Tag: Gulf Islands Ferry

County commission approves $2 million for City Pier project

Written by Joe Hendricks on February 17, 2026. Posted in Featured.

BRADENTON – Manatee County Commissioners have agreed to provide the city of Anna Maria with up to $2 million for the reconstruction of the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10, county commissioners voted 6-1 in support of the city’s funding request, with Commissioner Amanda Ballard casting the only opposition vote.

The county commission pledged the county’s financial support without a written agreement in place that ensures the county can install and operate a Gulf Islands Ferry stop alongside or near the rebuilt City Pier after it reopens later this year.

Minus such an agreement, county commissioners George Kruse and Tal Siddique cautioned there would be repercussions if Mayor Mark Short and the Anna Maria City Commission ultimately reject a county-funded City Pier ferry stop.

Accompanied by state and federal funds, the county’s contribution will help offset the anticipated $7.1 million to $7.8 million cost to replace the City Pier walkway that Hurricane Milton destroyed in October 2024. The estimated costs also include repairs and remediation for the still-standing pier buildings that survived the back-to-back hurricanes but experienced flooding, mold formation and other hurricane impacts that require attention.

Before the hurricanes struck, the public boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier served as a ferry landing for the two, open-air, 49-passenger Gulf Islands Ferry pontoon boats the county and its contracted ferry operator put in service in January 2024.

*The first Gulf Islands Ferry landed at the Anna Maria City Pier on Jan. 14, 2024. – Joe Hendricks | Sun*

Still using the pontoon boats that travel on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway, the Gulf Islands Ferry service currently operates as a two-point system between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach.

COUNTY FUNDS

The county’s contribution to the City Pier reconstruction project will be funded by the 6% tourist development tax the county levies on hotel, motel, resort and vacation rental stays of six months or less.

Last year, Manatee County invested $3 million in tourist tax revenues to purchase a new and larger ferry boat that features an enclosed passenger area and is expected to begin service soon.

When presenting the city’s funding request to county commissioners on Feb. 10, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione noted the request was previously reviewed by the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) in June and the TDC members recommended county commission approval.

“If this is approved by the board, it would be 100% tourist tax proceeds that would pay for this,” Falcione said.

District 3 County Commissioner Tal Siddique said the county’s $2 million contribution would help address the frequent complaint that the three Island cities that generate a significant percentage of the county’s tourist development tax revenues don’t receive an equitable share of those county-controlled revenues.

The $2 million interlocal funding agreement between the county and the city is not contingent on an Anna Maria ferry stop.

“The mayor has acknowledged that the city will cooperate and work with the county to find a landing spot in that geographic area for the water ferry,” Falcione said. “We’re probably looking beyond 2027 to get that done because we’ve got to get that City Pier done first.”

Falcione said the Anna Maria ferry landing is not yet in the design phase, but he’s confident the city and the county will come to an agreement that allows that to happen. Falcione estimated the county-funded ferry landing will cost the county at least another $1 million.

*Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard opposed the $2 million funding agreement. – Manatee County | Submitted*

Ballard, who also chairs the TDC, questioned the county committing $2 million to the City Pier replacement project without having a firm commitment from the city for a ferry stop.

“What I hear you saying is not a very strong statement that the ferry will be able to land at the new pier as it did in the past,” Ballard said.

*County Commissioner George Kruse expects the city officials to approve an Anna Maria ferry stop. – Manatee County | Submitted*

When addressing that concern, County Commissioner George Kruse said, “Here’s the reality. We never have any assurance of anything. However, we have relationships with our municipalities. Relationships are fragile. We’ve spent a lot of money in good faith on these boats because we had some assurance of a landing where these boats need to go. They’re not day cruises that we go out to the Gulf and come back after catching a few fish. They’re supposed to take people someplace and they’re alleviating the traffic on the Island more than they’re alleviating traffic for unincorporated Manatee County.

“And if by chance we do not have that after we put $2 million into that pier, used our political capital up in Tallahassee to advocate for an appropriation and spent money on a larger, enclosed boat to get there, then that’s going to have a significant impact in terms of the trust factor between the municipalities. We’re spending this money in good faith that we’re going to have a place put this boat when it gets there. We have a great relationship with all three of those Island cities right now, but those relationships only last when they’re reciprocal in both ways. So, I would anticipate this not being an issue going forward,” Kruse said.

*County Commissioner Tal Siddique expects continued cooperation between the city and the county regarding a ferry landing. – Manatee County | Submitted*

Echoing Kruse’s sentiments, Siddique said, “At the end of the day, trust is a two-way street. We’re willing to work with you if you’re willing to work with us. But after the investment we’ve made into this pier, if you’re not going to work with us, and you’re just going to spit in our faces, I am not going to work with any city in this county that does this to us.”

Kruse made the motion to approve the execution of the up to $2 million interlocal agreement between the city and the county and Siddique seconded the motion.

*Mayor Mark Short addressed the county commission. – Manatee County | Submitted*

Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short addressed the commissioners before they cast their votes. He said the city and the county have a good working relationship and he agrees that it’s in everyone’s best interest to maintain that relationship as the pier and ferry landing projects move forward.

“I understand the concerns about that water ferry landing. We have been working with the county on different options and that will continue,” Short said.

Short noted the pier replacement permits the city received from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection require the new pier walkway to be built in the exact same footprint as the previous pier walkway. Short said those permits don’t allow the county’s ferry landing to be included as part of the walkway replacement project and the ferry landing must be pursued as a separate future project.

THIRD FERRY

When speaking to The Sun on Friday, Feb. 13, Falcione said the new ferry boat is expected to begin service soon between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier and the Bradenton Beach Pier. He said the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier that currently accommodates the 30,000-pound pontoon ferry boats can also accommodate the new boat that weighs approximately 100,000 pounds.

“The city of Bradenton Beach, led by Mayor Chappie, have been great partners. We are getting really close to putting the third ferry into operation – close as in this month. It’s paramount that we get this new boat in service. During the last couple weekends, the winds prohibited us from using the pontoon catamarans. If we had the third ferry running, it would have cut through those winds and chop. The number one priority is getting that third ferry into service,” Falcione said.

Related coverage: FEMA obligates $3.59 million for City Pier project

Concerns raised about ferry landing efforts

Written by Joe Hendricks on February 3, 2026. Posted in Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – Holmes Beach resident Daria Grinenko shared her concerns about the behind-the scenes-efforts to bring a Gulf Islands Ferry stop to the Waterline Marina basin.

On Jan. 13, Grinenko was one of three city residents to express opposition to the ferry stop potentially being located in the Waterline Marina basin.

When giving public comment again during the Jan. 27 city commission meeting, Grinenko addressed communications that occurred between City Commissioner Chair Carol Whitmore and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione.

“After the last commission meeting and the subsequent work session, I became concerned that we were not being heard about our opinions on a Waterline ferry stop. I therefore requested, under the Freedom of Information Act, texts and emails between Carol Whitmore and Elliott Falcione,” Grinenko said.

“Beginning last October, there are several texts and emails referencing this ferry stop, including such phrases as ‘the need to educate commissioners’ and that ‘the city is delaying this.’ There’s been no site plan proposal, so I don’t know why all this conversation is going on,” Grinenko said.

“Last week, I witnessed a gathering of Carol Whitmore with Elliott Falcione and three other men at the proposed dock area and the Waterline trolley stop. I have pictures on my phone. In addition, as Carol was driving away, I was sitting at the trolley stop and I heard you (Whitmore) yell to Elliott, ‘We have to make sure we have Dan on our side.’ Elliott responded, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got Dan covered,’” Grinenko told the commission.

Holmes Beach City Commissioner and Manatee County Tourist Development Council Dan Diggins has publicly expressed his support for his support for a ferry stop somewhere in Holmes Beach since 2024. He was part of the efforts to bring a ferry boat to the marina in 2024 to help determine if a slip near the old Wells Fargo bank building would be a suitable ferry landing location. It was determined that day that there was not enough navigable space for that slip to serve as a ferry landing.

In closing, Grinenko said, “The question I have for you all, that I want you to consider, is how can we be convinced that Carol Whitmore will be able to perform her duties in quasi-judicial (site plan) hearing when it’s clear she’s the one person orchestrating this new use in the boat basin at the Waterline Marina.”

