Anna Maria Island Sun May 5, 2023

AMI celebrates Arbor Day

Vacation rental bills reach final votes Garage bill rolls through House, next stop Senate

The Florida Senate has adopted SB 714 and House members will vote on HB 833 this week.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – Local governments, including those on Anna Maria Island, are in danger of losing their ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals at the local level.

Using a contracted lobbyist and the city-owned Home Rule Florida website, www.homerulefl.com, the city of Anna Maria is at the forefront of the statewide opposition to the Florida Legislature’s efforts to preempt short-term vacation rental regulations to the state;

and specifically, to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) that already requires shortterm vacation rentals to be registered with the state.

On April 27, the Florida Senate adopted by a 28-10 margin the final amended version of Senate Bill 714.

Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) supported SB 714.

The matching and accompanying House bill, HB 833, is scheduled for a final vote of the House members this week. During a previous committee stop, State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (RBradenton) supported the bill.

If the House joins the Senate in

If the bill passes, a three-story paid parking garage will replace the parking lot and concession building at Manatee Beach.

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

TALLAHASSEE – With unanimous approval from 116 Florida state representatives, a local bill to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach has moved to the Florida Senate for consideration. The Senate is the final stop for the bill before going to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk for final approval or veto. The bill, presented by Manatee County Rep. Will Robinson Jr., sped through three House committees

before going to the floor for a vote on April 27, despite opposition from local elected officials and residents. After passing the House, it has now been referred to the Senate rules committee for consideration. The bill, which received unanimous support from the Manatee County legislative delegation when it was first proposed in January, has been a controversial topic on Anna Maria Island. If it becomes law, it will allow Manatee County officials to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach without seeking approval or permits from Holmes Beach officials, where the beach is located. It also would supersede the city’s land

SEE RENTAL BILLS, PAGE 22 SEE GARAGE BILL, PAGE 21

ANNE YARBROUGH | SUN

All three Anna Maria Island cities continued their commitment to beautifying the Island with tree plantings on Arbor Day last Friday. Pictured from left, Ingrid McClellan, Richard Larsen, Peg Miller, Cathy King, Lee Zerkel, Shawn Mayers, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie stand beside one of the four pigeon plums planted for Arbor Day at Herb Dolan Park in Bradenton Beach. More on Page 9.

Turtle Watch commemorates Suzi Fox Day

turtle nest laid on Island beaches. Proceeds from the program help Turtle Watch protect sea turtles and provide education and outreach.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As turtle nesting season begins, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITW) declared May 1 as Suzi Fox Day to honor the legacy of its former executive director.

May 1 is the official start of sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island, although two turtles got a jump on it, laying nests in April this year. The season ends on Oct. 31.

“Suzi’s passion for protecting sea turtles enriched the community conservation efforts of AMITW for over 30 years and we dedicate this sea turtle nesting season to her,” Turtle Watch Director Kristen Mazzarella said.

“As part of our efforts to honor Suzi, we are renaming our Adopt-a-Nest Program in her memory,” Mazzarella said.

The “Suzi L. Fox Adopt-a-Nest” program allows donors to symbolically adopt a sea

A plaque intended to be placed on a nest laid on May 1 says in part, “In Loving Memory of Suzi L. Fox. Her legacy continues as the Sea Turtles and Shorebirds return to AMI.”

“Only the turtles know which nest it will be,” Mazzarella said.

For the safety of the nest and hatchlings, AMITW does not disclose the nesting dates or locations of nests, Mazzarella said. May 1 was also proclaimed “Suzi Fox Day” in the city of Bradenton Beach.

The Bradenton Beach City Commission issued the proclamation in January to honor Fox, who served as Turtle Watch director until her death on Sept. 30, 2022.

Under Fox’s directorship, the organization grew.

“In three decades, we monitored 7,339 turtle activities, protected 4,454 nests, 301,694 turtle eggs, and watched 271,680 hatchlings depart to become a future generation of loggerheads that will return to the region as they reach maturity,” according to the Turtle Watch website.

Sea turtles on the Island broke both nesting and hatchling records in 2022.

| TURTLE WATCH

TURTLE TIPS

During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:

• 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 beach chairs and other 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 sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call:

- City of Anna Maria code enforcement941-708-6130, ext. 111.

- City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement - 941-778-1005, ext. 280.

- City of Holmes Beach code enforcement - 941-778-0331, ext. 260.

• Level sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.

• Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.

• 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 888404-FWCC (3922).

The Adopt-a-Nest program is renamed for Suzi Fox, Turtle Watch’s late executive director.

SUBMITTED

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring dedicated this plaque in memory of late executive director Suzi Fox.

IN BRIEF

Anna Maria provides The Center with $50,000

The city funds will help The Center install new air conditioning units.

JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The City Commission is providing The Center of Anna Maria Island with a $50,000 contribution for the replacement of The Center’s aging air conditioning units.

Mote Marine’s pier facility opens Friday

The grand opening celebration for Mote Marine Laboratory’s education outreach center on the City Pier will take place at City Pier Park on Friday, May 5 at 10 a.m. Open to the public, Friday’s grand opening ceremony will include a jazz combo and some brief comments from public officials about the new Mote Marine facility and conclude with a ribbon-cutting ceremony across the street at the pier entrance. Afterwards, the Mote Marine education outreach center will open to the public and remain open free of charge on a daily basis.

Pier alcohol consumption on Thursday’s agenda

The Bradenton Beach City Commission will meet on Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. Under new business, the commission will discuss the city’s potential repayment, partial repayment or payment waiver request regarding a previous funding agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Under attorney business, the city attorney will present a draft version of an amended city ordinance pertaining to the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the Bradenton Beach Pier, as requested by the Anna Maria Oyster Bar. The single-item consent agenda seeks commission authorization to pay a $14,345 invoice from City Attorney Ricinda Perry.

Azure Shores future land use map discussions resume

The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board will meet at city hall on Wednesday, May 3 at 1 p.m. The board will renew its past discussion on the proposed rezoning or amending of the Future Land Use Map pertaining to 23 residential properties north of Bridge Street and south of the Cortez Bridge. These properties currently have an R-3 (Multiple Family Dwelling District) zoning designation; the city refers to this area as the Azure Shores subdivision. In October, the city commission rejected differing rezoning designations recommended by the planning board and city staff and requested the board and staff look at possible future land use map amendments for those properties instead.

The Center’s annual fiscal year begins July 1. Each year, The Center’s Executive Director Chris Culhane appears before Anna Maria Island’s three city commissions seeking annual contributions to The Center.

In past years, the Anna Maria Commission provided $20,000 in annual contributions and last year’s contribution was slightly more than $30,000.

Appearing before the Anna Maria Commission on April 27, Culhane said The Center currently has $1.3 million in operating revenues compared to $1.4 million for the previous 2021-22 fiscal year. He said The Center’s expenses to date total $1.365 million, compared to $1.253 million for the previous year.

Culhane said the $691,000 in current total programming revenues represents an 18% increase over the previous budget year, but fundraising revenues have decreased by 26%.

“The COVID money has dried up. We’re falling behind on contributions from grants. We’re falling behind on donations in general,” Culhane said.

He noted maintenance costs increased 9% during the current fiscal year. He also noted The Center added two staff members and is now providing health benefits for its employees.

Commission Chair Mark Short sits on The Center’s volunteer Finance Committee and is very familiar with the figures Culhane presented.

“They record the revenue when it comes in. They record the expense when it actually goes out. Some of the money that came in

last year was for projects that are now currently in place, so it’s being spent this year,” Short said.

Commissioner Charlie Salem praised The Center’s programming efforts.

“I’ve noticed in the last few years the proliferation of all these different kinds of programs: reading, STEM education, social programs. The athletic programs have always been strong,” he said.

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said Culhane and The Center are doing an “incredible job.”

CAPITAL EXPENSES

Culhane said The Center has spent $151,461 on capital expenses during the current fiscal year for bathroom and shower improvements and first-floor upgrades that include paint, new flooring, cabinets and countertops.

During the coming 2022-23 fiscal year, The Center needs to replace 12 aging air conditioning units. Culhane said a few months ago he received a $115,000-$120,000 quote but that quote may no longer be accurate.

“It is an immediate need,” he said.

Culhane said an unnamed donor might cover the cost of the air conditioning equipment but The Center would still have to cover the installation expenses he estimated

could be $50,000 to $60,000. Culhane said he didn’t expect the city to fully cover the installation costs and he didn’t request a specific contribution from the city.

