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Tag: Holmes Beach

County leaders refuse to increase police beach funding

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A request for funding to the city’s police department to help cover the expense of beach patrols was approved by Manatee County leaders, but the approved amount wasn’t as much as city leaders hoped for.

During an Oct. 11 commission meeting, Holmes Beach Police Department (HBPD) Chief Bill Tokajer said that $46,412 had been offered to the city as compensation for officers patrolling the county-owned Manatee Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp. While the amount is the same as was given to the department the previous year, it didn’t include the increase that city leaders were hoping for.

Tokajer said that the funding doesn’t come close to covering the more than $250,000
per year in manpower and other costs officers have documented and presented to county commissioners in the past. He said he’d spoken to Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes and was told that despite delays to the project, city leaders were being blamed for the loss of grant funding for renovations at Kingfish Boat Ramp and, as a result, no increases in police funding were being considered.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said with increases in costs over the past year, the county offering the same amount of money as in the previous fiscal year was actually defunding the patrols.

The issue of funding for HBPD patrols of county properties is the latest chapter in a list of ongoing problems between the city and county.

Utilities turnoff questioned

As Manatee County prepared for impacts from Hurricane Ian and evacuations were called for on Anna Maria Island, county leaders announced that water would be turned off to the Island the afternoon prior to the anticipated arrival of the storm. Tokajer said in a statement that he had called county officials to ask them to delay the turn off of water and sewer utilities to allow those services to continue for first responders who would not yet be evacuating.

During a Sept. 27 press conference about the storm and evacuation process, Hopes claimed that Tokajer had contacted him to request utility services remain on for residents who weren’t evacuating. Hopes went on to state that he would not be extending the time for the utility turnoff because he didn’t want to risk damage to the county’s utility infrastructure. Hopes also urged residents to take the storm and evacuation orders seriously.

A week after the storm passed, Titsworth issued a statement on Oct. 5 through the HBPD’s social media page stating how proud she was of city staff for their assistance to residents and property owners before and after the hurricane. She also publicly commend- ed the city’s residents for heeding the evacuation orders and leaving prior to the storm. During a Sept. 27 commission meeting, city leaders had even joked that the storm had fixed the traffic problems on the Island due to so many people evacuating.

Kingfish defunding questioned

The battle over utility turn-offs prior to Hurricane Ian was preceded by disagreements over why county officials were forced to return grant funds for planned Kingfish renovations. Hopes and county commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge both stated during public meetings that the renovation plans had to be abandoned because permits were being held up in the city’s building department. Hopes said the permits Department of Environmental Protection couldn’t be extended another time. County staff members also noted during a commission meeting that the grant funds couldn’t be extended either.

Titsworth said in a city commission meeting that the city doesn’t have the power to hold up permits, nor had that happened in the case of Kingfish. She added that the city’s building department staff had been working with county members for months to get the permits approved and continued working on the permit applications after being told by county leaders that the project would be put on hold.

Issues between the city and county stem back to when Van Ostenbridge first took
the dais and demanded that Titsworth and city commissioners end their resident-only permit parking program near the beach and allow public on-street parking for beachgoers throughout the city. City leaders refused to change their stance on public parking on residential streets, stating that Holmes Beach has more public parking spaces than the other two Island cities and that they won’t sacrifice residents’ quality of life.

Island city leaders set sights on beach concession funds

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders on Anna Maria Island are planning to present plans to Manatee County commissioners in hopes of using excess beach concession funds for projects in each city.

To access the funds, elected officials in each city have to present projects that benefit tourism and visitors on the Island, the officials in each city must agree to the projects and the projects and funding have to be approved by county commissioners.

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that the fund has grown to more than $300,000. Now, each city is putting forth its own list of projects.

In Anna Maria, city leaders are seeking a 50/50 match in the amount of $115,250
to get an engineered permanent solution to issues causing the Lake LaVista Channel to become unnavigable. The channel provides access to kayak and paddleboard launches, a landing dock for visitors coming to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, a launching point for commercial nature tours and boater access. City leaders estimate that the development of a design along with permitting will cost $230,500, excluding construction.

In Bradenton Beach, officials are asking for $105,000 for a 50% match to improve public beach and bay access points, including additional pavers, signage, bike racks, benches, trash containers and pedestrian and bicycle path improvements.

Holmes Beach city leaders voted unanimously on Oct. 11 to request $105,000 in funding for low-level LED lighting for trolley shelters along with rebuilding five trolley shelters and replacing two. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $210,000. The concession funds would provide a 50/50 funding match.

