BRADENTON — On Tuesday, Manatee County Commissioners adopted a resolution making official the memorial designation of a local roadway in honor of recently slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The action was initiated early last month, when the board unanimously approved directing staff to prepare the resolution.
Commissioners decided upon the future portion of 51st Street West, from 53rd Avenue West south to El Conquistador Parkway, to memorialize as the ‘Charlie Kirk Memorial Boulevard.’
The roadway expansion project is currently slated to break ground in 2026 or 2027, and Manatee County has prioritized a request of $3 million from the state toward the estimated $35 million CIP project.
An existing county resolution, Resolution R-20-153, permits for the naming of a county facility for an eligible individual or organization based on “demonstrated integrity, contribution to the community, patriotism, and such other criteria as may from time to time be established by the Board of County Commissioners.”
On October 7, Commissioner Jason Bearden proposed the measure, opening his remarks by comparing Kirk to the late Martin Luther King Jr.
Bearden, who is a Republican, said the act of naming a county roadway after Kirk was not political but a testament to Kirk’s contribution to open dialogue and free speech.
“By naming a road after Charlie Kirk, we are not making a partisan statement; we are making a Manatee County statement that dialogue is alive here, that our community chooses unity, chooses conversation, and chooses to stay connected even when it's hard,” Bearden explained, adding that Manatee County needs “open dialogue as opposed to division.”
According to Resolution R-25-211, establishing the memorial boulevard, “Charlie Kirk was a nationally recognized public speaker, author, and founder of Turning Point USA, an organization dedicated to promoting civic education, dialogue, and engagement among young Americans” and “through his work, Mr. Kirk has inspired millions of students and citizens to take an active interest in their communities, government, and the democratic process.”
The declaration continues, “It is fitting and proper to recognize individuals who have made a significant impact on civic engagement, youth leadership, and the encouragement of public dialogue.”
The fabrication and installation of two road signs displaying the memorial designation along the identified roadway are anticipated to cost just under $1,000, at $962.90. Annual maintenance of the signs is estimated to cost less than $100.00 annually.
The county will also order commemorative signs for designated dignitaries in remembrance of the dedication, at $33.77 per sign.
Commissioners approved the measure 5-2, with Commissioners Carol Felts and Bob McCann temporarily absent for the vote.
There was minimal board discussion before the vote, and no citizens appeared in chambers or by phone to provide public comments either for or against the measure.
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lib224
Hopefully, they'll be defaced on a regular basis.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
kmskepton
Should have just called it “Racist Way."
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
AuthorDJAnderson
This is how to get $3 million from the state: detach yourself from principled thinking and tell legislators what they want to hear.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
pattybeenutty
WHY? He was a bigot and not a follower of Jesus.
He was a politican!
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
jimandlope
Possibly one of the most abhorrent decisions by our legislative body. Comparison to Dr. Martin Luther King? I don’t think so. Jim Tierney
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
neal2k
“MLK was awful. He’s not a good person”. Charlie Kirk December 2023 Turning Point Conference. Is that why the county commission is naming a road after Kirk and invoking MLK’s name?
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
rjckeuka4
To promote "civic education, dialogue and engagement among young Americans." That's "right wing" for trolling young people on campus, convincing them they didn't need a college education, teaching them Replacement Theory, that Blacks have only gotten ahead through DEI initiatives, and recruiting them to be far right voters, preaching Black/Brown HATE...all in the name of Christianity and "open debate." Khalid Mohammid made the campus circuit in the 90's doing the same thing...preaching White HATE. Interesting how we teach our youth to HATE!
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
Dave
Disgusting. I hope Commissioner Kruse was one of the no votes, as I had hope for him.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
gatorheel
Completely ignoring the man and his politics, what does he have to do with Manatee County? He probably never heard of our county, much less set foot in it.
Thursday, November 20, 2025 Report this
Lktinsanfran
Please let Charlie Kirk rest in peace, along with the rest of us! Of course, we are all sorry that he was murdered. That was a travesty. But I beg of you, stop shoving Charlie Kirk down our throats. Enough is enough. He was not a humanitarian. He was a racist, misogynistic individual. As I have said before, there are real heroes that have done so much for Bradenton and Florida. How about naming a street or park after one of them? There is no shortage of local heroes. Just go to any hospital and witness selfless staff assisting patients. Or what about our local veterinarians who tend to our beloved animals? Those people are fully deserving.
Sunday, November 23, 2025 Report this