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Holmes Beach Night Market a shopper’s delight

Holmes Beach Night Market a shopper’s delight

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

HOLMES BEACH – It was difficult to find a parking space and sidewalks were packed at the Jan. 12 Night Market. The event is a partnership between the City of Holmes Beach, Bradenton Area Arts and Culture, The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island (AGAMI) and many other area businesses. The event was formally called the Art Walk, but the departure of Island Gallery West left only AGAMI in Holmes Beach.

The monthly event, held the second Friday of the month, is meant to stimulate business for Holmes Beach merchants by extending hours later into the evening and allowing them to showcase what they have to offer with sidewalk sales, live music and product demonstrations.

The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island had artists demonstrations on the sidewalk in front of the gallery, live music from Larry Wilhelm, wine and snacks, People’s Choice Awards and an Artist Paint-A-Round, where artists collaborate on one painting. That painting was then raffled off after the event.

The AGAMI Featured Artist for January, Karen Eddy, was also on hand to talk to visitors about her featured front window display, titled Sky Wonders. Since moving to Florida five years ago, Eddy has been inspired by the colors found in the coastal sky and how those colors are reflected on the ample bodies of water that can be found just about everywhere. As a lifelong Southerner, she has paintings displayed in the gallery featuring low-country South Carolina and Georgia, in addition to her current home state of Florida. While all her works are unique, most do have one thing in common – colorful skies reflecting their beauty on a body of water.

“I was living in Arizona, and decided to move back here because I missed water,” Eddy said. “I’ve been fascinated by the clouds and the atmosphere and the sunlight. When I get up every day, it’s like a different painting.”

Eddy’s window display will run through Jan. 31 and all her works are available for purchase.

Although AGAMI spearheads the event, plenty of other Holmes Beach businesses took part, including Pizzano’s Pizza and Grinders, DCoy Ducks, Small Town Creamery, howluckyami, Irene’s Clothing Store, Sand Dollar, The Feast, Hurricane Hank’s, Freckled Fin and The Doctor’s Office. It was a treat for both art lovers and anyone looking for something unique they may only find on Anna Maria Island.

The next Holmes Beach Night Market will take place Friday, Feb. 9 from 5-7:30 p.m. or later.

Holmes Beach logo

Commissioners oppose bill, hire new lobbyist

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

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are hoping to reinforce their position in the battle against state politicians infringing on the city’s home rule.

During a Jan. 11 meeting, commissioners agreed to draft a letter opposing Florida Senate Bill 280, which would take away local municipalities’ ability to regulate vacation rentals and give the sole rights to the state.

Local regulations that would be removed if the bill passes the state Legislature and earns the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis include the Holmes Beach vacation rental ordinance, all locally-enforced vacation rental safety regulations – including those mandated by West Manatee Fire Rescue under the Florida State Fire Code – and all local occupancy requirements.

While the bill mandates occupancy by the number of sleeping areas in a rental, City Attorney Erica Augello said it doesn’t specify that those sleeping areas be bedrooms, as required by the Holmes Beach vacation rental ordinance, which specifies two people per bedroom or six per unit, whichever is greater, is maximum occupancy.

Augello said she feels the bill is well-written enough that it may have a better chance of passing where vacation rental pre-emption bills have failed at the state level in the past.

Commissioners also decided to enter into an agreement with Sunrise Consulting Group for legislative consulting services at a cost of $4,500 per month.

Rather than replacing the city’s current lobbyist firm in Tallahassee, Mayor Judy Titsworth said the city’s team at Sunrise would work with the city’s lobbyist at the state level. One of their main tasks, she said, would be to represent the city’s interests at the local level with Manatee County representatives for project funding and other issues affecting the city.

Attention drivers: Traffic light has changed

Attention drivers: Traffic light has changed

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

HOLMES BEACH – Anyone who’s driven through the intersection at Marina and Gulf drives lately may have noticed a significant change in the flow of traffic due to the installation of a new traffic light and new signage.

The intersection was remodeled in 2023 as a part of the city center revitalization project, which realigned bicycle and traffic lanes and added crosswalks for pedestrians at the intersection. With the new traffic light, vehicles turning right from Gulf onto Marina are required to stop and wait for an arrow.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that the changes will help drivers remember to make that stop.

Before the intersection was improved, traffic turning right onto Marina Drive was continuous with a yield sign and a merge lane near Keyes Marina. When the seawall along the east side of the road began to experience structural problems, the merge lane was deemed unsafe and closed to motorists. While drivers were required by law to stop before turning right, it didn’t always happen.

