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Kim Rash

Rash remains in commission race

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

HOLMES BEACH – Two City Commission seats are up for grabs in the November election and resident Kim Rash is still in the running for one of them.

Rash’s candidacy came into question when fellow Holmes Beach resident David Zaccagnino submitted a letter to city hall asking for Rash to be disqualified from the election due to a paperwork discrepancy.

When filing his paperwork for candidacy, Rash designated Hancock Bank as the holder of his campaign account. However, the campaign check he used to pay his candidate fees was from Wells Fargo. Because Holmes Beach qualifies its own candidates, rather than going through the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, the decision to allow Rash to remain as a candidate fell to City Clerk Stacey Johnston, who also serves as the city’s elections officer.

In a July 10 email, Rash said he, his daughter Melissa Rash, and campaign treasurer Margie Motzer visited city hall on June 4 to obtain and fill out campaign paperwork. At that time, Rash designated Hancock Bank as his primary campaign depository with no secondary depository named.

In the email, he said when he visited the bank to open the campaign account, he learned that a federal employer identification number would be required to establish the checking account. Since no one was available to help him through the process of establishing an EIN, Rash chose to open his account at the nearby Holmes Beach branch of Wells Fargo, which didn’t require an EIN number. Rash’s candidacy was approved by Johnston on June 21 during qualifying week.

“There was never any intent of wrongdoing or fraudulent activity,” Rash said in the email. “It would be a shame to allow the democratic process to be overshadowed by this innocent error.”

Florida Statute 106.021 governs requirements for campaign treasurers, deputies, and primary and secondary depositories. Though the statute says that a primary depository must be declared when qualifying for office, along with a campaign treasurer, it does not specify that the depository cannot be changed or that there are consequences to the candidate when the account location is changed. The statute does state that the primary depository is the only account that campaign funds can be spent out of, including candidate qualifying fees. A secondary depository can be established, however, that account can only be used to collect monies and disperse them to the primary depository campaign account. Rash did not specify a secondary depository in his candidate paperwork.

In addition, Rash’s campaign account was established at Wells Fargo on June 4 per his email, well ahead of the June 18-22 candidate qualifying week in Holmes Beach though a corrected form was not filed prior to him qualifying for office June 21.

Rash said he didn’t correct the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates form because he was unaware a change was needed. Johnston said a corrected form has been filed by Rash to name Wells Fargo as his primary campaign depository.

Though a mistake was noted on the form, Johnston did not disqualify Rash as a candidate. With little guidance available in the state statutes, Johnston said the matter would have to be pursued through the legal system per state statutes by the person bringing up the complaint, in this case, Zaccagnino.

The discrepancy with Rash’s form brought to light another campaign paperwork issue.

It’s a requirement for candidates to provide a social security number on some campaign forms. Though those forms must be available for public review, social security numbers are protected by state and federal law. It was discovered that the social security numbers for Rash and fellow candidate Joshua Linney were visible on documents posted to the Supervisor of Elections Office website, making the candidates vulnerable to identity fraud.

Rash said his candidate profile was viewed more than 50 times before the error was noticed. The error has since been corrected on the website by blacking out the candidates’ social security numbers and campaign account numbers on posted copies of paperwork.

As of press time for The Sun, no instances of identity fraud related to the posted information have been identified.

Holmes Beach Coyote

Coyotes sighted in Holmes Beach

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – There have been three reported coyote sightings in Holmes Beach in the past week and pet owners are advised not to leave their pets outside and unattended.

At approximately 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Capt. Carson Wooten, from Island Fishing Charters, was driving onto the Island on Manatee Avenue when he spotted a large coyote on the west side of the Anna Maria Bridge, near the portable roadside messaging sign across the street from the Publix and former Bank of America building.

“I was coming over the bridge and it was actually on the sidewalk out by the road and the sign when I first saw it. I pulled over and it ran toward the bushes. It ran about halfway, stopped and stood in the grass checking me out and I just happened to get a couple pictures of it,” Wooten said.

To deter coyotes, the FWC recommends keeping cats and dogs indoors, feeding them indoors and putting trash out in the morning instead of at night.

When walking a dog on a leash, carry a stick, noisemaker, golf club or pepper spray, particularly around sunrise or sunset and near water, and if a coyote approaches, don’t run – pick up the dog, if possible, stand as tall as possible and yell.

The Humane Society suggests raking around bird feeders, removing fruit from the ground and using trash cans with tight-fitting lids. If a coyote approaches, “hazing” techniques include yelling and waving your arms, using whistles, air horns or soda cans filled with pennies, banging pots and pans, throwing sticks, small rocks and balls, spraying water hoses or using water guns or spray bottles filled with vinegar water.

Never feed coyotes, experts say.

Neither the state nor the county will trap and remove coyotes.

Wooten estimated the coyote’s weight to be around 40 pounds.

Wooten Coyote
Carson Wooten spotted this coyote at the entrance to Holmes Beach. – Carson Wooten | Submitted

“I hunt and I’ve seen a lot of coyotes and this one looked pretty healthy to me. He didn’t look sickly – when they get sick they start losing their hair. It wasn’t aggressive. It ran away and then sat there and hung out while I took pictures. I wondered if maybe he wandered over the bridge from Perico,” Wooten said.

When asked if he’s ever seen a coyote on the Island before, Wooten, a Bradenton resident, said, “Not on the Island. I’ve seen them on Longboat Key before.”

Police response

On Tuesday afternoon, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said his officers responded to a coyote sighting the day before elsewhere in the city, near 81st Street and Marina Drive.

Coyote HBPD
A responding officer from the Holmes Beach Police Department snapped this photo on Monday. – Holmes Beach Police Department | Submitted

“We called (Manatee County) Animal Services because someone said the coyote looked to be hurt. My guys saw it, took a picture of it and were waiting on someone from Animal Services to come out and see if they could corral it and get it medical attention if that’s what it needed. Somebody originally thought it was injured because it was laying underneath a boat on a trailer, but it ran off and the Animal Services person said it looked like it was healthy,” Tokajer said.

