CAPTAINS REPORTS

Saying goodbye to Commissioner Morton

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Pat Morton’s 17 years on the city commission have come to an end, but he says community members can still expect to see him serving the city in some capacity, even just as a resident.

The Nov. 17 commission meeting and work session were Morton’s final ones as a city commissioner and his fellow commissioners and Mayor Judy Titsworth took a moment to thank him for his service.

“This has been a long ride. I dedicated 17 years of my life to the city. It’s been a pleasure to serve the city and the citizens. We’ve got some awesome citizens out here,” Morton said. “Mayor, it’s been a pleasure to serve with you. You’re a very dear friend.”

“I thank the citizens from the bottom of my heart,” he added. “This has been a long and fun enjoyment for me.”

“I’d like to really thank Commissioner Pat Morton for his many years of service and I blame you, Pat, for getting me to this point,” Titsworth said. “He didn’t leave me alone until he got

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN Now former Commissioner Pat Morton campaigns near the polls Nov. 3 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach.

me to run for commission.”

“Thank you for your many years of service. Not only do I think of you as one of our best commissioners the city’s ever had but I look at you as a dear friend and I will miss you,” she concluded.

“Pat, you’ve sat next to me when I came up here as a novice,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “You and I changed so much of this city in such a short time. You were a great part of that entire turn around that the city had to do to be able to survive and I thank you for all of that work because without it we would be in very, very bad shape.”

“Pat, I appreciate all of the two years that we got to work together,” Commissioner Kim Rash said. “I think we worked together to make Holmes Beach a better place.”

“I would like to offer my appreciation to Pat,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said. “Pat, you and I only had a year to work together but I respect very much the time you have spent and devoted to our city, as many have said and will continue to say, to make it a better place. I know you won’t forget the city. Your efforts will continue without question in my mind to better our city and I’m sure you will remain visible and accessible and I thank you as a citizen and now a commissioner for your devotion.”

“I’d just like to thank Commissioner Morton for his service. Pat, it’s been good sitting beside you, watching you and learning from you. You’ve made a great contribution to the city and your impact is going to be felt for a long, long time. We’re going to miss you,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said.

CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE | SUBMITTED Pete Weir, of Parrish, hoists an African Pompano in the 35 pound range. Caught on a live Pilchard offshore with Captain David White of Anna Maria Charters.

Little tunny plentiful on beaches

CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE

Fishing this week has been pretty darn good, even with the strong northeasterly winds limiting the fishable areas around our Island.

The inshore fishery has snook and redfish still on the prowl and it’s fun for catch-and-release anglers. I’m starting to see some larger sheepshead and black drum sliding in as well. Time to start bringing some shrimp along.

The beaches are seeing a huge influx of little tunny, aka bonita. These are awesome on medium-light tackle and are a blast on a 9 or 10 weight fly rod. Also in the pelagic mix are kingfish up to 30 pounds and some Spanish mackerel here and there. Offshore, when do able, is producing yellowtail and mangrove snapper, red grouper, gags, catch- and-release amberjack and the occasional African pompano. We’ve got a busy week ahead of us here at Anna Maria Charters. We hope everyone has an awesome holiday!