BRADENTON – Property owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District in western Manatee County will notice an increase in the fire assessment rate when TRIM notices go out later this year, but it won’t be a big jump in cost.
District commissioners voted 4-1 to increase assessment rates for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The increase will be 4%, slightly less than the allowable increase of 5.64%.
WMFR gets most of its income from special assessment rates paid by property owners in the district. Since the assessments are non-ad valorem, they’re not based on a property’s taxable value. Instead, they are based on the size of the building on the property or set at a flat rate if the property is vacant.
The maximum percentage that the rate can be increased each year is based on personal income growth, or PIG. Though district leaders expected the 2021 number to be much lower, it came in at 6.8% for the state of Florida according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The maximum increase considered by WMFR commissioners during their April mid-year budget workshop was 5.64%.
What this means for district taxpayers, including all property owners on Anna Maria Island, in Cortez and the west side of unincorporated Manatee County, is that what you pay annually for fire service is increasing slightly on your next property tax bill.
A 4% increase will bring the residential property base rate up $7.82 to $203.35 with an increase for properties over 1,000 square feet of $0.0046 to $0.1199 per square foot. For a 2,000-square-foot home, this brings the total rate up from $310.85 to $323.28, a difference of $12.43. The rate for a 3,000-square-foot home would increase from $426.17 to $443.22 and from $541.50 to $563.16 for a 5,000-square-foot home.
Commercial property owners will notice an increase as well, with the commercial base rate increasing from $485.94 to $505.38 and the per-square-foot rate increasing from $0.2104 to $0.2188 for buildings over 1,000 square feet. The 4% increase brings the total rate for a 2,000-square-foot commercial property to $724.23 with a 3,000-square-foot building coming in at $943.08 and the rate for a 4,000-square-foot commercial building increasing to $1,161.92.
Commissioner Al Robinson was the lone vote against raising the assessment rate for the coming year. Robinson has previously been vocal about curbing the department’s spending and lessening the burden of the fire district on property owners.
Despite the increase in assessment rates, WMFR still has one of the lowest rates in Manatee County.
Commissioner David Bishop said the decision to vote whether or not to increase assessment rates is a difficult one. He warned his fellow commissioners that in looking to the future of the district they don’t get too far ahead for the taxpayer base. He said he feels the district could quickly reach a tipping point with costs and that they want to make sure that those costs don’t tip the wrong way, ending up too high to be sustainable.
BRADENTON BEACH – Visitors come from all over the world to the white sand beaches of Anna Maria Island, and enjoy the Island’s many amenities. I was recently invited to visit Bradenton Beach to take a ride on one of the area’s most unique attractions, for an evening of laughs aboard the Anna Maria Princess Sunset Comedy Cruise. This trip proved to be simultaneously hilarious, as well as relaxing.
The Anna Maria Princess is the only authentic paddlewheel boat sailing the waters of AMI and Longboat Key. With no supplemental form of propulsion, the boat’s two large paddlewheels offer guests a true riverboat experience, reminiscent of a trip along the Mississippi.
“This 2002 Skipper Liner was purchased in Pickwick, Tennessee. It took us 22 days to get it down here to Bradenton Beach,” said Lexi Deleon, the Princess’s First Mate, and Sun “Readers’ Choice” award-winning bartender. Deleon serves up cocktails from a bar situated in the rear of the lower level of the boat, with a large glass window looking out to the stern, where guests can watch the dual paddle wheels churn up the water.
“Make sure you check out the view from the window behind the bar,” said Mike Bazzy, owner of Bradenton Beach Marina, who invited me to the cruise, which sets sail from the Marina and travels south along the Intracoastal Waterway through Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, returning north along the same route.
The evening I attended, the Comedy Cruise featured three comedians as well as Dick Gordon, who serves as the resident emcee. Guests begin boarding at 5 p.m., and are free to enjoy a cocktail and mingle before the Princess leaves the dock at 6 p.m. The boat has two levels, with the lower level being indoors with ample windows to enjoy the spectacular views, as well as air conditioning and plenty of seating. The comedy show takes place on the upper level, which is open-air, but covered to protect guests from the elements.
First Mate Deleon began the evening by welcoming guests, and posing the question: “Where does a boat go when it gets sick? A dock.” Deleon then introduced Dick Gordon who serves as emcee for the shows. As a former stand-up comic, I know how difficult it can be for the emcee to get the crowd warmed up, but he did an excellent job, and was certainly up to the task.
As each comedian took the stage, the crowd was attentive, and really looked to be enjoying themselves. It would seem the beautiful mangroves, dolphins jumping out of the water, and other sights would prove distracting, but the talented comics did a great job of working these things into their acts. Emcee, Gordon would often say “Look everybody, a manatee!” and then point out there was in fact, no manatee. Passing boats blow their horns and wave throughout the performance, at which time passengers and comics on the Princess would wave back. This certainly wasn’t like any other comedy club I had ever been in.
“I love it. It’s unique, and the staff does a great job,” said headlining comedian Michael Murillo. It’s not unusual for a venue to have a comedy show, but not keep the focus on the show. Whether it be a distracting television playing a sporting event at the bar, or another event happening within earshot, it can really take the attention away from the performer, something Murillo and I have both experienced many times. This isn’t the case on the Princess. They do a great job arranging the seating and eliminating distractions, which enhances the comedy experience.
Feature comedian Vien Phommachanh (who goes by Vien, because apparently nobody can pronounce his last name) echoed the sentiment that the Princess is not only unique, but an excellent venue in general. Vien is a local ear, nose and throat doctor who caught the comedy bug a few years ago.
“There really aren’t many circumstances where I can work comedy into my everyday life as a doctor; it’s a profession where you have to be serious. However, I can work my job as a doctor into my comedy quite easily,” said Vien. South Florida has a lot of comedic talent, including Nathan Gelardi, the opening act the evening I attended. Originally from Detroit, Gelardi moved to the area a few years ago, and finds it to be great place to pursue a career in comedy.
“I was booked to do a show on the Princess more than a year ago, but it never happened because everything closed due to COVID,” said Gelardi, who was pleased to get the call that things were getting back to normal, and he would be performing on the Princess. People from all walks of life, including comedians and paddleboat captains, have been affected by this pandemic. Everyone I spoke with was very happy that something like attending a comedy show was now, once again, a possibility.