“We were told this morning there’s a family of coyotes on the causeway side of our bridge,” he added, noting that his officers are not instructed to trap or destroy the wild animals.

“There’s no reason for it,” he said.

“We know there are coyotes in the area, so be mindful about leaving your pets unsupervised outside. The coyotes are not approaching people. They’re afraid of people, so don’t feed them because we don’t want to change their behavior. We’ve had no attacks on humans, nor have we heard of any attacks on animals. There’s no need to call the police if it’s not attacking somebody,” Tokajer said.

“As more construction happens all over Manatee County, it’s pushing wildlife from their natural habitats into residential areas. We’ve seen it over the past couple years and there’s been sightings near the beach on 71st through 77th streets.”

Fourth of July sighting

At around midnight on the Fourth of July, Holmes Beach resident David Zaccagnino saw and photographed a coyote at the intersection of Avenue E and 29th Street. When contacted Tuesday, Zaccagnino said he was shocked to see a coyote in his neighborhood. He said he’s never seen a coyote on the Island during his 19 years of residency.

Holmes Beach resident David Zaccagnino spotted this coyote on the Fourth of July. – David Zaccagnino | Submitted

Zaccagnino lives near the Grassy Point Preserve – a large tract of undeveloped natural land.

“It looked freaked out from all the fireworks. It might have been scared out of the mangroves,” he said of the coyote he saw.

Zaccagnino said that judging by the photo, the coyote that Wooten spotted today was bigger and bushier than the one that Zaccagnino photographed last week.

FWC insight

Lt. Louis Hinds, from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), was asked if he thought the photo Wooten took was of a coyote. He said it was.

He then discussed FWC’s response to coyote sightings.

“We don’t get involved unless somebody asks us to get involved. We don’t actively trap them or destroy them unless they’re causing a problem. If people give them their space and leave them alone they’ll move on eventually. Make sure the pets are secured properly and you don’t want to let your small cats or dogs outside unattended because they will snatch those up as animals of opportunity,” Hinds said.

When asked if coyotes pose a danger to humans, Hinds said, “No.”

Straight talk

The photos Wooten and Zaccagnino took were also shown to Ed and Gail Straight from the Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center. They both believed the photos were of coyotes.

Ed Straight said they received a call from the Holmes Beach Police Department dispatcher on Monday and referred that call to Animal Services because the animal was reported as possibly being sick or injured.

Straight said a sick coyote probably has distemper and the neurological effects of distemper gives the impression that the animal is limping. Straight said Animal Services would be the agency to contact about a sick coyote, but Animal Services is not expected to respond to calls about a healthy exotic animal like a coyote.

“They’re too smart to trap and they’re too big to get one of those loops around their neck. They’d almost have to be tranquilized to remove them, and that’s pretty hard with a moving target. We don’t have any way of capturing them and they don’t need to be captured,” Straight said regarding healthy coyotes.

“We might do it if FWC asked us to help, but normally they don’t want us rehabbing them. They’re considered exotics, so if we get one we’d either have to put it down or take them to a refuge that would take them in, which is not a very good place for a coyote to spend its life,” Straight said.

“I don’t think they’re dangerous to people unless somebody starts feeding them – just like gators and things like that. They’re afraid of people and usually run the other way. If you value your cats and little dogs don’t put them out at night. They definitely like cats and they can jump a pretty high fence.”

Straight said the coyote population has exploded in the United States and Canada in recent years.

“We’ve always felt like it’s a matter of time before they’re out here, because they’re everywhere else in Manatee County,” he said.

When asked how coyotes might find their way onto the Island, Straight said, “They’d almost have to run across the bridge.”

Straight said Wildlife Inc. received a couple calls in the past week about coyotes in west Bradenton, but the call from the Holmes Beach Police Department on Monday was the first recent call about a coyote on the Island.

“Two years ago, someone said they saw one over by Runaway Bay. (Local veterinarian) Dr. Bystrom saw one where he lives on the Holmes Beach/Anna Maria border and that was about two years ago, and one was seen on Key Royale about two years ago,” Straight said.

Holmes Beach ad hoc David

Commissioners consider city manager recommendation

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

HOLMES BEACH – Ad Hoc Committee members recommending a city manager form of government wasn’t a surprise to nearly three dozen community members and city commissioners.

Committee members David Cheshire and Terry Schaffer gave the official recommendation from the committee to commissioners recently, recommending a change to a form of government where a city manager is the administrative head of city staff instead of the mayor. The change would require a change to the city’s charter. To change the charter, the measure has to go through either City Commission approvals or the Charter Review Committee to be placed on the ballot for the next election, or a special election has to be called. Ultimately, it’s up to the voters to decide what they want their form of government to be.

When announcing the recommendation, Cheshire said the committee felt a city manager would be better able to provide stability in city government for staff and residents than a mayor who may or may not have any experience leading a city, especially one with the complex issues of Holmes Beach. Turnover in the mayor’s office also can be as fast as every two years, depending on the will of the voters and who runs for office.

Holmes Beach ad hoc Terry
Ad-hoc committee member Terry Schaffer gives by-the-number details on how members arrived at their recommendation for a city manager. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Schaffer expounded on Cheshire’s opening to the presentation, adding that out of the cities polled by committee members, the numbers were in favor of a city manager form of government.

Committee members submitted 19 questions to the leadership of 30 different Florida cities. Answers were scored by participants on a 1 to 5 point basis. Once the answers were given to committee members, they were combined to provide an overall effectiveness score. A city manager-led form of government became the committee’s recommendation because it received the highest score at 83 percent, followed by a commission and city administrator form of government at 71 percent.

Committee member Scott Boyd made the case for a city administrator, a role that could be added without changing the city’s charter. Of the eight Ad Hoc Committee members, Boyd was the only one who voted against recommending a city manager form of government.