Titsworth warned commissioners that “time is of the essence” in requesting funding as Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes has set his sights on the excess concession funds as a potential source of monies for a proposed water taxi service from downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.

Christenson withdraws from commission race

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

HOLMES BEACH – The commission race has come to an unexpectedly early end with Commissioner Jayne Christen- son announcing her withdrawal ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Christenson was running for re-election against political newcomers Dan Diggins and Greg Kerchner. She was first elected to the city commission in November 2020. She announced her intent to withdraw her candidacy during commission comments at the end of an Oct. 11 meeting.

Jayne Christenson
Christenson

“With the support of my family and friends, I have made the decision to not seek re-election as a city commissioner in Holmes Beach in the election on Nov. 8, 2022,” she said, reading from a prepared statement.

“This has been a difficult decision based on many factors, most importantly being my work/life balance. I have a demanding job in the bio-pharmaceutical research and manufacturing industry and have recently taken on even more people management and multi-million dollar budget responsibility which requires extensive travel, limiting the time I have to dedicate to the city.”

With Commissioner Kim Rash also not seeking re-election, that leaves two seats open on the city commission and only two remaining candidates qualified by the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, Diggins and Kerchner.

Greg Kerchner
Kerchner

Despite Christenson’s statement that she would contact the elections office to have her name removed from the ballot, mail-in ballots have already been distributed. The city is home to 2,685 registered voters. Of those, 138 have already cast their ballots as of Oct. 16, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Dan Diggins
Diggins

Diggins retired to Holmes Beach with his wife in 2011 after a career in aviation. This will be his first time holding an office in the city.

Kerchner is no stranger to the inner workings of the city, having served for several years on the city’s planning commission. He’s currently the planning commission chair, a position he will have to resign before being sworn in as a city commissioner.

Mayor Judy Titsworth ran unopposed for her second and now third terms in office. She will be sworn in for another two-year term in November.

In-person voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive

Commissioners give budget final approval

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners passed the final reading and public hearing for the 2022-23 fiscal year budget with only days to spare and a major hurricane close to making landfall just to the city’s south.

City leaders had set Sept. 27 as the date of the second and final vote and public hearing for the new budget ahead of the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year, however, the arrival of Hurricane Ian and a mandatory evacuation notice for Anna Maria Island upset those plans. To keep the meeting plans on track, commissioners met at city hall but the public was allowed to participate and speak through Zoom.

Commissioners voted 4-1, with Commissioner Jayne Christenson dissenting, to pass both the proposed 2.07 millage rate and the $25,336,242 proposed break-even budget.

The 2.07 millage rate is less than the previous 2.25 millage rate, however, it still creates a 6.1% increase for taxpayers over last year’s numbers due to increases in property values over the past year.

The new budget accounts for $260,605 in mayor and commission spending, $1,725,857 in general government expenses, $793,646 to fund the city’s code compliance department, $5,105,342 in funding for the Holmes Beach Police Department, $3,794,994 in public works expenses and $1,358,154 to fund the building department. Other expenditures include $2,919,647 from the collected stormwater utility fees, $11,000 from the fifth-cent gas tax, $725,925 from the half-cent tax and $6,375,912 in carryover and reserve funds.

Revenue sources include $888,163 in state resources, $11,852,380 from local sources, including taxes paid by property owners, and $12,595,699 in carryover and reserves.

Christenson said she was voting against the millage rate and budget because she feels that the city could “do better” and reduce taxes for city property owners further than the .18 cut in the millage rate.

Commissioner Kim Rash, who is not running for re-election in November, said he hopes that future commissions can do more to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said there’s only so much that city leaders can do considering infrastructure and other city-wide repairs and replacements that need to be made as quickly as possible to combat the rising demand on roads, sewers, storm drains, water and other resources, along with increases in tourist populations that require more police officers to keep city streets safe. However, she added that city staff members are constantly seeking out other funding sources, including grant opportunities, to reduce the monies needed from taxpayers.

Letter to the Editor: Holmes Beach annual city budget high

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

Based on the population size (3,017) of Holmes Beach including the number of homes (2,538+), the city’s annual budget is not in proportion. Year over year the city budget goes up, from $15M to $18M. Up to $22M last year and now the commission is asked to approve a budget of over $25M. Keep in mind that the city of Holmes Beach is 1.9 square miles. There has been exhaustive analysis by concerned residents of the “expense per capita” for Holmes Beach and how we compare to similar “like cities.” When it comes to the budget, Holmes Beach is substantially above and significantly out of line from the norm.

