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Tag: Anna Maria

Castles in the Sand

The fun and not-so-fun of selling a home

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

Last week we talked about the fun and not-so-much fun of buying a home. This week we’ll talk a little about selling your home, choosing the perfect realtor and not necessarily one you’re related to. But before we do that, let’s review the June and July Manatee County sales statistics as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

In June, Manatee County closed 2.2% fewer homes than last year, not surprising for this time of year. In spite of that the median sale price, half above and half below, increased by 5% from last year to $315,000. The average sale price was $397,987, up 8.8%, and the month’s supply of properties is down to 3.6 months.

June’s condo sales increased for the number of sales by 6.1%, the median sale price was $210,000, up 14.3%, and the average sale price was $246,381, up 5.2%, all impressive numbers. The month’s supply of properties was 4.2%.

July single-family sales were down slightly by 1.8%, but the median sale price broke a record at $325,000 up 5% from last year. This is the highest median price since the housing crisis more than a decade ago and near historic levels. The average single-family home price was $391,049, up 2%, and the month’s supply of properties was down to 3.4%.

Condo sales were up by 8.7% with a median sale price of $191,000, down 4.1%. The average sale price for condos was $216,523, down 6.6% from last year and the month’s supply of properties was 3.7%.

Do these numbers give you incentive to find that perfect realtor and consider selling? Maybe, but remember statistics are only a snapshot in time and, although our sales and appreciation rates continue to go up every month, it could change in a heartbeat.

But just in case you’re ready to cash in, here are a few tips for choosing a realtor:

Although there are many questions you should ask a real estate professional before you turn over what may be your biggest asset to them, the two that are most important to me are how long have you been in residential real estate sales and what is your specific marketing plan?

Much of real estate experience is an on-the-job learning experience but choosing an agent who has accumulated a few designations or certifications shows a commitment to his/her profession. Certainly, you should ask if real estate sales are their full-time job. There are sales agents who get into the field thinking it’s a part-time job they can fit around their children’s school schedule. Trust me you don’t want this person.

As far as a marketing plan, the agent should be prepared to show you a written plan involving print advertising, open houses and digital participation. They may also include a pricing schedule suggesting a step-down pricing recommendation for 30, 60 or 90 days in the event offers are not coming in. As part of this plan, your agent should advise how frequently he/she will be in touch with you regarding showings and feedback.

It is also important for you to know how long homes in your area are taking to sell and the variation between the listing and final sales prices. I frequently note these statistics in my monthly updates for Manatee County because they are so important to the overall picture of the market.

Finally, giving your listing to a relative may look appealing since you already have a relationship and he/she may offer to reduce commission for you. However, it takes away the business aspect of the transaction and gets into the emotional aspect. My advice is don’t do it.

I’m looking forward to receiving the August Manatee County real estate numbers and hope you have a fun selling experience with a qualified broker.

More Castles in the Sand:

The fun and not-so-fun of buying a home

The challenges of inheriting a house

Uncovering a home’s defects

Anna Maria Commission will need to fill two seats

Anna Maria Commission will need to fill two seats

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

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria must fill two city commission seats by appointment – one this month and one in November.

On Thursday, Sept. 26, the commission hopes to appoint someone to serve the remainder of former commission Chair Brian Seymour’s two-year term that expires in November 2020. Seymour resigned from the commission last month. The deadline to submit an application to fill his seat is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

In November, the commission will need to appoint someone to fill the commission seat currently held by unopposed Commissioner Dale Woodland.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett called Woodland and told him he was disqualified from the 2019 city elections because he paid his $48 qualifying fee with a personal check instead of with a check drawn from a designated campaign account.

This means Woodland is not eligible for re-election in the upcoming city elections that will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 5. When contacted that afternoon, Woodland said he wants to serve another term in office and he hopes he’ll be reappointed in November.

Woodland said Bennett was very polite when delivering the news Wednesday morning.

“The law’s the law,” Woodland said.

Anna Maria Commission will need to fill two seats
Longtime Commissioner Dale Woodland will seek reappointment in November after failing to qualify for the upcoming city elections. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Woodland said he paid his qualifying fee on the first day of the two-week qualifying period and assumed the elections office would contact him if there were any problems with his qualifying papers or fee payment.

Woodland’s disqualification leaves incumbent Commissioner Carol Carter and Planning and Zoning Board Chairman Jon Crane as the only two candidates running unopposed for the three commission three seats open to election this fall.

Carter now serves as the commission chair in the wake of Seymour’s resignation on Friday, Aug. 30.

Commissioners receive an annual salary of $4,800 and are subject to the Florida Sunshine Law during their time in office.

Appointment process

Application forms for those seeking Seymour’s vacated seat can be downloaded at the city website, obtained by email or mail from the city clerk’s office or picked up in person at city hall. To contact the clerk’s office, email amclerk@cityofannamaria.com or call 941-708-6130.

Applicants must be city residents who have lived in Anna Maria for at least two years. They must also be registered city voters, legal residents of Manatee County and on their applications, list three reasons why they wish to be considered for a commission seat.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Anna Maria Commission held a special meeting to discuss the process for appointing Seymour’s replacement. Woodland’s disqualification was not discussed.

At the suggestion of Mayor Dan Murphy and City Attorney Becky Vose, the commission agreed to utilize the same appointment process utilized when Commissioner Nancy Yetter resigned in early 2018.