As a part of the intersection revitalization project, the seawall was repaired and the old merge lane turned into greenspace, a bicycle lane and a new sidewalk. With drivers still not coming to a complete stop before turning right, Tokajer said the decision to add new signals and signage to the intersection was made for public safety reasons.

Now, there is a right turn arrow for vehicles turning right from Gulf to Marina along with a sign instructing motorists to stop for pedestrians. Tokajer also said when a pedestrian activates the crosswalk, all the vehicular lights turn red to allow pedestrians to safely cross the intersection.

Pedestrian safety in the Gulf/Marina intersection has been a concern for years. Prior to the 2023 addition of the crosswalks, there were no crosswalks at that intersection. Pedestrians had to walk a block north or west to cross. And while some did, many would walk through the intersection regardless of the lack of a crosswalk.

Two pedestrians were struck in the intersection on May 12, 2023 by a driver making a left-hand turn from Marina to Gulf who failed to yield to pedestrians. The driver stated that he didn’t see the two women, one of whom died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The heat is on

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

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its population statistics for the year 2022 to 2023. All I can say is the heat is on in the South.

The takeaway here is that Texas and Florida’s population grew by a much larger number than any other state in the country. By now, it’s commonly accepted that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people live and do their jobs. Remote work has allowed many in the home labor force to relocate to more affordable living with better weather and a sense of security and freedom. This defined the state of Florida before incoming COVID escapees pushed up property values, which are only now starting to stabilize.

So, let’s dig into the actual numbers of the top three on the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of states with the highest growth.

The population of Texas on July 1, 2022 was 30,029,848. The population on July 1, 2023, was 30,503,301, an increase of 473,453 or 1.6%.

Florida, coming in second, had a population on July 1, 2022 of 22,245,521, increasing to 22,610,726 on July 1, 2023, an increase of 365,205 or 1.6%, same as Texas.

Third on the list is North Carolina, which on July 1, 2022 had a population of 10,695,965 and on July 1, 2023 had a population of 10,835,491, a growth of 139,526 or 1.3%.

The five states with the highest populations are California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. However, only Texas and Florida are in the top 10 of growth between 2022 and 2023. The other three all lost population during the same timeframe, with California being the biggest loser of 2023. Remember that population growth or decline has everything to do with real estate values.

Another survey by Bankrate.com analyzes the hottest metro areas in the country. Here they are in order: Gainesville, Georgia; Knoxville, Tennessee; Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida; Northport-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Sarasota metro area, which also appears on the Best Places to Live list, ranks second nationally in price appreciation and 12th in population growth, but 206th in active listings.

The Fort Myers metro area ranked fifth in price appreciation and eighth in population growth, also with a lack of available listings. They too appear on one of the best places to live lists. These two South Florida regions are closely linked, sharing the same quality of life appealing to people relocating to the Sunshine State.

Bankrate also analyzed the five hottest large metro areas, placing Tampa at number three and Orlando at number five. This, among other area studies, will explain why the South added 1.4 million residents, accounting for 87% of the nation’s growth this year according to the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau’s numbers aren’t perfect. They include everyone living within the U.S. except short-term visitors, but the number of immigrants without legal status is difficult to accurately count. The estimates are based on birth and death certificates, IRS and Medicare records and the American Community Survey. In addition, the Census Bureau released projections showing that the population is expected to continue growing slowly to approximately 2080.

You may have a love/hate feeling about our increase in population. You love the influx because they keep the property values moving up, expand the tax base and are responsible for the many new shops and restaurants in the area. But it comes with the price of increased traffic, especially getting to our outstanding beaches.

If you’re still worried about property values, remember housing density increases the price of homes, and we’ve got the density, good or bad. What we don’t have is the snow.

Happy new real estate year

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

Despite homeownership being a pipe dream for many Americans, there is good news on the horizon. If you’re a first-time buyer and are still stuck on the sidelines, this may be the time to get started.

One-third of buyers in 2023 were first-time home buyers, below the historical average of 38%, according to the National Association of Realtors. In addition, the median age of first-time buyers was 35 years old. It is now less affordable than at any time in recent history to buy a home, and that isn’t changing any time soon – except for one interesting point.

When the Federal Reserve started raising rates aggressively two years ago to curb inflation, mortgage rates went up right along with all the other rates for borrowing money. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to 2024; rates started going down. The Federal Reserve stopped raising rates during the last several meetings, the stock market started going up and mortgage rates started heading to 7%. As of this writing, according to Forbes, the rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 7.26% and the rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage was 6.34%. Also, the Federal Reserve signaled it may cut interest rates next year and possibly have multiple rate cuts.