To date, the county has not presented to the city with a proposed site plan regarding the county’s potential purchase of a boat slip or slips in the marina basin for use as a ferry landing.

In response to Grinenko’s comments, Whitmore said, “I’ve been talking since October of last year to all the commissioners. I’m reporting about the ferry and saying that I was meeting with the county, so I have been keeping the board updated since last October – when I asked what the status was and they said they were letting the county deal with it to try to find a spot. When I found a spot (in the Waterline basin), I brought it up before the board, so I’ve been very transparent about that.”

Commissioner Terry Schaefer then said, “I think, by innuendo, there’s some belief that there is a consensus on this commission and I want to make clear there has never been a formal discussion, nor is it appropriate for us as a commission, to have a discussion until the county acts. And the act that they must pursue would be a site plan. So, nothing formally in discussion has occurred, or will occur, until there is a formal application. I think it’s unfortunate, by accident or by implication, that there is this belief in the community that there’s already a consensus to move forward. I, for one, have many questions about this issue. I can only speak for myself. I’m listening, I have questions and nothing formal will happen until such time as the county acts.”

Whitmore acknowledged that she met with Falcione and other county staff members as Grinenko stated.

“I have nothing to hide. If I did, I sure wouldn’t be out there on Marina Drive,” Whitmore said. “They looked over the areas so they can develop a plan to come before the city commission. That’s what they were there for. They know it’s all in their lap now.”

When talking to The Sun later in the week, Grinenko said, “I feel like Carol Whitmore’s not being a neutral party and she’s made up her mind because she’s trying to orchestrate this. That’s not how a commissioner should act. I feel she’s not fulfilling her role as a city commissioner. She’s acting more like a county commissioner and I don’t understand her actions.”

Manatee Belle joins Gulf Islands Ferry fleet

Written by Joe Hendricks on December 23, 2025. Posted in Community News.

HOLMES BEACH – The new, larger and partially enclosed Gulf Islands Ferry boat, the Manatee Belle, has arrived and is expected begin service in January.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione announced the arrival of the new boat during the ferry update presentation he made to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council members on Dec. 15 and the similar update he provided the Holmes Beach mayor and commissioners on Dec. 16.

According to multiple sources, the county is pursuing the potential purchase of a boat slip or boat slips in the Waterline Marina in Holmes Beach. Before Falcione addressed the Holmes Beach Commission, City Attorney Erica Augello advised the mayor and commissioners not to specifically address those ongoing county efforts.

“There is not an active application with the city, but there have been pre-application meetings with the city with regard to a water taxi or ferry location in Holmes Beach. If there’s any questions, I would ask that they not be with relation specifically to the city of Holmes Beach because that is likely to come before you,” Augello said. Falcione, the mayor and the commissioners heeded her legal advice.

Falcione’s presentation

Operated by a contracted third party, the Gulf Islands Ferry service is part of the county’s public transit system that also includes the free countywide MCAT bus service and the Free Island Trolley bus service on Anna Maria Island.

Falcione’s presentation included a photo of the Manatee Belle. He told the Holmes Beach Commission the new boat will likely be put in service at some point in January.

He said the $3 million the county spent to purchase the new boat was 100% funded by the 6% tourist development tax levied on motel, resort and vacation rental stays on the Island and throughout Manatee County.

Falcione said the Manatee Belle can accommodate approximately 96 passengers and the enclosed interior seating area includes air conditioning and heat. The Manatee Belle also has an open-air seating area at the stern of the boat.

Falcione said the ferry captains and crew members are currently conducting sea trials and the U.S. Coast Guard still has to sign off on its commercial use before it can be put in service.

The Manatee Belle is now docked at the Twin Dolphins marina in Bradenton, not far from the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier in downtown Bradenton that serves as the mainland ferry stop. The Gulf Islands Ferry service currently consists of two smaller, open-air catamaran pontoon boats that travel between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Manatee Belle will initially travel that same route between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier.

The ferry service that began at the Anna Maria City Pier in January 2024 was suspended later that year when back-to-back hurricanes destroyed most of the pier walkway. The walkway is now being rebuilt and county officials hope to install a new ferry landing alongside the Anna Maria City Pier that’s expected to fully reopen in the fall of 2026.

When the City Pier reopens, the 100,000-pound Manatee Belle is expected to make the primary trips between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria and the two 30,000-pound, 49-passenger pontoon boats will be used as “Island hoppers” that travel between the various Anna Maria Island ferry stops.

Falcione told Holmes Beach commissioners the county plans to soon add a ferry stop at the Coquina Boat Ramp, across the street from Coquina Beach at the south end of Bradenton Beach. He said the county also plans to eventually establish a ferry stop at the Palmetto Estuary in Palmetto, across the street from the Palmetto Marriott Resort and the county’s recently renovated convention center.

Falcione said the ferry service’s primary goal is to reduce traffic congestion near and on Anna Maria Island. He said in the second year of service, just under 50,000 passengers rode the ferries in 2025. He estimated that resulted in approximately 22,000 fewer vehicles traveling to and from the Island using Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road.

He said the weather-related suspension of service days decreased in 2025 and is expected to further decrease when the Manatee Belle becomes operational.

Falcione said the Manatee Belle will also help further the ongoing efforts to implement free ferry service for employees who work on the Island and commute from the mainland.

The ferry schedule can be viewed and tickets can be purchased at www.bradentongulfislands.com/gulf-islands-ferry.

County defers to city on pier ferry plan

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 14, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Mark Short told city commissioners that Manatee County officials will respect the city’s wishes regarding the design and installation of a county-funded ferry landing alongside the City Pier.

In January 2024, the 49-passenger pontoon boats currently used by the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service began docking at the public boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier. In October 2024, Hurricane Milton destroyed the landing and the City Pier walkway.

With no landing area, ferry service to Anna Maria remains suspended until a new pier walkway is built and a new ferry landing is installed alongside it. Mayor Mark Short expects the new pier walkway to open in the fall of 2026 and county officials want a ferry landing operational as soon as possible after the pier reopens.

On Sept. 25, Short and the commissioners expressed strong opposition to the latest ferry landing concept proposed by the county. The opposition pertained primarily to the inclusion of a lengthy additional gangway that would serve as a ferry passenger waiting area. Concerns were also expressed about which side of the pier walkway the ferry landing would be installed on.

During the commission’s Oct. 9 meeting, Short said he spoke with a county representative earlier in the week and was told the additional gangway waiting area has been removed from the plans.

In reference to the gangway waiting area highlighted in blue on the county drawings, Short said, “The blue staging area is off the table. That is not going to happen.”

Short said the county has committed to developing a ferry landing concept that meets the approval of the mayor and city commission and he noted that county commission approval is required for a ferry landing installed alongside the city-owned pier. Short said it hasn’t been determined yet if the ferry landing will be a fixed or a floating structure.

Short said the county also committed to working with the city regarding the type of wave attenuators to be installed near the ferry landing. The county has proposed metal attenuating walls but Short said he suggested the consideration of cement wave attenuators that attract and support fish and other marine life, similar to the attenuators located near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Commissioners Chris Arendt and Gary McMullen liked Short’s wave attenuator idea.

McMullen said he would oppose a floating ferry landing in part because of the past damage that’s occurred to the floating dock and fingers docks installed alongside the Bradenton Beach Pier and in part because the Tampa Bay waters near the City Pier are much rougher than the inland waters near the Bradenton Beach Pier.

“The bottom line is they want to work with us,” Short said regarding the ferry landing location, its distance from the pier walkway and the type of wave attenuators to be installed.

Commissioner Kathy Morgan-Johnson said she’s concerned about the larger, partially enclosed 90-foot, 100-passenger ferry boat that will soon join the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet resulting in many more passengers congregating on the pier walkway while waiting for a ferry.

Short said he discussed that with the county representative and one suggestion included using the on-land pavilion area at the pier entrance as the passenger waiting area.

“That’s how Disney does it and it works very well,” General Manager Dean Jones added.

No commission decisions were made and the ferry landing discussions between the city and the county will continue.