“I think we will no longer take things like getting my hair cut, or a sunset comedy cruise for granted. The pandemic has made me really appreciate things now that I’ve gone without any form of live entertainment for so long,” said Walter Sterling, who attended the show. Everyone I spoke to appeared grateful that getting out and enjoying a show was even an option after the events of the past year. The fact the show was enjoyable, and the staff was so accommodating seemed to be the icing on the cake.
“I was worried the water would be choppy,” said Beth Scammon, who was attending with eight of her friends and family, celebrating their friend Mari’s 60th birthday. “I love the fact that it was smooth and the staff and crew are amazing. Knowing how accommodating this boat is, I can bring my parents for a future show. They are older, and I was worried it might be too much for them. Certainly not the case.” The ladies even had custom pink shirts made for the event, which the comedians had a good time with.
With a seating capacity of 80, it is recommended you get your tickets in advance. The Sunset Comedy Cruise often sells out. For more information, or to get tickets, visit the website or call 941-778-2288. There is also plenty of free parking.
It should also be noted that this is not an “R” rated show. The crew of the Princess prefers to keep the subject matter a bit less racy in nature than you may experience at a traditional club. Dick Gordon invited this reporter to return to the Princess and tell a few jokes. It’s been a while, but I fully intend to take him up on his offer, and will take the stage in the coming weeks. I look forward to getting back on this beautiful boat.
COQUINA BEACH – This weekend marks the start of the busy holiday beach season that runs through Memorial Day weekend, and local public safety agencies say they are ready.
Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies held a press conference on March 29 to discuss the measures they will take to keep the public safe.
Beach patrol, law enforcement and EMS will be facing new and unique challenges this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur said.
“It’s critical for Manatee County to work in unison with our Island partners and local law enforcement agencies to keep all beachgoers safe so that they have a safe place to enjoy this Island and this community while they’re on break or taking some much-needed downtime from their hectic schedules,” Saur said, reminding residents to expect large crowds during this busy season.
Manatee County Beach Patrol Chief Joe Westerman spoke about the challenges facing lifeguards and first responders as the busy spring and summer holiday season begins.
“We ask a few things of everyone that comes out here. One is to always swim in front of a lifeguard, and check with your lifeguard about what the surf and beach conditions are that day. Also, there is no alcohol allowed on any of our beaches. Also, this isn’t a place to bring pets, we don’t allow any pets on our beaches unless it’s a service animal,” Westerman said, adding that a little planning ahead of time will make for a successful day at the beach.
It takes coordination between multiple agencies to keep the public safe at area beaches. Manatee County Emergency Management Chief Steve Litschauer said 13 different agencies or departments are working together, including all law enforcement agencies on the Island, EMS, Code Enforcement, Property Management and Public Works. Litschauer said communication is essential, and the fact that all 13 agencies are able to communicate effectively is a key factor in the event of an emergency.
Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer took to the podium to reiterate the Island’s zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol on the beach.
“No alcohol, no pets, no glass bottles, no fires and no grills unless you’re in a grilling area that’s assigned. It’s important to remember that you’re vacationing in a residential area, so keep the noise down to a respectable level, and remember that we still have a mask order in place and social distancing,” Tokajer said, stressing that these laws would be enforced. Tokajer also said that anyone caught drinking alcohol would be issued a fine, and anyone underage caught consuming alcohol would be removed from the beach and their parents would be contacted, regardless of their location.
Chief Tokajer also shared some numbers on just how busy the spring season has been so far this year.
“Between March 1st and March 26th, we have had 650,000 vehicles come to Holmes Beach alone, which is 24,700 cars a day. We have limited parking, so if you want a space, you should come early.”
Parking can often be an issue during the busy spring season, but Longboat Key Police Lieutenant Chris Skinner said his department, as well as others, would strictly enforce parking regulations, and if you park outside designated areas, you should expect a citation. Skinner said his department will increase patrol not only on the streets, but on the beaches as well during this busy season.
Almost exactly a year ago, the agencies were working together to close the beaches because they didn’t know what to expect from the pandemic. Now the same agencies are once again working together to prepare for what will likely be larger-than-normal crowds at area beaches. As more and more people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and positivity numbers continue to slowly go down, many have their eyes on Gulf beaches for a much-needed getaway. It’s important to remember, however, that COVID-19 is still a genuine threat, and if you can’t social distance – or wish to visit businesses on the Island – masks are still required.
BRADENTON BEACH – The city of Bradenton Beach is joining plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit that opposes replacing the existing Cortez Bridge drawbridge with a fixed-span bridge.
On Thursday, March 18, Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Marilyn Maro, Jan Vosburgh and Jake Spooner voted in favor of the city becoming the fifth plaintiff in the federal lawsuit. Commissioner Ralph Cole did not attend Thursday’s meeting.
The commission-approved motion states the city’s legal costs are not to exceed $15,000. At the request of City Attorney Ricinda Perry, attorney Chuck Johnson will provide the city’s outside legal counsel in this matter.
In 2019, the commission unanimously adopted a nonbinding resolution opposing the proposed fixed-span bridge. The city will now join former Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, former Manatee County Commissioner Jane von Hahmann, a longtime Cortez resident, and Cortez residents Joe Kane and Linda Molto as plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit filed in March 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa.
The lawsuit names the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Nicole R. Nason as defendants.
The lawsuit challenges FDOT’s plans to replace the existing Cortez drawbridge, built in 1956, with a fixed-span bridge that provides 65 feet of vertical clearance. According to a 2015 FDOT case study, the existing drawbridge provides 17.5 feet of vertical clearance when the bridge is down. As a compromise, the lawsuit’s plaintiffs support a new drawbridge with 35 feet of vertical clearance.
The Cortez Bridge drawbridge was built in 1956 and the aging bridge now needs to be replaced. – Submitted
FDOT spokesperson Brian Rick said in February that the fixed-span bridge originally estimated to cost $66.5 million is now expected to cost $77 million due to inflation. FDOT District Secretary L.K. Nandam also cited that $77 million figure during a presentation he gave in January. Both FDOT representatives indicated the bridge replacement project is currently moving forward as planned. The project is now expected to be put out to bid in late 2025, with construction to start in 2026.