This may not help the housing shortage that has kept asking prices so high, but for those who can finally find a home, the carrying charges are starting to look more affordable, allowing more first-time buyers to qualify for financing. However, Gen Z and Millennials, the primary buyers of first-time homes, will continue to be facing a limited supply of single-family properties. This will put pressure on prices to stay elevated unless or until supply catches up.

Locally, there is more positive news. WalletHub.com, an online company that analyzes market trends, has placed Tampa as the best place to retire. In fact, their analysis places the five top best places to retire as Tampa, Scottsdale, Arizona, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Miami, four out of the top five in the state of Florida.

Just to be fair, U.S. News & World Report placed Tampa as #4 in their analysis as the best place to retire, moving up from #6. Both surveys are based on affordability, quality of life and health care.

And very close to home, imagine my surprise when about a month ago I opened the second page of the Wall Street Journal and found Cortez, Florida as the dateline in a good size news story.

The story was about the Hunters Point new construction on Cortez Road just east of the Cortez Bridge. Hunters Point single-family homes are all energy-efficient homes, explained by the developer as the first “net zero” single-family home development in the country. This means that the homes generate at least as much energy as they consume.

The homes have solar panels and a battery system to keep the power on even if the power grid experiences outages. They are also built with flood vents to accommodate rising water and living space that is about 16 feet above sea level. Hunters Point’s goal is to fight both the cause of climate change and carbon emissions while protecting their properties during major storm events.

It looks like little Cortez made the big time, and you can too if you start the new year with an optimistic outlook. In the words of Mark Twain, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Happy New Year!

Person of the Year: Judy Titsworth

Person of the Year: Judy Titsworth defends city’s home rule

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

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Holmes Titsworth has consistently defended the city against Manatee County officials and Florida legislators who propose to chip away at home rule, particularly on the parking garage and consolidation issues that have made headlines over the past several months.

For her determination and hard work, the Anna Maria Island Sun names Titsworth as one of its two 2023 Persons of the Year.

“Naming Mayor Judy your Person of the Year is a no-brainer,” Holmes Beach Commissioner Greg Kerchner said. “Especially in this tough political environment, she does so much for this city, takes so much grief and gets so little credit that I’m thrilled to see her receive this award. No one deserves it more. Her family’s history with Holmes Beach may be obvious but her dedication to improving our waters, wetlands and environment is just as important. It’s going to be really tough finding another mayor, let alone a city manager who will be as dedicated, accomplish as much or work as hard for so little compensation.”

“As police chief for the city of Holmes Beach with 45 years’ experience, I can say that Judy Titsworth is an amazing mayor to work with,” Chief Bill Tokajer said. “She lets me do my job. She allows us to have all the equipment that we need. All of our board members are on the same team, everybody’s going in the same direction and the direction that the city needs to go. She is in love with this city and has the city at heart and she takes it really hard when people attack her and the city. Not her personally, but the city itself. As to the work that we’re doing and how much we’ve accomplished, it’s just phenomenal. For us to be attacked and for her to be attacked is just unconscionable. She deserves this award. We appreciate her and I hope she knows it.”

“Judy has been like my little sister,” Commissioner Pat Morton said. “I was the one who got her involved in the commission. I worked on her for five years to get her in here and it has never been a regret. She’s been the best mayor we’ve had since I’ve been on the Island. I’ve been here over 30 years. She just grew so much since she became mayor. It’s beyond anything we could have out here. She stands up for the citizens, like all of them should do, and she respects our city employees and everyone else. And she’s earned their total respect in return. I will back her any way I can.”

Titsworth is part of the Holmes family that founded the city of Holmes Beach and was a city commissioner for many years before becoming mayor. She is currently serving her third term as mayor after running unopposed in 2022. In addition to being the city’s mayor, a job that’s she’s committed to full-time, she’s also working to oppose Manatee County commissioners’ plans to install a parking garage at Manatee Beach in violation of the city’s ordinances and land development code as well as working with the mayors of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach to fight against a push from the state to consolidate the three Anna Maria Island cities.

In the past year, she’s also worked with city staff and other leaders to develop the Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign to help bring public awareness to issues affecting local water quality and the environment.

