NEWS

THE SUN ISLAND NEWS

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DECEMBER 23, 2020

IN BRIEF

Island businesses take home awards

If you’re still feeling a little uncertain about the safety of dining out in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some local restaurants who’ve just taken home the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s top sanitation and safety awards. Local Bradenton-area award winners are the Anna Maria Oyster Bar Cortez, Anna Maria Oyster Bar Landside, Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier, The Ugly Grouper, Pier 22, Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille and the Lazy Lobster on Longboat Key. The FRLA Seal of Commitment recognizes the superior safety, sanitation and staff training on procedures in these restaurants. Statewide, about 150 establishments have received the Seal of Commitment designation.

LBK sewage spill worse than projected

A leak in Longboat Key’s sole sewer pipe, which runs under Sarasota Bay, resulted in 14.7 million gallons of sewage spilling into the bay from June 17-30, up from the previous estimate of 11 million gallons, according to town consultant Berkeley Research Group.

The company originally estimated that 26 million gallons were spilled until a 6-inch diameter log was discovered lodged in the sewer pipe that partially blocked the flow of sewage, reducing that estimate.

The first consultant the town hired, Environmental Science Associates (ESA), concluded in July that fecal contamination in the bay was not due to the leak, but originated from natural sources and homes in Bayshore Gardens that were leaking effluent from their waste collection systems.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ordered the town to pay $242,652 in fines, perform an environmental enhancement or restoration project or purchase and donate environmentally sensitive land to the state to offset damage caused by the spill. Other penalties include installing a second sewage main within five years, planting mangroves, testing bay water for contaminants and buying state mitigation credits.

Two new TDC members sought

Manatee County is accepting applications for two seats on the Tourist Development Council (TDC), a citizens advisory committee that makes recommendations to the county commission on how tourist tax revenues are spent.

The TDC is comprised of nine volunteer members. The two open positions are for a municipal official from the county’s largest city, Bradenton, to complete the term of retiring Mayor Wayne Poston, which expires June 30, 2024; and an owner, operator or general manager of a short-term rental accommodation in Manatee County that is subject to the county’s 5% resort tax, for a term ending June 30, 2021.

Applicants must be registered voters in Manatee County. Applications are due by Jan. 10 and are online at www.mymanatee.org/advisory_boards.

The TDC meets on the third Monday of every other month at 9 a.m. at various locations in Manatee County.

For more information, call Monica Luff at the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 941-729-9177 ext. 3944 or email her at Monica.Luff@mymanatee.org.

Tour boat refueling operations called into question

Paradise Boat Tours has been conducting commercial refueling operations at the county loading dock for nearly seven years.

BY JOE HENDRICKS

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin questions the county’s request that he no longer refuel his tour boat at the county-owned loading dock near Longboat Pass.

The loading dock and seawall are located near the mouth of the pass, at the south end of the Coquina South boat ramp area.

For several years, Baldwin and his employees have used a modified pickup truck to refuel the tour boat at the county-owned loading dock, rather than paying the higher cost of refueling at a marina.

EMAILED CONCERNS

On Monday, Dec. 14, Baldwin addressed his concerns in an email to county commissioners, County Administrator Cheri Coryea and several county staff members.

His email noted he’s been using the county loading dock for nearly seven years.

“During this time, our refueling operations have been inspected by The United States Coast Guard, the Florida Wildlife Commission, Manatee County Marine Sheriff's deputies and Bradenton Beach officials. All without incident or infraction. Two years ago we were asked to elaborate in writing our refueling protocols by the city of Bradenton Beach prompted by the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department, specifically Alan Lai Hipp. All seemed good,” Baldwin stated in his email.

“However, six weeks ago sheriff’s deputies informed us that they have been instructed to prevent us from refueling there anymore, and that it was Alan Lai Hipp who they received their instructions from. In fact, if we refueled there again, we would be subject to arrest,” Baldwin wrote.

“We invested over $10,000 in modifications to a Ford F150 to be

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Sherman Baldwin resumed his suspended refueling activities at the county-owned loading dock last week.

in compliance with federal regulations and now we are told to cease fueling operations without hearing or recourse. Marina fuel is over $2 more per gallon than the street price. This additional cost will force us to terminate at least one employee due to an increased fuel cost of over 65% , representing almost $650 per week loss. We were informed that our only option is to attend and speak at a public comment at a commission meeting,” Baldwin wrote.

