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Tag: Manatee County

WMFR open house hot dogs

Family fun at the fire house

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

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue personnel took a little time off from the serious business of keeping the community safe to throw a family-friendly block party.

The district’s 2018 open house festivities took place Oct. 13 at Station 1 on 67th Street in Bradenton. This year’s community gathering was so big that it reached from the fire station to the end of the block and brought out hundreds of families to meet their local first responders, take a tour of the fire station, play games and enjoy lunch.

WMFR open house flag
Old Glory flies gracefully over the open house at the end of the towering ladder. – Kristin Swain | Sun

On hand for this year’s event were representatives from Domino’s Pizza store 5038 providing pizza, Winn-Dixie store 2404 serving up hot dogs and hamburgers with firefighters and snow cones were served from the Kona Ice Truck.

Artists from Childlike Productions handed out balloon animals and painted faces. Members of the Manatee High School Keys and Canes club also donated their time by lending firefighters a helping hand wherever needed, and Holmes Beach Police Officers helped provide crowd and traffic control.

WMFR commissioners, firefighters and even Chief Tom Sousa took turns in the dunk tank where some firefighters gave a helping hand to younger ball throwers. Another popular attraction was the bounce house with a line rivaling that for the dunk tank.

wmfr open house dunk tank
WMFR Commissioner Randy Cooper takes his turn in the dunk tank. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Children also lined up to don firefighter gear and compete on an obstacle course. Firefighters helped families through the Southern Manatee Fire District safe house and took attendees on tours of the district’s rescue equipment including the fire boat and ladder truck and allowed children to take a seat in one fire truck.

The free event drew large crowds and featured on-site music and live broadcasts from AMI Radio.

Island cities prepare for Hurricane Michael

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Weather.

Updated Oct. 9 – ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As Hurricane Michael approaches Florida’s west coast, local officials are making storm preparations.

Lt. John Cosby serves as Bradenton Beach’s emergency operations manager.

“We’re expecting tropical storm-type winds and gusts starting Tuesday evening, with heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday, so we’ll be watching for standing water and flooding. We’ve got code enforcement going to the beach businesses telling them to batten down and get their stuff off the beach because it will blow around. If we’re looking at a two-to-four-foot storm surge, that shouldn’t hurt us too much because we don’t have any real soft spots,” Cosby said.

“They seem pretty positive about the storm track and don’t anticipate it changing. The only change would be if the storm really intensifies or stalls above us. There’s going to be a lot of rain and wind, but it’s nothing we’re not used to. We’re the first county on the watch list and the worst is expected to happen north of us. Hopefully it just steams on by,” Cosby said this afternoon.

Bradenton Beach Public Works Director Tom Woodard said high water signs were placed in areas that typically flood and catch basins were cleaned so the water can get to where it needs to go.

“I heard some mention of possible ‘king tides’ too,” Woodard cautioned.

Bradenton Beach does not provide sandbags, but sandbags can be obtained at the east end of G.T. Bray Park, at 5502 33rd Ave. Drive W. in Bradenton. ID is required and county residents are allowed 10 bags per household.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said the generator that powers the police department and public works buildings was being tested and he and others would continue to monitor the storm.

“We are already prepared. We were in June and we just double checked today. All equipment is in working order, we have reserve fuel and water, we have 3,000 bags on standby and our filling area is topped off with sand. We rehearsed our evacuation and emergency notification plan. I am confident all is in order,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said early this evening.

Anna Maria Public Works Manager Dean Jones said, “We made preparations with our equipment, our personnel and our plan of attack. We’ve got our barricades ready and we’ll have more information on Tuesday. We’re monitoring the high and low tides, and sandbags are available at the north end of Bayfront Park on North Bay Boulevard.”

AMI Hurricane Sandbags
Sandbags are available at Bayfront Park in Anna Maria, shown here, and at city hall in Holmes Beach. – Dean Jones/Anna Maria Public Works | Submitted

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “We’re not doing anything more than our regular sandbag preparations. Sandbags can be found in front of the police station and city hall, on the south end of the property.”

Manatee County issued a press release this afternoon that said, “Hurricane Michael is projected to deliver up to four inches of rainfall and a storm surge of up to four feet,” according to acting Emergency Management Chief Steve Litschauer.

“Beachgoers should be aware of dangerous rip currents and high surf. Swimming and surfing are not advised. We’re advising people to avoid driving through water if there’s standing water on local roads. People can act over the next day to secure lanai furniture and any valuables they have outdoors. We expect Hurricane Michael to deliver strong winds in the area, so the time to prepare is right now,” Litschauer said.

