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Tag: Cortez

Castles in the Sand

It can’t hurt to ask

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

In certain parts of the world, the marketplace is designed for negotiation. Don’t ever offer full price and don’t ever accept the first negotiation are two commonly employed strategies. It’s a culture that was pretty common in this country in generations past. Now it’s rare to purchase a car, an appliance or bike for your child and not pay the asking price.

Even purchasing a home during the past several years has almost lost the art of negotiation with values going crazy and offers being accepted at or well over full price. With the market stabilizing, buyers and sellers are starting to negotiate offers again, but there are other areas in the process of home buying where savings can be achieved. It never hurts to ask.

So, as a buyer or seller, you negotiated the accepted price of a home, but don’t think you’re done. I bet there are a few things you never thought of. They say a good negotiation is when both parties to the transaction come away thinking they left something on the table. Every property comes with stuff. It may be stuff that the buyer wants and the seller can’t take with them, making this a good starting place for negotiations.

Furniture is always negotiable even if the seller was planning on taking it. Furniture is expensive to move and, unless there are some valuable pieces, it may not make sense to hire a mover or shipper to relocate it. This is the time when the buyer can evaluate whether the furnishings have value and negotiate an offer to purchase. Not having to furnish a home can mean really big savings. Many homes in Florida come “turnkey” furnished and this can be a financial asset, especially for a second home purchase.

Everyone reading this lives on or near the water. What floats on the water? Boats. If the seller owns a boat and is moving to Colorado, it’s possible to take it off their hands, especially if the buyer was planning on buying one. This is a win-win for all parties. It’s the same with cars. Shipping a car that might be a few years old may not be cost-effective for a seller and buyers may be looking for another vehicle for their second home or their upcoming teenager’s driver’s license.

There are other ways to reduce expenses when purchasing a property, including negotiating with moving companies that are starting to see a reduction in activity. Try three different moving companies and see what the spread is. Moving companies also have other services like packing and unpacking which, if you ask, you can sometimes get a nice upgrade for not much more money.

As we know, mortgage rates have been fluctuating. Don’t be shy about negotiating origination fees, underwriting and loan application fees. Even the rate can be negotiated, just make sure the lender isn’t adding fees in the form of points to a negotiated interest rate. According to Freddie Mac, between 2010 and 2021, borrowers who applied with two different lenders reduced their mortgage rate by an average of 0.10%.

Sellers generally pay the broker commission on the sale of a property. Remember that realtor commissions are not regulated and can be negotiated as well. That said, I generally don’t like sellers negotiating realtor commissions since I think it can hurt the marketability of the property.

Good negotiating is an art. If you develop the skill to think creatively, you’ll be surprised how much money you can save. My mother grew up in the never pay full-price generation. Sometimes this was embarrassing, but most of the time she was right.

Castles in the Sand

Too good to give up

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

According to Lawrence Yen, whom I quote frequently, “It’s a unique market condition.”

Coming from the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, this is saying something considering all of the other unique markets we’ve lived through. This particular unique market is the continuation of a lack of inventory even though sales are down in most areas of the country including many parts of Florida, as well as ours.

The problem is that a large portion of homeowners in the country don’t want to sell. This group may actually want to sell and move on to a larger family home or retire to a smaller home, but they feel they are locked into very low-rate mortgages. The “golden handcuffs” homeowners find themselves locked into are keeping the supply of homes for sale unusually low.

The lack of properties is not the first time this has happened. The sub-prime mortgage crisis slowed things down, as did COVID-19 when buyers rushed to snap up larger homes when remote work and school necessitated more family space.

So, what happens when supplies go down or at least don’t go significantly up? Supply and demand kicks in and prices go up. A healthy housing market is traditionally described as having four to six months’ supply of homes. Right now, Manatee County is at 2.7 months for single-family homes.

However, builders are getting a boost from the lack of resales and are starting to build again now that the supply chain is improving. And home improvement contractors are also benefiting since those homeowners who are staying put are expanding and remodeling.

According to the mortgage data firm Black Knight, as of March 31, nearly two-thirds of primary mortgages had an interest rate below 4%. In addition, about 73% of primary mortgages have fixed rates for 30 years; these mortgages are “golden” and something homeowners won’t easily give up. Current mortgage rates are approximately in the mid-6% range and have fortunately been steady for a while.

The April sales statistics for Manatee County were released at the end of last week so it’s time to report what the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee published.

Single-family homes in Manatee County hit a record median sale price of $570,000, 10.7% more than in April last year. This surpasses the previous record for median home prices, meaning so far, our local market continues to be strong relative to the country as a whole. Here’s the rest of the story.

Single-family homes closed with 4.3% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $570,000, up 10.7% from last April, and the average sale price was $735,779, up 0.9%. The median time to contract was 28 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 30.2% and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months.

Condos closed 15.8% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $380,795, up 8.8%, and the average sale price was $452,160, up 12.9%. The median time to contract was 27 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 4% and the month’s supply of properties was 3.5 months.