I take pride in the job I am elected to do. I use every form of communication to listen to the voters and property owners alike to take a temperature on how people feel about topics of concern, including taxes.

Budgets go up for several reasons:

  • When property values increase.
  • When the city does not reduce the millage rate enough.
  • When the county does not pay its fair share.
  • Grants applied for.

The millage rate and the budget are what the city commission can control. Over the years we have heard promises of tax relief/tax savings and the commitment to lower the millage rate. The millage was reduced from 2.25 to 2.07. Yet, the budget still went from $22.2M to $25.4M. Up $3M, a 14.4% increase. A millage reduction but still a tax increase as our property values continue to go up. I guess that’s good if you are selling. Which is what some long-term residents who are on fixed incomes are doing. Our residents are being replaced by a different type of owner/investor. We are seeing a change in the diversity of our community. The tax increases are pushing people out, which is changing the face of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island.

Our property owners need tax relief. Our city can reduce the “nice to have” expenses, which continue to increase year over year. At each budget hearing, I asked for a more significant millage reduction, and I am staying consistent with that message.

 

Jayne Christenson

Holmes Beach city commissioner

Letter to the Editor: Setting the record straight

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Feature, Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I’d like to set the record straight.

In the attached TikTok link you will see Dr. Hopes publicly shaming Holmes Beach residents and myself for asking for the water to be left on for our residents who wanted to remain on the island, accusing us of not taking Hurricane Ian seriously—stating that our residents were jeopardizing the water infrastructure for the entire county.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The county administrator is the one person the Island residents, county residents and municipal leaders should be able to look towards for the facts. Especially during a storm event.

I did call Dr. Hopes I asked that he revisit the order to turn off the water to the island on Tuesday at 6 pm for the Safety of First Responders. Dr. Hopes stated he was on the way to a meeting at the EOC and would discuss and call me back.

I did not make the request because I wanted water for our residents who refused to leave, but because our First Responders, the Holmes Beach Police, Manatee Sheriff’s Department,  West Manatee Fire and Bradenton Beach Police would not be leaving the island until the wind was too dangerous, which at the time of the phone call was not expected till mid-morning Wednesday.

Mayor Titsworth had the same conversation with Commissioner VanOstenbridge, telling him of the first responder, police and fire needs, telling him the island looks deserted because people are taking this seriously and evacuating.

When asked about the evacuation by Dr. Hopes, I advised him that we have clearly put out the message of the mandatory evacuation and the dangers of staying and that most of our residents had taken heed to the warnings, but we will always have a few hold outs that don’t leave.

As Island leaders we could not be prouder of our residents, business and property owners as they took Hurricane Ian very seriously, sandbagging, boarding up businesses and residences and coming to the city hall and police department to get over 1,100 re-entry tags for those who were evacuating to be able to return.

 

William L. Tokajer
Chief of Police
Holmes Beach Police Department

Hurricane Ian, a day at a time

Hurricane Ian, a day at a time

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

Hurricane Ian caused a burst of activity and emotion on and around Anna Maria Island last week.

On Tuesday, it was projected to make landfall here, but by that afternoon, new projections had it veering slightly south, where it made landfall the next day at Cayo Costa.

Local residents were left feeling both relief and distress over the misfortune of their southwest Florida neighbors, and more than a little apprehension about the next storm.

Here’s what happened while thousands prepared to either face or run from the disaster.

 

Sept. 25 – City leaders in Anna Maria declare a local state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

Sept. 26 – City leaders in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach declare a local state of emergency.

Sept. 26, noon – A mandatory evacuation of zone A, including Anna Maria Island, Cortez and sections of unincorporated Manatee County is issued, effective at 8 a.m. on Sept. 27.

Sept. 26, 2 p.m. – Manatee County schools, libraries and The Center of Anna Maria Island announce closures effective at the end of the day. Trash and yard waste collection cease.

Sept. 26, 5 p.m. – The latest Hurricane Ian update from the National Hurricane Center shows the storm taking a turn for Tampa Bay.

Sept. 27, 8 a.m. – Evacuation of zone A goes into effect. Manatee County shelters open at local schools. The projected track of Hurricane Ian takes a turn for a direct hit to Anna Maria Island.

Sept. 27, 11 a.m. – Manatee County leaders issue mandatory evacuation orders for zone A and B with a voluntary evacuation for zone C.

Sept. 27, 5 p.m. – Water and sewer services are turned off to Anna Maria Island. Traffic to the Island is limited with Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road traffic limited to eastbound only. Anna Maria Island is placed under a flash flood warning. The Island, Cortez, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and parts of coastal unincorporated Manatee County are placed under a storm surge warning. Manatee County is under a hurricane warning. Hurricane Ian is expected to come onshore near Port Charlotte and hit Manatee County around 2 a.m. Sept. 29 as a Category 1 storm.

