Anna Maria Island Sun July 12, 2017

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VOL 17 No. 39

July 12, 2017

Man and nature create spectacular show

Dennis Knowles Photography | Submitted

Dennis Knowles captured this photo of man-made fireworks and natural fireworks converging in sublime fashion just offshore of the Swordfish Grill in Cortez.

City to review Center finances Mayor Dan Murphy has a plan in place should The Center board decide to give the community center back to the city.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The Center board has agreed to participate in a voluntary financial audit conducted by the city of Anna Maria.

At the request of Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, the audit will be led by city resident John Chambers, a retired certified public accountant and chief financial officer who voluntarily lends his expertise to the city.

On Friday, July 7, Murphy sent Center Executive Director Kristen Lessig an e-mail that outlined the

INSIDE NEWS OPINION Sun survey OUTDOORS REAL ESTATE Town crier POLICE REPORTS CROSSWORD

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intent and scope of the voluntary audit.

“The city would like to audit the Community Center financials to determine the current status of the Community Center’s financial situation; identify and quantify any gaps between revenue and expenses; and understand the proposed plans and programs to close any gaps. The results will be used for the City Commission to determine future donations to the Community Center,” Murphy wrote.

Murphy’s requested copies of the following documents: • Audited financial statements for the fiscal years 2014 through 2016, including management letters; • Internal financial statement for the fiscal year 2017;

Anna Maria Island, Florida

Law enforcement officers are looking into advertising violations.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH — Holmes Beach police and code enforcement officers are cracking down on vacation rental occupancy violators.

As of July 5, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said seven notices of violation have been issued to property owners advertising for more than the legally allowable occupancy limits or for improper length of stay.

see center, page 29

Treat yourself to

mullet. 19

Holmes Beach officials issue occupancy violations

see violations, page 21

Privateers HONOR SCHOLARS ON JULY 4.

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Vacation rental regulations still

on hold. 15 The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper

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Heavy crowds, no major problems for holiday Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach police said they did not confiscate any fireworks.

BY TOM VAUGHT SUN STAFF WRITER | tvaught@amisun.com

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

Howdy neighbors Members of Home Sweet Home, a group that is trying to attract more residents to the Island, had a tent at the Fourth of July Party in the Park at Anna Maria City Pier Park. From left to right: Anna Maria City Commissioner Carol Carter, Pam and Major Lechie and Connie Kihm gathered to enjoy the shade. See related editorial on Page 6.

THE BEACHES – This year’s Fourth of July, although filled with the sounds of fireworks, seemed quieter than in recent years, thanks in part to preparation and execution by the three city governments and volunteer agencies.

The Fourth of July is a holiday where mainlanders come out to watch the fireworks at the Sandbar restaurant and on the beach.

Anything that explodes and/or flies is illegal, and in recent years, law enforcement has increased enforcement efforts through arrests and confiscation. This year, the only agency to confiscate fireworks was the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office patrolling the city of Anna Maria.

In Bradenton Beach, officers had to deal with the traffic but one officer said while there were illegal fireworks going off, they did not make any arrests, due to a lack of personnel.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said they did not confiscate any fireworks as they did in previous years, and people mainly obeyed the law.

“We made a couple of arrests but generally, they were well-behaved,” he said. “There was a lot of traffic, but they kept it moving.”

He said planning made the containment of trash on the streets and beaches easier.

“Waste Management made extra pickups, and they sent out an empty dumpster so public works could empty the overflowing trash cans at the beach street ends,” he said. “Public Works, Keep Manatee Beautiful and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch organized a cleanup the next day.”

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ISLAND NEWS

in brief AMI on HGTV

Anna Maria Island will be featured this weekend in HGTV’s airing of “Beachfront Bargain Hunt: Renovation” in a new episode called “Smilin’ on Anna Maria Island.” The episode will debut at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 15, and air again at noon on Sunday, July 16.

The show follows grandmother Arlene Wood as she chooses from homes in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach and completes a renovation.

“They find a home that could be the perfect family beach oasis after a serious facelift, but the ladies have a tight budget. Will they be able to turn their fixer-upper into the dreamy seaside shack they envisioned?” says the teaser posted at www.

HGTV.com The Beach House restaurant in Bradenton Beach will host a free viewing party for the episode on Saturday, July 15, at 9 p.m. The party begins at 8 p.m.

Visit our website, www.amisun.com.

Scan this code with your smartphone to go there.

JULY 12, 2017

A fabulous Fourth

The Anna Maria Island Privateers Fourth of July Parade had 83 floats ranging from bicycles to pirate group ships in the area, including the Santa Margarita from Clearwater.

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

Above, here come the Privateers.

Left, Holmes Beach City Commissioner Marvin Grossman and celebrity Publix bagger Louie Strickland in a coloful cart.

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

AM commission to discuss ordinances The Thursday, July 13, Anna Maria City Commission meeting will include further discussion on the amended Historic Preservation Ordinance; further discussion on proposed amendments to the Watercraft and Parks and Recreation ordinances as they pertain to motorized vessels at and near Bayfront Park; updates from the mayor on the pier rehabilitation design firm selection process and on improvements to City Pier Park; and updates from the city attorney on any proposed Bert Harris claim settlement offers.

Fins, Flippers and Friends benefit The Sarasota Sailing Squadron will host the “Fins, Flipper and Friends” fund-raising event Sunday, Sept 10, from 1 to 7 p.m. benefitting the Sea to Shore Alliance’s ongoing efforts to save sea turtles, manatees, North Atlantic right whales and their habitats. Dr. Randall Wells, director of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program will be the keynote speaker. There is a $75 admission fee, and the Sailing Squadron is located at 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. For more information visit www.sea2shore.org.

chantelle lewin | SUN

Above, Cortez Yacht Club member Laura Ritter kicks off the 2017 campaign for Toys for Tots. Above right, greetings from the Duncan Real Estate and Anna Maria Oyster Bar float.

chantelle lewin | SUN

The Art of Journaling The Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach, is offering The Art of Journaling with instructor Tammy Bills on Saturday, July, 15, from 10 a.m. to noon. Bills is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist who holds a minor in art. This class will use a variety of art mediums, facilitation and imagination. Participants may bring a journal.

Preregister by calling 941-778-2099 or stop by the League on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

A blast from the past hot rod at the Fourth of July Parade.

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Privateers honor scholars As long as the scholars maintain a high grade point average, they will get another grant for each year they attend college until they graduate.

BY TOM VAUGHT SUN STAFF WRITER | tvaught@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – The colorfully clad parade participants enjoyed the music of Dos Mac (Mike McConnell and Mack Black) playing for free at the Ugly Grouper as the Privateers started arriving for the scholarship awards ceremony. Having completed their annual Fourth of July Parade with, Anna Maria Island’s local pirates were hot and thirsty.

After quaffing down some liquid refreshments, Privateers Scholarship Committee Chair "BIg John" Swager announced they were giving

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

From left to right: Asia Sterlin, a sophomore at State College of Florida; Emily Waikem, a medical student at the University of South Florida; and Konstantina Lardas, a senior at Florida International University, were present to receive their scholarships. more than $20,000 in scholarships to 15 local students, but most of the scholars had somewhere else to be. The three who attended were Emily Waikem, a medical

student at the University of South Florida (USF), $1,600; Konstantina Lardas, a senior at Florida International University (FIU) with a $2,500 Whitey Horton Memorial

Scholarship; and Asia Sterlin, a sophomore at State College of Florida (SCF), $1,200.

The rest of the winners were Chelsea Perez, a senior at the University of

South (UCF), with a $2,000 Shiprek Memorial Scholarship; Mina Barsoum, a junior at Florida State university (FSU), with a $1,750 Sandpiper Scholarship; Trista Campbell, a junior at USF, $1,600; Justin Puthusseril, a junior at USF, $1,600; Megan Manbeck, a sophomore at the University of Alabama, $1,200; Daniele Grutzner, a sophomore at FSU, $1,200; Christian Zander, a sophomore at UCF, $1,200; Gabriel “Gabe” Chawi, a sophomore at SCF, $1,200; Carly Provan, a sophomore at the University of Florida, with a $900 Liz “Doc” Christie Memorial Scholarship; Anthony Cucci, a freshman at USF, $900; Morgan Eady, a freshman at SCF, $900; and Gabrielle Gallo, a freshman at USF, $900.

The Privateers are a nonprofit group that raise money for these scholarships during the year.

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OPINIOn

The Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper Island Sun Plaza, 9801 Gulf Drive P.O. Box 1189 Anna Maria, FL 34216-1189 Phone: (941) 778-3986 e-mail: news@amisun.com | ads@amisun.com | classifieds@amisun.com

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EDITORIAL The dream is still alive When World War II ended and our troops came home, they got married and started families.

Many of them moved to favorable places where they had been stationed like Colorado, California and Florida.

Anna Maria Island’s fledgling tourist industry brought families in by boat to enjoy the beaches, fishing and the warm winters.

That’s also when our part-time residents started buying land and building vacation homes that would serve as retirement nests where their children and grandchildren could come for a fun visit.

When these snowbirds became permanent residents, they celebrated their well-earned lives of leisure and built their own society. They constructed churches, a library and parks; some opened stores to serve the residents and the vacationers and the community center became a gathering place for young and old.

Despite the recent proliferation of vacation rentals, people continue to make retirement nests on our Island and the Fourth of July celebration in Anna Maria City Pier Park was a result of their efforts. It was fun to watch them sit under tents or shade trees and get to know their neighbors. Nobody got paid to put the celebration together. It was the result of volunteers working together for the betterment of their community. They served snacks and cold drinks to stave off the heat of the day for a while.

That’s what Old Florida is all about and you can’t buy or sell it.

You just have to let it happen.

To those organizers of the event, we say thanks for keeping that spirit alive. It was an added treat to the Privateers’ parade and the fireworks at the Sandbar and it was all made in America.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thanks for party in the park I would like to give a hearty thank you to Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, the city staff and volunteers who presented another wildly successful party in the park on July Fourth. Staffers arrived at 7 and 8 a.m., on what would normally have been a day off for them, to set up City Pier Park for the festivities and cook and package 400 hot dogs.

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Staffers and volunteers then transported the hot dogs, boxes of chips and apple pies and coolers filled with frosty drinks to the park and spent hours in the wilting sun distributing it to the crowd.

Finally, when the party was over, they cleaned up the park. And again I must reiterate that the city employees gave up their day off to present this fantastic event for the public.

The people who attended were extremely surprised and appreciative when they learned the food and drinks were free and compliments of the city of Anna Maria.