During that process, the commissioners ranked the three candidates in order of their personal preference. The applicant receiving the lowest total score – Amy Tripp – earned the appointment.

The application forms received from those seeking Seymour’s vacated seat will be provided to the four sitting commissioners in advance. During the Thursday, Sept. 26 commission meeting, the commissioners will then fill out a form in which they rank the applicants as their first, second and additional choices, depending on the number of applications received.

A commissioner’s top choice receives one point, a commissioner’s second choice receives two points and so forth. Each commissioner’s rankings will be revealed during the appointment process.

If the first set of rankings produces a tie, the commissioners will rank the candidates again. If the second round also produces a tie, the winner will be determined by cutting cards, drawing straws, throwing dice or some similar game of chance.

A similar appointment process will then take place in mid-November to fill the seat vacated by Woodland after the city elections conclude.

Potential implications

During last week’s meeting, Carter asked what happens if a replacement for Seymour is not found. Murphy said the city could put out another call for candidates and could operate as a four-member commission until a fifth member is appointed.

Anna Maria Commission will need to fill two seats
Commissioner Carol Carter now chairs the Anna Maria City Commission. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Murphy said he would prefer not to have a four-person commission because that creates the potential for 2-2 tied votes at a time when the city budget must be adopted and decisions about the new City Pier must be made.

Related coverage

Seymour resigns from city commission

 

Carter, Crane and Woodland running unopposed

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

Updated Sept. 6, 2019 | ANNA MARIA – Running unopposed in the 2019 city election, incumbent Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter will serve an additional two-year term in office.

Incumbent Commissioner Dale Woodland, also unopposed, was disqualified on Sept. 4 because he paid his qualifying fee with a personal check instead of a check issued from a campaign account. He will now seek reappointment by the city commission that will determine who fills that seat for the next two years. Other candidates also will be able to apply for consideration.

In November, commission newcomer and current Planning and Zoning Board Chairman Jonathan Crane will join the board.

Carter, Crane and Woodland were the only three candidates to qualify in the city’s two-week qualifying period that ended Friday afternoon.

The current commission must soon appoint someone to serve the remaining year-plus of Brian Seymour’s two-year term as a result of Seymour’s surprise resignation last week.

Commissioner Amy Tripp is in the first year of her two-year term in office. Longtime Commissioner Doug Copeland did not seek re-election, and his time in office will come to an end after the November elections.

Carol Carter

Carol Carter

Jonathan Crane

Jonathan Crane

Dale Woodland

Dale Woodland

 

Anna Maria prepared for Hurricane Dorian and beyond

Anna Maria prepares for Hurricane Dorian and beyond

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Hurricane Dorian’s threat has decreased, but the city of Anna Maria is prepared and applying lessons learned from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

As a precautionary measure, the city commission on Thursday, Aug. 29 adopted a resolution declaring a local state of emergency due to the approaching storm.

When presenting the resolution by telephone, City Attorney Becky Vose said, “I suggested to the mayor that we adopt this resolution. If we’re lucky and dodge the bullet then we won’t need to use it, but we will need it if the storm hits the Island.”

Declaring a state of local emergency provides the mayor with temporary additional powers to address storm-related situations that may arise. Anna Maria’s declaration is in effect for seven days and can be extended if needed.

The resolution authorizes the mayor – or the commission chair in the mayor’s absence – to take all actions necessary and appropriate to protect human life and property within the lawful authority of federal, state, county and city laws.

“We’re so much more prepared than we were for Hurricane Irma and if something else comes our way during this hurricane season we’ll be ready.”
– Dan Murphy, Anna Maria Mayor

The resolution empowers the mayor to establish curfews, prohibit pedestrian and vehicular movement, prohibit the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages, limit the hours of operation for business establishments and take other actions deemed necessary.

Bridge concerns

During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy expressed concerns about the bridge openings that occurred in 2017 after Hurricane Irma passed.

Because an evacuation order was issued, city and county law enforcement officials initially limited bridge access to those trying to return to the Island. At one point that day, the Cortez Bridge opened to the public while access through the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach remained controlled.

Anna Maria prepared for Hurricane Dorian and beyond
The Cortez Bridge remained closed immediately after Hurricane Irma passed in 2017 but opened to the public later that day. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Murphy said this resulted in people coming into Anna Maria when there were still trees and wires down.

“It was a dangerous situation. I went to put up a road barricade to keep people from coming in and the Sheriff’s Office would not allow me because they said these are county roads. These are not county roads; these are the city of Anna Maria’s roads. The city got the roads from Manatee County many years ago,” Murphy said.

“I would ask Lt. Johnson to look through that resolution at what the mayor can do in case of an emergency,” Murphy said in reference to Lt. Brad Johnson, who was filling in for Sgt. Mike Jones, who heads the Sheriff’s Office’s Anna Maria unit.

“We’re on our own, we need to take care of ourselves here,” Murphy added.

Commissioner Doug Copeland noted initial access to the Island after Hurricane Irma was not limited to Island residents.

“They allowed anyone,” he said.

“Hopefully that won’t happen again. I called it to the attention of the new chief of emergency operations,” Murphy said.

“People with bad intentions will be out,” Johnson said of the criminal activities sometimes associated with hurricanes. “Residents need to do their very best to protect their homes and we’re going to do our very best to assist them.”

