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Tag: Manatee County

Beach market shakeup disturbing

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

I am appalled and disturbed that Manatee County abruptly ended – and without due cause or notice – Nancy Ambrose’s job running the Coquina Beach Market.

For over 10 years, she worked hard building up a business and helping many small artisans to sell their various items. As Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, Nancy Ambrose did this without any help from the county.
Now a greedy Manatee County official has taken it upon himself to steal away someone’s hard-earned business. This is wrong! There is no need required or requested for the Convention and Visitors Bureau to take this away!
I thank Nancy for her dedication and building up small businesses in the area. I detest county takeovers when it was selfish and unasked for and apparently for their profit. County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan’s comment of “no further comment on the contract termination” shows no transparency in his views. It’s just wrong!

Natalie Thrasher
Bradenton, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria

Ambrose explores new venues for market

Ambrose explores new venues for market

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Featured, Retail.

BRADENTON BEACH – Since the Aug. 2 announcement that Manatee County would take over the Coquina Beach Market from Nancy Ambrose, its director for the past decade, she has been looking for new venues.

Ambrose told The Sun that she is exploring the permitting process for one or more new venues for the market and said there are several good possibilities.

“This all happened so fast,” she said. “My concern is always the vendors having a place to go. When this happened, I almost felt like I let them down. I would say right now there is probably more than one place that we’re looking at.”

Ambrose declined to say where she was looking, but said that her search was not limited to Manatee County.

“The market will probably be at more than one place,” she said. “There’s one

in particular that I’m very excited about.”

“I’m done with the county as far as the beach market,” she said. “My reports are in to the county, I’ve destroyed my signs and business cards. I had 30 days, but I got it all done.”

Ambrose had expressed astonishment that her franchise license agreement for use of the beach parking lot had been terminated, thus ending her longtime management of the market.

“I was completely shocked when I received the coldest termination without cause letter out of the blue yesterday,” she wrote on Aug. 2 on her Facebook page. “I spent the day trying to figure it out and was so worried about the vendors.”

An Aug. 2 press release from Manatee County Information Director Bill Logan stated in part, “Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 season opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County.”

On Aug. 5, Logan declined to give a reason for Ambrose’s termination and said by email, “I do not have any further information why the contract was terminated.”

“In a perfect world, I at 64 would retire as my husband retired in May and we would get the Thor Vegas or Atlas and travel with our dogs – that we dream about,” she wrote. “However instead of relaxing now – I must work on finding other venues as I honestly feel that some of our vendor family will not have a home in November.”

“We have fabulous vendors,” she said. “It has a family vibe and that makes it a special place. People can feel that.”

Ambrose’s supporters have come out in force on social media. The Facebook page, “Where is the Market?” has garnered 1,200 members – many of whom are vendors who have worked with Ambrose and are expressing loyalty. For example, “941 Beach Vibes” will NOT be vendors at the Coquina Beach Market, we will be following Nancy,” is posted there.

Ambrose said she started the Beach Market as vendors at her previous Bridge Street market were not allowed back when she left as manager.

“I am afraid that I will see the same thing now – that the vendors who helped build and make the Beach Market at Coquina Beach so special will not be back,” she wrote. “I fear for this on so many levels. So, I have no other decision than to start anew and help the vendors… I am mama bear to my vendors – you do not mess around with them.”

County organizing new market

County leaders are working to create a “more engaging and enjoyable experience” when the Coquina Beach Market reopens in November, Logan wrote in an Aug. 11 press release.

He declined to speculate as to what some of those changes could be, saying, “Everything is being looked at in order to make it a better event.”

“Every aspect of the market is being studied, from location to hours and dates of operation to enhancing vendor and guest opportunities,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said. “We want to integrate this into the beach experience.”

The new director has not yet been chosen, Logan said.

“There are discussions as to who will be in charge of the market, but no person has been appointed or named yet,” he said.

