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Commissioners vote to increase fire assessment rates

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

BRADENTON – Property owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District in western Manatee County will notice an increase in the fire assessment rate when TRIM notices go out later this year, but it won’t be a big jump in cost.

District commissioners voted 4-1 to increase assessment rates for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The increase will be 4%, slightly less than the allowable increase of 5.64%.

WMFR gets most of its income from special assessment rates paid by property owners in the district. Since the assessments are non-ad valorem, they’re not based on a property’s taxable value. Instead, they are based on the size of the building on the property or set at a flat rate if the property is vacant.

The maximum percentage that the rate can be increased each year is based on personal income growth, or PIG. Though district leaders expected the 2021 number to be much lower, it came in at 6.8% for the state of Florida according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The maximum increase considered by WMFR commissioners during their April mid-year budget workshop was 5.64%.

What this means for district taxpayers, including all property owners on Anna Maria Island, in Cortez and the west side of unincorporated Manatee County, is that what you pay annually for fire service is increasing slightly on your next property tax bill.

A 4% increase will bring the residential property base rate up $7.82 to $203.35 with an increase for properties over 1,000 square feet of $0.0046 to $0.1199 per square foot. For a 2,000-square-foot home, this brings the total rate up from $310.85 to $323.28, a difference of $12.43. The rate for a 3,000-square-foot home would increase from $426.17 to $443.22 and from $541.50 to $563.16 for a 5,000-square-foot home.

Commercial property owners will notice an increase as well, with the commercial base rate increasing from $485.94 to $505.38 and the per-square-foot rate increasing from $0.2104 to $0.2188 for buildings over 1,000 square feet. The 4% increase brings the total rate for a 2,000-square-foot commercial property to $724.23 with a 3,000-square-foot building coming in at $943.08 and the rate for a 4,000-square-foot commercial building increasing to $1,161.92.

Commissioner Al Robinson was the lone vote against raising the assessment rate for the coming year. Robinson has previously been vocal about curbing the department’s spending and lessening the burden of the fire district on property owners.

Despite the increase in assessment rates, WMFR still has one of the lowest rates in Manatee County.

Commissioner David Bishop said the decision to vote whether or not to increase assessment rates is a difficult one. He warned his fellow commissioners that in looking to the future of the district they don’t get too far ahead for the taxpayer base. He said he feels the district could quickly reach a tipping point with costs and that they want to make sure that those costs don’t tip the wrong way, ending up too high to be sustainable.

“It’s a tough vote every year,” Bishop said.

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Castles in the Sand

Crazy rich homeowners

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

We’re in the “careful what you wish for” zone, not just Floridians, but every homeowner across the country. Prices are up, inventory is low and a lot of potential buyers are really unhappy; where will it end?

Home prices rose around the country during the first quarter of the year to a record level. The median sale price for existing single-family homes was higher in the first quarter compared with a year earlier for most of the metro area tracked by the National Association of Realtors. They reported that in 89% of the metro areas tracked, median prices rose by more than 10% from last year.

In addition, the National Association of Realtors reported the United States average median single-family home appreciation rate was up 16%. The following are first-quarter median single-family appreciation rates for some of the major areas around the country: Northeast up 22%; West up 18%; South up 15% and Midwest up 14%. This may be a confusing mouthful, but it boils down to no matter where you live or are trying to buy a home, you’ll pay a lot more than last year.

Realtor.com also reported the number of active listings on their website was down 52% from a year earlier at the beginning of May. The fact that mortgage rates are low, even though they did have a slight blip up, is not significant in some areas since all-cash buyers are representing a large slice of buyers. And Fannie Mae is forecasting median existing-home prices to rise 11.5% in 2021 then slow to a 4% increase in 2022, none of which is good news for buyers who are getting priced out of the market every month. Not to mention lenders who are less than enthusiastic about giving mortgages to first-time borrowers, especially if their credit ratings are less than very high 700s.

Before I go into Manatee County’s April sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, comparing April of last year to April of this year will show remarkable changes because April 1 of last year was the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown and a pause in real estate sales. Regardless, the numbers are incredible, breaking yet another record for single-family median sales price.

April single-family closed sales were up 69.7%, cash sales were up 166.7% and the median sale price was $405,000 up 19.1% a new record. The average sales price was $578,162, up 42.2%, the median time to contract was seven days and month’s supply of available properties was 0.6 months.

April condo closed sales was up 126.8%, cash sales were up 121.7% and the median sale price was $235,000, up 10.8%. The average sale price was $303,121, up 28.9%, the median time to contract was 11 days and month’s supply of available properties was 0.7 months.

Make note of the cash sales, which keep going up every month. That number is having a significant influence on the market. First-time buyers are not only being outbid they are also being outmaneuvered by cash buyers and quick closings, frequently without an inspection contingency.

Every month, it’s hard to believe the numbers can improve as much as they do. But we are in real estate crazy land, something we all at one time wished for. Nevertheless, keep in mind that comparisons will be off for the next several months when you compare them to last year because of last year’s lockdowns. Stay safe.

State COVID-19 testing sites close

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

MANATEE COUNTY – The COVID-19 testing site that’s been a fixture in the southwest corner of the Bradenton Area Convention Center parking lot for the past several months is closed.

The order to close all state COVID-19 testing sites by May 28 came from the Florida Department of Health on May 11. Two of the first ones to close were in Manatee and Sarasota counties, both of which were set to close May 15 after testing for the day concluded.

Though the walk-up site at the convention center is no more, Manatee County residents still have options to receive free COVID-19 tests.

