. The I’s are dotted, the T’s are crossed and the permits are filtering in. Hopefully, we’ll be open in four to four-and-a-half months. We’re shooting for June,” Rose said.

“The day we shut it down, we yanked out the memorabilia and old stuff that’s been hanging on the walls for 40 years. We got it to an offsite location and secured it. We’ll bring a lot of that stuff back,” he explained.

Rose said Bortell’s occasionally opened for customer appreciation days during the extended temporary closure.

“We’d just fling open the doors and serve drinks, but I can’t even remember the last time we did that,” he said.

“We’re doing a top-quality job and it’ll look great when it’s done,” Rose said, noting there will be at least one significant addition.

“I’m putting a kitchen in, but I don’t know what we’re doing with the kitchen yet. When you spend this kind of money on a rebuild you do it for best possible use – so best possible use does have a kitchen,” he said. “The only food we served since we owned it was the free hot dogs during football on Sundays, and that will continue.”

Bortell’s will also continue the no-smoking policy implemented in 2015.

“That worked out really well for us,” Rose said.

Related coverage

Bunny & Pirates adds to their bounty

Jason Sato tops county real estate rankings again

Mote request trimmed

Castles in the Sand

Florida’s in the tax driver’s seat

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand, Real estate | Development.

It’s almost tax time again so why not talk again about Florida’s advantageous tax position and the influx of new residents. I like to tie in our growing population with real estate sales statistics since it’s my opinion there’s a direct correlation between the two. I’ll also report the January sales in this column.

But first, it’s been two years since the new tax law was signed and we’re just starting to see the effects. Local economies and housing markets are motivating residents of high tax states to relocate to more tax-friendly states like Florida with no state income tax. Even though the tax overhaul resulted in many people experiencing lower taxes, homeowners in high tax states are being seriously hurt and when many of these high-end individuals move, it has a ripple effect on the economies of that state.

If you remember, part of the new law capped how much homeowners can subtract from their federal taxes for the payment of local property and income taxes. The cap is set at $10,000 which, in states like New York, New Jersey and Illinois to name a few, is far below what most homeowners pay in property tax and state tax combined.

The average property tax in the United States in 2018 was about $3,500 according to a national data real estate firm. However, this is far below what much of the northeastern states pay in property tax. In Westchester County in New York State, the average property tax was more than $17,000, the highest in the country. In addition, the law also lowered the size of mortgages for which new buyers can deduct the interest to $750,000 from $1 million, just adding to the high tax and high property value states’ misery.

Not everyone is moving because of taxes exclusively, some were considering a move already and many were near retirement and just needed a little push. Whatever the reason, Florida is one of the beneficiaries of the movement with increased sales and rising property values.

These are the January sales statistics for Manatee County from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee: Single-family homes closed 22.4% more homes in January compared to last January. The median sale price was $329,500, an increase of 6.6%, and the average sale price was $420,775, an increase of 8.7%. Condos closed 47.7% more properties this January compared to last year. The median sale price was $210,000, up 7.7%, and the average sale price was $236,687, down 1.8%.

An ongoing problem continues to be a lack of inventory, with 3.4 month’s supply for single-family properties and 4.7 month’s supply for condos. These numbers are either down double digits from last year or even. As the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee headline reads in its press release “Home Sales Out-Pace Supply.” Not a great place to be.

For those who want to change your address to one in Florida, make sure you establish a legitimate residency. States are known to conduct residency audits to verify you’re really leaving their state. This happens a lot when people own two homes in different states and want to move their residency. Florida wants you to get a driver’s license, obtain Florida license plates and auto insurance, file a declaration of domicile, apply for Florida homestead exemption, register to vote and open a bank account. Floridians should get ready for this influx to continue.

As with most changes, there’s always a good and a bad aspect and we’re sure to experience both.

More Castles in the Sand:

The greying of the mortgage market

Credit scores have new meaning

Let’s all just take a breath

Sports action at The Center heating up

Sports action at The Center heating up

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Soccer, Sports, Volleyball.

The recreational sports program at The Center is in full swing for the Anna Maria Island area youth as well as the adults. The field and hard court at the community center are filled with volleyball, indoor soccer or flag football action.

In last Monday night’s adult volleyball matches, Solid Rock Construction retained their undefeated record by beating Sandbar and Ugly Grouper.

Ugly Grouper ended the week with a 0-4 record. Ugly Grouper and Bins Be Clean sit in the middle of the pack.

Youth flag football lit up the fields Tuesday night. Playing their seventh and final week of the regular season, Moss Builders came out on top with one defeat going into the playoffs in the eight-to 10-year old league.

HSH Designs and Diamond Turf are the second and third seed, respectively, with 4-2 records.