Mayor Dan Murphy said it would be worthwhile for the city to assist with the air conditioning replacement.

“We own the building. We own the land. This is a capital cost that would be improving property the city owns,” Murphy said.

Murphy recommended taking $50,000 from the contingency fund included in the current fiscal year budget to cover unexpected expenses.

“$50,000 is something we can afford. We’ve put aside plenty of money in contingency to handle things of this nature. I feel it’s in the best interest of the city to protect our own property,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Robert Kingan agreed and made the motion for the city to contribute up to $50,000 to be paid to the licensed contractor that installs The Center’s new air conditioning units. The commission unanimously supported the motion.

Culhane told The Sun the Holmes Beach Commission recently approved a $25,000 contribution. He is scheduled to appear before the Bradenton Beach Commission on Thursday, May 4.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Mote Marine education outreach center will operate inside this city-owned pier building.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Executive Director Chris Culhane provided the Anna Maria Commission with an overview of The Center’s financial picture.

Latest Reimagining Pine Avenue bid rejected

eventually issue another revised RFP.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The City Commission rejected the latest single bid received to install new sidewalks along both sides of Pine Avenue on April 27.

The mayor and commissioners now hope to use state funds to enlarge the scope of the project in hopes of making it more attractive to more potential bidders.

C-Squared was the only company that submitted a bid proposal in response to the city’s latest revised request for proposals (RFP) for the Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvement project that at some point is also expected to include new and improved crosswalks and new street lighting.

During a special city commission meeting on April 24, Mayor Dan Murphy provided the commissioners with confidential copies of C-Squared’s latest bid. C-Squared was also the

only firm to submit bid proposals in response to the city’s previous two Reimagining Pine Avenue-related RFPs.

The initial phase of the Reimagining Pine Avenue project is primarily funded by a $1.28 state appropriation the city secured last year. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is overseeing the city’s use of the state funds.

According to Murphy, FDOT considered C-Squared’s previous bid too high.

The latest RFP incorporated additional

FDOT suggestions and pertained only to the installation of the sidewalks. City officials hoped the revised RFP would attract more bidders but it didn’t.

BID REJECTED

During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said the commission could accept the C-Squared bid and direct him to enter into fact-finding discussions and subsequent contract negotiations with the lone bidder; or reject the bid and

The previous C-Squared bid proposal received last July proposed a $1.09 million price to install the new brick paver sidewalks. Murphy said C-Squared’s latest bid was approximately 30% and $418,000 higher than the previous bid. Murphy said the increase could be partially due to the latest RFP requesting that crushed granite, rather than crushed concrete, be used as fill material for the drainage trenches to be installed beneath the new sidewalks. Murphy also noted labor costs have increased since the previous bid was received last year. As of Friday afternoon, copies of the rejected bid proposal had not yet been made available to the media.

Murphy said the relatively small scope of the project may not be enough to attract bidders interested in larger, more lucrative projects.

Murphy said the city anticipates receiving an additional $1.4 million state appropriation this year. This would allow the scope of the project to be expanded to include additional safety improvements along Magnolia Avenue, Spring Avenue and a portion of Gulf Drive.

The city expects to receive additional state funds that would allow the scope of the Reimagining Pine Avenue project to be expanded.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The unpaved, meandering paths currently in place along some portions of Pine Avenue would be replaced in those same locations by meandering brick paver sidewalks.

SEE PINE AVE, PAGE 19

The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff

Owner/CEO

Mike Field Editor

Cindy Lane

General Manager

Bob Alexander

Reporters/Photographers

Joe Hendricks

Leslie Lake

Jason Schaffer

Kristin Swain

Columnists

Louise Bolger

Rusty Chinnis

Contributors

Joe Becht

Steve Borggren

Capt. Rick Grassett

Monica Simpson

Tom Vaught

Capt. Kevin Wessel

Capt. David White

Anne Yarbrough

Layout Ricardo Fonseca

Digital Editor

Kristin Swain

Advertising Director

Shona Otto

Advertising Assistant

Pamela Lee

Classifieds

Bob Alexander

Graphics

Elaine Stroili

Ricardo Fonseca

Distribution

Bob Alexander

Connor Field

Tony McNulty

Brian Smith

Accounting

Leslie Ketchum

Co-founding publishers

Mike Field

Maggie McGinley Field

Family-owned since 2000

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Island Shopping Center needs sprucing

The appearance and condition of the Island Shopping Center in Holmes Beach does a disservice to the entire AMI community. The cement sidewalks in front of the stores and restaurants are a disgrace. The signage on the businesses is boring, providing minimal value to the attractiveness of the center. The parking areas, particularly adjacent to the cement

sidewalks, are full of sand and dirt. I recently witnessed a worker blowing sand, attempting to clean the parking area with an electric blower. How ludicrous is that? It’s like trimming your large shrubs with a pair of scissors.

In contrast, the condition of the shopping plaza on East Bay Boulevard is a testament to cleanliness. The plaza also has landscaping that is meticulously maintained. The cement sidewalk is power washed frequently (I believe

Drop us a line

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 a couple of ways to do it. The easiest and most direct is to email The Sun at news@amisun.com. Remember to put Letter to the Editor in the subject field. Or you can snail-mail a letter to us at The Anna Maria Island Sun,

weekly) by a professional service. The signage adds a spark to the overall appearance.

Holmes Beach and Manatee County have spent millions upgrading our city center with sidewalks, pavers, palm trees, flowers and lighting. The people responsible for the appearance of the Island Shopping Center should step up to the plate and demonstrate they care about our city.

Pat Annese Holmes Beach

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. The Sun reserves the right to edit letters for length or content.

ANNA MARIA

10005 GULF DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130

Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

May 11, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting

May 25, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting

BRADENTON BEACH

107 GULF DRIVE N. FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005

Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

May 3, 9:30 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency meeting

May 3, 1 p.m. – Planning and Zoning Board meeting

May 4, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting

May 17, 10 a.m. – Department Head meeting

May 17, 1 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting

May 18, noon – City Commission meeting

HOLMES BEACH

5801 MARINA DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, C

ALL 941-708-5800

Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

May 3, 10 a.m. – Parks and Beautification Committee meeting

May 3, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting

May 9, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow

May 10, 9 a.m. – Clean Water Ad-Hoc Committee meeting

May 19, 11:30 a.m. – Police Officers Pension Board meeting

May 23, 5 p.m. – City Commission meeting

ISLAND-WIDE

May 8, 2 p.m. – Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, Anna Maria City Hall

May 16, 6 p.m. – West Manatee Fire Rescue board meeting, administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton

EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

Author Event: Sarah Penner, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, noon.

THURSDAY, MAY 4

AMI Chamber breakfast, Blueberries Café, 5337 Gulf Drive #300, Holmes Beach, 7:30 a.m., $15 for members or $25 for prospective members

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m. Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 5

Forty Carrots, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Mote Marine Grand Opening, Anna Maria City Pier, 100 N. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, 10 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 6

Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 7 a.m.

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

MONDAY, MAY 8

Sunset Tai Chi, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 6:30 p.m., $10

TUESDAY, MAY 9

Farmer’s Market, City Pier Park, 103 N. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

Island Time Book Club: “Then She was Gone” by Lisa Jewell, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 11

Homeschool Creature Feature: Coquina Quest, Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m.

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 12

Oyster drilling for vertical oyster beds, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

Forty carrots, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

Adult fingerpainting, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 13

Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 7 a.m.

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon Origami Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Food Trucks, Pirates and Tunes

Festival hosted by the AMI Privateers, city field, 5901 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, noon to 6 p.m.

Family Fishing Club, Robinson Preserve expansion, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 1:30 p.m.

Paper crafting for adults, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 16

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m. Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

FISH board elects two new members

New officers were approved at the annual Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) meeting.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

CORTEZ - Two vacancies left by departing Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) board members have been filled by members who have long histories in the historic fishing village.

One new board member is Cindy Rodgers, who took over as president of the Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS) when Kaye Bell stepped down, and filled Bell’s spot on the FISH board after she retired after more than 10 years.

“I wholeheartedly support the FISH mission of promoting, educating and preserving Cortez, its commercial fishing culture and natural environment. As a great-granddaughter of early settlers of Cortez, I'm excited to have this opportunity to continue their legacy,” Rodgers said. “I look forward to learning

from the hardworking, dedicated people on the board and hope that I will be able to make some contribution to their efforts.”

FISH Treasurer Jane von Hahmann nominated Rodgers for the board position at the organization’s April 17 meeting at Fisherman’s Hall.