Copeland asked if access to the city could be limited to those who have city-issued resident tags.

Johnson said he and Murphy would review the resolution and clarify the mayor’s emergency powers.

Anna Maria prepared for Hurricane Dorian and beyond
Anna Maria’s John Deere tractor is equipped with a grappling arm that can remove fallen trees and other storm debris. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted

Additional measures

After the meeting, Murphy noted the city has the ability to deploy portable pumps to flooded areas as needed.

The portable pumps are also used to reduce flooding during particularly high tides, including king tides, which were also anticipated in some areas of Florida during the weekend.

“The tides look pretty favorable,” Murphy said of local tidal predictions.

Anna Maria prepared for Hurricane Dorian and beyond
These portable pumps can be deployed to remove storm-related flood waters.- City of Anna Maria | Submitted

The city also has a large generator that City Clerk LeAnne Addy helped locate during the 2017 hurricane season.

“We’re so much more prepared than we were for Hurricane Irma and if something else comes our way during this hurricane season we’ll be ready,” Murphy said.

Earlier that day, the city clerk’s office posted a notice at the city’s Facebook page stating free, self-filled sandbags were available at the north end of Bayfront Park, near the corner of North Shore Drive and North Bay Boulevard.

Anna Maria prepared for Hurricane Dorian and beyond
Sandbags are available at the north end of Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Progressive Cabinetry shuts the door on Moss Builders

Progressive Cabinetry shuts the door on Moss Builders

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

In week three of the adult indoor soccer season at The Center, Kevin Roman’s Progressive Cabinetry team continues to dominate the league along with Keith Mahoney’s Ugly Grouper squad, both with 3-0 records.

Progressive faced off against the Moss-less Moss Builders team in the second game of the night in a passionately played game. Miguel Ajoy started off the scoring for the Moss Builders’ team in the first minute of the game.

Roman followed up with the first of seven goals in the game only seconds later.

With the score tied 1-1, the game would continue to be a battle of the defenses and hotshots.

Jessica Williams, for Progressive Cabinetry, took her first shot at point-blank range. Moss’ Omar Polar, playing goalkeeper, made one of many miraculous saves.

Juan Carlos scored his first goal in the fourth minute of the game, giving Moss Builders the lead once again with the score at 2-1.

Lyn Clarke put the soccer ball in the net with a ricochet shot only to be followed by a goal for Progressive’s Murat Akay.

In the seventh minute of play, Williams got the ball to the feet of Diego Felipe. With his head up, seeing the field, Felipe found Roman in the perfect position for the tying goal.

Akay helped his team take the lead four minutes later with another goal, advancing the score to 3-4.

With Moss Builder’s keeper David Greene out of position, Roman had the opportunity for a shot and easy goal.

Carlos responded by putting the soccer ball in the net after the Moss Builders’ offense drew Felipe, now working as the keeper, out of position.

Working with a one-point lead, Progressive worked on defense but could not stop Polar, who tied the game once again with the score 5-5.

Two minutes later, Roman found the net once again.

The back and forth game continued until the half. Carlos got a shot off with the last seconds of the first half of play quickly ticking off the scoreboard clock. Diego just could not stop Carlos’ shot, once again tying the game at 6-6 to end the half.

To start the final 20 minutes of the game, Roman snuck the soccer ball past goalie Greene after a beautiful long pass by Akay.

With a one-point lead, Williams quickly took advantage of her team’s scoring momentum with a shot of her own that could not be stopped, moving the score to 6-8.

Scoring his second goal of the game, Moss Builders’ Ajoy was finally given the ball after a long series of passes by both teams.

Williams scored her second goal after a cross by teammate Roman. The roles were soon reversed a minute later with a Williams’ assist to Roman to change the score to 7-10.

Moss Builders scored a goal of its own four minutes later. Polar put the ball in the goal with a header 15 seconds later, closing the scoring gap to 9-10.

The back and forth goal scoring kept the game exciting for the next two minutes of the game. Missile shots Steve Oelfke, Akay and Felipe were matched by a Moss Builders’ goal by Carlos.

Scoring ceased momentarily with the score at 10-13 and Progressive Cabinetry leading by three goals. Carlos scored once again in the 32nd minute.

Neither team tiring, the last five minutes of the match-up would prove to be a scoring feast for the spectators to enjoy.

Williams made a gorgeous cross-court pass to Roman, who found Akay all by himself at the net, giving the Progressive Cabinetry team its 14th goal of the game.

Moss Builders’ Carlos hit his last goal of the night, pushing the score to 14-12.

Back-to-back scoring by Progressive’s Felipe, with the last net and one minute left in the game, gave his team a four-point lead.

To end the game with amazing saves by keeper Oelfke, Moss’ Polar scored his final goal with only 17 seconds on the clock to end the game with the score 13-16.

Related coverage

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Adult co-ed sports up the challenge

Cloud Pest Control overshadows Solid Rock Construction

Anna Maria taking new approach to noise violations

Anna Maria taking new approach to noise violations

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials are working on an amended noise ordinance that if adopted on final reading next month will result in $35 citations being issued for a first noise ordinance violation.

Repeat noise violations will result in significantly higher fines. If the noise violations occur at a vacation rental, the property owner and the property manager or rental agent will be notified and may be subject to future fines.