Diamond Turf went up against Beach Bums and finished with the win.

In the win, quarterback Carson Clover had three throwing touchdowns. Clover found Maddox Culhane and Mason Moss as the receivers.

Culhane had one rushing touchdown to be matched by a running score by Clover.

Hayden Eurice was at the top of his game for Beach Bums, finishing the game with two catches for points and a running touchdown.

Dennis Gallagher worked behind the snap as the quarterback for the Beach Bums squad. Gallagher put two passing touchdowns in the statistics.

Beach Bums and Cool Today both won three of their six match-ups, while Rays Ramblings earned two victories in the regular season.

In the 11-to 13-year old flag football league, Progressive Cabinetry and Solid Rock Construction sit one and two on the leader board. Slim’s Place is in third place with three wins and four losses. Ugly Grouper look for their first win in the season.

With a late bye week, MuniPlan currently is at the top of the 14-to 17-year old league with a 5-1 record. Hashmark Sports plays this week and could even up the score with MuniPlan.

Killer Bait is in third with Ugly Grouper holding on to fourth with a single win. Gulf Drive Café is still fighting for win number one.

Week two of the adult indoor soccer league finished with Pool America and Duncan Real Estate on top with two wins. Sato Real Estate and Slim’s Place both have 1-1 records.

Going into week three, Ross Built Construction and Gulfview Café take the field playing for their teams’ first victory.

The adult flag football league has veteran wisdom going for them with Moss Builders undefeated at the season’s midpoint.

The youthful team sponsored by Lancaster Design is in second with a single loss. Ugly Grouper has a 0-4 record and Capt. Sky Cruises is in seventh with a win and three losses.

Beach Bums, Firkins Automotive, Rays Ramblings and Slim’s Place all go into week five winning two of the four games played to round out the week of Island sports.

Related coverage

Solid Rock Construction undefeated in volleyball

Volley, goals and sacks in full swing at The Center

Flag football fun at The Center

Volley, goals and sacks in full swing at The Center

Volley, goals and sacks in full swing at The Center

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Soccer, Sports.

Two adult sports leagues started up the season last week at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

Adult volleyball arrived on the hardcourt with Solid Rock Construction out to defend the championship title. At the end of the night, the family team came out on top, winning two matches.

The first games of the adult indoor soccer season heated up the gym for its second season since the sports comeback last year.

The night included lots of shooting and amazing saves. Pool America came out on top in the match-up against Sato Real Estate, finishing the game with the score at 8-7.

With Josh Sato playing as the primary goalie and 22 saves, backup goalie Sean Flynn logged six saves and three goals in the Sato Real Estate loss on week one.

Sato’s sister-in-law, Lexi, along with Oliver Petereit had single goals in the game. Ben Sato, Josh’s brother, put two points on the scoreboard to keep the game close.

Team Pool America got its first win with Chris Klotz in the goal with 14 saves. Omar Polar and Andrew Sullivan both had multiple saves as relief to Klotz.

Sullivan also hit three soccer balls into the net, matching teammate Olaf Krause.

Chris Scott got his two shots past the Sato Real Estate defense and goalie to secure the win.

In the second indoor game of the season, Slim’s Place topped Gulfview Windows, with a final score of 8-7.

Gulfview’s Brandin Holcomb and Ryan Moss had 14 and 16 saves, respectively, in the game. Keith Mahoney, Jessica Williams and John Haggerty all put points on the scoreboard for their team.

Putting a win in the record books, Diego Felipe, for Slim’s Place, had 15 saves. Steve Oelfke earned eight saves for his team.

The Slim’s Place scoring came from Felipe, Kevin Roman and Mark Long, each with two goals. Felipe’s brother, Brayan, and Oelfke each had a solo goal in the nail-biting game.

Ross Built Construction’s loss to Duncan Real Estate was in the hands of former Ross Built goalie Robb Marshall.

Marshall’s 22 recorded saves along with Zach Lieb’s six goals gave Duncan Real Estate its victory. Duncan’s win came with the help of scoring by Jenna Steininger and Damir Glavin, with two goals each and Cole Peterson’s single.

Joey Hutchison’s two goals and six saves in the game sparked and solidified the win.

Ross Built Construction’s squad made Duncan work for the game. In the goal, Max Gazzo and Nate Talucci shut down 29 shots.

Teammates Chris Circharo, Greg Ross and Ryan Hogan each struck and scored. Gazzo topped off his 18 saves with two goals in the Ross Built team loss to end the first night of indoor competition.

