Bowling fun raises funds
Jellyfish-themed
No swim zone implemented after Bean Point drowning
The previously discussed no swim zone was implemented after a young man drowned while swimming at Bean Point.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT |
jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Swimming is now prohibited at Bean Point in Anna Maria. Implemented on Tuesday, Sept. 2, the Bean Point no swim zone extends around the north end of Bean Point from the Fern Street beach access to the Rod & Reel Pier property.
The temporary white and red signs installed Sept. 2 feature the likeness of a swimmer and say, “NO SWIMMING.” The temporary signs will be replaced by permanent signs.
On Thursday, Sept. 11, City Attorney Becky Vose will present city commis-
sioners with the first reading of a new city ordinance that will formalize the swimming prohibition and allow for its enforcement.
Mayor Mark Short and the city of Anna Maria enacted the previously discussed no swim zone two days after Abhigyan Patel went missing while swimming with a companion at Bean Point on Sunday, Aug. 31. Patel’s body was recovered the following day.
On Sept. 2, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued a press release that said, “Abhigyan Patel, 20, has been confirmed as the swimmer who drowned off Bean Point. The name was not released earlier out of respect for his family members living overseas and his father, who was on an international flight late yesterday.”
Drift-In owner denies city attorney’s claim about FDEP complaint
Derek Williams criticized Ricinda Perry’s claim that he was the source of a complaint about a neighboring business.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – Drift-In bar owner Derek Williams denied filing a complaint with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) about the Anna Maria Oyster Bar’s (AMOB) outdoor tiki structures.
During public comment at the Sept. 4 Bradenton Beach City Commission meeting, Williams criticized City Attorney Ricinda Perry for allegedly telling someone he filed the FDEP complaint.
“I had a local merchant come to me in the last week and tell me Ms. Perry
had spoken directly to the owner and the manager of the business and informed them that I had personally reported them for certain legal issues, which I’m 1,000% sure I did not do,” Williams said. “I’m a small business owner trying to do business, trying to rally businesses and be positive in this community. I really don’t appreciate it. I got direct phone calls from those people; they doubled down and verified it was Ricinda. I’m sure she won’t look me in the eye.”
“I’m absolutely happy to look you in the eye,” Perry said.
“It’s unfortunate; and it still feels to me that big business wants to come in and push out small business. These people are all trying to do the right thing, as am I, so feel free to respond to me,” Williams said.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Bubble Binz and Anna Maria Charters bowlers (left), skilled bowlers (top right) and young bowlers Saylah Harding and Charlie Serra (bottom right) helped raise funds for The Center. See story on Page 17.
Bradenton Beach responds to state legislators’ letter
State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and State Sen. Jim Boyd requested updates from three Island cities about the efforts to consolidate services and improve efficiency.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners discussed an Aug. 28 letter sent to the three Island mayors from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton).
The state legislators' letter requested updates from all three Island cities on their efforts to consolidate similar services provided to the public.
“Given the broader budget environment and the legislature’s continued emphasis on efficiency and accountability, we need a clearer understanding of where things stand before we move into the appropriations process in Tallahassee,” the letter stated.
Boyd and Robinson requested updates on the following items:
• Any steps taken since the OPPAGA study to explore shared services.
• Efforts to coordinate operations across
the three cities to reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
• How these priorities are reflected in your budgets and planning moving forward.
During the Sept. 4 city commission meeting, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “The large point that I think was made was to ask what have you done since the OPAAGA study to consolidate services? They wanted an accounting of that, and failure to do so would result in them not moving forward with appropriation requests from the municipalities.”
Perry drafted a letter in response to Boyd and Robinson’s request and read it to the mayor and commissioners.
The letter stated in part: “As Governor DeSantis has recognized, Bradenton Beach sustained the most severe damage in Manatee County, with nearly 95% percent of the city impacted. The work of rebuilding our community has been both overwhelming and unrelenting. To date, we are still having structures torn down, roads repaired, lights and electrical wiring reinstalled and replaced, as well as a significant amount of sand removal from all the stormwater repairs.”
Perry noted in the letter that Bradenton Beach sought opportunities to work
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
City commissioners and City Attorney Ricinda Perry discussed the city’s response to a letter requesting an update on the efforts to consolidate public services
collaboratively with the other Island cities, but following the hurricanes any trial consolidation of services presented significant challenges that proved impractical to sustain.
“When we worked with Holmes Beach and they came down and looked at the permits that were issued by the city’s building official, Mr. (Darin) Cushing, Holmes Beach would not put their license on the line and sign off on the inspections,”
Perry said.
Perry’s letter stated Mayor John Chappie previously put together a list after talking with staff and consulting with the commission about what the city could do to consolidate services.
Perry said the list was submitted to OPAAGA, Robinson and Boyd, but the
other cities could not get on the same page with the suggestions for consolidated services.
“There was discussion with Holmes Beach basically wanting to take over the police department,” Perry said. “There was request for our public works to do all the public works work. It never really went where it needed to go.”
Perry’s draft letter says, “We respect the autonomy of our fellow Island cities and recognize that consolidation cannot be successful without mutual interest and commitment. The city is focused on the arduous and costly task of recovery, ensuring that we emerge stronger and more resilient in the years ahead. We remain receptive to constructive discussions should circumstances change. In the meantime, we respectfully request that Bradenton Beach not be disadvantaged in the appropriations process or in consideration of a special act that would directly further our recovery from the two hurricanes and Tropical Storm Debby.”
Perry said the draft letter is a starting point.
“We have until Oct. 1 to respond, so if you would like to take some time, please do it,” Chappie said. “I like your letter. I think it covers the bases. We are wanting to work with everybody.”
ISLAND NEWS
IN BRIEF
Final Bradenton Beach budget hearings scheduled
The final public hearing for the adoption of the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency’s final millage rate and 2025-2026 fiscal year budget will be held Thursday, Sept. 11, at 5:05 p.m. The final public hearing for the adoption of the city of Bradenton Beach’s final millage rate and 2025-2026 fiscal year budget will follow at 5:30 p.m. The budget hearings will include public comment, adoption of joint final millage resolution 25-985, adoption of joint final budget resolution 25-986 and the second reading of joint ordinance 25-565 for the adoption of the budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 and authorization for the receipt and collection of ad valorem taxes. The final budget hearings will be held in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers at 107 Gulf Drive N.
Budget, millage rate, no swim zone, paid parking lot on commission agenda
The Anna Maria City Commission will meet at a special time, 5:01 p.m., on Thursday, Sept. 11, because the meeting will include the first of two state-mandated millage rate and budget adoption hearings. After general public comment and the adoption of the multi-item consent agenda that includes a $1.6 million agreement with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the mayor and commission will participate in a public hearing for the adoption of the 1.65 millage rate and the $30 million 2025-26 fiscal year budget. The commission will be asked to approve two planning and zoning boardrecommended variance requests: one pertaining to the setback requirements for two existing structures at 102 and 104 Tuna Street and the other for the replacement of a boat lift at 239 Willow Avenue that extends into the required setback area. The commission will be asked to approve a site plan for a privately-owned paid parking lot at 9806 Gulf Drive. The commission will be presented with an ordinance that allows the city to borrow $4 million to cover hurricane-related costs that include the replacement of the City Pier and repairs to the city’s stormwater system while awaiting anticipated FEMA reimbursement. The commission will be presented with the first reading of a new ordinance that formalizes the no swim zone recently enacted at Bean Point. The commission will be asked to authorize four emergency debris removal agreements and a comprehensive disaster recovery services agreement.
Correction
A story in last week’s Sun omitted residential development as a currently prohibited use for the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property in Holmes Beach. Residential and commercial development on the church property are currently prohibited because of the property’s Public/Semi-Public (PSP) zoning and future land use designations.
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Holmes Beach officials discuss SB 180
The impacts of the new state law created by the adoption of SB 180 are being discussed statewide.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH
– City officials are taking a wait and see approach to joining a yet to be filed lawsuit that will challenge a new state law that significantly restricts Florida cities and counties’ ability to enact and enforce new development regulations.
The new state law was created earlier this year by the Florida Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 180, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law effective July 1.
The new state law prohibits city and county governments from adopting development regulations and comprehensive plan amendments that are more burdensome or restrictive than those in place on Aug. 1, 2024.
THE LAW
Section 28 of SB 180 says, “Each county listed in the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, and each municipality within one of those counties, may not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any property damaged by such hurricanes; propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order before October 1, 2027, and any such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation or procedure shall be null and void. This subsection applies retroactively to August 1, 2024.”
