- September 18, 2024
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Age: 68
Current Occupation: Independent insurance agent
How long have you been a resident of Manatee County? For nearly 14 years.
The commission should listen to and respect the wishes of Manatee County residents instead of adhering to the wishes of developers who shell out big bucks to their campaigns.
As a resident of Manatee County, I share the frustrations of my fellow residents who are fed up with a BOCC that is more responsive to the will of the developers than the will of the voters who put them in office.
After witnessing firsthand how some commissioners sneer and laugh at residents who take the time to appear at BOCC meetings to voice their concerns, I felt that rather than just complain, I have a responsibility to help make a difference.
Manatee County residents deserve commissioners who will listen to and respect them. I want to be there to represent them.
Before becoming a small business owner, I had a long career in television. I was a TV news anchor and reporter in several major markets, including Detroit, Hartford, Kansas City, Boston, Orlando and NYC at WNBC. An important part of my job was to hold our elected officials accountable.
I’ve seen time and again the negative results of public office holders who ignore the will of their voters. In my career as a journalist, I’ve interacted with people of all walks of life, from the very powerful to those with absolutely nothing, being homeless.
The most powerful lesson that I’ve learned through the years is we really do have more in common with one another than we often realize.
Commendably, the Manatee County Commission has been doing some of what is needed by being receptive to cutting through overly restrictive requirements to encourage affordable housing.
Promoting smaller units and higher density, along with reducing the setback rule when appropriate is the right direction to take.
But when it comes to attracting and maintaining workers to Manatee County, there also needs to be a focus on transportation and childcare.
Understand the original intent of the zoning code in the area where the request is being made. Consider the impact on residents and businesses in the zone in question if a change is made. Listen to and seriously consider public comments, then vote with the interest of Manatee County residents at the fore.
Since the FDAB was established in 1989, the line has shifted over the years. People who bought land in eastern Manatee County on the promise that the area would remain agricultural and rural feel betrayed.
I believe the FDAB should remain in place and we zero in on Comprehensive Plan policy 2.1.2.8. Under that policy, development continues to creep east of the line. I’m referring to: “(a) A portion of the area to be developed is coterminous and contiguous to the FDAB or contiguous and coterminous to lands that have been approved pursuant to this Policy 2.1.2.8.”
So, when a small portion of a proposed development is west of the line and meets the conditions of “coterminous and contiguous,” and most of the development is east of the line, there’s a problem in terms of high density that continues to creep eastward.
The language means that developments must build off existing infrastructure, which allows for each set of new pipes to lead to a future development to the east. And that’s just one issue that’s problematic with Policy 2.1.2.8.
Growth is inevitable. People will continue to move to Florida and Manatee County just as I did. With thousands of new homes coming to Ellenton and Parrish here in District 1, we need to be strategic when it comes to urban sprawl. People move here to find paradise and the Florida lifestyle.
We need to protect paradise. Joni Mitchell had it right back in 1970 with her song “Big Yellow Taxi.” “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
Uncontrolled hyper development on steroids does no one any good but the developers. They rake in the cash, people flood into Manatee County by the thousands, happy to be here at first. Then comes the traffic congestion and all those nasty problems associated with urban sprawl they thought they escaped from. What happened to paradise? We paved it.
Meredith Barcomb of Preserve Our Wildlife Environment and Resources was on point when she said more than two years ago, “Smart development means having the beach be the beach, having the suburbs be the suburbs, industrial be industrial and remembering that our rural communities and conservation is important.”
It’s about the quality of life. The BOCC is charged with protecting and preserving the quality of life for Manatee County residents.
Let’s help businesses attract new employees, young professionals to Manatee County by building up urban areas like Bradenton. That in turn helps us attract new businesses to Manatee County. We then begin to create the type of growth that we want, bringing in higher paid workers and businesses that will produce more revenue for Manatee County.
The answer comes right back to the same issue with the BOCC approving so much development so fast without adequate forethought and planning.
Once the problem arises, there’s no easy fix. Proper planning will save Manatee County a boatload of money and relieve more headaches for residents than Tylenol ever could.
Just look at what happened when the two-lane Fort Hamer Bridge opened in 2017. You’ve got daily severe traffic jams and drivers with severe headaches as they head for the bridge.