Will there be home stability in the New Year?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

It’s a whole year later and we’re still talking about interest rates and low inventory – will it ever end? The sellers are still happy with their values, the buyers are still dismayed with the lack of inventory and it’s not likely things will change much in the new year.

The most recent conversation among real estate analysts is that even though interest rates have dropped slightly, it will make homes more affordable but not affordable enough since the shortage of available properties to purchase is not expanding at the national level.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, which measures home prices across the nation, rose 3.9% from a year earlier in September compared with a 2.5% annual increase the prior month. September was the highest since the index began in 1987. In addition, according to the National Association of Realtors, the median existing home sale price rose 3.4% in October from a year earlier to $391,800.

So, what is the outlook for the new year? Some analysts feel home prices are feeling the burden of high mortgage rates, which will slow the rate of price growth in the new year. Others agree and think it might be that home prices are going to tread water for a number of years until the economy gets in balance with higher incomes and lower rates.

One nice change for those buyers out there is the increase in the maximum size of home mortgage loans eligible for backing by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which represent the majority of home mortgages. In expensive markets like Hawaii, California and New York, the increase will be a maximum of $1,149,825 from $1,089,300 and for less expensive markets, the cap would rise to $766,550 from $726,200. The increases are set by a legal formula and could make it easier and more affordable for some borrowers, especially in the high-end markets.

Let’s take a look at Manatee County’s November sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 22.2% more properties compared to last November. The median sale price was $485,861, down 4.1%, and the average sale price was $662,237, up 4%. The median time to sale was 82 days compared to 77 days last year.

Condo sales were up 20.7% compared to last November. The median sale price was $351,500, down 1.8%, and the average sale price was $393,475, up 0.6%. The median time to sale was 83 days compared to 56 days last year.

The month’s supply of available properties for both single-family and condos were up. Single-family properties had a 3.4 month’s supply, up 13.3% from last November and condos had a 4.4 month’s supply, up 63% from last November.

Overall demand is strong for both Manatee and Sarasota counties. With inventories in both counties continuing to increase, we can assume sales will be strong over the winter months when visitors and part-time residents return in force.

The stability of the real estate market really depends on the stability of countrywide and even worldwide economies. And don’t discount the emotional impact of wars and unrest as well. Fortunately, Florida is still a hot market that doesn’t look like it’s cooling off any time soon. We’re going into the busy buying and selling season, which will be the real barometer of how successful our market is.

Happy New Year and much joy and love in 2024.

Year in Review: Holmes Beach

Year in Review: Holmes Beach

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach, Special Sections, Year in Review.

HOLMES BEACH – The bang that kicked off 2023 in Anna Maria Island’s largest city wasn’t the fireworks. The year that was had a lot of ups and downs for both city leaders and residents along with a few surprise loops along the rollercoaster of a year.

TREE HOUSE OWNERS MARK DECADE OF LEGAL WRANGLING

In January, the year started the same way that it ended, with the city and tree house owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen facing off in court over the beachfront tree house structure at Angelinos Sea Lodge. As the legal fight passed the decade mark in Manatee County courtrooms, the tree house owners received another blow as cases against the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the city were found in favor of the government entities. Despite the setbacks, the fight for the owners to keep the two-story tree house aloft and for the city to have the unpermitted structure removed continues.

Year in Review: Holmes Beach
Plans for the state-approved parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach would see the current parking and connected facilities demolished to make way for a new three-story structure. Construction on the garage is estimated to take at least two years to complete. – Submitted | Manatee County

PARKING GARAGE PURSUED

One of the twists that took city leaders for a loop in 2023 started in January with Manatee County Legislative Delegation members deciding to push a bill forward to allow Manatee County commissioners to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach. The fight over the parking garage began more than a year earlier with Manatee County commissioners, spearheaded by Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge, arguing with city leaders over some street-side parking in residential neighborhoods being designated as resident-only until 5 p.m. daily. Though the plan to change the parking in some residential neighborhoods was almost 10 years in the making, Van Ostenbridge claimed that city leaders took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to close side of street parking in residential neighborhoods in a bid to keep visitors away from the beach. Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer provided county leaders with personally collected numbers demonstrating the abundance of open beach parking in the city, even during high-volume holidays such as Easter and spring break. Despite the data provided to county commissioners, they pushed for state legislators to introduce a parking garage bill in violation of the city’s land development code and comprehensive plan. The bill passed and at the end of the year city leaders are considering their legal options to continue the parking garage fight.