Seeking city assistance
On March 4, von Hahmann asked the city commission to consider joining the lawsuit. On March 18, McClash made his plea to the commission.
“It’s been a little over a year since we filed our claims against the 65-foot fixed bridge,” McClash said.
He noted the plaintiffs are not trying to prevent the existing drawbridge from being replaced, but feel it’s important to the Cortez community to challenge FDOT’s plans to replace it with a much larger fixed-span bridge.
The Cortez drawbridge is in need of replacement, according to FDOT. – Submitted
McClash said the lawsuit includes five claims for relief that question whether FDOT followed federal rules during its decision-making process. The legal challenge was filed according to the federal Administrative Procedure Act. McClash said the plaintiffs originally attempted to challenge the bridge planning process at the state level, but because FDOT assumed the responsibility of the federal government for the project, the challenge must be filed in federal court.
“It’s a review of the record. It’s not a typical lawsuit. We’re at a point now where DOT is responsible for producing the administrative record – everything they did to follow procedures required to comply with the federal rules. Once we receive that, we’ll be able to determine what specific rules they did violate. We have reason to believe there were a few,” McClash said.
Claims for relief
The first claim for relief alleges FDOT failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding the evaluation of the potential socio-cultural effects a fixed-span bridge could have on the impacted communities.
McClash said these concerns include community cohesion, local plan consistency and mobility.
“There was a list of things FDOT was supposed to do during this evaluation that we feel they failed to do,” he said.
The second claim for relief alleges FDOT failed to comply with NEPA requirements when reviewing the bridge’s potential aesthetic effects.
“How will the bridge affect vistas and viewsheds and blend visually with the area adjacent to many community focal points?” McClash said.
The plaintiffs believe FDOT failed to make the public aware that a fixed-span bridge will require noise barrier walls near the touchdown points on the Cortez and Bradenton Beach ends of the bridge. McClash said the proposed touchdown area in Cortez would extend approximately 200 yards farther east than it does now.
“There has to be a wall-like structure built to hold up the dirt. You’re creating this wall that divides Cortez, which is something that’s not allowed in our opinion,” McClash said.
The third claim for relief alleges FDOT used inaccurate survey data that demonstrated a bias for a fixed-span bridge, and thus failed to comply with its own policies regarding NEPA compliance.
McClash disputes FDOT’s claim that a fixed-span bridge would increase the level of service for motorists using the bridge from a level D to a level B.
“Whether the bridge is up or not, you’re not going to improve it to a level B. If you have a fixed bridge, there are more cars parked on top of the bridge,” he said.
The fourth claim alleges FDOT failed to comply with NEPA flood plain requirements.
“They didn’t do any flood plain analysis,” McClash said.
The fifth claim alleges FDOT failed to satisfy NEPA requirements about informing elected officials and community members of the details included in the Project Development and Environment review.
“They’re supposed to look at the unique characteristics of the geographical area such as proximity to historic or cultural resources, wetlands and also the effect on human environments,” McClash said.
He also said he’s not aware of a light pollution analysis being conducted.
McClash believes the city joining the lawsuit would give the plaintiffs a stronger position in a courtroom setting or during a review of the case conducted by a judge.
“We asked for a judge to provide some type of judgment that they did, in fact, violate some of these rules. What you’re debating with the federal court is that the records exist and FDOT violated the rules of picking this bridge,” McClash said.
“We also provide that they consider the 35-foot bridge is a viable option compared to the 65-foot bridge. The 35-foot bridge would fit between the shorelines of where the existing bridge is,” McClash said, noting that option would not require noise walls.
“Hopefully, we could convince FDOT that’s still a viable option,” he said.
McClash proposed starting a GoFundMe fundraising effort to help offset future legal costs incurred. He also said he could continue to do most of the “heavy lifting” in this case.
Commission consideration
Perry said the city doesn’t want to be seen as leading the charge for the original pro se plaintiffs, who are representing themselves. She also said she doesn’t currently have time to represent the city in this case, which is why she recommended Johnson.
Vosburgh said she lived in Utah when a new highway was built to accommodate the winter Olympics. Vosburgh said the noise walls associated with that project had the unintended effect of creating more noise.
“It was horrible,” she said.
Spooner said he likes the idea of starting a GoFundMe account to help offset the legal costs incurred.
Maro said she supports joining the lawsuit because she doesn’t want to see Cortez – one of the last working fishing villages in Florida – negatively impacted by a fixed-span bridge.
“Yes, it is about the village of Cortez, but it’s also about the Island and Bradenton Beach and what we are struggling to preserve and enhance. This doesn’t enhance anything,” Chappie said, adding that a fixed-span bridge is not going to reduce the traffic congestion motorists encounter on Gulf Drive after crossing the bridge.
MANATEE COUNTY – More people are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Manatee County at more distribution sites, but there are also more requirements, depending on your situation.
County officials have opened registration through the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County for people age 16 and older with underlying medical conditions to receive the vaccine. To be eligible, vaccine recipients must first have a physician fill out a determination of extreme vulnerability form with the Department of Health’s logo on it. The form can be downloaded online. To learn what medical conditions qualify, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online.
To make an appointment at the health department, call 941-242-6646. Vaccine appointments are being made from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Department of Health at 410 Sixth Ave. E., Bradenton. When arriving for an appointment, recipients need a signed copy of the determination of extreme vulnerability form, if applicable, documentation showing proof of Florida residency and a completed vaccination consent form, which can be found online. Second vaccine appointments will be scheduled when the first vaccine is given.
Thanks to a new executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis, seniors age 60 and older are now eligible to receive a vaccination through state, county and private pharmacy distribution sites.
To sign up for a vaccine through Manatee County at the Tom Bennett Park or Public Safety Center sites, visit the county’s vaccine website. Though anyone 60 and older can register with the county, county officials stated in a March 12 press release that the county will continue prioritizing vaccine distribution to those age 65 and older. Once the demand for vaccines lessens with that age group, they’ll move on to registrants age 60 and older.
Anyone age 60 or older with underlying medical conditions and a signed form from their doctor, sworn law enforcement officers age 50 and older, frontline healthcare workers, K-12 and preschool teachers and firefighters age 50 and older can also sign up for a vaccine from private pharmacies including Publix locations, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie.