More than 150 vendors have responded to initial survey requests, expressing their interest in continuing to work with the new management team, according to Logan.

Vendors for the county beach market may apply at coquinamarketvendors@ mymanatee.org.

Piney Point stormwater to be discharged into Tampa Bay

Stormwater released this week from Piney Point

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors.

PALMETTO – Stormwater collected over several months in a pond on top of a phosphogypsum waste stack at Piney Point is being released this week into Tampa Bay at Port Manatee, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

The “dewatering,” another step toward the final closure of the idled phosphate plant, began on Aug. 12 and will amount to about 4.5 million gallons, spokesperson Alexandra Kuhta said.

“This is the first pond to be closed and contains strictly rainwater,” she said. “Ultimately all (ponds) will be closed on the site.”

The stormwater is separate from the 262 million gallons of phosphate process wastewater still on site, which is contained in separate lined compartments and is managed separately, according to an FDEP press release.

A leak in one of the gypsum stacks in March 2021 resulted in FDEP approving the dumping of 215 million gallons of contaminated process water into Tampa Bay to prevent flooding of homes and businesses in the event of the stack’s collapse. The discharged water spread throughout Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay, transporting nitrogen and phosphorus that worsened a bloom of the toxic algae red tide that lasted from April to November, causing fish kills and respiratory irritation.

The stormwater is less problematic, according to FDEP.

“DEP and the court-appointed receiver have independently tested the water, and current water sampling results indicate the concentrations of total nitrogen range from 2.3 to 3.5 mg/L.

At this level, the nutrient loading to the bay is expected to be less than 0.1%
of the federally adopted annual Total Maximum Daily Load for Lower Tampa Bay,” according to the press release.

The stormwater pond will be modified so that it will no longer accumulate rainwater, eliminating the need for future stormwater releases, according to the agency.

Court-appointed receiver and Tampa-based attorney Herb Donica recommended a phased approach to closing the ponds, which are less than two miles from Tampa Bay, near two state aquatic preserves.

The Piney Point site will be closed by December 2024, according to a plan approved by the FDEP on March 30.

Manatee County takes over Coquina Beach Market

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County officials have announced that the county tourism agency is taking over the Coquina Beach Market from longtime director Nancy Ambrose.

Manatee County Information Director Bill Logan sent an email to commissioners on Aug. 1 announcing the takeover, issuing a press release on Aug. 2 that the market would be “taking a break” until November.

“Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 season opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County,” according to the press release.

“This is a county asset,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said in the release. “Bringing the market under the guidance and coordination of our Convention and Visitors Bureau will ensure it continues to engage some of our area’s premier artisans while allowing visitors outstanding buying opportunities.”

In a Facebook post on the Beach Market’s Facebook page, the organizer of the market for the past decade, Nancy Ambrose, expressed her disbelief.

Ambrose said that a letter from county purchasing official Jacob Erickson notified her that her franchise license agreement for use of the beach parking lot was terminated.

“I was completely shocked when I received the coldest termination without cause letter out of the blue yesterday,” Ambrose wrote. “I spent the day trying to figure it out and was so worried about the vendors. I contacted Jacob Erickson, the Purchasing Official that wrote the letter and he informed me he had no idea if the market would continue as he was just directed by the administration to write the termination letter.

“There was no thank you for your years of service, no good luck – just 30-day written notice of termination – that the agreement will terminate at 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31, 2022. In an email Dr. Hopes references me as the prior contractor,” Ambrose’s post continued.

When The Sun asked Logan for a reason on Aug. 5 for Ambrose’s termination he replied by email, “I do not have any further information on why the contract was terminated – only that it was.”

Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore responded to Logan’s announcement, emailing several county officials and others on Aug. 1.

“Don’t you think we have more pressing business than this?” she wrote, adding that Logan does not have the authority to “grow a department.”

“This does not draw tourism, it’s something local county and visitors of (the) island visit,” Whitmore wrote.