One of the advantageous side effects of this unique market is the fact that in spite of inflation and job layoffs, the housing market and housing prices may stay strong nationally. Not great news for marginal buyers or first-time buyers, but buyers with equity from a previous home and income to cover the additional mortgage rates will keep things afloat.

Unique can be a good or a bad thing; either way, we’re still struggling with a lack of inventory.

Civil case in net camp dispute dismissed

Civil case in net camp dispute dismissed

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ – A civil suit filed in 2018 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) against Raymond Guthrie, Jr. over his net camp building in Sarasota Bay has been dismissed.

Net camps were wooden shacks used by fishermen to hang hemp and cotton fishing nets to dry. According to historic photographs, there were dozens of net camps on the bay off Cortez.

“Net camps are small simple structures and provide space to store nets and other fishing gear,” according to the Florida Maritime Museum.

In a motion initiated by 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas on Feb. 23, parties were notified that since no filings in the case had been made in more than 12 months, the case would be dismissed if no stay is issued or approved prior to the expiration of a 60-day period.

On May 4, Nicholas signed a Motion and Notice/Order of Dismissal.

Listed as lawyer for the plaintiff (DEP), Bradenton-based Attorney Robert C. Schermer, declined to comment on the dismissal via email on May 13.

DEP did not respond to a request for comment.

The civil case was filed Feb. 6, 2018, to have Guthrie remove the 1,200 square-foot structure.

The DEP complaint claimed Guthrie built the structure without permission on sovereign state submerged lands. Guthrie contended that his family previously had a net camp in that spot and the structure was protected under the 1921 Butler Act.

In May of 2018, A.P. Bell Fish Co., north of the structure, filed suit against the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) asserting its ownership of both the net camp and the submerged lands.

Bell claimed the structure has existed since at least the early 1900s and, with the submerged lands, is protected by the Butler Act, which awards title of submerged lands to adjacent waterfront property owners who made permanent improvements on the submerged lands. The law was repealed in 1957 but continues to affect title to submerged lands improved prior to its repeal.

Guthrie was widely supported by Cortez residents and legislators, many of whom recalled net camps along the coast in years past.

The Manatee County Commission voted in March 2018 to support Guthrie’s effort to keep the structure standing.

“Given historic photos documenting the presence of multiple net camp structures, the reconstruction of this single structure to recapture the essence of the historic Cortez fishing community should be supported with the appropriate state permits,” the commission wrote to Florida DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein.

An April 15, 2021 letter from the Manatee County Board of Commissioners to Valenstein and signed by chairperson Vanessa Baugh, stated in part “The net camp has played an inseparable part of the gill and stop net fisheries with the historical village and is referenced in the National Register of Historic Places. Preservation of this structure will help preserve the essence of the Cortez fishing community and the understanding of the cultural context of the village.”

Cortezian breaks state record with backyard pumpkin

Cortezian breaks state record with backyard pumpkin

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ – What started out as a casual pastime for Cortez resident and backyard farmer Tim Caniff has turned into a serious statewide agriculture record.

At 1,039 pounds, Caniff’s great pumpkin – grown in his backyard – has blown the previous state record out of the water by more than 400 pounds.

Cortezian breaks state record with backyard pumpkin
Cortez resident Tim Caniff stands behind his record-breaking pumpkin. – Leslie Lake | Sun

“This started off as a fun beer-drinking hobby,” Caniff said. “This pumpkin was golf ball-size a little over two months ago.”

It was a nearly two-hour long process on Saturday morning to get the pumpkin out of the garden and into the back of Caniff’s truck to get it weighed.

Fellow fisherman Tim Murphy, who helped with the pumpkin’s move, told Caniff, “Two kings are going to be crowned today. One in England and one in Cortez.”

Prior to Saturday morning’s weigh-in, Caniff, a commercial fisherman for Cortez Bait and Seafood, had fashioned a hoist from a bait net scoop, with rope and chains to lift the oversized fruit (a pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable).

Once lifted, a wooden pallet was pushed under the pumpkin and then dragged by truck to a waiting forklift. It was then lifted into the truck bed and Caniff drove it slowly to the fish house. It was once again removed by a forklift and placed carefully onto a scale.

When the scale registered 1,039 pounds, after the removal of the pallet and metal lifting frame, he received handshakes and congratulations from his friends and fellow fishermen.

“I’m blown away,” he said. “Four digits. You just never know if it will take off.”

A representative from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Service was present at the weigh-in to verify and certify the results and send those results to the Florida Department of Agriculture.

“This is a Florida state record for sure,” said Christine Russo, commercial horticulture agent at UF/IFAS. “Last year’s record was a 622-pound pumpkin grown in Santa Rosa County.”

The statewide record comes with bragging rights, and Caniff said he’s going to try to grow a pumpkin next year to exceed this one.

Caniff has grown a pumpkin every year for about the past 20 years. The last couple of years, the fruit was up to about 100 pounds.

“I had one about 8 or 9 years ago that was 675 pounds,” he said. “At 600 pounds, I would have 10 guys come over and give them some beers and we could lift it. This one is too big for that.”

Caniff started the seed indoors last December. Since Florida sun is not the most hospitable environment for pumpkin-growing, Caniff fashioned a sun shade to protect the fruit.