Section 18 of SB 180 says, “The term ‘impacted local government’ means a county listed in a federal disaster declaration located entirely or partially within 100 miles of the track of a storm declared to be a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center
while the storm was categorized as a hurricane, or a municipality located within such a county.”
THE PENDING LAWSUIT
Fort Lauderdale-based attorney Jamie Cole is leading the efforts to challenge the new state law and he recently reached out to city and county attorneys statewide to gauge their interest in joining the lawsuit. Cole is a managing partner with the Weiss Serotta Helfman Cole Brierman law firm headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and he’s served as the city attorney for the city of Weston since 1999.
On Sept. 2, Manatee County Commissioners voted 6-1 to join the soon to be filed lawsuit at an initial upfront cost of $10,000 – with additional costs possible if the judge’s eventual ruling is appealed.
When contacted on Sept. 5, Cole said, “So far, a total of 16 local governments have joined the lawsuit from all over the state, including two counties and 14 municipalities. We plan to file in mid-September. We haven’t determined the jurisdiction yet.”
In February 2024, Cole filed a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the expanded Form 6 financial disclosure requirements the Florida Legislature and DeSantis imposed statewide on mayors and city commissioners.
In June 2024, United States District Judge Melissa Damian issued a temporary injunction that temporarily prevents from the state from enforcing the financial disclosure law that took effect Jan. 1, 2024. According to Cole, the lawsuit parties are still awaiting Damian’s final ruling.
HOLMES BEACH DISCUSSION
On Aug. 26, City Attorney Erica Augello provided the Holmes Beach mayor and commissioners with an overview of the potential impacts of SB 180. At the time, Manatee County Commissioners had not yet decided to join the lawsuit.
Augello said she wasn’t prepared to advise the commission on joining the pending lawsuit because she didn’t have enough information about the legal arguments to be made, who’s joining the lawsuit and in which jurisdiction the case will be argued.
“This is the law we have to abide by at this point,” she said. “Whatever gets decided at that level is going to impact every city in the state of Florida, so joining it or not joining it is not necessarily going to make a difference.”
Augello said there’s already talk about state legislators amending the law during the 2026 legislative session to address the concerns being raised.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN City Attorney Erica Augello recently shared her insights on the potential impacts of Senate Bill 180.
Manatee County joining SB 180 legal challenge
Manatee County is joining with other Florida counties and cities to challenge a new state law that impacts development regulations.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County is joining a soon to be filed lawsuit that will challenge the new state law created by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis’s adoption and enactment of Senate Bill 180 earlier this year.
On Sept. 2, county commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of joining legal challenge at an initial cost of $10,000, which additional costs anticipated if a judge’s order is issued and then appealed.
Originally intended to prevent city and county governments from making it more difficult for property owners to repair, rehabilitate and rebuild their hurricane-damaged structures, the far-reaching state law prohibits city and county governments from adopting land use regulations that are more restrictive or cumbersome than those that existed on Aug. 1, 2024.
The new law’s potential implications recently caused county commissioners to delay voting on returning the county’s wetland setback requirements to the more stringent requirements that were in place before the previous county commission weakened them in a manner more favorable to developers.
A memo included in the Sept. 2 county commission meeting packet says, “SB180 is overbroad and overreaching. It has been used by developers to put a choke hold on Manatee County and on home rule. Manatee County looks to challenge SB180 in the court of law in order to remove the section that prevents Manatee County from taking necessary steps to mitigate flooding and damage. The section should only apply to property damaged in an emergency caused by the emergency.”
When providing public input before the commissioners discussed joining the lawsuit, county resident Dalton Nelson said the new law undermines home rule authority and strips local governments of the flexibility needed to respond to overdevelopment, flooding, infra -
This notion that we’re restricting homeowners from rebuilding is just ridiculous.”
Tal Siddique, Manatee County commissioner
structure planning, environmental protections and other challenges.
“To the make matters worse, Mr. DeSantis has gone so far as to threaten removing commissioners who do not fall in line with these laws. That is not democracy. That is intimidation. When commissioners govern out of fear of removal instead of in the best interests of the residents the entire system of local government is weakened,” Nelson said.
County resident Anthony Shulo said the new law fails to make distinctions between disaster recovery and future land use decisions, which he said are two very different scenarios: “Without official clarification, the door is already open misapplication and misinterpretation – something that should concern every resident of this county.”
County resident Glen Gibellina noted every state legislator in the Manatee County Legislative Delegation voted in favor of the new law, including Sen. Jim Boyd and state representatives Will Robinson Jr. and Bill Conerly.
District 3 commissioner Tal Siddique doesn’t oppose all the provisions set forth in SB 180 but he said it contains some “bad language” and some developers are already actively looking to litigate in court the definitions of “more restrictive” and “burdensome.”
“That’s operating in bad faith,” Siddique said.
“This notion that we’re restricting homeowners from rebuilding is just ridiculous. It’s false. I welcome us
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BRADENTON BEACH
HOLMES BEACH
107 GULF DRIVE N.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005
ANNA MARIA
10005 GULF DRIVE
Visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.
5801 MARINA DRIVE
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800
Visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130
Visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 5:01 p.m., City Commission meeting and budget adoption hearing.
Friday, Sept. 12, 9:30 a.m., Pier replacement RFP bid openings. Tuesday, Sept. 16, 9 a.m., Special magistrate hearing.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m., Planning and Zoning Board meeting.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 5:05 p.m., Community Redevelopment Agency budget meeting.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 5:15 p.m., City Commission budget meeting.
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 9 a.m., City Commission beach cabana rental work meeting.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m., Pier Team meeting.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1 p.m., Scenic WAVES Committee meeting.
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 8 a.m., Vacation rental stakeholders meeting.
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m., Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m., Code Compliance special magistrate hearings.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 2 p.m., City Commission meeting.
Thursday, Sept. 11, 5:01 p.m., City Commission Budget Hearing.
Bayfest returns in October
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce will host its 24th annual Bayfest celebration on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria on Saturday, Oct. 18. Billed as “The Island’s largest and longest-running festival” and offering free admission, Bayfest will take place from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and feature a classic car show, a food court, arts and rafts vendors and a full day of live music from The Tropicats, Memphis Rub, Jack’d Up and The Dr. Dave Band, with local musician Mike Sales serving as the master of the musical ceremonies. “We’re thrilled to be back after the challenges from last year’s storms and we can’t wait to celebrate with our incredible community,” the Chamber stated in a recent Facebook post. “Bayfest is a fantastic day out for the whole family, filled with good vibes and great entertainment. We are so excited to bring this beloved tradition back to life, showcasing the resilience and spirit of our beautiful Island.”
Holmes Beach officials meet with county officials
Relations between Holmes Beach and Manatee County officials have improved greatly since the 2024 elections reshaped the county commission.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON – Holmes Beach officials recently spent three hours discussing several items of shared interest with Manatee County officials.
The Sept. 3 joint meeting between the two governmental agencies was held in the fifth-floor conference room at the county administration building in downtown Bradenton. The meeting agenda contained 12 discussion items and presentations were given by county and city staff,
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer shared his concerns about the amount of commercial activity occurring at the Palma Sola Causeway along Manatee Avenue in route to Holmes Beach.
County Commission Chair George Kruse asked Tokajer what problems the commercial activities are causing – other than city officials and others not wanting the vendors there. Kruse said the causeway falls under
the jurisdiction of the city of Bradenton and he suggested the city share its concerns with Bradenton mayor Gene Brown.
Tokajer and Mayor Judy Titsworth also sought the county’s assistance in regulating commercial activities occurring on boats that sell hots dogs and/or ice cream while anchored just offshore of the Holmes Beach shoreline.
Manatee County Natural Resources
Director Charlie Hunsicker said if the city wants to implement vessel exclusion zones at certain beach areas the first point of contact would be the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
POLICE PATROLS
Tokajer said it currently costs $146,000 per year for the city’s police officers to patrol the county-owned Manatee Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp as part of a longstanding interlocal agreement with the county.
A document prepared by Deputy County Administrator Courtney DePol noted the county has paid the city $46,000 per year since 2019 and that’s what’s included in the 2026 county budget.
Kruse said he’s not opposed to increasing that amount next year but he needs to see some supporting data first that indicates how much the increase should be. He said
it’s too late in budget process to include an increase in the county’s 2026 budget.
District 3 County Commissioner Tal Siddique agrees the city should receive an increase. He said the city provided county staff with some supporting data in February and somehow it got lost in the shuffle.