Publix is opening registration for vaccine doses at 7 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays online. With two types of vaccines available, anyone signing up for an appointment on Monday or Friday will receive a Moderna two-dose vaccine. People who sign up on Wednesday will receive the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine.
CVS locations in Bradenton and Holmes Beach, as well as other nearby areas, are offering vaccinations. To view availability and book an appointment, visit the pharmacy online.
Walgreens is offering Pfizer and Moderna vaccines at select locations. To book an appointment, visit the pharmacy website.
Select Walmart pharmacy locations also are offering vaccine appointments to eligible individuals. Visit Walmart’s website to see availability and book an appointment.
Vaccine appointments are available through Winn-Dixie at all Bradenton locations and in Palmetto. To book an appointment with Winn-Dixie, visit the grocer’s vaccine website.
While Publix has certain times when appointments become available, all other pharmacy locations release available appointment times as more vaccines become available to them.
MANATEE COUNTY – After weeks of waiting, seniors and others qualified to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are finally about to see some relief as more shots make their way to the county.
The county-run vaccination site at Tom Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road, Bradenton, has 5,100 first doses for seniors this week, according to Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur. With 4,500 more doses arriving at a state-run vaccination site coming online today at the county’s Public Safety Center at 2101 47th Terrace E., Bradenton, a total of 9,600 first-dose vaccine appointments for seniors are scheduled.
With both vaccination sites running, Saur says he hopes to reduce the county’s vaccine standby pool from 90,000 to near zero by the end of March.
At the state-run site, Saur said the plan is to give 1,000 first doses per day, five days a week for four weeks followed by four weeks of second doses.
All the appointments at the county- and state-run sites are filled at random from those registered in the county’s standby waiting pool. Recipients can expect to receive a text from 88911 or a call from 941-742-4300 to confirm their appointment. Recipients who do not confirm their appointment within two hours will be put back in the waiting pool.
Thanks to changes in the qualifications to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in the state of Florida, more people are now eligible to receive shots. Florida residents 65 and older continue to be qualified to receive the shot and are joined by residents and staff at long-term care facilities, frontline healthcare workers who have direct patient contact, law enforcement officers and firefighters age 50 and older, daycare workers, and pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers. Teachers age 50 and older can get their COVID-19 vaccinations through the state-run site while teachers younger than 50 can get them from retail pharmacy locations.
Anyone with an underlying condition that makes them susceptible to the novel coronavirus also is eligible to receive the vaccine from retail pharmacy locations with a letter of authorization from their doctor on this form.
Currently, only seniors 65 and older, first responders and healthcare workers are eligible to receive the vaccine at the Manatee County site. To register for those standby waiting pools, call 311 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or register online.
Everyone else who is deemed eligible by the state to receive the first dose of the vaccine can register online for appointments at local CVS, Publix, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie locations.
Publix locations are releasing appointment times to the public online every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 a.m. To register for one of these appointments, visit the company online.
For appointments at Walgreens locations, visit their COVID-19 page.
Updated Feb. 11 at 4:50 p.m.: Suspect Cierra Shannon turned herself in at the Bradenton Police Department at 4:45 p.m. today. She has been charged with leaving the scene of a traffic crash that resulted in a death. Investigators have impounded a 2006 silver Chevrolet Trailblazer and are processing it for evidence.
The victim has been identified as 83-year-old Madelyn Dakin from Michigan. Dakin was vacationing in Holmes Beach with her husband of 67 years, Gerald.
Updated Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.: Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the suspect’s vehicle was found in the FISH Preserve area of Cortez Village and has been impounded by police.
HOLMES BEACH – Holmes Beach police officers are looking for information that could help lead to an arrest in a fatal hit and run accident that took place on Gulf Drive.
Chief Bill Tokajer said the incident occurred just after 7 p.m. in the 2700 block of Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, near the city’s southern border with Bradenton Beach. A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident.
Holmes Beach police are being assisted by the Bradenton Police Department’s traffic unit on the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Currently, Tokajer said investigators are searching for a 2006 silver Chevrolet Trailblazer with Florida license plate IV5-9UG and front end damage. Officers also are searching for Cierra E. Shannon, a white female with a birthdate of Sept. 22, 1993, and a person of interest in the investigation.
Police are searching for Cierra Shannon of Bradenton in conjunction with a Feb. 10 fatal hit and run in Holmes Beach. – Photo from Shannon’s Facebook page.
In addition to searching for Shannon, Tokajer added that police also are seeking information from anyone who saw her or was with her prior to the Feb. 10 crash or who has information on her activities prior to the incident to see if her actions earlier in the day were a determining factor to why she left the scene of the crash.
According to Manatee County court records, Shannon was found guilty of driving under the influence in 2015 and was ordered to serve a year of probation, complete DUI school and pay a fine in lieu of community service hours.
Anyone with information on Shannon or the crash is asked to please contact Holmes Beach Det. Brian Hall at 941-932-6161 or email detective@holmesbeach.org. Tips and information also can be sent to BPDtips@bradentonpd.com. To remain anonymous or be eligible to receive a cash reward of $3,000 for information, call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-634-8477 or send an anonymous tip electronically online to the Crime Stoppers website.
–Sun reporter Joe Hendricks contributed to this story
Updated Feb. 8, 2021 at 12:15 p.m. – CORTEZ – A new, high-rise Cortez Bridge is coming and it may be sooner than you think.
Florida Department of Transportation officials confirmed that construction on the bridge is now expected to begin during the FDOT’s 2026 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2025, and ends on June 30, 2026.
The existing drawbridge, built in 1956, will be replaced by a fixed-span bridge that provides 65 feet of vertical clearance below it. According to FDOT, the current drawbridge provides 17.5 feet of vertical clearance when the bridge is down.
FDOT announced its plans in 2018 to build a fixed-span bridge instead of rehabbing the existing bridge or building a new drawbridge, which would provide 35 feet of vertical clearance when the bridge is down.
During a Bradenton Beach Commission meeting on Jan. 21, Mayor John Chappie said he had learned the Cortez Bridge replacement project was now included in FDOT’s five-year work program.
“That kind of surprised me. I didn’t think it would happen for another 10 years,” Chappie said.
