MANATEE COUNTY – Democrat Diana Shoemaker and Republican Talha “Tal” Siddique both seek the District 3 Manatee County Commission seat currently held by Kevin Van Ostenbridge.
Shoemaker announced her candidacy on Sept. 22. Siddique announced his candidacy on Sept. 19.
District 3 includes all of Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Palma Sola, and a portion of west Bradenton. The county commission primary election will conclude on Aug. 20. The primary election winners will square off in the general election that concludes on Nov. 5.
Tal Siddique
Siddique earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational sciences with a minor in computer science from The George Washington University and he’s served with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Air Force.
Siddique is a member of the 2023-24 class of Leadership Manatee. He’s also a member of the Bradenton Kiwanis Club, Manatee Young Professionals, Young Republicans, Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, Lakewood Ranch Young Leaders Alliance, the Elks Lodge, Manatee Tiger Bay Club, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Alumni Board and his community advocacy group, Speak Out Manatee.
“I have had a tremendous amount of encouragement from Manatee County residents, which has been humbling. Our residents are frustrated with mismanagement, and the scandalous theft of property and personal data by politicians who think this is an appropriate use of their power and our taxpayer dollars. They clearly want to see new leadership, as do I,” Siddique stated in his campaign announcement press release.
The press release notes that Siddique and his wife, Kristen Truong, are deeply rooted in the Manatee County community and devoted parishioners of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles Catholic Church.
“Tal’s candidacy for Manatee County Commission, District 3, is founded on a genuine desire to advocate for the needs and aspirations of the community, bringing forth a fresh and inclusive perspective to enhance the lives of all residents,” his press release says.
Siddique has already been endorsed by Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
Shoemaker was president and CEO of Manatee Habitat for Humanity until 2021. For 12 years, she worked to create affordable housing for Manatee County residents.
In 2021, she became executive director of the Elders Action Network, a non-profit organization that works to create greater social and environmental justice.
From 2007 to 2009, she served as director for Family Promise of Manatee County, a non-profit providing shelter and resources to homeless families. She was the chair of the Manatee County Affordable Housing Task Force in 2016 and a member of the Bradenton Housing Advisory Committee. She graduated from the Leadership Manatee program and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Executive Academy.
Shoemaker grew up in Long Island, N.Y. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Ohio University and a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1988. She, her husband, Mark, and their two children moved to Bradenton in 1999.
According to her campaign announcement press release, Shoemaker is running to restore the voice of District 3 voters whose concerns have been overlooked or ignored on issues such as wetlands protection or the proposed parking garage on Holmes Beach.
“It’s time that we have leadership that understands their responsibility to listen to their voices,” she said.
“What we want from those who lead our community is integrity, open dialogue and attention to critical local issues necessary for creating fair and balanced policy. In recent years, leaders have pushed through policy decisions over and sometimes in spite of clear opposition from the public they represent. The issues we’re struggling with right now are nonpartisan issues. Having clean water and solving traffic problems are nonpartisan issues,” Shoemaker said.
First elected in 2020, Van Ostenbridge filed his District 3 reelection campaign paperwork on June 1 and he’s already received $170,000 in campaign donations.
In a written statement provided to The Sun, Van Ostenbridge said, “Conservatives in Manatee County know that in my first term, I have led their county commission in delivering two tax cuts, record investments in traffic-relieving infrastructure, renewed our commitment to our sheriff’s office and its deputies and kept the economic engine of our community open for business.
Kevin Van Ostenbridge was elected as the District 3 commissioner in 2020. – Manatee County | Submitted
“Conservatives know we’ve gone to unprecedented lengths to protect the right to life and the second amendment in Manatee County.
“Conservatives know that protecting our environment is a priority of mine including moving forward with conserving hundreds of acres of environmentally sensitive lands for future generations to enjoy. I have also played an integral role in writing the final chapter of Piney Point. The closure of phase 1 at the Piney Point site is now complete,” he said.
MANATEE COUNTY – Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Ray Turner to replace Vanessa Baugh on the Manatee County Commission.
The governor’s appointment was to take effect Aug. 1. Turner takes over for embattled District Five Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, who recently announced her resignation effective at the end of July.
Turner
“I’m honored to be appointed by Governor DeSantis,” Turner said in the press release the county issued on July 27. “I will do the very best job I can to serve the people of Manatee County. I look forward to hitting the ground running.”
According to the press release, Turner has been a Manatee County resident for more than 20 years and was a member of the Manatee County Planning Commission at the time of his appointment. Turner, the secretary of the Manatee Sarasota Building Industry Association, began his real estate career in 1991 selling custom homes and later transitioned into real estate finance, international marketing and executive management.
Turner was scheduled to be sworn into office at an Aug. 1 workshop.
Baugh departs
In June, Baugh announced her resignation effective at the end of July, citing family as her reason for resigning. She participated in her final county commission meeting on July 25 and then vacated effective Aug. 1 the remainder of her current four-year term.
During her abbreviated final term, Baugh, a Lakewood Ranch resident, faced intense media scrutiny and was the subject of an ethics complaint and a Florida Commission on Ethics investigation for her role in organizing a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in early 2021.
Baugh
The pop-up clinic Baugh helped organize provided vaccines for a small number of people on her own personal shortlist and for residents living in two specific Lakewood Ranch zip codes.
In January, the ethics commission investigation led to Baugh agreeing to an $8,000 settlement as a penalty for her role in organizing the clinic. When reaching the settlement in January, Baugh admitted she used her position as an elected official to the benefit or privilege of herself or others.
BRADENTON – The Manatee County Commission discussion on the potential restoration of a controversial Confederate monument has been removed from the commission’s Tuesday, Jan. 31 meeting agenda.
According to the agenda item, county commission authorization was to be sought for County Administrator Scott Hopes, or his designee, to reinstall the monument at its previous location in front of the historic Manatee County Courthouse in downtown Bradenton, adjacent to the Manatee County Judicial Center.
The monument was removed as a result of a 4-3 county commission vote in 2017. The statue was fractured during its removal and has remained in storage ever since.
One of the monument inscriptions includes the words: “True to the best traditions of the South.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Jan. 27, The League of Women Voters of Manatee County distributed a monument-related email that carried the headline: “Citizen Advocacy Won! But more is needed.”
The email said, “The vote on reinstalling the Confederate monument has been removed from the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 31 because of your hard work. There is no guarantee that reinstalling the statue will not be raised again on a different date. The county staff is continuing to spend time and taxpayer dollars attempting to find a place for the monument in another location in Manatee County.
One side of the monument features the likeness of the Confederate flag and pays tribute to Confederate soldiers. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“If you wish your voice heard about the monument, whether it should stay in storage and why, please consider speaking at Tuesday’s meeting (during citizen comments). You must physically go to the meeting to comment. Phone in comments are no longer available,” the email said.
BRADENTON – On Tuesday, Jan. 31, the Manatee County Commission will discuss reinstalling a Confederate memorial monument that was removed from its downtown Bradenton location in 2017.
The monument stood in front of the Manatee County Historic Courthouse near the Manatee County Judicial Center. The two buildings share a public courtyard.
According to the meeting agenda, county commission authorization will be sought for County Administrator Scott Hopes or his designee to reinstall the monument at its previous location on the courthouse property.
In August 2017, a large protest and counter-protest took place at the monument location with many sides of the Confederate monument debate represented.
In 2017, many protestors called for the removal of the Confederate monument. – Joe Hendricks | SunIn 2017, many protest attendees expressed support for the Confederate monument. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Before the scheduled protest occurred, the county commission voted 6-1 to encase the monument in a plywood shell to protect it from vandalism.