Local Walgreens and CVS locations are offering free COVID-19 testing with both rapid tests and more detailed diagnostic tests that take a few days to receive results.

On Anna Maria Island, both CVS and Walgreens offer the diagnostic test. For a rapid test, islanders will need to drive into town.

To book an appointment for COVID-19 testing at a Walgreens location, visit their website. You will be required to fill out a short online form and provide your insurance information. Select Walgreens locations offer drive-thru testing.

To book an appointment at a local CVS, visit their COVID-19 test information page. Patients also will have to fill out a short online form and provide insurance information to book an appointment.

For those who don’t want to visit a local pharmacist, at-home COVID-19 test kits are available for purchase. The test kits are available for about $40 and can be purchased in person or online from CVS and other retailers. Patients will have to take their own nasal sample using the provided collection tools and mail the sample to a designated laboratory for processing.

More information on at-home testing can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

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WMFR board may raise 2021-22 assessment rates

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

BRADENTON – Rates may be increasing for residents and business owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District, but if they do increase, it will only be by 4% for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Commissioners held their annual mid-year budget workshop on April 20 prior to the start of their monthly meeting. During the meeting, they reviewed where the district currently sits with its 2020-21 budget six months into the fiscal year and where staff sees the district going financially during the next fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

At the mid-year point, staff reported that the district is right on target with 51.44% of expenses accounted for and 86.15% of total income collected. WMFR’s total break-even budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year includes $9,410,362 in expenses. Those expenses take into account $1.631 million in capital expenses largely attributed to the construction of WMFR’s new administration building.

The proposed 2021-22 fiscal year budget is projected to break even at $8,238,154, a difference of -$1,172,208 from the current year. That number includes a 4% assessment increase proposed by Chief Ben Rigney to help cover the costs of a new three-year employment contract currently wrapping up in negotiations between the district and the firefighters’ union.

WMFR’s assessments are non-ad valorem, meaning that the amount of the assessment is tied to the size of a structure on a lot, or a flat fee if the lot is vacant, and whether the use is residential or commercial.

A 4% increase in rates would bring the district’s projected assessment rate revenue up to $7,820,586.80, an estimated increase of $300,791.80 over the current fiscal year’s projected assessment revenue of $7,519,795. Rigney projects $365,967.67 in increased costs for the 2021-22 fiscal year but says what the district doesn’t make up for in rate increases can be achieved through lowered costs in other areas.

If commissioners vote during their May meeting to increase the district’s rates by 4%, the residential base rate will increase by $7.82 to $203.35 with a residential per square foot increase from $0.1153 to $0.1199 for every square foot of a building over 1,000 square feet. For a 2,000-square-foot home, the rate would increase from the current $310.85 to $323.28; a 3,000-square-foot home would increase from $426.17 to $443.22 and a 4,000-square-foot home would increase from $541.50 to $563.16.

With a 4% increase, the commercial base rate would go from $485.94 to $505.38, an increase of $19.41. The commercial per square foot rate would go from $0.2104 to $0.2188 for the amount of square feet over 1,000. For a 2,000-square-foot commercial space, the rate would increase to $724.23. At 3,000 square feet, the rate would be $943.08 and at 4,000 square feet, the rate would increase to $1,161.92 for a commercial building.

For residential properties, Rigney said the average increase would be $12.50 with a $28 increase for commercial properties.

WMFR’s assessment rate is noted on the TRIM notices mailed out in the fall and collected as a part of the owner’s property tax bill.

Assessment rates are allowed to be increased by the fire district each year according to the personal income growth number, or PIG, determined by the U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. This year’s PIG is 6.8% for the state of Florida, though the maximum increase considered and dismissed by WMFR commissioners was 5.64%.

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Bradenton Anna Maria Island Longboat Key

Tourism on the rebound as visitors lengthen their stays

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

BRADENTON – After struggling to stay afloat throughout the worst of the COVID pandemic, area businesses may be getting some relief with people once again coming through their doors.

In her monthly state of tourism update, Anne Wittine, director of quantitative research for Manatee County’s tourism consultant, Research Data Services (RDS), released data showing tourism is increasing on Anna Maria Island and surrounding tourist destinations.

“In January we saw a turnaround – we saw more out-of-state visitors than Florida visitors,” said Wittine. “A lot of this has to do with the public perception of air travel, as well as more Americans being vaccinated. These numbers would be much higher, but Canada and Europe are still locked down, so international tourism is almost nonexistent at this time. That could change as early as May or June, but there is no guarantee. Statistics are showing that the largest number of out-of-state visitors are coming from the Southeast.

“The data we are seeing implies that as we move through the summer, we are going to see longer stays,” Wittine added, concerning a comparison of February 2020 to February 2021 showing an increase in length of stay. The research suggests this will be a trend for months to come. 

“People have felt like they’ve missed out, so when they get to take that vacation, they really want to make it count,” she said.

RDS also released the March traveler sentiment study, which is done every month and gathers data from respondents who are planning to visit the area. The March study showed that 37.1% of respondents currently have a trip booked. According to Wittine, this is the highest number since they started the survey, and up from 25.2% in February. In addition, 24.4% of respondents said they were planning to travel in the next 30 days, up from 16.6% in February.

Another statistic of interest in the RDS study was how optimistic would-be travelers are about personal health, with more than 81.3% of respondents saying they are optimistic about personal health. Wittine noted there isn’t 81.3% of the public vaccinated, so it shows a general increase in optimism overall.

“In terms of feeling safe, we’ve got 50% saying they feel safe dining in a restaurant, 61% saying they feel safe shopping, 38% are OK with visiting indoor attractions, and taking a domestic flight is at 35%. All of these numbers are the highest we’ve seen since we started this,” Wittine said.