“We are required to have one CVHS member and now we have two,” she said. The other is Pat Potts.

“I just decided since Cindy and Pat were on the board, I didn’t feel they needed a third (CVHS member),” Bell said. “I will still be involved with FISH and continue working with them.”

The second new FISH board member is Alex Garner, who replaced board member Karen Carpenter, who has moved out of the area.

Garner has deep ties to Cortez. His father, Alan Garner, an architect, was the former owner of Star Fish Co. before selling that business to Karen Bell of A.P. Bell Fish Co.

“Alex has been doing a lot for us,” von Hahmann said. “Through

the Kiwanis Satellite group, he has done a lot on helping us with the FISH Preserve.”

Garner ran for an open seat at the last FISH election, but that seat was filled by Karen Bell, von Hahmann said.

“We’re very happy to have Alex on the board,” she said.

In addition to Rodgers, Garner and von Hahmann, the 12-member FISH board consists of Kim McVey, president, David Cadmus, vicepresident, Steve Baker, Karen Bell, Tim Caniff, Angela Collins, Nathan Meschelle, Lance Plowman and Pat Potts.

Baker, Cadmus and Caniff were re-elected at the April 17 meeting. Also approved for their positions at that meeting were McVey as president, Cadmus as vice-president and von Hahmann as treasurer.

FISH is a non-profit organization with a stated mission: “That it is committed to preserving the character and heritage of Florida’s traditional waterfront communities as well as the natural environment that has nurtured people in fishing communities for thousands of years.”

FISH manages, and is in the process of restoring, the 98-acre FISH Preserve immediately east of the village.

CINDY RODGERS | SUBMITTED

New FISH board member Cindy Rodgers with her grandson, Kai, a sixth-generation Cortezian.

AMI celebrates Arbor Day

Father, son rescued by deputies

A man and his young son vacationing from Europe were swimming off Bean Point on Anna Maria Island on April 23 when a rip current pulled them about 100 yards from shore. Manatee County Sheriff’s Office marine deputies saw the swimmers in distress and quickly pulled them onto their boat, then returned them safely to the beach. Anyone caught in a rip current should remain calm and try to swim parallel to the shore to move out of the current, then alert someone that help is needed.

CENTER NOTES

Support The Center

The Center of Anna Maria Island’s 2023 Spring Campaign is on through June 2, with donations supporting youth programs and scholarships, among other programs. The Center is a non-profit community center serving children, teens, families, adults and senior citizens.

Help clean up the beach

A beach clean-up will be held on Saturday, May 6 from 9-11 a.m. Meet at The Center at 407 Magnolia Ave. and walk to the Gulf of Mexico to clean up the beach from Magnolia to White avenues. The Center will provide trash bags, gloves, water and a light snack.

ANNE YARBROUGH | SUN

From left, Barbara Murphy, Shawn Mayers, Pat Short, Ingrid McClellan, Ryan Wieland, Adam Coleman, Kaleb Stutts, Richard Larsen and Mayor Dan Murphy of Anna Maria gather beside the red bay planted for Arbor Day in the park just north of Villa Rosa Way.

ANNE YARBROUGH | SUN

From left, Kathy King, Susan Anderson, Shawn Mayers, Kim Gargiule, Zan Fuller, Janet Smith-Conner, Kathy Goerlitz, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, Loretta Estabrooks, Richard Larsen, Claudia Carlson, Chad Minor, Neal Schwartz, Carol Soustek, Matt McDonough, Police Chief William Tokajer, Tray Thorp and Ingrid McClellan stand in front of a satinleaf tree, planted in honor of Arbor Day in Holmes Beach.

MCSO | SUBMITTED

New re-entry tags available in Holmes Beach

Holmes Beach residents are asked to come over to the city’s police department and pick up new re-entry tags ahead of the start of hurricane season on June 1. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the new tags are valid for five years and are used only in the event of a catastrophic storm hitting Anna Maria Island. In a normal storm situation where the Island is evacuated as a storm passes by in the Gulf, he said the city would be reopened to residents as soon as it’s safe to do so and

the tags won’t be required for access. All residents are encouraged to get the tags, which are available only to residents and business owners for free, as soon as possible. Tokajer said that old re-entry tags are now expired and will not be accepted. Only one re-entry tag per home or business will be issued. To obtain a tag, download a re-entry tag form online at www.holmesbeachfl.org or pick one up at the HBPD at 5801 Marina Drive, and bring proof of residency.

Holiday decorating contract on CRA agenda

The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will meet at city hall on Wednesday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m. Under new business, the CRA members will discuss a $46,976 holiday decorating contract and a proposed fishing tournament. Under old business, the CRA members will discuss pier and reef lighting and they’ll also discuss trash cans and bike racks. Under attorney business, the members will discuss the approval of a work assignment

for JM Undergrounding. The city attorney will provide a project update and the police chief will provide a CRA policing update. The consent agenda includes approval of a public works department reimbursement invoice for $42.50, approval of a police department reimbursement invoice for $15,669, approval of an Easy Parking Group invoice for $4,325 and approval of a city attorney invoice for $6,534.

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TDC approves proposal to use Coquina Beach Trail for shuttles

Changes are in store at the Coquina Beach parking lot.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH - The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) is recommending a plan to Manatee County commissioners to widen the Coquina Beach Trail for shuttles.

The trail is a paved path about the width of a city sidewalk that begins at the south end of the Coquina Beach parking lot and runs 1.5 miles along the beach north to Fifth Street South. The plan, discussed at the April 24 TDC meeting, would resurface and widen the trail, potentially for the use of the Old Town Tram golf cart shuttle service owned by Josh LaRose’s Easy Parking Group and partially funded by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

“They desperately need a way to get people back and forth from Bridge Street to here without sitting in traffic for an hour,” said Doris Snyder, who comes to the beach from Palmetto on a regular basis. “We like to hit one of the restaurants on Bridge Street for lunch or dinner when we come down here, but it’s impossible to park in that area unless you get incredibly lucky. We use the golf cart service a lot, but even if they drive off the road in the parking area instead of sitting in traffic, the ride beats you to death. A cart path would be amazing.”

Project Manager Mike Stern told TDC members on April 24 that the trail improvements would cost $1.5 million - including the removal of 96

Tourism numbers in for February

According to the latest data, tourism stayed strong on Anna Maria Island during the first quarter of 2023, despite red tide.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

BRADENTON - Research Data Services’ (RDS) Ann Wittine presented an optimistic state of tourism update to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on April 24.

According to the latest available tourism statistics from February, total visitors and economic impact were up over February 2022, with 88,900 visitors (up 1.6%). Room nights were slightly down, with 218,900 room nights (down 1.1%) and $214,439,600 in economic impact was up 5.4%.

Australian pine trees whose roots are damaging the pavement - and take about eight months to complete. Stern said a large part of the cost will be building a root barrier, which will require the current trail to be removed so that the barrier can be placed underground to prevent future tree roots from growing under the trail and destroying it, causing more unnecessary cost in the future. With the barrier, the trail should last for many years with little serious maintenance, he said.

“While this sounds like a large investment, we hope this will last much longer than the original trail did because we are fairly confident that there was not as much root barrier, if any, used the first time around,” said Chad Butzow, director of Public Works for Manatee County. “Hopefully we’ll get a bit more longevity this time around.”

The county currently spends between $35,000 to $40,000 a year maintaining the trail, and Public Works says that the steps being taken

with the new trail will save that money because the tree roots will no longer be an issue. If this holds true, a third of the cost of the project would be covered by the nearly half a million in repair dollars that wouldn’t need to be spent over the next decade.

When asked by TDC members if the trail could be widened enough to make ample room for golf carts and pedestrians, Stern explained that as long as they were working from the existing footprint, no new permits would be needed, but because of environmental issues due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, any size expansion proposals would require permits at the state level that could take months or even years, and be potentially costly.

While not addressing Easy Parking Group’s Old Town Tram by name, TDC member and Bradenton Beach restaurant owner Ed Chiles stated that six-passenger golf cart trams should

“Some of these numbers don’t seem that impressive on the surface, but this is February, so we were pretty near capacity,” Wittine said. “There just isn’t room for those big growth numbers we’ve been seeing. This is also during a month when some property owners told us they were impacted by red tide.”

Room occupancy for February was down slightly (-3.5%) after being up less than 1% in the December 2022 report from RDS. The average daily room rate, however, is up more than 10%, at $265.02 per day in February 2023 compared to $240.51 in February 2022.

