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VOL 25 No. 11
November 6, 2024
Ferry service resumes in Bradenton Beach
Ferry service to Anna Maria is expected to resume soon. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – Gulf Islands Ferry service between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier resumed on Friday. The county’s contracted ferry service is operating free of charge. Ferry service to the recently installed temporary floating dock in Anna Maria, near the hurricanedamaged City Pier, is expected to resume soon. Palmetto resident Cathy Brown and Parrish resident Kim Schuerman were the first two passengers to make a post-hurricane trip from Bradenton to Bradenton Beach. Mayor John Chappie and City Attorney Ricinda Perry were on hand to greet them, Capt. Nicholas Francis and mate Terrie Birkett when they arrived. JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
SEE FERRY, PAGE 23
Mayor John Chappie greeted the first post-hurricane ferry arrival in Bradenton Beach.
City ends rental ban City leaders vote unanimously to rescind the vacation rental moratorium blocking rentals in the city. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders opted to end the moratorium stopping vacation rentals to tourists in the city more than two weeks before it was scheduled to end. Commissioners voted unanimously at the urging of the public, Mayor Judy Titsworth and city staff to end the moratorium early with an effective date of Nov. 2, 16 days before it was scheduled to expire. During discussion at the Oct. 29 special meeting, Titsworth said that she expected the first pass of debris removal in Holmes Beach to be completed by Nov. 2, one of the benchmarks in hurricane recovery
after Helene and Milton that she wanted to reach before inviting guests back to the city. She said she wanted the moratorium to be lifted as quickly as possible, noting that it’s up to property owners to determine if their rentals are safe and ready to rent. “I think we did a good job,” she said of the moratorium, which was enacted on Oct. 2 in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, both of which caused widespread devastation in the city. “It took guts to do what we did.” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer agreed, stating that he felt it was time for the government to take a step back and allow property owners and rental agents to do their own due diligence. Tokajer said that if the city is safe enough to reopen Anna Maria Elementary School on Nov. 4, he feels that it’s safe enough to welcome vacationers to return.
SEE RENTAL, PAGE 18
Anna Maria debris removal responsibility shifts
Debris removal is now the responsibility of the property owner.
hurricane-related debris removal, street damage, swimming pool dewatering and FEMA damage assessments.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
DEBRIS REMOVAL
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The deadlines have passed to place hurricane-related household and landscaping debris streetside to be removed by the city. But both types of debris piles can still be found alongside city streets even though debris removal is now the responsibility of the property owner. Oct. 24 was the city’s deadline to place hurricane-damaged household goods curbside to be removed by Oct. 27. Oct. 31 was the deadline to place landscaping debris curbside to be removed by Nov. 3. On Nov. 1, Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission discussed
ROD & REEL PIER sign removed for safekeeping. 4 Page 16 Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
Murphy said city staff had already identified approximately 150 new household debris piles placed curbside since the Oct. 24 deadline. After acknowledging that number will probably grow, Murphy said city staff is recording the debris pile locations that include non-hurricanerelated debris placed in front of vacation rental homes and construction sites. He said Waste Management picked up some of the post-deadline debris piles even though they’re not obligated to do so. Murphy said the city will continue assessing post-deadline debris place-
SEE DEBRIS, PAGE 13
HOLMES BEACH POLICE tasing
draws scrutiny. 4
CORTEZ, BRIDGE STREET businesses
reopen. 8-9
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