He said the debris left by Hurricane Ian proved to be great compost for his backyard garden.

“I took the leaves that came down after the hurricane and put them into the soil,” he said. “Between that and fertilizing the soil with cow manure, the pumpkin just took off.”

He credited the genetics of the seed as contributing to the pumpkin’s size.

“I’ve met growers over the years,” he said. “I was introduced to the 1885 Werner seed. People have grown 2,000-pound pumpkins with that seed.”

Once the weighing is done, Caniff will return the pumpkin back to nature.

“It’s the circle of life,” he said. “I’m going to give it back to the farm where the manure came from so it can be fed to the cows there.”

Concert for Peace returns in June

Concert for Peace returns in June

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Music.

CORTEZ – Cortez restauranteur Bob Slicker, owner of Slicker’s Eatery, is once again gathering members of the Anna Maria Island Rotary Club and the community to raise money with a Concert for Peace. The second annual event is being held to help the people of Ukraine whose lives have been upended by the ongoing war with Russia.

Slicker, who became passionate about helping the people of Ukraine after watching the war begin to unfold in 2022, vowed to do whatever he could to help get supplies to the people who needed them desperately. His first Concert for Peace, held in June of 2022, raised more than $50,000, 100% of which went to supplies such as medical needs and refrigerators.

The second annual Concert for Peace will take place Saturday, June 10 at The Center of Anna Maria Island. The concert will be free and open to the public and feature musical acts the Eric Von Band and Trevor Bystrom, with money being raised through sales of food, drinks, raffle items, t-shirts and sponsorships. The AMI Rotary Club will take the proceeds and work with their Rotary partner in Poland to purchase supplies and get them into the areas of Ukraine where they are most needed.

“I went over there and saw first-hand how difficult these people have it due to the war,” Slicker said. These are just normal people who get up and go to work just like you and I, then one day their lives are upended. I went to apartment buildings where not only are multiple people sharing community refrigerators, but often multiple families have to share one shelf of a fridge.”

“The Rotary can be trusted to get the job done,” AMI Rotary President Jim McDaniel said. “There are only two seats in the United Nations that don’t belong to individual countries. One is the Red Cross and the other is Rotary.”

Sponsors are still signing on, so there is no complete list yet, but in addition to Slicker’s and the Rotary, Painting with a Twist will hold another “Painting with a Purpose” event at Slickers on June 4. More fundraising events are anticipated to be announced on Facebook in the coming weeks.

For information on becoming a sponsor, making a financial donation or the Concert for Peace, visit the Campaign for Ukraine Facebook page or email campaignforukraineami@gmail.com.

Fire assessment rates set to increase

Fire assessment rates set to increase

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

MANATEE COUNTY – Fire assessment rates will be increasing for residents and business owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue district.

Though rates in WMFR’s district could go up as high as 6.7%, the assessment rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year is expected to increase by 4%, or about $13.42 for the average homeowner.

Commissioners and staff met on April 18 for a mid-year budget workshop prior to the board’s regular monthly meeting. During the meeting, Chief Ben Rigney gave commissioners three rate proposals for the new fiscal year set to begin on Oct. 1 – a 0%, 4% or 6.7% increase. Rigney recommended the 4% increase to allow for additional funds to be collected through tax assessment revenue to help fund district needs, primarily the addition of nine new staff members.

The planned new hires include six firefighters – two additional people per shift with one of the new firefighters stationed on Anna Maria Island – two new fire inspectors and a financial clerk who was just hired as support staff for the district’s fire prevention bureau.

The two new fire inspectors would work to help with inspections of vacation rental properties in WMFR’s district, an initiative planned to begin in October. Inspectors will be operating under the Florida Fire Prevention Code and looking for any potential dangers to life or safety on the properties. Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski said that inspectors will operate independently of any vacation rental inspection or certificate programs already in place on the Island, though he added that they would try to work with all city code compliance/enforcement personnel to not overlap efforts and inconvenience property owners.

The increase in assessment also covers the cost of increases in insurance and planned raises, among other administrative items for the district. The district’s assessment rates are based on the size of a building on a property or a flat rate if the property is vacant, not the property’s value. With a 4% increase, income from assessment rates would increase an estimated $382,482 in the 2023-24 fiscal year from $9,562,071 to $9,944,554.

District property owners will see the increase on their TRIM notices this fall if it is approved by a vote of fire commissioners during the board’s May meeting.

Currently, district property owners with a 2,000-square-foot home pay $336.22 per year for fire and rescue services through the district when they pay their tax bill. With a 4% increase, that amount would rise to $349.63, an increase of $13.42.

The owner of a 2,000-square-foot commercial property paid $753.19 to the district in the 2022-23 fiscal year. That number would increase to $783.32 if the 4% increase is approved, a jump of $20.13.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the proposed assessment rate increase during a May 16 meeting at the district’s administration building.

Veterans go fishing thanks to Elks Club

Veterans go fishing thanks to Elks Club

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors.

CORTEZ – In 2013, the Bradenton Elks Club began an annual event to spend a day fishing with local veterans, and 10 years later, it’s still going strong.