Ambrose said in a Facebook post that the county has never contributed funds to the beach market. Whitmore confirmed that no county funds have so far been contributed to the beach market with Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court Angel Colonneso by email.

No-Swim Advisories lifted at Manatee Beaches

No-swim advisories lifted at Manatee beaches

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Beach, Featured, Outdoors.

MANATEE COUNTY – It’s safe to go back in the water.

The no-swim advisories that have been in place since July 26 were lifted Wednesday morning for Bayfront Park north, Manatee Beach north, Coquina Beach north and the south side of the Palma Sola Causeway. Lifting the advisories means that bacteria counts have dropped to acceptable levels and that the public can once again safely enter these waters.

“The flag system has nothing to do with bacteria in the water.” – Christopher Tittel, Florida Department of Health communications director

As a participant in the Healthy Beaches Program, the Department of Health-Manatee collects water samples at select beaches each week. The samples are then sent to labs to determine whether or not levels of enteric (fecal) bacteria – which can cause disease, infections or rashes – are acceptable based on EPA standards. If levels are unacceptable, a no-swim advisory is issued; the advisory is lifted once the levels read as acceptable.

According to Florida Department of Health Communications Director Christopher Tittel, the cause of the bacteria was rain and runoff that washed animal feces into the water. Recent heavy storms have churned up the sand beneath the surface; this mixed with extremely warm water is believed to aid in the elevated levels.

DOH-Manatee received test results from samples taken at all four beaches on July 26 that show an elevated level of enteric bacteria.

On Tuesday, Aug. 2 at Manatee Beach there appeared to be some confusion about water safety as many beachgoers were in the water. Some cited the green flag, indicating low hazard, flying above the lifeguard station. The flag system is a warning system for rip currents or stinging marine life.

“The flag system has nothing to do with bacteria in the water,” Tittel said.

At Manatee Beach, the Department of Health advisory was posted at the base of the lifeguard station. The sign said in part, “High bacteria levels swimming not recommended.  Increased risk of illness at this time.”

Additional information about the Healthy Beaches program can be found by calling 941-714-7593, or by visiting the Florida Department of Health’s website at www.FloridaHealth.gov and selecting Beach Water Quality under the Environmental Health tab of the navigation bar.

Robinson Preserve honored by Tripadvisor

Robinson Preserve honored by Tripadvisor

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Outdoors, Parks.

BRADENTON – Manatee County’s Robinson Preserve has been named a “2022 Travelers’ Choice” destination by Tripadvisor.

The 682-acre coastal wetland habitat is in the top 10% of attractions worldwide, according to the publication.

Both visitors and locals enjoy exploring the 2.5-mile paved trail as well as the 5 miles of shell coastal trails.

Robinson Preserve honored by Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor honors Robinson Preserve. Jason Schaffer | Sun

“We bring our bikes out here at least once a month and ride the trails as a family,” said Keith Brisco, of Lakewood Ranch, riding the trails with his wife, Kathy, and three children. “It’s a beautiful ride, and easy even for the younger kids. They love going up the tower; it’s a must every time we come out here.”

The tower Brisco speaks of is a 40-foot observation tower open to the public, with a view that includes four counties and five bodies of water. In addition to walking, running or biking, Robinson Preserve also offers 3 miles of blueways for paddlers to navigate mangrove tunnels, marshes and more connecting to the Manatee River, Perico Bayou and Palma Sola Bay.

“This is a great honor,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said. “It truly reflects the commitment to preserving and restoring sensitive lands and natural resources.”

The main entrance of Robinson Preserve is located at 1704 99th St. N.W. with another vehicle entrance at 10299 Ninth Ave. N.W. An aquatic entrance for kayakers is at the west end of the Palma Sola Causeway, and a bike- or hike-in entrance is north of the parking lot at the humpback bridge at Perico Island.