A city administrator would report to the mayor but also could help lead day-to-day activities in city administration. The principal role of a city administrator would be to help commissioners formulate policy, supervise department heads and work with the treasurer to develop the annual budget. A city administrator can be appointed by the mayor or commission. By contrast, a city manager would have the ability to hire and fire department heads, manage department heads, help create and administer the budget and have an integral role in developing policy along with commissioners. A city manager could be hired by a majority vote of commissioners.

Boyd said the Ad Hoc Committee members all agreed that professional administrative support is needed in the city but he felt that it was more prudent to start with an administrator and see if professional leadership works well and if more was needed before changing the city charter to hire a city manager. He made the point that if the voters agree to a charter change it would take another charter change to reverse the decision if it was decided a city manager-led government wasn’t working for Holmes Beach.

Commissioner Judy Titsworth said she’s more in favor of a city administrator and providing necessary changes to the city government in degrees versus making a charter change at this time, though she does agree that it might be necessary at some point in the future.

“I’m concerned this is such a huge charter change,” she said. “I have a lot of respect for the charter as it sits.” She added that she’s not ready to give up on being able to find “good, civic-minded people” to lead the city who live in Holmes Beach and who know the city, its residents and their concerns. She said she’s also concerned with “jeopardizing the jobs of our very qualified staff.”

One part of the committee’s recommendation is to allow staff members a one-year contract to prove their worth to the city manager after which the manager could either extend their contracts or bring in other staff to fill the positions.

“I’m not sold on a city manager at all but what I needed was to see how it really works,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said, thanking committee members for doing the “homework” for her.

“It’s not just our decision up here. We listen to the people out there too,” she said, adding that she hopes community members come out to voice their opinions when the matter comes back for commission discussion on a future work session agenda.

Related coverage

Commission split over city manager

Holmes Beach City Hall

Meet your mayoral candidates

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

HOLMES BEACH – With current Mayor Bob Johnson not running for a third term on the Holmes Beach City Commission, voters will choose either Commissioner Judy Titsworth or political newcomer Joshua Linney as their new mayor.

Joshua Linney

Though he hasn’t held a political office, Joshua Linney said he’s ready to take on the challenges of being Holmes Beach’s mayor. He said he chose to run for mayor rather than commissioner to “make sure the citizens have a choice in November” and because if the mayoral position is eliminated, he said he could later run for commissioner. The way he sees it, it’s the commission’s job to set legislation and the mayor’s job to make sure that legislation is carried out while keeping the best interests of the residents in mind.

Holmes Beach mayor Joshua Linney
In his first bid for political office, Joshua Linney is challenging Commissioner Judy Titsworth in the November mayoral election. – Kristin Swain | Sun

If elected, Linney’s priorities would be to create financial incentives for community redevelopment by investors and developers, creating a Community Investment Tax Incentive to give short-term rental owners an incentive to turn properties into annual rentals, and help improve vehicular congestion through park-and-ride services and a ferry to Holmes Beach. He also wants to encourage interaction between city leaders and residents through the addition of town hall type meetings where property owners can get their questions answered in an open forum.

Another goal for Linney is to help residents voice their concerns and make sure those concerns are heard by city staff. He’d also like to encourage all community members, from full-time residents to short-term visitors, to work together to return the feeling of community to the city.

“The city is at a very critical precipice. These are important times for the city,” he said.

Though Linney was born on Anna Maria Island, he left to join the U.S. Army for a three-year stint. Returning from the military found him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and with a dependency on prescription and other drugs. Those experiences led to several run-ins with the law including two driving under the influence charges, one involving a hit-and-run that resulted in Linney serving more than a year of probation, several charges for petty theft, felony and misdemeanor charges for possession of marijuana, all of which were either dropped or lowered to misdemeanor charges, a felony weapons charge that was lowered to a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge, driving with a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia. Those run-ins with the law resulted in fines, probation and community service. Rather than regretting these mistakes, Linney said he’s learned from them and has been “clean and sober” for two years, with the exception of medical marijuana and prescription drugs. He actively supports and lobbies for legalizing marijuana for medical uses and is the chief technology officer for VFC, Veterans For Cannabis, an organization dedicated to helping veterans find alternatives to addictive prescription medications. Linney said he no longer drinks alcohol or uses any illegal or controlled substances. His last run-in with law enforcement was in 2016.

“I wouldn’t change anything,” Linney said. “My life today is more than I could’ve ever imagined. I’ve just got to take it in stride. You can’t go back, you can’t change anything. I’m not proud of everything I’ve done but I’m not ashamed of who I am.”

“In this country, if criminal allegations were enough to keep someone from getting elected we wouldn’t have a lot of officials. I know people are already talking and I know what they’re talking about but acting like I regret it or like I would go back, I don’t. I just hope I make better choices going forward,” he said.

As a disabled veteran and with his own web design firm which he operates from his Holmes Beach residence, Linney said he has the time to devote himself fully to the city and its residents.

“I want to represent people without shutting the residents down,” he said. “Things are not getting done or they’re only getting done half-way. I want to get things done. Failure’s not an option.”

Judy Titsworth

Commissioner Judy Titsworth is no stranger to political office. Titsworth is serving her third term as a city commissioner, which expires in November. She’s served as chair of the commission since 2013.

Holmes Beach mayor Judy Titsworth
Holmes Beach Commissioner Judy Titsworth is ready to make the move from legislative to administrative elected official, throwing her hat in the ring for mayor. – Submitted | Judy Titsworth

Titsworth has lived almost her entire life on Anna Maria Island, having been raised in Holmes Beach and then returning after college in Alaska to raise her own children only a few houses down from her family home on Sunrise Lane. In preparation for her bid for the mayoral seat, Titsworth said she’s been training her daughter to take over the majority of her duties at Shoreline Builders so that she has all the time needed to focus on the administration of the city.

“It’s going to be a big commitment but I’ve freed myself up to handle the commitment,” she said. “I want to finish the job. I want people to have someone to go to that can help give them a voice.”

A goal is to bring back more active residential neighborhoods in the city.