What a wonderful way to build community and Island spirit. My neighbors and I look forward to the next party in the park.

Pat Copeland Anna Maria

Your thoughts?

Got an opinion, a complaint or a compliment? Is there something you need to get off your chest? Send us a letter to the editor and have your say. There are several ways to doit. Visit our website at www.amisun.com and click on the “contact us” link at the top of the home page. Or, e-mail The Sun directly at news@amisun.com. You can mail a letter to us at The Anna Maria Island Sun, Island Sun Plaza, P.O. Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216.

Letters should be kept to 300 words or less and must contain your name and the city in which you reside. Personal attacks and obscene language will not be printed. Letters also may be edited for length and content.

The Anna Maria Island Sun staff Publishers Mike Field Maggie Field Editor/CEO Mike Field Layout Ricardo Fonseca Reporters Cindy Lane Tom Vaught

Joe Hendricks Kristin Swain Columnists Louise Bolger Outdoors editor Rusty Chinnis Ad director Chantelle Lewin

Ad assistants Chris Boniberger Sue Otto

Cindy Lane Accounting John Reitz

Classified ads Bob Alexander

Distribution Bob Alexander Tony McNulty

Graphics Elaine Stroili Ricardo Fonseca Web/Social media Jocelyn V. Greene

Contributors Pat Copeland Steve Borggren Sean Murphy Monica Simpson

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JULY 12, 2017

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the sun survey

on the agenda

PREVIOUS QUESTION: I would like to see the Manatee County Commission:

Anna Maria

5%

Intensify beach patrols by boat during busy holidays.

6%

3%

Increase the number of lifeguards and lifeguard stands on Island beaches.

Increase the Marine Rescue budget to include pay raises for all lifeguards.

86%

All of the above.

The sun survey is not a scientific poll and is used for entertainment purposes only.

10005 Gulf Drive.

7/13: City Commission special meeting, 6 p.m.

7/27: City Commission meeting, 6 p.m.

For information, call 7086130.

Bradenton Beach 107 Gulf Drive N.

7/12: Budget workshop, 10 a.m.

7/13: Budget workshop, 10 a.m.

7/13: Department Head meeting, 1 p.m.

7/19: Planning and Zoning Board, 1 p.m.

7/20: City Commission meeting, 12 p.m.

7/25: City Commission workshop, 1 p.m.

7/26: City Commission special meeting, budget and millage, 10 a.m.

Note: Events are free unless indicated.

July 12

•A staycation here on the Island • Visiting another Florida city

What are your remain•Traveling out of state ing summer vacation plans this year?

• Visiting another country • Vacation? What’s that?

To vote, go to www.amisun.com or scan this code to vote by smartphone.

LIKE us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun View The Sun’s online edition at www.issuu.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun

7/26: CRA special meeting, budget and millage, 11 a.m.

For information, call 7781005.

Holmes Beach 5801 Marina Drive.

7/13: City Commission meeting followed by work session, 6 p.m.

7/20: City Clerk community forum, 6 p.m.

7/27: Police Retirement Board meeting, 11:30 a.m.

For information, call 7085800.

Island-wide

7/19: Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting, Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, 2 p.m.

7/20: West Manatee Fire Rescue board, administration building, 6417 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, 6 p.m.

mark your calendar

Wednesday

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Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce sunrise breakfast, Gulf Drive Café and Tiki, 900 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, 7:45 to 9 a.m., $8 for members and $16 for prospective members.

Roser-Robics chair-based exercise class, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m.

Coloring Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, noon.

Interactive Lecture Series featuring Ed Chiles and Karen Bell, The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 1 to 3 p.m.

Chess Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 4 p.m.

Basic Fermentation, The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St., Cortez, 6 to 8 p.m., $20.

Reserve to 941-708-6120.

Thursday July 13

Boomer Boot camp, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m. One class, $15; five classes, $65; 10 classes, $100.

All About Manatees, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10

a.m.

Culinary Art with Erik Walker, The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., $75.

Mat pilates for seniors, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, second floor, 10 to 10:45 a.m., $10 per class. Reserve to maryannbrady@aginginparadise. org or 941-383-6493.

Jam in the Sand, Anna Maria Island Beach Café, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 5 to 8 p.m.

Friday July 14

Bridge refresher session, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 2nd Floor, Longboat Key, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., $10, includes coffee and cookies. Reserve to maryannbrady@aginginparadise. org or 941-383-6493.

Zen and Ink art class with Tammy Bills, Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd, Holmes Beach, 10:30 a.m., $25 for Art League members and $45 for non-members. Reserve to 941-778-2099.

Mahjong, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11 a.m.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver SupSEE CALENDAR, PAGE 8

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mark your calendar From Page 7

port Group, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

Sunset drum circle, Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 5 to 8 p.m.

Saturday July 15

Build with homemade Tinker Toys, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

Sun spotting, Valentine House, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. NW, Bradenton, 9 a.m.

Sunday July 16

Beach Market, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday July 17

Social bridge games, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, noon.

Tuesday July 18

Preschool story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Learn to play mahjong, Aging in Paradise

Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, second floor, 12:30 p.m., $10.

Reserve to 941-383-6493 or maryannbrady@ aginginparadise.org.

p.m., $75.

Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

Jam in the Sand, Anna Maria Island Beach Café, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 5 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday

Friday

Roser-Robics chair-based exercise class, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m.

Interactive Lecture Series featuring Rusty Chinnis and Larry Stults, The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 1 to 3 p.m.

Bridge refresher session, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 2nd Floor, Longboat Key, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., $10, includes coffee and cookies. Reserve to maryannbrady@aginginparadise.org or 941-383-6493.

Mahjong, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

Sunset drum circle, Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 5 to 8 p.m.

July 19

Thursday July 20

Boomer Boot Camp, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m. One class, $15; five classes, $65; 10 classes, $100.

Hands-On Engineering Challenge, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Mat pilates for seniors, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, second floor, 10 to 10:45 a.m., $10 per class. Reserve to maryannbrady@ aginginparadise.org or 941-383-6493.

Grilling A to D – Appetizers to Desserts with Rich Demarse, The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 10 a.m. to 1

July 21

Saturday July 22

Shell flowers, The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St., Cortez, 10 a.m., $35. Reserve to 941-708-6120.

Sustainable cooking class, The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St., Cortez, $65. Reserve to 941-708-6120.

String painting, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

Privateers’ Christmas in July Party fundraiser, Drift Inn, 120 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5 to 9 p.m.

JULY 12, 2017

Sunday July 23

Beach Market, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday July 25

Boomer Boot Camp, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m. One class, $15; five classes, $65; 10 classes, $100.

Preschool story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Turtle Talk with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, CrossPointe Fellowship Church, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Learn to play mahjong, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, second floor, 12:30 p.m., $10.

Reserve to 941-383-6493 or maryannbrady@ aginginparadise.org.

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Cleaning up holiday trash Volunteers help clean the shoreline in Holmes Beach.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH — Revelers may have left a lot of trash on Island beaches following the July 4 holiday, but it’s disappearing thanks to a few dedicated volunteers.

About two dozen people came out the morning of July 5 to help rid the beach of trash and other debris left after the long holiday weekend.

The clean-up, organized by the Code Enforcement Department, kicked off with volunteers from Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring taking to the beach with trash bags to clean up during their early morning patrols.

Code Enforcement Officers James Thomas and Nate Brown set up a supply station near the 52nd Street beach access where volunteers could pick up cold drinks, trash bags, volunteer T-shirts and other

supplies.

Give-away items and supplies for the event were provided by the city, Waste Pro and Keep Manatee Beautiful.

Volunteers picked up trash and debris for several hours, which was collected by Waste Pro and Holmes Beach Public Works employees.

Among the volunteers who took to the sand were a group of crosscountry runners from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

Cross-Country Coach Wendy Kovich, a Holmes Beach resident, said she’ like to create a group of students to regularly help clean up the beaches and volunteer with AMITW. Holmes Beach Commissioner Marvin Grossman, who helped collect trash along with residents Kim and Theresa Rash, said he was happy with the comradery among volunteers.

“It was fun,” he said of the cleanup.

Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the movement to help keep the beaches and beach ends clean was a combined effort by city public works employees, Waste Pro and city law enforcement.

Waste Pro agreed to make additional trash pick-ups at beach ends, also providing larger or additional trash containers over the holiday weekend. Additionally, public works employees provided additional

Kristin Swain | Sun

Students from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School along with Cross-Country Coach Wendy Kovich pitch in July 5 to help clean up Island beaches.

Right, public cleanups of Leffus Key and Coquina Beach, in Bradenton Beach, were stalled by a fast-building thunderstorm Saturday morning. Before weather went bad, volunteer Katheryn Palacios posed. This was her first time at a cleanup like this. She started into the park, but retreated like other volunteers when lightning and rain started. debris collections at beach ends.

Tokajer said he felt beachgoers were “very responsible” in removing their trash and other debris when leaving the beach.

“This is the cleanest day after a

TOM VAUGHT | SUN

holiday on the beach I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Everybody’s a winner here.”

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JULY 12, 2017

Metz appeals special master ruling The court appeal filed last week will subject the city to additional unbudgeted legal fees.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – City resident and Planning and Zoning Board member John Metz is appealing the special master’s ruling in early June that favored the city of Bradenton Beach and property owners Wendy and George Kokolis.

Serving as the city’s contracted special master, attorney Lisa Gonzalez Moore presided over two lengthy hearings in March and April that pertained to Metz’s challenge of a permitting decision made by Building Official Steve Gilbert in June 2015 that city-issued permit allowed the renovations to begin at the Kokolis’ two-story structure at 308 Gulf Dr. S. Metz lives next door at 306 Gulf Dr. S. and uses a portion of his home for a vacation rental, as does Mayor Bill Shearon, who resides in one of the units in the Linger Longer resort he owns and operates directly north of Metz’s property. There are several other properties along that stretch of Gulf Drive that are used as vacation rentals.

Citing city code, Metz and his attorney, Nelon Kirkland, contend the Kokolis’ lost the right to continue using their property as a vacation rental

joe hendricks | SUN

John Metz, right, discussed legal strategies with his attorney, Nelon Kirkland, during the special master hearing in April. because the structure allegedly remained unoccupied for more than 18 months before and during the renovations.

During the special master hearings, Metz and Kirkland also challenged the accuracy of the cost appraisals that helped determined if the work performed should have been considered renovation or new construction. If deemed new construction according to the 50 percent substantial improvement rule – which to date it has not – the Kokolis’ could

have lost the historic right to use their property as a vacation rental. This is because the zoning overlay district that once encompassed that area and included vacation rentals as an allowed use no longer exists.