WMFR staff celebrates four promotions

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

BRADENTON – There was a festive atmosphere among the crowd gathered for West Manatee Fire Rescue District’s April board meeting as commissioners and staff celebrated the promotions of four firefighters.

Kicking off the celebrations were the promotions of firefighters Ashton Jasinski and Max Pollock from reserve to third-class firefighters with the district. These two promotions were especially touching for the gathered crowd because both men are legacy WMFR firefighters and both received their badges from their fathers.

First up was Pollock, who received his badge from his father Brett. Brett Pollock retired as the district’s deputy chief in January 2016. Max Pollock started off his career with the district more than two years ago as a reserve firefighter.

Next Jasinski was honored with his promotion to firefighter third-class and awarded his badge by his father, WMFR Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski.

“This is probably one of the proudest moments of my career,” Battalion Chief Jasinski said before hugging his son in congratulations in front of the assembled crowd.

Also celebrating a promotion with his family present was firefighter Frank Agresta. Agresta, who has been with the district for five years, was promoted to firefighter first-class.

Another firefighter celebrating during the April 20 district board meeting was Paul Hopkins who was promoted to captain after serving for four years with WMFR.

All of the promotions received a round of applause from the group of friends, family and district staff in attendance with WMFR’s commissioners and Chief Ben Rigney also offering a hearty congratulations to each firefighter.

Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski pins a badge on his son, firefighter Ashton Jasinski who was promoted from a reserve to firefighter third-class with West Manatee Fire Rescue District. - Submitted | WMFR

Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski pins a badge on his son, firefighter Ashton Jasinski who was promoted from a reserve to firefighter third-class with West Manatee Fire Rescue District. - Submitted | WMFR

Firefighter Max Pollock is congratulated on his promotion from reserve to firefighter third-class with WMFR by his father Brett, the district’s former deputy chief. - Submitted | WMFR

Firefighter Max Pollock is congratulated on his promotion from reserve to firefighter third-class with WMFR by his father Brett, the district’s former deputy chief. - Submitted | WMFR

Firefighter Frank Agresta celebrates his promotion to firefighter first-class with his wife pinning his new badge on his dress uniform. - Submitted | WMFR

Firefighter Frank Agresta celebrates his promotion to firefighter first-class with his wife pinning his new badge on his dress uniform. - Submitted | WMFR

The Jasinski family celebrates Ashton Jasinski’s promotion to firefighter third-class during an April board meeting at WMFR’s administration office. - Submitted | WMFR

The Jasinski family celebrates Ashton Jasinski’s promotion to firefighter third-class during an April board meeting at WMFR’s administration office. - Submitted | WMFR

Captain Paul Hopkins celebrates his promotion with his family after the promotion ceremony at WMFR. - Submitted | WMFR

Captain Paul Hopkins celebrates his promotion with his family after the promotion ceremony at WMFR. - Submitted | WMFR

Newly-promoted firefighter third-class Max Pollock celebrates the career milestone with his family. - Submitted | WMFR

Newly-promoted firefighter third-class Max Pollock celebrates the career milestone with his family. - Submitted | WMFR

WMFR Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski hugs his son Ashton after he was promoted to firefighter third-class with the district. - Submitted | WMFR

WMFR Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski hugs his son Ashton after he was promoted to firefighter third-class with the district. - Submitted | WMFR

Newly promoted Captain Paul Hopkins has his new badge pinned on him during an April 20 promotion ceremony at WMFR’s administration offices. - Submitted | WMFR

Newly promoted Captain Paul Hopkins has his new badge pinned on him during an April 20 promotion ceremony at WMFR’s administration offices. - Submitted | WMFR

Former WMFR Deputy Chief Brett Pollock pins a firefighter’s badge on his son, Max, April 20 during the fire district’s promotion ceremony. - Submitted |WMFR

Former WMFR Deputy Chief Brett Pollock pins a firefighter’s badge on his son, Max, April 20 during the fire district’s promotion ceremony. - Submitted |WMFR

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Manatee County to close COVID-19 vaccine site

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

MANATEE COUNTY – With the demand for COVID-19 vaccine first doses lessening, Director of Public Safety Jacob Saur says the county is shutting down its vaccine efforts to focus on the looming hurricane season.

“The county-operated vaccine sites have been extremely successful and I’m proud of the teams of people who helped make Manatee County’s field operation a model for the entire state to follow,” Saur said. “But with the demand for doses declining, the public safety staff who have been coordinating the logistics for our drive-thru operations need to turn their focus toward hurricane season, which begins June 1.”

Manatee County began offering COVID-19 vaccines in late December 2020. Now a drive-up event at the Tom Bennett Park vaccination site will be the final time that Florida residents can get a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from the county, though there are plenty of other vaccination opportunities in the area.

The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 28 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd. in Bradenton. No appointments are required, just drive up and get the shot while remaining in your vehicle. Anyone who attends the drive-up event will have their second shot of the Moderna vaccine at the park on May 26. Anyone who can show proof of Florida residency and is age 18 or older is eligible for a first vaccine dose through Manatee County. Vaccines will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

Anyone who has already received a first dose of the vaccine at the county-run site and has not been scheduled for a second dose at the Public Safety Center location will receive their second dose approximately 28 days after the first dose at Bennett Park. The Public Safety Center vaccination site is planned to close before the end of April.

Saur said only about 330 people attended the first drive-up vaccination clinic at Bennett Park held April 21, though the county had vaccine doses to distribute to up to 1,000 people.

