Paid parking talks leaked from what was supposed to be a closed staff meeting, and there’s no stopping the rush now.
Manatee County is planning to expand the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach and the plan includes paid parking, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer told city commissioners at their Jan. 29 meeting.
“Their thoughts are they would roll that out the same time they institute paid parking at the (Manatee Public) beach,” he said.
The possibility of paid parking at either facility brought a shocked reaction from commissioners and quick response from county staff.
Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker and Charlie Hunsicker, director of the county parks and natural resources department, exchanged emails the night of the meeting and the following morning.
“FYI — a problem — when a staff level discussion goes public before it’s finalized,” wrote Hunzeker in an email to county commissioners, Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson and Holmes Beach Commission Chair Judy Titsworth.
The discussion topic was emailed to Hunsicker from the city chamber by a county employee who attended the meeting.
Hunsicker said in his reply that the meeting at which paid parking was discussed was hosted in order to address how the county might deal with mullet fishers coming to Manatee County and compounding problems at area boat ramps.
“Comments exchanged were at a discussion level only. Too bad they (The Chief, and the City Council) chose to take up this topic to ambush any further discussion,” Hunsicker wrote.
Titsworth jumped into the email thread, adding that it would have been “common courtesy” for the county to have invited island elected officials to the meeting. She called it “another example of poor communication between the county and cities.”
“It shouldn’t be a surprise that topics affecting municipalities be shared by chiefs with their mayors and commissioners. In fact I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Titsworth wrote.
Holmes Beach commissioners immediately expressed distaste for paid public parking at the county beach during the Jan. 29 meeting.
“I’m so mad. I’m so against this,” said Titsworth.
Titsworth added that perhaps there was a way for the city to gain control of the Manatee Public Beach.
“I think the concept has been hanging over us for some time,” said Commissioner Carol Soustek. “It’s going to make money, but it’s not going to solve any problems.”
Commissioners said paid parking at the Manatee Public Beach could compound parking issues in the city by driving beachgoers trying to avoid the parking fees into commercial lots.
The topic was not on the night’s agenda and discussion was brief.
However, Titsworth continued talks via email with Hunzeker.
“Year around paid parking as a means of dealing with commercial fishing that only use the ramps 1 or 2 months out of the year, in my opinion, is a drastic move, makes little sense, and effects residents more who use the ramp year around. I also question the reasoning for paid parking at the public beaches?” she wrote.
Tokajer said he attended the Jan. 20 meeting hosted by Hunsicker and county environmental project manager Alan LaiHipp where they discussed possible improvements to Kingfish Boat Ramp, including paid parking.
Tokajer said he was under the impression the meeting was held for the intention of informing people and that it was not a private meeting.
He reported to commissioners that plans to improve the boat ramp include adding a fourth ramp, paving the area, extending the dock and replacing the seawall around it.
They showed photos of boat ramps from other communities with a similar layout that included paid parking kiosks, apparently prompting the paid parking discussions.
Tokajer said he asked if there was a time frame on the project “to report back” and the reply was three years.
I’m confused. Anna Maria Island markets themselves as “old time” Florida yet wants to institute paid parking. This can not possibly be the answer.