Chief concerned about lifeguard shortage

Chief concerned about lifeguard shortage

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Beach, Featured, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Parking spots at Cortez Beach were nearly filled last Thursday and beachgoers packed the prime areas near the water, but one location remained empty – the lifeguard stand.

The three Anna Maria Island public beaches – Manatee, Cortez and Coquina – have been subject to lifeguard staffing shortages for about the past year and a half, and weekend-only coverage at Cortez Beach has been one response to the scarcity of staff, Manatee County Marine Rescue Chief Joe Westerman said.

“When something happens at one beach, we have to bring people from other beaches to help,” he said. “It has a domino effect.”

With six vacant lifeguard spots, Manatee County is currently running at slightly more than 70% capacity of its 21 potential positions. Westerman said that the current staff has been working overtime to make up for the shortfall in coverage.

“We have a core group of dedicated professionals right now that thrive in this job,” he said. “I’d like to keep them and get more.”

Despite staffing shortages, Westerman said with an annual average of 90-135 riptide rescues at the three beaches, Manatee County lifeguards may have prevented a corresponding number of potential deaths.

“I would call riptide rescues critical rescues,” he said. “Those are possible deaths. If someone gets caught and a lay person tries to help them, someone may drown.”

A rip current warning poster on the lifeguard stand at Cortez Beach issues the following cautions: “Don’t fight the current. Swim out of the current then to shore. If you can’t escape, float or tread water. If you need help, call or wave for assistance.”

“You can’t predict riptides – you don’t know when they’ll happen,” he said. “A sea breeze could kick in and it could only take a one- to two-foot chop for it to happen.”

Manatee County is far from the only location where lifeguards are in short supply.

“There is a national shortage for lifeguards where one-third of the nation’s pools aren’t opening,” Westerman said. “The ocean is different. We can’t close the door. People still come to the beach.”

He said the requirements to become a lifeguard are more stringent than some people may think.

“I could get 12 applicants and send out invitations to test and maybe one or two of them will show up,” he said.

According to the Beach Lifeguard I or II job posting by Manatee County, the following are among the job requirements:

“Must be able to demonstrate successfully 50 meters of each of the following swim strokes in a pool: Freestyle, Breaststroke, Sidestroke and Backstroke. Must be able to run ½ mile in 3:30 minutes or less, swim 500 meters in open water in 10 minutes or less and demonstrate a non-equipment rescue of an active, panicked victim from 100 meters offshore. Must be able to demonstrate paddling a rescue board approximately 200 meters.”

“This is a physically demanding job. They (our staff) are professionals and athletes,” Westerman said. “The 500-meter swim in 10 minutes is a nationally-set standard. There’s no deviation from that.”

Candidates must also be able to acquire and maintain American Heart Association CPR certification and First Responder/EMR or First-Aid Certification within 30 days of the hire date.

“First and foremost, get in the water and swim and be honest with yourself,” Westerman advises potential candidates. “Don’t just be satisfied with 500 meters, swim 1,000. Practice back, side and breaststrokes.”

The pay range for a Beach Lifeguard I is between $17.80 and $24.75 per hour.

“There are some pay-related issues,” among others, he said. “When COVID hit, people rethought what they wanted to do with their lives and in this job, you are putting your life on the line.”

Westerman said there was a recent increase in offered pay and praised Manatee County commissioners for what he called their great support.

There is a $1 per hour incentive for those with an EMT license, and a $1 per hour incentive for Rescue Diver certification.

“Currently we have six state-certified EMTs and one state-certified paramedic on our roster,” he said. “If someone wants to become an EMT, they can be reimbursed for school.”

Lifeguards respond to water and land-borne emergencies and provide rescues to beachgoers and boaters in the surf environment as well as on shore, and provide basic emergency medical care, according to an online job posting.

“We are the only entity besides the fire and police departments where we have seconds to make a decision to save someone’s life,” Westerman said. “This is with minimal equipment. We actively watch all day for something to happen.”

There is a community-oriented aspect to the job as well.