Filed with the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Bradenton on Friday, July 7, the petition for writ of certiorari submitted by Kirkland questions the original administrative permitting decision made

by Gilbert and the certificate of completion later issued under the 50 percent substantial improvement rule.

The appeal also questions whether the administrative body (the city) and the special master applied the correct law and the whether the final order findings issued by Moore were supported by competent substantial evidence.

In 2011, the state legislature adopted a state law that prevents local governments from prohibiting short-term vacation rentals. A legal argument could be made by City Attorney Ricinda Perry or the Kokolis’ attorney, Robert Lincoln, that prohibiting the Kokolis property from being used as a vacation rental for any reason could be in conflict with existing state law.

According to City Treasurer Shayne Thompson, Metz’s legal challenge cost city taxpayers $19,544 as of June 13; and those costs will now increase as the appeals process plays out in court.

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JULY 12, 2017

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Surf's up!

The annual West Coast Surf Shop Surf Camp is underway in Holmes Beach and continues through Friday, July 21. Classes are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Register at the surf shop, 3902 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. For more information, call 941-778-1001.

CINDY LANE | SUN

Brady Thompson, “Silver Surfer."

CINDY LANE | SUN

In back, Lilly Stringer, “Happy," and Sonny Malisoff, “Sunshine."

Libby Boyet, “Welcome to New York."

CINDY LANE | SUN

CINDY LANE | SUN

Hudson McNeill, “Mr. Man," Holmes Beach.

CINDY LANE | SUN

The gang’s all here at the annual West Coast Surf Shop Surf Camp underway this month in Holmes Beach.

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JULY 12, 2017

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JULY 12, 2017

Pipe replacement to start this summer The $7.4 million project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2019.

BY TOM VAUGHT SUN STAFF WRITER | tvaught@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – With the fireworks gone, the only thing that could stand in the way of some great beach days might be traffic delays from a $7.4 million Force Main 5 Pipe Replace-

ment Project. It runs from the middle of Holmes Beach at Manatee Avenue to the area of Cortez Road in Bradenton Beach.

Although there is little to action right now, project outreach Specialist Trudy Gerena said the wheels are in motion.

“From now until mid-August, you’ll see some signage,” she said, adding there already are some signs up.

Gerena said they would start staging equipment at the Manatee Public Beach

parking lot, which will take away some parking spots for beach-goers.

She also said there would likely be people from other utility companies along the pipe routes soon to identify and mark underground structure, but that would have little effect on traffic.

Workers will be replacing water and sewer lines along Gulf Drive, except in Bradenton Beach where it goes beside Avenue C and meets up with Gulf Drive south of the S curve.

Commissioners consider salary structure change Commissioners push the decision to change to a merit-based compensation structure to July 13 meeting.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH — Commissioners are considering a salary structure change for Holmes Beach city employees, but they won’t take a vote on it until

their next meeting.

When commissioners met June 27, each had concerns about how the change from a step system, which guarantees raises for years of service, to a merit-based system would affect current employees. The only city department not affected by the change would be the police department, which would remain on the step program to correspond with the compensation structure of other local law enforcement departments.

Mayor Bob Johnson said the change

to a merit-based structure would help the city to be more competitive in the marketplace when seeking out new talent. The roll-out of the salary structure change, if passed by commissioners, is estimated to take two years to complete. Johnson said the change would get current employees “to where they need to be” salary-wise.

During a previous commission workshop, Human Resources Specialist Mary Buonagura reported that an

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Vacation rental regulations still on hold City Commissioners have not yet engaged in any substantive discussion on vacation rental occupancy limits.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The City Commission resumed its Quality of Life ordinance discussions last week, but failed to adopt the fee schedule or lift the enforcement suspension that would activate vacation rental regulations in Bradenton Beach.

The ordinance was adopted in November 2015, days before Mayor Jack Clarke left office, but the accompanying fee schedule for registration and licensing still has not been adopted. In February, the commission adopted a resolution that formally suspended enforcement of the ordinance that’s never been enforced.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry recommends lifting the suspension, adopting a fee schedule and enacting the ordinance as adopted in 2015, with the understanding that the commission will later tweak it to incorporate any

joe hendricks | SUN

The Bradenton Beach Commission made little progress last week in its efforts to enact enforceable vacation rental regulations. changes needed.

Vice Mayor John Chappie supports this approach.

“I’m ready, willing, able and wanting to move forward. We’ve got to start somewhere. We can’t continuously keep putting on the brakes,” he said.

Mayor Bill Shearon and Commissioner Jake Spooner are not there yet, in part because the 2015 ordinance does not incorporate any of the vacation rental regulations recommendations submitted earlier this year by the Planning and Zoning Board.

Board recommendations

The planning board originally recommended a two-plus-two occupancy limit and later changed that to an eightperson limit, with no grandfathering provisions for existing rentals.

The 2015 ordinance simply says the number of occupants shall not exceed the occupancy limits set forth in the city-issued certificate of occupancy, or the vacation rental license issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, whichever is less. The ordinance says non-occupant visitors would also be

allowed, but the number of guests and visitors could not exceed two times the occupancy limits established by the certificate of occupancy.

The commission has not yet engaged in any substantive discussion on occupancy limits.

The board recommends mandatory side-yard trash pickup for non-owner occupied vacation rentals; and minor changes to the exterior and interior signs that would provide the police department with 24-hour contact information and additional information on parking and occupancy limits for each rental unit.

The board also recommends a standalone false advertising ordinance that would impose fines on vacation rentals that advertise guest occupancy in excess of what’s allowed by a city-issued transient public lodging establishment license.

None of these recommendations were discussed at length last week.

Shearon expressed concerns about enacting the existing ordinance and having to enforce sign requirements see regulations, page 31

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Uncle George’s Acadian Eggs

BY SEAN MURPHY SPECIAL TO THE SUN

I

n the spring of my fifth year, Uncle George created the farm to drive his neighbors crazy.

He covered the front lawn with tons of horse poop and planted beans and berries.

Weekends and summers, I lived with George and helped with the farm.

On Sundays, we had to go to church.

Church with George was awesome.

I spent a half-hour getting ready. Ten minutes donning the required church uniform for a Nova Scotian little guy - white shirt, Nova Scotia tartan short pants and matching bow tie and knee socks. Very cute. I spent another 20 minutes combing a half tube of Uncle George's Brylcreem into my hair until it laid flat and shiny as an ice rink.

The church ladies would go on about how cute I looked and pat my head and get Brylcreem all over their fingers.

George dressed to aggravate Father Murphy, the pastor of the tiny church for our little cove.

George wore his favorite 7up sweatshirt and 7up ball cap, green dungarees and the knee-high black rubber boots that he wore all week when we were climbing around in the horse poop.

The rubber boots stunk like hell and galumped when he walked.

The galumping was important because it aggravated the bejeezuz out of old Father Murphy.

We always got to church late. George would drive around for a bit until he was certain that they had the doors closed and then he would pull up and park right out front to assure a quick getaway.

When Uncle George blew open the front doors, everyone knew he had arrived.

Our procession from the front door to our pew brought to mind a battered old fishing schooner chugging into a crowded cove. George galumped down the center aisle to the front row with me bobbing in his wake like a freshly painted dinghy, then he would put his helm hard over and drop a hook in the middle of the front row.

George would stand for a bit staring down

Father Murphy, who now had smoke coming out of his ears like he was a new sacrament, then George would plop into his seat, cross his legs and snap open his newspaper. That snap said it all.

George read his paper all through mass – ignoring the standings, sittings, and kneelings – until it came time to take the collection.

The senior male of our family had been taking collection in that little church for generations. There were not going to be any changes on Uncle George’s watch.

George would fold up his paper and galump up and down the aisles with the basket until the collection was taken, and then we hauled anchor and were out the door.

When we got back to his boathouse on the cove, George would cook up what he called "Acadian Eggs."

George could not endure recipes. All that measuring was for lesser mortals.

His culinary style was what he called “bottom-of-the-fridge-cookin”.

Cook whatever is in the bottom of the fridge.

George’s Acadian Eggs went something like this:

Search the bottom of the fridge and gather abandoned onions, peppers, carrots, shallots, tomatoes, spinach, garlic and celery and bits of left over cheeses.

Dice the vegies about the size of the end of your finger. Sweat them in a pan with a little butter or olive oil until they are just soft.

Season with salt and pepper, fresh thyme and a fistful of fresh basil.

Add a little chicken broth or V-8 to build a little extra jus.

Crack your eggs on the mixture and grate the cheese bits over the top.

Pop the pan into a medium oven until you get the eggs the way you like and then put the whole shebang on the table with big toast, big bowls and big spoons.

George’s Acadian eggs – economical, simple and quick.

We think it is good enough to anchor the weekend brunches Eat Here will be starting in the fall.

You could drop by after church.

Sean Murphy is the head coach of the incredibly talented team that runts the Beach Bistro; its little sister, Eat Here; and its new craft cocktail bar, The Doctors Office. Some of his articles can be found on the Bistro’s web-site, www.beachbistro.com.

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Sun in Savannah Sarasota resident and Sun reader Amy Hendricks visited the iconic Forsyth Park fountain in Savannah, Ga., last week while celebrating an extended Fourth of July holiday break from her preschool teaching and ownership responsibilities.

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FOOD & WINE

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Treat yourself to mullet Grilled Cortez mullet

Karen Bell

Ingredients:

STAR FISH COMPANY

2 lbs. fresh mullet fillet (feeds 4) Salt and pepper to taste Fresh lemon Oil or cooking spray

W

hen July and August roll around, I start thinking about my most favorite fish of all – mullet. Yes, mullet. People are always surprised when I proclaim that the local vegetarian is my go-to fish. Why? Because the poor mullet has gotten a bum rap over the years. People who don't know any better often think of them as a trash fish or bait. But how wrong they are. Mullet are delicious and nutritious and inexpensive to boot.

As fall approaches, mullet begin to store fat in preparation for their spawning season late in the year. If you want to see this for yourself, fillet a mullet or two in August, and then cut a couple more in November. You'll be able to see that the fat content definitely increases as winter approaches. The fat gets thicker and thicker around the mullet's belly. The increased oil content results in an extremely moist fillet that is full of flavor. That in turn makes for a truly succulent dining experience.