As a followup to the Anna Maria commission’s Aug. 8 discussion, these proposed changes were discussed in greater detail at the Thursday, Aug. 22 meeting.

When the amended ordinance is adopted on second reading next month, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit will no longer issue warnings if they determine a noise ordinance violation has occurred. They will instead issue a $35 ticket.

“It’s similar to parking tickets. We don’t give warnings on parking tickets. That option is taken away. If in fact, you decide it’s a violation, we want you to issue a $35 citation,” Mayor Dan Murphy told the commission.

If the violator is a vacation rental guest, the property owner and the property manager or rental will be notified.

Anna Maria noise ordinance
Sheriff’s deputies recently responded to a noise complaint at this vacation rental at 820 North Shore Drive – Submitted

If the same guest commits a second noise violation, a citation carrying a $200 fine will be issued, and similar $200 citations could be issued to the property owner and the property manager or rental agent.

If a third violation occurs, the violator would be issued a citation carrying a $500 fine, and similar citations would be issued to the property owner and the property manager or rental agent.

The current noise ordinance includes a $500 fine for the first violation. City Attorney Becky Vose has expressed her opinion that a $500 fine for a first offense makes deputies reluctant to issue citations.

The new fine amounts will be addressed in a yet-to-be-adopted city resolution because they can be more easily adjusted, as needed, than fines set forth in an ordinance.

Fining multiple parties

Regarding the city’s ability to fine property owners, property managers and rental agents, Vose said he spoke to Holmes Beach City Attorney Patricia Petruff about this.

The Holmes Beach commission previously considered fining a property owner for the actions of his vacation rental guests, but it was determined that wasn’t legal because the property owner wasn’t aware of his guests’ actions.

Vose said notifying property owners, manager and rental agents of a guests’ first noise ordinance citation will put them on notice and subject them to potential citations and fines as well.

“If these same renters do the same thing over again, I think it might very well be appropriate to also fine the owner because the owner obviously was not strong enough with the renter. And that would be particularly true with a third violation,” Vose said.

Vose said the enforcement cycle will begin again with each new set of guests.

At the Aug. 8 meeting, Vose said a property cited three times for a violation could be deemed a public nuisance. She’s previously stated a property deemed a public nuisance could lose its ability to function as a vacation rental.

Sheriff’s Office support

Sgt. Mike Jones previously told the commission most of the city’s noise complaints are resolved with a warning, but last week he said he supports this new approach.

“I think the $35 fine is a good way to start the process. I like the idea. I support it,” he told the commission.

Jones said this also will make it easier to track where the noise violations occur.

Commissioner Doug Copeland asked if deputies would still have some discretion as to what constitutes a violation.

Jones said kids playing in a swimming pool at 5 p.m. would probably not rise to the level of a noise violation, but people jumping off the balcony at 10:30 p.m. probably would.

The reports included in last week’s meeting packet noted deputies issued verbal warnings for noise complaints made at 804, 819 and 820 North Shore Drive, 228 Willow Ave., 420 and 422 Magnolia Drive, 207 and 214 Spring Ave. and 204 Oak Ave. All but one of those properties are vacation rentals.

Related coverage

Repeat noise violations a lingering concern

Magistrate rules in city’s favor on noise citation

No winners in noise battle

Castles in the Sand

The challenges of inheriting a house

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

No one wants to see a loved one pass away, but it’s inevitable that we all will have that experience and along with the grief comes the distribution of personal items and property. As emotional as sifting through your family’s papers and clothing is, the real challenge at this time of your life will be selling their property.

The important thing to be clarified before death is if there is a will or trust in place. Dying without a will causes the estate to default to the statutes of the state to determine who the legal heirs are. Needless to say, that will be a time-consuming and possibly costly process involving probate. Even a will needs to go through a probate process, however, living trusts will avoid probate. These are all legal issues which will need a legal opinion.

If there is a home to be sold and there is a legal will or trust, that responsibility will fall to the executor of the estate. The executor has the power to make all decisions but should certainly confer with all other beneficiaries to the sale of the house.

As in all property sales, decisions need to be made starting with a reasonable selling price. More than one estimate of value should be obtained from real estate professionals and a licensed appraiser should also be considered, especially if there are multiple heirs, to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Whoever is handling the sale of the property should be prepared to spend some money before the home is sold. Property taxes, utility bills, lawn maintenance and unforeseen repairs all have to be considered prior to sale.

In addition, the property needs to be cleaned out of personal items and, based on the recommendation of a real estate professional, the furniture removed. There are companies that take care of this and any furniture not sold at an estate sale is removed by the estate person for a fee. However, the family will still need to decide which items will go into the sale, which will be passed along to other family members and which will get destroyed – not an easy process.

Then, of course, as in any property sale, decide whether renovations and/or cosmetic fixes should be made. Most professionals will tell you that this is not the time for major renovations. If necessary, cosmetic fixes would be a better choice. Cleaning, painting, yard and garage clean up is probably the most practical and least expensive way to go. Here again, the advice of a competent and experienced real estate professional is essential to understanding the local market.

Heirs who are in a tight financial position and need to sell quickly could consider one of the quick-sale companies as long as they are willing to take a discounted price. The heir’s tax consequences should also be considered before any money is spent and sale offers are considered, especially if the property has been in the deceased’s name for a long time.