Sun Scoreboard

Monday, Feb. 3

Adult Co-Ed Volleyball

Ugly Grouper                        25             25

Bins Be Clean                       16             16

 

Solid Rock Construction        25             25

Sandbar                              11             8

 

Solid Rock Construction        22             25        15

Ugly Grouper                       25             13        9

 

Tuesday, Feb. 4

Youth Flag Football

Eight- to 10-year-old league

HSH Designs                            24

Diamond Turf                           18

 

Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar           0

Cool Today                               30

 

Moss Builders                          13

Rays Ramblings                        6

11- to 13-year-old league

Solid Rock Construction            32

Slim’s Place                             18

 

Ugly Grouper                           12

Progressive Cabinetry               26

14- to 17-year-old league

MuniPlan                                   8

Hashmark Sports                       0

 

Gulf Drive Café                          14

Ugly Grouper                             33

 

Thursday, Feb. 6

Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer

Sato Real Estate                        7

Pool America                             8

 

Slim’s Place                                8

Gulfview Windows                       7

 

Ross Built Construction                5

Duncan Real Estate                    13

 

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football

Lancaster Designs                      28

Ugly Grouper                               6

 

Beach Bums                              33

Rays Ramblings                         32

 

Slim’s Place                               34

Capt. Sky Cruises                      33

 

Moss Builders                            38

Firkins Automotive                     26

Related coverage

Flag football fun at The Center

Youth flag football winners play through cold for victory

Team Rays Ramblings capture their first win of the season

Carter and York named Citizens of the Year

Carter and York named Citizens of the Year

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

ANNA MARIA – Bob Carter and Dick York are the city of Anna Maria’s Citizens of the Year for 2019.

Carter and York were selected by the Citizen Recognition Committee that consisted of Deputy City Clerk Debbie Haynes and city residents Kathy Patten and Alan Tripp.

York and Carter were recognized at the Thursday, Jan. 23 city commission meeting, which York was unable to attend.

Haynes detailed York and Carter’s contributions to the city by reading aloud their nomination forms.

York is the retired president and CEO of an information technology firm. He and his wife, Sally, moved to Anna Maria in 1999.

“Mr. York has been actively involved in the Island and the statewide initiative aimed at preserving home rule. He has contributed not only his time and talent, but he also personally funded and maintained a website dedicated to this effort,” Haynes said.

She was referring to the Home Rule Florida coalition and the www.homerulefl.com website.

“Each legislative year, for the past eight years, Mr. York has updated, expanded and improved the website, transforming it into the most effective web presence in the state of Florida to address the issue of erosion of home rule. The site highlights the latest news on pending bills impacting home rule, identifies the sponsors of these bills and the committee hearing process, and provides an easy and instantaneous method for constituents to communicate with legislators on this important issue.

“By providing this effective tool to the residents of our Island community and citizens throughout the state, Mr. York has been instrumental in stopping the erosion of home rule and making known the concerns of grassroots constituents. Mr. York has become a principal crusader in maintaining the rights of cities to determine their own destiny, and for these reasons he is recommended as Anna Maria’s resident of the year. We congratulate Mr. York,” Haynes said.

Carter is the founder and chair of Carter Global, an international philanthropic fundraising consulting firm. He moved to Anna Maria in 2006 and has been married to Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter for 36 years.

“Mr. Carter has been very active in city affairs, contributing not only his time and talent, but also personally funding programs of importance to the residents of our city. Over the past two years, Mr. Carter has been active in ensuring responsible government and preserving home rule.

“He served on the Planning and Zoning Board, providing valuable input on issues such as the city’s comprehensive plan. Mr. Carter also personally funded two public presentations by prominent authors and speakers: Peter Kageyama, an expert on cities and how each of us can play an important and vital role in establishing and improving the quality of life in our hometown, and John Englander, an international authority and noted author on sea level rise and its implications for barrier island communities and other coastal environments.

“For these reasons and more, Mr. Carter is recommended as the Anna Maria Citizen of the Year,” Haynes said.

She then presented him with a wooden plaque commemorating his award.

“I want to thank the committee and whoever nominated me,” Carter said. “I think all of us have certain capacity, talents and skills and I feel we’re obligated to put them to good use for the greater good. We want to make this a better place for future generations. We don’t know how long this Island will be viable because of sea level rise, but we want it to be the best it can be, and that includes home rule.

“Working with Dick on home rule started by three guys meeting on his porch every Sunday night at 5 o’clock. I named it the “coalition” and Tallahassee actually thought it was a coalition, which is the only reason they listened to us,” Carter said, noting he appreciates the award and will honor it.

Team Rays Ramblings capture their first win of the season

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

After two weeks of youth flag football play at The Center, three teams remain undefeated with two wins in the record books. In the eight- to 10-year-old age group, HSH Designs defeated Moss Builders for their second win in the season.