RDS also keeps track of where visitors are coming from. The biggest increase in visitor origin domestically is the Northeast, which is up 10% over the same time period in 2022. Wittine attributes this growth to additional non-stop flights being added from that region. Globally, travel from Europe is up 73.2% and Canada is up 153.7% over February 2022. The largest decrease was from the Midwest, which was down 9.5%, followed by the Southeast, down 3.5% and Florida, down 2.2%.

“We had a slight increase in number of visitors, which is why room nights are slightly down,” Wittine said. “At the same time, we have a slight increase in length of stay. We are at 7.7 nights average this year compared to 7.6 last year, but more importantly, we are up from 7.2

SEE TOURISM, PAGE 20

RICK THRESS | SUBMITTED

The Coquina Beach parking lot improvement project can be seen, center. The Coquina trail runs beneath the Australian pine trees, left.

SEE COQUINA, PAGE 20

Island Players prepare final play of season

Island Players wrap their 74th season with a production of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘How the Other Half Loves,’ premiering on May 4.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA - The Island Players, Manatee County’s oldest community theater, plans to go out with a bang this season.

After directing “The Psy chic,” the final play of the 2021-22 season, James Thag gard returns to close out another season with a show he says will bring plenty of laughs involving a unique stage design essential to the plot.

“Our set is two living rooms on one stage simultaneously, with dialogue happening in both, and not always at the same time

during the play,” Thaggard said. “At one point we have the characters in both living rooms, but it’s Thursday

in one room and Friday in another.”

The story of “How the Other Half Loves” is that

of an upper-class couple in an upper-class house and a middle-class couple who live more modestly. Because of

an affair, three couples wind up involved in a situation that Thaggard says will leave the audience in stitches.

The play was written in 1970 by the prolific Alan Ayckbourn, and while Thaggard stuck to the script, he says sound was very important in this production. No spoilers, but he says audiences may catch some “audio Easter eggs” he personally added due to his fondness for that time in history.

“How the Other Half Loves” runs from Thursday, May 4 through Sunday, May 14, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 941-7785755 or visit theislandplayers. org.

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

From left, Katherine Dye, Tom Horton, Kristin Mazzitelli, Eric Johnson, Maggie Carter and Caleb Allen star in the Island Players’ upcoming production of ‘How the Other Half Loves,’ which opens on May 4.

WHERE‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

Chamber breakfast at Blueberries

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce will host its next breakfast at Blueberries Cafe & Wine on Thursday, May 4 from 7:30-9 a.m. Enjoy a chance to mingle and have breakfast with chamber members and guests. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for prospective members, and anyone attending is encouraged to bring a door prize to be given away at the event. Blueberries Café is located at 5337 Gulf Drive, #300 in Holmes Beach. RSVP by emailing becky@amichamber.org or calling 941-778-1541.

Last chance to enter AMI Chamber golf tournament

The Anna Maria Chamber of Commerce still has sponsorship opportunities and foursomes available for their golf tournament to benefit the chamber’s scholarship fund. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Friday, May 12 at IMG Academy Golf Club in Bradenton. The cost is $550 per team or $150 per golfer. Golfer registration includes golf, lunch, gift bag, greens fees, cart fee, prizes, beer and beverages on the course and dinner. For sponsorship information or to register, call the chamber at 941-778-1541 or email info@amichamber.org.

City seeks Seaside Gardens residents’ input

City leaders are considering allowing property owners in Seaside Gardens to raise their ground floor homes to a second level.

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

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are considering a proposal to allow property owners in Seaside Garden to raise their ground-level homes above the FEMA base flood elevation height to help save the homes from rising sea levels, and they want input from the neighborhood’s residents.

City Planner Chad Minor presented the proposition to commissioners during an April 25 work session. He said one property owner had approached the city about raising the level of one unit of a three-unit structure in Seaside Gardens. Minor said that raising the neighborhood’s 110 units above the base flood elevation would bring the structures into compliance with FEMA standards without needing to rezone all of the properties from their current R-4 zoning.

To raise the buildings, Minor said the bottom floors would have to become non-habitable areas, such as a garage, and the upstairs would have to be built within the current building footprint. No additional bedrooms would be able to be added and the construction would not be allowed to affect neighboring units.

“I like the idea,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “People can improve the condition of or rebuild their homes without abandoning the neighborhood.” She said that further discussion on how to limit the impacts to neighbors was needed along with input from neighborhood residents.

Building Official Neal Schwartz said that a firewall will need to be maintained between adjoined units and that the new units constructed above the base flood elevation level wouldn’t be subject to FEMA’s 50% rule. The rule allows for a ground-level property to be renovated only up to 50% of the value of the property.

Commissioner Pat Morton, who lives in a triplex in the neighborhood, said he’s concerned about the impact to neighbors with all of the units attached.

“To me, this is a disaster for the area,” Morton said, adding that he doesn’t believe neighborhood residents would be in favor of allowing property owners to move their units up.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said the real issues for the neighborhood are king tides and saltwater intrusion.

“It’s good to get people off the ground because the ground’s getting soggy,” she said.

The issue is not yet scheduled for a hearing.

Two students win Pat Copeland Scholarships

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA - Two Mana tee High School students were awarded this year’s Pat Copeland Scholarships by the Anna Maria Island Historical Society at the April 27 AMI Chamber of Com merce Business Card Exchange.

The scholarships were awarded to James Balzer and Laila Singer. The scholarships, named for Pat Copeland, one of the founders of the Historical Society, were $2,000 each, provided by fundraising activities throughout the year.

Balzer is a Bradenton resident serving on the Class Board at Manatee High, where he helped plan prom, homecoming and fund raisers. He is also a member of Mu Alpha Theta. He has volunteered at Palma Sola Elementary School, Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota, Blake Hospital, tutored students in test-taking and homework, and is a member of the National Honor Society. James plans to attend college and become a physical therapist.

Singer, a Holmes Beach resident, has dual enrollment at Man -

Club volunteering at clean-ups, working at food kitchens and the Salvation Army. She is active in her church and began volunteering at the Humane Society of Manatee County last year. She is currently an employee at the Ugly Grouper in Holmes Beach.

courses, while participating in Accelerated Dual Enrollment, putting her on track to graduate with her high school diploma, as well as her associate degree this spring. She plans to attend the University of North Florida with a major in criminal justice.

AME first graders throw “Jungle Party”

Above, the jungle came to life on April 25 as Anna Maria Elementary first graders performed their musical play, “Jungle Party Tonight.” Below, the day after their “Jungle Party Tonight” play, Anna Maria Elementary first graders took a field trip to Mote Marine in Sarasota. They enjoyed hands-on activities and

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

From left, Laila Singer and James Balzer receive their Pat Copeland Scholarships at the April 27 Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce business card exchange at the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.

Reel Time: Angler’s action guide

’ve written a lot lately about the critical issues facing our local waters and the need for anglers (everyone really) to get involved in efforts to protect them. What does it mean to get involved? How can you best accomplish your goals? Good questions. I realized late in life the power and necessity to make my voice heard and exercise my power at the polls. That’s why I wanted to share the information I’ve gleaned by asking those very questions. Complaining about something we have some control

over and doing nothing about it works against your interests. Unfortunately, inaction often becomes glaringly apparent when it’s too late. Learning how to exercise your rights effectively and efficiently is more critical than ever. Here are a few ways I’ve found to be efficient and links you can use to get your voice heard.

Write letters. I’ve found writing letters to the editor of the local newspapers is a terrific way for the average citizen to be heard. Chances are the people who need to hear what you’re saying are paying attention. Locally, I submit letters to the Anna Maria Island Sun, The Observer Group, The Bradenton Herald and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Each of these same papers may allow you to submit a guest editorial.

Also consider writing letters and perhaps asking for a meeting with a legislator. Attend meetings and speak out. The slogan, “Think globally, act locally” is powerful and locally perhaps the most effective way

to make a real difference. Attend local commission meetings and either speak in person or have your comments read to commissioners. Check on how to do this by using search terms like address the Anna Maria (substitute

your city) City Commission. The same goes for Manatee County or whatever county you may reside in. If you’re concerned about an issue that affects you and your children’s future and you don’t act, there’s one thing you can count on – others will be making the decisions based on interests that might support them financially but have a negative effect on you.

Nothing makes that point as dramatically as the recent debacle at Piney Point where inaction over decades led to the dumping of 215 million gallons of phosphate process water containing 10 times the nitrogen of raw sewage.