Had it been built as a four- or six-lane bridge, the flow of traffic would have been better facilitated.
Now commissioners have budgeted $6 million just to study a possible expansion of the bridge and other parts of Fort Hamer Road. All of this could have been prevented with proper planning.
Same problem with traffic on Morgan Johnson Road when the new Braden River Bridge on 44th Avenue East opened last year.
Commissioners need to consider the impact on traffic of proposed developments before approving projects. Plans need to be worked out to alleviate anticipated traffic problems by expanding roads before the development is in place. Otherwise, we’re always chasing our tail.
Traffic congestion is one of the biggest gripes I hear all the time from Manatee County residents. Fixing the problems created by insufficient planning will take a long time and will be painful and expensive. We must fix them and prevent future traffic problems by proper planning.
First, they are massively under collected, which has led to the county’s deficiencies with infrastructure, schools and parks.
Because the Legislature has decided impact fees can only be increased every four years and at only 50% of the current fee level, we need to get this right in 2024.
Other counties that are experiencing high growth just as we are in Manatee County have increased their fees 100%, justifying it by a supermajority vote and a “demonstrated needs study.” We can and should do the same.
However, all but one commissioner on the board is afraid such a move could open up a lawsuit. The other counties that have done this have not been sued. And even if a lawsuit does materialize, it doesn’t mean it will be successful.
In any event, if we go for a 100% impact fee increase and are ultimately shot down, we still get the state mandated 50%. But if we don’t go for it and later learn that our situation here in Manatee County fits the definition of “exceptional circumstances” that would allow for higher than 50%, we won’t be able to do anything about it for another four-years.
The current board doesn’t see that logic.
When I made that point at the June 6 BOCC public hearing, saying we shouldn’t worry about a lawsuit, Commissioners Jason Bearden and Kevin Van Ostenbridge snickered like a couple of high school kids.
But I understand. Just look at who funds them. Most of the same folks who are responsible for more than $200,000 in KVO’s campaign war chest are the same folks who would have to pony up the money for the increased impact fees.
I’m all for it. As stated previously, I believe we need to protect paradise. The vote in March to purchase land that will significantly expand Emerson Point Preserve was the right thing to do.
Overall, I’d give them a B-. The Emerson Point Preserve purchase was smart, as most of the purchase price should come back to the county from the state.
The use of infrastructure sales tax funds is being used properly.
What I find puzzling is the size of the budget increase for the supervisor of election’s office. An $841,340 budget increase seems excessive when considering the plans for the funds as laid out by SOE James Satcher.
The elections cyber security software is less than $44,000. Even when allowing for an estimated $234,000 for potential budget overruns, that leaves more than $500,000 for adding an eighth early voting location and opening two satellite offices along with associated staff. Will it really cost that much? I have my doubts and would have preferred more scrutiny from the board.
Once I’m a member of the BOCC, I’ll be in a far better position to make an informed comment on this question.
I believe the millage rate is satisfactory. What I look forward to for additional revenue to the county is a 1% tourism tax increase if approved by voters through a referendum this November.
The estimated minimum of $6 million reinvested in the community will help small businesses produce an even better experience for tourists to Manatee County. That in turn will bring in more tourism, which will generate even more revenue. That will be a win for the county.
Government should serve the needs of the people. It should not be burdensome, but rather efficient and responsive to the needs of its citizens. By providing essential services, protecting rights and promoting the well-being of the community, the government can create a stable and prosperous society.
I believe in keeping taxes fair and low, but it’s also essential to ensure that there is sufficient revenue to fund critical public services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure and social safety nets. Balancing these priorities is key to fostering a healthy, prosperous society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Transparency and accountability are crucial to ensure that the government remains focused on the public good. When the Manatee Board of County Commissioners prioritizes the needs of the people over the desires of the developers, it ensures that the community’s interests are safeguarded, leading to sustainable and equitable growth.
This approach fosters trust between the government and its citizens, promotes environmental conservation and preserves the quality of life for current and future residents.
By focusing on responsible development, the county can balance economic progress with the well-being of its population, ensuring that infrastructure, public services and natural resources are managed in a way that benefits everyone.