County’s pier ferry landing concept meets city resistance

Written by Joe Hendricks on September 29, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The mayor and city commissioners strongly oppose Manatee County’s latest concept for the installation of a Gulf Islands Ferry landing alongside the soon-to-be-built Anna Maria City Pier walkway, but they remain hopeful that a workable solution can be found.

Not allowing the county to install as a separate project a county-funded ferry landing alongside the walkway could jeopardize the county’s anticipated $2 million contribution to the city’s $8 million pier walkway replacement project.

On Sept. 25, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short presented city commissioners with the latest ferry landing diagram he received from the county. The color-coded diagram proposes a ferry landing near the T-end of the pier where a new and larger 90-foot-long enclosed ferry boat would dock (highlighted in green), passenger loading and unloading areas at the bow and stern of the larger ferry (highlighted in orange), a lengthy gangway that would serve as a passenger waiting area (highlighted in blue) and a perpendicular metal wave attenuation wall between the docking area and the T-end pier building occupied by Mote Marine.

Short said the proposed landing structure would extend approximately 350 feet along the east (right) side of the soon-to-be-built pier walkway, as viewed from shore.

Designed to accommodate the larger, enclosed ferry boat that the county hopes to put into service later this year for the Manatee River route between Anna Maria and downtown Bradenton, the new City Pier landing would replace the public boat landing previously used by the smaller pontoon ferry boats before Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the pier walkway that now awaits replacement.

Short said he and county officials are trying to finalize an interlocal agreement for the county’s tourist development tax-funded $2 million contribution to the pier walkway reconstruction project. Short said county officials are “pretty adamant” that the city-county agreement must allow the county to install a ferry landing alongside the pier at the county’s expense.

Earlier this year, city and county officials discussed several potential ferry landing options and city commissioners favored the option that proposed a much smaller ferry landing and attenuation wall being installed along the west (left) side of the pier, as viewed from shore.

“I’m not happy with this,” Short said of the new proposal. “I’ve already told the county I’m not so sure this is going to work. They’re going back to the drawing board.”

Short plans to consult with an independent industry expert to garner additional insights on a workable ferry landing solution.

Participating by phone, Commissioner John Lynch said the county’s latest proposal is not a viable solution because it takes away the functionality, visibility, aesthetic design and historical perspective of the City Pier.

Lynch questioned whether accommodating the county’s desire to bring a larger ferry to the City Pier benefits the city and its residents.

“Do we want to have a 90-foot boat parking at our pier? I know that’s the desire of the county and the TDC (Tourist Development Council) but is that what we, the residents of Anna Maria, want?” he asked.

Regarding the potential loss of $2 million in county funds, Lynch said, “We’re being held hostage to that.”

Commissioner Gary McMullen said the latest proposal would effectively make the entire east side of the pier unavailable for fishing and other activities. McMullen opposes the additional gangway waiting area and he said the ferry landing needs to be as small as functionally possible.

Commissioner Kathy Morgan Johnson asked what happened to the county’s previous proposal to install the ferry landing along the west side of the pier walkway. Short said installing the landing there would obstruct the view of Egmont Key, the Gulf and the sunsets.

Commissioner Chris Arendt said he’s OK with a ferry landing on the east side of the pier but he opposes the additional gangway waiting area.

Regarding the accommodation of a larger ferry boat, Arendt noted the two currently utilized open-air pontoon boats are weather dependent, rarely run in inclement weather and don’t provide reliable public transportation.

“This is an all-weather ferry – enclosed, heated, cooled. It’s going to run on a timetable that would allow employees that work on the Island to use it for transportation during the peak traffic season,” he said.

He said those employees could then catch a free Island trolley at the foot of the City Pier that would get them close to their workplaces elsewhere on the Island.

“I think it’s a good thing,” Arendt said.

Commissioner Charlie Salem questioned the need for such a lengthy ferry landing. He said the people designing it for the county should discuss the potential drawbacks and benefits with the mayor and commissioners. He’s also puzzled by the county’s pier replacement project funding being tied to the city’s ferry landing approval.

“It would be better for everyone if they focused on helping us rebuild the pier and using the commitment of those tourist-generated dollars for a largely tourist-visited pier, instead of having the residents of this city front the money,” Salem said of the pier replacement costs.

TDC supports $750,000 ferry funding request

Written by Joe Hendricks on August 19, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommends county commission approval to spend up to $750,000 in tourist development tax revenues for capital improvements for the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione presented the funding request to TDC members for their preliminary review during the Aug. 18 TDC meeting held at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

If approved by county commissioners, some of the funds would be used for the construction of a new standalone ferry landing to be built adjacent to the Anna Maria City Pier walkway when that new walkway is constructed to replace the pier walkway that sustained catastrophic damage during Hurricane Milton last October. In June, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short told TDC members and other county officials his goal is to have the pier walkway rebuilt and reopened by October 2026.

According to the Aug. 18 TDC meeting agenda packet, the current initiatives to be funded with the requested $750,000 include $228,427 to be put toward the design, permitting and construction of a new City Pier ferry landing to be located between the shoreline and the T-end buildings that currently stand isolated without a walkway.

Earlier this year, Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker estimated the Anna Maria ferry landing would cost approximately $1 million and include a wave attenuator wall that lessens the impacts that waves and currents have on the ferry boats.

In June, the TDC members recommended still-pending county commission approval of the city of Anna Maria’s request for $2 million in tourist development tax revenues to be used for an anticipated $8 million pier reconstruction project.

Florida DOGE auditing Manatee County

Written by Joe Hendricks on August 5, 2025. Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – The Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is auditing Manatee County’s finances.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the audit during his July 24 visit to Bradenton, during which he mentioned the steep property tax increases in Manatee County in recent years.

The same day, Manatee County Commission Chairman George Kruse received a letter from DOGE that began by saying, “The Florida DOGE team, in partnership with Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and the Office of Policy and Budget, have identified Manatee County for further review and an on-site visit. Although Manatee County has taken steps to reduce the county-wide millage rate in recent years, rising property values have pushed annual property tax collections up by over $200 million since 2019, according to your published budgets. This increased burden on property owners has helped Manatee County increase the county’s net annual budget by almost $600 million since 2020 – an increase in spending of 80% during that period.”

County Administrator Charlie Bishop was copied as a recipient of the DOGE letters. Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, the city of Orlando and the city of Jacksonville are among the other Florida counties and cities that recently received similar DOGE letters.

In addition to paying county property taxes, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach property owners also pay annual city property taxes at a much lower millage rate than the county’s millage rate. Property owners in Bradenton, Palmetto and the northern portion of Longboat Key also pay city and county property taxes. Property owners in unincorporated areas, including Cortez, don’t pay city property taxes.

“Having entrusted their governments with the power to tax, the citizens of Florida have a right to expect that their elected officials will spend the collected funds responsibly, not recklessly, and on truly necessary programs,” the DOGE letter says. “Through the DOGE effort, Gov. DeSantis has charged us to identify and report on this type of excessive spending at the county and municipal level.”

The letter also says, “We hereby request access to your county’s physical premises, data systems and responsive personnel on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, at the county administration building and such other locations that you identify as necessary to comply with these requests. You should note that financial penalties may accrue for your failure to comply with each of the following requests for access on those dates.”

The letter is signed by Ingoglia, DOGE Team Leader Eric Soskin and Office of Policy and Budget Director Leda Kelly.

On July 31, county commissioners voted 5-1 in favor of setting the county’s tentative millage rate at the same 6.0826 mills in effect for the current fiscal year. Subject to revision before final adoption in September, Manatee County’s $2.54 billion 2026 fiscal year budget currently includes $1.38 billion in newly generated revenues, including property tax revenues. The $2.54 billion total also includes debts and other financial obligations being carried over from the 2025 fiscal year that ends on Sept. 30.

DOGE requests

The two-page DOGE letter was accompanied by six pages of specific requests for detailed financial information, including capital expenditures, operating costs and funding sources for the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service that operates between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach that currently serve as ferry stops. Because of the hurricane damage that Hurricane Milton inflicted on the City Pier in 2024, ferry service in Anna Maria remains suspended until a new City Pier walkway is built.

