Islanders are saying “no” to any notion of consolidating or dissolving island cities.
Several people spoke during public comment at a Jan. 24 Holmes Beach commission meeting to voice concern about potential consolidation or dissolution following recent actions by state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton.
Robinson opened the door Jan. 12 at a 2023 Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting, where he questioned the number of municipalities needed to govern the island.
Robinson motioned to commission a state study on Anna Maria Island’s governing structure and to present options to the delegation for the 2024 legislative session.
The delegation unanimously approved Robinson’s motion.
Robinson also introduced a bill that would preempt local regulation of parking for state and county properties. The bill would override a Holmes Beach ordinance that prohibits multilevel parking facilities within city limits.
City officials immediately decried Robinson’s actions, calling it one of the most significant attacks on municipal home rule in recent history.
The city deployed its lobbyist, Thomas Hobbs from Tallahassee-based Ramba Consulting Group, to work with state legislators and coordinate with the Florida League of Cities in an attempt to counter dissolution.
Holmes Beach also provided sample letters regarding the issue on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org, for residents to send to local representatives to voice their opposition.
A handful of residents also voiced their opposition at the Jan. 24 meeting.
Resident Laurel Nevans said she created a Facebook group to promote island voices in response to Robinson’s actions. As of Jan. 28, 1,158 users had joined Save AMI Cities.
“I’m confident that if we all band together and make our voice loud enough … they cannot ignore us,” Nevans said.
Bradenton resident Larry Grossman said he was “appalled” at the possibility of consolidating or dissolving the island cities and questioned who Robinson was representing with his actions.
“Who are they representing? That’s the question here. They’re not representing us. We didn’t ask for this,” Grossman said. “This isn’t about parking, it’s about power. This is the biggest power grab I’ve ever seen anywhere, and we’ve got to fight it with all our might.”
Resident Alice Sutton voiced direct support for city government.
“I believe you all can do the right thing and do not need any help from anyone else. We’re quite capable of governing ourselves,” Sutton said.
“Putting a parking garage in Holmes Beach is similar to putting a landfill in the botanical gardens down in Sarasota,” resident James Craig said.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer thanked the speakers for voicing their opinions and asked residents to voice their opinions in writing to their stat representatives.
“This represents a stark warning to every city in the state of Florida that, if this can be done, where can’t it be done?” Schaefer said. “What is most encouraging tonight is the fact that you’re here. … This is truly a battle for the future of our independent cities.”
The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found at holmesbeachfl.org.
State, island officials set private meeting
Anna Maria Island’s three mayors were set to meet Jan. 30 with state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. R-Bradenton, and state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, to discuss Robinson’s recent call for a study into island governance, according to Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy.
Murphy said he met with Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth the week beginning Jan. 16 to discuss Robinson’s proposal, which opens the door to the potential dissolution or consolidation of the island cities.
Murphy said he then called Robinson, who said grief he’d received from constituents about not being able to find parking on the island prompted his proposal.
Murphy also called Boyd and asked both legislators to meet with the island mayors to discuss the issue and negotiate resolutions.
Murphy said the meeting might result in “miserable failure” but said it was worth a shot to “stop a war” between the cities, county and state.
He intended for the meeting — set to take place as The Islander went to press — to be closed to the public and press. The private meeting was to be at Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
— Ryan Paice
This is an egregious money grab by our state and county elected officials and developers.
It’s clear what is going on:
1. Remove home rule
2. Island is run by the county
3. Replace Cortez and Manatee bridges with four lane fixed.
4. Now that the government (taxpayers) have paid to dump 1000’s of people on AMI they will need places to live.
5. Remove height restrictions
6. Buy up existing condo complexes and homes, tear them down.
7. Replace with high-rises
8. Restrict beach access as is done in LBK, This adds value to the new high-rise developments.
DeSantis and local reps will receive multi-millions in contributions to their PACs
Government will provide tax breaks to developers in exchange for the donations.
Property tax revenues will soar, the developers make tens if not hundreds of millions.
Don’t let them destroy AMI and turn Bedford Falls into Pottersville. Why not build a casino while they are at it? So much for the small government promises they ran on.