Solid Rock Construction was victorious against Slim’s Place in the 11- to 13-year-old league.

Playing with an injured Tuna McCracken, MuniPlan let back up quarterbacks run the plays in the 14- to 17-year-old division win against Ugly Grouper, remaining unbeaten.

In each of the age group leagues, three teams hold 1-0 records, with their bye week already completed: Diamond Turf, Progressive Cabinetry, and Hashmark Sports.

Looking for their first win of the season after a critical first game loss, Rays Ramblings took to the field knowing that learning from their losses lead to stronger players, a better team, and eventually a win.

In a huge team effort, Rays Ramblings put up 13 quick points to start the game.

Unfortunate bobbles by the Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar squad gave the football back to the Ramblings offense without putting any points up on the scoreboard.

With an extra point catch by Drew Buky after another TD, Ramblings was up 20-0.

Failing to execute on offense, with a seven-second violation called on the Swordfish quarterback, Ramblings quickly took it to the end zone with a Reef Marin score, advancing the score to 26-0.

Rays Ramblings’ Reef Marin made four receptions for three receiving touchdowns. Teammate Kellan Hunt caught the fourth scoring pass by quarterback Jack McCarthy.

Joseph Bramurov scored the only rushing TD for Rays Ramblings. Rounding out the team win, Ismael Garcia and Drew Buky made huge catches to help the squad move the football down the field into scoring position.

Buky had two extra-point catches in the game, with an additional point conversion reception by Hunt.

In the second half of the game, Swordfish Grill skillfully put eight points on the board with a rushing touchdown by Dylan Sato. Sato’s teammate Nixon Connor sacked Ramblings quarterback giving the team a safety and two points in the game.

Rounding out the Swordfish statistics were catches by Cale Rudacille, Troy Jones and Colin Bankert, adding to the receptions by Connor and Sato.

Related coverage

 

Youth gridiron action starts the new year at The Center

 

The Center Champions: Blalock Walters, Gulfview win it all

 

Gulfview Windows to meet Ugly Grouper

Castles in the Sand

What does a mortgage broker do?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

I’ve talked many times in this space about getting a mortgage for a home and how it is one of the most stressful aspects of purchasing. Many people don’t have the time to contact numerous lenders and comb through the details when shopping around and choose instead to go to a mortgage broker for help. But what do they really do and how much does it cost?

Mortgage brokers are licensed in the state of Florida and most states as well. They are financial professionals who act as the bridge between borrowers and lenders. They originate loans and help you connect with a variety of lenders who best fit your financial situation. Working directly with a bank will not give borrowers any flexibility in rates or loan requirements, however, mortgage brokers can offer buyers products of many banks and many more options. This is particularly important for buyers who may not have perfect credit scores and have small down payments.

In addition, mortgage brokers coordinate and manage paperwork and typically close a home loan faster than a traditional bank. They work in cooperation with real estate agents, underwriters, lenders, title companies and attorneys. They are part of the closing team and are trained to anticipate glitches and troubleshoot problems standing in the way of a closing.

There are disadvantages to using a mortgage broker. Since they are motivated to close as many properties as possible, keeping up with the hands-on service can be a challenge for them. It’s critical that you choose a broker who comes with a good recommendation from a friend, family member or real estate professional who has had recent transactions with the broker. Also, you must feel comfortable with the mortgage broker and feel you can tell them anything since you are essentially telling them everything about your personal finances.

Mortgage brokers are paid by commission by either the borrower or the lender. The fee is typically 1% or 2% of the total loan amount and usually is rolled into the loan in the case of a no-cost loan. However, be alert since rolling in the mortgage broker origination fee could result in a higher interest rate.  The other option is to pay a loan origination fee to the broker separately, again 1% to 2% of the loan amount.

Mortgage brokers are required to disclose all fees up front and can charge only that disclosed fee amount. Further, each fee should be itemized, and the broker should be ready to tell you, the borrower, exactly what each fee was for. Mortgage brokers, like real estate brokers, do not get paid unless there are a closed loan and a closed transaction regardless of how much work they do prior to closing.

After the financial crisis, the Dodd-Frank Act restructured how mortgage brokers get paid. Before this legislation came into effect, lenders could compensate mortgage brokers for getting their clients to agree to high-interest rate loans and signing off on costly fees. This left the door open to an unscrupulous loan broker and hidden fees, affecting many inexperienced buyers.

With so many details involved in purchasing a home, working with a competent mortgage broker whom you’re comfortable with can be a good idea to help you get through the process. They could be invaluable in procuring the best loan for your financial situation and taking some of the work off your shoulders.