Dressed in tactical gear, these Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies protected the monument that was enclosed in plywood before the 2017 protest took place. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After the protest, on Aug. 22, the county commission voted 4-3 in favor of removing the monument at an undisclosed time, in part for public safety purposes. The work crew tasked with removing the monument dropped it and it fractured into at least three pieces around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 24.
The fractured monument was placed in storage until a new and potentially more suitable location could be found. Several alternate locations were later proposed and rejected, including Gamble Plantation Historic State Park, where Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin took refuge during the Civil War, and the 1850 Manatee Burying Ground, where Confederate soldiers are buried. The monument currently remains in storage. During past discussions, county staff said the monument would be repaired on-site when reinstalled or relocated.
The monument was erected in 1924 with county commission approval by the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The monument features inscriptions on all four sides.
One side says, “Erected by the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy June 3, 1924,” with the name of Confederate Gen. “Stonewall Jackson” inscribed below.
An inscription on the Confederate monument references the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy and another includes the phrase, “Lest We Forget.”
One side of the monument says, “1861-1865, Lest We Forget,” with the name of the president of the Confederacy, “Jefferson Davis,” inscribed below.
One side of the monument says, “Calm and Noble in Peace. Courageous and Chilvalrous (sic) in War. True to the Best Traditions of the South. The Confederate Soldier Lives Enshrined in the Hearts of His Grateful Countrymen.”
In that inscription, the word chivalrous is misspelled and the name of Confederate Gen. “Robert E. Lee” is inscribed below.
One side of the monument features an inscription that includes the phrase, “True to the Best Traditions of the South.” – Joe Hendricks | SunOne side of the monument includes the likeness of the Confederate flag. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
One side of the monument features an inscription of a Confederate flag and says, “In Memory of Our Confederate Soldiers.”
MANATEE COUNTY – Holmes Beach resident and former Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore is the new development administrator for Help to Home, Inc.
The non-profit organization seeks to provide low-rent housing and other assistance to parents and children threatened by homelessness.
“I am honored that Help to Home has chosen me for this worthy cause,” Whitmore said in a press release the nonprofit issued on Dec. 31.
“My goal in life is to make a positive difference in people’s lives and this position will help me do just that. I’ve been going around meeting with Goodwill and other organizations,” she said of her new part-time paid position.
The press release notes Whitmore helped low-income family members find jobs and obtain vocational assistance during her 16 years as a county commissioner.
Help to Home has purchased land on 30th Avenue, just west of 14th Street West in Bradenton, and plans to build Hope Village – a community of housing units with below-market rental rates.
“It is an unusual program because it requires each tenant to work with case managers, the local school system and community services to get vocational ‘up-skilling’ to stop the generational cycle of homelessness,” the press release states.
Help to Home board member Steve Wilson said, “As our development administrator, Carol Whitmore offers vast knowledge, great experience and many talents to help us reach our goals. Her understanding of homelessness and the impact it has on the entire family make her the best possible choice to ensure that Hope Village becomes a reality in 2023.”
Help to Home’s fundraising efforts will focus on private donations rather than government funding.
“The absence of government funds will avoid any restrictions on how it helps its tenants get better jobs and become financially independent. It also is not borrowing any money. Hope Village will be economically sustainable when fully built out and occupied, even at below-market rental rates,” Wilson said.
Whitmore said former Anna Maria resident Bob Carter had been assisting Help to Home with its fundraising efforts and he suggested they talk to her.
“I have to thank Bob Carter and I knew Steve Wilson from my time as a county commissioner. We just got approved for 53 units and we’re working hard on it,” she said.
Help To Home also recently added Jerry Marlar, Mike McCoy, Margie Genter and Matt McSwain to the board that already included Rod Urban, April Childers, Bill Hawthorne and Archie Smith.
MANATEE COUNTY – Constituent Dave Tank believes he heard Manatee County Commission Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge and County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh discussing county business in a manner that was not compliant with Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law.
The Sunshine Law requires elected city and county officials to conduct and discuss their official governmental business with one another in properly noticed public meetings, and the state prohibits them from doing so in non-public, non-noticed settings.
On June 8, Tank expressed his Sunshine Law compliance concerns in an email addressed to Van Ostenbridge and Baugh. Tank’s email was also shared with the five other county commissioners, County Administrator Scott Hopes and County Attorney Bill Clague.
“I ate lunch at Robin’s Downtown today. You sat down at the table next to me and talked loudly about various Manatee County matters. I assume you are aware that a conversation between two or more commissioners about public business, without public notice, violates the state’s open meetings law. I’d appreciate you avoiding this sort of thing in the future,” Tank’s email said in its entirety.
Tank also included a link to the Office of the Attorney General website that includes information on the Sunshine Law and a link to the 2022 Government-in-the-Sunshine manual.
In her June 8 response to Tank, Commissioner Misty Servia wrote: “Mr. Tank. Thank you for the email. I hope they were not discussing county business, as that would be a criminal offense.”
In his two-word response to Servia, Tank wrote: “They were.”
As the county’s District 3 commissioner, Van Ostenbridge was elected by constituents from Anna Maria Island, the northern portion of Longboat Key, Cortez and west Bradenton. Van Ostenbridge was contacted by The Sun on June 16, and asked about Tank’s Sunshine Law compliance concerns.
Van Ostenbridge said he and Baugh discussed politics and politicians but did not discuss official county business.
“The Sunshine Law was not violated because I did not discuss anything the board could potentially vote on. I respect Mr. Tank for reaching out to me out of concern. I did respond to him as well and I assured him we didn’t discuss anything we’d vote on,” Van Ostenbridge said.
When contacted by The Sun that same day Baugh declined comment.
“Nothing to comment about,” she wrote in her message to The Sun.
County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh declined comment on the Sunshine Law compliance concerns. – Joe Hendricks | SunBaugh remains the subject of an ongoing Ethics Commission investigation regarding her role in organizing a controversial COVID-19 pop-up vaccine clinic only for those living in zip codes specific to the Lakewood Ranch area she represents as the county’s District 5 commissioner.
On June 17, The Sun emailed Tank and asked him if he would clarify which specific county issues Van Ostenbridge and Baugh discussed during their lunch outing.
In response, Tank wrote, “I don’t see the upside in going into what the commissioners were talking about, other than what I’ve said and written. It wasn’t ‘just politics.’ Since Mr. Van Ostenbridge denies that, all that will result is a lot of ‘he said, he said’ back and forth.”
In his email response to The Sun, Tank also noted, “Mr. Van Ostenbridge and the county FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) people have not produced all of the emails about the conversation.”
On June 14, The Sun requested from the county all email correspondence from any county commissioner as well as Hopes and Clague regarding Tank’s Sunshine Law compliance concerns. At week’s end, the county had not yet provided those requested public records. Earlier this month, the Mantatee Clerk of the Court’s Inspector General’s office notified the county that the Inspector General’s office was reviewing how the current county administration responds to public records requests.
HOLMES BEACH – Some Manatee County commissioners may have given up on the fight to save more than 80 trees planned for destruction at Kingfish Boat Ramp, but city officials and residents hope the discovery of an active great blue heron nest in one of the trees will change minds.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore led the fight during a recent meeting to save the pines and palms slated for destruction or relocation at Kingfish as part of planned renovations at the popular park. However, Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge said that he didn’t think saving the trees is a fight that commissioners can win with the renovation plans already at 100% completion and a fall 2023 deadline for finishing the project looming.