Castles in the Sand

Honesty is the best policy – especially in real estate

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

Good old Benjamin Franklin had it right well over 200 years ago – when you’re dealing with people the best course of action is to be honest. And when you’re selling real estate, it’s more than a good idea, it’s legally imperative.

Traditionally, let the buyer beware was the principle most real estate transactions lived by. It was the buyer who was responsible to inspect the home and discover whether there were any unacceptable conditions or defects before closing. That’s why home inspectors became so important when purchasing a property.

However, in an ever-increasing number of states, courts and lawmakers have held that sellers are in the best position to know all material facts relating to their properties, particularly those that are not visible to the naked eye, and should disclose these to the buyer or face legal liability.

Florida is one of those states that is holding sellers responsible to disclose defects before closing. Since 1985, Florida law has provided that, with some exceptions, the seller must disclose any facts or conditions about the property that may have a substantial impact on the value or desirability of the property that may not be visibly obvious.

To assist sellers in making all relevant disclosures, the Florida Association of Realtors provides a standard form which covers many common property characteristics about which buyers want to know. Although sellers are not required to complete and sign this form, they are still required to disclose all relevant information to buyers, even when they may not be obvious. This can be done either in writing or orally, but to protect their statements sellers should have a written document as proof.

Some of the items contained on the seller’s disclosure form are potential claims, or court proceedings; nature of condominium or HOA association rules; boundary issues; status of any sinkholes; any environmental hazards such as asbestos, lead paint, mold, Chinese drywall; damage from wood destroying organisms; flooding or ground leaks; disclosure of condition of major systems such as central air and heat, plumbing and electrical systems and brands and condition of appliances.

This may be intimidating to homeowners who may be worried about problems they’re not aware of. The law states that you will not be expected to know or learn about or disclose property defects which you have no actual knowledge of. If in the future the buyer of your property discovers a problem after closing, the onus is on him/her to prove that you knew about the defect and did not disclose it. They also would have to justify that the defect has had a substantial impact on the value of the property and that the defect would not have been easy for the buyer to detect. Essentially Florida homeowners are required to disclose only those property defects of which they have actual knowledge.

There are a few facts that do not need to be disclosed to buyers. One is that the property has been inhabited by a person infected with HIV or AIDS or that a murder or suicide has occurred or is suspected to have occurred on the property.

And even if you’re selling your property in an as-is condition, that does not dismiss you from the requirement of full disclosure. You will have to disclose any material defects that you are aware of.

I would encourage sellers to prepare a written disclosure statement to protect them and instill confidence in buyers. Honesty and transparency is the proper way to sell a property, even in those few cases when it may not be required. “Honesty is the best policy” are words to live by.

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Manatee County logo

County addresses red tide

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

Red tide remains off Anna Maria Island, and undoubtedly will continue to return in the future, Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources department, told Manatee County commissioners this week in his report on the county’s activities to address the outbreak.

“It’s still there. We’re still seeing results coming ashore on our beaches,” he said, adding that the county has two beach rakes cleaning the beaches, with Mark Taylor, the full-time beach raker, putting in 21 straight days without a day off.

“As a natural occurrence, it’s always with us,” Hunsicker said. “It’s only when it blooms in a fantastic abundance that it starts to affect the respiratory abilities of fish,” affecting the smallest fish first, then the larger ones as they ingest the smaller ones. “Red tide is in the water column. I can’t paint it any worse than that.”

Hunsicker predicted that the naturally-occurring algae, which was first reported as early as the 1700s off Florida’s coast, will continue to affect county beaches.

“As sure as we will see blue skies and blue water and sandy beaches again in the years to come, we may and will be revisited by red tide,” he said.

“The red tide is absolute in its effect and very difficult to mitigate,” Hunsicker said, adding that its severity can vary from day to day and place to place.

During the current outbreak, which began on Aug. 3, the county has taken several actions, Hunsicker said:

  • Adopted stringent local stormwater controls to protect the Outstanding Florida Waters classification for Sarasota Bay
  • Completed enhanced levels of wastewater treatment in March 2017 to lower nitrogen levels in its reclaimed water distribution systems at a cost of more than $21 million
  • Implemented summer fertilizer use restrictions
  • Mobilized a 12-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week project to clean beaches and boat ramps
  • Provided dumpsters at 16 locations to provide citizens the opportunity to dispose of fish
  • Mobilized emergency services through Aptim Environmental and Infrastructure and SWS to provide three collection vessels for floating fish, a transport vessel for hauling collected fish to shore dumpster locations, and administration for in-water collection services
  • Organized three volunteer clean-up events with department staff along the Palma Sola Causeway
  • Initiated the “Nets to Neighbors Program” providing nets to residents who are able to clean their own canals.