This year’s fishing trip featured eight boats and 31 area veterans hitting the water on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, March 22. The trip was made possible by a grant from the Elks’ National Foundation.

“This year, Bob Slicker helped me by putting me in contact with two people, Pete Anderson and Daniel Colson,” Elks member Mike Dinius said. “They reached out to the veterans they know and they put the group together.”

Eight local captains provided their boats and services to make this year’s fishing trip a reality. According to Dinius, the fish were biting that day and the catch was good. Thanks to Slicker’s Eatery owner Bob Slicker, they didn’t have to throw their catches back in the water, since his restaurant had an afterparty where he provided drinks, appetizers and cooked their catch for dinner.

The person on each boat who caught the most fish also won a Slicker’s shirt to remember their successful day on the water.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – Administrative Law Judge Bruce Culpepper issued a recommended order supporting the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s issuance of a permit for the construction of 49 canal-side dock slips at the Hunters Point Marina & Resort in Cortez.

“Based on the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is recommended that the Southwest Florida Water Management District enter a final order granting Cortez Road Investment’s application for the permit to build a dock in the canal and issue ERP (environmental resource permit) Individual Construction Major Modification Permit 43032468.003,” Culpepper stated in the written recommended order he issued on March 7.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Administrative Law Judge Bruce Culpepper presided over the permit challenge hearing. – Submitted

Culpepper’s recommended order will be sent to the water district’s governing board for a final ruling. If the board’s final ruling supports Culpepper’s recommended order, the Hunters Points docks can be built in the man-made, privately-owned canal that surrounds the Hunters Point property on three sides.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
This rendering illustrates the proposed Hunters Point dock locations along the canal. – Hunters Point | Submitted

Culpepper’s recommended order is based on the multi-day administrative hearing he conducted on behalf of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) over the span of eight days in June, August and September.

In June 2021, the water management district issued Hunters Point developer Marshall Gobuty and his Cortez Road Investments and Finance Inc. ownership group the environmental resource permit/individual construction major modification permit needed to construct the docks. The permit authorizes Cortez Road Investments to install approximately 4,352 square feet of new piling-supported dock structures and to replace approximately 3,631 square feet of existing piling-supported dock structures.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
The Cortez Village Marina is located eastward and upland from the Hunters Point property. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Cortez Village Marina is located eastward and upland of the Hunters Point property. In July 2021, the Cortez Village Marina’s MHC Cortez Village LLC ownership group filed a petition challenging the issuance of that permit.

MHC Cortez Village asserted the proposed docks would adversely impact safe navigation and increase and impair vessel traffic through the canal by narrowing the canal’s navigable width.

During the hearing, MHC Cortez Village presented the testimony of marina manager Skip McPadden, Capt. Christopher Karentz and others. Cortez Road Investments presented testimony by Gobuty, land title expert Adron H. Walker, Captain Dane Fleming and others. The water management district’s witnesses included Lauren Greenawalt, who serves as a lead environmental scientist for the district.

The canal

According to Manatee County Property Appraiser records and testimony provided by Walker and Gobuty, Cortez Road Investments owns the portion of the canal that extends eastward from the humpback bridge at 127th Street West to the western boundary of the Cortez Village Marina property. Cortez Road Investments does not own the portion of the canal located directly in front of the marina basin or the remaining portion of the canal east of the marina.

Culpepper’s order notes the marina has existed in its current configuration since at least 2008 and a marina facility has operated at that location since at least the 1970s. According to McPadden’s testimony, the marina provides approximately 365 boat storage slips that include ‘high-and-dry’ slips, outside dry storage and in-water slips. McPadden testified the marina’s average boat size is 26 feet long and the largest boat stored there is 38 feet long and 11 feet wide.

The order notes the canal provides the marina and its clients with their only direct water access to the nearby Intracoastal Waterway.

“Consequently, to reach Tampa Bay or the Gulf of Mexico by boat, marina customers must travel down the canal past Hunters Point,” the order notes.

The order notes there are approximately 18 single-family homes located alongside the canal and many of those homes have existing docks and boatlifts – most of which predate Gobuty’s purchase of the Hunters Point property and canal in 2016.

In his order, Culpepper states: “Mr. Gobuty conveyed Cortez Road (Investments) never authorized any homeowners along the canal to access or use the waterway it owns. Neither has Cortez Road (Investments) given the marina or its customers specific permission to traverse the canal. Mr. Gobuty urged that Cortez Road (Investments) does not necessarily object to boaters using the canal to access Anna Maria Sound. However, Cortez Road (Investments) does intend to take steps to ensure that its property interests and rights to the canal are protected, as well as ensure the safe use of the canal. Towards this end, Cortez Road has and may continue to pursue legal action to ensure that the private homeowners across from Hunters Point comply with Manatee County codes in the configuration and placement of their docks in the canal.”