I think you’ll find taking action is empowering. By taking action you’ll soon realize that you have a voice and that voice has power. But only if you use it.

RUSTY CHINNIS

CAPT. JUSTIN MOORE | SUBMITTED

A lyngyba algae bloom stretches from the Manatee River to Perico Island on May 3, 2021.

May means tarpon time

CAPT. RICK GRASSETT

Tarpon fishing will take off during May as migratory fish arrive along our beaches. Also look for Spanish mackerel, tripletail, cobia and false albacore (little tunny) in the coastal Gulf. Snook will move into passes and the surf and reds and trout should feed heavily on shallow flats as baitfish become more plentiful. Trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more should be good options on deep grass flats. Resident tarpon are usually the first to show up as they make their way out of rivers and creeks. As migratory tarpon start to arrive this month, we should have schools of tarpon moving both north and south along our beaches. Early arriving tarpon may be more aggressive due to less fishing pressure early in the season. Set up in their line of travel and wait for tarpon schools to move past and cast a DOA Baitbuster, a 4” CAL Shad, a live crab or pinfish to them. Once you’ve seen the first school of fish, you can concentrate your efforts in that “lane” since other schools should be following the same route. When they aren’t showing well on the surface, a live bait under a float in their travel lane may score. I’ve also done well blind casting a DOA Baitbuster or Swimming Mullet when there wasn’t much showing on the surface. Be quiet and use your electric trolling motor sparingly. Even though your 4-stroke outboard sounds quiet, it is no substitute for an electric trolling motor. Give other anglers at least several hundred yards of space and keep in mind that fish can be moving either north or south so setting up too close to another angler may affect their flow of fish.

Fly anglers should do well with a variety of baitfish or crab fly patterns fished on floating or intermediate sink tip fly lines. Staking out or anchoring in shallow water on their travel route should result in some shots at fish. The best angle is a “head-on” shot, followed by a quartering shot. A perpendicular shot may work if it’s timed perfectly, although casting too far beyond their line of travel will usually spook them. I use a push pole with an occasional assist from a trolling motor if I need to adjust my position to make a cast.

Regulations have returned to normal for reds and snook in Sarasota. Spotted seatrout have changed in southwest Florida to a three-fish per person bag limit

and a six-fish boat limit. Trout must be from 15”-19” with one allowed per vessel over 19”. In my opinion, it’s important to protect larger trout, which are usually female breeders. Full regulations and details for all species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/.

Snook will be spawning this month so use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them in a timely manner and handle them gently. Larger snook will mostly be females and should always be supported horizontally rather than hung vertically by the jaw. You’ll find them in passes and in the surf. They will also stage around docks and bridges close to passes. Casting CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms or DOA shrimp around docks and bridges close to passes should be effective. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, work well at night. One of the most fun ways to target snook is to walk the beach and cast CAL jigs, DOA Shrimp or flies to them in the surf.

PINE AVE: Latest bid rejected

FROM PAGE 5

“We’re on the cusp of getting another $1.4 million. We could expand this project to make it more appealing to more bidders. But then again, we could move forward with the project so we can get started right away,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Robert Kingan noted FDOT considered C-Squared’s previous bid to be too high and their latest bid is even higher. Kingan said he doesn’t like choosing from a single bid and he agreed that the project’s smaller scope might make it less attractive to bidders.

Commissioner Jon Crane expressed an opposing view.

“This is probably the most

significant project we have on our books. The change of the look and feel and efficiency of Pine Avenue would be greatly improved. We’re not getting the interest and I don’t think we’re going to get any more interest. Now’s a good time to do this,” Crane said.

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said she doesn’t feel comfortable with just one bid or the increased cost proposed in C-Squared’s latest bid. She agreed that increasing the scope of the project might attract more bidders.

“It seems unbelievable that we could only get one local bidder on this project,” she said.

Commissioner Charlie Salem

said he understood Crane’s position, but he thinks competition among multiple bidders would benefit the city. He also noted the labor market has recently cooled a bit.

During Monday’s meeting, Commission Chair Mark Short said the city still has plenty of time to complete the state-funded project.

During Thursday’s meeting, Short said, “We’re making progress but not we’re not where we thought we’d be when we started this two years ago. But the possibility of combining projects equals economy of scale. Certain things only have to be done once with a larger project versus twice for two projects.”

Kingan then made a motion to reject the RFP. The commission voted 4-1 in favor of doing so, with Crane voting in opposition.

CAPT. RICK GRASSETT | SUBMITTED Capt. Rick Grassett revives a tarpon caught and released in the coastal Gulf in a previous May with spinning tackle.

be allowed to use the path so people could park at the beach and not have to endure the sometimes impossible task of finding a parking space near the Bridge Street shopping and dining area.

“The biggest single issue in Bradenton Beach is lack of parking,” Chiles said. “Coquina Beach may be the most parking spaces anywhere in one place in the county. This trail offers connectivity. I don’t want to see all the golf carts on there, I want to see one set of trams. That connects 1,200 parking spaces that this county has worked so hard on to what the CRA has worked so hard on in downtown Bradenton Beach.”

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the trams using the trail would also be a big help for water taxi passengers to get to and from downtown Bradenton Beach when the service begins in July.

TDC Chairman James Satcher moved

that the proposal be presented to Manatee County commissioners, with the option to expand the scope of the proposal, such as a wider trail with a shell path adjacent, at a later date. The proposal was passed at the close of discussions.

In other business, it was reported that phase one of the ongoing drainage project at Coquina Beach is now complete, which added 192 parking spaces.

Phase two is estimated to be completed by early July, adding 862 additional parking spaces, according to Stern.

Stern said the paving of the parking lot should be completed by the end of May, but there will still be more work to be done. He was pleased to report that fewer of the Australian pine trees that offer shade to the picnic area along the beach and parking area would need to be removed than first thought. This will not only save time and money, but keep much-needed shade in the area.

COQUINA: Shuttles to use beach trail TOURISM: February numbers in

FROM PAGE 11 in 2019 pre-COVID, which is a huge increase.”

RDS’s fiscal year to date (October through February) numbers are up significantly, echoing the double digit increase in February economic impact. At 437,900, total visitors are up 6.4% and at $743,677,600, economic impact is up 11.8% from the same period a year ago. Wittine has said many times that a great deal of the large increases in visitors and economic impact since preCOVID 2019 are directly related to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) adding dozens of new direct flights from all regions of the country. Keeping with the constant growth reported,

SRQ is once again up 16.3% from March of 2022 with 1.29 million people traveling through the airport in just the first three months of 2023, which is more than the entire year of 2020 and only slightly less than the entire pre-COVID year of 2019.

Wittine says she forecasts a summer where the numbers go down slightly. RDS does extensive surveys with people who have shown interest in visiting Manatee County, many of whom will be coming to Anna Maria Island, and the consulting company is beginning to see a trend of people concerned about rising prices for travel to the area.

Wittine says there’s no way to exactly predict what

the coming months will bring, but she shared some comments from the vendors surveyed, which point to good things to come: “Bookings are up;” “A lot more last-minute, shorter reservations than normal;” “Looking good for summer;” “March was beautiful, more than expected;” and “April reservations are strong.”

GARAGE BILL: Heads to Senate

FROM PAGE 1

development code and building ordinances, which do not allow parking garages without a special exception. Capping the structure at three stories does maintain the city’s current height limitations.

The parking garage is a pet project of Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge and came as a result of tension between county and city elected officials stemming from streetside parking reductions in Holmes Beach.

To help protect the quality of life of city residents, Holmes Beach leaders enacted a long-planned residential permit parking-only zone on residential streets near beach accesses, with some streets closed to parking entirely due to the narrowness of the lanes. City leaders also recently adopted a four tires off the pavement parking rule to come in line with the parking regulations in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. These actions reduced available public parking by about 400 spaces with another 600 available until 5 p.m. daily for city residents only. Van Ostenbridge said the parking changes were a disservice to Manatee County residents and beachgoers.

The plan outlined by Van Ostenbridge would remove the 400-plus spaces currently available at the public beach along with the existing facilities including retail,

restrooms and concessions, replacing them with a three-story garage with an estimated 1,500-1,700 parking spaces, new retail and concession areas and new restroom facilities.

The garage is estimated to cost around $45 million to build with construction taking at least two years to complete during which parking would not be available at the site.

To fund the ongoing maintenance of the garage, Van Ostenbridge said the parking spaces provided at the public beach would be paid parking. He estimated a fee of $2 per hour per vehicle. Titsworth said if that happens, the city will likely have to make street and public parking paid as well to avoid those areas being overrun by drivers looking for a free parking space.