“We want people who are comfortable talking with the public and working around tourists,” Westerman said. “My wish list would be to have qualified candidates in a line out the door.”

For more information, visit mymanatee.org/jobs.

Castles in the Sand

Homebuyers getting hit every day

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

Buying a home was once a happy time for families. Homes were plentiful to choose from, and imagining your grandmother’s credenza in the dining room and the Christmas tree in the living room front window made for happy thoughts.

Now, however, looking for a home is a stressful event if you’re just the average potential homeowner. Inventory is low, prices are high, and, of course, now we have to stress even more about the increase in mortgage interest rates.

As of June 23, according to Forbes, the average rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 5.89% and the average rate for a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 5.13%. These numbers are slightly down. However, typically they are going up, forcing buyers to make some serious decisions, especially if they may not qualify for the additional monthly cost of the increased financing rate.

They can come up with more cash and apply for a smaller loan – usually not a good option for marginal buyers. They can lower their criteria for what kind of home they want at a lower price point and hope it exists. Or they can drop out of the market completely with the hope things improve in a year or whenever. Unfortunately, this is an option that is happening more and more as the interest rates and the selling prices keep going up.

New home buyers are getting hit even harder. Buyers who are in contract for new construction but haven’t closed are facing mortgage interest rates that are getting close to doubling since they agreed to purchase the home. In addition, they are also confronting construction that is taking longer than usual due to supply-chain and labor constraints. Some new home buyers also have to make difficult decisions; how long can they hold out while they’re watching mortgage interest rates go up and the construction on their new home crawling along?

Time now for the May Manatee County sales statistics published by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 7.3% less than last May. The median sale price was $550,000, 37.5% higher, and the average sale price was $715,504, 26.1% higher. The median time to contract has not changed at six days but the month’s sup- ply of available properties has changed to 1.2 months availability. The good news is new listings are up 17.2%.

Condo sales were up 6.3% over last year. The median sale price was $369,900, 51.9% higher, and the average sale price was $441,674, 41.5% higher. The median time to contract is six days, the same as single family, and the month’s supply of available properties is one month. The good news for condos is also that new listings are up 15.5%.

A combination of higher interest rates and our normal summer slowdown is resulting in a fewer number of sales and more available properties on the market. However, prices, both average and median, remain very strong, according to the president of the Realtor Association, and are still increasing.

Making the biggest investment of your life has always been a stressful event, but it was also mixed with pleasant thoughts of the future and paint colors. Now, however, for the average buyer who needs to watch their dollars, the pleasant thoughts are gone, and they’re left with the stress. My heart goes out to them.

Spring tourism surges on AMI

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

ANNA MARIA – Spring tourism was strong on Anna Maria Island, according to Anne Wittine, Director of Quantitative Research for Tampa-based Research Data Services.

The Manatee County tourism consultant told the Tourist Development Council at
its June 23 meeting at The Center of Anna Maria Island that April 2022 broke records.

With 99,900 visitors, tourism rose 19.8% from April 2021. Room nights were at an all-time high at 230,200, up 5.5%, with an economic impact of $139,186,600, a 35.9% increase from a record-breaking April 2021. “These numbers are partly due to the fact we were so full in March that many people simply weren’t able to come” until April, Wittine said. “Also due to a late Easter, some of those trips were extended to April.”

Wittine spoke of visitor origins, saying there was a notable increase in visitors from the Northeast, up 74.9% from April 2021, and from the Midwest, up 81.7% during the same period. The Southeast was up 24.6%, however, Florida visitation was down 31.8%.

The average party size was 3.0 people, up from 2.8 last April. Wittine says while that number doesn’t sound like much, it’s a significant increase of 7%. The average length of stay was 5.1 days.

Fiscal year-to-date numbers were equally impressive, with the number of visitors up 21.6% and the economic impact up 35.9% over the previous fiscal year.

Airport traffic at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) was also up over 15% from April 2021.