If built according to plan, the garage would cost Manatee County taxpayers more than an estimated $45 million to construct and $200,000 annually to maintain, remove the existing beach facilities including a historic building housing concessions, a bar and retail store, eliminate the existing more than 450 parking spots and facilities for more than two years during construction, and provide around 900 total parking spaces. Van Ostenbridge said the parking spaces in the garage would need to be paid for hourly by drivers in order to fund the garage’s maintenance. Though paid parking is not currently an allowable use in Holmes Beach, and neither are multi-story parking facilities, Mayor Judy Titsworth said that if county commissioners decide to go ahead with building the garage and charging for parking, the city will be forced to reconsider its stance on free beach parking for the public.

CONSOLIDATION STUDY BEGUN

After giving leaders in the three Anna Maria Island cities a few months to discuss how they could consolidate services to save taxpayers money, members of the state legislative delegation opted to go forward with an Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study to look at consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities or annexation into Bradenton or unincorporated Manatee County. Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) sent the mayors of all three cities a notice in the fall that the OPPAGA study would be going forward with the intent of investigating if the three Island cities should be consolidated, annexed or left as three independent municipalities. While the mayors said they support the study in an effort to look at ways to save taxpayers money, they are all opposed to consolidation or elimination of the Island municipalities.

Year in Review: Holmes Beach
Local first responders take the plunge in Anna Maria Sound in support of the Holmes Beach Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign. – Kristin Swain | Sun

ISLANDERS 4 CLEAN WATER LAUNCHED

In the spring, Holmes Beach city leaders celebrated the launch of the Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign aimed at raising awareness of water quality issues in and around Anna Maria Island and how residents and visitors can reduce their negative impact on the environment. Dozens of people took the plunge in support of the campaign and city leaders are continuing to raise awareness for the campaign and environment into 2024.

NO ELECTION NEEDED

The sitting city commissioners escaped the need for an election in November as candidate qualifying ended in July with incumbent Commissioners Pat Morton, Terry Schaefer and Carol Soustek all running unopposed. Because only one person qualified to run for the charter review commission, which was set to convene in January 2024, City Attorney Erica Augello said that no additional members could be appointed to the charter review commission outside of the election process, meaning that this will be the first time since the city’s incorporation that the charter review commission will not meet as scheduled.

LIGHT IMPACTS FROM HURRICANE IDALIA

Anna Maria Island once again slipped through hurricane season virtually unscathed. The closest brush the Island had with a named storm was when Hurricane Idalia moved past about 100 miles in the Gulf of Mexico off Holmes Beach’s shoreline. While the Island missed taking a direct hit, the storm brought a day of rain and windy weather to the city, flooding and some minor damage to structures.

WATER MAIN REPAIR DELAYED ON BRIDGE

Due to delays in receiving materials, work to repair and relocate a water main along the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue was postponed. Crews are completing the last phase of the water main pipe repair, installing additional hangers to support the pipe on the east side of the bridge.

It’s a wonderful Island

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

Although most Americans didn’t realize it then, the holiday season of 1946 was the opening bell of some of the most prosperous decades in our history. World War II had just ended, and men and women were coming home from overseas and starting new lives, which also included new homes.

The postwar housing boom created 40 million new homes starting in 1946. New suburban communities sprouted up all over the country but particularly adjacent to major cities where returning soldiers were filling jobs in a suddenly booming economy. Florida, of course, didn’t enjoy the same level of building as the Northeast and West Coast did, but starting after the war there was a steady increase in population that still hasn’t slowed down.

What happened in 1946 was the beginning of the suburban lifestyle. Americans for the first time had the choice of living in a single-family home and commuting to their jobs in the city. It was a way of life that mostly continued until COVID-19 locked everyone in their homes and on their computers. This once-in-a-century phenomenon pushed property values and the desire to own a home through the roof, which has substantially benefited Florida.

If you don’t pore over Manatee County listings like I do, take a few minutes to review the Realtor.com website. The website can be sorted by zip codes and if you start with the highest price properties you may be shocked. Here’s an overview, just to give you an idea as of this writing.

The city of Anna Maria has 79 listings. The highest price is $12 million and the lowest is $1.15 million. Less than half of the properties are under $3 million.

The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have 214 properties listed. The highest price is $10,950,000 and the lowest is $510,000. A little less than 25% of the properties are above $3 million.

All of Anna Maria Island has ongoing new construction of large homes with multi-million-dollar price tags. These properties have drastically changed the price point of properties on the Island, as you can see from the above.