It's during this time of the year that Florida smoke

Procedure:

Lightly salt and pepper each side of mullet fillets. Brush grill grates with oil to prevent fish from sticking. Cook mullet 3-4 minutes each side. Squeeze fresh lemon on before serving. Pair with your favorite sides: cheese grits, hush puppies or cole slaw. Enjoy !

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If you don't want to cook it yourself, enjoy mullet served with grits, cole slaw and hush puppies at Star Fish Company. houses, which specialize in mullet, start freezing up product for the coming lean spring months. Once the mullet spawn in December and January, the fish will become extremely thin with almost no fat left in them. Local fishermen refer to them as rails or snakes at this time as the fish are so long and thin. Once this happens, it's best to eat a fro-

zen mullet that was harvested in the fall or wait for the fish to once again fatten up starting in early summer.

Cortez has often been called "the town that mullet built."

All the little fish houses that dotted the shoreline based their businesses on mullet.

Prior to Cortez even being settled by North Carolina transplants in the late 1800s,

mullet harvested in local waters were salted and shipped to Cuba. The value of mullet to Cortez continues today. The fish themselves are sold whole and filleted. When filleted, the heads are saved for crab bait.

There is little to no waste in this harvest. During spawning season, the fish bodies are packed as a food grade product, which is frozen and then

shipped all over the world. The mullet eggs or roe are considered a delicacy and also are shipped to Europe and Asia.

But lucky for us, we have this amazing resource right here in our own backyards.

And speaking of backyards, a great way to enjoy a delectable mullet is to throw one on the grill. So shove that burger to the side and make room for a mullet! Directions are provided but if you don't want to experiment yourself, just make your way to Star Fish Company and let us do it for you. I promise, you're in for a treat.

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JULY 12, 2017

City hopes to break automated ticketing contract

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

be some type of payment we have to make to cancel early.”

Loving Christ • Sharing His Grace • Serving All COMMUNITY CHURCH

Ricinda Perry City Attorney

SUNDAY WORSHIP

could be done at an additional cost.

Last week, Speciale said he was told Complus has not been able to provide the additional programming. He also learned there would be additional unanticipated banking costs.

Speciale said he recently learned that Data Ticket, the firm the city uses to collect past due parking fines, also offers automated ticketing services.

“We were never told that they offered any type of handhelds for parking enforcement, so we have been using them just as a debt collector. After it was made public that we were doing this, and after we had done the contract, Data Ticket let us know see tickets, page 26

DISCOVERING GOD’S

NEXT

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials are experiencing buyer’s remorse and are trying to get out of a three-year contract for an automated parking ticket writing program that has not yet been implemented.

At the Thursday, July 6, City Commission meeting, Police Chief Sam Speciale said he was having second thoughts about the contract with Complus Data Innovations the commission approved at his request in March.

The contract calls for Complus to provide the Bradenton Beach Police Department with four automated ticket writers, fine collection software and reporting services for $1,100 a month or 15 percent of the monthly ticket revenue, whichever is greater.

City officials first met with Complus representative John Beehler in February.

At that time, Beehler was asked if the ticket writers could be programmed to issue tickets for additional violations, including code enforcement violations. Beehler said that

There’s going to

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City officials now prefer an Android based system offered by another firm.

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21

violations: Officials issue occupancy violations FROM PAGE 1

‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE? WHERE

Per the vacation rental ordinance, Holmes Beach allows two people per bedroom or six total per unit, whichever is greater.

Short-term rentals are allowed to rent for seven days or more. Rentals in other residential districts are allowed for 30 days or more.

Tokajer said the department sent letters to property owners advising them of the city’s intent to enforce occupancy and the requirement to post vacation rental certificate numbers on all advertising.

Though a notice of violation does not carry a fine, recipients are given a 72-hour grace period to correct the issue before it escalates to a special magistrate hearing where a fine would be imposed.

To identify violators, Tokajer said officers are combing through rentals advertisements and comparing them with building permits, business tax receipts and vacation rental certificates.

“All we’re looking for is people to come into compliance with the ordinance,” he said.

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OUTDOORS

JULY 12, 2017

Fishing with Captain Rick Grassett C

aptain Rick Grassett was the first to spot the black shapes cruising towards the boat. The sky was clear and the winds light, just the kind of day fly anglers pray for. We were anchored on the shallow edge of a Gulf side sandbar, and it was my turn on the bow. Moments later, I spotted the tarpon and watched as they closed on the boat. When they were in range, I made two false casts and placed my fly 10 feet in front of the lead fish.

I waited for the first fish to pass before beginning my retrieve. The second fish didn’t respond, but the third fish started tracking the fly. Two strips later it opened its mouth, and the fly disappeared. As the line came tight, I set the hook with two sharp jabs, letting go as the fish surged. Concentrating on the fly line at my feet, I watched as it sail into the guides, making sure it didn’t tangle on anything. The tarpon immediately came out of the water in

Reel Time RUSTY CHINNIS a scale rattling jump and took off into deeper water. The rest of my fly line and 100 feet of backing quickly melted from the reel. I reached down and released the anchor as Grassett started the boat. By the time we got forward momentum, another 200 feet of backing had vanished into the Gulf, and the tarpon had made two grey-hounding leaps in the distance.

Reeling furiously, I started to retrieve the backing, keeping just enough pressure on the line to prevent it from going slack. When we had regained the backing and most of the fly line, Grassett killed the engine and got his cam-

captain rick grassett | SUbmitted

The author watches as his tarpon catapults into the air. era ready. When he gave me the signal, I leaned on the tarpon, putting as much pressure as I dared on the line and rod.

The 90-pound fish made a beautiful gyrating leap just as we had planned.

Grassett took a burst of photos and the

fish took off on another long run.

We repeated the scenario three more times, allowing Grassett to capture its last slow leap. We were right next to see reel time, page 23

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reel time: Fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett FROM PAGE 22

the fish, but I couldn’t get it near the boat. Every time I attempted to turn the fish, it made another short run. Not wanting to stress the fish, I tightened the drag, held onto the spool and on the next surge the line parted, just as I had hoped.

Returning to the anchor float, we set up on the edge of the sandbar again. Minutes later, wave after wave of fish tracked towards us. It was Grassett’s turn, and after a number of shots and refusals, a big fish tracked and attacked his fly. He set the hook, and as the fish bolted, line flew into the air, tangling around his hand. The tarpon made a beautiful jump, breaking off when the line came tight again. He had done everything right, but as we have learned “if something can go wrong it will.” The balance of the day we took turns throwing at singles and groups of fish. Although we both had lots of excellent shots, we weren’t able to hook up again.

July is the time of the year that fly anglers relish. It’s a time when big spawning schools of tarpon break up. It’s also a time when fishing the beaches with live bait is winding down. The single tarpon and groups of two to four that fly anglers target in shallow water are very temperamental and tend to refuse live bait and artificial lures, but will take properly presented flies.

When tarpon make a long run it’s common practice to start the engine and get as close to the fish as possible. That’s the only way to be able to apply the pressure necessary to land them. Getting close to them before applying pressure will also result in a jump about 50 percent of the time.

Anglers wanting to try their hand at fly fishing for tarpon are encouraged to hire a guide. It’s a technical game and the experience a guide brings is invaluable.

Captain Rick Grassett has been fly fishing tarpon for decades and is considered one of the best guides on the west coast. He can be reached at 941-350-9790, or visit his web site at www. snookfin-addict.com.

captain DAVE WHITE | SUbmitted

Doug Ewing, of Bradenton, shows off a nice American red snapper caught with Captain David White of Anna Maria Charters.

Focusing efforts offshore CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE

We here at Anna Maria Charters are continuing on focusing our efforts offshore. Conditions have been stellar for traveling long distances offshore. The Gulf has been a glassy pond out there! Sometimes, you feel like changing spots just to feel a breeze. These conditions make drift fishing ideal. Instead of anchoring up in a specific location, it's more conducive to slowly drift an area and cover a bit more ground. I'm finding that if it's a good looking area and fish don't seem really responsive, try a smelly dead bait. This can trigger those animals to feed. Red and gag grouper, American red snapper, African pompano, mangrove, lane, and yellowtail snapper have all

been caught on our recent trips. It's a nice way to stock the fridge with some healthy groceries. Enjoy our American red snapper season while we have it.

Captain Rick Grassett

Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon during the past week. With the weather in a normal pattern of an east breeze in the morning, an afternoon sea breeze and plenty of sun, fly anglers had numerous shots at tarpon each day, jumping several and catching and releasing a couple.

I had a real treat earlier in the week when Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I had an opportunity to fish the backcountry of Pine Island Sound for juvenile tarpon with our friend, Capt. Joe Harley, of Snooktown Charters out of Matlacha, Fla., (www.snooktown.com or 239-443-7412).

We had great action jumping numerous tarpon in the 15- to 30-pound class and leadering

a couple of them on 8-wt fly tackle.

Great fun and a change of pace from beach tarpon fishing. These fish usually jump higher and more often than their larger brethren! I also fished with Rusty in Sarasota on Wednesday. We had numerous shots at tarpon, and Rusty hooked up, getting numerous jumps and runs during a 20-minute fight before the hook pulled.

Hal Lutz, from Parrish, Fla., and Jeb Mulock, from Bradenton, Fla., fished with me on Thursday and Friday. Hal was the first to score when he hooked up on Thursday and fought his fish to the boat. Jeb hooked up twice on Friday, jumping one tarpon and fighting the fish for about 30-minutes before we had an unexpected break off. He immediately hooked up again, fighting the second tarpon through several jumps and runs before it was leadered. Great job!

Tarpon fishing should be good next week as we head towards a full moon. Tarpon are getting in a good mood now as many fish are post spawn and becoming more aggressive. Snook season remains closed on the west coast of Florida until Sept. 1, so please handle them gently and release them quickly. Fishing lighted docks and bridges in the ICW for snook with flies and DOA Lures continues to be a good option. This is also a good time frame to sight fish for snook in the surf.

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JULY 12, 2017

Imperiled birds nesting at Aqua by the Bay

BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com

Least terns, a threatened bird species in Florida, are nesting at the Aqua by the Bay development under construction at Long Bar Pointe, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.

The controversial residential/commercial project by partners Carlos Beruff and Larry Lieberman has 2,384 planned multi-family units, including four 145-foot-tall buildings and up to a dozen 95-foot-tall buildings, 510 single-family attached, detached and semi-detached lots and 78,000 square feet of commercial retail space.

Suzi Fox, director of Turtle Watch, first saw the birds around June 16 and contacted Manatee County Audubon, which contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC officials visited the site on June 23, confirming 34 least terns and one nest, according to Turtle Watch volunteer Kathy

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Doddridge.