The DOGE letter also requests information about the county’s property management efforts and the purchase or sale of any public-owned property, specifically, the county’s recently announced $24 million purchase of an existing building in Lakewood Ranch to be used for expanded county government operations. The July 24 letter was received before county commissioners’ unanimous July 29 decision to buy the 39-acre Mixon Fruit Farms property and wedding venue in east Bradenton for $13.5 million.

DOGE also seeks detailed information about:

county procurement processes and policies;
contracts awarded in excess of $10,000 and the vendors awarded those contracts;
compensation paid to county employees;
the county utilities system;
the county’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs and efforts;
county expenditures related to climate change, emissions reduction or carbon reduction, including the purchase of battery-powered electric vehicles;
grants and matching grants received by the county;
the county’s rules and policies regarding government vehicle allowances, including a list of all county personnel making use of a take-home vehicle;
the county’s Government Relations department, including job descriptions and departmental expenditures to date;
project descriptions, budgeted costs, actual costs and cost overruns or savings for county transportation-related capital projects that began, remain ongoing or have been completed since Jan. 1, 2023;
the installation, initial costs and maintenance costs and estimated life cycle for all traffic calming devices, included but not limited to speed tables, speed humps, raised intersections, curb extensions and chokers; and
homeless services provided by the county, the effectiveness of those efforts and any grant funds provided to other agencies that assist the homeless.

City, county officials discuss pier replacement, ferry landing

Written by Joe Hendricks on June 23, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – City officials’ desire to rebuild the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway and Manatee County officials’ desire to install a ferry landing at the pier are financially and philosophically intertwined.

The city needs county funds to help replace the pier walkway weakened by Hurricane Helene and mostly destroyed by Hurricane Milton. The pier wasn’t insured and the city doesn’t have enough money to self-fund the project.

The county needs the City Pier to serve as the Anna Maria stop for the larger ferry boat that will join the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet later this year. The county’s long-term goal is to use the larger ferry boat to transport passengers between the City Pier and downtown Bradenton and use the two pontoon boats as “Island hoppers’ that travel between Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and the South Coquina boat ramp – and potentially Holmes Beach. The county also plans to include a ferry stop at the Cortez Marina in Cortez when the county-owned marina is built.

The Gulf Islands Ferry service currently runs between the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach.

On June 16, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short appeared before the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC), which recommends county commission approval for the city to use up to $2 million of tourist development tax revenues for the City Pier project.

City/county meeting

On June 18, Short, city commissioners Charlie Salem, Chris Arendt and Kathy Morgan-Johnson and City Clerk Amber LaRowe met with County Commission Chair George Kruse, County Administrator Charlie Bishop and other county staff members. County commissioners Tal Siddique and Carol Ann Felts participated by phone. The city and county officials discussed several topics but first and foremost were the related pier and ferry landing projects.

For cost saving purposes, the current pier walkway that opened in 2020 was built atop hollow concrete pilings and a wooden support structure. The new pier walkway will be built atop solid concrete pilings and a concrete support structure similar to the T-end of the pier that survived the 2024 hurricanes.

Short estimates the pier walkway replacement will cost between $7 million and $9 million and hopefully be completed by October 2026. He said the city’s pier walkway replacement project and the county’s ferry landing installation must remain separate projects because the emergency permit received from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires the new walkway to be built in exactly the same footprint.

The city will know by July 1 whether Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoes the city’s pier-related $1.25 million state appropriation request. Those state funds would be available on Oct. 1 if not vetoed. The city anticipates receiving around $4 million in pier-related FEMA reimbursements but those federal funds aren’t guaranteed and Short doesn’t know if or when the city will receive them.

Short said the city already spent $223,000 on the pier project. He estimates the city will spend another $1.1 million between now and September, including $239,500 for the demolition of the remaining pier walkway and $800,000 to repair and remediate the T-end pier buildings that sustained flood damage but remain structurally sound. Short estimates the city will need $3.1 million in 2025 and another $4.1 million in 2026 for the pier project.

Kruse asked Short who is responsible for restoring the T-end pier buildings occupied by Mote Marine and the City Pier Grill. Short said the city will repair and remediate the city-owned pier buildings and the pier tenants are responsible for replacing their damaged equipment and contents.

Kruse asked Short if he expects Mote Marine to return to the pier.

“If that goes away, it’s not the same,” Kruse said.

Short said Mote personnel recently visited the pier by boat and are assessing Mote’s future plans.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said the Mote space could be used as a ferry passenger waiting area if Mote doesn’t return. Kruse said he’d like to see that space used for something more than a waiting area.

Falcione said Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker estimates the City Pier ferry landing will cost the county an additional $1 million to $1.5 million. Falcione also said Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) will assume oversight of the county-contracted ferry service on Oct. 1 and the visitors bureau will continue marketing and promoting the ferry service it currently oversees.

Kruse insights

Kruse expects county commissioners to vote on the $2 million TDC recommendation on July 29.

He noted the $4 million in potential FEMA funds equates to about half the estimated pier replacement costs.

“It could be 18 months before you know if you’re even going to get it and another three years before you actually get it,” Kruse said of the FEMA funds.

Speaking for himself, and not the county commission, Kruse said the county may need to front the city the additional money needed to complete the project, with the city later reimbursing the county using FEMA funds or other funding sources.

“This has to be rebuilt,” Kruse said. “I don’t think there’s any alternative. It’s critical to our tourism, it’s critical to our residents and we’ve got great amenities out there. We need the landing space. We want people to go to Mote. We want people to go to the grill. We want people to use that pier.”

He also mentioned the economic impact of ferry passengers visiting the restaurants and businesses within walking distance of the pier, and beyond.

Kruse suggested Mote Marine and City Pier Grill representatives meet with city and county officials for an all-inclusive discussion. He also said city and county staff need to create a funding proposal.

Kruse mentioned the hurricane-related line of credit the county secured, the county’s reserve funds and the county’s tourist development tax revenues as potential funding sources.

“I don’t think this is a question of should we do it,” Kruse said. “I think it’s a question of where’s the money coming from in the short term and where’s the money coming from in the long term? It’s still taxpayer money.”

“We understand and we appreciate that,” Short said.

Manatee County, Bradenton Beach officials discuss ferry options

Written by Leslie Lake on June 23, 2025. Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The future Cortez Marina at the site of the former Seafood Shack restaurant is expected to become an integral part of Manatee County’s Gulf Islands Ferry system.

County commissioners and Bradenton Beach officials discussed the expansion at a June 18 joint meeting.

“Something that we’re considering is the potential addition of a water taxi at what we’re tentatively calling the Cortez Marina,” County Commissioner Tal Siddique said. “We are currently in the process of building a dimensional plan for that and potentially coming out to the community to see what partners might be interested in abiding to that concept with us. You take what’s today an hour ride that would be shortened by half with the new boat and with a 10-minute stopover at the new property.”

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said the county hopes to make the marina a ferry stop and eventually keep ferries overnight there.

Bradenton Beach commissioner Ralph Cole asked if the marina would have a parking facility for people who drive to the marina and take the ferry.

“We’re still in early design stage, we’re talking about parking, we’re talking about other opportunities in that greater area,” County Commission Chair George Kruse said. “One of the concepts has been to have the ferry come across because that alleviates traffic and keeps cars off your Island. But to do that, we’re going to need sufficient parking because we’re going to need parking for the boat launches for the trailers and other utilization. If we’re going to use this ferry, we’ll have to contemplate how we can maximize parking as part of the design.”

“We all know what’s happening in Cortez with the intensity of the corridor,” Siddique said. “The ferry is one part of it. That’s something I’m factoring in so we can have a sustainable action plan inclusive of the Island in the future.”

Currently, two 49-passenger pontoon ferry boats run on a two-stop system between downtown Bradenton and Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, a reduced route since the 2024 hurricanes.

“After Hurricane Milton, Anna Maria lost the City Pier and that was one of our landing spots, Falcione said. “The city of Anna Maria is hoping to have that pier rebuilt by late 2026, concurrent with (Manatee County Director of Natural Resources) Charlie Hunsicker’s department to start designing and permitting for a vaulted perpendicular dock to accommodate not just one water ferry, but two; and you’ll have a transfer there. You’ll bring people out of Bradenton, stop, and then the pontoon (boats) will take them to historic Bridge Street.”