Here in Florida it’s very common for parents to pass away and leave property in their estate to be sold by their heirs. This is a little more of a problem if the beneficiaries are out of state, but again because it’s common in Florida, there are several companies to assist heirs in the disposal of personal property and furniture.

Selling a family home is always emotional and more so on the heels of a loved one’s death. Ask for help during this time; it’s out there.

More Castles in the Sand:

Uncovering a home’s defects

How to determine the truth about home flooding

It’s all about the kitchen

Commission clarifies pier lease parameters

Commission clarifies pier lease parameters

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission have established which portions of the new Anna Maria City Pier will be leased to the current and/or future pier tenant.

On Thursday, Aug. 22, the commission unanimously agreed the city will only lease the new restaurant and bait shop buildings to current pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder – or to a new tenant if a new long-term lease can’t be negotiated with Schoenfelder.

The commission decided the pier’s T-end bathrooms and the T-end decking will be common area shared by the city and its tenant. A contracted property management company will maintain the new pier and the maintenance costs for the shared common areas will be shared by the city and the pier tenant on a pro-rated basis.

The commission also decided the new pier lease will be a triple-net lease that requires the tenant to pay rent, share maintenance costs and pay the insurance and taxes on the leased premises.

On Friday, Mayor Dan Murphy sent Schoenfelder a letter regarding the commission decisions. Schoenfelder has until Sept. 6 to respond as to whether he wishes to continue the lease negotiations based on these new parameters.

“There’s very little value moving forward with discussions on a new lease that would start in December 2020 if Mr. Schoenfelder’s not in agreement with these two issues. These two items are the foundation of a lease,” Murphy told the commission, regarding the premises to be leased and the maintenance of the pier.

Schoenfelder’s current lease expires in December 2020. His lease payments were suspended after the old pier was closed in 2017 due to damage sustained during Hurricane Irma. Schoenfelder’s current lease required him to maintain the entire pier.

The construction of the new pier buildings will begin in September and be completed by year’s end. The interior buildout of the new buildings is expected to take an additional 60 to 90 days.

Murphy was asked later in the week if Schoenfelder can occupy the new buildings until his current lease expires if a new lease is not negotiated. Murphy said there are several possible options to consider, but he’s not ready to discuss them yet.

Schoenfelder lives in Germany and occasionally visits Anna Maria Island. He has not attended a city commission meeting since the old pier was closed.

Commission discussion

During last week’s meeting, Murphy and the commission discussed a July 17 letter Schoenfelder sent Murphy detailing his proposed lease terms. Schoenfelder’s letter was in response to a letter he received from Murphy.

“He feels he should pay $12,000 rent (per month). Secondly, he feels he should have the first six months free,” Murphy said. “He’d like to rent the entire T-end, including the boat landing, but he doesn’t feel he wants to maintain that. He feels parking should be included.”

Murphy noted the city has proposed a $500,000 contribution from the pier tenant, which includes the interior buildout of the restaurant and bait shop. Murphy said Schoenfelder proposes a $250,000 contribution toward the interior buildout.

“The other quarter-million he feels is for his equipment. Our offer does not include equipment. He already had equipment – we helped him carry it off the pier. The equipment is something the restauranteur takes with him if they leave, so I don’t believe the taxpayers should be purchasing $250,000 worth of restaurant equipment,” Murphy said.

Murphy said he needed commission decisions on which portions of the pier premises would be leased to the pier tenant and who would be responsible for the maintenance of the leased and non-leased premises.

“It’s fruitless to go on with conversations unless we can settle those two issues,” Murphy said. “Once you’ve defined the premises and who’s going to maintain the premises you can zero in on what the rent should be, you can zero in on the parking issue, you can come to an agreement on the insurance issues.”

When discussing whether the T-end bathrooms would be leased to the pier tenant, Commissioner Doug Copeland noted they need to remain open 24 hours day.

“I want the city to control as much of the space as possible,” Copeland said.

Murphy said the crew that cleans the City Pier Park restrooms could also clean the pier bathrooms, with the city and the tenant sharing those costs on a pro-rated basis.

In response a question city resident Alan Ward posed during public comment, Murphy said the old bathrooms were open 24 hours a day and maintained by the tenant.

Commissioner Amy Tripp said the past bathroom conditions were “terrible.”

“He failed miserably,” Copeland added.

Regarding maintenance of the pier in general, Copeland said, “I’m not here to bad-mouth Mario, but he’s proven in the past that he’s not good at maintenance.”

“That’s the beauty of the third-party property management; it’ll get done and it’ll be done right,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Dale Woodland agrees that a contracted property management company has the experience and expertise needed to properly maintain the pier and pier buildings – something he said the city and the pier tenant do not possess.

Related coverage

Pier opening discussed

Pier progressing as planned

Aubry files ADA complaint about pier railings

Score a strike at the LaPensee Bowling Tournament

Score a strike at the LaPensee Bowling Tournament

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Archives.

The LaPensee Bowling Tournament, supporting The Center of Anna Maria Island, returns to Bowlero Bradenton for a night of fun competition on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m.

The annual event is a fundraiser for The Center with presenting sponsor LaPensee Plumbing, Pools & Air. The Sun is the media sponsor for the event.