When contacted by email last week, FDOT Communications Specialist Brian Rick said the bridge construction project will be awarded to a contractor at some point during the second half of 2025, with construction of a new bridge to begin several months later. Rick said construction will start during FDOT’s 2026 fiscal year and funding for the state project is expected to be in place at that time.
He noted the anticipated bridge replacement project cost originally was $66.5 million.
“As a caveat, $66.5 million is the present-day cost, but with inflation, it will be $76 million by 2026,” Rick said in an email.
Rick said FDOT plans to submit its Phase II bridge construction design plans sometime around August.
The bridge replacement timetable was referenced in the presentation that L.K. Nandam, district secretary for District One of the Florida Department of Transportation, provided during the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly State of Community series event on Jan. 27.
Nandam’s virtual presentation also said the Cortez Bridge project would start during FDOT’s 2026 fiscal year. His presentation noted that the Anna Maria Bridge on Manatee Avenue, which is also a drawbridge, is currently slated for replacement between fiscal years 2027 and 2032.
Bridge aesthetics
The Cortez Bridge replacement project was discussed at the FDOT Bridge Aesthetics Committee’s virtual meeting on Jan. 20.
This 2018 FDOT rendering illustrates what the bridge landing area in Bradenton Beach will look like. – FDOT | Submitted
According to a Jan. 28 committee meeting summary prepared by Laura Turner, of Laura Turner Planning Services, “The Florida Department of Transportation has begun design plans for the Cortez Road bridge replacement.”
The Bridge Aesthetics Committee allows local citizens to participate in the design process.
Cortez resident and Bradenton Beach property owner Connie Morrow, Jeff Vey, of the Bridgeport condominiums in Bradenton Beach, and Ann Marie Nicholas, owner of the Room with a Hue retail business in Bradenton Beach, participated in the Jan. 20 committee meeting.
They were joined by Turner, FDOT Transportation Manager Roxann Lake, FDOT staff member Kaylene Johnson, consulting project manager Doug Hershey, and Adrian Moon from the WSP transportation and infrastructure services firm.
Chappie is a committee member but he was unable to attend the recent meeting, as were fellow members Joe Rodgers, Karen Bell, Mike Bazzy and Joe Adoma.
The design and aesthetics of the bridge pillars were discussed during the recent committee meeting. Pillar design options range from two or three thin concrete pillars with simple design lines to thicker pillars that feature brick surfaces and double arches. The meeting summary does not indicate that any final decision was made regarding pillar design.
Continued opposition
FDOT is moving forward with its bridge replacement plans despite continued public opposition and a 2019 legal challenge by former Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, former Manatee County Commissioner and Cortez resident Jane von Hahmann, Cortez residents Linda Molto and Joe Kane, the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage, the Cortez Historical Society and the ManaSota-88 organization.
In that 2019 challenge, the fixed-span opponents filed a petition that named FDOT as the respondent. The petition stated that all of the petitioners would have their substantial interests negatively affected by replacing the existing drawbridge with a higher, fixed-span bridge.
This 2018 FDOT rendering includes an auxiliary ramp that provides access to the businesses and residences on and around 127th Street West. – FDOT | Submitted
The petition claimed that the tall bridge would negatively impact the maritime culture and fishing industry in the historic village of Cortez. It also stated a fixed-span bridge would impact environmental, aesthetic, cultural and natural resources and the use of the navigational waters near the Cortez Bridge for vessels whose masts or superstructures exceed 60 feet.
The petitioners asserted the proposed replacement bridge would negatively impact the quality of life, environment, financial well-being, mobility and preservation of Cortez. They also said a fixed-span bridge would create dangerous intersections at offsetting streets and pedestrian crossing areas, while also increasing noise, dividing the community with a wall-like structure and changing the overall aesthetics of Cortez.
These and other opponents of the 65-foot vertical clearance bridge have repeatedly expressed support for a new drawbridge that offers 35 feet of vertical clearance.
FDOT dismisses objections
On April 23, 2018, FDOT issued a press release regarding its bridge design decision.
“A fixed bridge is resoundingly the best financial investment for taxpayers. The initial construction cost, including design and construction, saves approximately $23.9 million compared to a new mid-level drawbridge. Over the 75-year life of the bridge, the fixed bridge also saves approximately $11.2 million in operating and maintenance costs compared to the drawbridge.
The Cortez Bridge drawbridge was built in 1956. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The new bridge will be designed and constructed to modern standards that will improve the safety of the bridge and will include enhanced pedestrian and bicycle features, including two 10-foot sidewalks separated from the roadway by a traffic barrier which will enhance safety and overall recreational opportunities,” according to the press release.
In 2018 FDOT released a series of renderings that illustrated what the new bridge and bridge approach areas were expected to look like. One rendering showed an auxiliary ramp coming off of Cortez Road that would provide access to the businesses and residences on and around 127th Street West, including Tide Tables, Annie’s Back & Tackle, the Seafood Shack and more.
Updated Monday, Jan. 25 at 2:20 p.m. – MANATEE COUNTY – Good news came to those waiting in the COVID-19 vaccine standby pool when county leaders announced the receipt of 4,500 additional first doses.
The news came on Monday, alerting the public that they will receive a call from operators at 311, who were scheduled to randomly select and call people in the standby pool to book appointments for Wednesday through Friday, Jan. 27-29, at Tom Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd. in Bradenton.
Of the 4,500 vaccine doses received, 600 of those will be allocated to the healthcare and frontline worker standby pool. Those recipients also will be notified by operators. Two hundred doses per day are planned to be administered from 8-9 a.m. at Bennett Park.
Patients who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Jan. 8 should receive an automated call or text to confirm their second dose appointment on Jan. 29 at the Manatee County Public Safety Center. Anyone who received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine between Jan. 2-7 should also have received an automated message Jan. 25 to inform them of their second dose appointment on either Feb. 1 or 2 at Bennett Park.
Calls will come from 941-742-4300 and texts will come from 88911. Seniors are advised to put the numbers in their phone’s contacts to avoid calls being blocked as spam.
Residency requirement
Anyone 65 or older who is a Florida resident or who can prove at least part-time residency through the production of a Florida driver license or state-issued identification card, a utility bill with their name and a local address or a local rental agreement is eligible to receive the vaccine in Manatee County.