Falcione said a larger third water ferry with an enclosed component should be on the water for late summer sea trials and be operational in the fall.

“It will be about 100,000 pounds compared to the two 30,000-pound pontoon catamarans we have now,” he said.

He thanked City Attorney Ricinda Perry for working with Duncan Seawall to make the modifications to the Bradenton Beach Pier to accommodate the third ferry.

“We know that the retailers on Bridge Street are real happy when that ferry pulls in,” Falcione said. “More importantly we have to get down to Coquina Beach. It looks like the south boat ramp is probably the spot. And what that does is it entices more residents to ride the ferry because that’s one of the beaches of choice. If we have about 70% visitors and 30% residents, then we’re doing good,” Falcione said, adding the hope is to begin Coquina Beach service no later than the fall.

Falcione said the ferry service passenger count for 2024 was nearly 28,000 riders.

“That’s about 13,000 cars off the road,” he said.

The MCAT Manatee My Stop app can show visitors having lunch at Anna Maria Oyster Bar on Bridge Street where the ferry is, Falcione said.

Ricinda Perry introduced herself as the Bradenton Beach city attorney and CRA director/project manager/public information officer recently named by Police Chief John Cosby to be his number two for emergency operations.

“In wearing that hat, I get to play a lot of different roles in the city that meld together and I think my most favorite is what I do here with the TDC (Manatee County Tourist Development Council),” Perry said. “The TDC in its projects hits a lot of points and pulls a lot of things together that city attorneys don’t get to do when we’re sitting and writing laws. You have the components where you come up with a creative project, and you look at ways that project can benefit the community, protect our residents with a strategic idea of targeting the individuals that we host.”

She spoke about where the city of Bradenton Beach started, its present and its future.

“The water ferry is certainly a big piece of it,” she said. “Bradenton Beach has the vehicle gateway to the city but what was underutilized was the waterfront gateway into the city.”

“When I started 21 years ago, I remember seeing this mess, and when I say a mess, I’m talking about derelict vessels, irresponsible boaters who were dragging their anchors across the seagrasses, they were dumping things overboard into the waterway,” she said. “What we talked about, mainly – chief and I – was what are we going do about this, because it resulted in unsavory individuals who were utilizing that and those individuals would then get off their vessels and they would come down the streets and that impacted tourism. People wanted to stay away from the commercial corridor.”

She said the city obtained jurisdiction over additional boundaries to allow policing in the mooring field and more than 80 derelict vessels were removed.

“The plan is to eventually work with the TDC and make it a tourist hub and (the ferry) an alternate means of getting onto the Island without using a vehicle,” she said.

She said the pier was beyond its age and needed repair and replacement.

“It was a challenge with DEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) permits, FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), ACoE (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and submerged land leases. The city worked on getting a permit to put in a floating dock system. The city realized they needed a strong anchor tenant on the pier. AMOB (Anna Maria Oyster Bar) is a huge draw. When the ferry does its drop off, how do you get people moving when they don’t have a car? And they have their towels and their beach toys, and they want to get down to Coquina. How do you connect that last mile?” Perry said.

She described three segments of a plan to move visitors around the city.

“Segment one: Cortez to Bradenton Beach Pier. If you’re putting your marina in and potentially having people parking and enjoying your amenities over on the mainland side, it would be great to connect a walkway from where the bridge stops, have it multi-modal to host golf carts, bicycles and pedestrians so they can walk if they want across the Cortez Bridge and make their way down through the existing marina that’s there,” she said. “I’ve had discussions with that owner (Shawn Kaleta). People can then make their way down to your other stop on the Bradenton Beach Pier. It makes that stop more usable.”

“Segment two would then tie in from the Bradenton Beach Pier a usable crossing area over to the beach that would take you to the county’s segment and the idea is to create a multi-modal trail that continues along.”

“Segment three: That final section that needs to be put together for the multi-modal trail could be from Fifth Street South to Coquina Beach,” Perry said.

City commission narrows ferry landing options

Written by Joe Hendricks on June 3, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – City commissioners have eliminated the possibility of the county installing a stand-alone Gulf Islands Ferry landing structure near the Lake La Vista inlet and jetty.

On May 27, with Commissioner Kathy Morgan Johnson absent, commissioners Gary McMullen, Chris Arendt, John Lynch and Charlie Salem reached a 4-0 consensus that a stand-alone ferry landing is not a desired. The commission remains open to the possibility of the county installing a ferry landing alongside the Anna Maria City Pier after the hurricane-damaged pier is replaced.

The commissioners remain open to resuming the pre-hurricane use of the City Pier as a ferry stop for the two pontoon boats that began landing at the City Pier in January 2024. The commissioners are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to installing a landing that would accommodate the larger and heavier boat expected to join the county-contracted ferry fleet later this summer.

Mayor Mark Short and the commissioners remain adamant that replacing the City Pier walkway and reopening the pier is the city’s top priority and the expansion of the existing ferry service is a less-immediate concern.

The commission’s May 27 discussion was preceded by the May 8 ferry landing presentation that Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and county consultants Thomas Pierro and Morjana Signorin provided the city commission.

The May 8 presentation included three potential ferry landing locations near the Lake La Vista inlet and jetty and two potential locations alongside the City Pier – one between the shoreline and the T-end buildings and one at the farthest end of the pier. The commission consensus doesn’t state a preference for which landing alongside the pier is preferred.

Commission discussion

On May 27, Mayor Mark Short asked the commissioners to provide the county with some preliminary guidance regarding the future location of a new ferry landing. He said the county’s intent is to accommodate the larger ferry boat, which at full capacity will carry approximately 100 passengers. The pontoon ferry boats currently operating between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier carry up to 49 passengers.

Short said county officials at least need to know whether the city commission prefers a stand-alone ferry landing or a landing located next to the City Pier. Short said choosing one of the two general locations doesn’t obligate the city to approve a county-funded ferry landing at some future point.

McMullen said a ferry landing attached to the City Pier would be more efficient and more cost efficient and he favors county option C, which proposes a ferry landing installed alongside the pier, between the T-end buildings and the shoreline. He said that location would leave the T-end of the pier unobstructed for sightseers and people fishing from the end of the pier. Arendt agreed with McMullen.

Participating by phone, Lynch said his primary concern was creating more foot traffic and congestion on a pier that already offers limited space. He said a stand-alone landing built near the jetty would provide a separate point of arrival and departure for ferry passengers. He agreed that a landing built next to the pier would be more cost efficient and he later joined the other commissioners in reaching unanimous consensus to eliminate the stand-alone landing option.

Arendt asked Short if county officials responded to Lynch’s previous request for additional information about the impact additional ferry passengers and foot traffic would have on the pier and the other pier users. Short said the county had not provided that information.

Arendt asked if safety railings are being considered for the new pier walkway. Short said the walkway design that’s about 85% completed does not include safety railings, but that could be considered before the design process is finished.

Salem said he’s not comfortable selecting a ferry landing location until the pier walkway is replaced and the pier is reopened. He also noted the county’s financial contribution to the walkway replacement project – using tourist development tax revenues – remains unknown.

Salem said it doesn’t make sense right now to dedicate a lot of time and energy enhancing the ferry service that’s not expected to return to Anna Maria until 2027. Arendt asked Salem if he was comfortable with at least eliminating the stand-alone landing scenario and Salem said he was.

Short said he hasn’t submitted a tourist tax revenue-related funding request to the county yet because he doesn’t yet know how much to ask for. He’s still waiting to see how much FEMA will contribute to the walkway replacement project and whether Gov. Ron DeSantis will approve or veto the city’s project-related state appropriation request.

T-end buildings

Before Hurricane Milton destroyed a significant portion of the pier walkway, Brian Seymour and his business partners operated the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop at the T-end pier in space leased from the city. The Mote Marine Science Education & Outreach Center also operated in a T-end space provided by the city. With no pedestrian access, the pier and the T-end buildings will remain closed until the walkway is replaced.

Short said the T-end buildings are beginning to suffer from the lack of electricity and the formation of mold. He said the pier tenants’ equipment needs to be removed soon and the city will be contracting a marine demolition and remediation firm to stabilize the condition of the pier buildings before it worsens.