In a final effort to get Robinson to pull the bill from consideration prior to the House floor vote, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said she tried contacting him and sent him statistics showing parking remained available during spring break, along with a proposal to designate 220 parking spaces for Manatee County residents only. She said Robinson declined to consider any additional arguments or proposals until after the current legislative session ends.

Anna Maria

RENTAL BILLS: Reach final votes

FROM PAGE 1

adopting the proposed legislation, the matching bills will be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto the legislation or sign it into new state law that would take effect July 1.

The state preemption of vacation rental regulation would apply to shortterm vacation rentals, also known as transient public lodging establishments, rented for less than 30 days more than three times a year, or advertised as such.

COMMISSION CONCERNS

During the Anna Maria Commission’s April 27 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy referenced a late amendment made to SB 714 before the Senate adopted it.

The amended Senate bill would allow a local government to suspend, terminate or refuse to issue or renew a locally-issued vacation rental registration if the vacation rental premises, owner or operator has been found by a local code enforcement board to have violated a registration requirement.

The registration could also be suspended if two more violations of a local law or regulation that does not apply solely to vacation rentals occur within a 90-day period. This would include noise ordinance violations. The local

government would be required to first issue a written warning or notice and provide the rental owner or management company the opportunity to cure the violations before suspending or terminating the rental registration.

“It’s a glimmer of hope. You could suspend a vacation rental registration for two violations of noise, two violations of our code over a 90-day period,” Murphy said.

A vacation rental registration could also be revoked if a city or county lien has been placed on a vacation rental property and the lien remains unpaid and unaddressed.

Murphy planned to meet with City Attorney Becky Vose the following day to get a better understanding of how these amendments would impact the city’s vacation rental enforcement efforts if the legislation is enacted as state law.

With the Senate bill already adopted, and the House bill scheduled for a final vote, Murphy said the city’s best hope may lie with DeSantis vetoing the legislation.

Commissioner Charlie Salem, a former congressional aide, suggested asking the city’s lobbyist to provide the city with a list of DeSantis’ top supporters so the city and its supporters can ask them to encourage the governor to veto the legislation.

“I think the only way we get this vetoed is if the top supporters of his go to him physically and tell him this is a terrible idea,” Salem said.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS

The legislation proposed by SB 714 and HB 833 would eliminate or reduce a city’s ability to regulate short-term vacation rental occupancy limits. It would also eliminate or reduce a city’s ability to monitor, enforce and eliminate fraudulent online advertising by advertising platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo and the city’s ability to annually inspect short-term vacation rentals.

The proposed legislation would also cap the annual registration fee imposed by local governments.

According to SB 714, “Local governments may charge a fee of no more than $150 for processing an individual registration application or $200 for processing a collective registration application for up to a total of 25 individual vacation rentals.”

The city of Anna Maria currently imposes occupancy-based registration fees that range from $336 per year for a vacation rental that allows four occupants, $1,010 for vacation rental that allows 12 occupants and $2,440 for a vacation rental that allows 29 occupants.

During the current fiscal year, Anna Maria’s registration fees are expected to produce approximately $415,000 in annual revenues for the city. Registra-

tion revenues are only supposed to be used to enforce the city’s vacation rental ordinance. Those revenues fund code enforcement officers and vehicles, annual inspections, monitoring of online advertising platforms and the administrative and legal costs associated with enforcing the city’s vacation rental ordinance.

OPPOSITION EFFORTS

On Saturday and Sunday, the Home Rule Florida website issued email calls to action to its subscribers. The emails and the website note HB 833 is headed to the House of Representatives for a final vote.

“Nobody wants to live next door to a ‘Party House’ and this bill allows Airbnb, Vrbo and any other vacation rental marketing platform to cram as many people into a house as they see fit! The bill waters down, and in many cases, strips away your local government’s ability to register, inspect, control occupancy or regulate false advertising in the burgeoning vacation rental industry. Please let the House of Representatives know how you feel by sending an email to them. Join your neighbors in opposing this bill,” the email says.

The email letter template posted at the Home Rule Florida website echoes those sentiments.

The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end on Friday, May 5.

Pool America wins by one

BY MONICA SIMPSON SPECIAL TO THE SUN

ANNA MARIA – Going into the last week of regular season play, team Duncan Real Estate sits at the top of the league, just one point ahead of the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits team, with a win over Moss Builders.

Third-ranked Sato Real Estate beat the Sandbar squad last Thursday night in a shutout with the final score 2-0.

Team Pool America, currently in fourth place, played the first game of the night against eighth-ranked Vintage Beach. With only one win in the season, the Vintage Beach team nearly captured their second win last Thursday night against Pool America.

In a high-scoring game, team captain Joey Hutchinson and his Vintage Beach teammates almost pulled off the victory against Pool America, led by Dean Hinterstoisser.

Finishing the game with four goals, Hutchinson was all over the field with takeaways and offensive advancement. On the other side of the field, Hinterstoisser had a hat trick, scoring three of the seven Pool America goals.

Both goalkeepers were kept busy with 15 saves between Pool America’s Robb Marshall and new team addition PJ Smargisso protecting the goal for Vintage Beach.

With seven saves, Smargisso could not stop Lucas Wilson and Chris Klotz, letting each of them score solo goals for Pool America.

Their teammate, Sam Parker, had another great game with two goals this week after two points in week five.

APRIL 24 - MODIFIED STABLEFORD

First Place - Don Grau and Jim Hitchen, tied, +5

APRIL 23 - LOW NET SCORE

Flight A

First Place - Sue Pierce, 31

Second Place - Sue Wheeler, Mary Wilkie and Pam Lowry, tied, 32

Third Place - Nina McSparren, 33

Vintage Beach team captain Joey Hutchinson moves toward the soccer ball with three Pool America defenders and their goalie ready to attack last Thursday night at The Center. Defenders Chris Klotz, Jamie Hutchison and Eduardo Schlueter, with keeper Robb Marshall, work to hold off Hutchinson.

Jamie Hutchison and Parker each had a single assist in the game for Pool America. Wilson helped make two goals possible with nice offensive passes.

Marshall made eight stops for his team, but let shots by Mandy Sky and Cody Wright get by him.

Vintage Beach assists came from Hutchinson, Smargisso and Wright, connecting for the team’s six goals, two points short of the win.

The Pool America squad matches up against the Gulfview Windows & Doors team in week seven play. Currently in the sixth spot, Gulfview

Key Royale golf scores

Flight B

First Place - Heather Pritchard, 30

Second Place - Jan Turner, Gloria

LaDue and Ann Klein, tied, 33

Third Place - Connie Livanos and Terry Westby, tied, 34

goes into this week’s game looking to shake up the middle of the pack with a win.

Seventh-ranked Moss Builders will face Sato Real Estate Thursday night in the final regular season game on The Center pitch at 9 p.m.

The league is wide open. Week seven soccer results can end with an unexpected playoff bracket, leading to the championship game on Thursday, May 25 at 7 p.m. With the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup up for grabs, soccer playoff action should prove to be worth the watch once again this season at The Center.

APRIL 26 - TEAM SCRAMBLE AND SHAMBLE COMBO - PAR 46

First Place - Dave DuVernay, Jim Hill, Wayne Patterson and Mike Riddick, 44, 2 under par

Second Place - Beech Byrns, Brian Comer, Nub Turner and Tom Young, 43, 1 under par

Third Place - Deb DuVernay, Clint Hurdle, Bob Rowley and Kurt Snouffer, 46, even par

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN Mandy Sky, playing for team Vintage Beach, dribbles into enemy territory with Lucas Wilson ready to make the stop for Pool America in the first game of week six play at the community center.

REAL ESTATE

One country, two housing markets

The trend has been obvious for a while, east coast versus west coast with COVID-19 accelerating the movement. In fact, the March sales statistics are still showing that home prices are declining the most in the western part of the country.

Since the 1990s, the western part of the country, particularly California and Wash ington, enjoyed a steady run up of growth because of the technology industry. Now the areas most closely associated with the tech industry have the fastest falling home prices.

The eastern part of the country is still attracting companies, adding jobs and keeping the real estate market thriving. Florida in general, including Orlando, Miami, Tampa and other southern markets, is in the lead. However, even northern east coast areas like Connecticut are attracting families who have decided cities may not be the place to raise a family.

According to Black Knight, a research strategy company, this geographical diversity is very unusual and possibly unprecedented.

