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Tag: Manatee County Legislative Delegation

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Mayor, state legislator discuss consolidation

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth met with Rep. Will Robinson Jr. recently to discuss the potential for consolidation or elimination of the three Anna Maria Island cities. She said that after the meeting, she feels he’s listening to city leaders’ concerns.

Robinson is one of the five-member Manatee County state legislative delegation that initiated the process for the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study looking at consolidating the three Island cities into one, eliminating the cities and folding them into unincorporated Manatee County or the city of Bradenton, or leaving them as-is. The results of the state agency study will be sent to Robinson and Sen. Jim Boyd for review, but are not required to be released to city leaders or to the public.

During the April 23 conversation, Titsworth said that they discussed the report and Robinson said he’s looking forward to seeing the report and related numbers. One of the sticking points with state legislators and the Island cities has been a lack of consolidated services in an effort to save taxpayer money on the 7-mile Island. Titsworth said that’s something that Robinson asked about and wants to see some progress on.

While all three Island cities are looking to partner with the city of Longboat Key on enforcing mangrove protections as agents of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Titsworth said she and Police Chief Bill Tokajer are in preliminary talks with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy about the Holmes Beach Police Department taking over law enforcement in the northern city. Currently, the city of Anna Maria is the only Island city without its own police force, contracting with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement. Titsworth said the two cities are looking at the numbers and a draft interlocal agreement to see what the options are.

In the meeting with Robinson, Titsworth said that if Island cities were given back the amount of tourist development tax they earn for the county and could use those monies for infrastructure that it would greatly reduce the burden on taxpayers. The city of Holmes Beach is one of the largest earners of tourist development tax monies, which come from a bed tax paid by visitors to the area. The funds are controlled by Manatee County commissioners and are earmarked for projects that benefit tourism. In recent years, county commissioners have withheld funding from Holmes Beach for projects due to disagreements between the two groups of elected officials. Titsworth said that Robinson agreed with her that the funds should not be “weaponized” by county leaders.

“He listened and I appreciate that,” she said.

Another discussion was about beach parking. Titsworth said that Robinson was happy with the strides made by the city to make public beach parking in residential areas easier to identify.

Robinson said he wants to meet with the Island city leaders again soon.

“I felt pretty good when I left,” Titsworth said.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that he feels the meeting with Robinson was a positive first step, but that he feels the battle is long from over. His goal, he said, is to meet with Boyd prior to organizing a town hall meeting with the community. He said that thus far his efforts to schedule that meeting with Boyd have been dismissed by the state representative, but he wants to give it another shot before scheduling the community meeting, which he hopes will be broadcast for any state or county leaders who want to view it but don’t want to attend.

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Commissioners address consolidation

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

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners again discussed their concern about a move by the state Legislature to eliminate the three Anna Maria Island cities, consolidating them into one city, into the city of Bradenton or into Manatee County.

During an April 9 meeting, Commissioner Terry Schaefer addressed the elephant in the room, stating that he and other city leaders believe that the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study is likely to recommend elimination of the cities and place Anna Maria Island under the control of Manatee County commissioners. He said the study is due to be completed by the end of July.

City Attorney Erica Augello said that the report will be sent to the legislators who requested it but otherwise, the results of the study may never be seen by anyone else. State leaders are under no obligation to release the study or its results to any other officials or the public.

Schaefer said the members of the Manatee County state legislative delegation, particularly Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd, requested the report.

At the same meeting, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the average response time for his officers is two minutes. The department has its own dispatcher, meaning that only calls to 911 have to go through the county’s dispatchers, saving response time for callers directly to the police department. Schaefer said that one adverse effect of the elimination of the cities would be that all emergency calls would need to go through the county and be answered by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, exponentially increasing response time and potentially creating a public safety issue.

“That’s just one example of a potential issue that can arise for our residents,” he said.

Schaefer also noted that city leaders cannot put a referendum on the ballot to vote against consolidation or elimination of the cities, but local voters can. He said that he encourages members of the voting public who are against consolidation or elimination to consider creating a ballot referendum.

If a referendum is created, it could be the only chance voters have to make their voices heard on the matter. State legislators can force the cities into consolidation by creating and voting on a bill. As long as it’s approved by the governor, the bill would become law without any input from the local governments, community members or voters.

Lawmakers go silent on consolidation

Lawmakers go silent on consolidation

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

BRADENTON – The Manatee County Legislative Delegation did not address their plans for a consolidation study of Anna Maria Island cities as expected at an Oct. 5 meeting, the deadline they set for the three Island mayors to respond to their September request for information on the issue.

All three mayors sent their responses prior to Oct. 5 and the study was expected to be a topic of conversation at the meeting, held at Bradenton City Hall.

However, participants made no mention of the proposed state study on the consolidation of the three Island cities into a single municipal government. A September letter from Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) to the mayors said that the state lawmakers expected a response before the Oct. 5 meeting from each of them on how they were working together to consolidate services, or they would go forward with demanding a consolidation study.

Each mayor responded that while they are in favor of the proposed study if its results would help reduce the burden on taxpayers, they were not in favor of consolidation.

The city of Holmes Beach was the only Island city with representation at the meeting. Attending were Mayor Judy Titsworth, Commissioner Terry Schaefer and City Attorney Erica Augello. When it was time to speak, Schaefer took to the podium to discuss the importance of home rule.

“Over the past three years alone, 81 bills have been passed by the Legislature that have critically diluted home rule,” Schaefer said. “We have had our differences with you over two home rule issues recently, however, we are encouraged by the process and sincere discussions occurring with your leadership and the Island’s three mayors. We all hope to produce the best outcome for Island residents, visitors and stakeholders and appreciate the opportunity to work with you in earnest.”