“As someone who has volunteered, it takes an army to man it,” Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said of the vaccination site. “This week’s walk-up was dismal. If something changes, I am sure we will reconsider. I am referring to all pharmacies, Health Department and MCR Health.”

As of April 22, about 134,000 people had been vaccinated through the Manatee County vaccination sites so far, with an estimated 161,326 Manatee County residents vaccinated in total. In 2020, the U. S. Census Bureau said that there were 412,119 residents in Manatee County.

“I am concerned that it is soon,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said of the vaccination site’s closure. “I do not have enough information to provide a very educated opinion, for example, staffing availability, etc. I would hope that there could be pop-up sites as an alternative throughout the county to reach out to all citizens in need.”

If you can’t make it to the April 28 vaccination clinic but still need your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, there are still plenty of options available.

The Department of Health in Manatee County will continue booking vaccination appointments into the summer. Call 941-242-6646 to make an appointment. The DOH is located at 410 Sixth Ave. E. in Bradenton.

The DOH also is working with partner organizations to reach those Manatee County residents who are home-bound, migrant workers and others. Any organization interested in partnering with the DOH to distribute COVID-19 vaccines can call 941-748-0747 for more information.

Locally, vaccines also can be obtained through CVS, Publix, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie pharmacy locations.

To find out where a nearby vaccination site is, visit the Florida Department of Health’s vaccine locator online.

“If they’re not going to give the vaccines anymore they should take the responsibility for continuing to advertise that’s it available elsewhere,” said Cortez resident Mary Green, adding that she adheres to the CDC’s recommendation that vaccinated people continue to wear masks when they’re with other people.

As of April 25, Manatee County has had 37,553 COVID-19 cases and 655 COVID-related deaths.

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County to close vaccine appointments, site

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

MANATEE COUNTY – If you’ve been waiting to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the county-run Tom Bennett Park vaccination site, your chances to get that first shot are about to be limited.

In an April 7 press release, county officials announced that with vaccine doses becoming available through local pharmacies and doctors’ offices, they’re closing the standby waiting pool for vaccine appointments. The final patients still in the waiting pool who respond to the automated phone call, text and email sent on behalf of Manatee County will be scheduled for first vaccine appointments April 13-15 at Tom Bennett Park.

Registration for the standby waiting pool will be closed at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 12.

If you miss your opportunity to get an appointment for your first vaccination through Manatee County, officials will be hosting a first-come-first-served vaccination clinic from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 21. Anyone receiving a first vaccine dose during the April 21 event will receive their second dose on May 19.

For anyone who’s already had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine through Manatee County, the second dose vaccination site at the Manatee County Public Safety Center will remain open through the end of the day April 30. After that, the remaining second doses will be administered at Tom Bennett Park.

For more information on receiving a second vaccine dose through Manatee County, or to download a consent form, visit the second dose site online.

To receive a second dose at one of the Manatee County sites, patients must show their card showing the first dose of the vaccine, valid photo identification and a completed copy of the vaccine consent form available to download online.

For more information on receiving a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine through Manatee County, visit the COVID-19 vaccine website or call 311.

All Florida residents aged 18 and older are eligible to receive a vaccine through Manatee County.

County officials will continue to monitor the demand for first dose administration at the Tom Bennett Park site through the end of the month to determine if that site needs to remain open for COVID-19 vaccination first doses.

COVID-19 vaccines are available for ages 16 and older, with parent or guardian permission for those under 18, through area CVS, Publix, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie locations.

For a vaccine appointment at CVS, visit the pharmacy online.

Appointments at area Publix locations open at 7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week. Appointments booked on Wednesdays are for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Appointments booked on Mondays and Fridays are for the Moderna vaccine. For more information, visit them online.

For appointments through Walgreens locations, visit the pharmacy’s website.

To book an appointment at a local Walmart pharmacy, visit their COVID-19 vaccine webpage.

Appointments at Winn-Dixie locations can be booked online.

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Coast Lines: First, do no harm

Coast Lines: First, do no harm

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Coast Lines, Outdoors.

A recent visit to the Mulberry Phosphate Museum was fascinating, with its finds of prehistoric giant ground sloths, mammoths, sharks, manatees and crocodiles, and even a 3000-year-old dugout canoe, all unearthed by equipment used in phosphate mining.Coast Lines logo - border

Wall murals show how mining companies in Florida restore the land after the mines are exhausted, even to the point of hosting threatened Florida scrub jays and gopher tortoises.

Missing from the diorama is what happens when it all goes wrong.

Lining gypsum stacks with material that wasn’t supposed to deteriorate and filling them with wastewater from the Piney Point phosphate mine never sounded like the best idea, but it likely was the most cost-effective idea.

Now that there’s a breach, and the ongoing discharge of hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater into local waters to avert a worse breach, we’re faced with the prospect of an environmental disaster unseen since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began in April 2010.

Why can’t the wastewater be pumped into containers at Port Manatee instead of into our precious, beautiful and interconnected waterways, where nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater is undoubtedly going to feed red tide, and where other toxins may kill fish even before the red tide gets them?

Containers could be stored indefinitely, or transported to a treatment plant, which, by the way, could have been mandated on site when the mine was permitted.

Surely there is emergency money for such a solution in the state’s budget, if not the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s budget.

If state leaders are not able to come up with a better solution to this crisis than dumping phosphate mining wastewater into the pristine waters that attract our visitors, why continue to spend money on advertising for tourists?