Recipients also need to take to their first appointment a completed copy of the COVID-19 consent form and a valid photo ID along with paperwork proving residency.
The residency requirement doesn’t apply to anyone who already received their first dose of the vaccine in Manatee County. Shot records cannot be transferred to another facility or jurisdiction.
Healthcare workers register separately
Frontline healthcare workers and first responders must also show their medical credentials to receive the vaccine. These individuals who do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine at work are encouraged to enter their names into a separate vaccine standby pool registration for area first responders and frontline healthcare workers at www.vax.mymanatee.org/frontline.
When vaccine doses become available, workers will be notified in the same way as the general public – by operators calling from 311 to set up an appointment to receive a first dose of the vaccine. These operators work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To receive a vaccine, healthcare workers need to download and complete a consent form available online at www.mymanatee.org/vaccine and bring that along with a valid photo ID and medical provider credentials to the appointment.
As if the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest last year and, of course, going into this year, aren’t enough, the Census Bureau started reporting population counts and Florida is one of the states at the top of the heap.
Florida’s population has been growing for the last 10 years, making us the third-most-populous state in the country after California and Texas. Coming from New York, I’m always surprised to hear from friends and relatives that they had no clue Florida’s population surpassed New York State’s. This occurred back in 2014 with a slight margin that has grown every year since then.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas, Florida, California, North Carolina and Arizona were the states with the biggest population growth from 2010 to 2020. Florida’s gain during that period is just under 3 million residents. The states with the biggest declines during the past 10 years are Vermont, Connecticut, New York, West Virginia and Illinois.
These numbers, however, do not reflect the mostly coastal states and Illinois that have lost population from July 2019 to July 2020. Much of this decline may be contributed to the pandemic but chances are the numbers will decline even more when the balance of 2020 is counted, when people started relocating. In addition, Texas (373,965), Florida (241,256) and Arizona (129,556) are the top three states in the country that have gained population this year.
It’s no surprise to anyone who is even remotely interested in the real estate market that people are leaving high-taxed states and embracing Florida’s low-tax and friendly business environment. This year the number of people relocating to Florida from other states has exploded and now many companies are looking to Florida and Texas to relocate their businesses.
After almost a year of running businesses remotely, corporations are starting to understand they don’t need the expense and inconvenience of a bricks-and-mortar building to operate. They can offer their employees alternatives increasing both their bottom line and that of the company. Miami, in particular, is attracting major financial investment companies, a few of which have already relocated and others considering the move.
As previously stated, COVID-19 is certainly playing a big part in the movement of populations. But a lot of this started after the 2017 tax reform, which included a cap on state and local tax deductibility on federal income taxes. States with high personal income tax and exorbitant property taxes that could no longer be fully deducted had residents sharpening their pencils at tax time. Many upper-income families decided it just wasn’t worth the taxes they paid to stay in certain states and started looking elsewhere.
With a new administration in Washington, it’s possible that the tax reforms of 2017 could be reversed. This could have somewhat of an effect on people’s decisions to move, however, paying $30,000 a year in property tax is not the same as being able to take a tax deduction on that amount. So, the real estate community will wait and see if a different national tax environment changes the movement of populations to the sunbelt, which started well before the tax reforms of 2017.
Florida frequently is the subject of jokes from more sophisticated regions of the country. Dave Barry wrote a whole book about it. But based on the 10-year population growth, no one really cares. I-10 and I-95 are jam-packed with moving trucks headed south and properties are selling in one day.
Make room Floridians – we ain’t seen nothing yet. Stay safe.
BRADENTON BEACH – Four tragic non-COVID-related deaths were among the top Bradenton Beach stories in 2020.
Tragic deaths
On Saturday, Oct. 17, Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale, Det. Sgt. Lenard Diaz and officers Steve Masi and Devon Straight were among those who responded to a suspected murder-suicide in the upper unit of a triplex at 2514 Avenue C.
The incident resulted in the deaths of Sabrina Dumdei, 37, and her boyfriend, Zachary Winton, 34. Speciale and Diaz both described the crime scene as the bloodiest and most gruesome they’d ever seen.
The funeral service for Dumdei, a well-known local hairdresser, was held in Bradenton on Nov. 2.
On Nov. 12, the new owners who purchased the property before the suspected murder-suicide occurred had the triplex demolished to make room for the new structure they already had planned.
At year’s end, Diaz had not yet released his final investigative findings.
During Tropical Storm Eta, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, longtime Island insurance broker Mark Mixon died of accidental electrocution when he entered a flooded, ground-level utility room that contained a clothes dryer that was still connected to an active electrical circuit. Diaz also responded to that tragedy.
On Wednesday, Dec. 2, Diaz responded to the suspected fatal drowning of 60-year-old Jerald Oliver. Oliver, who lived on his sailboat at the Bradenton Beach Marina, was found floating and unresponsive near one of the marina docks late that afternoon. The attempts to revive Oliver were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
COVID-19 As the only Anna Maria Island city without its own local mask mandate, Bradenton Beach businesses and their employees and patrons were subject to Manatee County’s countywide mask mandate from July 27 until county commissioners repealed the mandate on Sept. 29. The county mandate also applied in Cortez and the unincorporated portions of Manatee County.
Some Bradenton Beach businesses still require facemasks or face coverings and management retains the ability to trespass a patron who refuses to comply with a business owner’s mask policy.
As of Jan. 1, 58 Bradenton Beach residents had tested positive for COVID-19 since the first Manatee County case was reported in March.
CRA projects
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) completed several projects on and around Bridge Street in 2020.
The completed projects included the undergrounding of utility lines along Bridge Street; the installation of brick pavers in the Bridge Street rights of ways, the city-owned parking areas and the crosswalks.
The CRA-funded landscaping improvements included the installation of several trees, shrubs and plants and the removal of the unpopular concrete planters that were installed in 2015.
Bridge Street’s previously installed faux brick surface was removed and the street was resurfaced with asphalt.
In September, using a $50,000 West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) grant, the city completed its long-desired installation of a police department boatlift along the south side of the Bridge Street Pier. Before the boat lift was installed, the police boat had to be trailered to a boat ramp to be placed in the water. To accommodate the boat lift, the CRA had to first fund additional repairs and revisions to the floating dock.