If you would like to help monitor the site, call Doddridge at 941-795-1846 or 941-705-3862.

If you see anyone disturbing least terns on the property, call the FWC hotline at 888-404-3922.

sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water.

• Don’t use sky lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf.

• Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.

• Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Eliza Ann nests again

Deputy LeAna Cudzilo of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria substation, captured this night vision goggle photo of Eliza Ann nesting for the second known time this season on Anna Maria Island. The loggerhead sea turtle was fitted with a satellite transmitter after nesting on June 19 on Coquina Beach and will be tracked by the Sea Turtle Conservancy in its Tour de Turtles migration marathon that begins Aug. 1.

Bird tips SUBMITTED

Turtle Talks continue Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers will present a 30-minute Turtle Talk program at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, and Tuesday, July 25, at CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.

Volunteers will take you on a virtual tour of Anna Maria Island’s nesting beaches, answer questions and announce the time and location of upcoming nest excavations, which are done three days after hatchlings leave the nests.

Participants can pick up free activity books, handouts and temporary turtle tattoos. T-shirts, stickers, transfers and embroidered ball caps with Turtle Watch’s Turtle Life logo will be available for a donation.

For more information, visit www. islandturtlewatch.com.

Turtle Tips During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, please follow these tips: • Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.

• Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.

• Remove all objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings.

• Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching

During bird nesting season, March through August, please follow these tips: • Never touch a shorebird chick, even if it’s wandering outside a staked nesting area.

• Teach kids not to chase birds – bird parents may abandon nests if they’re disturbed.

• Don’t feed birds – it encourages them to fly at people aggressively and is not good for their health.

• If birds are screeching and flying at you, you’re too close.

• Avoid posted bird nesting areas and use designated walkways to the beach.

• Keep pets away from bird nesting areas.

• Keep the beach clean; food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beach, and litter can entangle birds and other wildlife.

• If you see people disturbing nesting birds, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

JULY 12, 2017

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COREY WASH | SUBMITTED

Spectacular show Beachgoers watched fireworks sponsored by the Sandbar restaurant on the Fourth of July.

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JULY 12, 2017

ticketing: City hopes to break contract FROM PAGE 20

that they wished they would have had the chance to bid on it. They could offer not only those services, but some of the services Complus said they couldn’t,” Speciale said.

He said Data Ticket offers the same Casio handheld ticket writers, but also offers an Android tablet based system that transmits ticket data over the wi-fi systems already installed in the patrol vehicles. Data from the handheld writers is uploaded using a centralized docking station.

Mayor Bill Shearon supports breaking the contract and going with the Android system instead. He suggested starting with a low-key approach to see if Complus is willing to amicably part ways. If that doesn’t work, he suggested asserting that Complus has not met its contractual obligations.

Speciale acknowledged that Complus has invested time and resources into this endeavor.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said with a signed contract Complus could try to hold the city responsible for three years of $1,100 monthly payments ($39,600) whether the ticketing services are used or not.

“There’s going to be some type of payment we have to make to cancel early,” she predicted, noting that if the dispute ends up in court, the hearings would take place in New York, where Complus is based.

“We have him on record saying we could plug in the code enforcement. He told us that,” Commissioner Jake Spooner said of the meeting with Beehler.

“We’re not getting what we want,” Vice

joe hendricks | SUN

Police Chief Sam Speciale is having second thoughts about the Complus automated ticket writers.

Mayor John Chappie added.

As a backup plan, Spooner suggested offering Complus $6,600 – six months’ pay – to terminate the contract. It was also noted that in a worst-case scenario the city could use the ticket writers for parking tickets only for three years.

The city of Anna Maria uses Complus for parking tickets only and later in the week Mayor Dan Murphy said he’s pleased with the results.

The commission authorized Speciale to contact Complus about terminating the contract and report back at the July 20 meeting.

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27

May resort tax collections $250,000

May 2016

Sharky's Steak & Seagri ll Anna Maria lsland Full Bar - Carry Out

$200,000

May 2017

Thursdays live music Phone (941) 779 - 9151 2519 Gulf Drive N, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217

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Holmes Beach

Manatee County’s 5 percent tourist tax is collected from owners of accommodations rented for six months or less who charge the tax to their renters, in most cases, tourists. About 50 percent of the tax proceeds are allocated to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau tourism marketing efforts, with 20 percent allocated to beach renourishment. Resort tax increases reflect both increased visitation and improved tax collection efforts. Amounts shown were collected in May and paid to the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office in June. To anonymously report a rental owner who may not be paying the tax, call 941-741-4809 or visit http://www.taxcollector.com/tdt-evader.cfm.

Source: Manatee County Tax Collector

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REAL ESTATE

JULY 12, 2017

High-end market fire sale W

ho would have thought that the high-end real estate market would be the one in trouble during the best real estate sales economy in many a day?

But rather than being on fire many high-end homes may be facing a fire sale.

It’s been a crazy year. Economies around the world have been rattled to the core whether, you live in Great Britain and are faced with Brexit or whether you live in Ireland, France or indeed right here and are still reeling from world leaders that came out of the blue. Whatever the reason, the high-end real estate market is rattled. Listing prices on homes and condos in Miami and Manhattan are being readjusted and not in a good way.

Realtor.com reports that the median asking price in the third quarter of 2016 for homes in the top 5 percent of listings grew by only 3 percent from the previous year. In addition, luxury listings took longer to sell at a median of 131 days, about 4 percent slower than the previous year. Top end realtors are saying

Castles in the Sand Louise Bolger the market peak was summer of 2015 and that the smart sellers are pricing high-end properties at 2014 prices.

An interesting example of this is the Denver market, which overall saw a 11.4 percent increase in the median sale price in 2016. However, the top end of the market for homes sold in December dropped over 26 percent from the previous year and prices were down 4.85 percent. And the poor homeowners in Greenwich, Conn., are having trouble selling their $10 million or more ultraluxury estates. There were only five sales for $10 million or more in 2015 and 2016, the slowest pace since 2008, according to the

Wall Street Journal.

And as if that isn’t enough bad news for the privileged, it appears that around the country there are high-end homes on the market for years and years. The more expensive the home, the more likely it is to sit on the market if not priced correctly.

Although high-end sellers may have the resources to wait for their price, what they once thought was their price is definitely not the buyers’ price, and at some point, a decision must be made. But owners of big expensive homes aren’t always the ones that want what they want, no matter how unrealistic it is.

Real estate professionals warn that holding out is usually a bad idea, as is testing the market with an overpriced listing price. Buyers know more about today’s market values than ever before in history. Easy access to listings and closings on the internet give potential home buyers a quick and easy education without even getting behind the wheel of their car.

The old real estate adage is the first offer received on a property is frequently the best, but in order to get that first offer, you can’t turn off the buyers who are interested in the specifics of your property by an unreasonable price. Buyers are so well versed in the market they’re looking at they know when a listing is stale and like sharks smelling blood, immediately assume there is something wrong with the property and present lowball offers.

According to Concierge Auctions, high-end homes that took longer than 180 days to sell spent an average of 774 days on the market and sold at 77 percent of their original list price. Homes that spent under 180 days on the market sold in an average of 80 days for 93 percent of the initial asking price.

If you’re getting ready for the selling season, put out the fire. List for the correct number based on what’s happening now not what might have been, and avoid the fire sale.

JULY 12, 2017

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center: City to review Center finances FROM PAGE 1

• Budgets for the last three fiscal years and coming fiscal year if available; • Most recent capital expenditures budget; • Promissory notes for unpaid debt; • Foundation agreement; • Most recent business plan; • Schedule showing revenue sources (memberships, donations, grants, government funding, etc.) for the last five years; • Membership levels for the last five years.

Murphy requested access to the following documents: • Bank statements for the last two years; • Leases for property and equipment; • Contracts for services to be provided; • The general ledger; • Accounts payable journal showing unpaid amounts and past due amounts; • Credit card statements for the 2016-17 fiscal year that just ended; • Petty cash reimbursement receipts for the recent fiscal year; The city is not requesting any user names or account passwords.

Murphy told Lessig the information received would be used to develop questions to be posed to Center management.

If it reverts back to the city, we have a plan in place.”

Dan Murphy Anna Maria Mayor

file photo

The expenditures and expenses of Executive Director Kristen Lessig will be among the financial records reviewed.

He said Chambers was available starting Monday, July 10, and the information could be provided in any order and piecemeal if necessary.

When asked about the audit, Murphy said, “I think we’ll know a lot more about the condition of The Center than we do now.”

He said any financial records received would immediately become part of the city’s public records and be available to the public and the press.

New Center board chair David Zaccagnino said the board and staff will cooperate with the audit.

“I think it’s a good thing working with

Mayor Murphy, and our partnership with the city of Anna Maria,” Zaccagnino said, noting that he and Murphy met during the week.

Lease options

The Center is located 407 Magnolia Ave. on city-owned property leased for $1 a year. The Anna Maria City Commission also provides additional annual funding.

In 2003, the city and the not-for-profit Anna Maria Island Community Center Inc. (AMICC) signed a lease addendum that served as an extension of a previous lease signed in 1978.

The 1978 lease says the property can only be used as a community center and can be peacefully delivered back to the city before the lease expires if need be. It also says that if AMICC ceases to maintain the community center or operate as

a non-profit organization, the city has the lawful right to re-enter the leased land and terminate the lease.

Murphy was asked what would happen if the board members voted to give The Center back to the city if they concluded they could not secure the $400,000 to $600,000 still needed to break even in the new fiscal year that just started – a decision that could be further motivated by volunteer board members growing weary of the stress and public scrutiny they’re subjected to.

“If it reverts back to the city, we have a plan in place,” Murphy said.

Murphy plans to attend the board’s Wednesday, July 19, meeting to discuss The Center’s lease, financial affairs and future plans.

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www.amisun.com

JULY 12, 2017

Raley is top dog in eating contest Hahana Ilio is Hawaiian for hot dog.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

CORTEZ – Billy “The Batter Box” Raley, of Bradenton, won the Swordfish Grill’s Fourth Annual 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Raley bested nine fellow competitors by eating 10 hotdogs on the Swordfish Grill bay front patio on Independence Day. Chad “The Moustache Mangler” Schilling, also of Bradenton, claimed second place by woofing down eight dogs.

Before the contest began, the nine contestants who were over 21 drank an obligatory shot, as ordered by master of ceremonies and General Manager Bob Slicker. The contestants had plates containing eight hot dogs placed in front of them, with more dogs to come as needed, and they had 10 minutes to do their damage.