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red tide beach

Red tide lingers

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Uncategorized.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Today’s red tide update from Manatee County indicates improving conditions on some Anna Maria Island beaches, but red tide levels remain high in the water at both ends of the Island, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Red tide levels remain high at the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria, the Longboat Pass boat ramp in Bradenton Beach and the Palma Sola Bay Bridge, according to Wednesday’s report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Red tide was present in very low to high concentrations in 11 water samples collected from Manatee County. Levels ranged from 5-25 percent higher in Manatee County from Aug. 18-24 compared to the previous week, according to the FWC.

Respiratory irritation was reported from Aug. 16-23 at Coquina Beach and Manatee Beach, and fish kills continue.

Aerial surveys from Pinellas to northern Charlotte counties, including Manatee County, also indicate the presence of offshore blooms of the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium, which is not harmful to people.

According to today’s Manatee County beach update:

  • Beaches are open
  • Coquina Bayside, Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach north to Bean Point are clean
  • Bayfront Park has minor seaweed
  • Coquina North and South Boat Ramps are clean
  • Crews are working to rake the beaches as needed
  • Red tide signs are posted at affected beaches and will remain until the red tide bloom is over.

Manatee County beach rake operator Mark Taylor said the beaches today are “Much better. The water still doesn’t look right because that stuff is just offshore.”

As for the type of dead marine life on the beach Thursday morning, Taylor said, “Just a few catfish, horseshoe crabs, queen crabs, etc. But it’s very light. The east wind is definitely our friend for now.”

RTU AM Beach
This jogger enjoyed a run on a clean beach in Anna Maria this morning. – Chantelle Lewin | Sun

After taking a walk on the beach in Anna Maria this morning, Sun Advertising Director Chantelle Lewin said that area of beach was clear.

“All’s good. Looks like an awesome weekend,” Lewin said.

As has been the case since the red tide reached Anna Maria Island on Aug. 3, the impacts of red tide vary from day to day and location to location.

On Thursday morning, Bradenton Beach resident Steve Schewe said, “It smells in Bradenton Beach and it stinks on Longboat Key.”

Residential canals

On Wednesday, the residential canal at 21st Place North contained only a few dead and floating fish, but a block away the end of the residential canal at 20th Place North was filled with dead fish and horseshoe crabs. One of the floating fish was filled with maggots and flies were active on several others.

RTU BB Canal II
This residential canal on 20th Place North in Bradenton Beach remains filled with dead marine life and seagrass. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

On the mainland, the Coral Shores canals along Cortez Road that looked horrific two weeks ago had only a handful of floating fish still remaining Wednesday afternoon.

Last week, the Coral Shores canals were among those cleaned by APTIM – the Boca Raton firm contracted by Manatee County at a cost of $140,000 for one week’s worth of cleanup services. APTIM’s services were discontinued at the conclusion of the workday on Aug. 24.

RTU Coral Shores Canal
On Wednesday, this Coral Shores canal looked much better than it did two weeks ago. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The canals at the nearby Mt. Vernon community were also free of any large masses of dead fish on Wednesday, but a couple of dead horseshoe crabs were spotted floating in one of the canals.

On Monday, the county announced that it was transitioning to a voluntary “Nets to Neighbors” maintenance and light cleanup program that includes nets, buckets and dumpsters provided by the county in certain areas. The Coral Shores dumpster contained no dead fish or red tide debris as of Wednesday afternoon.

RTU Coral Shores Dumpster
On Wednesday, this dumpster in the Coral Shores neighborhood contained no dead fish. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Local fishermen

After being contracted by the city of Anna Maria for a second time, Cortez fishermen Nathan Meschelle, Tanner Pelkey, Matt Smith and Michael Dolan spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday down at the former and future site of the Anna Maria City Pier cleaning seagrass and a very few number of dead fish off the beach.

Pelkey said the presence of seagrass is a normal occurrence. Meschelle said he thinks the red tide is dissipating and he hopes to return to fishing as soon as possible. Over the past weekend, Meschelle was contracted to do some canal cleanup for the Wild Oak Bay community on Cortez Road.

“That was some pretty nasty stuff down there,” Meschelle said. “We cleaned over 1,000 square yards of carnage that had drifted in.”

RTU Cortez Fishermen
These Cortez fishermen spent three days cleaning a stretch of city beach in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

 – Cindy Lane contributed to this report.