Wittine also addressed gas prices and their impact on tourism.

“Considering gas prices and all the things that are going on, we are not hearing from property managers that it’s affecting their summer business,” Wittine said. “For May, we’re still seeing properties reporting increases from last year.”

A Traveler Sentiment Study showed that concern about gas prices went from 38.7% last May to 60.6% this year. It also showed that 76.1% of visitors were optimistic about personal health and 53.9% were optimistic about personal finances. Both of these numbers are lower than last May, when 81.9% were optimistic about personal health and 76% were optimistic about personal finances. Concern about the economy almost doubled, but so far has not kept visitors from booking vacations.

County commissioner accused of theft

County commissioner accused of theft

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

HOLMES BEACH – Manatee County voters are no strangers to political antics when it comes to local elections, but the case of the disappearing election signs has turned serious, with an accusation of theft.

The problem began when Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore removed three campaign signs promoting Jason Bearden, the opponent for her at-large commission seat. Two of the signs were located on private property and one was on city right of way.

During a June 22 press conference held outside Holmes Beach City Hall, Whitmore said that two of the signs she removed were on properties owned by local developer Shawn Kaleta. She said she contacted Kaleta, who said he had not given permission for the signs to be placed on his property.

Whitmore said she removed the signs and took them to the Holmes Beach Police Department, where she made a statement to officers noting that the city’s sign ordinance only allows for political signs to be placed in the city during the 45 days leading up to an election. According to the city’s sign ordinance, candidates cannot start placing their election signs until Saturday, Sept. 24.

Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that the signs were turned over to the city’s code compliance division to be collected by Bearden.

Once the news of the sign removal came out, Bearden publicly demanded that Whitmore be arrested and charged with theft.

Speaking to The Sun, Tokajer said that Whitmore was not being charged or fined in relation to the sign removal. However, he issued a warning to the community that election signs are to be placed on private property only with the property owner’s permission and that signs can only be legally moved or removed by the property owner, police or code compliance officers.

While Whitmore joked about turning herself in to police during her press conference, she adamantly maintained that “Carol Whitmore did nothing wrong.”

Ultimately, the contest between Whitmore and Bearden will be decided by voters during the Nov. 8 general election. The last day to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 11.

Fire district to reallocate taxpayer funds

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – Property owners who are confused by a six-page letter arriving from West Manatee Fire Rescue District staff are not alone.

The letter, legally required to be mailed to every property owner in the district, covers two separate topics – that the district’s staff is reallocating some taxpayer funds to cover non-transport advanced life support service and that the district’s non-ad valorem assessment will increase for the 2022-23 tax year beginning Oct. 1.

The non-transport ALS service is not new to WMFR or the people it serves in the district, and the assessment rate increase isn’t happening because of the increase in service. In fact, WMFR’s non-transport ALS service has been ongoing for the last few years. Now that it’s fully launched at all three fire stations and the majority of the district’s first responders have been fully trained as paramedics, attorney Maggie Mooney said it’s time for staff to send out a letter informing taxpayers that some of the funds the district receives are being spent to provide the service.

With the non-transport ALS service, WMFR firefighters provide the same critical care service that EMS provides except that they cannot transport patients to the hospital. And the cost of the enhanced service has been factored into the district’s budget for more than three years, meaning that the increase in the assessment rate isn’t directly related to the increase in service.

Reasons for the assessment rate increase include a jump in the personal income growth number used to determine how much a special district like WMFR can increase rates each year, rising costs due to insurance and a new contract with the firefighters’ union, and an attempt to build reserve funds for future large purchases, such as replacement fire engines.

Assessment rates are planned to increase 4% for the new fiscal year over the current rates. For a residential property owner with a home of 2,000 square feet, the rate will increase to $336.22, a $12.94 increase over the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Commercial property owners also will see a 4% increase with the rate increasing to $753.19 for a 2,000-square-foot property, an increase of $28.96.