In the end, it was Raley who claimed the first-place prize package of $100 cash, a $100 Swordfish Grill gift card, a Swordfish Grill shirt and hat, and he also earned the right to have his name engraved on the coveted Hahana Ilio Cup trophy that already boasts the names of the past contest winners. Schilling won a $50 Swordfish Grill gift card for his second-place effort.

Swordfish Grill | Submitted

General Manager Bob Slicker, center, served as the hot dog eating contest master of ceremonies, shown here with contestants Palmer “Train Wreck” Yergey, left, and eventual second place finisher Chad “The Moustache Mangler” Schilling, right.

Left, Bradenton’s Billy “The Batter Box” Raley is the 2017 Swordfish Grill hot dog eating champion.

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JULY 12, 2017

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31

regulations: Still on hold FROM PAGE 15

that are likely going change. Perry said those signs could be grandfathered in.

“What we need to do is spend the time, put in the P&Z tweaks we want, then go for it. To do it now and enforce it is a mistake,” Shearon said.

“It all comes down to trash, noise and parking,” Spooner said. “I understand the feeling that we need to do some-

thing because all these things seem to be getting out of hand with what we already have on the books, but is this going to accomplish it?”

Licensing fee

Based on staff input, Perry recommended a $150 per rental unit licensing and registration fee. The commission was OK with that fee for single-unit

vacation rental homes, but Commissioner Ralph Cole led the opposition to the per unit fee being charged to multiunit resorts owned by a single owner or ownership group. Chappie, Shearon and Spooner agreed, and Chappie said it’s vacation rental homes, not resorts, that are causing problems in neighborhoods.

Cole suggested a $150 per property fee. Perry said staff recommended the

per-unit fee to cover the city’s administrative, inspection and enforcement costs. She suggested capping the fee at $1,000 per property.

The commission took no formal action and the discussions will resume on Thursday, July 20. The six-month building moratorium enacted in November has already been extended once and is set to expire in early August.

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THE SUN

Top real estate producers for June 2017 A PARADISE Kathy Woodruff - Listing Jo Anne Curtan - Selling AN ISLAND PLACE REALTY Sue Carlson - Listing & selling

ISLAND REAL ESTATE ANNA MARIA Adele Holland- Listing Elizabeth & Randy Blandford - Selling

COLDWELL BANKER Gabe Buky Team - Listing & selling

MICHAEL SAUNDERS ANNA MARIA ISLAND Laurie Mock - Listing George Myers - Selling

DUNCAN REAL ESTATE Darcie Duncan - Listing Michelle Laade - Selling

MIKE NORMAN Kathy Caserta - Listing Marianne Norman-Ellis - Selling

EDGEWATER REAL ESTATE Lynn Zemmer - Listing & selling

SATO REAL ESTATE Jason Sato - Listing John Damato - Selling

FRAN MAXON REAL ESTATE Stephanie Bell - Selling ISLAND REAL ESTATE HOLMES BEACH Gail Tutewiler - Listing Alan & Scott Galletto - Selling

WAGNER REAL ESTATE Ray Ellen Hayo - Listing & selling

JULY 12, 2017

JULY 12, 2017

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Holmes Beach multi-use path moves forward Holmes Beach commissioners gave City Engineer Lynn Burnett the green light on her plans for a local multi-use trail.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH — A plan for a local multiuse path is ready to roll out in Holmes Beach.

Commissioners agreed June 27 to allow City Engineer Lynn Burnett to move forward with her plans for a local multi-use trail in Holmes Beach. The trail, a project to increase sidewalk widths to 8 to 10 feet in residential neighborhoods, would allow for bicycles and pedestrians to share the same path while adding crosswalks for safety.

The widened sidewalks will be paired with sharrow roads for bicyclists to share with vehicles where the multi-use path cannot be installed due to right of way allowances.

The plans do not remove any existing bicycle lanes or sidewalks. It also does not impact the plans for the SUN Trail complete streets project, which while planned, is not funded.

In her presentation, Burnett said the timeline for the project has shifted some due to the force main replacement project scheduled to get underway soon moving north from the

Submitted | Sun

A map created by City Engineer Lynn Burnett shows the proposed path of a local multi-use trail through Holmes Beach neighborhoods. During a June 27 commission meeting, Burnett said the primary changes to the map would be eliminating vehicular traffic on 43rd Street and moving the 55th Street crosswalk to 56th Street.

Manatee Public Beach.

She said the improvements scheduled for areas north of 43rd Street would be completed in fiscal years 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Improvements south of 43rd Street are planned to be completed as the force main project is completed and moves south toward Bradenton Beach to prevent additional construction disruption to residents, Burnett said.

Use of the trail, Burnett said, is intended mostly for residents and recreational cyclists. More serious cyclists and bicycling

groups are expected to stay in the existing bicycle lanes along Gulf and Marina Drives rather than divert to residential neighborhoods.

Funding for the five year project is being budgeted through the city using the halfcent gas tax and other infrastructure dollars.

Where applicable, Burnett said she would apply for county and state funds along with grants to help complete the project.

A complete funding presentation for the project is expected at a future commission meeting.

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TOWN CRIER

at the sun through a Hydrogen Alpha solar telescope from the lawn of the Valentine House at Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., on Saturday, July 15, from 9 to 11 a.m. The perfectly safe H Alpha light shows solar granulation, filaments, sunspots and even solar flares. No reservations are needed. For more information, call 941-748-4501, ext. 6039.

Replace meds with healthy food We all know there are harmful foods, but eating healthy foods might be a way to get off those meds.

That’s the word from Kirt Lietzow and Melissa Merkle, who own Boomers N Motion, an exercise and health coaching business focused on keeping baby boomers and older adults healthy into their golden years. They will speak at the next Just Older Youth lunch meeting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12, at the Roser Community Memorial Church fellowship hall at 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

They will cover a number of subjects including: • The basic principles behind the concept, “Food is medicine.”

• Foods that have a healing effect.

• Foods that damage your body.

• How to prepare and include supercharged foods into your daily routine.

Lunch will be served. A $5 donation will help cover the cost of food. RSVP to the church at 941-778-0414 or online at www.roserchurch.com/joy.

An club day inside the library Get out of the heat and spend some time at the Island Branch Library, 57012 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, on Wednesday, July 12. The Coloring Club starts at noon and the Chess Club starts at 4 p.m. It’s fun and it’s air conditioned. Call 941-778-6341 for more information.

Learn basic fermentation The Folk School at the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., in Cortez, hosts a basic fermentation class Wednesday, July 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Instructor Jillian Ross will cover the science of fermentation and how to properly ferment foods and beverages as well as tools needed and where to find them.

She will bring sauerkraut, kimchi,

JULY 12, 2017

Creative fun for kids

Shop near the sand

Shop at the Beach Coquina Beach at 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach at the trolley stop, concession stand area, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The market is open every Sunday from November through July (excluding Easter, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekend) and every Wednesday from mid December through mid April. Shop for local arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, collectibles, plants and fresh produce. The Coquina Beach Café is open for snacks and to relax and watch the waves. Ride the free trolley to the market or park in the free parking lot. Manatee County does not allow dogs anywhere in Coquina Park. The market is stroller, walker and wheelchair accessible. Contact Nancy for more information at 941-518-4431.

Come out to mahjong

beet kvass, milk/water kefir, kombucha and various lacto-fermented pickles and vegetables to familiarize the class with them. The fee is $20 per student, and everything is provided.

For more information, call the Folk School at 941-708-6120 or log onto https://floridafolkschool.org/.

The Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, is hosting mahjong, the Chinese board game that’s popular in America, on Friday, July 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Friday, July 14. For more information, call the library at 941-778-6341.

All about sea cows

Alzheimer’s care givers meet

The Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, will host Marvelous Manatees on Thursday, July 13, from 10 to 11 a.m. This kids’ show talks about these creatures that spend all of their time in the water, playing, reproducing and resting. They will learn about hazards from boats speeding through shallow waters.

This program is produced by the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department in conjunction with the Manatee County Library System. For more information, call 941748-4501, ext. 6034.

Sue Fox, a representative of the Sarasota Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, will host a program for caregivers of people with memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, on Friday, July 14, at 2 p.m. at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. The program is free. Call 941-778-6431 for more information.

Face to face with the sun The Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department is offering an opportunity to look directly

The Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, is hosting a special activity for kids 3 and older on Saturday, July 15, at 2 p.m. Kids will be able to build what they want with homemade Tinker Toys. These wooden items are like Legos in that they allow users to make what they want. For more information, call 941-778-6341.

In a spin Tuesdays are story time for kids at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, at 10 a.m. In addition to stories from Ms. Trudy, there art crafts, activities and maybe some singing or dancing. The theme will be “Round and Round We Go.” For more information, call 941-778-6341.

Explore Neal Preserve Take a relaxing stroll through one of coastal Manatee County’s hidden gems and get to know Neal Preserve, at 12301 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton, on Wednesday , July 26, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Naturalist Melissa Nell will lead the group and share tales and facts about the site’s history and natural features.

Learn to identify Florida’s native wild cotton, hear the story of the site’s earliest inhabitants, and sample tasty sea purslane on your travels. This program is suitable for all ages.

Reservations are required. E-mail melissa.nell@mymanatee.org or call 941-742-5923 to reserve a spot.

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JULY 12, 2017

Obituaries Barbara Lazzara Barbara Lazzara, 83 of Anna Maria, passed away July 2, 2017.

She was born on Nov. 13, 1933, in New York to the late Carl and Ivabelle (Kirkpatrick) Jolly. Barbara moved to Anna Maria over 20 years ago coming from Oklahoma City, Okla. While living in Oklahoma she operated her own antique shop. She also volunteered with the Cameo Muscular Dystrophy Association in Miami, Fla. After moving to Anna Maria, she started the Islander’s Market, which was located on Anna Maria and in Bradenton for many years. She also at-

BEACH BEAT Anna Maria

7/4, burglary to an occupied structure, 200 block of Spring Avenue. A bike was stolen from the carport of the home.

Bradenton Beach

7/4, Domestic related battery, 6800 block of Gulf Drive. The victim and defendant are brothers, and they got into an argument while playing corn hole with the family and a fight ensued. The aggressor was identified by witnesses and arrested by the officer.

7/4, domestic battery, 800 block of Gulf Drive South. The victim and defendant got into an argument while driving home from the beach. Their 3-yearold son was with them. The argument escalated, and the male started hitting the female, who was driving. She stopped the vehicle, and he continued to hit. She yelled so loud, people in the surrounding residences came to her aid. She jumped out of the vehicle with their son, and he jumped into the driver’s seat and drove away.