Especially this time of year – when it’s spring, and we’re just peeking out from the pandemic – it’s heartbreaking to realize that in the coming weeks, we may see vacations ruined by red tide, fish kills and respiratory symptoms, and maybe things even worse than red tide. We may see vacation rental cancellations and businesses floundering, just when they’re about to regain normalcy from the pandemic.

Thanks to a lack of responsibility, wisdom, foresight and possibly even concern among government officials, visitors and residents will likely be avoiding the beaches this summer – the one place where we almost felt comfortable during the year of the coronavirus.

To the families evacuated from their homes just before Easter Sunday, to the people who have spent decades volunteering to plant seagrasses and count scallops and create oyster beds in area waters, to those who make their livings on the water, to the marine life, and to all the people of Tampa Bay, mine owners and state officials owe more than mitigation and an apology.

They must choose a solution to this crisis that does no further harm.

Reel Time: The price of inaction

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Monday, March 26, the latest and hopefully final chapter unfolded in a sordid novel with no redeeming chapters and a far less-than-happy ending. The saga began in the 1960s when the Borden Corporation (yes, the cow) was given a permit by Manatee County to build a processing facility at Piney Point to turn phosphate into fertilizer. In the early 70s, the company went into bankruptcy and literally walked away from the property, leaving the tailings from the processing in giant, toxic mounds on the edges of Tampa Bay. The history of the site is one of mistakes and missteps that would, and probably will, one day fill a novel on the price of inaction.

The leaking gyp stack and pond at Piney Point. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper are organizations that I’ve highlighted in this column over the past few years. Both are playing a central role in trying to understand the underlying issues so that they can disseminate current and reliable information to the public.

As of Sunday, April 4, we were being told that the collapse of the compromised gypsum stack was no longer imminent, although the area had been evacuated. Meanwhile, untreated, polluted water from the site is being pumped into Tampa Bay at the rate of 22,000 gallons a minute. Water from the breach in the stack, along with water from additional pumps that are being flown in, is being drained from the stack. That water will most likely be carried into Bishop Harbor to the west and Cockroach Bay to the east. Both are designated as Outstanding Florida Waters.

It’s hard to imagine anything positive emerging from this ecological nightmare other than, hopefully, a wake-up call to the public that this is what happens when politicians and public officials don’t follow their mandate to work for the public good. That realization seems to be on the lips of most everyone I talk to, but in truth, this is a shared responsibility. We the citizens are also responsible to hold our elected officials accountable to do the work we elected them to do. This is an example of what can happen when citizens don’t pay attention and let others make decisions on their behalf.

This will be an unfolding story of the incalculable damage that results from greed, inaction, lack of accountability and irresponsible actions by parties on all levels from the county to the highest offices in Florida and beyond. Even now we’re hearing statements claiming the water “meets industry standards, outside of ammonia, nitrate and phosphorus levels,” which is to say, of course, that it doesn’t meet industry standards. Spin isn’t going to play this time. Dave Tomasko, executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, told me on April 4 that he’s working with Ed Sherwood, director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, to calculate loads from the release and they are, in fact, “much worse than I was led to believe.”  Both Tampa Bay Waterkeeper and Suncoast Waterkeeper are working to update the public with the latest updates on Facebook. Stay tuned, get involved and hold your elected officials responsible for protecting the public good. In the end, it’s the public and our natural resources that pay the price of inaction.

Second breach found at Piney Point

Additional leaks suspected at Piney Point

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

Updated Monday, April 5 at 5:45 p.m. – PALMETTO – Two more trouble spots have been identified by an infrared drone as engineers continue to drain wastewater into Tampa Bay from a pond in a seeping phosphogypsum stack at Piney Point.

County, state and federal officials are trying to prevent a complete and potentially disastrous breach of the stack that, until pumping operations began last week, contained roughly 480 million gallons of water contaminated by phosphate fertilizer processing.

Early this morning, an infrared drone identified what could be a second breach, Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur announced at a press conference this afternoon. The first breach emerged last month when water began leaking through a pond liner and the gypsum material behind it began to crumble.

“Thermal imaging last night (Sunday, April 4) from the DEP drones identified a number of sites with one concentrated site in the northern portion of the eastern wall where the temperatures indicate there is water intrusion into the wall at that point,” Acting County Administrator Scott Hopes said.

A third area also is being monitored.

“There is an area at the top of the berm, around the middle of the eastern wall, that they recognized an extrusion of that wall pushing out about 10 feet,” Hopes said.

Late today, The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued a press release saying news reports about a second area of seepage referenced at the press conference are unsubstantiated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnJ3h776MQY

 

Manatee County emergency management officials have projected a worst-case scenario in which a total collapse of the stack could send a 20-foot wall of water across adjacent property.

County officials issued a state of emergency order on April 1, followed by a state of emergency order issued on April 3 by Gov. Ron DeSantis that he later extended to Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Evacuation orders were issued for residents and businesses in the areas surrounding Piney Point. Those evacuation zones also have since been expanded.

According to Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur, 305 households remain under an evacuation order and the American Red Cross and the county are assisting displaced residents in finding accommodations. On Monday, Saur said approximately 30 people and their pets had taken shelter at local hotels.

Crisis unfolding

Located in Palmetto, near Port Manatee, the Piney Point property is owned by HRK Holdings, which purchased the property in 2006. A phosphate processing plant operated on the property from 1966 to 1999. Phosphorous and nitrogen are primary ingredients in commercial fertilizer.

The Piney Point property contains three, lined phosphogypsum stacks that serve as large retention ponds. The gyp stacks, surrounded by berms made of rock, soil and other materials, have recently held about 880 million gallons of water, which contains high levels of phosphorus and nitrates.