Two great blue herons are believed to have at least one fledgling in an active nest perched in the branches of an Australian pine at Kingfish Boat Ramp. – Submitted | Jean Bystrom
Of the 120-140 trees in the park, more than 80 are planned to be removed or relocated to make way for more parking. All of the Australian pine trees, which provide shade along the shoreline and a place for birds to nest, are slated for destruction. As of May 28, dozens of trees at the boat ramp had been marked with caution tape, indicating they are to be removed, though no timeline for the removal was available as of press time for The Sun.
Some are hoping that the discovery of an active bird nest in one of the Australian pines will spur state representatives to halt the destruction of the trees and accompanying picnic area.
While Australian pines are considered an invasive species by the state of Florida, great blue herons are a protected nesting bird species, meaning that while an active nest is located in one of the pines, that tree cannot be disturbed. However, once fledgling herons leave the nest, the tree can be taken down under current regulations. With more and more trees that provide nesting areas for birds being demolished, some area residents are hoping that the nest will be enough to save the trees from the woodchipper.
All of the shade trees lining the picnic area at Kingfish Boat Ramp are marked for removal. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth sent an email to county commissioners asking them again to reconsider the plans for Kingfish and to involve city leaders in any future design plans. Though Kingfish is located in the city of Holmes Beach, it is a county-owned and maintained facility.
During a May 24 city commission meeting, Titsworth said that several of the trees are planned for demolition to make room for a trolley stop to accompany a 100-foot pier that may eventually be a stop for a water taxi, though county leaders have not applied with the city for a change of use for the property. She said that she’d sent photos of the nesting herons to state representatives with the hope that they will step in to halt the destruction of the trees. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission representatives have documented several great blue heron nests in the trees at Kingfish, many with fledglings, she added.
“I think we can be better than that,” she said of the planned tree removal.
Titsworth said the county’s renovation plans will have to go through the city’s planning commission approval process before permits can be issued. She added that if permits are approved, a note will be added that any change of use on the property, such as the addition of a water taxi stop, will require Holmes Beach Commission approval.
Resident Joe Arena said in an email to The Sun that he and his family are saddened by the planned destruction of the picnic area. He said that he and his wife have spent a lot of time relaxing at the picnic tables, enjoying the shade and bird watching.
Area resident Teal O’Fee said she hopes that county commissioners will listen to the concerns of their constituents over the destruction of the trees and nesting area and change course. She said she’s hoping more people will lend their voices to the cause and that a solution can be found to preserve the area.
As of press time for The Sun, no specific opportunities for public comment on the Kingfish renovations was scheduled with Manatee County commissioners, however, all commission meetings are open to the public and offer a public comment opportunity on any topic of concern.
The next county commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7 at 8:30 a.m. at the Manatee County Government Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton.
MANATEE COUNTY – Despite having 12 items on the agenda for a joint meeting, the recent discussion between Holmes Beach and Manatee County commissioners kept coming back to one contentious topic – beach parking.
It may have only been March 1, but the lengthy meeting produced as many fireworks as any Fourth of July display.
Though the parking item had a time-certain discussion planned for 11 a.m. during the two-and-a-half-hour session, the topic was the proverbial elephant in the room from the start.
The meeting kicked off with public comment, during which several east county residents stated their resentment of Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth concerning traffic and an inability for some beachgoers to find parking in Holmes Beach. The onslaught of comments prompted Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge to remind speakers to remain civil in their comments and Holmes Beach Commissioner Carol Soustek to note that while Titsworth is the face of the city’s leadership, it’s the commissioners who vote to accept or deny proposed changes, including those related to parking.
Beachgoers driving into Holmes Beach have had issues finding parking spaces for years. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Beach patrol
During a discussion on beach patrol funding, Titsworth said she’d like the county to step up their financial support of the Holmes Beach Police Department, which is tasked with policing the county-owned beach, public beaches in Holmes Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp, along with the rest of the city. While the county currently reimburses the city $46,612 for beach patrol services, Titsworth said the city pays about $150,000-160,000 per year to adequately patrol the beaches, boat ramp and beach parking.
The mayor said she’d like to see the county increase its financial support, working up to a minimum of $90,000 per year to be more in line with the amount offered to the Bradenton Beach Police Department annually for similar services, and ideally $115,000 or more to cover the entire cost of one HBPD officer.
While Titsworth acknowledged that the city of Bradenton Beach has a longer stretch of county-owned beach, she noted that Holmes Beach is a larger city and provides more public parking for beachgoers than the Anna Maria Island city to the south.
Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse said that while he appreciates Titsworth’s request for more beach patrol funding, he wanted to know what city leaders are prepared to do for the county in exchange for additional funding, a sentiment echoed by Commissioner Vanessa Baugh.
Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer gives his opinion on parking issues in the Anna Maria Island city while Commission Chair Carol Soustek looks on. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer said Holmes Beach city leaders had come to the meeting to discuss items of concern, not to try and leverage one item for another.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, a Holmes Beach resident, said she thinks the stretch of beach in Holmes Beach is too small to necessitate the spending of more funds to police it. County Administrator Scott Hopes said he thinks the county’s funding to Holmes Beach is complimentary to the amount given to Bradenton Beach, $125,000, given the size of the city versus the size of the county park, Manatee Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp, within the city.
Accusations fly
When 11 a.m. finally rolled around and leaders could get to the discussion they really wanted to have, beach parking, accusations began to fly around the room on both sides.
Van Ostenbridge accused Holmes Beach leaders of having less than 1% of the population of Manatee County and closing its beaches to 99% of Manatee County residents to save its own residents.
Titsworth called out Van Ostenbridge for “weaponizing funding” in a bid to try and force city leaders’ hands to allow beach parking to go unrestricted in the small city to the detriment of Holmes Beach residents, who she pointed out, are also Manatee County residents who pay county taxes. She accused Manatee County commissioners of being unwilling to work with the city and learn the facts about what happens in the Island city and how issues affect residents and tourists alike.
At the crux of the discussion was the status of about 480 parking spaces located solely on the sides of residential streets in neighborhoods near beach accesses. Those residential streets are maintained by the city of Holmes Beach and are funded by tax dollars paid to the city, not the county. Public parking also has long been a headache for nearby residents, who often find trash and litter in their yards, people vandalizing their property, some trespassing and using their private pools and water hoses as public facilities and others defecating in their yards.
After more than a decade of discussion, 124 of those 480 spaces were designated in 2021 as Holmes Beach resident permit parking only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily after being closed to public access since 2020. Ever since that decision was made by Holmes Beach commissioners, it’s been a sore spot between city and county leaders.
Van Ostenbridge demanded that city leaders reopen all city streets to public parking.
“You want 400 spaces?” Soustek countered. “480 parking spaces is a spit in the ocean,” she said, noting that the number of people trying to find parking in Holmes Beach regularly exceeds that amount. She added that opening residential streets to the onslaught of beach parking wouldn’t guarantee Manatee County residents a space to park, that they would still need to get up early to drive out to the Island and avoid traffic and parking stresses.
Holmes Beach Commissioner Jayne Christenson suggested county commissioners designate some of the spaces at Manatee Beach as Manatee County resident-only parking, a suggestion dismissed by county commissioners without comment.
Manatee County Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge, James Satcher and Reggie Bellamy listen as Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth addresses beach parking issues. – Kristin Swain | Sun
“You’ll never have enough spaces and the people will never all be able to get out to the beach,” Titsworth said, noting all of the housing developments currently planned for Manatee County and the increase of people expected to travel to Anna Maria Island’s beaches. At about seven miles long, with about three miles of that being Holmes Beach, she said Anna Maria Island only has so much room to fit people and vehicles on.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said residential street parking wasn’t going to be used as a bargaining chip between the city and county.