Testimony given

The order notes Cortez Road Investments has already implemented several navigational aids to enhance the safe use of the canal. One-way travel along the canal at timed intervals is encouraged to help prevent boats from passing side by side in the canal’s narrowest areas. Mirrors were installed at the 90-degree corners to increase boater visibility. “No wake” signs require boaters to travel at minimum speed and canal users are encouraged to monitor VHF radio channel 9 regarding inbound and outbound canal traffic.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Safety pilings and new signs were recently installed in the canal near the Cortez Village Marina. – Hunters Point | Submitted

Regarding testimony he received, Culpepper’s order says, “Ms. Greenawalt best framed the analysis by acknowledging that the dock, and any boats moored thereto, will undeniably affect navigation through the canal to some extent. The evidence clearly shows that boaters will have to be mindful of a reduced navigable width when traveling alongside Hunters Point, particularly when crossing the three ‘pinch points’ on the north-south channel. However, Capt. Fleming convincingly explained that after the dock is built, the canal will still contain sufficient space for boaters to safely travel between the bridge and the marina.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Several of the 86 Hunters Point homes have already been built and some area awaiting new docks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“All witnesses agree that following construction of the dock, boats will still be able to freely travel through the canal one at a time. The proposed dock will not interfere with or prevent a single boater from traversing from the bridge to an upland property.
“The evidence shows that the dock will not reduce the safe navigational width of the waterway any more than the bridge at the entrance to the canal, which is 15 feet wide, or the narrow bottleneck just before the marina where mangrove growth restricts safe movement to one boat at a time,” Culpepper noted in his order.

“It is uncontroverted that the placement of the dock in the canal will affect navigation to some degree. However, the evidence was insufficient to conclude that the dock will constitute an environmental hazard to public health, safety, welfare or property. Similarly, the evidence and testimony do not show that the construction of the dock will cause more than a mere inconvenience to boaters similar to what they already face at the bridge, much less result in a significant impediment to navigation,” the order states.

“Based on the evidence and testimony presented at the final hearing, the undersigned finds that Cortez Road (Investments) and the district presented competent substantial evidence establishing Cortez Road’s entitlement to the permit. Conversely, the marina did not meet its burden of demonstrating that the district should not issue the permit,” Culpepper stated in his order.

Honoring Dr. Mary Fulford Green

Honoring Dr. Mary Fulford Green

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ — Imagine a Cortez village where the fishing bungalows and working fish houses have been replaced by high-rise condos and a 140-year history is left unrecorded.

Dr. Mary Fulford Green, a lifelong Cortez resident who passed away on June 9 at the age of 96, made it her goal to ensure that none of that ever happened.

In recognition of her leading the many efforts to preserve the character of the village she called home, she is named The Sun’s 2022 Person of the Year.

“She certainly has quite a legacy,” said Kaye Bell, former president of the Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS). “She was always either supporting something or stirring something up.”

Green’s long list of accomplishments centered around three things: the preservation of Cortez, her family and her faith.

In 1984 Green was instrumental in establishing the CVHS.

“Without her we wouldn’t have CVHS,” said Bell, who met Green in 1965.

In a recently drafted resolution to dedicate the Cortez Village Historical Society Cultural Center in honor of Green, CVHS board member J.B. Crawford wrote the following to be placed on a proposed plaque at the site:

“The Cortez Village Cultural Center is dedicated in honor of Dr. Mary Fulford Green for her lifetime commitment to Cortez and her brilliant work to preserve and communicate the cultural history of Florida’s last remaining traditional fishing community.”

Green led the effort to have Cortez village listed as a federal historic district. She wrote the application and lobbied successfully to have Cortez put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

“Cortez is what it is today because of Mary,” Crawford wrote in the resolution. “Her efforts blocked numerous attempts to alter the nature of our small hamlet…Cortez is now forever preserved as historical heritage, thanks to Mary and her army of supporters.”

Green was one of the founding members of the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH), which gradually purchased 95 acres on Sarasota Bay which is now known as the FISH Preserve to protect and enhance the habitat for wildlife. The purchase also ensures that the property on the east side of the village will never be developed.

“There was no bigger advocate for Cortez. She saw it as something that needed to be protected.  She was instrumental in starting FISH and the CVHS. It was her who made sure that Cortez was designated for its historic significance,” said FISH Treasurer Jane Von Hahmann. “She was the matriarch of Cortez.”

Honoring Dr. Mary Fulford Green
Mary Fulford Green – Cindy Lane | Sun

“She was instrumental in defeating development,” Bell said. “We had our disagreements from time to time, but she didn’t back down on anything. She stood firm.”

Bell said Green stood out on Cortez Road every Saturday years ago with others to protest the building of a new bridge.

“Before that, Chris Craft wanted to build a marina and that didn’t happen,” she said. “It goes to show what a few strong people can do.”

Green authored “Cortez – Then and Now” with Linda Molto in 1997.

“This book is one way of telling you who we are,” Green wrote in the “Cortez-Then and Now” introduction. “It is our hope that you will help us in keep Cortez as it is – an active commercial fishery. We want to keep on ‘keeping on’ doing what we have done for over one hundred years.”

She and Molto also produced the “Walking Tour Map of the Cortez Fishing Village.” Green also was a cookbook author, locally famous for her strawberry shortcake.