On Monday, March 29 – in anticipation of an impending crisis – FDEP issued an emergency order that allowed HRK to begin siphoning water from the leaking stack and transferring it through a pipeline to the deepwater channel at Berth 12 at nearby Port Manatee at a rate of 22,000 gallons per minute, Hopes said. The pipeline was originally used to transport saltwater and dredging sediments from Berth 12 to the Piney Point containment area that is now breached, he said.

At a Sunday morning press conference at the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center, DeSantis said the water currently being discharged into Tampa Bay at Port Manatee is not radioactive but does contain higher-than-desired levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. According to DeSantis, the ongoing siphoning efforts commenced on Wednesday, March 31.

There is concern among local fishermen, county commissioners and others that the increased levels of phosphorus and nitrogen being dumped into Tampa Bay could create a marine environment that is more susceptible to algae blooms, including red tide. Port Manatee is located less than 20 miles from Anna Maria Island.

About 33 million gallons of water are being pumped into the port waters daily, DeSantis said. That will increase with the National Guard’s scheduled delivery of 20 additional pumps to help lower the water levels in the failing gyp stack in hopes of preventing a total breach and collapse, he said.

On Saturday, Hopes estimated it would take 10-12 days to empty into the bay all 480 million gallons of the water contained in the breached gyp stack, but those estimates changed as more pumps were put in place.

Hopes said the retention pond (gyp stack) is currently inhabited by ducks, snook and other wildlife. He said the water in the other two non-breached gyp stacks on the Piney Point property contains high levels of ammonia and is acidic.

During Sunday’s press conference, Noah Valenstein, FDEP secretary, said the water being discharged into the bay primarily consists of previously relocated saltwater from the port, “legacy process water,” or previously collected wastewater from fertilizer processing, and stormwater runoff.

Valenstein said the only uncontrolled discharge he’s aware of has been the “small amounts of water” discharged into nearby Piney Point Creek. He said flooding was currently the greatest danger posed to the public.

Hopes said the predictive model for a full breach of the partially breached gyp stack would result in about 340 million gallons of water descending on the surrounding areas in less than an hour, with the potential for a wall of cascading water 20 feet tall.

But Hopes was optimistic that a total breach could be prevented.

“We feel much better than we did three days ago with these additional assets being deployed. We’ve got a good plan in place,” he said.

DeSantis acknowledged a full breach was still possible and he said that’s what prompted the emergency response from the state.

Hopes said the nearby Manatee County Jail, which is located in the evacuation zone, had been sandbagged and staff and inmates were being relocated to the second floor. On Monday, it was announced that 345 inmates were being relocated to an undisclosed location, and approximately 720 inmates were to remain at the jail after being relocated to an upper level of the facility.

Moving forward

During Sunday’s press conference, Hopes said the liner from the breached retention stack will not be repaired and all of the water contained in the breached stack will be depleted. After the retention area is emptied, it will likely be filled in and capped to prevent future water accumulation, he said.

“This could have been resolved over two decades ago,” Hopes said, regarding the lack of previous preventive and corrective actions that resulted in the current crisis.

In 2013, county commissioners debated using deep well injection to transport the water in the Piney Point gyp stacks deep into the earth and below the underground aquifer, which feeds into Lake Manatee and serves as the primary source of drinking water in Manatee County.

According to former County Commissioner Betsy Benac, the commission never pursued that solution, in part due to public opposition to deep well injection. In December, the current county commission discussed deep well injection as a potential means to clean up Piney Point before a crisis ensued.

During Friday night’s press conference, State Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) stressed the need to address the Piney Point crisis and solve the problems once and for all.

“Obviously, our top priority is getting through this emergency that we have today,” he said.

Regarding a permanent solution, Robinson said, “This is our top legislative delegation priority for at least a year now. This quarter-century debate on what to do with this property needs to come to an end. It’s frustrating to all of us, and to the residents. Hopefully, everyone can realize now that this has got to end. We have got to stop and clean this property up. I don’t care if it’s private property. I don’t care if it’s been in bankruptcy and foreclosure. Now this property has to finally be cleaned up so we can get this off the minds of our residents, and we’re committed to doing that,” Robinson said.

State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) said, “We’re keenly aware of the situation. It’s a legislative priority with the county commission that we deal with that this year. Sadly, tonight, we’re at a point where there is a problem. We’re going to work hard to come up with solutions and get the funding that we need to finally fix this.”

During Sunday’s press conference, DeSantis and Valenstein said the state intends to hold HRK fully responsible for any environmental damages associated with the Piney Point crisis.

According to the FDEP order issued March 29, “This Emergency Final Order does not preclude the department from enforcing any criminal or civil liabilities which may arise under Florida law as related to matters herein, nor does it relieve HRK of the need to comply with applicable federal, state, or local laws, rules or ordinances.”

Water quality concerns

On Monday, Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-Bradenton) toured the Piney Point area by helicopter before participating in an early afternoon press conference.

Saur said state and county drone teams are flying over the site every hour on the hour and providing decision-makers with real-time aerial views of the site. Saur said the drones can detect temperature changes within the berms, which indicate penetration by the contained water.

Buchanan said he asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to join the response efforts. Buchanan said the EPA and FDEP are now jointly in command of the situation. The Florida Department of Emergency Management and Manatee County also remain involved in the response efforts.

Buchanan shared his concerns about the water being discharged into Tampa Bay.

“It’s very concerning to me. I know they’re making some progress, but to see the water spewing out, it looked pretty contaminated to me,” he said, noting the Piney Point crisis impacts the entire Tampa Bay region.