Whitmore said that while she wants to work with city leaders, she’s opposed to the permit parking system and refuses to pay for one herself. She also said she feels that Holmes Beach has too many rules, including the newly instituted city-wide 25 mph speed limit.
Getting down to business
With tensions already flaring between the two groups, Manatee County Director of Parks and Natural Resources Charlie Hunsicker offered the results of a parking study conducted by APTIM/CPE, an independent group. The field study was completed in 2020 with the report from that study dated September 2021. The study area was limited to the city of Holmes Beach and conducted on parking spaces located within a quarter-mile of beach access points and compared to a similar report from 2013.
According to that report, the city of Holmes Beach has 775 public parking spots located within a quarter-mile of public beach access points, with an additional 480 spaces that are either without signs or reserved/permit only. According to the 2013 report, there were 1,255 public parking spaces with the only change being 480 spaces converted to unsigned/reserved status. Of those 480 spaces, 124 were observed to be reserved for resident permit-only parking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the other 356 “lost” spaces being attributed to parking obstructions and a potential increase in no parking signed areas. Signed public parking spaces in the study area actually increased by 12, with the number of unsigned spaces decreasing by 492 from 2013 to 2020, reducing driver uncertainty on where parking is allowed.
To receive beach renourishment funding, Holmes Beach is required by the state of Florida to have 364 public parking spaces located within a quarter-mile of the beach. In the city’s interlocal agreement with the county regarding beach renourishment funding, Holmes Beach is committed to having about 500 spaces within a quarter-mile of the beach. Currently, there are more than 1,200 public parking spaces, not including resident permit parking spaces, located within a quarter-mile of public beach access with more available throughout the city but located outside of the quarter-mile area.
Titsworth said she’s not only concerned with the issues residents see in neighborhoods but how those issues could also affect the city’s tourism, with more than 1,500 short-term rental properties located in residential neighborhoods. She added that for people just coming to the beach for the day, there need to be adequate restroom, trash and food facilities as well as crosswalks to get safely from parking areas to the beach.
She suggested that county leaders meet with her to work on a renegotiation of the lease for the Island Branch Library land to allow for public parking at that facility when the library is closed. She also noted that public parking is allowed at Holmes Beach City Hall. In addition, if county leaders want to use Anna Maria Elementary School’s parking spaces as public parking when the school isn’t open, she said they should go through proper permitting with the city and provide portable restroom facilities, trash cans and either a crossing guard or lighted beacon for the crosswalk across Gulf Drive.
Van Ostenbridge said he expects people to know how to cross the road when coming to the Island, dismissing the idea of having either a crossing guard or flashing beacon to alert drivers at the location.
Parking garage
Another idea floated around during the meeting was the construction of a parking garage in Holmes Beach to provide more public parking.
Titsworth suggested commissioners consider the purchase of additional property in the city to build a garage on, such as the old Bank of America building on the southeast corner of East Bay Drive and Manatee Avenue. The site is located about two blocks from the entrance to Manatee Beach.
That idea was shot down by Manatee County commissioners. Whitmore said it wasn’t worth it to the county to build a parking garage limited to the city’s 36-foot building height limitations. Titsworth said that with the height limitations in the city’s charter, it would take Holmes Beach voters casting their ballots in favor of changing it to allow for a larger garage to be built. Van Ostenbridge said he opposes purchasing additional property in Holmes Beach and if commissioners decide to build a parking garage in the city, he’d want it to be at Manatee Beach.
Another meeting between Manatee County commissioners and Holmes Beach city leaders is planned to take place in the future to continue discussions.
HOLMES BEACH – City and county commissioners are preparing for a face-to-face meeting tentatively scheduled for March, and Holmes Beach commissioners are getting their talking points in order for discussion on several topics.
At a Jan. 25 work session, Mayor Judy Titsworth and city commissioners discussed coming up with a game plan for how to approach the meeting. Commissioners decided they need to present a united front to the county representatives, however, rather than appointing Titsworth to speak on behalf of the city, she asked that all commissioners be prepared to lead and participate in the discussions that they’re passionate about.
Titsworth said she is hoping for a productive dialogue with county commissioners and wants to make sure Holmes Beach city leaders take full advantage of the opportunity. The joint meeting will be open to the public.
Some items for discussion proposed by Titsworth and Holmes Beach commissioners include:
Increasing the amount of funding offered by the county for Holmes Beach police officers to patrol county-maintained beaches, beach parking and boat ramps.
Expanding the use of tourist development tax funds, a large majority of which is collected from vacation rentals on Anna Maria Island, to include money for bike lanes, sidewalks, street lighting, landscape, pedestrian accesses, stormwater improvements and other projects to make Holmes Beach a safer, more welcoming place for both tourists and residents.
Stemming the effects of red tide, blue-green algae and other issues that adversely affect the water quality in and around Holmes Beach and the aquatic ecosystem.
Reviewing the improvements planned to take place at the Kingfish Boat Ramp and how they affect parking and picnic facilities at the park. Specifically, Titsworth said she’d like to see the removal of some parking spaces on the south side of Manatee Avenue delayed until construction on the new Anna Maria Island Bridge begins. Removal of the spaces, she said, would adversely affect the boaters who come to Kingfish to launch their boats. Also, the addition of parallel parking spaces by the existing picnic area would remove trees needed for shade and trees used by great blue herons for nesting.
Creating a better flow of communication between city and county officials concerning events and additional parking planned at Manatee Beach and the Island Branch Library.
Examining unchecked development and growth in Manatee County as it pertains to the increase in the number of potential users for Island beaches. Titsworth suggested speaking with county commissioners about the beach carrying capacity for the Island and asking county officials to fund a beach carrying capacity study, as meets the Florida Department of Environmental Protection beach carrying capacity standard, to determine if the number of people regularly coming to Island beaches is too much for the beach, natural resources and existing infrastructure to handle.
One of the major items anticipated to be discussed is beach parking.
Titsworth said she believes county leaders will push for Holmes Beach commissioners to open more residential street parking during the day for beachgoers, and she reminded commissioners the city provides more than the number of public parking spaces required to receive beach renourishment funding from the state of Florida.
Though required to only provide 324 spaces to receive beach renourishment funding, the city’s interlocal agreement with Manatee County requires just over 500 spaces to be made available for beach parking. Currently, the city of Holmes Beach provides more than 1,200 public parking spaces for beach access.
ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Commission supports the city of Anna Maria’s request to use $500,000 in tourist tax funds to create a Mote Marine Education Outreach Center on the City Pier.
On Tuesday, June 8, county commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of the city using up to $500,000 in tourist tax funds to pay for the interior buildout and installation of a Mote Marine facility inside a currently vacant city-owned pier building.
The outreach center will be located in the larger pier building originally intended for use as a full-service restaurant. In the smaller pier building and the surrounding tables and benches, the City Pier Grill already offers casual outdoor dining on the pier.
The Mote Marine facility will be located inside this city-owned pier building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mote Marine will pay the additional $50,000 estimated to be needed to complete the interior buildout and install the exhibits. Mote will then spend approximately $440,000 per year to staff and operate the facility at minimal cost to the city, with free admission for the public.
County support
When addressing the county commission, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy first thanked the commission for the financial support previously provided for the pier replacement project.
“We look at it as a tremendous opportunity for us,” Murphy said of the Mote Marine facility and the latest city-county funding partnership.
County Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the Tourist Development Council that recommended approval of the funding request. Servia said she’s excited about the educational and tourist development opportunities the Mote Marine facility will provide, and she later made the motion to approve the request.