Castles in the Sand

LOUISE BOLGER

Housing analysts say they have never seen anything quite like this where the division between east and west is so stark.

The National Association of Realtors reports that home sales fell across the country in March. Existing home sales decreased 2.4% in March from the prior month and 22% from a year earlier. Manatee County’s single-family properties had a 4.4% increase in sales in March compared to the previous year, the first year-over-year increase in sales since February of last year.

The market’s slowdown is starting to affect prices, which have fallen on an annual basis for two consecutive months for the first time in 11 years nationally. The na-

tional median existing home price in March was down 0.9% to $375,700. Manatee County’s median single-family home prices were also down by 6.3% to $491,988.

There is no doubt that Manatee County as a whole may be more valuable than the national market, but we are also experiencing longer times to sell and a downturn in values. However, the number of pending properties has gone up in Manatee by 7.9% compared to our surrounding areas. And the month’s supply of inventory continues to increase for both condos and singlefamily homes by triple digits.

The national housing market is still battling the increase in rising mortgage rates, high home prices and low inventory. In addition, a cooling economy with high inflation and the prospect of recession in the next year is keeping some buyers on the sidelines. Home prices are rising or at least stabilizing in regions where jobs are being added and housing is relatively affordable with the more expensive areas of the coun-

try adjusting to lower prices.

I recently read a United States Census Bureau report on Manatee County that will make everyone understand all the traffic we’ve all been complaining about and all the irritating construction. Manatee County has increased its population by 29,420 during the past three years, not including 2023. Since 2010, the population has increased by 106,292 and, as of the end of 2022, is 429,125, over 100,000 people in 12 years. Why do I think this is just the beginning? Is it possible that we’ve hit the bottom and the only way now is up? Maybe, we can certainly strive for that. It is certain that the market is not as competitive as it was last year and even though inventory is still historically low, it is steadily increasing. If it’s any consolation, we appear to be in a more stable market than the national market and certainly better than the western side of the country. Real estate is dynamic so anything could happen, nevertheless those 100,000 people need to live somewhere.

OBITUARIES

Regina O. Johnson

Regina O. Johnson, 89, of Bradenton, passed away on April 23, 2023. She was born on June 23, 1933 in White Plains, New York, to Arthur and Marie Oechsle, who preceded her in death. Regina, the widow of Paul A. Johnson, M.D., is survived by her sons, Doug (Tami) and Keith (Patricia); grandchildren, Blake (Courtney), Lauren and Mary; and great-granddaughter, Jaycee. She is also survived by her sister, Dolores White (Clif); niece, Allison Laudenslager (Doug); and great nephew, Cole.

After graduation from White Plains High School, Regina held several executive assistant positions, including one at the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) in New York City. She married Paul while he

was in medical school/surgery residency at Duke University in North Carolina. Regina and her family moved to the Sarasota/Bradenton area in the late 1960s, where she enjoyed fishing and boating on Tampa Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Okeechobee and the Florida Keys. She was accomplished in cooking and entertaining, gifts she generously shared with her family and friends. She was a lifelong New York Yankees fan and also cheered for the Tampa Bay Rays. Regina was an active member at St. Bernard Catholic Church on Anna Maria Island. She particularly enjoyed preparing for rummage sales with her mother, serving donuts after Masses and volunteering at bereavement receptions.

Regina’s family is grateful for the nursing and spiritual support she received in memory care. A funeral Mass was celebrated on May 2 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 2704 33rd Ave. W., Bradenton, Florida. Donations can be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church. Condolences may be made to www. brownandsonsfuneral.com.

Joslin receives award

Bradenton Beach Police Department Officer Roy Joslin has been chosen as Officer of the Year by the BBPD. Chief John Cosby issued the following state ment regarding Joslin’s service to the community: “On Oct 22, 2022, Officer Joslin responded to an attempted stolen vehicle call. Upon arrival, he discovered some

BEACH BEAT

BRADENTON BEACH

4/24, 12:52 a.m., trespassing, 1800 Gulf Drive S. Two officers noticed a man sleeping on a bench near the beach in Coquina Park after the 10 p.m. posted closing time. When the officers woke the man and told him he could not be in the area after hours, the suspect told them to go away and that he was doing nothing wrong. After being told that he must leave or he would be arrested, he once again

of the suspects fled on foot, and that one of the suspects had been detained by the victim. Officer Joslin’s investigation identified the detained suspect as the main perpetrator. During Officer Joslin’s investigation, he discovered a couple of vehicle key fobs in the suspect’s backpack, which the suspect denied ownership, or even having knowledge of them. The officer was able to confirm the key fobs did not belong to the suspect

told them to leave him alone. After refusing a third order to leave, police tried to place him under arrest, but he refused to get up, forcing one of the officers to pull his taser. Once the taser was pointed at the suspect, he rose to his feet where he was handcuffed and arrested for trespassing. The suspect was transferred to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for transport to jail.

HOLMES BEACH

4/18, 8:12 p.m., possession of marijuana, 503 Manatee Ave. While patrolling behind the Publix Liquor Store, the officer saw a man lying

and were most likely belonging to other stolen vehicles within the county. The suspect was arrested with a 100% positive identification made by the victim. Officer Joslin’s professionalism and paying attention to details of his investigation led to the arrest of the suspect, and most likely prevented several other vehicles from being burglarized or stolen from within the city limits or the county.”

on a park bench either passed out or sleeping. The officer checked on the man, who was unresponsive to multiple efforts to awaken him. Another officer soon arrived; both believed the man was overdosing on an unknown opiate. After administering a 4 mg dose of Narcan, the man woke up, at which time EMS was arriving. When the man got up, a small bag of marijuana fell from his pocket, and a marijuana pipe was found next to him. Due to his state, he was not questioned at the time and the man agreed to be taken to the hospital for treatment and evaluation.

Friends, family gather to pay tribute to McDonald

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

CORTEZ – Dozens of people turned out to honor the memory of late Cortez native and community volunteer John McDonald Jr. at a Celebration of Life on April 24 at the Miller Dock.

“I wish he was here,” McDonald’s wife, Robin, said. “But I know he would be very humbled by this.”

McDonald was born in 1933 in Cortez, the son of John Sr. and Mamie “Ruth” (Bonnell) McDonald. He was a founding member of the Florida Maritime Museum and the Cortez Cultural Center.

“It’s a big question to answer when you talk about what John meant to Cortez,” Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS) member Kaye Bell said. “He was a personal friend of me and my husband, Sam. When CVHS first got started, we were building it together at the old schoolhouse. John was a friend to everyone. He was a

man of great integrity.”

As a volunteer at the Cortez Cultural Center, Bell said visitors there were captivated by McDonald’s stories.

“People would come back to the Center and ask if John was going to be there,” Bell said.

“A lot of people showed up at the memorial service and did John proud,” Bell said. “The dock was filled, all the tables were filled. Robin had all her children and grandchildren there.”

“I knew John in his older years,” Cortez resident Jane

von Hahmann said. “He was from Cortez and his family has been here for a long time. He moved away, he moved back for the summers. He worked with the museum and with Cortez Village Historical Society. He was an awesome volunteer.”

Known to many as “Mac,” McDonald died peacefully at age 89 at his Cannon Falls, Minnesota home on Jan. 17. McDonald’s daughter, Susan, said her father divided his time between his home in Minnesota and his home in Florida.

McDonald graduated from Manatee County High School (now Manatee High School) in Bradenton in 1951, later serving with the U.S. Navy during the Korean and Vietnam wars, retiring after 25 years.

“A lifelong land and sea conservationist, John converted fields to a tree farm, planting conifer, walnut and oak trees, providing shade for future generations,” according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Rosalie “Robin” McDonald; children, Kathleen

McDonald of Red Wing, Minnesota, Susan (Kevin) McDonald-Conroy of Trempealeau, Wisconsin, Cynthia (Todd) Sutherland of Windsor, Colorado and John J. (Amy) McDonald of Wanamingo, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Dan, Ellen and Jen Conroy, Clifton, Eve and Hugh Sutherland, and McKayla, Kiara and Tyson Johnston; sisters, Jane Treglown of Port Saint Joe, Florida and Joyce (Leslie “Sonny”) Davis of Morehead City, North Carolina; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Joseph; and sisters, Jacqueline Mofield and Judith Augsburger. A Mass of Christian Burial was held in Cannon Falls, with interment with military honors at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, gifts to Cortez Village Historical Society, 1655 Cortez Road W., P.O. Box 663, Cortez, Florida 34215 would be meaningful.