Green did not slow down in her 90s as she opposed the planned closure of the Cortez Post Office in 2021, voicing the concerns of senior residents. That post office remains open.

“For those who knew her and her many accomplishments, Mary’s legacy is visible throughout the village. Mary embodied preservation,” said CVHS President Cindy Rodgers. “Her efforts to help preserve the historic physical structures by working to get Cortez on the National Register of Historic Places, helping to create the Cortez Village Historic Society and preserving the 1912 Cortez School, now the Florida Maritime Museum, and the historic Burton Store, now the home of the Florida Folk School, as well as the surrounding environment, the FISH Preserve, have all contributed to Cortez continuing to function as a unique working fishing community after 120 years.”

Born in Cortez in 1925, Green was the granddaughter of 1887 Cortez settlers William Thomas Fulford and Sallie Adams of Carteret County, North Carolina. She was born in the house next door to the one she lived in when she died, the Walton “Tink” and Edith Wilson Fulford house, which the family moved into when she turned 1 year old.

She raised two sons, Mark and Ben, and two daughters, Cathy and Carol, with her husband Benjamin, who retired from the U.S. Air Force.

The valedictorian of the Bradenton High School, later Manatee High School, Class of 1942, Green was selected as Manatee High School’s Outstanding Alumna in 2020.

She earned B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Florida State College for Women, now Florida State University, in Tallahassee in science, chemistry and education. She taught high school science classes, was a guidance counselor in Florida’s public schools and helped to create the career counseling program at State College of Florida in Bradenton.

She was a licensed mental health counselor and served as president of Manatee County’s Mental Health Association for seven years.

A life-long member of the Church of Christ, she had her own personal Christian ministry, teaching Sunday school, leading Bible studies at the Manatee County jail, purchasing hundreds of Bibles and supporting Christian ministries worldwide, according to her obituary.

Rodgers said, “Mary’s epitaph reads, ‘She did all she could.’ Yes, she did.”

Mullet season in full swing

Mullet season in full swing

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Fishing, Outdoors.

CORTEZ – It might not be for joy, but the mullet are definitely jumping.

Spawning season and cast net-wielding fishermen anxious to make some Christmas money are a formula for a busy mullet season at John Banyas’ Cortez Bait and Seafood fish house.

“It’s mostly local people bringing the mullet in to us,” Banyas said. “They’re out there castnetting closer to the cold fronts.”

Banyas, a fourth-generation fisherman from Cortez, owns Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar, N.E. Taylor Boatworks, Killer Bait and Cortez Bait and Seafood.

He has seven boats in his fleet but says he relies on people fishing from their own boats to bring the mullet in.

The catches have varying degrees of value, with the real treasure being females with red roe. The egg sack from the gray mullet can be made into bottarga. The salted, cured fish roe pouch is considered a delicacy in Europe and Asia.

“The females have the red roe and the males white,” he said. “They’re all desirable, but we pay more for the red.”

On Dec. 15, Banyas said they were paying $1.60 per pound for the females with red roe and 30 cents a pound for others.

“There’s definitely money to be made,” he said, picking up a good-sized mullet. “This one alone could be more than $5.”

The fish are brought in by land or sea. They’re processed and cut, then packaged and frozen in large walk-in freezers before being shipped off to the wholesale market. He said that his facility processes thousands of pounds per day.

“We ship out all over,” Banyas said. “Italy, Taiwan. Mullet is used for crab bait or food.”

Mullet fishing has a long history in Cortez. “The North Carolina families came in the 1880s with the hope that the mullet and the sweat of their brow would bring a better life,” according to a publication from the Cortez Village Historical Society. “This unique community of 20 extended families with a love of fishing in their hearts has survived on hard work, fierce pride and a plentiful supply of fish.”

A quote from the late Cortez fisherman Ralph “Pig” Fulford sums up the importance of mullet to the Cortez fishing village.

“Mullet. That’s it. Some folks say fish smell. I say it smells like money.”

Castles in the Sand

Zoom towns

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

They call them “Zoom towns” because so many of the new residents are working remotely and have given up their city and suburban lifestyles for a more relaxed environment in smaller communities. It’s no secret that this massive lifestyle change evolved because of COVID-19, but even now, when the danger of serious infection is substantially reduced, Zoom towns are still popular.

A recent National Association of Realtors survey reported that buyers who purchased homes in the year that ended in June moved a median of 50 miles from their previous residences. This is the highest distance on record, going back to 2005 when the median was a consistent 15 miles. This may not seem like a lot of mileage difference, but 15 miles from Boston, for instance, is still part of the city, but when you go 50 miles, you’re in real country. In New York City and other large metropolitan areas, however, you would need to go a little further than 50 miles to really be getting away from it all.

In the same survey, smaller communities were more popular, with buyers purchasing 48% of the homes. Again, this is a record and is up from 32% a year earlier. By comparison, traditional suburban home purchases dropped to 39% from 51% the previous year and only 10% of home purchases were in urban areas, down from 13% the year before. Naturally, the increased cost of homes and now the increased cost of financing has certainly influenced buyers.