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. – Hurricane Ian is upgraded to a Category 4 storm. Manatee County is already experiencing high winds and rain from the hurricane.

Sept. 28, 3:10 p.m. – Hurricane Ian makes landfall as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 155 mph at Cayo Costa, near Captiva Island and Sanibel. Manatee County is under a flash flood warning and storm surge warning.

Sept. 28, 5 p.m. – Manatee County lift stations have lost power and water treatment facilities are near capacity. Three potable water main breaks have been identified and two have been fixed. Residents are asked to limit water usage.

Sept. 29, 10 a.m. – Manatee County evacuation orders have been lifted and shelters are closing. Utility crews are assessing system damage. Access to Flamingo Cay and Perico Island is reopened.

Sept. 29, 10:20 a.m. – Holmes Beach police announce that Anna Maria Island is reopened to residents.

Sept. 30, 5 p.m. – Water and sewer utilities are returned to Anna Maria Island. The Island is under a 48-hour boil water notice. Some electrical utilities have been restored, then lost again.

Oct. 1, 5 p.m. – Electricity has been returned at 90% to Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and Cortez. The Center of Anna Maria Island is expected to reopen on Oct. 3 along with county beaches, parks, libraries and other amenities. The weather is sunny and cool, with no storm in sight.

Anna Maria Island prepares for Hurricane Ian

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

SEPT. 29, 10:20 A.M. UPDATE: Holmes Beach police have announced that Anna Maria Island is back open for residents.

SEPT. 29, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County evacuation orders have been lifted and shelters are closing this morning. Utility crews are assessing system damage. Anna Maria Island is still closed to residents with drivers being turned around at the base of the Anna Maria and Cortez bridges while first responders and work crews assess the state of the Island. Residents can access Flamingo Cay and Perico Island on Manatee Avenue. Anyone out driving is asked to be cautious of downed or sagging powerlines, storm debris and standing water.

SEPT. 28, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County officials have asked that residents who still have water limit what goes down their drains. With lift stations losing power and water treatment facilities at capacity, along with potable water breaks reported, residents are asked to limit toilet flushing, showering, doing dishes and doing laundry.

Hurricane Ian made landfall around 3:10 p.m. near the Captiva Islands and Sanibel as a Category 4 storm. Manatee County is under a flash flood warning until 7 p.m., an extreme wind warning until 6 p.m. and an ongoing storm surge warning for coastal low-lying areas.

SEPT. 28, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Power outages are expected to occur in our area over the next several hours. Hurricane Ian has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm and our area is already experiencing high winds and rain. The storm is expected to make landfall to our south late morning or early afternoon today. The Sun will post updates here and on our Facebook page as we’re able due to internet and power outages. Everyone, stay inside, stay safe and we’ll see you on the other side.

SEPT. 27, 5 P.M. UPDATE: The National Hurricane Center’s latest update is showing that Hurricane Ian is expected to come onshore near Port Charlotte early Wednesday afternoon as a possible major hurricane. If the storm follows the current track, it’s anticipated that it will approach the Manatee County area early Thursday, Sept. 29 around 2 a.m., potentially as a Category 1 storm.

The peak storm surge warning for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been lowered to an estimated maximum of 4-6 feet. The estimated storm surge for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been reduced to 1-3 feet above ground level.

Manatee County officials announced that water and sewage lift stations on Anna Maria Island will be turned off at 6 p.m. today, Sept. 27. Water and sewage services will not be restored until after the storm threat has passed. County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes warned residents that sewage lift stations, needed to operate toilets, will not work if electricity is out.

Westbound traffic on Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road to Anna Maria Island from the mainland became restricted at 4 p.m. today and will be closed by 8 p.m. this evening. Traffic lanes will not reopen to the Island until local law enforcement and first responders determine that it’s safe for residents to return.

SEPT. 27, 11 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County has issued mandatory evacuation notices for zones A and B with a voluntary evacuation notice in place for zone C. If you’re unsure of your evacuation level, visit the county website for more information.

County officials advise that all residents should be sheltered where they plan to ride out the storm as of 8 p.m. tonight when some of the first effects of Hurricane Ian are expected to be felt in the area. All county shelters are now open. A list of shelters in the area can be found here.

All pet owners are advised to bring their pets inside for the duration of the storm. Manatee County Animal Services will close today and not reopen until safe to do so after Hurricane Ian has passed.