More Castles in the Sand

 

Real estate winter

 

Is Anna Maria Island still Old Florida?

 

Happy new real estate year

Carolyne Norwood – dedicated to Island history

Carolyne Norwood – dedicated to Island history

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Obituaries.

Contributed by Pat Copeland | Special to The Sun

ANNA MARIA – Carolyne Norwood has been the heart and soul of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society since its beginning in 1990, when she and I came together to found it, encouraged by Mayor Ray Simches.

She guided us through the early years when we had no place to meet until Dr. Henry Stevens offered us his former vet clinic for half the rent. Unfortunately, we had no money, so Carolyne asked Ed Chiles to help us. He became our guardian angel by paying our rent and utilities for the first year.

We set out on our mission to preserve the Island’s history and began collecting photos, documents and artifacts. Soon the building was bursting at the seams.

Carolyne used her powers of persuasion on the city commission, begging them to let us have the old icehouse, which had been used by the Island Turtle Watch. The Privateer’s came with their hammers and muscle and helped gut the building, so we could begin our museum.

That made her happy for a few years, then when we were bursting at the seams once again, she began to eye the public works office adjacent to the museum. She didn’t let up on those poor, unsuspecting city officials until we were moved into that space.

Next came the Remember When dinners. Each had a play with an Island theme – the history of Holmes Beach, the history of the fire district, the history of the Island school, to name a few. Carolyne penned the plays, marshaled the actors and buttonholed volunteers to make each one a success.

Then she began to dream of a historical complex. She decided that one more building would fit into the park and began to focus her efforts on the old Roser Cottage. Unfortunately, that was not to be, but that didn’t deter her.

She soon found Belle Haven Cottage under threat of demolition, and those poor, unsuspecting city officials, once again, didn’t have a chance. She worked her magic on them until Belle Haven was moved to the site. She made the remodeling project her priority, and Belle Haven was dedicated a little more than three years later.

In 2003, she wrote the Island’s first history book, “The Early Days, 1893 to 1940.” It was a huge success, and in 2010, she completed her second volume of Island history, “Anna Maria Island 1940 to 1970, Tales of Three Cities from Bean Point to Bridge Street.”

The historical society has come from a handful of volunteers with a dream of preserving Island history to become one of the Island’s most cherished institutions. That never would have happened without the dedication, perseverance and love of Carolyne Norwood. She was a great lady and a great friend.

Youth gridiron action starts the new year at The Center

Youth gridiron action starts the new year at The Center

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

The ringing in of the new year brought in 2020 and a new season of youth flag football at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

In addition to the football clinics for the youngest ballers, the area boys and girls ranging in age between eight and 17 years old officially started another season on the gridiron last week.

Six games were played, with the winners feeling the wind under their wings with excitement and the teams that came up short learning valuable lessons with the sport. With many games left to play, some standouts became apparent.

In the eight-to 10-year old league, HSH’s Connor Samblis and Savanna Coba made huge plays for their team. Samblis with three recorded receptions, two receiving touchdowns and a pick-six to be included with his two passing touchdowns could be noted as the team MVP.

Coba had two receptions including one for a score in the game. Scoring for HSH included touchdowns by Charlie Neri and Lucas Signor.

Team Rays Ramblings worked hard on the field and held their heads up high despite the loss against HSH with two touchdown passes by Jack McCarthy. Reef Marin was credited with receiving touchdowns in the game, along with six catches by Joseph Bramurov.

In Moss Builders’ win against Beach Bums, Gavin Lyssy had two passing touchdowns and a scoring catch of his own. Ewen Cloutier caught the football for three touchdowns and Cyrus Ryan made a two-point conversion reception.

Despite the loss, Beach Bums’ Hayden Eurice had four catches including one putting six points on the scoreboard for his team.

The only 11-13 age group game last week was between Ugly Grouper and Solid Rock Construction. Coming out on top, Solid Rock’s Evan Talucci caught a touchdown pass to help his team with the win.

On the other side of the field, Frankie Coleman scored, while teammate Aiden Templeton had an interception and took it to the end zone for Ugly Grouper.

The Hashmark Sports defense took advantage of a rocky passing game by Ugly Grouper in the 11-14 flag league, with four interceptions for touchdowns. Shawn Balvin, for Hashmark Sports, had a receiving touchdown and a pick-six.

Teammate Nate Costello snagged the reception on defense for two scoring interceptions and an offensive touchdown reception as well. Alex McCauley grabbed the fourth interception taking it down the field for a score for his team. Chance Hayward scored 12 points for Hashmark in the 54-point win with Ian Godefry noted as the quarterback with three touchdown throws.