Each year the bowling tournament brings people together for an evening of fun and a little friendly competition on the lanes. In addition to bowling, this year’s tournament features a raffle, prizes for best costumes and awards for the best and worst male, female and kid bowlers.

Last year’s event brought out around 300 bowlers playing on 52 sponsored lanes and raised more than $15,000 for the nonprofit. This year’s goal is to sell out the bowling alley.

Tickets are $30 per person and include three games of bowling, a shoe rental and a choice of either pizza or wings. If you have a team, you can sponsor a whole lane. The cost is $150 to sponsor a lane with a logo displayed on your lane and at check-in. Lane sponsors with players, a team of up to five members, is $200 with a logo displayed at check-in and on the lane.

Signature lane sponsors, at $500 per lane, can have a team of up to five players per lane with a logo displayed at the lane and at check-in. Signature lane sponsors receive a pitcher of beer at their lane, and each player receives a Yeti and Center fishing shirt with a business logo on it. Kids’ lanes also are available.

And don’t forget the costume contest. Each player is encouraged to participate in the costume contest by dressing up solo or as a team.

For more information or to register, visit The Center online at or call 941-778-1908. Bowlero Bradenton is at 4208 Cortez Road.

Related coverage

Center fans rock the lanes at bowling tournament

LaPensee Bowling Tournament to benefit Center

‘Miracle Baby’ needs help

‘Miracle Baby’ needs help

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Churches, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – A child born three months premature on April 19, 2016, to Roser Community Church Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and his wife, Brenda, still faces a rocky future. Her parents and Roser officials are asking the Island community for help in the form of prayer and money.

Arianna Wade weighed only 11 ounces when she was born and, at that time, she was the smallest ever born at Sarasota Hospital. She became known as the “Miracle Baby” and on Dec. 19, 2016, Arianna came home from the hospital. She was considered to a great Christmas present for Charles and Brenda. On Dec. 12, 2018, Arianna played the part of Baby Jesus in the annual Roser Walk to Bethlehem.

Miracle Baby Arianna Wade
‘Miracle Baby’ Arianna Wade is now three years old.

Arianna has been undergoing ongoing treatment at St. Petersburg Children’s Hospital, and when she recently went in for a routine procedure to open up her airway, doctors discovered there was nothing more they could do for her. They referred her to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Once again, the church and family are asking for help in the form of prayers and money. Those wishing to help with the upcoming expenses may go to www.roserchurch.com/give to donate online (use the Arianna Miracle Fund line item) or make checks payable to Roser Church and note “For Arianna” on the memo line. Donations can be dropped off at the church office or mailed to Roser Church, PO Box 247, Anna Maria, FL 34216. The money that comes in will be distributed to Charles Wade on a monthly basis.

Pier opening discussed

Pier opening discussed

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

ANNA MARIA – Commission Chairman Brian Seymour asked Mayor Dan Murphy if the new City Pier will be opened to the public before the interior buildout of the T-end buildings is complete.

“I’ve been getting a lot of questions about it,” Seymour said during the City Commission’s Thursday, Aug. 8, meeting.

“When can they actually, physically walk on the pier?” Seymour asked.

“That’s a complex question,” Murphy responded. “As soon as we possibly can.”

Murphy said the pier opening depends on who the city’s pier tenant is, what the tenant’s plans are and how much of the city-owned pier is leased to current pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder or some other pier tenant.

“As soon as that shell’s finished it would be great to open it up – that’s what’s in the back of my mind,” Murphy said.

“The buildout can go on inside the building. It shouldn’t be too disruptive to have people on the pier fishing and doing whatever. That would be the ideal situation, but it would only be fair to let the tenant weigh in on that,” he added.

Seymour asked if the city’s position was to allow people back on the pier once the main construction of pier-end buildings is complete.

Murphy said if he can reach an agreement with Schoenfelder this week, the city would like to allow people back on the pier while the interior buildout takes place – a process Murphy said could take 60 to 90 days to complete once the exterior shell is finished.

“We want access to the pier,” Murphy said.

Murphy said the public restrooms for the pier-end buildings must be completed before the pier can be opened to the public and the pier tenant is responsible for the bathroom fixtures.

The main pier structure is scheduled for completion during the first week of September. Frank Agnelli’s Mason Martin Builders will then begin constructing the restaurant and bait shop buildings. That work is expected to be completed by year’s end.

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Repeat noise violations a lingering concern

Repeat noise violations a lingering concern

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials are searching for ways to better address vacation rental-related noise ordinance violations, with a focus on vacation rentals that produce repeat noise complaints.

During the Thursday, Aug. 8, city commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy proposed lowering the city’s current $500 fine for a cited noise ordinance violation. He said the current fine is onerous, excessive and the highest in Manatee County.

Murphy noted that the owner of a family home on North Shore Drive has not yet paid a $500 noise violation by a family member in March.

City Attorney Becky Vose said the additional $150 administrative fee levied by Special Magistrate Karla Owens at the appeals hearing in April also remains unpaid. During that hearing, Deputy Matthew Kenyan said the Sheriff’s Office previously responded to noise complaints and issued verbal warnings at that same address – 60 North Shore Drive – in 2015 and in 2017.

Commissioner Doug Copeland asked Vose if the city could put more teeth in its ordinance regarding the failure to pay noise ordinance fines and appeal fees. He said not doing so leaves the city “holding the bag” for those fines and fees.