Cortez has 19 properties listed starting at $3,750,000 and ending at $695,000. Out of the 19 listings, 12 are over $1 million. The construction of the new Hunters Point development on Cortez Road has also changed the price point of Cortez properties, listing new construction townhomes at just under $2 million.

If you are dazzled by the numbers, here’s a reason to step back in time. Another major event happening in 1946 was the release of the iconic holiday movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” This black and white film has been playing every year for 77 years and will undoubtedly go on forever. It’s a classic story about good and evil and the important things in life that rang true in 1946 as they continue to do today.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when new homes are built for needy families in the town. James Stewart and Donna Reed present the keys to the new owners along with these gifts and an accompanying poem: “Bread that this house may never know hunger, salt that life may always have flavor and wine that joy and prosperity may reign forever.”

Wishing you a peaceful and happy holiday surrounded by friends and family in one of the world’s most beautiful places to live. Enjoy the food and the wine, and ring the bells because “Whenever you hear a bell ring, an angel gets its wings.” Happy holidays!

Holmes Beach logo

OPPAGA study wraps first month

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

HOLMES BEACH – In her state of the city address, Mayor Judy Titsworth noted that it’s been one month since the state-mandated Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study began.

The main purpose of the study is to determine if the three Island cities should be consolidated into one city, into the city of Bradenton, into Manatee County or remain as three municipalities.

The idea was first broached by members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation during a January meeting where the study request was passed unanimously without notification to or input from any of the three Anna Maria Island cities the study is slated to scrutinize.

While leaders in all three cities said they would support the study looking at ways the cities could share resources to save taxpayer money, they are against consolidation of any kind.

After city leaders were given several months to discuss consolidation of services among themselves, state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) came back in the fall with a letter stating they would be moving forward with the OPPAGA study.

During a Dec. 12 meeting, Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins said he’d spoken with Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown with one of the topics being the OPPAGA study. When asked, Diggins said that Brown has no interest in annexing the Island into his city.

Titsworth said that while the first wave of records requests from the city are over, she expects more in the coming months before the study concludes in 2024 and thanked staff for their hard work to manage the large number of document requests while also attending to their normal duties.

Later in the meeting, Holmes Beach City Attorney Erica Augello said that while the city can’t initiate a referendum to put consolidation of the three cities on the ballot in November, it doesn’t mean that residents can’t. According to the Florida Department of Elections, in order to have a referendum put on the ballot for voter consideration, at least 8% of the city’s voters who voted in the last presidential election must sign a petition to approve the placement of the referendum on the general election ballot and the action must be financially supported by the residents.

Having a referendum to see how many registered Holmes Beach voters are in favor of or against consolidation could potentially override the state if legislators push for consolidation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Police find drugs, stolen firearm at beach

Police find drugs, stolen firearm at beach

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A routine check on a vehicle at the 52nd Street beach access turned into an arrest for possession of marijuana, felony grand theft of a firearm and other charges for one suspect.

Officer Christopher Liotti was on routine patrol on Nov. 27 in the 100 block of 52nd Street when he saw a silver Chevrolet Malibu parked with its lights on and engine running at the public beach access. As he approached the driver’s side, the front window rolled and he noticed what he described as a substantial cloud of smoke with the unmistakable odor of marijuana.

Liotti made contact with the driver and two juvenile passengers in the back seat. Due to their age, those involved in the incident were not named, but are referred to as juvenile #1 and juvenile #2 in Liotti’s official report. The driver was ordered to exit the vehicle, handcuffed and placed into temporary custody as Liotti awaited back-up officers. A pat-down did not reveal any illegal drugs or weapons on juvenile #1, who was also cuffed and removed from the vehicle.

This was not the case for juvenile #2.

“During the pat-down of juvenile #2, a large bulge resembling the handle of a firearm was felt outside his right front pants pocket. In an attempt to conceal the item, he tensed his body and pressed against the vehicle,” Liotti wrote in his report. “Upon further inspection, a black handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition was discovered in his pocket. The firearm was handed over to Officer Michael McNamee and the serial number was provided to Holmes Beach police dispatch for an NCIC/FCIC check. Positive results indicated that the firearm was reported stolen from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.”

After the three suspects were put into separate patrol vehicles, a search of the vehicle was conducted, yielding a glass pipe, 36 vape pens, a marijuana joint and a large blue container filled with what was later identified as a large quantity of marijuana where the second underage person was seated. There was also a Crown Royal bag containing marijuana, a digital scale, a marijuana grinder and four partial 12 packs of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Officers contacted the first juvenile’s parents while the second agreed to voluntarily speak to Liotti after being read his Miranda rights.