Mote Marine provided the city with this rendering of the proposed education outreach center. – City of Anna Maria/Mote Marine | Submitted
“I’m a huge supporter and proponent of this project,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “My family spent a lot of time out at the City Pier. It’s something everyone in the county can enjoy. There’s no admission and it’s really specific to that location. This is exactly what we should be using the bed tax dollars for.”
“This is tourist related, so I support it 100%,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, noting she used to hang out on the old pier with Van Ostenbridge’s relatives.
“Is there going to be any issues with parking?” she asked.
“There’s going to be issues with parking no matter what we do. But we are looking into consideration of a water taxi,” Murphy said in reference to a discussion that took place a few minutes earlier regarding a dock expansion project in Bradenton Beach.
“Is your commission supportive of a water taxi?” Whitmore asked.
Murphy said the city commission has not yet weighed in on that issue.
Van Ostenbridge asked if the city has a parking agreement with Roser Memorial Community Church. Murphy said the city does not, but Mote Marine might enter into an agreement with the church for a valet parking program.
“This is a great project, a very good use of space,” Commissioner George Kruse said.
Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh said she recently had coffee with Mote Marine President and CEO Michael Crosby.
“He is very excited about this project and so am I,” she said.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione said the Mote Marine facility aligns well with the county’s recently launched “Love It Like a Local” campaign that encourages visitors to respect Anna Maria Island’s residents and natural resources. He also said restaurant owner Ed Chiles plans to partner with Mote Marine on seagrass restoration and clam restoration projects at the City Pier.
Falcione said County Administrator Scott Hopes recently tasked him and Public Works Director Chad Butzow to work on a water taxi program, which among other things would transport local students to the Island for field trips.
“To think a water taxi might happen soon is exciting,” Baugh said of that long-desired service.
City discussion
When addressing the Anna Maria Commission Thursday afternoon, Murphy said, “There are a few pieces that have to fall in place before we can actually start construction.”
Murphy said the city and county still need to enter into an interlocal agreement that formalizes the financial support. That agreement will require county commission approval when those commissioners return from their annual summer break on July 27.
In February, the city commission met inside the vacant pier building and agreed to pursue the Mote Marine proposal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Based upon a previous memorandum of understanding, Murphy said the city and Mote Marine still need to create a construction contract and a separate lease contract for the city building.
In response to a question from Commissioner Mark Short, Murphy said the city will not have to make a $500,000 lump sum payment to cover the buildout costs. As the work is completed incrementally, the city will pay the contractors and invoice the county for reimbursement.
Murphy said he could not yet provide an estimated start date.
Water taxi proponent
During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said he’s a proponent of a specific type of water taxi.
“I’m not a proponent of tour boats. I’m not a proponent of somebody charging $30 to take people down to Bradenton Beach on a sightseeing tour. That’s not solving a traffic problem. The water taxi I’m in favor of would bring service workers from downtown Bradenton or Palmetto to our pier, where they then can catch a trolley and go to wherever they work,” he said.
Mayor Dan Murphy would like to see a specific type of water taxi service at or near the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said the water taxi service he envisions would need to be subsidized by the county, similar to MCAT bus services. He said support from local businesses could provide additional revenues.
“It should be part of the public transit system. It has to be affordable. I think that would be a positive step for this Island, to start bringing service workers across by water taxi,” Murphy said.
Commission Chair Carol Carter questioned whether beachgoers from the mainland who bring tents, coolers and other beach supplies would use a water taxi.
“They’re not going to put that on a water taxi and then unload it and try to get to the beach,” she said.
After Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said, “Commissioners Whitmore and Van Ostenbridge have been huge supporters of our Mote Marine project and they opened doors for us in getting the project where it is today. Both are true friends to our city.”
MANATEE COUNTY – Holmes Beach city leaders weren’t very surprised but they were disappointed when Manatee County commissioners shot down a funding request recently.
During a June 8 county commission meeting, Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, submitted a request on behalf of all three Anna Maria Island cities for funding from the tourist development tax, also known as the bed tax, collected by hoteliers and vacation rental owners from renters.
The projects proposed by the cities of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach were approved. One project from the city of Holmes Beach, $41,200 for improvements including boardwalks to be added to an extension of Grassy Point Preserve on land gifted to the city by the Hames family, was approved by county commissioners. However, $282,910 for reimbursement on construction done at a seawall on Marina Drive was not.
County commissioners did vote unanimously to consider a future funding request from Holmes Beach city leaders for bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways leading to a city park if one was presented to them.
Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she didn’t support the seawall funding request despite it being approved unanimously for funding by the Manatee County Tourist Development Council because she doesn’t believe it’s tourism-related, which is what the tourist development tax dollars are required by state law to be spent on.
Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said it was disrespectful for Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth to not show up to the county meeting where funding was being requested and to not send a representative in her place.
Titsworth said prior to the meeting that she would be unable to attend due to a conflicting meeting. Holmes Beach Commissioner Jim Kihm was asked to step in for her but was unable to do so due to a conflicting medical appointment and no other suitable replacement could be found in time for the meeting.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said city leaders should consider the consequences of their actions before asking for help from the county. Van Ostenbridge and Titsworth are currently embroiled in a disagreement over public parking for beachgoers in the Island city.
Falcione said the seawall project had been discussed at length with Holmes Beach city leaders and that the TDC had given the funding its full support, a statement echoed by Commissioner Misty Servia who serves on the TDC.
Holmes Beach leaders argue that the seawall is important to tourism because it’s an erosion control seawall that holds up a section of Marina Drive in the city’s commercial center and provides a pedestrian path and access to numerous tour boats and rentals in the adjacent marina. If the funds had been released, city leaders would have used the money to build additional sidewalks and bicycle paths, which also would be used by tourists. Whitmore suggested city leaders come back to the commission for funding of that idea, which was approved by county commissioners unanimously. However, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that project was previously shot down for funding by Falcione.
Another concern was that the seawall request to county commissioners didn’t explicitly say there was a city match to the funding. So far, Tokajer said the city is spending $1,581,433 on the city center project including the seawall, pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes, lights and landscaping.
During a June 8 Holmes Beach commission meeting, city commissioners discussed the refusal of their funding request, noting that rentals in Holmes Beach have contributed $30,187,388.29 of the total $42,170,953.57 collected in tourist development tax in Manatee County over the past 10 years. That equals about 70% of the total collected bed tax coming from Holmes Beach while the city has received $100,000 of those dollars in funding for Grassy Point Preserve in the past decade.
“They’ve made us into the largest tourist attraction in Manatee County,” Tokajer said. “They should have to pay for enforcement and infrastructure.”
The county gave $50,000 in the current fiscal year to the city for police patrol and response at the county-owned Manatee Beach. More than 30,000 cars a day come to Holmes Beach on weekends during the summer, Tokajer said.
While Titsworth said she felt “the writing was on the wall” with Van Ostenbridge and his lack of support for city funding due to the ongoing parking issues, Commissioner Carol Soustek said that with all the people coming to Holmes Beach the county should have been better prepared to help deal with the resulting issues after advertising the city as a vacation destination.
“There’s nothing being done by the state or county to address the growth they’re encouraging,” she said, adding that she’s tired of issues getting pushed down the line to the next elected official. Rather than worrying about parking, she suggested county and state leaders be concerned about whether the area’s infrastructure, including pipes, clean water supply and seawalls, can handle the extra strain put on it by inviting so many additional people to one place.
One thing Holmes Beach commissioners agreed on though is that they all support Titsworth as the city’s leader in discussions with the county.
“Thanks, you guys,” Titsworth said. “It’s been a hard week and I really appreciate your support.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The Manatee County Commission is providing up to $850,000 in matching funds for Bradenton Beach’s dock expansion project.