TOURIST TAX REVENUES
Holmes Beach Public Works Director Sage Kamiya appealed to the county to provide tourist development funds to improve the sidewalks and bike paths along the heavily traveled section of Marina Drive, near the marina and the shopping center.
Holmes Beach Commissioner Carol Soustek shared her belief that for safety purposes county-controlled tourist development tax revenues should be provided to help improve and repair those sidewalks and bike paths used by tourists and off-Island visitors.
Kruse said he’d be more interested in an Island-wide trail system collectively pursued by all three Island cities.
PAID PARKING
At the request of Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins, the final discussion topic was paid parking at the county beach and the city-controlled beach access points
in Holmes Beach.
In August, Diggins asked city commissioners to consider implementing paid parking within a quarter mile of the city-controlled beach access points. The mayor and other commissioners agreed that paid beach parking might be inevitable but they’re not interested in pursuing it now.
During the city/county meeting, Diggins said the revenues generated at the citycontrolled parking areas would generate additional revenues for the city.
Kruse agreed that paid parking might be inevitable, but he doesn’t foresee the county taking the lead anytime soon. Kruse said paid parking should be used to control and manage public parking and the revenues generated should be spent on enhancing the beach experience rather than helping the city pay for other expenses.
IMPROVED RELATIONS
As the meeting concluded, the city and county officials agreed that the cordial discussions that occurred illustrate the significantly improved relationship that now exists between the city and the county – as opposed to the contentious relationship that existed between the city and the previous county commission that was reshaped by the 2024 elections.
Jason Stock remembered for his love of family, fishing, the environment
A celebration of life will be held at The Center of Anna Maria Island on Saturday, Oct. 11.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON - Jason Stock, who passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 29, is being remembered by the fishing community and many friends for his legacy as a well-respected charter fishing captain, a loving father and a conscientious steward for the environment.
Angela Collins, assistant extension scientist at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab, worked with Stock for nearly 20 years on environmental projects.
“He inspired everyone he took fishing – whether they were 8 or 80, they learned something about the ocean from him. He started his own non-profit initiative (Full Send Reef Habitat Inc.) with a dream to give something back and create something more – for his kids, for his clients, for all of us. He cared about the future of fishing,” Collins wrote in an email she sent to members an advisory committee.
“He truly cared about the science and worked so hard to make a difference. And he did make a difference. He tagged hundreds of fish and provided guidance to researchers and contributed a ton of input and data to cooperative research projects,” she wrote.
According to the organization’s website, “Full Send Reef Habitat Inc.’s mission is to create more habitats offshore and inshore to support sustainable fisheries for Florida’s ever-growing population. To create this artificial reef habitat, the Full Send Reef Habitat Inc. uses repurposed materials to create more safe places for our
CAPTAINJASONSTOCK.COM | SUBMITTED
FACEBOOK/DAVID ZACCAGNINO | SUBMITTED
Charter fishing captain Jason Stock was loved and respected by many in the local community. Jason Stock’s fishing boat was named The Full Send.
fish to inhabit, providing additional fishing opportunities and taking pressure off overfished spots.”
The mission statement also says, “We want to keep Florida the fishing capital of the world. Our inspiration comes from a love of the water, a passion for learning about the species that inhabit it and a desire for future generations to have a sustainable and well-rounded fishery.”
FRIENDS REFLECT
“He was able to see things in the water that none of us saw,” his friend Eric Pullen said. “Half of his job was to entertain clients, and he always had a smile on his face and got people excited about being on the water. His zest for life was unmatchable.”
Pullen said Stock started off in St. Petersburg as a kayak fishing guide and progressed to becoming an inshore boat captain and then with a larger boat, a custom-built 31-foot Yellowfin, The Full Send, for offshore charters.
“He was intense about being on the
water,” Pullen said. “He connected with everybody. He was a special guy and was extremely well respected.”
“I first met him in Sarasota Bay,” charter captain Scott Moore said. “He was on his kayak and he waved and told me about running his kayak guide service.”
“He cared about fisheries and sustainability. As fishermen, we take from the water, but for Jason it was important to put something back,” Moore said. “He cared very much about the community.”
That care for the community was evident after the 2024 hurricanes. With roads impassable, Stock transported people back and forth from the mainland to Anna Maria Island at no cost on his 26-foot skiff.
Moore said Stock was known for his enthusiasm for fishing and the water.
“People have got to like you. You have to have a good time while catching fish,” Moore said. “Jason had that kind of energy, which is why he was so successful. His passion was offshore fishing and he was a great offshore fisherman.”
Moore said Stock was a hardworking family man who loved his two young daughters dearly.
One of Stock’s closest friends, Zach Walker, met him about eight years ago on the water and they became instant friends.
“We fished together but the great thing about our friendship is we also talked about life outside of fishing,” Walker said. “We used to joke that Jason never met a stranger. He was the kind of person who’d bring things out in you that you didn’t know you had. He was such a nice guy. He really was one of a kind.”
Charter captain David White said Stock was known far and wide for his fishing skills.
“He was very well known and respected,” White said. “He was a good person and a good dad. He was always there for his kids. It’s up to our community to remind them how much their dad loved them.”
“You’ve never met a guy like him,” White added. “He was full of energy, larger than life and always smiling.” Stock’s reach and reputation went beyond the local fishing community and he was well-known for his participation in fishing tournaments and fishing podcasts.
“Captain Jason Stock has been fishing his entire life, with over 15 years full-time professional experience. His greatest accomplishments are placing in the FLW Red Fish tour, winning local kayak tournaments and bill fishing tournaments throughout Florida. His photo has also been on the cover of
Bradenton Beach holds first budget hearing
The current 2.3329 millage rate will remain the same for the new fiscal year.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – The first of two public budget adoption hearings was held on Sept. 4.
“The tax rate is 2.3329 per $1,000 (of appraised property value), which is the same rate as the prior year,” City Treasurer Shayne Thompson said of the property tax millage rate.
Projected revenues for the 20252026 fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 total $5.35 million, with total general fund expenditures projected to be $4.99 million – an increase of $358,497 from the current fiscal year.
General fund revenues total $3.48 million, with the largest portion of that being ad valorem property tax revenues of $2.13 million, followed by electrical service tax revenues of $304,750 and Transient Public Lodging Establishment (TPLE) license fee revenues of $254,550. Police revenues came in at $279,117. Of that, $147,000 is estimated to come from parking fines and $129,419 will come from the Manatee County as
part of an interlocal agreement for city police services provided at county beaches in Bradenton Beach.
Planning revenues are projected to be $947,200, with building permits and planning fees constituting $898,000 of that figure. The projected planning revenues also include pier, streets and road, stormwater management and sanitation service revenues.
Included in the $4.99 million in total projected general fund expenditures are: $2.12 million for police services, including salaries of $1.12 million; administrative costs and wages totaling $868,358; planning service costs and wages totaling $531,860; streets and roads costs totaling $516,730; storm water management costs totaling $240,301; city commission costs totaling $188,157; facilities costs totaling $144,285; pier expenditures totaling $133,770; emergency operations costs totaling $95,400; code enforcement cost totaling $74,289; flood insurancerelated Community Rating System (CRS) costs totaling $71,020 and sanitation costs totaling $2,500.
The second and final public budget hearing will be held Thursday, Sept. 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers at 107 Gulf Drive N.
941-778-0414 • 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria
HB SB 180: Holmes Beach officials discuss SB 180
“Let this play out a couple more weeks, see what happens and let Erica continue to do her research,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said.
Regarding the law itself, Augello said, “The law says you cannot adopt or enforce any land development regulation that are more burdensome or more restrictive than what was in place prior to Aug. 1, 2024.”
Augello said the state did not define “restrictive” and “more burdensome” and that will likely be argued in court.
“I don’t know if that means financially. I don’t know if that means development rights,” she said, She said the 100-mile designation is not clearly defined either and that will also likely be argued in court.
Augello noted the new state law is scheduled to expire in October 2027 but the expiration date would be extended each time the city is in the path of a named hurricane.
“They snuck that in there,” Commissioner Dan Diggins said.
“It was debated hotly. That may be something that gets revisited in the future,” Augello said of the expiration date that could be extended annually and essentially “set in stone” all local land development regulations in place as of Aug. 1, 2024.
Augello said development regulations in place before then remain valid and new development regulations can be adopted but fact-specific staff and legal analysis will be needed to determine if the proposed regulation is more restrictive or burdensome. She said local governments can still adopt new regulations that are less restrictive and more favorable to development.