Vose said the city uses a collection agency to collect on unpaid parking tickets and might consider that for noise ordinance citations too.

Murphy said the city also needs to clarify who gets fined when repeat noise citations are issued for the same address.

Possible solutions

Vose said deputies may be hesitant to issue a $500 citation to a vacationing family. She said warnings are not given before parking tickets are issued and she suggested issuing $35 citations for a deputy’s first noise-related visit. The fines would then increase significantly for additional offenses.

Copeland questioned whether some people might simply consider $35 a reasonable fee to pay in exchange for being noisy.

Vose raised the possibility of also fining the property owner and the property manager. She said this might incentivize owners and managers to avoid noisy guests.

Anna Maria noise violations
An occupant of this home on North Shore Drive was fined $500 for a noise ordinance violation and that fine remains unpaid. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

During public comment, it was noted that fining a property owner for a guest’s violation was previously considered in Holmes Beach but discarded due to concerns about the legality of fining an owner or agent for the actions of a guest. Vose said she would research that.

“I think the owner and the property manager have an obligation to make sure the vacation renters understand what’s allowed and what is not allowed. If they don’t do a good job on that, then they should be hit pretty hard,” Commissioner Dale Woodland said. “I don’t want to penalize the visitor that wasn’t informed, but I damn sure want to put a lot of responsibility on the property manager and/or owner.”

Commissioner Chair Brian Seymour disagreed with Woodland’s assertion that local rental and property management companies are not emphasizing noise ordinance compliance.

“I know most of the intermediate management companies and they are all over it,” Seymour said.

Seymour believes the local companies have stepped up their efforts to inform guests that the Island is a quiet place at night. He also said some guests falsely claim ignorance when confronted with a noise complaint.

Commissioner Carol Carter supports a tiered fine structure for properties that receive repeat noise complaints.

Vose said the city could utilize a “three strikes and you’re out” policy that results in a property being declared a nuisance after three cited offenses – but she’s not aware of any rental properties that have received three $500 noise citations.

Commissioner Amy Tripp asked Sgt. Mike Jones how many noise complaints are resolved with a warning.

“The majority comply once we have a talk with them,” Jones said.

Tripp said she wants to maintain the warning-first approach that seems to be working. She doesn’t like the idea of fining a family $35 for their kids making noise in the pool and she supports lowering the current $500 fine.

Woodland disagreed with Tripp about warnings and fines. He said those who live next to problematic vacation rentals are repeatedly subjected to noise issues that go unpenalized because it’s different guests each week.

“We don’t have a huge problem, but we have a lot of repeat problems at the same addresses,” Woodland said.

Copeland said the incident reports included in the commissioners’ meeting packets indicate many noise complaints pertain to people talking when gathered around a swimming pool at night. The reports indicate most complaints were resolved with a warning.

“I don’t know how draconian we want to get,” Copeland said.

Vose said she would continue to research the possibilities discussed and she was asked to draft proposed noise ordinance language to discuss at the commission’s Thursday, Aug. 22, meeting.

Related coverage

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Castles in the Sand

How to determine the truth about home flooding

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

Home inspections and seller property disclosures are an intricate part of home buying. You would think a seller’s disclosure is pretty clear cut, but it’s far from that, especially when it comes to flooding.

Flooding is the one thing potential property owners on bodies of water want to know the most about but, in fact, know the least. In Florida, there is a seller’s property disclosure form provided by the Florida Realtors Association. Although this form is provided to sellers when they list their property for sale with a real estate professional in Florida, they have no legal obligation to fill it out and sign it. Sellers and their realtors do, however, have a legal obligation to disclose to the buyer all facts that can materially affect the value of the property. It just doesn’t have to be in writing.

When it comes to the disclosure on previous or present flooding, sellers are only required to disclose what they know. If the house was flooded five years before they purchased and they were not aware of it, there’s nothing to pass on to a new buyer. Essentially sellers are required to disclose material defects to buyers that they know about.

Since most home inspectors cannot determine if a home has been flooded in the past, where do buyers go for a history of the property’s flooding? It’s a good question and one that U.S. lawmakers are just starting to look at. The House Financial Services Committee advanced legislation in June that would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to share information about a property’s flood history. This would be a least a step in the right direction for buyers, but when and how this information is provided could be a long way off.

FEMA has recently released data on all 2.4 million flood damage claims processed since the 1970s. Unfortunately, it’s not a practical reference for individuals because of size and lack of address referencing. FEMA does update federal flood zone maps but again that is geared more for insurance companies and gives no information specific to individual properties.

There are some organizations that are trying to improve flood disclosure information. One of them is First Street which collaborates with Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology among others. It is building a comprehensive database of homes that have flooded or are at risk of future flooding. It uses satellite imagery, high watermark data and other information, including FEMA data on flood claims, to determine if homes may have been flooded.

This information is not new; it has been available to large real estate owners but was financially out of reach for individuals. First Street claims it will launch its database within a year and it will be free for individuals to access. Sounds great, but there is a big margin of error within some of this information. It goes without saying that the impact on property values could be enormous. Will buyers’ willingness to purchase a property be influenced based on this new, possibly subjective information?