All of Manatee County, including Anna Maria Island, is under a flash flood warning beginning Sept. 28 and continuing through Friday, Sept. 30.

Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and parts of coastal unincorporated Manatee County are under a storm surge warning. While most areas can expect storm surge of over 3 feet, some areas of the Island, including in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, can expect storm surge of over 6 feet during high tide. The National Hurricane Center’s storm surge flood map is consistently being updated online as the storm’s track is updated. Peak storm surge along coastal Manatee County is expected to be between 5-9 feet.

City commission regular and work session meetings in Holmes Beach scheduled for today at 5 p.m. have been canceled. Commissioners will go forward with a final budget hearing and emergency special meeting at 5:01 p.m. today via Zoom. The public is invited to participate online or by telephone.

SEPT. 26, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County is now under a hurricane warning from the National Weather Service. Anna Maria Island and surrounding low-lying areas in Manatee County also are under a storm surge warning. The storm surge warning is in effect until Friday, Sept. 30 and states that the Island could see waters rise 3 feet or more above sea level. Peak storm surges could exceed 10 feet in some areas if Hurricane Ian arrives in the area at high tide.

SEPT. 26, 2 P.M. UPDATE: Closures have been announced for Manatee County.

Manatee County schools are closed for students and staff beginning tomorrow. Schools will be closed until the threat of Hurricane Ian has passed.

The Center of Anna Maria Island and all Manatee County Libraries will close at end of business today, reopening after the storm threat has passed. The Anna Maria City Pier will close at noon Sept. 27 and remain closed until further notice.

There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection on Wednesday until after the storm threat passes. Due to evacuation notices for Anna Maria Island, collection services may end early on Tuesday.

All Manatee County facilities and buildings will close to the public at close of business today with the exception of the county administration building which is scheduled to close to the public after a scheduled county commission meeting the morning of Sept. 27.

Shelters in Manatee County will open tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Manatee County officials ask that no one go to a shelter prior to the 8 a.m. opening on Sept. 27. A list of shelters is available online. Everyone going to a shelter needs to bring their own cot or sleeping bag and personal items.

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells has announced that emergency services will be very limited once winds hit a sustained 45 mph. He advises that officers will do their best to respond but may not be able to get to all areas of the county while the effects of Hurricane Ian are being felt in the area. Emergency services in Manatee County, including EMS, fire response and law enforcement will all be limited during the storm event.

Storm surges, high winds and heavy rain are expected to begin as early as 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and continue through early morning Friday, Sept. 30. A mandatory evacuation is effective beginning at 8 a.m. Sept. 27 for zone A, which includes Anna Maria Island, and a voluntary evacuation for zone B. Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes recommends that everyone be where they intend to ride out Hurricane Ian by tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Hurricane Ian is predicted to have a high probability of spinning off tornadoes.

Anna Maria Island will be closed down at sundown tomorrow afternoon, Sept. 27. Water utility services will be shut off one hour after sundown tomorrow afternoon and Hopes said service will not be restored until it can be safely determined that the system has not sustained any significant damage.

SEPT. 26, 12:10 A.M. UPDATE: A mandatory evacuation of zone A, including Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Cortez and parts of unincorporated Manatee County, has been issued by Manatee County effective at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Evacuation of zone B is advised but not mandatory.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Residents and city leaders in the three Island cities are preparing for potential impacts this week from Hurricane Ian as the storm is projected to pass by to the west in the Gulf of Mexico as a major hurricane.

As of the National Weather Service’s Sept. 26 11 a.m. briefing, the Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County, is under a hurricane watch with the storm expected to rapidly intensify. Hurricane Ian is currently expected to pass by the area as a category 2 or 3 storm. Early forecasts predict 7-10 inches of rain in our area and storm surges of 5-8 feet. Impacts from Hurricane Ian are expected to begin in Manatee County as early as Wednesday evening and continue through Thursday, Sept. 29.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer and Mayor Judy Titsworth said the Island is anticipated to be under a mandatory evacuation by 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. While residents will not be forced to leave, it is important to note that emergency services, including police, fire response and EMS, will not be available during a storm. West Manatee Fire Rescue personnel will be required to leave the Island once sustained winds exceed 45 mph.

Anna Maria

A state of emergency has been declared by city officials. Residents are advised to prepare for impending impacts from Hurricane Ian. A sandbagging station has been set up for residents at Bayfront Park, however, supplies of sandbags and sand are limited. Reentry tags are available for residents at city hall with proof of residency.