7/4, stolen tag, 1475 Gulf Drive S, The victims said they took their personal

THE SUN

tended St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach.

She was unconditionally devoted to her large extended family and many friends from all over the world. She loved without judgment or condemnation, always there with kind words and a soothing meal. She was a consummate cook with great love of entertaining her family and friends. She never lost her zest for life or her love for words and the written word. She was an avid and voracious reader. She was a mother and grandmother and aunt to so many who were friends of her own children.

She was predeceased by a son, Ralph B. Lazzara, in 2010, and a brother, Carl Jolly, Jr. Barbara is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Ralph Lazzara, of Anna Maria; two daughters, Melissa J. Lazzara of Anna Maria and

Rosalie (Pino) D’Innella of Milan, Italy; three grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends.

Services will be held at a later date.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers that memorials be made in her name online at hri.ouhsc.edu/Contribute.aspx. Condolences for the family may be made online at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com.

watercraft to the boat launch on a trailer and used them for the day. They discovered the tag to the trailer was gone the next day.

6/29, driving with no license, 500 Manatee Avenue. The officer ran a computer check and found out the defendant had no license. He gave the driver a summons.

7/1, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving with a suspended license, Manatee County Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive. The officer stopped the defendant for not wearing a seatbelt and found out the car was not registered, and the driver’s license was suspended.

7/1, driving with a suspended license, Manatee County Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive. An ambulance crew observed the subject driving slow and erratically from the mainland to the Island. Officers found out his license was suspended for financial responsibility. He was ticketed and his vehicle towed.

7/1, burglary to a vehicle, 100 31st St. Three purses were stolen from an unlocked van while the owners were at the beach.

7/2, boat accident, 665 Key Royale Drive.

A boat ran into the dock and destroyed it.

7/3, battery, exposure D Coy Ducks, 5410 Marina Drive. The victim said as she was at the bench outside the bar, a male came up to her, exposed himself and threatened to urinate on her. She

Cortez

7/2, theft and auto and grand theft auto, 4000 block of 128th Street West. Deputies found an abandoned vehicle. They questioned the owner’s daughter and boyfriend. They found out the victim gave no permission for anybody to use the vehicle. They also found out the victim had a safe, and items were missing from it. They released the vehicle to the victim’s niece at her request.

Holmes Beach

6/29, fraud, Jessie’s Island Store, 5424 Marina Drive. The owner of Bradenton Beach Parasail came to the police station to say one of his employees took money from his business via company credit cards and bought gift cards from Jessie’s. The victim showed receipts from the transactions. Police talked with Jessie’s manager and a clerk and they remember selling the cards for more than a year. The owner confronted the employe, and the officer prepared a capias request to have the state attorney’s office investigate.

John J. Ogilby John J. Ogilby, of Holmes Beach, passed away on July 3, 2017.

He is survived by his daughter, Karen Hamilton; and five grandchildren, Paul Hamilton, Will Hamilton, J.J. Ogilby, Graham Ogilby and Marielle Ogilby. He was predeceased by his wife and the love of his life, Muriel Ogilby; and son, John Ogilby Jr.

35

John had a long and successful career with Tropicana Orange Juice. John was an avid water lover. He enjoyed sailing and fishing with family and friends in the Gulf of Mexico. He was very appreciative of Manatee County for all the opportunities it provided him. John’s family would like to thank the many people who provided love, care and support through these hard times.

A memorial reception was scheduled for Monday, July 10, 2017 from 10 a.m. to noon at Shannon Funeral Home, 5610 Manatee Ave., Bradenton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sheriff’s Boys' Ranch. Online condolences may be made at www. shannonfuneralhome.com.

said she told him to “put it away.” She said a woman approached the male about what she said to him and then she approached the victim and started punching and biting her on her arm.

When police arrived, the suspects were gone.

7/3, noise complaint, 134 49th St. The officer responded to a complaint, found a violation and issued a violation complaint.

7/4, DUI, 3600 East Bay Drive. The officer stopped the driver after noticing he had a hard time staying within the lane. He observed signs of alcohol consumption on the 19-year-old female driver and asked her for a breath sample and she refused. The officer issued her a citation for not maintaining her lane, and her car was towed.

7/4, assault, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive. Police responded to a fight in progress and made several arrests.

7/5, fleeing to elude police, speeding, 600 Manatee Drive. The officer observed a 2017 Ford Mustang travelling at a high rate of speed. He gave chase and the driver ran two red lights and accelerated to 100 mph. The vehicle struck a large rock and became airborne, hitting a tree. Nobody was injured and the juvenile driver was arrested.

salary: Structure change considered FROM PAGE 14

independent review of the city’s current step salary structure showed Holmes Beach is behind average and maximum salary ranges for similar positions in the area by 3 to 5 percent.

Commissioner Jean Peelen expressed concern about allowing the city’s longevity bonus program to sunset if the new compensation structure is adopted. The longevity bonus, applied to employees hired prior to January 1, 2014, gives employees a bonus for

every five years they’re employed with the city.

Johnson said he would prefer to work the longevity payments into the merit-based system so that employees are compensated fairly without the bonuses. He suggested allowing the longevity program to expire after employee salaries are readjusted under the new plan, if it’s approved.

Chair Judy Titsworth agreed with Peelen, saying she felt “uncomfortable” not keeping the longevity plan in place for employees hired with the benefit.

“Longevity is really important to the city,” she said.

Commissioner Carol Soustek also said she would feel better about approving the merit-based compensation plan if the current longevity plan was allowed to stay in place.

Johnson said he understands commissioners’ concerns, but the purpose of the merit-based structure is to move away from rewarding employees for “time served.” Under the new compensation structure, longevity would be available during the transition, after which employees would only be eligible

to receive incentive payments, bonuses and other monetary rewards based on an annual review, special recognition or consistent achievement of performance goals.

Commissioner Pat Morton said while he doesn’t want to cause a hardship for long-time workers counting on the longevity payments, he feels “the city should have been merit-based all along.”

The conversation continues at 6 p.m.

Thursday, July 13, at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

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THE SUN

FUN IN THE SUN

Across 1 Gothic literature middle name 6 Sound of relief 9 Tells 14 Olympus competitor 15 Lobster __ Diavolo 16 Talked a blue streak 17 Violent whirlpool 19 *Split apart 20 *Working, working, working 22 Bashful 23 Per person 24 Pinch 28 Part of Q.E.D. 29 Asian holiday 31 Transcript fig.

32 GĂŠorgie, to Georgette 35 *1967 NHL Calder Memorial Trophy recipient 37 Sound 39 Game show prize 40 Long tales 41 *Half-hitch kin 43 With 64-Across, tax shelter since 1998 44 "Power" accessory 45 Updike's "Rabbit Redux," e.g.: Abbr.

46 Longtime Saudi king 49 Tater 51 Ancient Israeli fortress 53 Workout "washboards" 56 *"And it took long enough!"

59 *Backup option 62 Vibrator in the larynx 63 Public opening?

64 See 43-Across 65 Low-price prefix 66 Really cracks up 67 Volleyball barrier

68 Carved emblem Down 1 Soprano Gluck and composer Mahler-Werfel 2 Chihuahua lead 3 Stretch out next to 4 Censorship-fighting org.

5 Bahamas port 6 Hiding under the covers 7 Tossed off the covers 8 Poor choice to play 48Down 9 Creamy cheese 10 Like Olympic pools 11 Picnic invader 12 Moment of stage gratitude 13 __-Cat: winter vehicle 18 Proofer's find 21 U.K. network, with "the" 25 Disco phrase 26 Nursery rhyme surname 27 Strident 28 Cotton swab brand 30 "Conan" channel 32 Bridge positions 33 Cup-shaped bloom 34 "Cheers," across the

Answers to 07-05-17 Crossword Puzzle.

Channel 35 Ball striker 36 Play area 38 Endorsements 39 Chicken-in-wine stew 42 Movie clownfish 46 One with money to burn 47 1998 Sarah McLachlan song 48 Speaker of the ends of the answers to starred clues 50 Boy in an Irish song 52 Target, for one 53 On __: reveling 54 Carried 55 City destroyed in Genesis 57 Tailgaters' cookers, for short 58 __ Domani: Italian wine brand 59 Sleepover attire 60 Cyberyuk 61 "Just as I thought!"

JULY 12, 2017

JULY 12, 2017

classified

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THOMPSON CLEANING SERVICE CommercialResidential-Marine.

Island Based Company.

Seasonal Deep Cleaning-Weekly-Occasional.

Call for Free Estimate.

941-281-4951

THE BEST VOLUNTEER position on the island. The AMI Historical Museum needs docents and bread makers. Call Lynn at 813758-3234 or lbrennan47@ gmail.com ROSER FOOD BANK needs donations of cash and non-perishable food. Donations boxes are located at the Church, Moose Club, Walgreen's and The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper (corner of Gulf and Palm).

AUTO/ BOAT DETAILING PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE WASHING. Residential & Commercial. Window Cleaning, Car & Boat Detailing. Free Estimates. Call or text Adrian's Detailing LLC 941-405-6746

BABY SITTER RED CROSS CERTIFIED baby sitter. Honor student.

Call or text Isabel 941-5457995

BOATS: PARTS & SERVICES & SALES ISLAND BOAT SALES, If I List It, It's Sold. "Business On A Hand Shake" Not Using Your Boat, Let's Sell It. Dave/Owner 941-228-3489

CARPET CLEANING QUALITY COUNTS. CARPET cleaning. Upholstery cleaning. Tile & grout cleaning. Island's favorite cleaner. Manatee Chamber Member. Great price/free estimates. Call 941-7561082

CLEANING SERVICE CLEANING: RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & RENTALS. Professional and Reliable. Call 941756-4570 CLEANING: RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, Construction and Vacation Rentals . Also available Power Washing and Windows. Call 941251-5948

AMISUN.COM

Call us today! 941-778-3986

COMMERCIAL SALES

SALON BUSINESS FOR SALE in Holmes Beach. Call 941-538-0225 for more information.