The county commission approved the city’s funding request on Tuesday, June 8. The county funds will be provided using county tourist tax revenues generated by the 5% tourist tax levied on hotel, motel and vacation rental stays in Manatee County. The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will pay the city’s share of the dock expansion project costs.
In anticipation of the county’s support, the CRA members recently selected Duncan Seawall, Dock and Boat Lift to install the fingers docks to be purchased from Golden Marine Systems.
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the existing floating dock that will be extended to the east. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the floating dock installed in 2019, and the floating dock will be extended to the east to accommodate additional finger docks. Duncan will also construct the new dinghy dock that will replace the aging dinghy dock near the entrance to the Bridge Street Pier.
Duncan’s bid came in at approximately $616,000 to $624,000, depending on some additional piling options included in the proposal. Duncan’s bid does not include any additional work on the showers or restrooms.
The aging dinghy dock used by liveaboard and transient boaters will be replaced with a new dock. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When presenting the funding request to county commissioners, Mayor John Chappie said the finger docks would increase public dockage near the Bridge Street Pier from seven spaces to 26 or 27 spaces. The existing and soon-to-be-expanded docking facilities are free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and overnight docking is not allowed.
Chappie said the matching funds would also be used to renovate the existing public shower facilities and increase the size of the public restrooms, and to create a terminal-like area at the entrance to the pier for the Old Town Tram parking shuttles that service the CRA district.
Chappie also mentioned the possibility of a water taxi service one day running from downtown Bradenton to Bradenton Beach.
“There’s been a lot of discussion over the years with regards to a water taxi. Bradenton Beach could be a stop for the water taxi. There will be a space available for that as well,” he said.
County support
“This project is exactly what the county needs because it’s beneficial to all residents of the county,” District 3 County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “You’re inviting day trippers to come by boat to dock at Bridge Street. They can patronize the businesses on Bridge Street, and the Island is thin there, so people will easily be able to access the beach from that point. It’s a great way to bring additional visitors into your city without having a major impact on your residents. I’m very pleased with the relationship we have with Bradenton Beach and their efforts to try and be as inclusive as they can, knowing they’re a destination city.”
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge emphatically supports the dock expansion project. – YouTube/Manatee County | Submitted
Commissioner George Kruse then said, “I love this. This is such a great idea and I’m 100% in support of this. This is needed and I appreciate it.”
Commissioner Carol Whitmore noted the county also provided matching funds for the installation of the floating dock.
“This all ties in, we’re just adding more capacity. This is what the tourist tax is about. If we do a water taxi and people are staying in Bradenton they can hop on the (water) taxi at Pier 22 and come on out,” Whitmore said.
“The water taxi would start in downtown Bradenton, utilizing the parking garage,” Chappie said, expressing hope that this might help reduce the number of cars coming to Anna Maria Island.
Regarding the long-desired water taxi service, Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh said, “That should have been done years ago.”
Regarding the dock expansion project, Baugh said, “It’s a great project – and what makes it so great is that the county and the city are working together to make this happen.”
Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the TDC board that serves as a recommending body to the county commission. She noted the TDC board supports the project and the funding request, as does she.
Commissioner James Satcher liked the project so much that he proposed increasing the county funding.
“We should increase it by $282,000. He’s got other things he’s planning on doing, plus he’s got the water taxi,” Satcher said.
Satcher did not provide any documentation to support his proposed $282,000 funding increase.
“That’s not how this works,” Kruse emphatically said of Satcher’s suggestion.
County Attorney Bill Clague advised the commission to simply approve or reject each funding request cited in the proposed county ordinance that also included separate funding requests from the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
“I have to advise you against trying to move dollars around. I would ask that you just vote each of these up or down,” Clague said.
Van Ostenbridge made a motion to approve the Bradenton Beach funding request as presented and he rejected Satcher’s efforts to amend the motion to increase it by $282,000. The commission unanimously supported Van Ostenbridge’s motion.
Updated March 22, 2021 at 5:22 p.m. – MANATEE COUNTY – A Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigation found no evidence that four Manatee County commissioners committed crimes or violated the Sunshine Law.
“In December, the state attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit requested FDLE’s assistance with reviewing a citizen complaint concerning allegations of Sunshine Law violations and possibly other law violations by several Manatee County commissioners. FDLE agents met with the complainant who alleged that Manatee County Commissioners James Satcher, George Kruse, Vanessa Baugh and Kevin Van Ostenbridge conspired to reverse a controversial land purchase and to fire the Manatee County administrator,” according to the case summary that FDLE spokesperson Jeremy Burns provided on Friday, March 19.
“FDLE initiated a preliminary inquiry to determine if any criminal violations occurred. After the review of records provided by the complainant and conducting several interviews, there was no information obtained to substantiate that a criminal violation occurred,” according to the FDLE case summary.
According to Burns, FDLE considers the investigation closed.
The investigation was conducted in response to a complaint filed by paralegal Michael Barfield.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed. It seems the standard in this jurisdiction requires a confession before a Sunshine Law violation is charged,” Barfield said when contacted Friday afternoon. “We will look at the preliminary investigation FDLE conducted. I don’t believe they conducted a full investigation. My understanding is they didn’t even interview Mr. Van Ostenbridge.”
Van Ostenbridge, Satcher and Baugh are still named as defendants in a related civil lawsuit that Barfield filed in early December regarding the commissioners’ compliance with the Public Records Act and the public records he requested of them and Kruse in late November.
Barfield said the FDLE findings have no impact on the civil case.
“In a criminal investigation, you have to prove that there was a criminal intent to violate the law and the burden of proof is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’ Fortunately, a civil process does not require any intent. The standard of proof is much lower, and the judge makes that determination,” Barfield said.
Van Ostenbridge deposed
As part of the ongoing civil proceedings, Barfield deposed Van Ostenbridge under oath on March 12. Barfield said Van Ostenbridge did not invoke his Fifth Amendment rights or refuse to answer the questions posed to him – as was previously suggested in a motion that attorney Morgan Bentley filed on Van Ostenbridge’s behalf.
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge has been deposed under oath regarding the still pending civil case. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We took Commissioner Van Ostenbridge’s deposition, and I am still waiting for additional records to be produced that I’ve been promised. There wasn’t anything terribly new in the deposition in terms of what we didn’t already know, but Mr. Van Ostenbridge did say he made the decision to terminate Cheri Coryea before he was sworn in on Nov. 17. He said he made that decision sometime between the 11th and the 13th of November,” Barfield said.
At the request of Bentley, the media was excluded from attending Van Ostenbridge’s deposition. Barfield said he will order and later place in the court records a copy of the verbatim transcript being prepared by the court reporter tasked with producing the official record of the deposition.
Barfield said he previously obtained email records that show Baugh, on Oct. 28, sent Van Ostenbridge, Kruse and Satcher a copy of then-County Administrator Cheri Coryea’s employment contract. Barfield said the emails containing Coryea’s contract included no additional comments from Baugh. The commissioners were subject to the Government in the Sunshine Law after being elected Nov. 3.
Barfield said he’s also still waiting on additional records to be produced by Baugh and Satcher.
“After I reach the point in time when I feel confident there’s no other records to recover, we’ll have time to review everything,” he said.
Additional investigations
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has not yet released any findings in a separate criminal investigation conducted in response to a criminal complaint Barfield filed regarding Baugh’s involvement in the pop-up vaccine distribution site she helped establish in her Lakewood Ranch district in February.
Baugh is also the subject of an unresolved ethics complaint that attorney Jennifer Hamey filed regarding the Lakewood Ranch vaccination site.