Defensively Ugly Grouper’s Jonah Durst and Ethan Brown both had interceptions. Kolby Petrin caught five passes with the remaining members of the roster each having at least one catch in the game.

In the final game of the night, MuniPlan took the win spreading the catches among the team from Tuna McCracken, Tyler Brewer and Fisher Dahlman. Brewer also had six catches in the game with one for a touchdown, along with four for Morgan Horesh including an extra point.

Teammate David Daigle was credited with two touchdown catches in the win against Killer Bait.

Killer Bait’s sole touchdown came from a Ben Barreda throw to Jackson Hayes. Hayes had five catches in the game, with four in the books for Silas Banyas.

Related coverage

 

The Center Champions: Blalock Walters, Gulfview win it all

 

Gulfview Windows to meet Ugly Grouper

 

Hutchinson and Ivin top charts going into playoffs

Castles in the Sand

Real estate winter

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

It’s winter in southwest Florida and although we talk a lot about beach, road and Publix congestion, we really do love visitors to the Island. We, of course, would love them even more if the visitors converted to owners and not just on Anna Maria Island.

Florida and Arizona have built a real estate market catering largely to retirees, specifically baby boomer retirees. As much as we boomers want to continue influencing the culture and finances of the country, we will inevitably pass away. Not only do we have to face death we may also need to face not being able to live in our homes and migrating to family or assisted living facilities.

Now that I’ve completely ruined your day, these numbers will further depress you. According to Zillow, one in eight owner-occupied homes in the U.S., or roughly nine million residences, are set to hit the market from 2017 through 2027. In addition, Zillow calculates that by 2037 one-quarter of the U.S. homes for sale, or roughly 21 million homes, will be vacated by seniors.

This is a lot of real estate and a good percentage of these homes are in over 55 communities where at least one owner needs to meet that age criteria. These communities have been popular with baby boomers for decades. However, the concern is that the next generation of homeowners are not only looking for a different lifestyle but there aren’t even enough of them to fill the vacancies.

In theory, older homeowners are replaced by younger homeowners and the recent lack of available properties to purchase has kept many millennials stuck in rentals, so this should be a good thing. However, in the case of many of the baby boomer properties, the properties are located in areas where younger buyers don’t want to buy. Suburban living is less of a draw than for previous generations and millennials prefer cities and major metropolitan areas. In addition, even generations below the baby boomers who may be in pre-retirement years have little or no interest in living in planned, age-restricted enclaves no matter how great the weather is.

Economists worry about what the impact of unpopular large retirement communities will have on the local economy surrounding these areas. There are some market experts who suggest that a retooling of these communities to make them more attractive to families and lifting the age restrictions could be a better use of these properties down the road. Arizona and Florida are naturally in the crosshairs of potentially having an overabundance of senior housing. Thankfully for us, Florida’s east coast will be harder impacted.

Real estate markets are a balancing act. If one part of the market has a problem, another part may benefit from those problems. For example, the beautiful and exotic state of Hawaii.

Who doesn’t love Hawaii for vacations, but do you want to live there? Apparently lots of people don’t since Hawaii is experiencing the third straight year of negative migration, with the young, highly educated and well-off being the ones most likely to leave.

Hawaii has the highest cost of living in the country, and according to the Tax Foundation, the real value of $100 in Hawaii is $84.39. According to Zillow, the median list price for a house is $630,000 compared with $284,999 for the U.S. as a whole. In Hawaii, gasoline has been as high at $5.00 a gallon and a gallon of milk $7.00. Hawaiians may be going kicking and screaming from their beautiful state but they’re leaving for the same reasons residents of New York, California, Illinois and New Jersey are leaving – taxes, cost of living and public education.

Inevitably, we will see a dramatic change in the real estate market in the near future. Right now, the baby boomers still rule and will for a while.

More Castles in the Sand:

 

Is Anna Maria Island still Old Florida?

 

Happy new real estate year

 

Home ownership matters

Reel Time: Fishing bridges, piers and docks

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

You don’t have to have a boat to get to some of this winter’s best fishing. Bridges, docks and piers provide anglers who don’t have a boat or don’t want to bother with one some excellent fishing opportunities.

Besides being a convenient access point over the water, their structure provides the perfect habitat for fish. A large variety of small baitfish, crabs, barnacles and other crustaceans call these pilings home and provide gamefish a refuge and an ambush point for feeding. The bridges that span the local passes are natural corridors for fish like pompano, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and bluefish. These species migrate from the gulf to the local bays, feeding around the bridge pilings and fenders. Action on one species or another can be found year-round around local structures. That doesn’t mean that they are for shore-bound anglers only because boaters will find them a great place to fish too.

