The League of Women Voters of Manatee County Government Committee observes Manatee County Commission meetings for items of interest to citizens and the League and notes adherence, or lack of adherence, to good governance procedures and the Sunshine Law. The following are the key points from the board’s regular meeting on July 29, 2025.
Link to the Video (Video starts after morning recess)
Invocation Reverend Brock Patterson, Longboat Island Chapel
Pledge of Allegiance Michael Renard, Project Manager Intern and Army Captain
Announcements
Updates to Agenda - July 23 Part 1, July 23 Part 2, July 28
Port Authority
Citizen Comment
Glenn wanted the port to install solar panels on the roof at the port. The Director said that Florida Power & Light has investigated the feasibility of using solar power but the current roof can’t handle the weight.
Awards/Presentations/
Awards
Presentation of the Team Member of the Month for July 2025
Eli Alaniz, Parks Maintenance Tech II, Property Management received the award due to his calm manner, leadership abilities, extensive volunteer efforts and willingness to help make Manatee County a more beautiful place to work and live.
Proclamations
Parks and Recreation Month
The Sports & Leisure Department team accepted the proclamation and mentioned that it is the 40th anniversary of National Parks & Recreation Month.
Requests By Commissioners (Items to be pulled from Consent Agenda)
Items 4, 15, 23 and 31. See more information below.
Consent Agenda
Approved 7-0
Citizen Comments (Consideration for Future Agenda Items)
Items Removed From The Consent Agenda
4. Acceptance of the Actions Taken During the Period of June 23, 2025, through July 25, 2025, pursuant to Resolution R-24-126, Bobbi Roy, Agenda Supervisor.
Commissioner McCann pulled this item for transparency and requested a brief presentation. Citizens wanting details can click here to view the packet.
Approved 7-0
Items 15, 23 and 31. (See Agenda for Details)
Approved 7-0
REGULAR
Government Relations
Item 67. Appointment of Five Members to the Government Efficiency Liaison Committee - Stephanie Garrison, Director of Govrnment Relations, and Brent Anderson, Government Relations Manager
Florida DOGE will be examining county expenditures from 2019 to the present.
There were 21 applicants for the five vacancies on the Manatee County Government Efficiency Liason Committee. The BoCC approved appointees were:
Seat One, David Otterness; Seat Two, Benjamin Heavener; Seat Three, John Settineri; Seat Four, Mark Stanoch; Seat Five, Don Berg.
Public Safety
Item 71. Adoption of Resolution R-25-145, and Approval of FY25/26 Opioid Impact Grant Funding Program Recommendations– Andrew Kunkel, Opioid Response and Policy Coordinator
Mr. Kunkel provided an overview of the selection process. (Grant dashboard)
Commissioner Siddique met with the Opioid Solution Center at the National Association of Counties to discuss how to spend the settlement funds and stated Manatee County programs are a match with the program.
Commissioner McCann questioned why the School Board gets 25% of the funding and how their work will achieve prevention.
Commissioner Bearden proposed a motion to continue Resolution R-25-145 to August 5, 2025, to allow Commissioners time to review the applications.
Approved 7-0
Citizens’ comments
Carol Whitmore, former Commissioner and current Holmes Beach Commissioner, said that there is not enough funding going to actual addiction recovery.
Glen stated that $2.3 million is available each year for programs, but only $1 million is being allocated this year. Funding should be earmarked for programs rather than for brick-and-mortar projects.
Jan and a pharmacist stated that the program Help Us Help You treats mind and body and not just addiction and requested consideration for funding.
Tracy Washington of Inc-to-Inc Re-entry Services requested that BOCC look at funding smaller grassroots organizations in addition to the larger organizations.
Justin and Nea requested that Hand Up to Victory be considered for funding.
Item 69. Adoption of Budget Amendment Resolution B-25-080; and Execution of Contract for Sale and Purchase from Mixon Fruit Farms Inc., J & D Farmhouse Inn LLC., and William Dean Mixon for properties located at 2525 27th Street East, 26th Avenue East and 2905 26th Avenue East, all of Bradenton, Florida 34208, known as Mixon Farms, Charles Meador – District 2
Staff presentation noted that initially ,the property can be rented out for events and be a location for county programs. In addition, bookmobiles will be stationed there. Potential future uses include educational programs, especially around the environment and gardening, agri-tourism, partnership with New College, historical highlights and a commercial kitchen.
Commissioners discussed this item for more than an hour on details, but opinions on the property acquisition at $13.5 million were all favorable.
Janet Mixon expressed deep-felt thanks to county staff and Commissioners, and turned to thank neighbors and residents seated in the chamber audience. The audience applauded.
Many comments were submitted in favor of the purchase and nine other citizens spoke in favor.
Motion to purchase passed 7-0.
Item 70. Execution of Contract for Sale and Purchase from Lester G. Williams in the amount of $858,000 for the Rye Road Property (10+/- acres, an Environmental Lands Candidate Property), 950 Rye Road, Parrish, Florida 34219; and Adoption of Budget Amendment Resolution B-25-103 - Debra Woithe, Environmental Lands Division Manager - District 1
Motion to approve the purchase of property that extends the Rye Preserve approved 7-0.
The motion to approve the budget was approved 7-0.
Commissioner Agenda Items
Item 72. Legislative Priorities – Preemption of Local Government
Section 18 of SB180 prohibits local governments from enacting regulations deemed “more restrictive or burdensome” within one year after a hurricane makes landfall within 100 miles of the area. It expires in October, but it allows for extensions if another hurricane hits. This provision has prevented the county from returning to the stronger wetlands provisions in the comprehensive plan before the 2023. Commissioner Siddique felt it was important for the Board to provide specific directions to the county lobbyist regarding trying to change language in SB180 or get it repealed in the next legislative session.
Motion to provide such guidance approved 7-0.
Item 73. Establishing Form-Based Codes in the Urban Service Area
Definition: Form-based code is a land development regulation that prioritizes the physical form of development over traditional zoning that separates uses. It focuses on the relationship between buildings and the public realm, the form and massing of buildings, and the scale of streets and blocks. Instead of just separating uses into zones, form-based codes use physical form as the organizing principle, aiming to create predictable and high-quality built outcomes.
Commissioner Siddique talked about the benefit of form-based codes and made a motion to direct staff to start converting all of Manatee County to form-based codes for construction. Commissioners Kruse, Rahn, Bearden, Ballard, and McCann all supported the concept, but said such a conversion would be a monumental project and now was not the time to ask staff to take on this additional burden.
Commissioner Siddique withdrew his motion and made a new one directing staff to investigate opportunities in the urban corridors for form-based codes.
Motion passed 7-0.
Commissioner Comments
Commissioner McCann suggested that Manatee County join a lawsuit that will be filed in Leon County in August against SB180. The cost to join the lawsuit is $10,000. Commissioner Kruse responded that this may be a good idea, however; it was such a substantive topic that it needed to be an agenda item at a subsequent meeting after Commissioners, counsel and staff had time to review in detail.
Link to Good Governance Guidelines
The League applauds Commissioner Kruse moving discussion of joining the Leon County lawsuit against SB180 to a subsequent meeting so Commissioners and citizens have time to research and have an informed discussion and vote.
Commissioner Bearden’s outburst about his fellow Commissioners doing the will of citizens regardless of consequences versus what is best for the county and its citizens is not good governance.
We hope the County can cure its audiovisual problems and return to having the meeting video on its YouTube channel and embedded into the Agenda shortly after the meeting.
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