MANATEE COUNTY – County Commissioner George Kruse last week called for County Administrator Cheri Coryea’s termination.
During the discussion, Kruse admitted having an extramarital affair, saying that Commissioner Carol Whitmore’s knowledge of the affair factored into his decision to publicly acknowledge it, and he used the word “blackmail” when doing so.
These events transpired during the Tuesday, Jan. 26 Manatee County Commission meeting. In response to Kruse’s public comments, Whitmore retained Sarasota attorney Brett McIntosh.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the commission voted 4-3 in support of Kruse’s motion to put Coryea on notice that her termination would be discussed at a future meeting.
Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Kevin Van Ostenbridge and James Satcher supported Kruse’s motion. Whitmore and commissioners Reggie Bellamy and Misty Servia opposed it.
Coryea’s termination will be discussed and likely acted upon during a special county commission meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The meeting will take place at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto and will start at 1:30 p.m.
County Administrator Cheri Coryea is facing termination once again. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In November, Kruse, Baugh and Satcher supported Van Ostenbridge’s motion to put Coryea on notice that her termination would be discussed and potentially acted upon in January. In December, the commission unanimously supported Kruse’s motion to reconsider that November decision and they rescinded the termination efforts.
Meeting fallout
Tuesday’s revelations and actions were partially inspired by the public fallout that followed the Friday, Jan. 22 meeting that Whitmore and Kruse had at Whitmore’s request. That meeting took place in a conference room on the fifth floor of the Manatee County administration building in downtown Bradenton. Whitmore requested the one-on-one meeting with Kruse so he could share with her his knowledge about affordable housing and how to fund it.
Coryea, Director of Financial Management Jan Brewer and Vickie Tessmer, from the Clerk of the Court’s office, were asked to attend the 8 a.m. meeting. Tessmer took minutes and recorded the meeting. After learning of the meeting that morning, Van Ostenbridge arrived at 8:18, according to Tessmer.
The meeting was noticed at the county’s online calendar and on the county bulletin board. The meeting agenda was not posted at the county website where agendas are typically posted and Baugh, Bellamy, Satcher, Servia and Van Ostenbridge were not directly notified.
Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh believes county staff will continue to carry out their duties despite the disruption. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In response to how that meeting was noticed and conducted, Baugh placed a discussion item on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. The discussion began with Van Ostenbridge expressing concerns that his appearance may have constituted a Sunshine Law violation because his name was not included in the notices. Satcher also voiced displeasure about not being notified.
Regarding compliance with the Florida Government in the Sunshine Law, County Attorney Bill Clague said, “I am comfortable that all of the participants have complied with the Sunshine Law with respect to this meeting. The fact that a meeting satisfies a Sunshine Law doesn’t necessarily mean it follows all of our practices for transparency or public participation. These kinds of meetings are very rare in the county. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve dealt with this in 24 years of practice.”
Clague said he was consulted in advance regarding the meeting format but was surprised he and his office were not notified of the exact time and date.
Regarding future meetings of this nature, Clague said, “There is no protocol in place right now for how they should be handled. If the board wants to direct the county attorney’s office to put one together, we are certainly prepared to do that.”
After further discussion, the commission unanimously supported the following motion recommended by Clague: “I move to direct the county attorney’s office to draft a resolution establishing protocols for meetings between commissioners to discuss business of the county outside of meetings of the full board or other established boards on which they serve, to include a requirement for other commissioners to be invited to attend, and for attendance by an attorney from the county attorney’s office.”
Kruse speaks
Kruse then spoke at length and began by saying, “First and foremost, I do want to sincerely apologize to the people of Manatee County and my fellow commissioners for the nature of how the meeting on Friday went down. I was told by the county administrator that everything was going to be properly noticed and handled appropriately. While I do believe it was legally and statutorily compliant, I realized the optics were terrible and that was certainly not the intent.
County Commissioner George Kruse discussed his own affair when seeking the termination of the county administrator. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I realized this was incredibly poorly handled. My first thought was honestly one of surprise that a 30-year public sector employee and a four-term commissioner could so carelessly structure this meeting to result in now rightfully deserved backlash. I chalked it up as carelessness until I was passed troubling information this weekend which leads me to believe there may be more to it than sheer ignorance,” he said.
After pausing for a deep breath, Kruse said, “I would never bring my family situation up on this dais, but in this case I will for the good of Manatee County. Late last year, I did the absolute worst thing a person can do to someone they love – and she’s in the audience right here. I had a short but nonetheless real affair. I’m not going to make excuses for it, nor am I going to ask any of you for forgiveness. Fortunately, because my wife has patience and the heart of a saint, we’re doing fine and we’re working through this together.”
“Why do I come up here and tell you this private and seemingly unrelated information? Well, because while it was going on, one commissioner, Carol Whitmore, knew about it. Rather than ignore something that didn’t pertain to her, I’ve learned that she actively acquired pictures from while we were out in public. I’ve now learned from people I trust that she’s actively spreading this information, even though she knows it’s over. I believe her intention for obtaining the pictures was to use them to manipulate votes on this board.
“As my wife knows about it, and it is in fact over, the only blackmail she hoped to achieve would be a public embarrassment that would inevitably trickle down to my 11-year-old daughter and my 14-year-old son. What I did to my family is inexcusable, but it doesn’t affect the county or you the citizens. I felt it necessary to get this out there now ahead of time, before there’s even a shadow of a doubt regarding my stance on anything,” he said.
Kruse, who took office on Nov. 17, said, “These past two months have shown me exactly how this county has run in the past – and unfortunately, in the present. It’s run by people wanting for absolute power at any cost.”
He then referenced the previously rescinded efforts to terminate Coryea and her two-year tenure as county administrator.
“Seven weeks ago, I gave this administration the benefit of the doubt to achieve the agenda the majority of Manatee County wants and deserves. I still think we would get a good portion of that work accomplished. What I do not think will change, however, is the toxic culture that doesn’t put the people first. It has now been two years with this administration, so at this point what we see is what we’ll get.”
After noting that his request for the audio recording of the Jan. 22 meeting be posted in the county’s online archives had not yet been fulfilled, Kruse proposed Coryea be put on termination notice for a second time.
“This needs to change now, even if it leads to short-term disruptions I was previously hoping to avoid. I no longer believe that meeting quantitative benchmarks can ever give me assurance or comfort in the continuation of a fundamentally flawed system. I am, therefore, once again bringing up the motion to notice the termination of the county administrator pursuant to the contract and I will leave it up to the will of this board to determine whether recent actions deem this with or without cause,” Kruse said.
Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh then called for a five-minute recess, which then turned into the commission’s lunch break.
During the break, Whitmore was asked about Kruse’s allegations. She said the picture was sent to her unsolicited and that she deleted it and did not pass it around. Whitmore would not divulge the name of the woman in the photograph.
Whitmore responds
When the meeting resumed, Whitmore spoke first.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore disputes the allegations made by George Kruse. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“First of all I want to be very clear, Carol doesn’t break laws and I’m ethical,” she said. “I was sent a picture maybe two or three months ago. Mr. Kruse was somewhere with another party. It was really very benign, but everybody’s making a big deal out of it. To me it was nothing. It was just two people sitting there talking.
“When he came by my office one day, I said I want you to know that there’s some people in town that are sending pictures around about you. I said I could care less what you do with your personal life. I said you do have the most powerful job in Manatee County and you’ve got a family.
“So, time passed. I saw the picture and I never did anything with it. So then, I get somehow involved with the other party and I hear it’s all over. Then I see him again and I said I heard everything’s all over and that’s good. He said yep, he’s going to work it out. I said that’s good and that was more or less it,” Whitmore said.