Augello said Holmes Beach has been operating under a similar hurricane-
related law the Florida Legislature and the governor enacted in 2023 with the adoption of SB 250.
SB 250 says, “A county or municipality located entirely or partially within 100 miles of where either Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole made landfall shall not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of any property damaged by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole; propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order before Oct. 1, 2024.”
“I think we move on business as usual,” Augello said. “You do what’s best for your city and then we take a look at everything that goes through and we analyze it to see if there’s a way we can support it with factual findings.”
Augello said any new development regulations adopted by the city could be challenged in court. The new
regulation could not be enforced while the legal challenge plays out and the legal challenge could b6e initiated by anyone, even if they’re not personally impacted by the new regulation. The new state law also contains a provision for the award of attorney fees.
“If we lose, they get attorney fees. If we win, we get nothing,” Augello said.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she’s not in favor of joining the lawsuit. She doesn’t want the city to alienate the Florida Legislature and the city’s ability to secure state funds while Bradenton-based State Sen. Jim Boyd serves as Florida Senate president in 2026 and 2027.
Commissioner Steve Oelfke said he’s concerned about how the new state law will impact development in Manatee County, which in turn will impact the Island and the city of Holmes Beach. His concerns include protecting the water quality of the surrounding natural waters and the county’s ability to continue providing adequate water and sewage services.
“There’s a lot at the county level that affects us,” he said.
Oelfke said the potential for increased development in Manatee County should be considered when deciding if the city joins the lawsuit.
Commissioner Dan Diggins asked if the city can increase building permit fees under the new state law.
“Absolutely not,” Augello responded. In response to another Diggins’ question, Augello said the new state law doesn’t hinder the city’s ability to regulate commercial activity on the beach or other behavioral-related concerns.
Titsworth doesn’t share Whitmore’s concern about alienating state legislators and she’s not interested in pursuing state funds if they come with retaliatory “tit for tat” strings attached.
“Attack on home rule is real,” the mayor said. “This bill is very threatening. I think it’s going to be fixed. There’s too many people up in arms. I think the developers went a little too far in getting their way and I think the pendulum will hopefully swing the other way.”
The city commission meets again on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m., and it’s possible the SB 180 lawsuit will be discussed again.
A RESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
After watching the Aug. 26 meeting online, Holmes Beach resident Margie Motzer expressed her concerns that the new state law may be more impactful than the city attorney anticipates.
“As SB 180 was discussed at the commission meeting, I was grateful that some city officials recognized that the potential impact was being underplayed,” Motzer said. “Many experts agree that this bill is a major affront to Florida cities on multiple levels.”
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Holmes Beach officials discussed Senate Bill 180 and the pending lawsuit that will challenge the new state law.
Drains cleared in Anna Maria
As part of the city of Anna Maria’s ongoing stormwater system maintenance efforts, Groom Industrial employees James Crews and David Montgomery cleared a storm drain along Spring Avenue, near the Gulf Drive intersection. On Aug. 28, with Public Works Manager Dean Jones also present, Crews and Montgomery used a vacuum truck to transform a storm drain overgrown with weeds and completely filled with dirt and sand into an unobstructed, fully functional drain again.
Waterspout forms off Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria resident Asa Cole shot this photo of the waterspout that formed between the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Anna Maria City Pier on Friday, Aug. 5. “We spotted this funnel cloud headed our way from the St. Pete/Tampa area at 7:43 p.m. After it broke up, we were hit by rain, wind, thunder and lightning. It was a wild few hours,” he said.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
ASA COLE | SUBMITTED
Charges reduced for Ian Douglas in shooting death of father
Charges were reduced for Ian Douglas in the July 29 shooting death of his father at their Cortez home. Charges were amended on Aug. 18 from aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person, a first-degree felony, to manslaughter by culpable negligence with a firearm, which is a second-degree felony. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, Sept. 12 at the Manatee County Judicial Center. Douglas was also charged with possession of cannabis with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. He will be arraigned on those charges on Friday, Sept. 19.
BEACH BEAT
BRADENTON BEACH
Aug. 30, 3 p.m., Church Avenue. Grand theft. Police received a report that a personal watercraft trailer had been missing from a marina. The owner of the trailer told police it had been stored there for quite a while and he last saw it two weeks earlier. Marina staff reportedly told police they did not know the location of the trailer, but it likely had been stored in an area at the back of the property that did not have security cameras. The trailer was described as a silver aluminum Continental single personal watercraft trailer bearing New York tags.
Douglas
Sea turtle nesting finished for the season
Turtle Watch
visitors and residents to keep beaches dark at night to mini mize hatchling disorientations.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND - Sea turtles appear to be done nesting for this season and only 100 nests remain on Anna Maria Island beaches.
“Turtle Patrol continues our daily patrols for new adult crawls and checks on every marked nest,” Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in a Sept. 5 email. “We are finding a few hatches each day and inventorying every nest three days after the hatch is documented. We love sharing these experiences with the public, so if you see us doing a nest inventory, please come and check it out - you might even get to see some live hatchlings.”
Mazzarella reports an excellent emergence success rate from nests this year.
lings use the energy they get from absorbing their yolk sac to make their way to the water and swim to the sargassum line where they will find more food and shelter.
“With an average around 69%, nests are doing really well,” she wrote. “It's reflected in the number of hatchlings that are being producednearly 28,000 and counting.”
Hatchling disorientations occurred in 140 nests.
“This is very sad news,” Mazzarella wrote. “Hatchlings use light as a cue to find the water - they go away from dark shadows and towards the brightest horizon. This means that a minimum of 3,854 hatchlings from
140 nests traveled the wrong way by following artificial lighting and may or may not have made it to the water.”
Turtle Watch uses the tracks left by hatchlings to estimate how many turtles became disoriented and categorizes them into three groups: five to 10 hatchlings, 11 to 50 hatchlings and 50+ hatchlings.
“We then multiply the number of nests in each category by the minimum number in each category to calculate the minimum number disoriented,” Mazzarella wrote. “The actual number of disoriented hatchlings is likely much higher than the minimum. Not all disorientations can be accurately categorized when hatchling tracks are obliterated by rain, so some disorientations are categorized in lower categories or not documented at all. Even more sad is the news that we have documented at least 169 dead hatchlings as a result of disorientations.”
Mazzarella reminds visitors and residents to keep the beach dark for the remaining hatchlings so they can make it safely to the Gulf.
Where’s Winnie?
SUBMITTED
Winnie, a female loggerhead sea turtle, is in seventh place in a field of 12 turtles in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Tour de Turtles Race that began on Aug. 1. She has traveled 311 miles in the Gulf since she was satellitetagged and released after nesting on Coquina Beach on June 23 and she’s traveled 160 miles since the race began. Winnie is swimming to raise awareness about the threat of light pollution and how lighting near shore can negatively impact nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. Her participation in the 2025 Tour de Turtles is sponsored by Hurricane Hanks and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. Visit The Sun’s Facebook page for weekly “Where’s Winnie?” updates and visit amisun.com for weekly updates on turtle nesting activity in “Nesting News.”