General Manager Dean Jones said he’s traveled by boat to the T-end of the pier several times and each time he visits finds the buildings to be in worse shape.

Anna Maria ferry landing discussions continue

Written by Joe Hendricks on May 12, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County and Anna Maria officials spent an hour or so discussing five potential Gulf Islands Ferry landing locations at or near the City Pier.

During the May 8 city commission meeting, the pros and cons of the proposed landing areas were discussed but no decisions were made. A county-funded ferry landing built alongside or near the City Pier requires city commission approval.

Last October, Hurricane Milton destroyed a large section of the City Pier walkway, taking with it the boat landing that had served as the Anna Maria ferry stop since January 2024. Mayor Mark Short and the city commissioners are unified in their belief that replacing the hurricane-damaged pier walkway and reopening the pier is their top priority and the ferry landing is an important but secondary concern. It was stated during a recent TDC meeting that the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry Service is not expected to resume in Anna Maria until August 2027.

The ferry service currently consists of two 49-passenger, open-air pontoon boats traveling on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier. The county expects to add a larger and heavier boat to the fleet later this summer. The new boat will seat approximately 76 passengers inside and 22 people outside and handle the Bradenton/Anna Maria river route. The two pontoon boats will serve as ‘Island hoppers’ traveling between Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Coquina Beach, and potentially Holmes Beach.

Holmes Beach Commissioner, ferry proponent and Tourist Development Council (TDC) member Dan Diggins attended the May 8 meeting but didn’t participate in the discussion.

The county was represented by Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and county consultants Thomas Pierro and Morjana Signorin.

Options A, D and E propose constructing a stand-alone ferry dock near the Lake La Vista channel and jetty. Options A and D are closer to shore and would require dredging. Option E is in deeper water, almost parallel with the T-end of the pier, and would not require dredging.

Option C proposes a ferry dock constructed along the northwest side of the pier walkway, between the shoreline and the City Pier Grill building. Option B proposes a ferry dock constructed off the far end of the pier. Options C and B wouldn’t require dredging but would require a gangway that connects the ferry dock and the pier.

All five options propose wave attenuator walls that would help offset the wind, waves, currents and other conditions that impact docking, and all five options were subjected to extensive computer modeling that predicts how each option would be impacted by those natural conditions. Additional factors to consider include water depth, seagrass and marine life habitats, dredging needs, permitting requirements and cost.

The county presentation lists option D (by the jetty) and C (alongside the pier walkway) as the top two options. Using cost figures that are now 18 months old, the county presentation lists an estimated $1.2 million price tag for option D and $600,000 for option C.

Falcione said the county seeks the city’s input on how to proceed and he personally prefers the two pier-based options.

“We’re at a fork in the road,” he said of the ongoing decision making processes.

Concerns, considerations

City officials aren’t sure the City Pier can accommodate a larger, heavier ferry. Participating by phone, Commissioner John Lynch asked how many more passengers would arrive and depart from the City Pier aboard the larger boat. The county representatives didn’t have that information but Falcione said he’d get it. Lynch also questioned how the increased passenger loads might impact the land-based infrastructure near the pier.

During public input, city resident and Planning and Zoning Board member Jeff Rodencal shared similar concerns. Regarding a pier-based ferry landing, he theorized there could be a hundred people getting off the large ferry, a hundred people waiting to board the large ferry and another 30-40 people waiting for a smaller ferry headed for another Island destination. He questioned where all those passengers would sit or stand on the pier while waiting for their boat.

“The logistics of moving people through that period and that time has to part of this project,” Rodencal said.

Pier tenant and City Pier Grill operator Brian Seymour can’t resume his business operations until the pier reopens and he expressed his concern that ferries coming close to shore would endanger manatees, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine life. He also expressed concerns about a landing alongside the pier walkway becoming dislodged during a hurricane and damaging the pier.

“I think B gives us the best option,” he said of his preferred pier-end option.

Regarding stand-alone jetty-based options, Seymour questioned how many ferry passengers would come ashore and then walk 900 feet back out to the T-end of the pier. As a pier-based business operator, he doesn’t see a financial benefit with that scenario.

Raising another consideration, Hunsicker said the county is constantly challenged by non-boaters fishing at county boat ramps and leaving their lines in the water when boats approach. He said this could be a problem on the City Pier unless an “all lines up” policy is in place during ferry arrivals and departures.

Seymour said the L-shaped areas where the pier walkway meets the T-end are heavily fished but “No Fishing Beyond This Point” signs could be placed at the far end of the pier to accommodate the pier-end option.

The discussion ended with Commission Chair Charlie Salem thanking the county representatives for their work and their presentation.

“There’s a lot of stuff to consider here and we’re obviously anxious to get going with our rebuild, but we know this is an important part of restoring ferry service. I look forward to continuing discussion,” Salem said.

Ferry landing requires city commission approval

Written by Joe Hendricks on May 6, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – When discussing three conceptual scenarios for a Manatee County-funded Gulf Islands Ferry stop in Anna Maria, Mayor Mark Short said city commission approval is needed for any ferry landing installed at or near the Anna Maria City Pier.

The ferry landing scenarios first discussed during the April 21 Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting include a standalone ferry stop located between the City Pier and the Lake La Vista jetty. This scenario also calls for the current jetty to be extended to help reduce sediment accumulation and the need for maintenance-related dredging of the channel. The conceptual scenarios also include a ferry landing installed alongside the northwest side of the City Pier walkway or a ferry landing that extends from the tip of the T-end of the pier.

Last October, Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the pier walkway, including the boat landing at the T-end of the pier that served as a Gulf Islands ferry stop since January 2024. Built on a concrete foundation, the T-end of the pier and the pier buildings sustained minimal hurricane damage.

On April 24, Short told city commissioners he contacted Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione on April 17 regarding the ferry update included on the TDC meeting agenda.

“I reminded him that anything they want to do out here needs this commission’s approval,” Short said. “I also told him that our priority is to rebuild that pier; and it has to be built in the exact footprint it was in.”

During the TDC meeting, Falcione said the new, larger enclosed 76-passenger ferry boat, the Manatee Belle, expected to arrive in July, would weigh 30,000 pounds. He said the two 49-passenger, open-air pontoon boats that will remain in service weigh 1,000 pounds. Falcione later corrected himself and said the Manatee Belle will weigh 100,000 pounds and the pontoon ferry boats each weigh 33,000 pounds.

Short said the new pier walkway, when constructed, could accommodate the pontoon ferry boats but a pier walkway built in the exact same footprint could not accommodate the new and heavier ferry boat.

“Sooner or later, this commission is going to be asked to vote on one of the scenarios. They can’t make our reconstruction of the pier part of their add-on. They cannot bolt that on to our project. It would be a completely separate project, outside of what we’re working on with the pier rebuild,” Short said.

Commissioner Charlie Salem noted the county’s August 2027 estimate for ferry service to resume in Anna Maria would leave the city without ferry service for another two and a half years.

Falcione and Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker will present the ferry landing scenarios to the mayor and commission on Thursday, May 8 at 1 p.m.

“The city encourages the public to attend that meeting to learn more about the options the county is considering,” Short said.

The May 8 meeting can be accessed by phone and public input can be given by calling 1-929-205-6099 and entering the meeting ID: 85392000280.

Pier repair funding

Earlier this year, Short submitted a funding request to the county that listed an estimated $8 million total cost to replace the pier walkway. The city hopes to fund the pier repairs with a portion of the hurricane-related $252.7 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the county.

Falcione told The Sun that he, Short and other county staff members have also engaged in preliminary discussions about possibly using county commission-controlled tourist development tax revenues to help fund the pier walkway repair project.

During the April 24 meeting, Short also addressed the pending demolition and removal of what remains of the pier walkway. He said 10 construction companies sent representatives to the mandatory pre-bid walkthrough meeting held at the pier the previous day. Bid proposals for the demolition and debris removal contract are due by May 16 and Short hopes to recommend a demolition firm for city commission consideration on May 22.

Ferry accident

Contracted by Manatee County, the Gulf Islands Ferry service is managed and operated by Trisha and Dennis Rodriguez through their Gulf Coast Water Taxi LLC. Through their Clearwater Ferry Services LLC, the couple also manages and operates the Clearwater Ferry service that was involved in a fatal boating accident in Clearwater on April 27. The accident resulted in the death of 41-year-old ferry passenger Jose Castro and 10 other passengers were injured.