“Mr. Kruse mentioned that I was passing it around the community. Those pictures have gotten around the community. I have had close friends that I said something to and I said it’s over,” Whitmore said.
Regarding Kruse’s use of the word blackmail, Whitmore said, “What you said is a terrible accusation and it’s not true.”
Regarding Coryea’s proposed termination, “To pull Cheri into this? First of all, it’s not related. I asked her, as one of her seven bosses, to pull a meeting together. She passed it on to our clerk and our agenda coordinator. I asked for her and Jan to be at the meeting and that was it,” Whitmore said.
When contacted Wednesday regarding Kruse’s public statements, McIntosh said, “Carol Whitmore would never engage in blackmail. The allegation is false and, frankly, is slanderous. One hopes that Commissioner Kruse’s comments were an emotionally-charged mistake and it’s too early in the process to make any further determination on whether any next steps will be needed.”
Termination discussion
Commissioner Reggie Bellamy said the commission’s focus should be on providing COVID-19 vaccinations to county residents, including those in his district.
Commissioner Reggie Bellamy wants the county and the county commission to stay focused on COVID-19 vaccinations. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Whatever direction we go, with or without the county administrator, what are we going to do about getting these people vaccinated?” he said.
“If we move forward with this, this will be a disruption of business at the highest level,” Servia said. “I’m not just talking about Cheri. We’re talking about the whole structure underneath Cheri. I do understand everybody having an opinion about county leadership, I just ask you to think about the timing of this.”
Sharing a differing opinion, Baugh said, “I don’t believe this affects COVID. I don’t believe this county will not continue to move forward. If that’s the case, we have a bigger problem than we thought. Your county does not run just because of your county administrator. It runs because of all the people, including this board.”
Van Ostenbridge then said, “This board, under this administration, I think is hopelessly divided. I don’t see another path forward other than to part ways with the administrator. When I met with her before (in November), I asked for her resignation and said I would make a motion to honor her severance package if she would resign. I’m still good for my word. If you will offer your resignation, I will immediately make a motion to honor your 20-week severance package in your contract. You’ve been a longtime employee in this county, 30 years, and I think you’re entitled to that.”
Post-meeting comments
After the meeting, Kruse was asked why he acknowledged his affair when addressing his concerns about Coryea and the Jan. 22 meeting.
“There’s two reasons. One, I was looking for a real example of how toxic this culture is. And somebody who literally is sitting on pictures of a sitting commissioner and making veiled threats with these pictures is a toxic culture. The second thing is, she (Whitmore) was starting to spread it around.
“I couldn’t wait three months or six months or a year and be voting on things like Animal Services and vote the same way as Carol. Or I vote something down and so does Carol. I’d never live down that sneaking thought in the back of peoples’ heads that those votes were because of something that was hanging over my head. It’s something I needed to get out anyway. She had information and I don’t know what she was going to do with it.”
Kruse said his female companion and Whitmore communicated during the holidays: “I had the other party to this situation sending me text messages worried that we were being blackmailed or were going to be. That was based on conversations she had with Carol.”
Kruse said Whitmore never showed him the photograph and he had not yet seen it.
“Today was the first time I found out it was in a bar. She had it and never sent me the picture and never told me what it was. In my mind, that’s something she was holding for herself at some point in time.
The Sun later spoke with several people who’ve seen the photograph of Kruse and his companion. Some said they were shown the photograph and others said they received it and deleted it. One person familiar with the photograph said it was taken in late November at Peggy’s Corral, a bar in Palmetto. Another person said additional photos of the couple were taken that day. To date, The Sun has not seen or obtained any of those photos.
HOLMES BEACH – If you’re a driver who violates the parking rules in the city of Holmes Beach, beware. There are new penalties in place for violators.
City commissioners voted unanimously on Nov. 17 to approve increases for parking fines in the city. Here’s what those increases look like:
Increase a general parking violation from $50 to $75;
Establish a $250 fine for using a fraudulent parking permit;
Charge a $15 late penalty for unpaid parking tickets 10 days after the parking fine is due instead of the previous five days;
Increase illegal handicap and Purple Heart parking violations to $250;
Increase the fine to $250 for impeding emergency access to the beach.
Parking fine increases aren’t the only change that drivers can expect.
During the Nov. 17 work session, commissioners heard a proposal from Police Chief Bill Tokajer to allow his officers to have a boot in each police vehicle and use it to prevent drivers with three or more outstanding parking tickets from operating their vehicles until delinquent fines are paid.
Tokajer said that currently there are two people with three unpaid parking violations and one with four unpaid parking violations in the city. Right now, he said the city’s regulations allow drivers to have 10 unpaid violations before the city’s officers can pursue the issue.
Under the proposed new regulations, parking tickets would have to be paid before the wheel locking device would be removed by officers.
The proposed ordinance states that the officer writing the citation would have the discretion to either boot or tow the vehicle once three or more unpaid parking violations have accumulated. He said it would be his officers’ intention to boot the vehicles unless they’re blocking traffic.
Tokajer added that his officers currently use the wheel locking devices on illegally parked golf carts because they’re not required to have a license plate so there’s no way to know who the owner or driver is if they’re not on site when the citation is issued.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said she has “no problem with enforcing adequate, responsible laws whether they’re friendly or not.”
Commissioner Kim Rash said he would be happy backdating the ordinance to an effective date of Jan. 1, 2020, and asked if the chief could look into determining a fee for unlocking a boot when it’s used on a vehicle.
Though Commissioner Jim Kihm expressed some concern about backdating the ordinance to the first of the calendar year, commissioners agreed to move the proposed regulations forward to a first reading at an upcoming meeting with an effective date of Jan. 1.
Beach renourishment parking requirement met
During a regular meeting held the same evening, Mayor Judy Titsworth and commissioners addressed comments from Manatee County commissioners made at their Nov. 17 meeting concerning the lack of beach parking in the city and possible withholding of funding if city leaders don’t meet the county leaders’ demands.
Soustek said that she would like to have one commissioner or the mayor attend the county commission meetings on a rotating schedule to have representation in case something like the Nov. 17 discussion, which wasn’t on the meeting’s agenda, happens again. She said that there’s a lack of communication between the city’s elected officials and Manatee County commissioners that she would like to see repaired, as evidenced by incorrect information cited by county commissioners during their meeting. During the Nov. 23 organizational meeting, Soustek applauded Titsworth for her quick reaction in sending two informational letters to county commissioners concerning parking in the city.
After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and a permit parking program for residents was enacted, city officials eliminated 497 on-street parking spaces; 1,261 non-permit spots remain available to the public within a quarter-mile of the beach, as well as 642 resident permit-only until 5 p.m. spots. Chief Bill Tokajer said the city has well over the approximately 500 parking spots needed to be granted beach renourishment funds.
During the city commission meeting, Titsworth addressed the comments brought up by county commissioners during their meeting.
Titsworth said that she was not given notice by county commissioners that parking in Holmes Beach would be discussed during their meeting and didn’t have a chance to speak on the city’s behalf to correct the statements made during their meeting. During her city’s meeting, she reiterated that she’d spoken with county officials when parking restrictions were being discussed and that they were comfortable with the 500 spaces offered for beach renourishment. She said the 500 spaces required per an interlocal agreement between Holmes Beach and Manatee County was approved by Florida state officials. The city is legally required to have 378 spaces to receive beach renourishment funds.
Tokajer thanked Titsworth for her quick response and clarification of the issue of parking spaces, adding “the way that county commissioners and county employees treated this city in their meeting today is just shocking and appalling at the least. I’ll leave it at that.”