For more information, visit The Sun’s Red Tide Resources.

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Manatee Primary

Bellamy, Servia and Whitmore win primary races

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

Incumbent Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore won her primary race, incumbent Commissioner Charles Smith lost his and Misty Servia won the District 4 Republican primary contest.

Primary Bellamy
Reggie Bellamy unseated his incumbent opponent. – Submitted

Reggie Bellamy received 2,178 votes (52.16 percent) and Smith received 1,998 votes (47.84 percent).

Running unopposed, Demitrie Denis won the Republican District 2 primary and he will face Bellamy in the general election in November.

In the race to fill departing Commissioner Robin DiSabatino’s District 4 seat, Misty Servia defeated Mark Black and Laurie Galle in the Republican primary.

Servia received 2,668 votes (55.5 percent), Black received 1,161 votes (24.15 percent) and Galle received 978 votes (20.35 percent).

Primary Servia
Misty Servia won her Republican primary. – Submitted

Melton Little ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and he will face Servia in the general election.

In the District 6 at-large race, incumbent commissioner and Anna Maria Island resident Carol Whitmore won her Republican primary race, defeating challenger James Satcher.

Whitmore received 21,274 votes (55.61 percent) and Satcher claimed 16,979 votes (44.39 percent). Whitmore will now face independent candidate Candace Luther in the general election.

“I’m happy that I still have the support of the Manatee County citizens and I look forward to winning the general election,” Whitmore said after the results were known.

Primary Whitmore
Island resident Carol Whitmore won her Republican primary. – Submitted

In the gubernatorial primaries, Manatee County voters favored Democrat Gwen Graham and Republican Ron DeSantis, with DeSantis as the leading gubernatorial vote-getter in the county.

Complete primary election results here.

 

 

red tide canal cleanup

County contracting APTIM for canal cleanup

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

BRADENTON – Manatee County is contracting APTIM to remove the dead fish and marine life accumulating in residential canals and channels due to red tide.

The pending contractual arrangement was announced at a press conference on Friday afternoon and the decision disappointed some local fishermen who previously offered their assistance to the county.

County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said he would ask the County Commission to appropriate $500,000 when presenting the APTIM contract details on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Hunzeker said the county already does business with APTIM and Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker said later that APTIM provides design and engineering services for the county’s beach renourishment program. With offices in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Boca Raton, Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville, the Texas-based company also offers environmental and disaster recovery services.

The Aug. 17 press conference began with County Commissioner Steve Jonsson saying, “We’re going to do our best to alleviate some of the situations our citizens are experiencing.”

Hunzeker said the cleanup would occur in canals and channels on Anna Maria Island, the mainland and Longboat Key. He said the goal was to pick up the maximum amount of fish in the shortest amount of time.

“We don’t want to represent that we will get every fish in every canal and every waterway, but we’re trying to do the major cleanup. We have no idea how long this will last nor how long this contract will be in place,” Hunzeker said, noting the county budget includes contingency funds set aside for these types of unanticipated expenditures.

Serving as the county’s point person, Hunsicker said reconnaissance work conducted over the weekend would determine where the cleanup occurs.

Hunsicker said the cleanup would be done by hand, using boats and nets. “We’re not going to get every fish. And we’ll have to be patient because they are floating fish in the open waters. We’re not going to be able to remove the floating fish in our open bays, our rivers and the Gulf.”

Hunsicker said APTIM will clean mangrove shorelines because those shallow waters are difficult to access by boat.

Hunsicker said local fishermen could still be hired by those who desire a more thorough cleaning and Hunzeker noted that those who contract private fish removal services will not be reimbursed by the county.

Hunzeker was asked why the county didn’t contract local fishermen to clean the canals.

“We just don’t have time to deal with each individual fisherman to enter into each individual contract with 20, 30, 40, 50 fishermen that might be willing to help,” he said, also noting liability insurance and permitting requirements.

Fishermen disappointed

On Sunday, the county website still listed contact information for nine businesses or individuals offering fish removal services. Among them was Nathan Meschelle, president of the Cortez chapter of the Organized Fishermen of Florida (OFF).

“I’m not happy about the situation and there are many others that feel the same way. I am very curious to see how well of a job this outsource group does and what they actually cost us,” he said of the county’s decision.

Meschelle leases a boat from Adam Sears, who led a crew that assisted with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup efforts in 2010.

“We’re available, we worked on the oil spill, we’re insured,” Sears said, noting that OFF members are covered by the organization’s liability insurance. “We could have already had this done and cleaned. They’re basically saying we couldn’t do the job.”