Next week we’ll talk about all the other disclosure requirements in Florida and there are plenty. Purchasing property on or near bodies of water, oceans, rivers and lakes are all susceptible to flooding and are inherently risky. There are no guarantees in life and certainly none in homeownership. Do your due diligence with the information available and hope for the best. Look on the bright side, at least we don’t live with the threat of earthquakes.

More Castles in the Sand:

It’s all about the kitchen

Calming waters

The condo dance

Adult co-ed sports up the challenge

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

As the youth indoor soccer season moves to a close, the adults take to the indoor gridiron for the first time in years at The Center of Anna Maria Island. Meanwhile, the big kids also continue to play the adult co-ed soccer league, playing the third week of the summer season.

The top of the rankings on the gridiron have four of the six teams with tied records of two wins and a single loss. Teams Lancaster Design, Progressive Cabinetry, Moss Builders and Gulfview Windows and Doors share position at the top of the heap with more than half the season still to play.

Team Hasmark Sports lost in a close one against Gulfview, taking its record to 1-2. Still seeking its first win, Team Ugly Grouper played a tough game against another veteran squad in Lancaster Design.

In the game against Team Ugly Grouper, Lancaster Designs’ Anthony Mannino grabbed the catch for three touchdown receptions, along with two touchdowns for teammate Karri Stephens. With his solid hands, Jay Hoffmeister added critical three extra points in the game.

Ugly Grouper’s Anthony McCance and Sirkevius Williams both put points on the scoreboard in the game, but their efforts just were not enough to overcome the other team.

Team captain Ryan Moss threw for four passing touchdowns, as well as caught a touchdown of his own in the second game last Thursday night for Gulfview Windows and Doors. Tyler Lancaster, Brandin Holcomb and Jordan DeMers all had scoring receptions of their own, assisting in their team’s win.

In the loss, Hashmark Sports’ Chase Richardson and Corey Banks put six points on the board, with follow-up point-afters by Octavious Cole.

Ray Gardner led his team to another victory with two passing throws that lead to touchdowns and two end-zone victory dances in Moss Builders’ win against Progressive Cabinetry.

Gardner’s teammates, Mike Gillum and Jon Moss, took the football to the end zone in the game, scoring 32 points between the three of them. The team’s scoring was topped with an extra point conversion by Chad Woods, who had three catches in the game.

Despite the loss, Progressive Cabinetry had three players who put up points – Ben Sato, Skylar Sostack and Jaret Rojas.

Facing the small nets and the boards in the Island’s gymnasium, the adults started the indoor soccer season with six games going head-to-head. With scores that look like American football scores, the fast-paced game had the yellow indoor soccer balls whizzing by the goalies.

Progressive Cabinetry spread the scoring among all six players on the team’s roster. In addition to their goals, Ryley Moore, Diego Felipe and Steve Oelfke had goalie stats of their own with critical saves.

Team captain Keith Mahoney scored five goals for his team, along with scores by Jose Urbiola Bolanos and Jason Chiofalo. Chiofalo had 10 saves in the game in addition to the eight saves by Freddy Lenhert in the team’s effort.

Goalie Robb Marshall’s 14 saves just were not enough for Slim’s Place in its fight against Moss Builders. Lexi Sato, Teddy Louloudes and Jose Casaras put the ball in the net past Moss Builder’s goalie Omar Polar.

Juan Carlos, with five goals for Moss Builders, added to the six total goals by Miguel Ajoy and Anil Akbulut for their team’s win.

Team Ugly Grouper, led by Chris Klotz, squeaked by Sato Real Estate in the final indoor game of the night. Klotz had eight saves and two goals in the night. John Haggerty stopped nine strikes and had a goal of his own.

Grouper’s Olaf Krause took it to the net twice, and Yuri Pereira put on the heat with his four goals and the team’s win.

Josh Sato, Adam Bujarski, Ryan Moss and Mark Rudacille put up a total of seven goals in the game, with four saves by Moss and five by Rudacille to end the night of adult indoor soccer.

With the youth indoor soccer league finishing with the championship games this week, the adults will supply the sports action for the rest of the summer at The Center.

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Mayor proposes maintaining current millage rate

Mayor proposes maintaining current millage rate

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy proposes maintaining the longstanding 2.05 millage rate for the 2019-2020 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

When discussing the budget with city commissioners on July 25, Murphy noted Anna Maria has consistently had the lowest millage rate of the three Island cities.

If the millage rate is adopted as proposed, property owners will pay $2.05 for every $1,000 of their property’s assessed value after applying any homestead exemptions and/or other tax exemptions.

Due to increased property values, maintaining the current millage rate will result in ad valorem property tax increases for many property owners, but Homestead exemptions applied to permanent full-time residences limit to 3% (or the annual change in the Consumer Price Index) the annual increase that can be applied to a Homesteaded property’s assessed taxable value.

The city anticipates collecting approximately $2.46 million in ad valorem taxes in the 2019-2020 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. City Treasurer LeAnne Addy said maintaining the current millage rate would provide the city with approximately $214,000 in additional ad valorem tax revenues compared to the current fiscal year.

The city also anticipates collecting $300,503 in vacation rental licensing fees in the coming fiscal year.

The 2019-20 budget remains a work in progress and is scheduled for discussion again at commission’s Thursday, Aug. 8, budget meeting that begins at 6 p.m.

Anna Maria’s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget will be presented for final adoption during two public hearings in September.

Related coverage:

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