Anyone who has questions about the non-transport ALS service and how it affects the assessment rate or who wishes to dispute the assessment rate increase
is invited to attend a public hearing on Tuesday, July 19 at 6 p.m. at the district’s administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton.

Castles in the Sand

Money flowing into Florida

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

I recently read an interesting historical novel about the wealthy landowners in the South in the years just before the Civil War. These privileged folks moved their entire households, including their money – carried in the form of gold transported in chests – to escape the summer heat. Well, things haven’t changed that much, only this time the money is in the form of wire transfers and the migration isn’t from a warm climate but to a warm climate.

According to the IRS’s report about migration of taxpayers between states, 2020 was a banner year for states with low tax policies, and guess which state accrued the most income? Florida had $23.7 billion more in income for 2020, followed by Texas with $6.3 billion and Arizona with $4.8 billion. Of the remaining top income-producing states, no one was even close to Florida, which stands alone in this area.

I probably don’t need to tell you where all of this wealth is being transferred from, but I will: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and other Northeastern states. New York state lost the most income, topping out at $19.5 billion.

Obviously, the flow of money is attached to their owners moving to our state and looking for properties to purchase, which accounts for the following analysis of $1-million-and-over properties in our area. This report covers six months from Nov. 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022. The available and pending properties are from the realtor.com website and the closed properties are from the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website.

In Cortez, currently on the market or pending there are three properties listed over $1 million;  at $4,750,000, $3,350,000 and $2,950,000. The new community of Hunters Point has several properties listed, all of them over $1 million, starting at $1,850,000.

Anna Maria has 44 properties listed or pending $1 million or over; three over $8 million, two over $6 million, three over $5 million, seven over $4 million, nine over $3 million, 17 over $2 million and three over $1 million. The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have 69 properties listed or pending over $1 million; one listed over $28 million, one listed over $14 million, one listed over $11 million, one listed over $19 million and one listed over $7 million. There are also four listed over $6 million, one listed over $5 million, five listed over $4 million, seven listed over $3 million, 24 listed over $2 million and 23 listed over $1 million.

As far as closed properties, Cortez had five over $1 million. Anna Maria had 82 over $1 million, two over $9 million, one over $7 million, two over $6 million, three over $5 million, five over $4 million, six over $3 million, 29 over $2 million and 34 over $1 million. The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach closed 128 properties over $1 million, five over $9 million, one over $8 million, one over $5 million, 12 over $4 million, eight over $3 million, 26 over $2 million and 75 over $1 million.

All three areas increased their closed sales from the previous six months by approximately 30% to 50%. The available and pending listings also increased, but by a much smaller amount. In addition, the selling and listing prices are also higher than six months ago.

Our new residents may not have gold in their suitcases, but the cash keeps flowing into Florida anyway, and not for just a visit, as in years past, but for a lifetime. The rest of the country may be slowing down, but Florida isn’t getting the message.

Manatee County hurricane shelter list

Manatee County hurricane shelter list

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

The following hurricane shelters in Manatee County may be open depending on the direction and size of the storm. There are no assigned shelters, and few are furnished, so bring lawn chairs, cots, bedding and folding tables.

Bayshore Elementary School – 6120 26th St. W., Bradenton

Braden River Middle School – 6215 River Club Boulevard, Bradenton

Braden River High School – 6545 S.R. 70 E., Bradenton*

Buffalo Creek Middle School – 7320 69th St. E., Palmetto

Daughtrey Elementary – 515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton

Freedom Elementary School – 9515 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

Gullett Elementary School – 12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton

Haile Middle School – 9501 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

Harvey Elementary School, 8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish

Johnson-Wakeland School – 2121 26th Ave. E., Bradenton

Kinnan Elementary School – 3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota

Lee Middle School – 4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton

Manatee High School – 1000 32nd St. W., Bradenton*

McNeal Elementary School – 6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton

Miller Elementary School – 601 43rd St. W., Bradenton

Mills Elementary School – 7200 69th St. E., Palmetto*

Myakka City Elementary School – 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City

Oneco Elementary School – 5214 22nd St. Court E., Bradenton

Prine Elementary School – 3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton

Rogers Garden Elementary – 515 13th Ave. W., Bradenton

Seabreeze Elementary School – 3601 71st St. W., Bradenton

Tillman Elementary School – 1415 29th St. E., Palmetto

Williams Elementary – 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish

Willis Elementary School – 14705 The Masters Ave., Bradenton

Witt Elementary School – 200 Rye Road, Bradenton

*Pet-friendly

Manatee County logo

Special needs help available

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

Help is available for those dependent on medical equipment or those who need assistance or transportation to a shelter by registering in advance. Register for Manatee County’s Special Needs Assistance Program in several ways:

  • Call the county’s emergency management department at 941-749-3500, ext. 7828, and an application will be mailed to you. Complete the form and return it to Manatee County Emergency Management, P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34206-1000.
  • Go to the county’s website and click on “emergency management” and then on “special needs registry” to download instructions, an evacuation checklist, and an application. Complete the form and return it to Manatee County Emergency Management, P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34206-1000.
  • Register online at the county’s website, https://mymanatee.org

Prepare your house, pool and yard

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

Here’s how to secure your home, pool and yard before a storm.

 Home preparation

  • Install shutters on all openings, including windows, doors, sliding glass doors, French doors and garage doors
  • If using plywood, purchase 5/8″ thick plywood well before a storm arrives, pre-measure, pre-drill and label each piece, or buy clips to attach plywood to window frames
  • Install impact resistant windows
  • Caulk or install weather stripping around windows
  • Install three door hinges on outside doors
  • Install deadbolts that extend one inch into the door jamb on outside doors
  • Repair loose or missing roof shingles
  • Inspect soffits for adequate fasteners
  • Replace loose or missing soffits
  • Outside, seal openings from air conditioning refrigerant lines, water heater pressure relief lines, water pipes, cable and satellite TV wires, telephone wires, Internet wires and exhaust fan vents from bathroom, kitchen, clothes dryer
  • Inside, seal around electrical boxes and circuit breaker panels, electrical outlets, exhaust fan vents
  • Bring loose items inside, including garbage cans, lawn furniture, decorations, hoses, hanging plants, grills
  • Turn off or disconnect electric, gas, water and sewer before evacuating

Mobile home preparation

  • Inspect, repair or add tie-down straps and anchors according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles standards
  • Make sure straps are properly aligned and not on an angle
  • Check to be sure the proper number of tie-downs have been installed properly
  • Verify that ground anchors and stabilizer plates have been installed properly
  • Be sure support piers are in contact with the frame
  • Replace straps or ground anchors that show signs of corrosion or damage.
  • Inspect and repair wood rot and termite damage in wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-roof connections, perimeter joists and trusses
  • Inspect fasteners if home has a roof-over
  • Close shutters
  • Secure loose outdoor objects
  • Turn off or disconnect electricity, gas, water and sewer
  • Establish a community evacuation plan for your mobile home park
  • Make a list of residents’ phone numbers, altern ate addresses
  • Assign each neighbor a partner to help them evacuate

Swimming pool preparation

  • Lower the water level to reduce flooding potential
  • Do not empty the pool, it could pop out of the ground
  • Turn off electrical power to the pool
  • Store filter pump motor indoors to keep it dry
  • Store loose items indoors, not in pool, to protect from chemicals
  • Add extra chlorine to use pool water for washing and flushing
  • Inspect and repair or replace pool screen hardware
  • Remove two opposite pool screen panels to allow wind to blow through

Yard preparation

  • Trim weak branches
  • Hire licensed trimmers to trim near power lines
  • Trim early enough before storm to allow branches to be removed from property to keep them from becoming projectiles.