Reel Time: Fishing bridges, piers and docks
There are ways to rig your line that allow you to deal with any tidal stages you encounter while fishing from bridges. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The old saying that the best time to go fishing is any time you can is a good one to follow.  However, if you have the luxury of picking your time and tide, a morning incoming tide on bridges that span the passes is hard to beat. The second best time would be a late outgoing tide. Timing your trip to coincide with the beginning or end of the tide cycle will make it easier to deal with the often strong currents that course through the passes. That doesn’t mean you’re restricted to those times and there are ways to rig that will allow you to deal with any tidal stage. Many docks and piers don’t as strong a tidal flow but look for times when the water is moving.

When fishing the bridges, a medium weight spinning outfit is perfect. At least, depending on the species you’re targeting, a 10- to 12-pound outfit is recommended since you’ll have to hoist your catch from the water to the bridge. There are special nets available that can be lowered to help with this operation, but it is one more piece of equipment you’ll have to transport. With most catches a careful hand over hand retrieve will work just fine and your mobility will not be restricted. You can go lighter when fishing docks and piers but you’ll need to be able to control your catch when they get near the pilings.

Depending on your quarry, a few lures will suffice. Live bait is another option, but keeping it alive poses some problems. Swimming and diving plugs are effective but I prefer to shy away from treble hooks. One of the most effective lures is the jig. When the current isn’t particularly strong a jig tied directly to a 30-pound section of leader will work perfectly.

If the tide is strong, when fishing in or near passes, a weight will help get the lure down in the water column where most of the action occurs. To keep the weight from interfering with the jig, tie a section of 40-pound leader with a sliding egg sinker between two small swivels. Then add your leader and jig below. This rig can be also be used to get lures or live bait to the bottom. Another advantage of this rig is that as it is being worked across the bottom it sends up a small puff of sand that attracts predators like pompano.

Some anglers tie a short section of leader from the jig to a smaller jig of fly. One of the advantages to fishing from a bridge is the ability to easily move from one spot to another. This allows the angler to try near the pilings, on the edges of the channel, tide lines and areas where striking fish might be found.

If the action is slow or you’re exploring a bridge and pass for the first time, work both sides of the bridge. Vary your retrieve, working the lure fast and slow, exploring the water column. With obvious differences, the same applies to docks and piers.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish, two common species that frequent local bridges have sharp teeth and can cut through monofilament leaders. There are two options to protect your lure. One is to use a short strand of wire leader. The other is to use long-shanked hooks. A wire can keep fish from biting if the water is clear but you’ll lose a few rigs if you fish without it.

Whatever your fishing style, don’t pass up a trip to local bridges, piers and docks. The action can be spectacular and the effort required is far less than an outing in a boat.   Anglers should be vigilant of the traffic when fishing bridges and always remember to look behind before casting. Some good locations to target include Longboat Pass, the Rod & Reel Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier, the Anna Maria City Pier and the Manatee and Cortez bridges.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: The ups and downs of tides

Reel Time: We’ll See

Reel Time: Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge

Castles in the Sand

Is Anna Maria Island still Old Florida?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

There’s no doubt how much Anna Maria Island has changed over the past 25 years since I found the Island. One might say it’s gone from shabby chic to polished coastal, but has it also gone from Old Florida to upscale Florida pretending to be Old Florida.

Last month the Island, or at least Holmes Beach, had another “best of” rankings bestowed on them. This time it was from Trip Advisor who picked the top seven “delightfully low-key Florida beach towns you might not know about.” Well if they didn’t know about it before they sure know about it now. Just what we need, more cars on the Island. On the other hand, for people who own property on the Island and want to generate some profit, this may be the right time if you follow a few simple rules.

There are lots of ways to get your property out there if you’re considering rentals, VRBO, Airbnb, the new Marriott Homes & Villas and of course, traditional Island real estate companies.

Starting with a great location is key and the Island has a multitude of great locations. Properties closer to the beach always rent for more but it’s hard to find anywhere on Anna Maria Island that’s undesirable.

Next is the number of bedrooms, the more the better. If there is any way to turn available space like an office or storage room into another bedroom it will make your rental more attractive. Also, remember the children and furnish the property with sturdy and well-built trendy furniture that is washable and somewhat indestructible. Leave the Chippendale in storage.

Provide big sectional sofas and seating areas for everyone to get cozy on, and also a large enough dining table for the maximum number of guests allowed. Add some beach essentials like beach chairs, beach toys, beach carts and maybe even paddleboards. If you have a pool having a floating chair with a drink holder could seal the deal. A gas grill is also appreciated by renters as are ping pong tables, bikes, games and restaurant recommendations. Towels, including beach and bedding that are not expensive but in good condition, are essential. No one likes a dingy towel. Don’t forget toilet paper, paper towels, bath soap and dishwasher soap, providing at least enough to get started if it’s a long-term rental and enough to get short-term renters through to the end.

