- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 24 No. 19
January 3, 2024
New financial disclosure law impacting AMI governments Florida’s expanded financial disclosure requirements prompt resignations and withdrawals locally and statewide. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Bradenton Beach City Commissioner Jake Spooner has resigned because of the state’s expanded Form 6 financial disclosure requirements that now apply to all Florida mayors and city commissioners holding office as of Jan. 1. Spooner is one of many city commissioners in Florida who recently resigned because of the new law and the impacts are also being felt in Anna Maria and Longboat Key. The Form 6 financial disclosure requirements have long applied to elected state, county and city officials in some of Florida’s larger cities. The Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the disclosure requirements earlier this year when creating the new state law that now requires elected city officials to annually file a Form 6 disclosure form.
Happy New Year from The Sun
CINDY LANE | SUN
The sun has set on 2023, but the New Year promises an abundance of nature's delights on Anna Maria Island.
SEE DISCLOSURE, PAGE 8
Titsworth, Stevely share The Sun’s 2023 Person of the Year honors
Judy Titsworth defends city’s home rule Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth leads the fight against a parking garage at Manatee Beach and against consolidation of the Island’s cities. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Holmes Titsworth has consistently defended the city against Manatee County officials and Florida legislators who propose to chip away Titsworth at home rule, particularly on the parking garage and consolidation issues that have made headlines over the past several months. For her determination and hard
work, the Anna Maria Island Sun names Titsworth as one of its two 2023 Persons of the Year. “Naming Mayor Judy your Person of the Year is a no-brainer,” Holmes Beach Commissioner Greg Kerchner said. “Especially in this tough political environment, she does so much for this city, takes so much grief and gets so little credit that I’m thrilled to see her receive this award. No one deserves it more. Her family’s history with Holmes Beach may be obvious but her dedication to improving our waters, wetlands and environment is just as important. It’s going to be really tough finding another mayor, let alone a city manager who will be as dedicated, accomplish as much or work as hard for so little compensation.”
SEE TITSWORTH, PAGE 9
John Stevely a force for nature Stevely left a lasting mark on environmental preservation in Cortez. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
CORTEZ - Habitat preservation is thriving in Cortez due in large part to the commitment of the late John Stevely. A founding member of the Florida Institute Stevely for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) and an early advocate for the FISH Preserve, the Anna Maria Island Sun names Stevely as one of its two 2023 Persons of the Year. “When we lost John, FISH and
MANGROVE removal completed before water protection barrier installed. Page 25
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Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
the village not only lost a long-time board member, but a good friend and an advocate for FISH, the preserve and the village,” FISH Treasurer Jane von Hahmann said. “He was a founding member of FISH and instrumental in the initial purchase of the preserve property.” Stevely passed away on May 27, 2022 at the age of 72 while walking with his wife, Dr. Theresa Bert, at Robinson Preserve. His work was recognized at the newly-completed 98-acre FISH Preserve ribboncutting ceremony on Nov. 3. “There’s one person that could not be with us today,” von Hahmann said at the FISH Preserve dedication. “This is a gentleman who was part of the original purchase of this program, who was part of the original
SEE STEVELY, PAGE 11
PENDING DEMOLITION of historic
buildings questioned at hotel project. 4 MUSIC LISTENING ROOM opening in
Anna Maria. 5
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