Bradenton Beach

City officials declared a state of emergency during an 11 a.m. meeting this morning. Manatee County staff have delivered pre-filled sandbags to Coquina Beach for residents over the weekend but those supplies have quickly been depleted. Reentry tags for residents are available at the Bradenton Beach Police Department with proof of residency.

Holmes Beach

Titsworth declared a local state of emergency for the city early Monday morning. Sand and sandbags are available as supplies are replenished at the Manatee Beach and by the pickleball courts at city field. Reentry tags are available for residents with one tag being issued per residence at the Holmes Beach Police Department.

The Holmes Beach Code Compliance Special Magistrate hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 27 has been canceled. The city commission meeting and work session scheduled to follow the budget hearing at 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 27 have been canceled. Titsworth said she anticipates that the budget hearing also will be canceled due to the mandatory evacuation.

The Sun will continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

County leaders play blame game over Kingfish funding

County leaders play blame game over Kingfish funding

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

MANATEE COUNTY – A proposed project at Kingfish Boat Ramp won’t be happening and county leaders are placing the blame for it squarely on the shoulders of city officials in Holmes Beach.

County staff members, with County Administrator Scott Hopes adding his voice to the group, said they are prepared to cancel grant funding of $4,500,000 from the Gulf Coast Consortium for planned renovations at the boat ramp, including paving, adding launch lanes, bathrooms, new dock facilities and other changes.

Two of the proposed changes that garnered the most public attention were the planned removal of dozens of trees along with the removal of a popular tree-shaded picnic area and the elimination of parking spaces to serve as a stormwater retention area until the Anna Maria Bridge is one day replaced. Though it’s designed, construction on a new bridge is not yet funded through the Florida Department of Transportation.

During a Sept. 13 county commission meeting, Hopes and other members of staff said that the reason the grant funding was being canceled is that a permit for construction from the city could not be obtained in time to complete construction before the November 2023 expiration of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permit. As that permit had already been granted multiple extensions by the department, staff members said it couldn’t be extended again. In addition to the outstanding construction permit from the city, other permits also were mentioned as still needed for the project, including one from Manatee County.

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he would like to see if there’s some way to recoup the funds that the county has already spent on the project in staff time, engineering fees and other costs. He suggested suing the city, but was cautioned against that action by the county attorney, who stated that the permit application hadn’t been denied by city leaders.

In an Aug. 25 email to Hopes, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that the permit application was progressing through the city’s approval process for site plan changes. She said she was told by city staff that the changes planned for the boat ramp required site plan approval by the city commission to comply with Manatee County codes under the annexation agreement for the boat ramp. Titsworth said that city staff notified the county’s representative for the project, Michael D’Angelo, of the site plan approval requirement on June 7 and 22. She added that building department staff was notified by the county’s project engineer on July 6 that the Kingfish project was put on hold. With no further communication from county representatives, Titsworth said she instructed city staff to continue with the internal site plan review, which was almost complete as of Aug. 25.

She added that she believes some of the delay with the project was due to county leadership signing a lease for the Kingfish property with the Florida Department of Transportation instead of FDEP.

In a Sept. 15 email to The Sun, Titsworth said that city leaders only had two points
of contention concerning the Kingfish project, the removal of Australian pine trees that provide shade and nesting habitats for birds along with the picnic area and the elimination of parking spaces on the east side of the boat ramp to turn that area into a stormwater retention area.

“This in no way held up any permitting process as Florida statutes do not give us that authority,” she said.

In a Sept. 14 email to city and county commissioners, Titsworth said, “Holmes Beach does not have the authority to withhold permitting. This had nothing to do with additional parking. The hold up was that the planning administrator made the county aware that the annexation agreement required Holmes Beach to administer the permit using the county’s own rules which required site plan approval. I am disheartened by the continued misinformation and deviation from the truth. These improvements also required a new lease between the county and DEP as the original lease was done in error as the ownership of the land was not FDOT. Unfortunately, the county could not complete this in the time constraints of the grant. This is no fault of the city.”

City leaders consider food truck regulations

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are reacting to a recently passed Florida law allowing food trucks to operate within any municipality in the state by creating regulations for those doing business in the city.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Chad Minor said that while city leaders cannot keep food trucks from operating in Holmes Beach, there are certain ways that they can regulate those operations, including limiting hours and where the food trucks can do business.

Some of the rules being considered include limiting operating hours to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and limiting food trucks to spending two days per week at a single location within the city. The hours would be adjusted for any food trucks taking part in a special event with a temporary use permit, such as a festival at the city field complex.