NESTING NEWS
Turtle nests laid: 542
(527 loggerhead, 15 green)
Record: 543 in 2019
False crawls: 828 (797 loggerhead, 31 green)
Record: 831 in 2010
Nests hatched: 378 (379 loggerhead, 8 green)
Record: 453 in 2022
Hatchlings produced: 27,887 (27,438 loggerhead, 449 green)
Record: 35,850 in 2022
Hatchling disorientations: 140 (139 loggerhead, 1 green)
Adult disorientations: 30 (28 loggerhead, 2 green)
Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
The following hotels and motels accept pets. Some have limitations on species, number, size and breed, some require pets to be caged before housekeeping services are rendered, some require deposits or extra charges, and some have special pet amenities, such as grassy areas for walking. Call ahead to find accommodations that match your needs, and make a list of several hotels in different parts of the state to be prepared for storms from any direction.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
Anna Maria Dream Inn 2502 Gulf Dr. N. Bradenton Beach 941-209-1420
Anna Maria Island
Resorts
Tortuga Beach Resort 1325 Gulf Dr. Bradenton Beach 941-778-6611
Anna Maria Motel
808 N. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria 941-778-1269
Queen’s Gate 1101 Gulf Dr. N. Bradenton Beach 941-778-7153
ARCADIA
Knights Inn
504 S. Brevard Ave. 863-494-4884
Holiday Inn Express 2709 Southeast Hwy. 70 863-494-5900
BRADENTON
Best Western Plus 2215 Cortez Rd W 941-238-0800
Compass Hotel
Anna Maria Sound 12324 Manatee Ave W. 941-741-9700
Courtyard Bradenton
Sarasota/Riverfront
100 Riverfront Dr. W. 941-747-3727
Days Inn
3506 1st St. W. 941-746-1141
Days Inn
Bradenton – I75 644 67th St Circle E 941-746-2505
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Lakewood Ranch 6105 Exchange Way 941-552-4000
Hampton Inn & Suites
309 10th St W 941-746-9400
Hyatt Place Sarasota/ Lakewood Ranch 6021 Exchange Way 941-748-3100
Motel 6
660 67th St. Circle E. 941-747-6005
Spring Hill Suites
Bradenton Downtown Riverfront 102 12th St. W. 941-226-2200
BROOKSVILLE
Days Inn
6320 Windmere Rd 352-796-9486
Microtel Inn 6298 Nature Coast Blvd 352-796-9025
Quality Inn 30307 Cortez Blvd 352-796-9481
CAPE CORAL
Holiday Inn Express 1538 Cape Coral Pkwy E 239-542-2121
Hampton Inn & Suites 619 SE 47th Terrace 239-540-1050
DAYTONA BEACH
Homewood Suites By Hilton 165 Bill France Blvd 386-258-2828
Residence Inn Daytona Beach Speedway/Airport 1725 Richard Petty Blvd 386-252-3949
DELAND
Comfort Inn 400 E International Speedway 386-736-3100
ELLENTON
Hampton Inn 5810 20th Ct. E. 941-721-4000
Red Roof Inn 4915 17th St. E. 941-729-0600
ELLENTON
Super 8
5218 17th St. E. 941-729-8505
FORT MYERS
Baymont Inn & Suites 9401 Marketplace Rd
239-454-0040
Hyatt Place 2600 Champion Ring Rd
239-418-1844
La Quinta Inn 9521 Market Place Rd
239-466-0012
Residence Inn
20371 Summerlin Rd
239-415-4150
Travel Lodge
13661 Indian Paint Ln
239-561-1117
GAINESVILLE
Best Western
4200 N.W. 97th Blvd.
352-331-3336
Home Hotel & Suites
3905 S.W. 43rd St.
352-376-0004
Motel 6
4000 S.W. 40th Blvd.
352-373-1604
Residence Inn by Marriott
I-75
3275 SW 40 Blvd
352-264-0000
KISSIMMEE
Ramada Gateway 7470 HWY 192
407-966-4410
Motel 6
5731 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy.
407-396-6333
LAKELAND
Hilton Garden Inn
3839 Don Emerson Drive
863-647-0066
Motel 6
3120 U.S. Hwy. 98 N. 863-682-0643
Residence Inn
3701 Harden Blvd. 863-680-2323
LAKE BUENA VISTA
Marriott Residence Inn 11450 Marbella Palm Court 407-465-0075
LAKE CITY
Baymont Inn & Suites 3598 US 90 W 386-752-3801
Days Inn
3430 N US Hwy 441 386-758-4224
LAKE MARY
Extended Stay America 1040 Greenwood Blvd 407-829-2332
Hyatt Place 1255 S International Pkwy 407-995-5555
La Quinta Inn 1060 Greenwood Blvd. 407-805-9901
Residence Inn 825 Heathrow Park Lane 407-995-3400
LEESBURG
Best Western Plus 1321 N. 14th Street
352-460-0118
Hampton Inn 9630 Us Hwy 441
352-315-1053
OCALA
Comfort Inn 1212 S Pine Ave
352-629-7300
Hampton Inn & Suites 3601 SW 38th Ave
352-867-0300
La Quinta Inn & Suites
3530 S.W. 36th Ave.
352-861-1137
Microtel Inn & Suites 1770 Southwest 134th St
352-307-1166
Equus Inn 3434 SW College Rd 352-854-3200
Residence Inn
3601 S.W. 38th Ave. 352-547-1600
Sleep Inn and Suites 13600 S.W. 17th Court 352-347-8383
ORLANDO
Hard Rock Hotel 5800 Universal Blvd. 407-503-2000
Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista 13351 State Road 535 407-239-4500
La Quinta Inn - Universal Studios 5621 Major Blvd 407-313-3100
Motel 6 - Winter Park 5300 Adanson Street 407-647-1444
Motel 6 International 5909 American Way 407-351-6500
Residence Inn Seaworld 11000 Westwood Blvd. 407-313-3600
Staybridge Suites 7450 Augusta National Dr 407-438-2121
Townplace Suites 11801 High Tech Ave. 407-243-6100
PLANT CITY
Comfort Inn
2003 S Frontage Rd 813-707-6000
Knights Inn
301 S Frontage Rd 813-752-0570
PORT CHARLOTTE
Comfort Inn
812 Kings Hwy 941-421-7548
Days Inn
1941 Tamiami Trail 941-623-9404
Knights Inn 4100 Tamiami Trail 941-743-2442
Sleep Inn & Suites 806 Kings Highway 941-613-6300
PUNTA GORDA
Four Points by Sheraton 33 Tamiami Trail 941-637-6770
RUSKIN
Holiday Inn & Suites 226 Teco Rd. 813-922-4561
Ruskin Inn 3113 College Ave 813-641-3437
SANFORD
Best Western Plus 3401 S Orlando Dr 407-320-0845
SARASOTA
Comfort Suites 5690 Honore Ave 941-554-4475
Comfort Inn & Suites 5931 Commercial Way 941-342-8778
Courtyard Sarasota Bradenton 850 University Pkwy 941-355-3337
Embassy Suites by Hilton 202 N. Tamiami Trail 941-256-0190
Even Hotel – Lakewood Ranch 6231 Lake Osprey Dr 941-782-4400
Hampton Inn & Suites 8565 Cooper Creek Blvd 941-355-8619
Hibiscus Suites 1735 Stickney Point Road 941-921-5797
Hyatt Place Lakewood Ranch 6021 Exchange Way 941-946-2357
Hyatt Place Sarasota 950 University Pkwy 941-554-5800
La Quinta Inn & Suites 1803 N. Tamiami Trail 941-366-5128
Residence Inn 1040 University Pkwy. 941-358-1468
Days Inn 5000 N. Tamiami Trail 941-351-7734
Sleep Inn
900 University Pkwy. 941-359-8558
SEBRING
La Quinta Inn 4115 US 27 South 863-386-1000
Magnunson Grand 6525 US 27 North 863-385-4500
Residence Inn 3221 Tubbs Road 863-314-9100
Severn Sebring Hotel 150 Midway Dr 863-655-7200
SPRING HILL
Motel 6 6172 Commercial Way 352-596-2007
TALLAHASSEE
Best Western Pride Inn 2016 Apalachee Parkway 850-656-6312
La Quinta Inn North 2905 N. Monroe St. 850-385-7172
Motel 6 Downtown 1027 Apalachee Parkway 850-877-6171
Motel 6 West 2738 N. Monroe St. 850-386-7878
Quality Inn 3090 N. Monroe St. 850-562-2378
Red Roof Inn
2930 Hospitality Street 850-385-7884
Red Roof Inn 6737 Mahan Drive 850-656-2938
Residence Inn 1880 Raymond Diehl Road 850-422-0093
Residence Inn Universities 600 W. Gaines St. 850-329-9080
Sleep Inn 1695 Capital Circle N.W. 850-575-5885
Staybridge Suites 1600 Summit Lake Drive 850-219-7000
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
522 Silver Slipper Lane 850-386-2121
TAMPA
Quality Inn-Busch Gardens 2701 E. Fowler Ave. 813-971-4710
Holiday Inn Express 8610 Elm Fair Blvd 813-490-1000
Holiday Inn Express 8310 Galbraith 813-910-7171
Homewood Suites by Hilton Tampa/Brandon 10240 Palm River Road 813-685-7099
Hyatt Place Tampa Airport 4811 W. Main St. 813-282-1037
Residence Inn 4312 W. Boy Scout Blvd. 813-877-7988
Sheraton Tampa East Hotel 10221 Princess Palm Ave 813-623-6363
TEMPLE TERRACE
Residence Inn 13420 N Telcom Parkway 813-972-4400
Towne Place Suites by Marriott 6800 Woodstork Rd 813-975-9777
WINTER HAVEN
Howard Johnson Inn 1300 3rd St SW 863-294-7321
Lake Roy Beach Inn 1825 Cypress Garden Blvd 863-324-6320
Roadway Inn & Suites 1911 Cypress Gardens Blvd. 863-324-5994
Bowling fun raises funds for The Center
The fundraising bowling tournament began in 1990 as the O’Connor Bowling Challenge.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN
CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON – The Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament at Bowlero in Bradenton on Sept. 6 was a fun-filled community event that raised funds for The Center of Anna Maria Island.