“He claimed that the firearm was not his, but rather, he was holding it for a friend. He stated that he received the gun a few days ago and offered no specific reason for possessing it, denying any purchase or trade involvement to obtain it,” Liotti wrote in his report. “He asserted carrying it merely because he liked it. He was also informed that the gun was reported as stolen and denied any involvement in the theft. Regarding the narcotics in the vehicle, juvenile #2, post-Miranda, admitted ownership, emphasizing personal use and denial of any intent to sell. He claimed ownership of the scale, indicating a personal interest in tracking marijuana quantity.”

The second juvenile suspect was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams and felony grand theft of a firearm. Due to his age, details of his bail and court date are not publicly available.

According to police, the first juvenile also was read his Miranda rights and acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He said their purpose was solely to smoke marijuana. Juvenile #1 received a citation for the possession of marijuana less than 20 grams.

The driver, upon being read his Miranda rights, acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He claimed their intent was only to smoke. The driver, who is listed in the report as under 21 years old, received a citation for the possession of multiple containers of alcohol located in the vehicle.

A field test of the suspected marijuana onsite yielded positive results.

After the evidence was gathered, the parents of both juvenile backseat passengers arrived at the scene. Juvenile #1 was released to the custody of his mother. Juvenile #2’s father was briefed in detail about the circumstances of the situation, provided with case information and given procedural information. 

When weighed at the station, the marijuana found in the large blue container weighed 128.6 grams, while the marijuana in the black container weighed 11.5 grams, totaling 140.1 grams, more than a quarter of a pound. The recovered firearm was secured and placed into an evidence locker by Officer Ryan Welch.

Juvenile #2 was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center. Staff at the center informed Liotti that he required medical clearance from the hospital due to marijuana consumption. After getting medical clearance from on-site doctors, he was transported back to the jail and released to the custody of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Liotti’s report also notes that the vape pens found in the vehicle were taken as possible evidence related to a burglary case being investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (Case #2023015521). The details of this incident coincide with the firearm found in juvenile #2’s possession. 

Attempts were made to contact Ava Clark, the owner of the recovered handgun, via phone call and text, however, these attempts were unsuccessful. Clark was instructed to contact HBPD regarding this incident. 

Holmes Beach Holiday Open House a hit with shoppers

Holmes Beach Holiday Open House a hit with shoppers

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Business, Retail.

HOLMES BEACH – It was difficult to find a parking space and sidewalks were packed at the Dec. 1 Holmes Beach Holiday Open House.

The event is a partnership between the City of Holmes Beach, Bradenton Area Arts and Culture, the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island (AGAMI) and several Holmes Beach businesses.

During the market, businesses have extended hours, allowing them to showcase what they have to offer with sidewalk sales, live music and product demonstrations.

The business spearheading the event is the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island (AGAMI), which had artist demonstrations on the sidewalk in front of the gallery, live music from Larry Wilhelm and a large assortment of Christmas ornaments created by member artists prominently displayed in the front window for sale to the public. AGAMI President Janet Razze said the ornaments have been a big hit with shoppers.

“A lot of the artists have created ornaments for sale. We have a bunch in the front window and they’ve been flying off the shelves,” Razze said. “We have a lot of new artists coming on. In fact, we have a waitlist. It’s great.”

It wasn’t just AGAMI that was drawing a crowd on the sidewalk and inside the business. A large crowd lined up to enjoy free snacks from Pizzano’s Pizza and Grinders, D Coy Ducks, Small Town Creamery, howluckyami, Irene’s Clothing Store, the Sand Dollar, The Feast, Hurricane Hank’s, Freckled Fin and The Doctor’s Office.

The event normally takes place on the second Friday of the month, but it was held on Dec. 1 to coincide with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce tree lighting ceremony. The Holmes Beach Night Market returns on Friday, Jan. 12.

A Paradise Realty collects Toys for Tots

A Paradise Realty collects Toys for Tots

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The holiday season is a time for giving, and that’s exactly what was going on at A Paradise Reality last Friday as the staff held their Toys for Tots drive and holiday party. The event coincided with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s tree lighting ceremony, which brought hundreds of people to the area.

“We raffled off a Yeti and made $2,100 for Toys for Tots,” Director of Marketing Sharon Hoatland said. “They’ve already dropped off three loads of toys for Toys for Tots. It’s great.”