His email then stated his intent to refuel at the county dock at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 – even at the risk of arrest.

On Tuesday, Dec. 15, Coryea sent the commissioners the response she received from Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and his staff.

“This vendor was observed using this facility without permission in reports we received from Property Management Parks Maintenance and Public Safety Marine Patrol staff over several months – prior to our department issue of written notice to discontinue unauthorized use in 2019,” Hunsicker stated in his email to Coryea.

“In February of 2020, we engaged in several written exchanges with the vendor in response to letters of concern posted by this vendor to the board of county commissioners which asked for permission to continue private vessel refueling operations at this location. This operator refuses to accept our recommendations as manager of this dock space which have been clearly and repeatedly communicated with him,” Hunsicker wrote.

“Despite claims to the contrary, this private business operator never received permission from our department to operate a private vessel fueling operation at this location; nor does the city of Bradenton Beach have any record of approval.

“Despite the operator’s assurance that he has the capability to safely operate his private business from this facility, there are substantial risks to the county unique to marine operations to continue to allow this operation from an unstaffed public facility without extensive provisions for release of liability waiver, environmental damage insurance and other risk management driven considerations,” Hunsicker wrote.

“Use of this dock previously has been limited to and allowed for heavy construction vendors under contract to the city of Bradenton Beach for public pier and dock repairs, the State of Florida for maintenance activities for the Longboat Pass Bridge and Longboat Pass maintenance, and to Manatee County for deployment of material for offshore artificial reef sites and beach renourishment related construction activities.

“Moreover, if a private vendor of any size or complexity were to

Baugh to chair county commission in 2021

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh has been selected by her commission peers to chair the county commission in 2021. Commissioner George Kruse will serve as vice-chair.

During the commission’s Tuesday, Dec. 15 meeting, Commissioner James Satcher nominated Baugh to serve as chair for the coming year. Commissioner Carol Whitmore nominated Commissioner Reggie Bellamy. Satcher, Baugh, Kruse and commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Misty Servia supported Baugh serving as chair. Baugh then nominated Van

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Commissioner Vanessa Baugh will chair the Manatee County Commission in the coming year.

Ostenbridge to serve as vice chair and Whitmore nominated Kruse, who carried that vote by a 4-3 margin. Bellamy will continue to serve as the Port Authority chair and Servia will serve as the Tourist Development Council chair in 2021. These actions occurred during the county commission's final meeting of 2020.

Four Anna Maria Island Sun staff members have won 12 awards in the Florida Press Club’s 2019 Excellence in Journalism Competition.

Political cartoonist Steve Borggren swept the Editorial Cartooning category, earning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards.

Outdoors columnist Rusty Chinnis earned 3rd place in the Environmental News category for “Elephant in the Bay,” about water quality in Sarasota Bay, and 3rd place in the Light Features category for “We’ll see,” about allowing for flexibility in plans for a fishing trip.

Digital Editor Cindy Lane won 2nd place in the Online Multimedia Package category for “Pool, beach lifeguards train together,” which included a video and photo gallery with the online story.

Lane won 2nd place in the Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting for “County moves to regulate horses in bay,” a series on a move to ban rental horse businesses from Palma Sola Bay, and 3rd place in the “That is So … Florida” category for “Florida flotsam washes up on European beaches,” a story about four plastic cups from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café that

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN Kristin Swain won 1st place in Light Features for her story on this Trash the Turtle sculpture.

were found in England, France, Portugal and the Azores.

Reporter Kristin Swain won 1st place in the Light Features category for “Sculpture illustrates local trash problem,” a story about a sculpture called “Trash the Turtle” by artist Wendell Graham, created from trash collected by Longboat Key Turtle Watch.

Swain also won 2nd place in the Light Features category for “Pups and owners celebrate dog park opening,” and both 2nd and 3rd place in the Community News category for “Problems plague Spring Lake residents” and “Heron nest halts construction.”

Miracle On