If the proposed ordinance is approved by commissioners, food truck operations would only be able to take place in the C-2 and C-3 commercial districts and on finished surfaces outside of required parking for the primary business at the location and off of the right of way. By limiting which districts food trucks can operate in, commissioners prevent them from setting up in residential neighborhoods, at beach access points, at office buildings or at one of the closed bank properties in the city which are zoned C-1 for low-intensity commercial endeavors.

Operators also would have to meet all applicable fire codes and be open to allowing fire prevention or code compliance officers to inspect the food truck at any time. Oil, water and other waste would be required to be disposed of properly off-site, not dumped in landscaping, on parking lots or in the city’s sewer system.

The selling of items would be limited to food and beverages and operators would not be able to serve any items from a moving vehicle.

Food truck employees would also be required to have access to a restroom facility at a nearby business or other facility.

“You’ve buttoned this up very tight,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, applauding Minor’s work on the proposed ordinance.

BIEO members reject TDC funding change

BIEO members reject TDC funding change

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

ANNA MARIA – Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth hasn’t gained a lot of support from leadership in local barrier island cities for her idea to change how tourist development taxes are distributed in Manatee County.

Titsworth brought up the topic during a Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting where she was joined by Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier and Longboat Key Town Manager Tom Harmer. She said that although vacation rentals bring in about 30% of the total Manatee County tourist development tax revenues, her city doesn’t see a lot of it returned.

“Tourist development funding is hard for Holmes Beach to qualify for,” she said, noting that the city has only seen about $100,000 of the millions of dollars earned come back to help fund city projects. Titsworth said she’s expecting about $30,000 from the tax this year for Grassy Point Preserve improvements.

The funds are assigned to projects by Manatee County commissioners with advice from the county’s Tourist Development Council. By state law, the funds can only be used for specified projects related to tourism. Titsworth said she’d like to see those funds available for infrastructure improvements or redistributed to local municipalities based on the percentage of the total funds earned by that city. She also said she’d prefer it if the funds could be distributed without the requirement of county commission approval.

In the current fiscal year, Titsworth requested funds for bicycle and sidewalk path improvements and reimbursement for seawall repairs necessary to prevent part of Marina Drive in the city’s commercial district from collapsing. While the project was approved by the members of the TDC, county commissioners voted it down, although they did approve the funds for Grassy Point Preserve. Some county commissioners stated that they didn’t see how the paths and seawall repairs tied into tourism-related spending while others stated that they wouldn’t approve the project because of an ongoing clash between city and county leaders over beach parking in residential neighborhoods. During the BIEO meeting, Titsworth said she doesn’t appreciate how some county leaders are “weaponizing” funding in an attempt to force city officials to meet their demands.

Though Murphy said he understands Titsworth’s predicament, he feels that his city has been getting its fair share of the tax funds. Rather than depend on tourist development tax funds for infrastructure repairs, he suggested making an effort to get a larger cut of sales tax revenue, which is currently disbursed based on population.

Harmer and Schneier agreed that they also don’t have an issue with the way the funding is currently distributed. Harmer said that their city’s tourist development tax dollars were primarily used for beach renourishment and maintenance. Unlike on Anna Maria Island, the small number of public beach accesses on Longboat Key means that beach renourishment and maintenance is funded by that city rather than through outside government funding.

Who’s Anna Marie?

Who’s Anna Marie?

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been 100 years since the first bridge linking Anna Maria Island to the mainland was opened to the public.

During that time, the Island has gone through a lot of changes, but a name change hasn’t been one of them.

Knowing this, local veterinarian Denise Vondrasek was surprised when she was driving on Manatee Avenue toward the Island and noticed a crew putting up a sign letting drivers know that they are five miles from “Anna Marie Is.” Realizing the sign was misspelled, she stopped to tell the workers, but none of them spoke English, so she reached out to The Anna Maria Island Sun.

The Sun called the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which spends millions of tourist tax dollars advertising Anna Maria Island around the world. Executive Director Elliott Falcione was not available for comment and office staff members were unaware of the sign.

A subsequent call to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) resulted in the typical transfers to multiple departments, but a spokesperson for District 1 – which covers Manatee County – said she would immediately put in a work order to replace the sign.

With refreshingly little government red tape, The Sun was assured the error would be corrected.

Editor’s note: Having restored the integrity of The Sun’s namesake, Dr. Denise is honorary copy editor for the day.