If elected, Titsworth hopes to make the city run more effectively in the future.

“I feel we’re lacking a leader right now. Things could be done better, more efficiently. I have to go where I’m needed,” she said. “I’ll get on it and get it done.”

As mayor, some of the challenges Titsworth said she’d face would be to help make the building department more effective with a reduction in processing times and better service for local property owners and contractors. She said rather than putting more staff members on the payroll she’d like to use contractors, such as the city planner, more effectively and then determine if new staff members should be strategically added to departments. Titsworth also would like to add someone to the city’s two-person code enforcement staff and be more proactive with the department’s initiative to greet visitors at problem vacation rental properties. She’d like to add rental properties to the list of “problem” properties that have more than three complaints recorded.

The code enforcement initiative has officers greet incoming visitors to certain properties where multiple noise complaints have been called into the Holmes Beach Police Department to inform renters of the city’s policies and regulations. One addition she’d like to see to the city’s ordinances would be the implementation of technology to monitor noise at vacation rental properties. Her suggestion is to give property owners a break on the price of their vacation rental certificate application to encourage use of the technology which she thinks could help people be more aware of their auditory impact on the surrounding residential neighbors.

Another staff initiative would be to make sure someone in each department is trained to move up to more advanced positions so if something happened, such as the building official leaving, an existing staff member would be prepared to be promoted to give the city continuity.

Titsworth also would like for commission members to use their liaison positions more effectively and work as a team with staff to keep everyone apprised of new information.

“The city is better off if everyone knows what’s going on,” she said.

Another priority would be to update the city’s emergency management plan to provide better coordination for staff, property owners and residents during both a storm and recovery efforts.

“One of my missions is to make sure we’re fully prepared,” Titsworth said.

Other items to tackle include balancing the city’s budget and improving efficiency without putting the city in financial danger or placing burdens on property owners, clearing out Bert Harris claims and upholding the city charter and comprehensive plans.

Holmes Beach logo OLD

Burglary in Holmes Beach

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

HOLMES BEACH – The suspect in a Thursday afternoon burglary is still at large, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer.

Police are searching for a white male seen around 2 p.m. June 28 in the 500 block of 75th Street wearing a painter’s mask to cover the bottom portion of his face. Tokajer said his department is working with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office violent crimes division to apprehend the man. Det. Sgt. Brian Hall is investigating for the HBPD.

At around 1:58 p.m. on Thursday, June 28 an unidentified female homeowner returned to her 75th Street home after lunching with friends. She found the suspect in her master bedroom attempting to rob the home. The robber attacked the homeowner, whom Tokajer said fought back. The man fled the premises. The homeowner was taken to an area hospital where she’s expected to be released later in the day June 29 or on June 30. Tokajer said she suffered facial bruising and fractured bones from the attack.

Anyone with information about the attack is encouraged to contact the HBPD at 941-778-COPS (2677). Property owners with home surveillance systems in the 75th Street area also are encouraged to contact the police to see if their systems could have caught a glimpse of the suspect entering or leaving the area.

With the suspect still at-large, the HBPD asks that everyone make sure to secure their properties while at home and away. Residents and visitors should make sure all doors and windows are locked, garage doors are secure and valuables are kept out of plain sight to discourage any would-be robbers from attempting to enter the home. Anyone with a home surveillance or alarm system should make sure the systems are engaged when residents are away from the premises.

If you observe any suspicious activity in your area, please contact the HBPD.

West Coast Surf Shop luau

Luau to benefit West Coast Surf Shop

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

Hula on over to The Center of Anna Maria Island Saturday, June 30 for a community luau to benefit the Brady family, owners of the iconic West Coast Surf Shop in Holmes Beach.

No reservations are needed and the entire community is invited to attend the Hawaiian-style fundraiser. Food is available at the event for purchase and is provided by Duffy’s Tavern and The Chiles Group restaurants with a cash bar featuring beer, wine and rum punch. Entertainment includes local favorites like Trevor Bystrom, performing from 3-4 p.m., Chuck Caudill, performing from 4-5 p.m., and Kettle of Fish, performing from 5-7 p.m.

Live and silent auctions will take place featuring a stay at the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club, items from Terra’s Handmade Jewelry, photographs by Skip Nall, a gift certificate and basket by Paradise Bagels and Café, and West Coast Surf Shop memorabilia, just to name a few. Limited edition event T-shirts will be available for purchase for $20 each.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. All proceeds go to benefit Jim and Ronee Brady and the West Coast Surf Shop, which was damaged in an April electrical fire. The Bradys have reopened the surf shop with limited hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily outside of its 3902 Gulf Drive location, weather permitting, while repairs are ongoing.

The festivities begin at 3 p.m. and go until 7:30 p.m. at the Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate, contact Brandi Brady at 561-267-0847 or Kaitlin Kee at 941-920-2202.

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Holmes Beach planning policy change

Changes proposed for flood prevention policy

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

HOLMES BEACH – Planning commissioners are hoping members of the public will step up to voice their opinions before a vote is taken to move policy changes forward that would help protect the city from rising water but also may increase the cost of homeownership.

City Planner Bill Brisson brought five recommended policy changes to planning commissioners for consideration. The move is in reaction to new requirements from the state to address sea level rise. City Engineer Lynn Burnett gave planning commissioners a presentation on sea level rise and the potential ramifications to Anna Maria Island, specifically Holmes Beach where large amounts of currently buildable land on the bay side of the city could be underwater by 2060 if no action is taken over the next several years.

If approved first by planning and city commissioners, the five policies will alter the intergovernmental coordination section of the comprehensive plan. The policies cover requiring the city to pursue funding sources for required work, develop city-wide processes and plans to implement, incorporate regional, state and national sea level rise adaptation recommendations into local plans, coordinate efforts with other governmental agencies and require the city to submit applications for any relevant funding sources.