Holmes Beach-based LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air is the primary sponsor of the annual tournament that honors the late Greg LaPensee, and his father and company founder, Mike LaPensee.
The tournament featured teams with up to six bowlers and many teams sported costumes or matching attire.
For the first time, a team representing LaPensee rolled the highest collective one-game score, 872, to claim the top team trophy – a customized bowling pin. The
Above left, Scot Atkinson, George Babcock, Chad Schweitzer, Tara Dawson, Todd McCollum and Roland Orrbach (not shown) claimed the top team trophy for LaPensee Pluming, Pools and Air. Above center, , Joey Newell was the top male bowler. Above right, The Lorax from Duffy’s Tavern showed up to bowl. Right. The School for Constructive Play preschool operates at The Center and the teachers bowled in the tournament.
winning team featured Scot Atkinson, George Babcock, Chad Schweitzer, Tara Dawson, Todd McCollum and Roland Orrbach.
Rolling an impressive 240 game, Joey Newell claimed the top male bowler trophy. Bridgette Latessa rolled a 144 to claim the top female bowler trophy and Alex Serra claimed the kids’
trophy with a 210 series.
A team of jellyfish-themed bowlers from Bubble Binz and Anna Maria Charters took first place in the costume contest, followed by The Minions from MG Construction and The Lorax from Duffy’s Tavern.
A special Spirit Award was given to The Full Send team that bowled in honor of recently-deceased charter
fishing captain Jason Stock. Awarded to the least skillful (yet still enthusiastic) bowler, The Gutter Ball Award went to Dina Franklin.
The fundraising efforts included a silent auction, a 50-50 raffle and raffles that included a sunset cruise for 30 passengers donated by AMI Dolphin Tours.
SEE BOWLING, PAGE 27
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
HENDRICKS | SUN
HENDRICKS | SUN
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit
f you don’t know about Senate Bill 180 and its implications to anglers who fish Sarasota Bay and Anna Maria Sound, let me explain. The bill prohibits counties and municipalities (including Manatee County and the three Anna Maria Island cities) from adopting new, more restrictive land use or zoning regulations, or imposing development moratoriums, within certain timeframes after a hurricane. This applies even if the changes aren’t related to recovery from the storm, which is the original intent of the law. It becomes draconian because the new state law allows anyone to sue local governments if they violate this provision – creating a chilling effect on local planning and resilience efforts.
As mentioned, this law was originally conceived to protect homeowners affected by the twin hurricanes: Helene and Milton. The law extends the life of existing development permits, streamlines the permitting process for rebuilding, waives or reduces certain fees for like-kind reconstruction and allows temporary accommodations for displaced residents. It would also provide clarity and uniformity throughout the state so property owners and builders have foreseeable rules to rely on after disasters and it will help keep homeowners from getting bogged down in permitting or zoning delays during recovery. Unfortunately, as the bill moved through the state legislature, additional land use restrictions placed on local governments were added. These changes prevent counties and cities from adopting new development regulations or moratoriums after a disaster (unless directly tied to recovery) and give “any person” the right to sue local governments that try to impose stricter restrictions.
RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN
Sixteen-year-old Brice Claypoole encourages the Manatee County Commission to join the SB 180 lawsuit and protect the natural habitat he values. Check out his advocacy work at www.thekidwhocares.com.
The additions went well beyond the original disaster-recovery intent and shifted the law into the realm of limiting local control of overgrowth, zoning and environmental protections.
So how might that affect anglers? In the last election, Manatee County residents made it clear that the wetland protections removed by the former commissioners were not popular. That
was evidenced by the voters’ removal of the county commissioners seeking reelection who voted to remove the county’s setbacks requirements that were more restrictive than those allowed by state statutes.
When the current commission recently considered voting to reinstate the more restrictive wetland setback requirements, they were threatened by the implications of Senate Bill 180 – which State Sen. Jim Boyd and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. both voted for earlier this year.
I’ve heard from a number of sources that Manatee County developer Pat Neal may have been an influential and key figure behind the more restrictive land use provisions included in SB 180. I contacted Neal to give him a chance to respond but he did not reply. In response to this change, a coalition of local governments that includes Manatee County, Orange County and the cities of Alachua,
RUSTY CHINNIS
REEL TIME: Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit
FROM PAGE 18
Deltona, Stuart, Weston, Windermere, Naples, Delray Beach and others are joining in the lawsuit that will challenge the law created by SB 180.
On Sept. 2, county commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of joining the lawsuit, with Commissioner Mike Rahn voting no. I was at the meeting and numerous citizens showed up to support the commission in joining the suit. No one spoke in opposition to joining the suit.
Political maneuvers like this hit at the very heart of the democratic process and threaten to negate the votes of citizens working to protect the environment in their region by encouraging sustainable building practices. Unfortunately, it appears that greed is attempting to prevent citizens from enacting common sense rules and regulations at the expense of future generations.
I would encourage everyone who wants to protect the integrity of our local marine environment to write letters to elected officials demanding common sense laws.
Contact Senator Boyd by email at boyd.jim.web@ flsenate.gov, by letters sent to his Bradenton district office at 717 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 100, Bradenton, Fl. 34205, or by phone at 941-742-6445.
Contact Representative Robinson by email at will. robinson@flhouse.gov, by regular mail sent to his Bradenton district office at 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 305, Bradenton, Fl. 34205-7801 or by phone at 6941-242-8430. I’ll continue to update readers on the progress of the lawsuit as it unfolds.
STOCK: remembered for his love of family, fishing, the environment
FROM PAGE 9
many fishing magazines, including Florida Sportsman (twice), Saltwater Sportsman, Kayak Angler, Saltwater Angler, Louisiana Sportsman and Waterline Magazine,” according to his charter fishing website, www.captainjasonstock.com.
“To me, there is no greater satisfaction then seeing someone’s reaction after catching a prized fish,” Stock stated at his website.
The Tom Rowland Podcast posted the following message on Instagram: “We lost another giant in our industry. RIP to the one of a kind @ captain_jason_stock. This was absolutely one of our most entertaining podcasts and if you knew Jason, you loved him, and if you didn’t, here’s a peek into his personality and world. You will be missed Captain and thank you for everything you did for our sport.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
A celebration of life for Jason Stock will be held at The Center of Anna Maria Island on Saturday, Oct. 11. The time will be announced later.
Two GoFundMe accounts have been set up in Stock’s memory. The first, “Honor Jason by Supporting Heather and Kids,” will benefit Stock’s two young
daughters and their mother and reads in part: “Our community is heartbroken as we grieve the loss of Jason Stock, a man whose presence left an undeniable mark on so many lives. This fund has been created to give Heather and the kids the support they so deeply deserve – to help ease immediate burdens and to provide stability and comfort as they navigate this new reality. Let’s remind them in every possible way that they are not alone and that their community will hold them through this loss. Rest peacefully, Jason. Your light will live on in the hearts of those who loved you most.”
That fundraiser raised more than $65,000 as of Sept. 8, with a target goal of $100,000. A second fundraiser, “Carry Jason's Love Forward for Katie and Avery,” raised more than $16,000, already surpassing the goal of raising $13,000 for two more people in Jason’s life.
FACEBOOK/CARLA FANTASTIC | SUBMITTED Jason Stock was a skillful fisherman and fishing guide.
REAL ESTATE
Are you buying a house for the boat slip?
Buyers all come to the house hunting jungle with their lists of must haves and can’t stands. But when they’re looking for a waterfront property to buy, whether it’s a single-family home or a condo, it’s not unusual for buyers to focus on one thing: the boat slip.
Florida is boat crazy and it’s no wonder, being surrounded by water on all sides, offering incrediable water access. Homes with available boat slips are all over the coastal communities on both sides of the Florida peninsula. Purchasing a property with an existing boat slip will generally be a higher price point, but how much higher?
Castles in the Sand
Boat slips, pools, elevators and convenient beach access all add to the value and desirability of a property. However, not all buyers are willing to pay the extra money for something they may not use enough to justify. It’s a balancing act; you love the pool and spa, but is it worth $100,000 more?