Bob Slicker of Slicker’s Eatery in Cortez provided food for the event and Tonya McCormick provided live music, making the party even more festive. Although they were seeking as many toys as possible at the party, A Paradise Realty will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys through Friday, Dec. 15 at their office at 5201 Gulf Drive. Cash donations are also welcome and 100% of donations go to purchase toys for the campaign.

“This is our sixth annual party and we have always been involved one way or the other, but this seems to be the most successful,” Hoatland said.

Toys for Tots has a close relationship with the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps League 588 was on hand at A Paradise Reality assisting with the event. The Marine Corps also assists with the distribution of the toys.

For more information on Toys for Tots and their mission and relationship with the Marine Corps, visit www.toysfortots.org.

New Christmas tree de-lightful

New Christmas tree de-lightful

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Hundreds of people flocked to the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s parking lot for the annual tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 1. In previous years, the tree has been a tree-shaped strand of lights that was erected in the chamber parking lot, but this year there were big changes.

When The Sun spoke to chamber President Terri Kinder at last year’s ceremony, she said it was the chamber’s goal to get an actual tree for 2023 and they accomplished exactly that. The only caveat for this year was the tree needed to be anchored to the ground, so it couldn’t be in the chamber parking lot.

New Christmas tree de-lightful
A new tree was provided to the AMI Chamber of Commerce by an anonymous donor and placed at Hancock Whitney Bank across the street from the chamber office in Holmes Beach. The tree was lit at the annual tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 1. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

“Big changes this year; we’re very excited about this,” Kinder said. “An anonymous donor donated that beautiful tree to the City of Holmes Beach. It’s 24 feet tall and needs to be staked, so we decided Hancock Whitney Bank across the street was the best place for it to be. Holmes Beach did a fantastic job putting this tree up and putting it together, and Hancock Whitney Bank has an amazing partnership with the city and the chamber. We’re just so excited.”

Kinder told The Sun in 2022 that they would have to do a significant amount of fundraising to upgrade the previous tree, but thanks to the anonymous donation, the chamber didn’t have to spend any money. City staff erected the artificial tree and Hancock Whitney Bank is providing the electricity to illuminate it. According to Kinder, this was the largest attendance for a tree lighting thus far, with hundreds of people attending, enjoying food and drinks, and mingling with friends and newly met friends from the Island community.

“It just keeps getting bigger every year,” Kinder said moments before the tree was lit. “I’m excited to see everybody’s reception because I think they’re going to be thrilled with this new tree.”

New Christmas tree de-lightful
A large crowd gathered at the AMI Chamber of Commerce parking lot for the annual Holmes Beach Tree Lighting festivities, Dec. 1. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

In addition to the tree, the Anna Maria Island Privateers were on hand with their sleigh and a special visit from Santa Claus, who met with children of all ages wishing to get their Christmas lists in his ear before the big day. Leading up to the lighting of the tree, CrossPointe Fellowship entertained the crowd with live music, singing holiday favorites with the backing of a full band. It may not have been cold, or even cool, but the Island showed its Christmas spirit, snow or not.

Special magistrate assesses fines in three cases

Special magistrate assesses fines in three cases

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

HOLMES BEACH – Special Magistrate Michael Connolly was not in a forgiving mood when faced with three repeat code violation cases during a recent hearing.

The Nov. 28 hearing kicked off with two cases of property neglect where the owner, John Booth, neglected to maintain the landscaping on both parcels after previously receiving a warning from Connolly. Booth argued that both properties, one at 6210 Marina Way and another at 203 Haverkos Court, should have been on the same landscaping schedule as his other two Holmes Beach properties. He said he was meeting with a landscaper later in the day to inspect both properties.

In both cases, Connolly ruled in favor of the city, awarding $50 per day in fines from Nov. 1 until the properties are brought into compliance and $127.24 in hearing fees for each case.

The third case Connolly ruled on involved a broken seawall cap at 506 83rd St. Speaking on behalf of the city, Building Official Neal Schwartz said that the previous code compliance ruling ordering the repair of the fractured seawall had partially been complied with by property owners Jane and Walter Depew as a permit for the repairs had been pulled and some repairs had taken place. However, Schwartz noted that the owners had not complied with the terms of the permit to have inspections done and the repairs that were done did not meet city codes.

The Depews were not present during the hearing.

Connolly ruled in favor of the city, awarding fines of $250 per day from Sept. 25 and $127.24 in hearing fees.

The next special magistrate hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 10 a.m.