During Burnett’s presentation, she recommended several strategies, including requiring homes to be raised, adding at least one-foot caps on sea walls, raising streets several inches over the course of the next two decades or more and installing stormwater mitigation systems on residential lots. She said the best Island residents in the future can hope for is to keep stormwater and tidal flooding at current levels with all currently buildable lots still above water in 2060. Though the five recommended policies don’t outline exactly what strategies will be implemented, planning commissioners worried that adopting the policy changes might open the door to city leaders now and in the future putting redevelopment requirements on residents that make homeownership cost prohibitive.

Brisson said the matter is being brought up now because Burnett has received a grant to do some of the preliminary work on the project which requires work to be done by October.

“It’s strictly a matter of funding,” Brisson said. While the state does require it, Brisson said punishment from the state wouldn’t be likely if the policies aren’t found consistent and adopted into the comprehensive plan.

Planning Commissioner Charles Stealey said he has reservations about agreeing with the policies because he feels that parts of Burnett’s plan are too ambitious and cost prohibitive for homeowners.

“I find half of this to be just fine. It protects us. I find half of it to be ridiculous,” he said. Stealey added that he finds some aspects of the plan to keep stormwater and seawater off the Island to be “costly and impractical.” He said he’d like to get a second set of scientific data to look at other than what was provided by Burnett before making a decision.

“I’ve only been given one choice and I don’t like it,” he said, adding that he views the potential consequences of adopting the policies and plans that may come along with them as “worse than water in the streets.”

Planning Commissioner Barbara Hines agreed with Burnett’s assessment of the threat rising tides and stormwater pose to the Island in the future, noting that when developing her recommendation for a mitigation plan, Burnett chose a “middle of the road” approach to lessen the impact to property owners.

“What she did was sound,” Hines said. “I’m happy to have someone qualified who’s on top of things.”

Alternate Planning Commissioner Tom Carlson said if the policies don’t get approved now, he worries the city will miss out on much-need funding opportunities.

Planning Commissioner Scott Boyd said sea level rising is just one of the many benefits versus risk elements property owners consider when moving to a barrier island.

“If your street is 6 feet above sea level and if you know the sea level is going to rise 15 feet in 120 years you’re going to be underwater,” he said.

“We are nothing but a sandbar,” Hines said. “It’s not going to take much for us to just disappear.”

Boyd said before planning commissioners make a recommendation to city leaders, he hopes community members will come to the group’s next meeting to provide input and guidance.

Planning commissioners next meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 11 at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

Related Coverage

Protecting Holmes Beach from rising tides

Manatee County concession fund

County commissioners approve concession fund request

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – An influx of monies from the excess concession fund is making its way to the three Island cities and The Center of Anna Maria Island.

In a unanimous vote, Manatee County commissioners agreed to release the requested funds. Totaling $1,023,520, the request included $400,590 for bicycle safety improvements and $64,930 for pedestrian safety improvements in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, $25,000 for Holmes Beach Dog Park improvements, $35,000 for a kayak launch at Grassy Point Preserve, and $40,000 for Holmes Beach Skate Park improvements. All of those projects are listed at a 50 percent match for the Island cities. The request also included $25,000 for bicycle racks in Holmes Beach, $333,000 toward the Anna Maria City Pier rebuild, and $100,000 for capital improvements at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

The excess concession fund, managed by county commissioners, was established to hold funds received from the beach concessions at Manatee Beach and Coquina Beach for use for one-time projects benefitting the Island community. For any of the three cities to receive funds, the governments of all three Island cities must agree and present the request as a unit. The recently-approved list represents several months of work on the part of the Island cities’ leadership.

“This is a big step for Anna Maria Island, getting everyone to agree,” Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said. She congratulated the three Island governments on working together to agree on the list of projects and present the county leadership with a plan.

County Commissioner Betsy Benac said she appreciates the focus on safety with many of the approved projects. “I’m glad that you were able to work it out,” she said.

County Commissioner Stephen Jonsson also congratulated the Island government representatives on being able to come together to use funds that he said weren’t benefitting anyone, just accumulating. “It’s really refreshing to see you all work together.”

“We are very pleased with the outcome of the concession fund request,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said. “We’re getting closer to achieving our goal of $4.5 million for our pier.”

During the May 22 county meeting, Murphy broke down the estimated total cost for the City Pier rebuild, which he said was “just about the amount of the city’s annual budget.” With $1.5 million pledged from Manatee County Tourist Development Council funds, $750,000 coming from state funds, and $500,000 pledged from Anna Maria city funds, that leaves $1.75 million for Murphy to come up with. In addition to the $333,000 from the county, he said he hopes more funds can be accumulated for the project from donations, FEMA and potentially the state historic board. “I don’t know how that’s going to come out,” Murphy said.

After the meeting, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie also praised the county commissioners for their support and the Island city leaders for their work.

“You can’t go without saying that former Mayor Bill Shearon was part of the cities working together,” Chappie said. “It’s a great program that was developed by the county and it’s going for good causes, including pedestrian and public safety. It’s a boost for the community center as well.”

At a Holmes Beach commission meeting also on May 22, Mayor Bob Johnson shared the good news with commissioners.

“I have good news and it comes by way of the county,” he said. “It’s a good example of things coming together the way they’re supposed to. It’s there, we’ve got it, and the total runs about $1 million across the Island.”

Johnson also thanked county commissioners for their quick consideration of funding the projects list and their support of the Island communities.

County commissioners also can designate the funds for other purposes, which was demonstrated when they also voted unanimously to grant the Center up to $25,000 for a transit vehicle in a separate request by the Island nonprofit for assistance in purchasing an additional vehicle for student and senior transportation. Center board Chair David Zaccagnino said he was surprised by the county commissioners’ choice to award the monies from the concession fund but he’s pleased by their support of the Island nonprofit, which has struggled in recent years to receive large amounts of government support.

“We’re extremely grateful and extremely happy,” Zaccagnino said after the county meeting. He also thanked the county and Island city governments for coming together to support the Center using the “beer and pancake money” from the concession fund.