True boaters will put the availability of a boat slip way before all other expensive amenities, and for good reason. Renting slips in commercial marinas are expensive and sometimes difficult to find. Deeded boat slips are sometimes available for sale and some of the larger marinas like Longboat Key Club Moorings offer slips for sale as well. But there is nothing like stepping out your sliders and getting on your boat right in your own backyard. This is the dream of every boat owner, but it comes with a price. Again, the value of a property is based on location, condition and amenities. Properties on protected water, like canals, all have seawalls which are owned
and maintained by the property owner. Replacing seawalls is a very expensive operation. Sometimes the entire wall needs to be replaced because of flooding and hurricanes; and sometimes only the cap on the wall needs replacing because of age. Either way, if you purchase property with a seawall make sure you have it inspected by an inspector who specializes in seawalls.
Most boat slips also come with adjoining decks, and sometimes boat lifts. Decks don’t last forever, especially if they were built with untreated wood; and boat lifts need occasional maintenance. These also need an inspection from someone qualified in this area and all of this needs to be done before, or at the same time, as your normal house inspection.
There are also condo communities with boat slips available. Some are deeded, some are assigned and some are rental. Keep in mind, deeded boat slips belong to the condo owner, with all the responsibilities that come with ownership.
Assigned slips and rental slips belong to the association. Therefore, responsibility for maintenance belongs to them. Those of us who are following the progress of the Seafood Shack property in Cortez that is now owned by Manatee County should take note of the most recent development. The county has been conducting community open houses to get a feel for what county residents see as the best use of this property. The original plan was to provide boat ramps and parking for vehicles and boat trailers. Apparently, some of the feedback has been not in favor of boat ramps and more in favor of parks and restaurants on the waterfront property. But it might be years before there is a finalized plan, so things can change. When the boat slip is more important than the house, you’re leaving yourself open to potential problems. Take it from a long-time boater: salt water is the enemy of boats, seawalls and docks. Understand what you’re doing and make informed decisions.
LOUISE BOLGER
OBITUARIES
Paul M. Hoffman
Paul M. Hoffman, known affectionately to his friends and family as “Paulie,” has completed his earthly sojourn and embarked upon the next great adventure.
Born on the 10th of May 1943, in the bustling borough of Queens, New York, he drew his last breath in the peaceful surroundings of Bradenton, Florida, on the 30th of August 2025. His departure was as gentle as his manner, succumbing to the natural progression of life’s cycle, leaving behind a legacy of love and kindness.
Clarke, his lifelong confidant and best friend of 78 years, William “Billy” McMahon, his sons, Jeffery and Peter Hoffman, his daughter of choice and caregiver, Pamela Winn, and grandson Ryan Paul Hoffman. He was a loving uncle to Edward Duffy, Timothy Duffy, Jennifer Duffy-Perez, Jane Griffin, Amy Griffin McCafferty, Nancy Griffin Bonnaire, Marcus Clarke, Katherine Clarke, George Boyce, Melissa Courtright, Kristy Lee Jenkins. Paulie also held a special place as Godfather to Timothy McMahon.
Paulie, a proud graduate of Franklin K. Lane High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., dedicated his life to service and leadership. He served overseas in the United States Army, a reflection of his deep patriotism and steadfast courage.
In 1992, his professional reputation took him to Bradenton, where he became general manager of Brady’s Irish Steakhouse. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Paulie and his wife, Margaret, went on to own and operate Hurricane Hanks in Holmes Beach, Fl., on Anna Maria Island from 2000 to 2018. There, he became a beloved figure in the community, known for his hospitality, warmth and unwavering commitment to excellence – both to his customers and to the employees who worked alongside him.
of friends. He was the epitome of loyalty, thoughtfulness and generosity – a gentleman whose actions spoke volumes of his character.
As the poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself,” and indeed, Paulie’s life was a constellation of meaningful connections, each touched by his radiant spirit.
Paulie is predeceased by his beloved wife of three decades, Margaret Boyce Hoffman, his parents, Robert and Christine Hoffman, and his sisters, Christine Hoffman Duffy and Joyce Hoffman Griffin.
Paulie’s memory is cherished by his devoted sister Nancy Hoffman
His career began in the restaurant industry as a teenager, where his natural charisma and dedication quickly set him apart. Paulie played a key role in launching Jahn’s Ice Cream Parlor locations across New York City and later served as general manager of Regents Row Restaurant in Kew Gardens, N.Y.
His passions were as rich and varied as the tapestry of his days. A childhood fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers until their departure to Los Angeles, Paulie then became a loyal supporter of the New York Mets. He found pure joy in the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd. Whether following his beloved Mets or cheering on the Tampa Bay Rays, his love for America’s pastime was as boundless as his generosity.
Paulie's zest for life encompassed the harmonious melodies of music, the pleasure of dining out and the companionship of his beloved poodles and a wide circle
We bid farewell to Paul M. Hoffman, a man who danced to the rhythm of life with grace, humor and a smile that could light up the darkest room. His was a life welllived, a narrative of love written in the hearts of those who knew him. Though he leaves us in body, his spirit remains, a beacon of the love and joy he so freely gave. As Shakespeare might have penned, his story was one of “gentle acts and noble deeds,” and so shall he be remembered, until the stars themselves fade from the heavens.
As a tribute to Paul M. Hoffman and his generous spirit, the family asks that in place of flowers donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in support of our nation’s veterans and first responders. Online condolences may be expressed at www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.
HB SB 180: Officials discuss SB 180
Motzer said the gravity of the undercutting of local planning protections and home rule rights is outlined in the 12-page legal analysis environmental and land use attorney Richard Grosso prepared for the 1,000 Friends of Florida smart growth advocacy organization.
“I would much rather use these dollars towards a team effort than using it for some of our other city expenditures,” Motzer said of the expenses to be incurred if the city joins the lawsuit.
GROSSO’S ANALYSIS
“The enormous breadth and scope of the law’s prohibitions on local planning and zoning authority suggests that many, even perhaps most, legislators did not understand its implications,” Grosso stated in his analysis.
“This law is unworkable, confusing and overly restrictive. It ignores the reality that major eco-
Whatever gets decided at that level is going to impact every city in the state of Florida, so joining it or not joining it is not necessarily going to make a difference.”
Erica Augello, City attorney
nomic and population shifts, new industries or practices, natural disasters and all manner of other situations change, sometimes suddenly, requiring communities to revise their planning and regulatory approaches. But this law ties the hands of local governments, prohibiting them from reacting to the real world – which is dynamic, not static. As with the (Bert) Harris Act, the greatest impact from such legislation is frequently the chilling effect that it creates with unclear drafting
MC SB 180: County joining SB 180 legal challenge
FROM PAGE 5
joining this lawsuit. I think it’s the only way to make our voices heard,” Siddique said. “I’ve yet to receive one call from any builder about how we can make it easier to let property owners rebuild their homes –and I represent the most hurricane-damaged part of the county (Anna Maria Island).”
Commissioner Carol Ann Felts said, “It’s not easy to convince someone that they’ve made a mistake by hitting them over the head. This is just part of the American way. We have a law that is made, we abide by that law and then we legally find ways to change that law if they don’t work or us. This is how our democratic republic works. I don’t want the lawsuit being seen as antagonistic. It’s just not a good law.”
Mike Rahn was the only commissioner who opposed joining the lawsuit at this time.
“Why do we need to join now?” he said. “We took a breather on moving forward with the wetland rollback and repealing (land use policy) 2.1.2.8. We’re poking a pretty big bear here. We’ve already felt appropriations get withdrawn or vetoed.”
Rahn said the lawsuit could take 3-4 years to resolve and he prefers to instead work with state legislature in hopes of amending the law during the state legislators’ 2026 legislative session.
“I’d rather build consensus with other counties and say this is what we want, rather than slapping a lawsuit on the state of Florida. There will be retribution, I’m telling you. We’re feeling it now over 2.1.2.8. and the wetlands,” he said.
and uncertainty as to meaning, so that local governments are motivated to steer far from any action that arguably triggers liability,” Grosso stated.
“Florida is widely known to be the state most at risk of hurricane damage, rising seas, unaffordable insurance and other threats of a changing world. Confoundedly, Senate Bill 180 removes our ability to meet those challenges. Our state’s economic future depends upon a repeal or substantial rewrite of this very ill-conceived law.”
DRIFT IN: owner denies city attorney’s claim about FDEP complaint
FROM PAGE 1
“This is not a back and forth. This is public comment,” Mayor John Chappie said.