“I am concerned about the threats to public safety, homes as well as businesses, and of course marine life. I’m very concerned about the impact on that. We know what that does to our communities. I really hate to see what’s happened in terms of the algae bloom and red tide, not just here, but across the state. When I see water flowing into Tampa Bay, frankly, it makes me sick,” Buchanan said.

“I want to be hopeful and optimistic, but just the fact that we’re running water into Tampa Bay is not a great thing, but the reality of it is it seems like the right thing to do right now,” he added.

“I’m not an expert, but you can see in and around where the water’s spewing in there. Around the port – I hate to say it – if you go a couple miles in each direction to me it looks like algae bloom or something, but that’s something for the scientists to determine,” Buchanan said. “I’ve been following red tide for 20 years and that could have a big impact on all of Florida.”

Regarding the unaddressed Piney Point environmental concerns that lingered for the past 20 years or so, Buchanan said, “This is something that’s being going on for too long and we’re going to come together collectively between the county, the state and the federal government to make sure we get this resolved quickly. We’re going to make sure we’ve got the resources to fix this permanently – not a patch. The company, HRK, needs to be held completely responsible.”

After thanking Buchanan for bringing the EPA and the Army Corps in to assist, Hopes addressed the failing retention area and the breaches in its outer berms.

Hopes estimated there were nearly 300 million gallons in the breached reservoir at that time. He said public officials will have a much clearer idea of that status of the reservoir now that the Army Corps is on the scene.

“Up to this point, we have been relying, and DEP has been relying on HRK’s third party engineering team. Now we have the Army Corps of Engineers in here with their engineers and we will have an additional independent evaluation,” he said.

“If we go from (pumping out) 35 million gallons a day to 100 million gallons per day, within 48 hours we will be at a situation where we will no longer have that risk of that full breach which would send that 20-foot wall of water across,” Hopes said.

“The only pool that’s at risk is that southernmost pool where we have identified breaches where we do have some uncontrolled release of water. Regarding the breaches on the eastern wall, the most visible is at the southeast corner where you see the water coming out of the side and then flowing to the north,” he said.

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Manatee County offers vaccine registration to those 18 or older

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – Florida residents 18 or older can now register for the COVID-19 vaccine pool in anticipation of the state lowering the age requirement for the vaccine.

Full-time and part-time residents who can prove residency and are 18 or older can register through the county’s online portal or by calling 311 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

While the county is not yet assigning appointments for vaccines to anyone under age 50, county officials are encouraging all adults to register to begin receiving appointments as soon as Gov. Ron DeSantis lowers the age requirement for all adults to receive a vaccine.

DeSantis lowered the age to receive a vaccine to 50 on March 22, with a plan to open vaccine distribution to all adult Floridians by May 1.

With the number of Florida residents who have received a COVID-19 vaccine going up and the number of people waiting in the county’s vaccine standby pool going down, Public Safety Director Jacob Saur said he feels COVID-19 vaccine doses can be quickly administered to those registered with the county.

Saur said everyone in the Manatee County standby pool age 65 and older has been contacted at least once to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, Saur said county staff began contacting those 50 and older in the standby pool on March 19 for appointments for the 16,400 first dose vaccines being received by the county for distribution the week of March 22.

For more information, visit the county’s vaccine page online.

Acting county administrator’s job attracts 30 applicants

Acting county administrator’s job attracts 30 applicants

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – Between March 8 and March 12, the Manatee County Human Resources Department received 30 resumes from individuals interested in serving as the acting county administrator.

Austin Rentsch, Camron States, Christopher Pomeroy, Dennis Sparks, Derod Joyner, Ken Klein, Lizsandra Ramirez, Michael Nagy, Patrick Marsh, Sangria’Le Fulger, Sarah Clough, Dr. Scott Hopes and Sharon Ann Eberman submitted their resumes by March 8.

Emily Gerken, Eric Cavender, Fabiana Monteiro, Hector Rivera Sr. and Joseph Lessard submitted their resumes by March 9. Ashley Jacobs, Jarvis Darnell Middleton, Kevin Foor and Tamara Nunez submitted their resumes by March 10.

Joseph Napoli, Leonard Sossamon and Shawn Henessee submitted their resumes by March 11.  Christopher Rose, Dr. Christopher Rodriguez, Jane Shang, Michael Brillhart and William Ward submitted resumes on March 12.

Although previously mentioned as possible candidates, former Manatee County School District Superintendent Rick Mills and Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance President and CEO Dom DiMaio did not apply for the acting administrator’s job. After being rejected by a 4-3 commission vote on Feb. 23, former Sarasota County Commissioner Charles Hines did not seek further consideration.

After receiving copies of the submitted resumes, each commissioner was asked to provide Human Resources Director Kim Stroud with as many as three preferred candidates.

The agenda for the Tuesday, March 23 Manatee County Commission meeting includes a 2 p.m. “presentation of candidates for the position of acting county administrator.” The agenda does not state whether the acting county administrator’s position could or would be filled that day if at least four of the seven commissioners support the same applicant.

Separation agreement

On Feb. 23, the county commission approved a previously negotiated $204,000 separation agreement that ended Cheri Coryea’s two-year stint as county administrator and her 30-year career as a county employee. During that meeting, the commission majority then opposed Hines serving as the acting county administrator according to the proposed contract negotiated by County Attorney Bill Clague.

Faced with the need for someone to immediately fill that role on a short-term basis, Deputy County Administrator Karen Stewart agreed to serve as acting county administrator until March 23 or soon thereafter. It was noted then that Stewart did not wish to serve in that role for an extended period.