“A couple of months’ work is finally coming together,” Center Executive Director Chris Culhane said.

Jean Peelen

Jean Peelen moves on

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Community News.

HOLMES BEACH – Jean Peelen arrived on Anna Maria Island from the Washington D.C. area 10 years ago. Her sister had died from cancer and friends told her to visit Anna Maria Island.

“They told me I should walk the beach,” she said.

She rented a place, saw what life was like with the beaches –  the slow pace, and the friendly people, and she never looked back.

“The people were warm and welcoming, and the people I met then are still friends,” she said. “It was a lovely place to live.”

Unfortunately, as things progressed and so many homes were razed to make way for vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods, she became alarmed.

“That’s when I decided to run for office,” she said. “I have been active all my life in trying to help people and I saw so many residents decide they couldn’t live with all the disturbances.”

Peelen said a lot of those residents were retirees who had saved their money and bought a place to live out their lives. She said the majority of them lived here fulltime, enjoying and contributing to the lifestyle. Then there were the part-time residents, the snowbirds who came down in the fall and left in the spring.

“Those people are almost all gone,” she said.

Peelen said when she got elected, one project was the dog park.

Then she joined two other elected officials, Carol Carter of Anna Maria and Janie Robertson of Bradenton Beach, to form Home Sweet Home.

The group’s mission is to convince people to move and live fulltime on the Island. The group acquired non-profit accreditation and it is looking for properties that would make good, affordable homes that could benefit the donors with tax breaks as well.

It sponsored a gathering of residents at the Anna Maria City Park that was well attended. She said she thought it was a success as far as spreading the small town feeling that the Island was known for.

Peelen has mixed feelings about leaving, but she doesn’t stay in one place for too long.

“Every 10 years I reinvent myself,” she said. “I’m moving to Flat Rock in the North Carolina mountains and it will be a good experience, living in the mountains.”

She’s living in a small house.

“I think I’ll like that where everything is close at hand,” she said. “I won’t have room for clutter.”

She’ll miss the lifestyle here too.

“I loved island living with the beaches nearby,” she said. “I will miss the friends that I have made. I’ll always remember them.”

Holmes Beach surf shop fire award Mayor

West Coast Surf Shop employees honored for bravery

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

HOLMES BEACH – A fire at the West Coast Surf Shop on April 15 turned staff members Kaitlin Kee, Anna Rehorn and Benjamin Webb from store clerks into heroes when they not only got themselves out of the burning building but also evacuated an estimated 30 patrons.

During the May 22 city commission meeting, Holmes Beach city leaders, along with police Chief Bill Tokajer and members of the West Manatee Fire Rescue district recognized the three for their bravery and quick thinking during the emergency situation.

“Because of their efforts they saved lives,” Tokajer said.

Holmes Beach Surf Shop fire award West Manatee Fire Rescue
West Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Tom Sousa congratulates the staff of West Coast Surf Shop on their bravery in evacuating the store during a fire emergency. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Fire Marshall Jim Davis, reading from Kee’s statement to officials on the day of the fire, said the smoke, believed to be caused by a faulty transformer on a neon light in a window, was first reported to staff by a customer. Upon investigation, the staff of three called 911 and evacuated the building as flames began and smoke started filling the shop. The staff and patrons were not injured. The upstairs apartment was not inhabited at the time of the fire.

“If not for them, it would’ve definitely been a different story,” Davis said.

Once on the scene, it took firefighters about two minutes to fully extinguish the fire. Damage was sustained to the shop’s exterior, the store and the shop’s inventory, which had just been restocked. Damage was estimated at $250,000.

The West Coast Surf Shop is the oldest surf shop on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Owners Jim and Ronee Brady are currently in the process of making repairs to the shop with the hope of reopening in about six months.

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AMI Candidate Qualifying

Candidate qualifying takes place in June

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Are you considering running for a city commission seat? If so, the qualifying periods for city commission and mayoral candidates on Anna Maria Island will take place in June.

Candidacy may be announced at any time before or during the qualifying period. Candidates must first appoint a campaign treasurer and designate a campaign bank account before any contributions are accepted or expenditures are made. Candidates can serve as their own campaign treasurers.

Candidates must file a Statement of Candidate form within 10 days of appointing a treasurer and opening a campaign account.

Forms and additional information for Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach candidates can be found at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office website or in person at 600 301 Blvd. W., Suite 108, in Bradenton.

Holmes Beach candidates must obtain their qualifying forms through the city clerk’s office.

Anna Maria

The two-week qualifying period in Anna Maria will start at noon on Monday, June 11, and end at noon on Friday, June 22. Qualifying paperwork may be picked up at the Anna Maria clerk’s office and must be filed with the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Anna Maria candidates must be U.S. citizens, registered to vote in Manatee County and residents of Anna Maria for two years prior to qualifying.

The qualifying fee is $48 for City Commission candidates and $196 for mayoral candidates. Candidates can avoid the qualifying fee by filing an “Undue Burden” oath and securing the petition signatures of 10 registered city voters.

In the fall elections, there will be three election positions up for grabs: the mayor’s seat currently held by Dan Murphy and the commission seats currently held by Amy Tripp and Brian Seymour. The mayor and commissioners serve two-year terms. The mayor receives an annual salary of $19,600 and commissioners receive $4,800.

Bradenton Beach

The one-week qualifying period in Bradenton Beach will begin at noon on Monday, June 18, and end at noon on Friday, June 22.  Qualifying paperwork may be picked up at the Bradenton Beach clerk’s office and must be filed with the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, registered to voter in Manatee County and residents of Bradenton Beach for at least 12 months prior to qualifying.

As the result of charter amendments adopted by Bradenton Beach voters in November, commission wards have been eliminated and the two citywide candidates who receive the most votes will claim the two seats open this fall. Those seats are currently held by Marilyn Maro and Ralph Cole.

According to recent charter amendments, commission candidates no longer need to be registered city voters. The qualifying fee for commission seats is $48. No petition signatures are required in Bradenton Beach.

