Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short took time Jan. 10 from a busy week to provide a summary of actions for the city in the past week:
In the Jan. 9 commission meeting, John Lynch was elected by the seated commissioners to fill the commissioner spot vacated by Jon Crane. That term expires in November of this year.
The city’s FEMA consultant, Del Schwalls, made a presentation about the results of the city’s CRS audit and FEMA and Florida programs available to fund part of the costs to renovate and/or actually raise properties to a higher elevation.
There was standing-room-only in the chambers for this presentation and a number of people stayed to ask more specific questions of Schwalls.
The OPPAGA study was released Jan. 8 to all three island mayors, who also received a letter cosigned by Will Robinson and Jim Boyd.
I shared the key points from the letter during our Jan. 9 commission meeting.
Included is the letter from Robinson and Boyd (online at islander.org). My copy includes shaded text, which I read aloud at the meeting and there was applause from several people in attendance when I read “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively….”
I believe the request from Robinson-Boyd to provide them feedback on possible services to streamline is reasonable. However, such streamlining of services must save costs for our taxpayers and also must not result in a reduction in the quality of services to our residents.
Certain items in the OPPAGA study as it pertains to the City of Anna Maria were not completely factual or, I believe, “should have been further clarified.”
For example, the report stated we have an unfunded pension liability of over $947k. We do not.
The report did not mention that both Holmes Beach and Anna Maria reduced its millage rates in 2024, while Anna Maria’s reduction was more significant — from 2.05 to 1.65. This millage rate reduction would, in my opinion, have a significant impact to any reader of this report who was unaware of that fact.
For 2025, the mayor reported in a Jan. 10 email that his goals include:
- Complete the hurricane recovery and get the city back to normal.
- Make significant progress on the rebuild of the city pier.
- Complete phases of the Pine Ave. project that pertain to the sections of Pine currently without sidewalks.
- Focus efforts to improving resiliency by improving our stormwater systems, including pipes and swales, infiltration, etc., and devise a concrete plan for future improvements.
- Work with the other island cities to create one island voice for matters that may arise and create challenges for all of us.
Also during the week, The Islander learned the Anna Maria city clerk, LeAnn Addy, will soon step away from her clerk duties and focus on financial matters as treasurer.
Addy has been the city clerk/treasurer since 2017.
“Due to the increased workload over the years, Mayor Short has reorganized and he decided to split the city clerk role from the city treasurer role,” said Addy.
As treasurer, Addy said she will “focus more on grants, appropriations and other funding that may be available to keep our mileage rate down.”
The city clerk position is being advertised on the city website, cityofannamaria.com, the Florida Association of City Clerks website and Indeed.
A city clerk job description can be viewed on the city website under departments, human resources.
And, from Holmes Beach, Mayor Judy Titsworth texted The Islander Jan. 11 to state:
As for the OPPAGA study, I am relieved that it is over.
I have had great communication with state leaders and now that we have a majority on the county board that truly care about our island cities and who have the utmost respect for home rule.
I believe these next 2 years will allow me the time and energy to focus on quality of life issues and improving the lives of our citizens.
I did have communication with Robinson pre-hurricanes regarding services that we could provide for the neighboring cities and now that the elections are over and our recovery effort is nearing completion, I will once again reach out to AM and BB to identify needs and efficiencies that could be obtained by sharing resources.