The fatal accident is being investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Coast Guard. According to the FWC, the three-engine power boat that struck the ferry boat was driven by Jeff Knight, 62. At the time of the accident, Knight owned the Jannus Live music venue in Clearwater and several other Clearwater businesses. On April 30, Jannus Live issued a statement saying Knight is no longer affiliated with the music venue.

According to FWC Capt. Matthew Dellarosa, Knight voluntarily subjected himself to a breathalyzer test that evening and no alcohol was detected in his system. To date, no criminal charges have been filed as the investigation continues. Knight’s legal team now questions whether the ferry boat was properly lit when the accident occurred.

According to various media reports, Knight was piloting the same motorboat in 2019 when it collided with a pontoon boat, injuring three pontoon boat passengers. In 2012, he was named in a civil lawsuit after a man slipped and drowned while getting off his boat. That lawsuit was later dismissed.

Holmes Beach ferry stops explored

Written by Joe Hendricks on April 7, 2025. Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City and county officials hoped to use businessman Jake Spooner’s boat slip in the Waterline resort marina as a Gulf Islands Ferry stop, but the current county-owned pontoon boats are too large to safely navigate that limited space.

To be used in conjunction with the Island Bazaar commercial building that Spooner is developing on the former Wells Fargo bank property nearby, Spooner’s boat slip is located in the far southwest corner of the boat basin.

On April 1, Spooner, Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins and Waterline dockmaster Tom Jones met ferry captains Nick Francis and Jonathan Davis, ferry operators Trisha and Dennis Rodriguez and Manatee County Project Manager Jeff Anthony when they arrived at the resort aboard the pontoon ferry boat that traveled from downtown Bradenton.

With the ferry docked at the rear of the Waterline resort property, the group discussed whether it was safe to bring the ferry boat, which is 50 feet long and 15 feet wide, into Spooner’s slip. Leaving the ferry where it was, the group walked over to Spooner’s slip and quickly determined the navigable space was too narrow for the ferry boat to safely navigate – a space made narrower by the motors projecting from boats docked on either side of the navigation lane.

Diggins and some of the others then walked over to the northwest corner of the boat basin to examine a large corner slip in the Keyes Marina portion of the boat basin. Dockmaster Jim Keyes told the group the slip that was then vacant is occupied long-term by a boat that departed earlier that morning.

They also looked at a slip located next to the Keyes Marina boat ramp and agreed that none of the options examined that day were viable for the ferry boats, but a smaller boat (30 feet long and 10 feet wide) already owned by the ferry operators might work. Although intrigued by that idea, Diggins acknowledged the smaller boat would pose some logistical challenges as to how and where passengers transition from a larger boat to a smaller boat.

The Kingfish Boat Ramp on Manatee Avenue has also been discussed as a potential ferry stop. That area would provide ample docking space but would require docking renovations that could cost the county a few million dollars. The boat ramp is located about a half-mile from Manatee Beach and does not provide the walkability and easy access to restaurants, businesses and other destinations as the boat basin in the heart of the Holmes Beach business district.

Last year, Diggins and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione met with Waterline management about using the spacious docking at the rear of the resort as a ferry stop, but for various reasons the resort management doesn’t want that docking space used as a public ferry landing.

With the ferry stop at the hurricane-damaged Anna Maria City Pier currently out of commission, the Gulf Islands Ferry service runs between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach. The ferry schedule can be viewed and tickets can be purchased at the Gulf Islands Ferry website.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options

Written by Joe Hendricks on March 3, 2025. Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County officials are developing scenarios to install a permanent, county-funded landing between the Anna Maria City Pier and the Lake La Vista jetty for the Gulf Islands Ferry.

On Feb. 27, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short informed city commissioners of the county’s efforts to develop and install a new stand-alone ferry landing to accommodate the new, larger and partially enclosed ferry boat the county plans to put in service later this summer.

The new ferry boat will have nearly twice the capacity of the two 49-foot pontoon boats that currently operate between the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier three to four days per week.

Using the now-destroyed boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier, the downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January 2024 and a month later was expanded to include Bradenton Beach. Anna Maria ferry service was discontinued after Hurricane Milton wiped out a 75- to 100-yard section of the City Pier walkway in early October. The City Pier remains closed for the foreseeable future and will not reopen until the missing walkway that connects to the T-end of the pier is replaced.

When the new boat joins the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet, it will be used to make the Manatee River run between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. The two original pontoon boats will then be used exclusively to shuttle passengers between the Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach ferry landings; and maybe someday to the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach as well.

In late October, the state provided the county with a temporary ferry landing that consisted of a spud barge and a walkway that connected to the Anna Maria shoreline, but the wind, waves, water depth and weather conditions left the ferry captains leery of using the temporary landing even after additional spud barges were installed. In January, the state demobilized the privately-owned spud barges provided as part of the state’s hurricane response.

New scenario

Due to the size of the new ferry boat, the idea of a stand-alone ferry landing in Anna Maria predates the 2024 hurricanes. During the Feb. 27 meeting, Short said when the City Pier is repaired and reopened it will not be able to accommodate the larger ferry boat.

The agenda packet for that day’s meeting contained a single-page diagram of the ferry landing concept being developed by county officials and those assisting them.

“What you see is one scenario,” Short said. “They are working on other scenarios. This is not the only thing they’re looking at but this is one scenario they have actually taken to a point of putting on paper. They want to be able to land this boat near the city of Anna Maria.”

Short said the county hired a third-party firm to study the wave action, wave heights, currents and sand movement in that area. He noted the scenario presented includes extending the rock jetty further out into Tampa Bay and installing a wall-like wave attenuator that protects the landing area from the waves and currents that present navigational challenges in those waters.

Short told county officials they must appear at a city meeting and present their proposed plans to the commission and the public before the commission will consider approving the county’s request to build a stand-alone ferry landing that connects to the Anna Maria shoreline.

Short said he would share additional details with the commission as they become available.

Commissioner Chris Arendt asked Short if the county would assume the city’s current financial responsibility to periodically dredge the channel the connects Lake La Vista and Tampa Bay. Short said the county is studying the dredging needs that might exist in that area and dredging may be needed where the ferry landing would be built.

Short also noted the city previously received a $75,000 resiliency grant and is seeking additional grant funds for a yet-to-be-initiated study that would help identify a long-term solution that eliminates the need to dredge the channel every four years or so.

Anna Maria: Year in Review

Written by Joe Hendricks on December 30, 2024. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

DEBRIS REMOVAL

Mayor Dan Murphy, City Commission Chair Mark Short, General Manager Dean Jones and City Clerk LeAnne all played vital roles in the city of Anna Maria’s privately-contracted hurricane debris removal efforts that earned praise from residents and state officials. Agnelli’s Pools & Construction owner Frank Agnelli and his crew also played a significant role in the debris removal efforts.

PIERS DAMAGED

Hurricane Helene badly damaged the Rod & Reel Pier’s wooden walkway. Hurricane Milton then finished the destruction of the iconic pier and restaurant/bar owned by Germany-based brewer and restaurateur Oliver Lemke, who hopes to rebuild the pier and restaurant. As of Dec. 27, the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe page received $86,702 in donations.

After Hurricane Milton, Ross Built Construction co-owner Lee Ross reunited United Kingdom residents Shira and David Schiller with a memorial plaque recovered from the pier wreckage. The plaque honors the Schiller’s deceased 10-year-old son, Max.

The city-owned Anna Maria City Pier survived Hurricane Helene with minimal damage but Hurricane Milton then destroyed a 75- to 100-yard section of the pier walkway completed in 2020 as part of the pier replacement project necessitated by the pier damage that Hurricane Irma inflicted in 2017.

The City Pier will remain closed until the repairs are completed. Mayor Dan Murphy initially estimated the repair costs might be in the $3 million range. In November, the city commission approved a $347,660 contract for the inspection, engineering, permitting and project oversight services to be provided by the George F. Young engineering firm. The city has not yet solicited bid proposals from contractors seeking the pier repair contract.