New COVID-19 vaccine available on the Island

New COVID-19 vaccine available on the Island

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The new COVID-19 booster vaccines aimed at fighting the omicron subvariants hit local pharmacies late last week after final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pharmacists at both Walgreens and CVS in Holmes Beach confirmed the updated vaccine is in stock and available.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new booster is an updated formulation that targets both the original strain and the omicron subvariants, similar to how the flu vaccine is reformulated every year to best defend against the current strains in circulation.

The CDC is recommending that everyone 12 and older get the vaccine, as long as it’s been at least two months since their last vaccine or three months since they have tested positive for COVID-19. Those who have not received any vaccine must get vaccinated with the primary series first – two doses of the original Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two doses of Novavax or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

The CDC recommends asking your doctor if or when you should get the vaccine, or what the possible side effects are.

While the new COVID-19 subvariants don’t pack the punch of the original, Manatee County COVID community transmission levels have been at medium or high for more than 20 consecutive weeks, with some contracting COVID more than once in a matter of two or three months. While the effects can be deadly, more commonly people miss work and feel generally miserable for a week, longer in some cases.

Castles in the Sand

Real estate websites changing our lives

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

In the good old days of the late 1980s when the state of New York told me I was now capable of selling residential real estate, I knew they had no clue. Of course, I also had no clue, but that was part of the challenge.

That was before the internet and cell phones when every real estate office had a receptionist at the front desk who took messages and buyers and sellers had the good manners to wait until you returned their call. In that era, real estate was mostly confined to print advertising and labor-intense manual systems. Picture this: Listings were collected in three-ring binders for potential buyers to look through. Once they found the perfect home at the perfect asking price in the perfect area, it was out to the realtor’s car for an in-person tour of the home.

Once the multiple listing services were created, realtors could access available properties on the computer, assuming the computer was up and running and the little blue-haired lady who was selling real estate for 100 years could learn the process. And then of course, only licensed realtors could access multiple listing services.

That was then and this is now. In the real estate world of today, every available property for sale is at everyone’s fingertips, controlled by websites all competing for your eyeballs. Here’s a breakdown of the top sites:

The number one site and by far the largest real estate website in the country is Zillow. Zillow or “Zillow Surfing” is without a doubt addictive and provides listings from both the multiple listing services and for sale by owner. The site is free to buyers and sellers and at last count averaged 68 million monthly visitors.

The next most popular site is realtor.com (my personal favorite). The app allows you to search for homes, view pictures and video tours, compare neighborhood criteria like noise levels and provides information on flood zones. Listings are in real time and generally reflect all multiple listing properties.

Next up is Trulia, which focuses on local information and allows for personalized alerts with links to pre-qualified financing and financial calculators. Trulia may be a little too technical for the average property surfer but good to use when you have narrowed down your favorite location.

These are the most well-known and the most popular, but there are plenty more like apartments.com, FSBO.com and Homes for Heroes. There are also several home-buying websites that come and go on a regular basis. Zillow tried their hand at this, but their timing was off, starting when home prices were on a sharp rise. They have since dropped out but there are two others who are active – Flyhomes.com and Homelight.com.

Something that just came to my attention is a website called Roofstock.com, which provides listings and data for investors interested in rental properties to buy. Small investors are actively purchasing properties frequently out of state and are becoming “Laptop Landlords.” They claim they’re the number one platform for small and large remote investors looking to purchase rental properties.

The National Association of Realtors reports that approximately 51% of buyers found the home they purchased on the internet, only 28% found their home through their realtor and 4% from yard signs.

The good thing about the 1980s was the pace was considerably slower than today, which made it a lot easier to learn and bluff your way through situations you haven’t yet had the time to learn. Every day was a challenge and a learning experience, and so much more fun. Our lives may be different now, but I still miss those binders.

City center project set for September start date

City center project set for September start date

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders have spent more than a year planning for improvements to be made at city center, the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives, but those plans haven’t had an anticipated start date – until now.

City Engineer Sage Kamiya gave commissioners an update on the project, which included a note that construction on the project is currently planned to begin as soon as mid-September, depending on when Manatee County’s force main project construction wraps up on Holmes Boulevard. He said the force main project is almost complete in that area, which will open it up to serve as a detour during the city center project when construction closes part or all of the Gulf and Marina Drive intersection to traffic.

Several different types of improvements are planned for the area with the goal of making it safer for all types of users, from pedestrians to bicyclists and drivers. For pedestrians, new sidewalks are planned for installation, along with new streetlights and lighted crosswalks. New bicycle lanes also are planned in addition to a larger turn lane going north from Gulf to Marina Drive. New landscaping along the corridor is also planned for installation.

Once the project begins, construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of the calendar year in time for the winter tourist season.