During the commission’s March 4 land use meeting, Commissioners Reggie Bellamy, George Kruse, Misty Servia and Carol Whitmore voted in favor of advertising the acting county administrator’s position for a limited time. Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, James Satcher and Kevin Van Ostenbridge opposed advertising the position.

As he did on Feb. 23, Hopes, who currently serves on the Manatee County School Board, again expressed interest in serving as the acting county administrator. Hopes said he would resign from the school board if appointed to that position. He also expressed interest in serving as the county administrator on a long-term basis. During the land use meeting discussion, Van Ostenbridge and Kruse both said Hopes was their top choice at the time.

Castles in the Sand

And the million-dollar beat goes on

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

Well, here we are again; three more months have passed as we fight our way through the biggest pandemic in more than a century, but Anna Maria Island’s real estate market hasn’t blinked.

The price point on the Island and in little Cortez is holding steady and even growing, especially in the over $1 million range, but how did we get here? Before we analyze the $1 million and over sales and listings for the next three months, let’s review what has happened in the state of Florida this year.

The real estate market all over the country is booming, but Florida in particular is doing great, with thousands of people moving into the state every week. Apparently, U-Haul is the authority on migration trends in the country, and according to their 2020 report, Florida is number three in the country for one-way U-Haul rentals. This is in addition to many airlines adding direct flights to Florida during the winter. Practically every day, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport reports either another airline flying out of Sarasota or added flights to existing schedules.

Although we have one of the largest senior populations, the Florida death rate from the virus is in the middle of the country’s rates, and well below California and New York – two other states with large populations, but fewer seniors. This plus having the state mostly or partially open during this time is encouraging people to relocate.

In addition, business migration to Florida, particularly in the finance industry, is increasing because of taxes, weather and the ability of people to work remotely. The state reports that 35 large businesses have moved to Florida since the pandemic began. All of this has increased home sales 20% statewide in the last six months of 2020 while raising the median sales price by 14.4%.

So, let’s take a look at the $1 million and over sales and current listings as of this writing in Cortez and the three cities on Anna Maria Island for November, December and January. Closed sales are from the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website and those currently on the market or pending are from realtor.com.

Cortez closed two sales, one at $2,500,000 and one at $1,215,000; in the last comparison, Cortez also closed two properties in this price range. The city of Anna Maria closed 41 properties, one over $4 million, two over $3 million, 15 over $2 million with the balance $1 million or over. Last time, Anna Maria closed 42 sales. The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach closed 39 properties, one over $6 million, one over $4 million, one over $3 million, 12 over $2 million and the balance $1 million or over. Last time, there were 40 sales.

On the market or pending as of this writing in Cortez, there are three properties over $1 million; the last time there were eight. The city of Anna Maria has 31 available or pending; one over $6 million, four over $4 million, seven over $3 million, five over $2 million and the balance over $1 million. Last time, Anna Maria had 42 in this category. The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have 81 properties on the market or pending, three over $5 million, two over $4 million, six over $3 million, 20 over $2 million and the balance $1 million or over. Last time, there were 70 properties.

Two other impressive numbers are that almost half of the properties listed on realtor.com for Cortez and the Island are pending. In fact, in the city of Anna Maria, there were only two properties below $1 million and both were pending.

See you in three months for another update. Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Stay safe.

Here’s where to get vaccines in Manatee County

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

MANATEE COUNTY – After weeks of waiting, seniors and others qualified to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are finally about to see some relief as more shots make their way to the county.

The county-run vaccination site at Tom Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road, Bradenton, has 5,100 first doses for seniors this week, according to Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur. With 4,500 more doses arriving at a state-run vaccination site coming online today at the county’s Public Safety Center at 2101 47th Terrace E., Bradenton, a total of 9,600 first-dose vaccine appointments for seniors are scheduled.

With both vaccination sites running, Saur says he hopes to reduce the county’s vaccine standby pool from 90,000 to near zero by the end of March.

At the state-run site, Saur said the plan is to give 1,000 first doses per day, five days a week for four weeks followed by four weeks of second doses.

All the appointments at the county- and state-run sites are filled at random from those registered in the county’s standby waiting pool. Recipients can expect to receive a text from 88911 or a call from 941-742-4300 to confirm their appointment. Recipients who do not confirm their appointment within two hours will be put back in the waiting pool.

Thanks to changes in the qualifications to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in the state of Florida, more people are now eligible to receive shots. Florida residents 65 and older continue to be qualified to receive the shot and are joined by residents and staff at long-term care facilities, frontline healthcare workers who have direct patient contact, law enforcement officers and firefighters age 50 and older, daycare workers, and pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers. Teachers age 50 and older can get their COVID-19 vaccinations through the state-run site while teachers younger than 50 can get them from retail pharmacy locations.

Anyone with an underlying condition that makes them susceptible to the novel coronavirus also is eligible to receive the vaccine from retail pharmacy locations with a letter of authorization from their doctor on this form.

Currently, only seniors 65 and older, first responders and healthcare workers are eligible to receive the vaccine at the Manatee County site. To register for those standby waiting pools, call 311 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or register online.

Everyone else who is deemed eligible by the state to receive the first dose of the vaccine can register online for appointments at local CVS, Publix, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie locations.

To register online for an appointment at an area CVS location, visit the company’s COVID-19 information webpage.

Publix locations are releasing appointment times to the public online every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 a.m. To register for one of these appointments, visit the company online.

For appointments at Walgreens locations, visit their COVID-19 page.

Appointments at Walmart are available here.

Appointments at local Winn-Dixie locations can be scheduled online here.

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