Home buyers who are getting close to retirement are another influence on the popularity of small communities. Many who have the ability to work remotely chose to relocate now rather than after their retirement date. This gave them an edge before mortgage rates and prices went up further and set them up for easing into retirement.

Confirming further the demand for homes in smaller communities, The Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Emerging Housing Markets Indexes came out at the end of October. It reports that the demand for homes in low-cost cities with strong local economies is, in their opinion, “robust.” This annual survey incorporates economic and lifestyle data, including real estate taxes, home appreciation, unemployment, wages and commute time in their 300 biggest metro area rankings.

This survey places the North Port, Sarasota and Bradenton region at number four in the top 10. Unfortunately, as we all know, North Port has taken a big hit from Hurricane Ian since this survey was completed, so in next year’s survey it will be interesting to see where that area is placed.

The other Emerging Housing Markets were in this order: Johnson City, Tennessee; Visalia-Porterville, California; Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana; Columbia, South Carolina; Columbia, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Yuma, Arizona.

Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said, “These more affordable markets continue to offer some opportunity. It doesn’t mean that they’re not seeing a slowdown in their housing markets, but they’re better positioned generally.” In other words, they had faster home sales and lower unemployment rates than the market as a whole, which is attracting buyers in an otherwise difficult housing market. Further, according to an economist at Nationwide Insurance, the trend toward less expensive housing markets looks like it will continue even if home prices start trending down.

I guess all of Florida needs to be considered a Zoom town based on the number of people who have relocated to our state in the past two years. We’re still a state with a lot of smaller, cozy communities, access to waterfront amenities and a friendly business environment. I believe our new diverse residents will only enhance those attributes. Time to pack your laptops and zoom your way to the Sunshine State!

Cortez Village Historical Society seeks board members

Cortez Village Historical Society seeks board members

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – The Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS) is putting out a call for new board members interested in helping preserve the rich history of the commercial fishing village.

The group will meet Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W., when a nominating committee will present a slate of candidates who have expressed interest in serving on the board or as an officer.

“If someone would like to be considered, they can let us know about any special qualifications they have. Maybe they’re good with children or have past board experience,” CVHS President Kaye Bell said. “This is open to the public and we welcome anyone to apply.”

Those interested are asked to email resumes prior to the meeting to: cvhs2016@aol.com

“The board acts in an advisory capacity,” Bell said. “Board members will oversee projects and give advice. It would be helpful if someone has been involved in a board in the past.

“We also have openings for volunteers who are willing to spend a few hours telling people about the history of Cortez,” she said. “The only requirement is a smile.”

Board member J.B. Crawford said that board members meet with the officers to consider a variety of important issues.

“These issues range from facilities, finances, meetings, activities, continuity of leadership and other matters as they arise,” Crawford said. “Prior to the pandemic, we met monthly to attend to business, but recently we have followed the social distancing rules and have communicated more by email and telephone.”

Social distancing is the reason that the Nov. 8 meeting will be held outside at the pavilion behind the Center, he said. The rain date is Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Cortez is one of the last remaining fishing villages on Florida’s Gulf coast, according to CVHS. Its fishing history goes back to the Native Americans and Spanish who first lived in and explored the area.

“The Cultural Center focuses on preserving ‘old Florida’ history and stories of founding families in Cortez. Starting with the Guthrie and Fulford families in 1880, visitors can travel through war times with Cortez women who went to work while their husbands were at war, and read about boats bringing visitors to the Albion Inn. The timeline stops at the 1980s, but eventually, the center will document the village’s history to present day,” according to the CVHS website.

The Cultural Center is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To book tours or groups by appointment, call 941- 540-0590. For more information, call Bell at 941-538-0945.

Castles in the Sand

The death of old Florida

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

Florida’s changed a lot in the over 20 years I’ve lived on the Gulf coast, and it’s changed even more as a result of COVID-19. But the biggest change to southwest Florida and the entire coastline south of Tampa may come as a result of Hurricane Ian.

Now that the flood waters are receding and everyone is assessing the damage from the storm, we’re starting to get a feel for the damage to real estate values. Feedback from brokers is that the investors and buyers are now out in force looking for properties to buy in as-is condition. One broker from Englewood predicts that home prices will increase for at least another 12 to 18 months because of the additional demand.

Buyers from out of state have not changed their minds and are motivated to buy before prices increase further because of the anticipated additional shortage of properties to buy in the aftermath of the storm. In addition, they have not been discouraged by the increased costs associated with fortifying homes against wind and flooding.

The fallout from the insurance companies is still unknown, but anyone purchasing a coastal home now is calculating that additional cost into their affordability factor.

Of course, Anna Maria Island and other barrier islands on the coast that did not have major damage will be looked at by buyers and seasonal renters. This could prove to be an even busier rental season for Anna Maria Island with higher price tags for rentals and purchases alike.

Assuming all of the above, where does that leave the average buyer who wants to live on the coast? Unfortunately, many will be forever priced out of coastal living because of a combination of building codes and the increased costs of flood and homeowners’ insurance.

The most recent update to Florida building codes from 2020 includes provisions to seal roof decks, as well as longer standing requirements to install impact-resistant windows or shutters and an update to stronger connections between the roof, walls and foundation.