City commissioners serve two-year terms and earn $400 a month.

Holmes Beach

In Holmes Beach, City Clerk Stacey Johnston serves as the qualifying official and candidates qualify at city hall. The qualifying period there will be noon on Monday, June 18, until noon on Friday, June 22.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, registered Manatee County voters and residents of Holmes Beach for two years prior to qualifying.

The qualifying fee is $60 for commission candidates and $240 or mayoral candidates. All candidates must secure the petition signatures of 15 registered city voters and file an affidavit of residency.

Candidates can avoid the qualifying fee by filing the “Undue Burden” oath and securing the petition signatures of 15 registered city voters.

The mayor and commissioners serve two-year terms. The mayor earns $24,000 a year and commissioners make $6,000 a year.

There also will be five elected positions for Charter Review Commission members. The qualifications are the same, but candidates do not have to pay the qualifying fee.

Holmes Beach dog park staging area

Plans expand for dog park renovations

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

HOLMES BEACH – Renovations at the city’s dog park now hinge on City Engineer Lynn Burnett’s master plan for the city park complex.

Members of the Parks and Beautification Committee, along with several members of the public, presented their ideas for renovations to the dog park at a May 8 commission work session.

Commissioner Judy Titsworth added her idea as well, saying it might be a good time to look at relocating the dog park to another part of the city park complex, possibly to the northeast area near the basketball and tennis courts currently being used as a construction staging area.

Titsworth said the current park poses some location problems, including being close to residential housing and leaving parkgoers in danger of being hit with fly balls from the neighboring baseball diamond.

Rather than investing the $50,000 allocated to dog park improvements in the current location, she suggested looking at relocating it to build a new and improved dog park and leave the current one open during construction. If commissioners decide to go in that direction, minimal improvements will be made to the current dog park to make it better for patrons in the interim.

Commissioners instructed Burnett to look at the park complex as a whole and come back before them quickly with a suggestion to keep the dog park in place or where to relocate it so that improvements can get underway.

“Look at the whole park as a blank slate,” Commissioner Rick Hurst advised Burnett.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said she wants to see action taken to improve the dog park now rather than potentially waiting years to see a master plan for the entire park.

If the park is going to be moved, improvements suggested for the interim include replacing rusted fence posts, addressing drainage issues, adding potable water stations and looking at the ground cover issues.

If the park stays in place, committee members suggested $38,500 in changes, including replacing the fence, adding benches, adding large trees for shade, adding water bottle filling stations where owners can fill dog bowls, using a combination of crushed shell and sand as ground cover instead of grass and dirt and installing a fire hydrant style fountain for dogs to play in. Additional entrances with push button access also were suggested, along with netting to prevent baseballs from flying into the dog park.

Dog park users spoke in favor of both options, though all agreed they want to see improvements happen quickly no matter where the park is located.

“It’s important that we get this project right,” Renae Ferguson said, asking commissioners for a project timeline. “I don’t want to be pushing a wheelchair when this is done.”

Burnett said that stormwater improvements scheduled for Flotilla Drive should help alleviate some of the dog park’s drainage problems. She agreed to develop a master park plan and come back before commissioners with her recommendations.

“We have an opportunity here to improve an important recreational area in our city, and I’m looking forward to seeing a vision for it,” Ferguson said.

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Holmes Beach Center funding

Commissioners vote to financially support Center

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

HOLMES BEACH – After more than a year of tension between the city and The Center of Anna Maria Island, commissioners have agreed to give the nonprofit a little financial support.

At the urging of Commissioner Rick Hurst, a volunteer at the Center who also serves as the commission’s liaison to the nonprofit, city leaders agreed to revisit the idea of donating funds this fiscal year to the organization. In a 3-1 vote, with Commissioner Jim Kihm absent and Commissioner Carol Soustek dissenting, city leaders agreed to provide $22,500 to the nonprofit. Though the donation passed the vote, commissioners still had some reservations about the Center’s accounting practices and leadership.

“I think we’ve punished them enough for what happened four or five years ago,” Hurst said. “I think we need the Center. It makes us a better place.”

Soustek said she’s still concerned about the Center’s accounting practices, particularly that the organization’s board reported $100,000 in unbudgeted capital expenditures without pulling the nonprofit’s finances into the red.

“It’s a troubling thing when you can cover expenditures like that but still need money,” she said.

Soustek went on to say that she’d like to see audited financial figures and have more of an explanation about where funds are being used.

“I’m not just going to hand out money,” she said. “I want to know what you’re going to do with it.” She added that the three Island city commissions have already voted to donate $100,000 for capital expenses to the Center from the concession fund. The donation requires Manatee County commissioners to vote to release the funds.

Mayor Bob Johnson said he’s seen progress at the Center financially and in management, but he feels there’s more forward movement to be made. With little direct communication from the Center, he said more discussions between city and Center leadership are needed.

“I think the story is better, but I’d like to hear the damn story,” he said. “I’m looking for a face-to-face discussion.”

In response to commission concerns, the Center’s board chair, David Zaccagnino, and new Executive Director Chris Culhane met with Johnson in the days following the May 8 commission meeting. The two offered to meet privately with any city leaders who have concerns about the Center’s management and financial practices. Zaccagnino said the meeting with Johnson was a positive experience.

Commissioner Judy Titsworth agreed with Hurst, saying it was time to let bygones be bygones.

“I’m done saying ‘no’, ” she said. “I’m done saying ‘prove it.’ It’s time to move on.”

With the city now offering financial support to the Center, Titsworth said she hopes it encourages more community confidence in the nonprofit.

dog park funding

Dog park plans ready for commission presentation

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

HOLMES BEACH – The plans have been several months in the making but now members of the parks and beautification committee have a date to propose their recommended improvements to the city’s dog park to commissioners.

That date is Tuesday, May 8 during the commission workshop immediately following the 6 p.m. regular meeting. Committee member Joshua Linney said he hopes everyone who has been a vocal member of the public during the planning process will be at the commission workshop to offer public comment.