COMPUTER SERVICES EMPIRE COMPUTER SERVICE Computer problems fixed in your home or office. The fastest friendliest service around. Serving the Island since 2004. Call 941-739-6424

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AGENCY: HOLMES BEACH hiring full time. 2-20 or 4-40 licensed insurance customer service representative. Must have at least 3 years experience with a muti-line independent insurance agency. Please inquire for more information to brent. moss@greatflorida.com or 941-567-6266

FISHING CHARTERS CAPT. MAC GREGORY Fishing Charters. Full Day, Half Day, Night, Inshore & Near Shore. 941-809-5783 U.S.C.G. Certified/Insured

GARAGE, MOVING, RUMMAGE & YARD SALES ROSER THRIFT SHOP: Open 9:30a.m.-2p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10a.m.1p.m. Saturday. Annex open till 12p.m. Donations preferred on Wednesdays 9-11a.m. 511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. 941-779-2733.

HAULING SITE CLEAN-UP to trash outs we can handle it all.

Call us for your dumpsters/ trash needs today 941-7538772

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

TILE! TILE! TILE! All variations of tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship. Prompt, reliable, many Island references. Free estimates.

Neil 941-726-3077

RENOVATION SPECALIST ALL carpentry repairs, Wash Family Construction, locally owned and operated CBC 1258250 Call 941-7250073.

KERN CONSTRUCTION NEW Homes & Remodel.

Design/Build. Since 1968.

License # CRC1327296.

Call Jerry Kern 941-7781115 www.kernconstructioninc.com “HONEY DO" HOME Repairs & Handyman Services.

35 yrs experience. Painting, drywall, tile, woodwork. All tasks. Call 941-896-5256 or 941-807-5256 www.honeydohomerepairinc.com HANDYMAN. RETIRED ENGINEER. Free estimates.

“No job too Small”. Repairs, replacements, improvements, wall TV’s, shelves, cabinets, calking etc. Call Jim 941-448-7806 GET’R DONE DRYWALL, INC Specializing in Remodels & Repairs. Island Resident for 18 years. Call Neil Cell 941-962-1194 WALY PRECISION PAINTING: painting, drywall, stucco, and remodeling, commercial/residential, licensed & insured. Call 941-448-1928 or 941-4656324 www.WalyPrecisionPainting.us BESPOKE SERVICES, MASTER CARPENTER for all home & office repairs. Also painting, decorating, decking & dock repairs,. Large or small works. Reasonable Rates! Island guy for Island work. Call RICHARD 941-448-3571

LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE R. GAROFALO’S Interlocking brick pavers, driveways, patios, pool decks. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured.

Call Rafael 941-778-4823 or Veronik 941-526-7941 SHELL DELIVERED AND spread $55/yd. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, top soil with free estimates. Call Larry at 941-795-7775, "shell phone" 941-720-0770

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STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE. Specializing in Old Florida Seashell driveways and scapes. Also Rock, Mulch, & Soil. Free estimates. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE NORMS TOWING gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 7/12/2017 9:00am at 1855 63rd Ave E Bradenton FL 34203 pursuant to subsection 713.78 of the Florida Statutes.

NORMS TOWING reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

LOST & FOUND

LOST: LADIES AVIATOR sunglass on Holmes Beach, 65th street. Wed 6/28 Sunset. Reward. 813-546-3982 STOLEN FROM 217 PINE AVE. Art work from front of house. Multi-colored Fish.

REWARD! Call 813-2305900 FOUND SMALL FRIENDLY domesticated black & white cat near Bean Point.

Needs good home. Call 941-778-1976 LOST HEAVY GOLD CHAIN with Blue Stone near 47th Ave in Holmes Beach on December 26. REWARD! Call 908-963-1702 LOST MY GRANDMOTHER'S gold wedding band (initials inside and date) at Coquina Beach area. Reward.

Call 407-579-1621

MOVING & STORAGE MARTIN’S MOVING YOUR Island movers! Offering dependable, competitive rates. No hidden costs. 941-809-5777.

TWO MEN and a TRUCK. Movers who care. Local and Long distance. www. twomen.com Call 941-3591904. We sell boxes!

PAINTING & WALLCOVERING PAINT! PAINT! AND MORE 28 years of experienced interior/exterior custom painting. Pressure cleaning, drywall repairs and texture finishes. Many Island references. Please call Neil for free estimates.

941-812-0507

“WIZARD OF WALLS” Established 1980 Prompt quality service.

Paperhanging/removal Faux finishes. Interior painting. Mary Bell 941794-0455 PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES. Prompt & Reliable. Meticulous, Thorough, Quality Workmanship. Interior/Exterior. Wall paper removal..

Also minor repairs & carpentry. Free written detailed estimates. Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315

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REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE FROM THE HIGH $200’s. Only minutes from the beach, this new active adult community is perfectly located just south of Manatee Ave, off Village Green Pkwy.

Perfectly designed, open 2BR or 3BR/2BA plus den & 2CG floor plans.

Luxurious amenities, pool, spa, gym, pickle ball and fenced-in dog park. HOA only $190/ month. Models open daily. Contact us 941254-3330 www.MirabellaFlorida.com

PETS ARE YOU WANTING to vacation and not worry if your pet is lonely. I will overnight in your home, so your animal can stay in his own environment. Home Sitting is also available.

Great References. Call Mary 941-405-2496

POOL SERVICES FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE. AMI & West Bradenton. Certified Pool Operator. Residential/commercial. Chemical Service Licensed & Insured. Call Dennis Clark 941-737-5657 COLE'S TROPICAL POOL SERVICE Call Cole Bowers for all your pool maintenance needs! Affordable and Dependable!! 941-7131893

PRINTING CUSTOM DIGITAL PRINTING "Your printing dream to reality" Specializing in Dye sublimation Printing.

Graphic Design. Performance Active ware. Logo Design. Call Rhonda 330-550-4847

113 BEACH AVE 3BR/3BA Pool Home. Great location West of Gulf Drive with Direct beach access! $1,055,000 Call Charles Buky Coldwell Banker 941228-6086 CANAL FRONT HOMES Holmes Bch - Key Royale GULF FRONT CONDOS Gulf Place, La Casa L’Plage, Waters Edge & MORE. Island Real Estate ASK Alan Galletto 941-232-2216 BAY FRONT HOME W. Bradenton Palma Sola 4000 sq.ft. 4 BR/3.5 BA 4 car garage. Stunning Cathedral ceilings. No Island traffic! Island Real Estate ASK Alan Galletto 941-232-2216 FOR SALE: THE PORCH HOUSE. 2BR/2BA, 2 blocks to beach! Boyd Realty.

Scott May 941-238-8377 or Brenda Boyd May 941-7308589

REAL ESTATE: OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 12-4. 514 Key Royale Dr. Holmes Beach. Gorgeous home ground level, water front, Rarely does a home this size come on the market. Open floor plan, 9ft ceilings, Gourmet kitchen, new cabinets, new granite, Oversized bedrooms, Large pool with cage, New listing.

Sold turnkey furnished.

Walking distance to the beach. $1,345,000.

Sharon Hightower RE/ MAX Alliance Group sharonsellsbeaches@yahoo. com 941-330-5054

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RENTALS: ANNUAL 2BR/2BA CONDO IN CORTEZ at Smugglers Landing. 2 pools and workout room. Tile in most of unit, washer / dryer inside. 40 ft. boat slip. Split floor plan & under building parking.

Background & credit required. $1700 per month & security. BRADENTON 1BR/2BA upstairs condo on 75th St. near St. Peter & Paul . Water, sewer basic cable incl. $925/ mo $925 security dep. $100 application fee. Ask for Ed DUNCAN REAL ESTATE 941-779-0304 www.teamduncan.com

ANNUAL RENTAL and CONDOMINIUM Association management serviced by (2) offices open 7 days a week! Contact junew@ islandreal.com – 941-3451295 - Island Real Estate of Anna Maria Island, Inc.

AMISUN.COM

Call us today! 941-778-3986

2BR/2BA half duplex in Heritage Pines $995 annual lease. 2BR/2BA furnished in West Bay Cove $1600 annual lease. 1BR/1BA unfurnished duplex on island $1050 annual lease.

2BR/2BA furnished at West Bay Point Moorings $1850 annual lease Contact A Paradise 941-778-4800 BRADENTON: CHARMING UPDATED 2BR/1BA Duplex. 2111B 6th Ave W. $1100/mo First, Last & Security Deposit plus Credit Check. Call 941809-2488 ANNUAL RENTALS- HOLMES BEACH 2BR/1.5BA, carport, storage, W/D hookups $1,720/mo.

No Pets, Non-Smoking.

Holmes Beach 3BR/2BA elevated duplex, garage, screened lanai, W/D hookups $1,920/mo.

Non-Smoking. Call Fran Maxon Real Estate for details 941-778-2307.

RENTALS: SEASONAL & VACATION TIFFANY PLACE Gulf Front Condo for Rent Incredible views from living room and master bedroom. 2BR/2BA Green Real Estate Call 941-778-0455 ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fl Condos. Pool beach access, fully equipped $650-$800/ wk Redekercondos.com 941-704-7525 or 941-7781915 SUMMER WEEKLY RENTALS Available: 2BR/1BA Gulf front from $1,100 per week. 2BR with sleeping loft Bayfront from $1,100 per week, 4BR/3BA Bayside from $1,450 per week. No pools. 2018 SEASONAL RENTALS Available: 2BR/1BA Gulf front from $3,850 per month, 2BR with sleeping loft from $3,850 per month. Three month minimum. Horizon Realty of Anna Maria 941-778-0426 kringco@ tampabay.rr.com

JULY 12, 2017

NORTH SHORE DRIVE, Anna Maria. 3BR/2BA Seasonal Rental across the street from Gulf.

Heated Pool.

AMIRENTAL.com GREAT SUMMER RATES! Weekly, Monthly.

3BR/2BA NW Bradenton. Call Grace 941-2012190

TRANSPORTATION AMI TAXI metered-on-callcards accepted. Airport: Tampa $95, Sarasota $40, Clearwater $85, Orlando $165. Call 800-301-4816. amitaxi4u@gmail.com, www.amitaxi.com ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all airports, appointments, casino, cruises, etc. Tampa $60. Sarasota $30. Pets welcome. Very dependable. Reasonable rates. Contact Jeanne.

941-779-5095

ADMIRAL TOWN CAR Professional chauffeur, taxi prices! Airports (1@ $75, 10 $150 to Tampa), Appointments anywhere.

Credit cards accepted. Phil 941-320-1120 admiraltowncar@gmail.com, Licensed & Insured ROGER'S AIRPORT SERVICE. Tampa, St. Pete/ Clearwater, Sarasota/ Bradenton. Call Roger 941773-1469

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JULY 12, 2017

business & service directory computer service

home improvement

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Call today to place your ad: 941-778-3986 movers

HAULING

painting

home improvement

transportation HOME SITTING / PET SITTING

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JULY 12, 2017