When contacted, Jonsson said he would ask APTIM to consider using local fishermen if possible.

Coral Shores

During the press conference, Jonsson said dead fish were creating public health concerns in residential areas, including the Coral Shores community on Cortez Road.

“It’s critical to give these people some relief,” he said.

A visit to Coral Shores on Wednesday, Aug. 15, revealed three residential canals whose landward ends were filled with dead and rotting fish that created a nearly unbearable stench. That afternoon, resident Cynthia Saint Cacchiotti received from one individual listed at the county website a $6,000 bid to clean the three canals.

Cacchiotti’s husband, Rick, is president of the Coral Shores homeowners’ association and the bid she obtained was research for a potential association expenditure – a process that would require 10 days advance notice before a vote of members could occur. Instead, the Cacchiottis and some of their neighbors hired local fisherman Preston Rowland to begin cleaning their canal on Friday, before the APTIM contract was announced.

Coral Shores residents were scheduled to meet at the Cortez Baptist Church on Tuesday, Aug. 21, to discuss the ongoing cleanup efforts.

Manatee County also is now operating a Citizens Information Center that includes a hotline for citizens who have questions about red tide and the cleanup operations. The hotline number is 941-749-3547.

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Red Tide Bradenton Beach Anchorage

TDC votes to recommend more money for red tide cleanup

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County has been busy cleaning up the dead fish left by the current outbreak of red tide and the committee that is charged with bringing in tourism wants to make sure the county doesn’t run out of resources.

Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker gave a presentation Monday at the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on how the county is handling the situation.

“Each day we clean the public parts of the beaches,” he said. “When the red tide came, we extended it to all the beaches.”

“When the dead fish came, it was a public health hazard and we went to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for advice and we took the dead fish to the county landfill,” he said. “We got the fish out of the water.”

Hunsicker said you won’t find that in any of the other counties that have been hit by red tide, including Sarasota.

“We follow a policy of recover, restore and rejuvenate,” he said.

Newly appointed TDC member Eric Cairns, who owns Cedar Cove, a beachfront resort, praised the county for its rapid response to the problem.

“I see it every day,” he said of the cleanup effort.

Elliott Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, suggested the TDC vote to set aside up to $500,000 to continue the cleanup efforts and got a positive vote. He said he would write up a proposal to take to the Manatee County Board of Commissioners for approval at a September or October meeting.

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Manatee County logo

County funding shellfish to fight red tide

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

BRADENTON – As red tide hit high levels last week in Anna Maria Island waters, Manatee County announced it is expanding a program that creates shellfish beds in local waters.

“Oysters and clams eat red tide for lunch and come back for a midnight snack,” said Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department.

Red tide is an abnormally high concentration of algae, called a bloom, that emits a neurotoxin that kills fish, marine mammals and birds and causes respiratory problems in people, especially those with asthma and COPD. Red tide is thought to be made worse by fertilizer runoff from land.

It arrived in the Gulf of Mexico off Anna Maria Island on Friday, Aug. 3, the northern edge of a bloom that has lasted 10 months in southwest Florida, and has closed restaurants and caused fish kills and cancellations at local accommodations.

Shellfish like clams and oysters filter the water they live in, Gulf Coast Oyster Recycling and Renewal Program Executive Manager and START CEO Sandy Gilbert said.

“One oyster can filter nine to 50 gallons of water every single day,” Gilbert said, adding that local clams “do eat red tide.”

START (Solutions To Avoid Red Tide) is working with Sarasota Bay Watch on its clam seeding program in both the Manatee and Sarasota County portions of Sarasota Bay, and with the Chiles Group of restaurants, whose employees collect oyster shells in bins and take them to Perico Preserve, where they are cured, then made into oyster habitat at Robinson Preserve.

“In one year, we have accumulated 26 tons of oyster shells that are not in the landfill,” Gilbert said.

START was formed after a massive red tide bloom in 1995 devastated the local economy, and is a partnership among the Chiles Group, University of Florida IFAS Program, Gulf Coast Shellfish Institute, Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department and Waste Pro, the newest partner that will enable more restaurants to participate in the program, Gilbert said.

The program is supported by funding from the RESTORE Act, created to mitigate the devastation from the 2010 BP oil spill.

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Manatee County seal

Manatee County works to clean impacts from red tide

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

Manatee County Commissioners today discussed how the county can assist private homeowners to clear waterways, inlets and canals of sea life killed by the red tide outbreak.

Manatee County does not have a marine fleet to remove fish in smaller canals, and waterways, nor can county crews go onto private property to haul dead sea life to the landfill. So county leaders aim to connect local fisherman willing to assist with the homeowners who need their canals cleared.