Friends and family gathered at the Miller Dock in Cortez to honor John McDonald Jr.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE BEST VOLUNTEER position on the island. The AMI Historical Museum needs docents and bread makers. Call Kathy Primeau at 989-560-6381.

ROSER FOOD BANK needs donations of cash and non-perishable food, PAPER & PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS. Donations boxes are located at the Church, Moose Club, and Walgreen’s.

HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS

WANTED to assist at our information desk, especially weekends.

Great for teens needing volunteer hours (16yrs+). Other assignments available. Please call the Blake Volunteer Office at 941-798-6151.

BOAT SLIP WANTED

IN SEARCH OF BOAT SLIP for rent or sale (preferably with lift)

Kelly Gitt The Gitt Team KW on the Water 941799-9299

CARE GIVER

CARE GIVER AVAILABLE: Long Time Island Resident “many references” Trustworthy & caring person. Helps with laundry, cooking etc. Call 941-685-0045 ask for Cheryl

COMMERCIAL SALES, RENT & LEASE

HAVE YOU BEEN thinking of selling? We NEED properties to List for SALE!!! Duplexes, multi family, small resorts?

Call BIG Alan Galletto of Island Real Estate to get it SOLD 941-232-2216

CLEANING SERVICE

TOTAL HOME SERVICES

CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Rentals, VRBO. Professional and Reliable. Call 941-7564570 or 941-565-3931

EMPLOYMENT

HOUSEKEEPER/CLEANER

FOR ISLAND RESORT. Weekends a must, can be flexible. Email islands58@ aol.com

PART-TIME CASHIER

– Interested in supplementing your income?

Bored with your life? Then, join our team. We are hiring for a part-time cashier. No evening hours! Email your resume: hometruevalue hardware@gmail.com or apply in person. Home True Value Hardware, 5324 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

The award-winning ANNA MARIA ISLAND SUN, a weekly newspaper on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is looking for a freelance reporter/ photographer to cover events on this tourism-driven island. The ideal candidate will have reporting and photography experience at a daily or community newspaper and have some experience writing for a news website. Local residents or those with previous local knowledge and willing to relocate here a plus. Resumes and cover letters may be mailed to The Anna Maria Island Sun, P.O Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216, Attention: Cindy Lane, editior.

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 SALE

ESTATE SALE Saturday, May 6. 9 AM – 2 PM. 5506 Holmes Boulevard, Holmes Beach. Furniture, Clothing, Jewelry, Artwork, Furnishings, Accessories, Kitchenware, and more.

GARAGE SALE-MULTIBLE

ITEMS from a collector. 208 Oak Ave, City of Anna Maria. EVERY Saturday & Sunday thru May 7. 9amuntil.

MOVING SALE 234 Willow Ave, City of Anna Maria Friday & Saturday May 5 & 6 9am-4pm

TV’s, bunk bed, sleeper sofa, entertainment centers, clothes, boat gear, furniture and more.

YARD SALE FRIDAY & SAT-

URDAY May 5 & 6. 12007 45th St W. Cortez Village 9am-1pm. Fabric and fat quarters, crafts and much more!

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 # CBC 1261150. Call Mike Kern 941-7781115

GET’R DONE DRYWALL, INC Specializing in Remodels & Repairs. Island Resident for 20+ years. Call Neil. Cell 941-962-1194

JSAN CORPORATION

Renovations Construction & Handyman Services 941-243-0995 Lic# CRC1332505 jsancorporation@gmail. com Flooring, Drywall, Painting, Repairs, Kitchen and Bathrooms, Trim & Doors. Free Estimates. Credit Cards Accepted.

API’S DRYWALL REPAIR 15+ years experience. Free estimates. No job too small. Love to help you. Call 941-524-8067.

ISLE TILE specializing in Custom Bath/Shower & Backsplash installation. Pressure washing available. Call 941-302-8759 isletileservices.com

HOME SERVICES

CONCRETE FUSION, CRACK REPAIR sidewalks/ driveways, pool decks, concrete grinding. Why fix 95% of concrete when only 5% bad? Number 1 in concrete repair. Insured. Free estimate. Call Bobby 941-374-7670.

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 DRIVEWAYS & LANDSCAPE. Specializing in Old Florida Seashell and Lime rock driveways and scapes. Also River Rock, Sand, Mulch, & Soil. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067

ISLAND RESIDENT. TREE/ BUSH Trimming, removal. Sweeping, blowing, and weeding. Weekly, bimonthly or monthly schedule. Pressure washing. Call Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315

LOST AND FOUND

LOST/MISPLACED MY APPLE- IPhone (light blue cover ) Saturday at Cortez Seafood Festival .Call Tony Fantetti 863-214-3886

MOVING & STORAGE

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

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. Wallpaper installation/ removal. Mary Bell Winegarden 941-794-0455

DONALD PERKINS

ABRACADABRA PAINTING LLC fully insured. 30 years experience. Many Island references. Call 941-7057096

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES. Prompt & Reliable. Island Resident. Quality Workmanship. Interior/Exterior. Minor repairs & carpentry. Free estimates. Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315

POOL SERVICES

FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE AND CHEMICAL SERVICES. Certified Pool Operator. 10 + Years Experience. Residential/commercial. Chemical Service Licensed & Insured. Call Dennis Clark 941-7375657

COLE'S TROPICAL POOL SERVICE Call Cole Bowers for all your pool maintenance needs! Affordable and Dependable!! 941-7131893

PRESSURE WASHING & WINDOWS

TOTAL HOME SERVICES CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Construction, Vacation, VRBO Rentals . Also available Pressure Washing, Roof Cleaning, Paver Sealing and Windows. Call 941565-3931.

REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE

Have you been thinking of selling? We NEED properties to List for SALE!!! GULF FRONT, CANAL FRONT, BAY FRONT CONDOS or HOMES ASK for BIG Alan Galletto of Island Real Estate to get it SOLD 941-232-2216

LOOKING FOR A highly motivated real estate broker to buy or sell your next home? Darcie Duncan, Broker Duncan Real Estate a lifelong island resident bringing success to her customers for 30 years. Proven track record brings you results! 941-725-1589

GORGEOUS DEEP WATER LOT with 2BR/2BA home in City of Anna Maria with dock and boat lift. Beautiful street. Just one block walk to beach. $2,800,000. Call for showing 941-7136531

VILLAGE GREEN CONDO ~ Maintenance free 2BR/2BA condo with garage. Convenient West Bradenton location, 5 minutes to the beach. $329,000.00. Call Lisa Varano at Wagner Realty 941-730-9060.

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

RENTALS: ANNUAL

ANNUAL RENTALS

WANTED! We have well qualified tenants for beach and mainland annual rentals, Full management or Finders fee. Call today for details. Ask for Paige DUNCAN REAL ESTATE 513-3821992.

ANNUAL RENTAL – AVAILABLE NOW. 2BR/1BA, furnished. $4,500/month. First, Last, and Security Deposit required Call Sato Real Estate, Inc 941-7787200 or Email megan@

ANNUAL, UNFURNISHED RENTAL 3 miles from AMI in Village Green of Bradenton. 2BR/2BA, large great room and yard. Contact Sato Real Estate at 941778-7200 for showings and more information.

ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND total remodeled 2 BR/1.5BA in 55+ community BEACH across street, furnished, pool, library,

parking next to this ground floor. Annual rental $3200/mo includes WiFi and all utilities, No pets, No smoking Call Tim 507382-8880.

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

SEASONAL RENTAL in PALMA SOLA. 3BR/2BA weekly or monthly rates. Contact Barb Grace 941201-2190

ANNA MARIA ISLAND CONDOS Large pool, beach access, free WiFi, 1&2 Bedroom $900 to $1200 per week redekercondosonami.com Tim 941-704-7525

SARASOTA CITY 1 Or 2 Bedroom Cozy Getaway. Quaint Sarasota Apartment. Walk To City. Five Minutes From The Beach. 2 Night Minimum Stay 1 Bedroom $250 Per Night And 2 Bedroom $290 Per Night. Please Call Joe 908507-4146

TRANSPORTATION

AMI TAXI credit cards, cash, Venmo accepted. Airport: Tampa $105, Sarasota $50, St. Pete/Clearwater $105, Orlando $220. Call 941447-8372, www.amitaxi. com

GOLF CART RENTALS

ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all Airports, Casino, etc. Tampa/St. Pete $80. Sarasota $40. Pets welcome. Very dependable. Reasonable rates. Contact Jeanne. 941-779-5095