Mid-morning on Friday, I was working on a column that would explain the myriad of concerns raised in a bill filed by Rep. Bill Conerly (R-Manatee County), which would have changed the structure of SeaPort Manatee from an entity with county commission oversight to an independent board appointed by the governor. While there are typically few things I disdain more than having to start over that late in the game, this time I was happy to do so, because, in this line of work, opportunities to celebrate positive outcomes rarely present themselves.
The two other members of our state delegation, Senator Jim Boyd and Rep. Will Robinson, issued a press release stating that the delegation had heard the opposition loud and clear and that the bill had been withdrawn. Yes, it is an election year, and yes, the amplification of concerns posed by the timing of news detailing a cruise port developer’s desire to build a large terminal at the northern edge of the county, just south of the Sunshine Skyway, surely had an impact.
But make no mistake, the more than 10,000 citizens who answered the calls to action, signed petitions, and contacted your representatives once again demonstrated that, if used correctly, the power of the vote can be greater than the power of the purse, which is to say the river of special interest money that has dominated politics in the post Citizens United era. However, that’s just the start. This August, you will once again have the opportunity to make more meaningful changes at the ballot box.
The genesis of this particular bad idea started closer to home. Local interests in Manatee County clearly had designs on making this change, and I initially found it interesting that it came to fruition not long after the county commission (serving in its role as port authority) scuttled an ill-advised effort by the port to purchase some adjacent property in a deal that did not seem to be in the port’s best interest. Is this backlash for interfering with a plan shepherded by former Florida Senate President and local attorney Bill Galvano? That was the first question that came to mind.
Commissioner and Manatee Port Authority Chairman Mike Rahn, who has proven himself more than willing to carry water for special interests, pushed hard to get the board to vote in favor of the change, hoping it would give the bill a better chance of passing were Conerly able to convince his fellow legislators that this was something the community he is said to represent was clamoring for. He was unsuccessful.
The vote ended in a 3-3 stalemate with commissioners Rahn, Kruse, and Ballard voting in favor of lending support, while commissioners Felts, Siddique, and Bearden voted against it. Commissioner McCann was absent, earning him a dig from Commissioner Kruse about McCann not caring enough about the matter to show up, though given that McCann had led the charge to deny the highly questionable land acquisition, that seemed a bit unfair. Everyone knew it would have simply failed 4-3 had McCann been present.
Much more concerning, in my opinion, was that Rahn, when speaking in favor of the item at a joint meeting with the state legislative delegation, did not make it clear that he was not speaking for the commission or as the port authority board chair, or that the idea failed to garner majority support.
The outcome in this instance was positive. However, the intent could not have been clearer. And if voters keep re-electing politicians who act only in their constituents' best interests when they realize they have little choice in the matter, not much will change in the aggregate. Rahn is facing a challenge in the Republican primary from longtime community activist Glen Gibellina, who has always been on the right side of local issues. Conerly is facing a challenge in the Republican primary for his D72 seat from John “Captain” Phillips, a Coast Guard veteran with a strong record as an activist for preserving rural Florida. Each would be an infinite improvement over the incumbents they are challenging.
In 2024, Manatee County voters came together in a way that was not only locally unprecedented but may have been the first time an activated voter base overcame big-money donors so thoroughly while being so outgunned anywhere in the nation post-Citizens United. This year, voters must work hard to ensure that the Manatee County Commission maintains a majority of members willing to buck donors to deliver for their real constituents. More importantly, given how zealous Tallahassee Republicans have been in preempting home rule, they need to take the same approach to their so-called representatives at the Capitol.
Dennis "Mitch" Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times and the host of our weekly podcast. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. Mitch's 2015 novel, A Long Road Home, was recently released in its third edition. His other books can be found here. He can be reached at editor@thebradentontimes.com.
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GLEN GADFLY GIBELLINA
I attended the Tallahassee Lobby Days delegation meeting and witnessed Bill Conerly refuse to withdraw a bill after I raised serious concerns about how the vote was represented. Conerly told our group he had received a phone call from Commissioner Tal Siddique and that the vote had “flipped” in favor of a takeover. That claimed change was never announced publicly, never placed on any Port meeting agenda, and was never officially recorded. In my view, treating an unannounced, unofficial phone call as a final 4–3 decision—without clear public process—undermines transparency and trust.
I asked Conerly to withdraw the bill. He refused. Several people in the room can confirm what I witnessed.
Our elected officials must be accountable and transparent. I urge voters to demand clarity, insist on public, recorded votes for matters that affect our community, and consider voting for new leadership who will respect proper procedure and open government. VOTE CONERLY OUT!
Sunday, January 25 Report this
alanbtt
Thanks to all that torpedoed this bill. Particularly the Bradenton Times.
Sunday, January 25 Report this
THarte
It’s happening - we do make a difference - keep up the good work - keep informed and engaged!
Sunday, January 25 Report this
tjet62
WTF Tal what are you doing? And George and Amanda why? I will never contribute to you again George you are becoming a huge disappointment!
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
sandy
People that are complaining about George, Tal and Amanda, do they realize that bill (HB 4073) was about making the SeaPort Manatee a special district. I have seen so many posts all over social media that the cruise ship port in Terra Ceia is connected. It is NOT connected to the proposed PRIVATE port. The county commissioners are not agreeing to the private port. That is a 100% different issue. The district would only be for the operation of the existing port not the proposed port. The bill got withdrawn.
Tuesday, January 27 Report this