Beginning tomorrow Manatee County will make roll off dumpsters available at Bayfront Park on Anna Maria Island and at three County-owed boat ramps: Coquina North, Coquina South and Kingfish boat ramps. Private homeowners can either haul dead fish and debris from red tide without having to pay county landfill tipping fees or they may contract with local fishermen willing to do the work.

Fishermen who want to contract their services with local homeowners or homeowner associations may provide their contact information to the County’s Citizen Action Center at 941-742-5800. The county will post those business names and numbers on the county’s red tide website, www.mymanatee.org/redtide. Private homeowners can check the site from time to time to get a current list of fishermen to do the job.

Commissioners and county staff also said they will work with state and federal leaders to obtain funding for other local impacts from this year’s outbreak.

Department directors from the county’s Property Management, Parks and Natural Resources and Public Safety departments all gave updates on the coordinated effort to keep public beaches and boat ramps clear of marine animals killed by red tide.

Those efforts include constant beach cleaning during daylight hours, relying on inmate labor from the Manatee and DeSoto sheriffs’ offices and hiring temporary work to help the cleanup effort, said Charlie Bishop, Property Management Director.

Emergency Management officials continue to monitor local conditions and to relay updates of the situation to municipal leaders on Anna Maria Island.

Commissioner Steve Jonsson noted that “economic distress is severe” for some marine businesses, and they should keep detailed records on any economic losses from the outbreak in case financial relief is available in the future. Commissioners recognize that local resources are stretched thin, but said they will look to state and federal leaders for ways to assist with cleaning local waterways and canals.

Yesterday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared Manatee County to be part of a group of seven Gulf Coast counties impacted by a state of emergency from red tide. Commissioners said they will work with Manatee County delegation members to ensure our community receives any eligible funding.

For more information on Manatee County Government, visit online at www.mymanatee.org or call 941-748-4501. You can also follow the county at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.

hands along the water

Hundreds send positive message about the environment

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

The Gulf of Mexico was churning up more dead sea life and caustic smell Sunday morning, the result of the latest red tide outbreak. But that didn’t stop about 500 people who turned out at Coquina Beach not to protest but to show support for Florida’s fragile environment by participating in the Hands Along the Water event.

“I could not sleep when red tide came because of the smell and knowing what it was doing to the sea creatures,” event organizer Elizabeth Shore said. “I learned about Hands Along the Water and wanted to hold an event on Anna Maria Island.”

Shore, who owns Bunny and the Pirate Bazaar on Cortez Road West, said she didn’t want to protest anything, just show positive support for the environment.

Shore is a fifth-generation native of Manatee County and the daughter of the late R.B. “Chips” Shore, former Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Hands along the water masks
Tracy Powers and Teri Lennon pause for a selfie before departing.
Teri Lennon | Submitted

Noxious stuff

Red tide is an algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. The toxin can kill sea life and seabirds that feed on them and sea turtles. The Island has had outbreaks in the past but not in such an abundance, according to long-time residents.

Hands Along the Water also shows support for ending the algae that fill rivers and canals around Lake Okeechobee in the southern part of Florida.

A group of visitors from southern Florida said they learned about Hands Along the Water from Facebook and are shocked at the way the green algae kills everything in the canals and rivers. They said they would support politicians who would want to protect the environment and improve the condition of Florida’s waterways and shores.

Anna Maria Elementary Lauren Sato

Another school season starts at AME

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Community News, Schools.

HOLMES BEACH – Motorists got a bright reminder that another school year had begun Monday morning from emergency lights on a patrol car and Police Chief Bill Tokajer’s vehicle in front of Anna Maria Elementary School. As a bus pulled up, Tokajer greeted the kids as they stepped off. Inside, AME School Resource Officer Josh Fleischer was watching the parents and their children. With the advent of new security steps, visitors to the school won’t be admitted without some identification, and they will be required to wear a visitor’s pass as long as they are inside the school.

Anna Maria Elementary back to school
Parents and kids wait to get into the school Monday morning. – Tom Vaught | Sun

For now, all doors are locked and those who want in will have to use a call box on the entryway wall. A staffer will then come to the door and let the visitor in.

“We’re getting a buzzer soon, so they can let the visitor in without having to go to the door,” said AME Principal Jackie Featherston.

Lauren Sato and her husband, Jason, dropped off their son, Dylan, in the crowded hallway.