As previously stated, homeowner’s insurance companies are requiring condos and single-family homes to install new roofs before they will provide an insurance policy. This is happening even if there are currently no leaks or damage to existing roofs, if they are over a certain age.

According to a recent report by CoreLogic, there are nearly 33 million homes at risk of hurricane-force wind damage along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in Florida, so the amount of property updating required is substantial.

When Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle town of Mexico Beach, it didn’t take long for the area to recover with high-end homes, gated communities and beachfront condos supplanting the original old Florida cottage nature of the area. This is certainly going to happen in parts of southwest Florida where many homeowners do not have flood and/or homeowner’s insurance and are planning not to return. Just to prove that “deep pocket” money isn’t afraid of storms, The Ritz Carlton Residences on Estero Bay, located just south of Fort Myers Beach, is breaking ground next year with units starting at $2.8 million.

I still have my crystal ball handy from Halloween and it’s telling me Florida’s real estate values are strong and may actually get stronger because of Hurricane Ian. The downside is will “old Florida” be gone forever? The crystal ball is saying, “Why are you asking that question? You know the answer.” Unfortunately, I do.

Sea Hagg to be sold at auction

Sea Hagg to be sold at auction

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Retail.

CORTEZ – After 25 years in business, the Sea Hagg, 12304 Cortez Road W., is being sold and an online auction of some 1,000 nautical, decorative and architectural items is underway.

“This auction is going to be held in two parts and is online only,” said Brian Hollifield, owner of Sarasota-based Freedom Auctions. “This is all because of parking challenges at the site, where we would expect more than 200 people to turn out.”

This sale is intended for locals, Hollifield said, as the second phase of liquidation will take place in February in Freedom’s Sarasota gallery, which he anticipates will bring buyers worldwide.

“Locals really won’t want to miss this,” he said.

The iconic blue 1991 Mercury Capri convertible complete with mermaid tailfins parked out front of the shop is a well-known advertising sign and is up for grabs in the auction.

Hollifield said it doesn’t run and he’s not sure if there’s even a key, but he said that it’s a landmark on Cortez Road that countless people have stopped to photograph.

The Sea Hagg closed its retail operations on Oct. 8. The online auction ends Thursday, Oct. 27. Items must be picked up Oct. 28-30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Items not picked up will be forfeited.

The auction features a large assortment of items including furniture, concrete figures and architectural and decorative pieces.

“This is a very positive sale,” Hollifield said. “Jan Holman has sold the property after 25 years in business and it conveys on Oct. 31 to the new owners.”

On the Sea Hagg Facebook page, “The Sea Hagg wishes to thank all the folks responding to the news of our closing this week. She has really enjoyed being a special part of family traditions and vacation adventures all these years. We all agree it is sad to say goodbye to this treasure. But the spirit of the Sea Hagg continues, showing up in restaurants, homes and gardens.”

The Sea Hagg will have an online shop and seasonal sales events, according to the Facebook page. Holman will continue to design for homes, resorts and restaurants.

For more information, visit the auction website.

Local fishermen help those devastated by Ian

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ – The local commercial fishing community has mobilized to help their southern counterparts following the devastation from Hurricane Ian.

The Organized Fisherman of Florida (OFF) Cortez chapter has already made one boat trip to Pine Island to deliver supplies to fellow fishermen who lost everything, and more trips are planned.

OFF Executive Director Alexis Meschelle is spearheading the campaign with her husband, OFF President Nathan Meschelle.

“When our guys saw that fish houses down there that had been in existence for three generations were gone, their boats were gone, their traps were gone, we knew we had to help,” she said. “We couldn’t imagine what that would be like to lose all that. And we knew that they would do the same for us.”

Another boat will be going down in about a week, she said, adding that supplies also are being sent to Arcadia.

“Right now, there’s a high need for coolers, propane and non-perishable foods,” Alexis said. “We can slow down a little bit on clothing.

“This started off small, we thought maybe we would help 20 families,” she said. “But I was told that our donations have already helped over 4,000 people. I am honestly so impressed with our community.”

According to the OFF Facebook page, drop-off sites and needs are as follows:

Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar, 4628 119th St. W. in Cortez. – Coolers and baby items. Additional supplies are needed, but these things are of high importance now. Please drop items off with the hostess.

A.P. Bell Fish Co., 4600 124th St. Court W. in Cortez – Everything, particularly non-perishable foods, dog food, cat food, horse feed, ice, gas, clothes, baby items and generators. Please drop items off with Savannah at the office.

P.J.’s Sandwich Shop, 12342 U.S. 301 in Parrish. Same as at A.P. Bell. Please drop items off with Theresa.

According to the A.P. Bell Fish Co. website, “We are looking for donations for Arcadia as they are still underwater and most people have no homes. We are looking for toilet paper, dog food, cat food, non-perishable food, fuel for generators, soap, feminine hygiene products, baby food, diapers and blankets. Please drop at A.P. Bell in Cortez or PJ’s Sandwich Shop in Parrish.”

Donations may also be made through Venmo to Organized Fisherman of Florida.