FERRY SERVICE

Manatee County’s Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January with stops at the Riverwalk Day Dock and the Anna Maria City Pier. Service to the Bradenton Beach Pier began in February.

After being disrupted by hurricanes Helene and Milton, ferry service between Bradenton and Bradenton Beach resumed on Nov. 1. Ferry service resumed at the recently installed temporary ferry landing near the hurricane-damaged City Pier on Dec 26.

RENTAL REGULATIONS OPPOSED

Assisted by a Tallahassee-based lobbyist, and using the city-owned Home Rule Florida website that generated more than 20,000 opposition letters and emails sent to state legislators and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and City Clerk LeAnne Addy were at the forefront of the successful campaign waged statewide in opposition to the Florida Legislature’s latest attempt to preempt short-term vacation rental regulation to the state and strip Florida cities of their local regulatory rights. In late June, DeSantis vetoed the proposed vacation rental legislation.

COMMISSION RECONFIGURED

In January, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Gary McMullen were appointed to fill two vacancies on the Anna Maria City Commission. In November, Dan Murphy ended his 10-year tenure as Anna Maria’s mayor.

After defeating former commissioner Brian Seymour in the mayoral election, former City Commission Chair Mark Short became Anna Maria’s new mayor. Running unopposed, McMullen and first-time candidate Chris Arendt also earned two-year terms in office.

In November, citing hurricane displacement, damage and a desire to leave the Island, Commissioner Jon Crane tendered his immediate resignation and vacated the remaining year of his current commission term. In late-December, Seymour and John Lynch submitted applications seeking the commission appointment to be made in early January.

MILLAGE REDUCED

In June, Mayor Dan Murphy proposed reducing the city of Anna Maria’s ad valorem property tax millage rate from 2.05 to 1.82 mills. When discussed again in late July, Murphy proposed lowering the millage rate to 1.75 mills. The city commission majority later adopted an even lower 1.65 millage rate – the largest known millage reduction to ever occur on Anna Maria Island, according to Murphy.

COMMISSION ACTIONS

In 2024, the Anna Maria City Commission supported allowing leashed dogs in City Pier Park (except during city-hosted special events), temporarily allowing business owners to use two sandwich boards signs and one flag or banner to promote their businesses during the ongoing hurricane recovery period, allowing three Anna Maria businesses to continue selling otherwise prohibited CBD and hemp products and supporting the yet-to-be-installed shade sails over the children’s playground at City Pier Park.

In response to concerns expressed by some business owners, the city commission in March pledged that the city would not impact the existing parking spaces along Gulf Drive by extending to the north the multi-use path that currently ends at Willow Avenue.

RESTAURANTS SOLD

In July, Ed Chiles sold his Sandbar, BeachHouse and Mar Vista restaurants to the Pinellas County-based Beachside Hospitality Group. The Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website lists the Daytona Beach-based Pine24 Oceanside SB LLC as the property owner for the Sandbar property in Anna Maria that sold for $16.4 million, the BeachHouse property in Bradenton Beach that sold for $9.6 million and the Mar Vista property in Longboat Key that sold for $5.4 million.

OPPAGA STUDY

2024 came and went without Anna Maria Island officials and residents being provided copies of the OPPAGA consolidation study requested in late 2023 by state legislators Jim Boyd, Will Robinson Jr. and others.

PASSINGS

In March, Bradenton Beach and Pines Trailer Park resident Ellen Scott passed away at 85. In May, Holmes Beach resident and Nautilus condominium complex manager Fritz Dahlquist passed away at 70. In June, LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air co-founder Mike LaPensee passed away at 79. In August, former City Pier bait shop bartender and longtime Bradenton resident Brian Blaine passed away at 51. In May, drummer John “Duncan” Edgar passed away in his early 60s. In July, lead singer, lead guitarist and bass player Zack Yoder passed away at 32.

BEYOND ANNA MARIA ISLAND…

COUNTY ELECTIONS

2,316 Manatee County voters switched their party affiliations to be eligible to vote in the Republican primary races that were decided in August. In the primary election, Island voters helped Tal Siddique defeat April Culbreath in the District 3 Manatee County Commission race. Island voters helped incumbent District 7 at-large County Commissioner George Kruse defeat then-District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the countywide District 7 race.

Island voters also helped former Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington defeat Gov. Ron. DeSantis’ appointee, James Satcher, in the supervisor of elections race. After his primary defeat, Satcher had four elections office employees terminated. In November, Siddique, Kruse and Farrington won their general election races.

SEWAGE DISCHARGES

In August, during and after Tropical Storm Debby, the city of Bradenton’s water reclamation facility discharged an estimated 25 million gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into the Manatee River. During that same period, the city of Sarasota discharged an estimated 18 million gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into Sarasota Bay.

In November, the city of Bradenton Beach discharged an additional 825,000 gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into the Manatee River and 2,000 gallons of raw sewage into Wares Creek.

In November, a 66-year-old Bradenton man had his leg amputated after contracting vibrio vulnificus (flesh eating bacteria) while fishing in Sarasota Bay near the El Conquistador Parkway.

Throughout the year, the Florida Department of Health issued multiple no-swim advisories for the Palma Sola Causeway area in west Bradenton and the Bayfront Park area in Anna Maria.

FORM 6 CHALLENGED

In February, the South Florida-based Weiss Serota law firm filed federal and state lawsuits challenging a new Florida law that required Florida mayors and city commissioners to file Form 6 financial disclosure forms that include the disclosure of one’s net worth, tangible assets and debts. Mayors and city commissioners were previously required to file the less intrusive Form 1 disclosure form and approximately 100 city officials statewide resigned before the new law took effect on Jan. 1, 2024. In June, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction suspending the Form 6 disclosure requirements for mayors and city commissioners. As of Dec. 31, the Form 6 disclosure requirements remained suspended pending a final verdict.

Tingley Memorial Library options discussed

County providing additional funding for pier repairs, ferry enhancements

City rejects Pines Trailer Park lot split application, expects new development plans

Revised condo inspection ordinance now addresses habitable stories

City responding to Cushing lawsuit subpoena

Shorebird nesting season has begun on Anna Maria Island

Tingley Memorial Library options discussed

County providing additional funding for pier repairs, ferry enhancements

City rejects Pines Trailer Park lot split application, expects new development plans

Revised condo inspection ordinance now addresses habitable stories

City responding to Cushing lawsuit subpoena

Shorebird nesting season has begun on Anna Maria Island

Planning a successful fishing adventure

Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers host fly-casting clinic

Reel Time: Remembering Captain Zach

Reel Time on The Road: Fishing the Chass

On the Cusp: legislative action needed

The Waterman 2026: Fishing for a purpose

Selling your home gives you big tax breaks

Hidden issues in your future home

Non-commercially-rented beach cabanas still allowed in coastal conservation zones

The thaw has begun

Izzy’s Place opens at former Slicker’s Eatery site

Tips on selling in a funky market

Lori Waggoner wins Key Royale Club’s match play tournament

City to install guideline signs at pickleball courts

CENTER SCOREBOARD: flag football and soccer

CENTER SCOREBOARD: flag football and soccer

CENTER SCOREBOARD: flag football and soccer

Center Scoreboard: flag football and soccer

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Political Cartoon

What statewide recognition says about West Manatee Fire Rescue

2026 brings change and consistency

Political Cartoon

Thanks to Carol Soustek

Coast Lines: So long, farewell

Sections

Latest Stories

Churches of Anna Maria Island

Churches of Anna Maria Island

Insider’s Island – The insider’s guide to outdoors AMI

Readers’ Choice Awards 2025

Churches of Anna Maria Island

Tag: Gulf Islands Ferry

Falcione’s presentation

DOGE requests

City/county meeting

Kruse insights

Commission discussion

T-end buildings

Concerns, considerations

Pier repair funding

Ferry accident

New scenario

DEBRIS REMOVAL

PIERS DAMAGED

FERRY SERVICE

RENTAL REGULATIONS OPPOSED

COMMISSION RECONFIGURED

MILLAGE REDUCED

COMMISSION ACTIONS

RESTAURANTS SOLD

OPPAGA STUDY

PASSINGS

COUNTY ELECTIONS

SEWAGE DISCHARGES

FORM 6 CHALLENGED