“He’s a little worried, but he’ll be okay,” she said. This year, the parents of kindergartners dropped their children off at their classrooms and there were some tears on the parents’ cheeks and worried looks on the kids’ faces, but everybody was greeted by the teachers and many of the parents headed for the auditorium to attend an AME tradition: the “Boo hoo Breakfast.”

ame Karaline Berzowski
Karaline Berzowski wears a bright belt as she helps with parent drop off and pick up. – Tom Vaught | Sun

One concern is the presence of red tide in the Gulf of Mexico three blocks away and possibly in the bay. Will they keep students inside?

“If we can smell it, we’ll limit their outside access,” said Featherston. “The students will have gym in the auditorium.”

There was no smell Monday and no dead fish were visible in the bay behind the elementary school.

Manatee County seal

County praised for cleanup, but…

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – City officials on Anna Maria Island are praising Manatee County’s response to the red tide crisis, particularly in terms of cleaning up the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico shorelines.

County crews and others, including some volunteers, have been working seven days a week to keep the Island beaches as free of dead fish and marine life as possible.

Regarding the county response, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said Monday morning, “They really rose to the occasion and are doing a great job. I have been impressed not only with their promptness but their thoroughness and care as well. Our city owes them a debt of gratitude for ponying up when we needed them badly. Commissioner Carol Whitmore continues to play a pivotal part in coordinating the county efforts.”

On Sunday, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said, “I was out there this morning, and they were working like crazy. They’re doing a great job cleaning our beaches, and I can’t give them enough praise for what they’re doing.”

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “The county’s doing a wonderful job, working very diligently to pick up all the fish that have died and come ashore. Waste Pro is working hand-in-hand with the city, the county, code enforcement and public works to make sure that all the dumpsters are emptied as quickly as possible so there is no lingering smell. It’s been a team effort. Everybody’s pulled their weight and done a great job, and it’s much appreciated.”

County update

On Monday morning, Whitmore forwarded to the three Island mayors a 7:45 a.m. red tide update distributed by Parks Operation Manager Carmine DeMilio and Executive Assistant Marianne Lopata.

“Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach have light amounts of fish. Cortez Beach north to Bean Point has light amounts of fish. We are running one beach rake from Bean Point southward. We are running one beach rake from the Coquina Pass northward,” the update said.

“Bayfront Park is being cleaned by staff. Coquina North Boat Ramp is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Coquina South Boat Ramp is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Coquina Bayside is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Air quality is okay but some minor irritation and coughing. Smell is okay in the county-maintained areas,” the update said.

County contributions

Elliott Falcione serves as executive director of the county-funded Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) that works in unison with the county’s Tourist Development Council (TDC).

“With the recommendation of the TDC, the Board of County Commissioners made the decision to use tourist dollars for this kind of situation,” Falcione said Monday morning.

A significant portion of the county’s resort tax revenues are generated on Anna Maria Island. Falcione encourages vacation rental companies and owners to work with impacted customers in a cooperative manner that encourages the repeat business that’s a staple of the county’s tourism industry.

He said the CVB is monitoring the red tide impacts on a daily basis and providing red tide information to the public at the county tourism website.

“The best thing we can do for our customers is to be totally honest with them. If there’s red tide, we’ll share that. If it’s modest, we’ll share that. If it’s bad, we’ll share that. And if it’s gone, we’ll share that. You have to share the news good and bad, and we urge people to share the good news when it comes,” Falcione said.

Whitmore, who serves as the TDC chair, said the red tide cleanup occurring at Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach, Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach and Bayfront Park in Anna Maria is being funded using state-restricted, county-controlled, TDC-recommended resort tax funds. She said the additional shoreline cleanup is being paid for using the county’s general fund.

Related coverage

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Cortez fishermen assist with red tide cleanup

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Castles in the Sand

Property values, taxes always hot topics

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

Summer cocktail parties are one of the staples of the nice warm summer months, sometimes too warm. But whether you’re on the beach, on the boat or just hanging by the backyard pool, the conversation at some point will always turn to property values and taxes.

Last week, we talked about the May sales statistics for Manatee County, which continue to go up overall. This week, we have some new property value information from Manatee County, which was submitted to the Florida Department of Revenue.

Construction was up $1.1 billion in market value, which included 2,502 new single-family homes and 398 new condos. County-wide the taxable values increased from $33.3 billion to $36.1 billion, an 8.16 percent increase.

