HomeCommunity NewsAnd the winners are…

And the winners are…

HOLMES BEACH – After months of campaigning, the 2021 election results are in and Anna Maria Island’s biggest city has three commissioners to swear in later this month.

The night’s big winners are former Commissioner Pat Morton and incumbent Commissioners Carol Soustek and Terry Schaefer.

Schaefer came in as the night’s big winner with the top number of votes at 655, while Soustek came in second with 637 votes and Morton came in third with 629 votes.

Though there were five candidates, only three seats were available on the city commission dais, leaving Renee Ferguson, who received 608 votes, and John Monetti, who received 473 votes, as the fourth and fifth place candidates with no seat on the dais for the coming year.

For Schaefer, this will be his second two-year term on the city commission dais. Morton will be returning to the dais for an additional term after losing his bid for re-election in the 2020 election. This will be Soustek’s fourth full term on the city commission after being first appointed in November 2014 to fill the unexpired term of David Zaccagnino.

A swearing-in ceremony and organizational meeting for Holmes Beach commissioners is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 15 at 9 a.m.

The other item on this year’s ballot for Holmes Beach residents was the consideration of a land swap with Jon Cooper and his family. The land swap received voter approval with 851 votes in favor or 69.64% of votes cast in the matter.

The swap means that, in exchange for a 50- by 100-foot section of right of way, the Coopers give the city of Holmes Beach a section of beachfront property along with $10,000 for dune restoration or another environmental project of city leaders’ choosing. The city right of way, part of an undeveloped street, bisects two sections of the Coopers’ beachfront property.

Now that the land swap is approved, it will go before commissioners to be ratified before becoming official.

Holmes Beach has 2,757 voters. Approximately 45% of Holmes Beach registered voters cast their ballots in this election.

Related coverage

 

Holmes Beach candidates sound off on golf cart/LSV use

 

Candidates give their opinions on a Holmes Beach city manager

 

Election candidates speak out on balance in Holmes Beach

Most Popular

More from Author

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March...

Events

Wednesday, March 27 Creative Aging: Figurative Drawing Series, Island Library, 5701 Marina...

Police chief says beach parking plentiful in Holmes Beach

HOLMES BEACH – Spring break is in full swing on Anna...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...