“You tell me the appropriate venue for us to have a conversation,” Williams answered. “I’m used to having conversations, not having these ridiculous spats and pointing fingers back and forth. That’s unsettling to me.”
Williams left the meeting prior to the agenda item discussion about the city’s sovereign submerged land lease for the state-owned land under and around the Bradenton Beach Pier, which is adjacent to the city-owned building at 200 Bridge Street AMOB leases from the city. Earlier this year, three small tiki structures were constructed over the outdoor dining tables along the south side of AMOB’s outdoor dining area.
“I was advised that a complaint was filed with the DEP by an individual from Drift-In because of the tiki roof (at AMOB) and they wondered if the city had gone through everything they were forced to go through,” Perry said.
On June 16, FDEP sent a letter to the city which read in part: “FDEP compliance team conducted an inspection on 5/27/2025 for a (sovereign submerged land) lease renewal. It was noted that
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
Drift-In owner Derek Williams denied the city attorney’s claim that he filed a complaint about a neighboring business. Three tiki structures alongside the Anna Maria Oyster Bar restaurant were the basis of a FDEP violation letter.
added over-water structures were seen at that inspection. Tiki hut structures were added on the docking structures and the roof structures appear to hang beyond the docking structure footprint. These structures are non-water dependent and modified without authorization. Overwater dining is demonstrated on the lease survey in a specific location as ‘Covered Eating Area.’ At the time of the inspection, over-water dining appears to be occurring outside of that area.”
FDEP requested the city remove the added structures: “Remove modifications and return to pre-existing authorized conditions and footprint. If you would like to keep modifications, you would need to apply. Please note, the activities may not be permissible due to grandfathered activities,” the letter says.
The FDEP letter also stated, “As this new structure is not within the original survey that was previously authorized, the 2020 State Lands Lease is attached for your convenience. Once it is removed, provide photo documentation of the removal and move forward with the State Lands Lease renewal. If you would like to keep modifications, you would need to apply.”
Regarding the city’s response, Perry said “We had to pay for a submerged land survey, we have to go through the application process and we have to go through a temporary use permit through the FDEP and then go to the board of trustees to resolve the little thatched roofs that Mr. (John) Horne put on the railing. I relayed that information to Mr. Horne and I just wanted you to know I have that nearly resolved. They are planning in December to take our sovereign submerged land lease before the board of trustees to get it approved. “
Perry said she will make sure the county’s Gulf Islands Ferry water taxi operations are included in the submerged land lease too: “I’ve already had these discussions to have the ability to regulate vessels that come up and use the floating dock so we have some teeth behind what we say people can and cannot do in that area. That’s all going into the application.”
Perry said a previous city commission determined that if AMOB wanted to make the improvements and something was found that violated state or local law, AMOB would incur the cost of defending that.
“Mr. Horne has made a number of calls to FDEP in Tallahassee to assist me in trying to get this moving forward, however
the city is going to be out the cost of the survey, which is required,” Perry said. Perry said AMOB should pay for the survey, or reimburse the city for those costs, according to the conditions included in the city commission’s original approval.
Regarding the submerged land lease, Commissioner Ralph Cole asked if the city would have control over commercial boats using the city docks and using that as their business address.
“I don’t think the DEP would have an issue with that because the city of Bradenton Beach would own the submerged land lease,” Perry said. “Without an individual having some kind of lease on that property, they can’t claim that as their business address.”
Vice-Mayor Deborah Scaccianoce asked for clarification on the source of the complaint to FDEP.
“Someone complained to DEP about AMOB’s tikis to see if they had to go through the same hoops that the Drift-In had to go through?” Scaccianoce asked.
Scaccianoce was referring to the Drift-In tiki hut replacement approved by former Building Official Darin Cushing after the 2024 hurricanes. That project was placed on hold on Jan. 16 when Perry told city commissioners the permit approval should not have been issued based on factors that included city-owned easements on the property and the larger size of the new tiki structure.
“That’s what started this whole adventure with the submerged land leases?” Scaccianoce asked.
“John Horne asked me how did the DEP know and where did this come from? So, I asked the question and that’s what I was told,” Perry said.
Cole said the complaint could have come from anyone.
“They specifically referenced somebody from the Drift-In,” Perry said.
“There were a lot of customers and employees of the Drift that were very upset so it could have been anyone,” Scaccianoce said.
NO SWIM: zone implemented after Bean Point drowning
When contacted Sept. 3, Short said, “The signs went up yesterday. This past weekend’s drowning influenced the decision.”
Regarding enforcement of the new no swim zone, Short said violators will be asked to get out of the water.
Sgt. Brett Getman leads the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit.
When contacted Sept. 3, Getman said, “The signs were erected yesterday after this latest unfortunate incident. We are asking the public not to swim in that area due to the unforeseen dangers of the current and rip tides in that area. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will have extra patrols in the area, especially at sunset and on weekends. Our goal right now with enforcement is compliance through education.”
RECENT DISCUSSIONS
On Aug. 14, Short asked the
city commissioners to consider implementing the no swim zone. He did so after a father and son got caught in the rip current while swimming at Bean Point on Aug. 9. The father later passed away the following day. Two more swimmers were rescued from the Bean Point waters on Aug. 12.
When proposing the no swim zone, Short said most locals know it’s not safe to swim at Bean Point, but visitors don’t.
“It’s a great place to walk. It’s a great place to enjoy the view. You just don’t go swimming there because of the currents. Unfortunately, our visitors don’t know that,” he said, noting all four recently rescued swimmers were visitors.
“It’s also dangerous for us to go in the water and get these people out,” Getman added.
“Please keep that in mind.”
The mayor and commissioners discussed the proposed no swim zone again on Thursday,
Aug. 28. Commissioner Gary McMullen, a life-long Anna Maria resident, said there’s a steep and sudden drop-off where the shallow water suddenly gives way to deeper water.
“I agree, there is a need to do it,” he said of the no swim zone. “This isn’t the only year we’ve had people drowning at Bean Point.”
The commissioners reached
unanimous consensus in support of the mayor moving forward with the no swim zone and consulting with first responders and law enforcement officers as to how to manage and enforce it.
FATAL DROWNING
Three days after the meeting, Patel went missing while swimming at Bean Point. Monday morning, the
sheriff’s office issued a press release that said, “At approximately 7 p.m. on Aug. 31, witnesses reported seeing an adult male about 100 yards from the beach in the Gulf. He had been swimming with another man, who was rescued and brought to shore by people nearby. An extensive search was initiated by MCSO deputies and involved several boats, jet skis, paddleboards and aerial support from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard. So far, there have been no signs of the missing swimmer. The search continues today.”
A press release issued by the sheriff’s office later that day said, “A body has been recovered from the water just west of Anna Maria Island. The deceased is believed to be the missing swimmer. Deputies are in the process of positively identifying the man and notifying family members.”
JEFF RODENCAL | SUBMITTED
“NO SWIMMING” signs were installed at Bean Point.
FUN IN THE SUN
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SNOW BIRD SPECIAL: DISCOUNT for multiple months. 2BR/2BA 2nd Floor Condo in HOLMES BEACH. POOL, Tennis/Pickleball, in-unit laundry, WIFI, screened lanai, covered parking. AVAILABLE 2025/26 Season beginning December 2025. Beautiful, bayside seating area. Pool/Beach toys, Bikes included. Call Jack 312835-2323 for more info/ photos.
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BOWLING:
Joined by her daughter, Shawn Shields, her grandson, Preston LaPensee, and her daughter-in-law, Carlee LaPensee, LaPensee family matriarch Karen LaPensee said, “I’m so proud that we’re able to do this year after year. It’s a fantastic turnout, everybody has fun and I just love this community. Greg was a great bowler and Michael and I just offered our support. It’s a good fundraiser for The Center and it’s grown into something substantial.”
Carlee said, “I appreciate everyone coming out and supporting The Center. We love Greg (her late husband), and
Mike and I’m here in honor of them.”
The Center’s executive director, Chris Culhane, said, “The O’Connor Bowling Challenge started in 1990 6to support youth programs at The Center and we’re so happy LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air kept it going; and thanks to all the sponsors and all the bowlers. The community has been devastated over the past year and it’s amazing how the community always steps up to support The Center and each other. It’s not about The Center; it’s about our community.”
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JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Shawn Shields, Preston LaPensee, Carlee LaPensee and Karen LaPensee gathered beside a photo of Greg and Mike LaPensee.