On Anna Maria Island, the city of Anna Maria had the biggest increase in taxable value between 2017 and 2018 by 10.32 percent. This was the largest increase compared to all other Manatee County municipalities. Bradenton Beach’s taxable value increased 9.3 percent and Holmes Beach’s taxable value increased 7.9 percent. Per Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker the fiscal year of 2018 saw a growth of 9.2 percent in the tax base. This means that he does not see the need to increase the property tax rates for the next fiscal year and presented this recommendation to county commissioners.

Last week, we also touched on the new tax overhaul as it related to home equity loans, but here’s a little more detail. Prior law allowed homeowners to deduct interest up to $100,000 of home equity debt to be used for any reason. Under the new tax provision, you will no longer be allowed to take the interest deduction on new or existing home equity loans unless they’re used for home improvements.

The term “home improvements” is broadly defined as anything that adds value to the home such as landscaping or remodeling but not repairs. This can be a definite maybe when calculating your ability to make these deductions and should be discussed with a tax expert.

A lot of homeowners who currently have outstanding home equity loans on their property will not be happy. Note that if you took a home equity loan out 5 years ago to help your daughter purchase a home and have been deducting the interest on this loan for 5 years, you will no longer be able to take this deduction for the 2018 tax year. However, keep in mind that since the standard deduction has increased to $12,000 for single people and $24,000 for married couples with a potential added benefit for filers 65 and older, the loss of the home equity deduction may not be as bad as you think.

In addition, as previously stated, homeowners from high taxed states are seriously on the move. Residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Maryland, and Oregon have the highest state and local tax rates in the country, which are now being capped under the provision of the new tax law.

States like Florida are seeing potential buyers from these and other high taxed states looking for property in the Sunshine State with the potential of establishing residency. I haven’t personally seen it yet, but I’m sure some creative real estate professional is marketing the property to out-of-state buyers, pointing out the tax benefits of relocating to Florida.

With property values going up, property taxes not increasing and no state tax, no wonder we’re seeing a huge influx of new residents. The only minor blip on the radar is the home equity tax deduction ruling. At least this summer the cocktail party chatter won’t get boring.

More Castles in the Sand

Where have all the houses gone?

Preparing your home for sale

Castles in the Sand

Where have all the houses gone?

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

For a very long time now, those involved in the real estate market have been moaning about the lack of inventory. There are buyers ready, willing and able, but there’s not much to choose from. We’re looking at bidding wars and first-time buyers just throwing up their hands and signing another year’s lease.

No one seems to know the answer including the National Association of Realtors which reported that May’s national home sales were 5.43 million of previously owned homes compared with 5.6 million in May of last year. In addition, so far this year sales are 2 percent below last year’s pace, despite a strong job market and increased household incomes.

There are all kinds of opinions about this unusual phenomenon, ranging from new homes not being built to higher interest rates. And, of course, the new tax plan, which caps state and local tax deductions and places some limits on mortgage interest deductions, could also be reducing buyer incentives.

But is it really? If interest rates and tax deductions were the reason, housing prices would fall and inventory would be higher, neither of which is happening nationally or right here in Manatee County. Nationally, the median sale price for an existing single-family home in May was $264,800 versus $252,500 in April. So here are the Manatee County May statistics:

The median sale price for single-family homes in Manatee County for May was $305,000, up 2 percent from May of last year. The average sale price was $405,029, up 1.8 percent from last year. The listing to closing price is holding at about 95.5 percent and the median time to sell was 98 days compared to 92 days last year.

Condo numbers were both up and down for May. The median sale price was $183,750, down 1.3 percent from last year, but the average sale price was up 11.3 percent to $234,256 from last May. Listing to sale was 94.1 percent with the median time to sell at 93 days, pretty consistent from last year for both condos and single-family homes.

What’s also unfortunately consistent is the supply of properties for sale, which is approximately 4.5 months for both condos and single-family homes, remaining essentially unchanged from last year. Nationally, the month’s supply is about the same, which is way down from a decade ago where it stood at between 5 and 6 months, the level economists consider healthy.

Swirling around all of this talk about the softening of the housing market is the effect of the new tax plan on mortgage interest deductibility as stated above. Homeowners are sharpening their pencils and attempting to determine if paying off or buying down their mortgage is advantageous for them.

Everyone’s tax position is unique to them and needs to be calculated by a professional, especially as it relates to doubling the standard deductions, capping the state and local taxes and possibly losing interest deductions for some high-end mortgages. And don’t forget your home equity loan interest, which cannot be deducted unless you can justify the funds were used to buy, build or improve your home.

Somehow, all of these serious changes are having an impact on the market, if for no other reason than to force buyers and more importantly sellers to step back and wait for the dust to settle. Don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen any time soon. I think we need to get through at least another tax year before we see any movement.

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