By Ryan Paice and Kane Kaiman
Islander Reporters
Gentlemen, please take your seats.
At an Oct. 11 meeting at Holmes Beach City Hall, Commissioner Jayne Christenson announced she will not seek reelection.
Christenson was set to face challengers Daniel Diggins and Greg Kerchner in the Nov. 8 general election for her seat and one other, the seat of Commissioner Kim Rash, who did not seek reelection.
“This has been a difficult decision based on many factors, most importantly being my work/life balance,” Christenson said.
She listed several issues she was proud to have weighed in on, including the strengthening of a noise ordinance and the reduction of city spending.
“Holmes Beach is facing significant challenges like never before,” Christenson added. “Manatee County and the state of Florida will continue to put pressure on the city and the island in the form of increased tourism while providing very little funding.”
She asked residents to get involved. “Our city needs your voice to be heard as we look toward managing the population and building growth in our city. … Join us. Come to meetings and help our government.”
Christenson’s mother bought property in Holmes Beach in 1989 and Christenson purchased a share of that home in 2007.
She became a member of the city’s planning commission in 2017 and served one year as vice chair.
Christenson was elected to her first two-year term as commissioner in 2020 and filed candidate papers to seek a second term in April. She paid the candidate fee in June.
As a commissioner, Christenson found herself at odds with the board and was the only vote Sept. 27 in opposition to the 2022-23 budget and millage ordinance.
Meanwhile, her residency has come into question, due in part to her ownership of a home on 18th Avenue West in northwest Bradenton and the use of her Holmes Beach property as a vacation rental.
Christenson can rent her Holmes Beach property on 49th Street, which she owns with her mother, as a vacation unit for up to 30 days a year while maintaining the property’s homestead status and her voter’s registration in Holmes Beach.
Christenson had not notified the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office of her intention to withdraw from the race as of Oct. 17.
Her campaign website was not active the evening of Oct. 14.
The elections office notified Christenson that it requires written notice, said Pam Smaridge, assistant to chief deputy Sharon Stief.
Christenson told The Islander Oct. 14 her schedule had not afforded her the time to deliver the letter.
“I haven’t had a chance to do that,” she said. “So it makes me suspicious that people are pushing me to get this done. It just feels weird that people are trying to pressure me to get it done. It’s like, ‘Why?’”
Christenson downplayed the local ballot. “The Holmes Beach election on the ballot is not a big deal. And if I’m not running, then whoever they voted for, it doesn’t matter. Because the two candidates that are left will be sitting on the commission.”
Christenson said she had no date in mind for sending the withdrawal notice but, when she does, the elections office will begin including an insert with mailed and early-voting ballots informing voters she dropped out of the race.
Voters who go to the poll in Holmes Beach also will receive the insert with their ballot.
The office does not have the logistical capability of taking the race off the ballot, assistant supervisor of elections Scott Farrington said Oct. 14.
However, vote tabulating machines can be set to ignore the race, meaning the results of the election will never be known, he said.
Protected address?
The public cannot see the home address for Jayne Christenson on the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections candidate statement or forms.
The address for Christenson was redacted from the filings.
Candidates who fill out public records exemption request forms can be allowed to shield their addresses from the public.
Christenson declined to comment Oct. 14 on whether she secured a public records exemption.
To qualify, a candidate must attest on the form that they are part of a protected group or related or married to an individual in the group.
Protected groups include law enforcement personnel, judges, firefighters, some people in other select occupations and also victims of certain crimes.
“My personal information is private. Period,” she said. “And I have the right to have that under certain guidelines.”
But Christenson’s property records are readily accessible in the county property appraiser, tax collector and clerk’s online records.
Other elected officials in the city of Holmes Beach included their addresses on the supervisor of elections website and on the forms they filed to qualify as candidates.