In mid-November, the CRA launched the long-discussed parking tram shuttle service that now provides free shuttle rides for visitors and residents who park at Cortez Beach and elsewhere in the CRA district that extends from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South.
In December, county commissioners expressed unanimous support for future tram-related improvements that could include a dedicated tram path alongside Gulf Drive South, reconfigured diagonal parking spaces at Cortez Beach and a dedicated parking area near the county-owned Marine Rescue Building for employees who work in and near the Bridge Street business district.
Tropical Storm Eta
On Nov. 11, the floating dock sustained minor damage during Tropical Storm Eta when multiple sailboats and dinghies from the nearby unmanaged anchorage broke loose and sank near the pier, the floating dock and the Cortez Bridge.
Tropical Storm Eta blew a sailboat into the Cortez bridge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
At least one sailboat struck and damaged the south side of the Bridge Street Pier and a small section of the pier’s composite TREX decking. This damage resulted in the east end of the pier, including the T-end fishing area, being closed to the public.
Less than a week later, WCIND funded the swift removal of a dinghy and four sailboats that sank alongside or under the dock and pier.
The east end of the pier was repaired and reopened in mid-December.
Commissioners return
Running unopposed in the city elections, incumbent city commissioners Ralph Cole and Marilyn Maro won additional two-year terms in office.
Sunshine settlements
In December, Sunshine Law lawsuit defendants John Metz and Tjet Martin agreed to pay the city $350,000 as part of a settlement agreement that also ended their appeals of the 2019 court ruling that they and four other city advisory board members violated the Florida Sunshine Law in 2017.
Co-defendants Patty Shay, Bill Vincent and Rose Vincent also reached settlement agreements with the city that required them to each pay $500 and drop their appeals.
At year’s end, defendant Reed Mapes remained the only defendant who had not reached a settlement agreement and dropped his appeal.
Updated 1/4/21 – Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur announced that 1,400 vaccine doses had been received by the county for distribution to seniors age 65 and older and front line healthcare workers. Of those doses, 1,200 will be available to seniors to book appointments online for Jan. 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. on Jan. 4. Seniors without computer access can also dial 311 ext. 1 to book over the phone with a county operator. Saur warns that 311 staff is limited so it’s better to try to book vaccine appointments online if possible.
Anyone with medical questions concerning the vaccine should contact their primary care physician or the Manatee County Health Department.
Front line healthcare workers seeking a vaccine can go to the Bennett Park site on Jan. 5 and 6 between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination. Workers must have a copy of their state healthcare license and be able to prove that they work in direct contact with patients in order to receive a vaccine.
MANATEE COUNTY – More than 1,000 seniors age 65 and older in the county have received COVID-19 vaccinations as of Jan. 2, according to the county’s social media page. Any senior who didn’t receive a vaccination appointment in the first round will have another chance to try for an appointment beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2.
In a Dec. 29 briefing, Manatee County officials discussed receiving 3,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed beginning on Dec. 30 and continuing through Jan. 4 to seniors, first at the Manatee County Department of Public Safety and then at Bennett Park. Those appointments filled up within minutes, leaving many seniors wondering when they could receive the vaccine. Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara said that as available vaccine numbers dwindle to 500 or less, more shipments of the vaccine will come to Manatee County for distribution.
To sign up for one of the vaccine appointments released Jan. 2, visit the county website to fill out the Department of Health COVID-19 screening and consent form. Both forms can be filled out in advance and need to be printed and taken to your vaccine appointment. Visit the site at 2 p.m. on Jan. 2 to book your vaccine appointment.
Vaccine appointments are available to anyone age 65 and older. There is no residency requirement, however, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses with the second one to be received 28 days after the first one. Anyone receiving the first vaccine dose in Manatee County must also receive the second dose in Manatee County. Vaccine records do not transfer.
To receive the vaccine, patients must provide photo ID, present their screening results and provide a copy of their appointment reservation. All vaccinations provided by Manatee County are given free of charge.
Currently, vaccines are being distributed in a drive-thru location at Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road in Bradenton. When getting a vaccine, patients are advised to not leave their vehicle unless requested to by onsite medical personnel.
If unable to get a vaccine appointment on Monday, Azzara asks people to be patient and continue to monitor the county’s website for the release of upcoming appointments. You can also sign up for email alerts.
MANATEE COUNTY – Tourist Development Council members received some encouraging news just before Christmas.
During this morning’s meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, representatives from Visit Florida and Research Data Services gave TDC members updates, and the news was good – tourism numbers are going up despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Jen Carlisle with Visit Florida said that while the numbers they’re seeing are an overall 37% decrease in tourism from the same time last year and a 57% decrease in tourism from Canada, travel increased in the second and third quarters of the year by 71%. Carlisle attributed the increase in numbers to the Visit Florida-led marketing efforts.
Beginning in September, she said the organization targeted Florida residents, urging them through marketing to take a trip in their own state. In October, the target area of that effort increased to include drivable markets within a 700-mile radius, such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.
From these rebound advertising campaigns, Carlisle said that Visit Florida has had 300 million impressions and that 70% of people who saw the marketing spots were more likely to visit the state than they were beforehand. And while international travel is still largely on hold due to travel restrictions, she said that Visit Florida is still marketing in other countries to keep the destination at the forefront of potential visitors’ minds when restrictions are lifted. Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that his organization also is making sure that they continue marketing in other countries, particularly in Europe and Canada, to make sure that the Bradenton area is on visitors’ minds when they’re ready to book future travel plans.
Speaking on behalf of the central European market from Germany via Zoom, Dorothea Hohn said that her research has found that people are ready to travel to the United States again, particularly to beach and outdoor destinations like the Bradenton and Gulf Islands area, however, she added that those visitors are pinning their plans on the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and the lifting of international travel bans and restrictions.
Anne Wittine of Tampa-based Research Data Services, the county’s tourism consultant, gave a presentation on the current state of tourism in the area, noting that the number of visitors is down only 10.3% for the year so far from 2019. The economic impact of tourism, – the amount of money put into the local economy by tourists – is down 13.2% from the previous year. And while occupancy is down 14.3% from the previous year, Wittine said that may largely be due to a lack of reporting from privately-managed vacation rental properties. She said that the majority of the occupancy numbers received come from hotels, motels and professionally-managed vacation rental units, and that it’s hard to get numbers from individual vacation rental owners or those rented through services such as Airbnb.