Leaving a complimentary bottle of wine and some welcome cheese and crackers is a nice touch that people don’t forget. And don’t be afraid to decorate with some cute and beachy stuff. I read somewhere it’s a good idea to have a plaque made with the name of your rental placed in a position where renters might take a picture, free advertising when they show their vacation photos to friends.

The bottom line is to create a space that you would like to spend time in.

Trip Advisor loves the slower pace of Holmes Beach and the “Old Florida” vibe without the crowds. But we’re not alone – the other top six low-key Florida destinations include Venice, Cocoa Beach, Englewood, Daytona Beach Shores, Lauderdale By The Sea and Longboat Key. I’m not sure if Longboat Key residents would agree with the “Old Florida” characterization, but polished coastal does fit.

There’s no argument that Anna Maria Island is one of the most beautiful beachfront communities in the country and to people coming here for the first time it still epitomizes Old Florida. So, if you’re considering using your home as a rental there certainly is a thriving market. Old or upscale, it’s still the tops.

More Castles in the Sand:

Happy new real estate year

Home ownership matters

Million dollar homes and taxes

Reef project helps filter local waters

Reef project helps filter local waters

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

BRADENTON BEACH – A windy, cloudy afternoon didn’t stop the father-son team of David and David Wolff from coming out to the dock behind the Bridge Tender Inn Dec. 20 to install four mini reefs as a part of The Center’s Go Green initiative.

The four reefs were only a part of the six reefs purchased by the Bridge Tender’s owner, Fred Bartizal, who purchased two additional reefs to be placed in the water near his home.

In a statement emailed to The Sun, Bartizal said, “The Bridge Tender Inn takes great pride in going green. Everyone should be doing it; it is essential for the earth and future generations.” He added that the restaurant participates in recycling and is switching over to biodegradable napkins, straws, cutlery and to-go containers.

David Wolff Jr. carries two of the mini reefs down the dock to be installed at the Bridge Tender Inn. – Kristin Swain | Sun

The mini reefs, the brainchild of David Wolff of Ocean Habitats LLC, are made almost exclusively of sustainable materials designed to hold around 150 pounds with a lifespan of 10-15 years. The reefs are installed underneath docks, attached by floating marine ropes, and bob just underneath the surface where they provide a home for fish and other marine life. Ocean Habitat’s mini reefs can be used in salt and brackish water. They filter over 30,000 gallons of water per day and can provide a nursery home for fish and crabs, producing around 300 fish per year and 200 crabs per year.

Wolff said the idea for the reefs came out of a college research project. Once he shrunk the initial reef down to its current 24x36x24 inch size and rethought all of the materials with longevity and sustainability in mind, he developed the current mini reef and a fish crib to be used in freshwater lakes and ponds.

Though the mini reefs are available through the Ocean Habitats website, they’re also available through The Center of Anna Maria Island at a discounted price, including installation.

David Wolff Jr. secures two of the mini reefs underneath the dock at The Bridge Tender Inn. – Kristin Swain | Sun

The reefs are being made available as a part of The Center’s Go Green campaign, encouraging community members to live a more sustainable life while also supporting the nonprofit. Each reef can be purchased for $350 with $150 going to support The Center’s annual fund. Through Jan. 15, a private donor is sponsoring a donation match up to $130,000, so any reefs purchased by the deadline produces an additional $150 donation for a total of $300 back to The Center.

Center Director of Development Jim McDaniel said that as of Dec. 20, 52 mini reefs had been purchased and were planned to be installed around Anna Maria Island by the New Year. He said an additional four were in-process. The goal, he said, is to not only see what kind of positive impact these mini reefs can have on local waters but also to see how many new donors will come forward to help out The Center.

Once all of the reefs are installed, McDaniel said The Center plans to create a map of the reef locations and hopefully will be able to use the project for research purposes in the future.

For people who want a different, but still tangible, way to support The Center, there’s the Giving Reef, located in the nonprofit’s lobby. For the Giving Reef, program directors priced and placed tags with items needed, from soccer balls to new fitness equipment, on the reef. Anyone can come in, find something that they feel passionate about supporting or that fits into their budget and provide the funds to purchase that item. McDaniel said that items range from about $130 to $3,500 and are all currently included in The Center’s budget. By community members purchasing those items, those budgeted funds can go back into the annual fund for use in other areas or for saving for the future of the nonprofit.

For more information on the mini reefs and the Giving Reef, visit The Center online.

Related coverage

Mini reefs installed at Mar Vista