The only member of the delegation to speak to Schaefer’s comments was Boyd. He said that while he agrees with Schaefer’s statements on home rule, the place where the two differ is on the governance of land use.

During a meeting held in January, the delegation brought up the consolidation study and voted in favor of it.

They also presented a local bill to allow Manatee County to build a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach against the city’s land development code and local ordinances. That bill passed at the state level during the 2023 legislative session and gained Gov. Ron DeSantis’s signature despite local opposition.

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy has sent State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Manatee, Hillsborough) and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R- Manatee, Sarasota) a written response to their continued push for a state-funded Island consolidation study, expressing his and the city commission’s partial support.

“We endorse the study and wish to actively participate going forward in its development. We heartily welcome new ideas which can both reduce taxes as well as provide expanded and enhanced services to our community,” Murphy wrote in the Sept. 29 letter. “With that being the stated goal of the study, you have our whole-hearted support with this effort. Our city opposes both governmental consolidation or de-annexation (elimination) of the local governments on our Island.”

Murphy’s letter serves as the city’s formal response to the Aug. 21 letter that Boyd and Robinson sent to the three Anna Maria Island mayors informing them that the legislators’ pursuit of a consolidation study conducted by Florida’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) remains active. OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature and provides data, evaluative research and objective analyses that assist legislators in their budget and policy deliberations.

STUDY DELAYED

Study requested

On Jan. 12, the Manatee County Legislative Delegation that consists of Boyd, Robinson, State Sen. Joe Gruters (R- Manatee, Sarasota), State Rep. Tommy Gregory (R- Manatee) and State Rep. Mike Beltran (R- Manatee, Hillsborough) unanimously supported requesting an OPPAGA consolidation study be conducted before the 2024 legislative session begins in January 2024.

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study
Sen. Jim Boyd supports a consolidation study. – Flsenate.gov | Submitted

On Jan. 19, the delegation members sent a letter to Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo requesting an OPPAGA study to be completed by Sept. 15.

“The study should focus on the potential benefits of combining the three municipalities of Anna Maria Island, which encompasses the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. The study should analyze the existing municipalities and present any and all options for future government structure on Anna Maria Island,” the delegation letter said.

That letter stated all three Island cities experienced significant population declines between 2000 and 2020, with Anna Maria’s population decreasing by 46%, Holmes Beach’s population decreasing by 39% and Bradenton Beach’s population decreasing by 39% during that 10-year period.

“If all three cities were combined, their population would bring the resident population to a state ranking of 478 out of 950,” the letter noted.

Study delayed

On Jan. 30, Boyd and Robinson met with Murphy, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and agreed to give the mayors some time to develop ideas on how to consolidate some of the similar services each city provides.

On Aug. 21, Boyd and Robinson sent a letter to the three mayors informing them that the delegation was resuming its pursuit of an OPPAGA study. That letter stated the ma

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study
Rep. Will Robinson Jr. supports a consolidation study. -Myfloridahouse.gov | Submitted

yors had not presented any “implementable concepts” regarding the potential consolidation of police, building department and public works department services in order to help lower the rising property taxes paid by Anna Maria Island property owners.

“We tabled the OPPAGA study in good faith to allow you the time to find better ways of coordination and present such to the delegation. Unfortunately, we have not received any major update so far,” Boyd and Robinson stated in their letter. “Please be assured that the delegation, and the authors of this letter, have not made a decision on consolidation or de-annexation while we await your response. We would like to receive your response prior to our delegation meeting scheduled for Oct. 5. Should we not hear back from you before the delegation meeting, we will move forward with our request to OPPAGA.”

The Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting will take place at Bradenton City Hall in downtown Bradenton on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

City’s response

Murphy first addressed Boyd and Robinson’s letter during the Aug. 24 Anna Maria City Commission meeting.

After noting that he met with Chappie and Titsworth earlier that day, he said, “Unanimously, we agreed that the right thing to do is to embrace this study. If this study can reduce our taxes, and if it could also enhance and improve the scope of services to the residents of this Island, we’re all in. The scope (of the study) should not be the consolidation or the elimination or the de-annexation of the three municipalities on this Island.”

According to Murphy, each of the three Island mayors are submitting their cities’ written responses to Boyd and Robinson.

In his Sept. 29 letter, Murphy addressed the loss of full-time residents referenced in the delegation’s letter to Passidomo.

“Even though our cities are small in permanent population, our actual population is six- and seven-fold higher in reality. With over 70% of our dwellings being upscale vacation rental homes, our real population continues to grow at a rapid exponential rate while our permanent resident population declines. We struggle to meet the demands and expectations for services to this growing upscale community and we feel this study will help us proactively meet those increased demands and expectations head-on,” Murphy wrote.

“On the other hand, our primary concern with governmental consolidation is a loss of our individuality. Each city on this Island presents a distinctly different environment to full-time residents and visitors alike. Speaking for the city of Anna Maria, we have long been, and we remain, a cultural and quiet residential bastion on the Island,” Murphy wrote.

His letter referenced the Island Players theater, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and historical museum, The Center of Anna Maria Island and the City Pier as Anna Maria-based entities. It also mentioned the city-sponsored Veterans Day Parade, the Memorial Day veterans’ recognition ceremony, the seasonal farmers market and the free movies at City Pier Park that are unique to Anna Maria.

“These differentiators make our city a cultural and residential jewel for locals and visitors. Our concern is that all of these cultural differentiators would become lost through a governmental consolidation process,” Murphy wrote.

“Combining these three unique and culturally diverse communities into one ‘vanilla community’ would result in the loss of the most valuable asset our Island offers, our diverse cultural differences. One size would not fit all in this instance,” he wrote.