Some of the challenges facing the local tourism industry, Wittine said, are that visitors are waiting until the last minute, often one to seven days out from their expected travel time, to book vacations and that visitation from Canada and Europe, where travel restrictions are in place, is too small to count at this time. Another issue is that cancellations of trips are going up as the number of locally-reported COVID-19 cases increases.
And while the number of people feeling more confident and safe about traveling is steadily increasing, Wittine said one key element for the local tourism businesses is to provide good information on what is open and what kind of experience travelers can expect when they arrive at their destination, information that is often difficult to come by online.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue district commissioners had their hands full at their final meeting of the calendar year.
Commissioners welcomed Commissioner Larry Jennis back to the dais for another four-year term along with new Commissioner Robert Bennett. Both were sworn in during the district’s Nov. 17 meeting.
Board officers for 2021 also were selected during the meeting, with Jennis receiving a unanimous vote to serve as chair. Commissioner George Harris was unanimously selected to serve as vice-chair and Bennett received the support of his fellow commissioners to serve as secretary/treasurer.
The first shovels are in the ground at the site of the new West Manatee Fire Rescue administration building. – Submitted | WMFR
In other business, Chief Ben Rigney told commissioners that a small groundbreaking ceremony had been held at the site of the district’s new administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton. With permits in hand, he said that footer construction had begun and the building is projected to be completed by April or May 2021.
Jennis volunteered to be the new board liaison on the project, a position previously held by former Commissioner Randy Cooper.
Commissioner Al Robinson took the opportunity during commissioner comments to again express his displeasure that his fellow commissioners voted to construct a new administration building rather than stay in the district’s temporary administrative offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, located just across the street from the district’s previous administration building.
With the December meeting canceled due to the holidays, WMFR commissioners will next meet in January 2021.
Updated Nov. 16, 2020 – BRADENTON BEACH – Longtime Island resident Mark Mixon died Wednesday evening from an accidental electrical shock he received during Tropical Storm Eta.
According to Det. Sgt. Lenard Diaz, of the Bradenton Beach Police Department, the fatal accident occurred at a home Mixon was working on at 211 Bay Drive N. The police department received the dispatch call at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“The Fire Department and EMS were there. When we got there, a guy came running up to us and said his friend just got electrocuted,” Diaz said that evening.
According to Diaz, Mixon was placing sandbags around the bayside of the Bradenton Beach home before the accident occurred.
“He went inside his storage room, which is part of the house and on the ground, and there were approximately 3 inches of water inside the storage room. When he walked inside, he didn’t realize he had an appliance still connected to electricity. He walked inside and he was electrocuted because the appliance was partially in the water,” Diaz said.
Diaz said the storage area contained a washer and dryer and some tools. He later said he believed the dryer to be the source of the electrical shock.
Diaz said Mixon’s friend tried to pull Mixon out of the storage area, but he felt electricity surging through the water and discontinued those efforts and called 911.
“When we got there, we couldn’t walk in until the electricity got turned off, which took approximately 30 minutes. We then brought him out and checked his vital signs and he was deceased,” Diaz said.
When contacted that evening, Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur provided some additional details. He said Manatee County EMS was among those who responded to the 911 call.
“Our 911 center called FPL. This was the first time in my 20 years we’ve had to call FPL and ask them to de-energize a portion of the county. That takes a lot to do and they asked us if we’re sure we want to do this because we could take out power to a lot of other critical things. We’ve never really done that before, but we did it in this case so we could get into that home,” Saur said.
Around that same time, several Bradenton Beach residents noted on Facebook that they had lost power.
When contacted that evening, West Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Ben Rigney confirmed the electrocution. Rigney did not provide the victim’s name but did say the victim’s next of kin was notified of the accident.
“The next of kin was on scene,” Rigney said.
“They had an electrocution. It came in at approximately 5:35 today. Our responders went there. When they first walked in they felt a little tingle so they had to back away until they got FPL out there,” Rigney said.
“They were unable to access the patient due to the power still being on. They had to wait for FPL to secure power to the area before going in to check on the patient and he was confirmed DOA (dead on arrival),” Rigney said.
Rigney said this was the first time he was aware of a significant portion of the power grid being turned off in response to an emergency call.
Several years ago, Mixon took over operations of Jim Mixon Insurance Inc., the family-operated, Holmes Beach-based insurance agency founded by his father, Jim. After the agency was sold, it was renamed Waller-Mixon Insurance.
Holmes Beach resident and County Commissioner Carol Whitmore knew Mixon well.
“I’ve known Mark since the 70s or 80s. He grew up in Holmes Beach. He used to be my neighbor on 84th Street for many years before he moved to Bradenton Beach. Mark was a very quiet man and he helped his parents with Mixon Insurance. He was a very hard worker. He took pride in succeeding his parents in the family business and carrying on the family legacy. I know more people than I can count in Manatee County and on the Island who got their insurance from Mark. After they sold the business, I heard he stayed busy repairing and remodeling houses,” Whitmore said.
Patrick Shomo owns the property at 209 Bay Drive N., next door to the scene of the accident. He also spoke kindly of Mixon.
“Nobody lived there. Mark told me it was his personal project house and he’d been working on it mostly alone,” Shomo said.
“Mark was good people and has been nice to my family since we became neighbors in October. He hit it off with my wife and kids and talked to my 9-year-old son about fishing, always letting him chase a lost lure onto his property. We are all sorry to see him gone. He was also my insurance agent for years. The Island lost a good man,” Shomo said.
Holmes Beach resident Margie Motzer said, “We were so sad to hear about Mark. He was such a nice guy and he will be sorely missed.”
Holmes Beach resident Scott Moore said, “Mark was a great guy. He was a really nice guy and everybody on the Island liked Mark.”
Moore’s daughter and longtime Island resident Kelly Moore Hunt said, “It’s so tragic. Mark was such a good person. I have his smiling face in my head. When we were children, we used to stay at his house all the time. He was so welcoming to all the kids and he treated us like a second dad. I ran into him about a year ago and he said if you need anything you come to me. He was the most loving, caring human and he was always there for his friends. He grew up on the Island and he was all about Anna Maria Island.”