Committee members met May 2 for their last meeting of the season. They used the time to go over their final recommendations before presenting to commissioners and take public input on the proposed park improvements.

Holmes Beach parks
Resident Karen Zimmerman offers her thoughts on the proposed improvements to the dog park to members of the Holmes Beach Parks and Beautification Committee. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Priorities for the dog park project include adding infiltration trenches, resurfacing the area, adding trees for shade and benches for seating with pavers underneath to prevent digging, and changing out the current fencing for a vinyl- coated one that is more resistant to rust. Adding water filling stations for water bottles and dog bowls along with an additional access gate for maintenance and push-button gates for public access also are suggestions favored by committee members. Committee members estimate their recommended improvements will cost $44,930, a little less than the $50,000 commissioners budgeted for park renovations.

“I think you guys have done an amazing job,” resident Renae Ferguson said to committee members.

While some ideas, such as slightly expanding the park and adding a security system to limit the use of the park to dog owners who register their pets with the city, are still on the table, members of the public came up with their own list of park improvements they’d like to see.

Several people spoke up about the need for a splash pad for pets playing in the park during the hot summer months.

“The splash pad makes perfect sense,” park user Mary Miller said. “We live in Florida; it’s hot.”

Other recommendations from the public include the elimination of planned shrubs on the outside of the fence to block sound because the plants could block sight lines for park users and a net-like shield to block balls from entering the park from the adjacent baseball diamond. Users agreed they’d also like to see the large signs with park rules removed from inside wooden shelters where they say the signs block much-needed airflow.

Dog park user Don Anthony said if more funds were needed to make all the park improvements, he feels that dog park users will be willing to donate toward the project.

“The effort is there, and the money is there if we can be sure it goes to the dog park,” he said.

Closing the meeting, Linney thanked everyone for their comments and continued input throughout the planning process. “I hope you’ll all be there on Tuesday,” he said.

Related Coverage

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Flooded street in Holmes Bea

Protecting Holmes Beach from rising tides

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Awards, Awards 2018, Community News, Holmes Beach, Second Place.

HOLMES BEACH – Stories of climate change and sea level rise may soon be more than just cautionary tales for Island property owners, but City Engineer Lynn Burnett has a plan to keep those stories from becoming nightmares.

“Our ultimate goal is net zero loss of properties that are buildable today,” Burnett said, opening a discussion with planning commissioners concerning the steps needed to keep rising tides out of local businesses and residences.

Second place
Environmental writing
2018

Burnett’s plan is to begin slowly raising city streets, seawalls and private properties, along with adding more stormwater drainage to lots, to help keep the water out over the next 20-40 years as sea levels continue to rise. With Anna Maria Island elevations so close to existing sea level, if the Island cities and property owners do nothing, Burnett said in Holmes Beach 20-30 percent of currently buildable lots could be underwater by 2060 with no hope of reclaiming them. Because of the way the Island is graded, with the higher side bordering the Gulf of Mexico, the loss of land would be concentrated on the opposite side bordering Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Sound and Palma Sola Bay. The flooding that islanders see during king tides, Burnett said, would become the norm.

Holmes Beach planning flood lynn
City Engineer Lynn Burnett discusses her plan to help keep rising tide waters out of Holmes Beach through the year 2060 with planning commissioners. – Kristin Swain | Sun

“The do-nothing option does not exist,” she said.

To prevent property loss, Burnett wants to begin working with each Island city and private property owners to inspect individual properties and determine what can be done to keep the water out.

“It’s not a one size fits all solution,” she said. “We’re not going to be able to prevent 100 percent of flooding on this Island. That’s not an achievable goal. It’s better to have the water recede in hours rather than days.”

“We all know it’s coming,” Planning Commissioner Chuck Stealey said. His primary concern with the plan was how the proposed improvements will be funded. For people living on a fixed income or those who recently completed repairs to their seawalls expected to last for 20 years, he said the cost could be too much to bear. He also worried that some property owners can’t foot the bill for the improvements if it will endanger surrounding properties when the flood waters come.

Burnett said determining the cost and figuring out how to pay for it would be one of the things discussed with each individual property owner as the program progresses. If the property owner can’t afford the repairs or improvements, she said some grant funds or other monies may be available to help lessen the financial burden. She said savings to property owners also will be present in the lessening of flood insurance payments which would help cover the initial cost of improvements in savings spread out over several years of property ownership.

Planning Commissioner Scott Boyd said he feels the project will just raise the cost of homeownership on the Island and push out more permanent residents.

City Planner Bill Brisson said for new Island homeowners seeking to rebuild or remodel a home, several of the proposed improvements are already enforced during the site plan approval stage in the building department. Already property owners are required to raise new structures and those receiving more than a 50 percent remodel above the current flood level as determined by FEMA. New site plans and remodels also require stormwater drainage facilities to be placed on the property able to hold all the property’s stormwater runoff.

“The alternative is you won’t have a place to live,” Brisson said.

“Nobody’s going to buy our property if it’s underwater,” Planning Commissioner Barbara Hines said.

Burnett said the things city leaders are doing to keep the rising tides out are “nothing new,” but aren’t outlined specifically in the city’s comprehensive plan. City initiatives include the installation of WaStop valves at outflow pipes to prevent tidal water from backing up the city’s stormwater drainage system, repairing and slip-lining damaged pipes, incrementally raising roads as they’re resurfaced and putting a 12-inch cap on city-owned seawalls as they’re repaired or replaced. To keep the water from flooding Bayside properties, adequate stormwater infiltration and retention facilities must be installed upland on both public and private property.

“We don’t have a choice,” Hines said. “We are going to lose this Island if we do not take action now. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford not to do it.”

Burnett said if the proposed ordinance outlining the plan is approved by city commissioners, private property owners could see implementation plans for their residences as soon as 2020. Before the ordinance goes to commissioners for approval, planning commissioners are holding a public hearing to determine if it’s consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan at their June 6 meeting.