(For the safety of the children, their nicknames were used in this story rather than their real names)

HOLMES BEACH – Christmas will have a much deeper meaning this year for Holmes Beach residents Amanda Escobio and Dan Ryan because of the pending adoption of the two young children now living with them.

Six weeks ago, the sister and brother tandem of eight-year old “Lily” and six-year old “Lizard” left the group home they were living in and moved in with Escobio and Ryan.

Lily and Lizard’s biological parents were not able to complete the court-ordered drug rehab and other requirements during the two years the kids have been in the system, and their parental rights were terminated in June. Working with the Safe Child Coalition, Escobio and Ryan can formally file for adoption in January.

“It’s going to be a very merry Christmas this year and we’re looking forward to the future,” Ryan said.

“Christmas is going to be a lot merrier. They’re the best gift ever. Santa hasn’t had kids to visit in this house before, but we know he’ll find his way here,” Escobio said.

Escobio and Ryan have been together for four years. She is 46 and he is 51. She owns the Sea-renity Beach Spa and Eco-Boutique in Bradenton Beach. He plays keyboards for the band Memphis Rub and he also works with singer Brandi Adams.

Escobio and Ryan were both adopted and their desire to adopt surfaced two years ago. Although they are now turning their middle-aged lives upside down, Escobio joked that as first time parents they at least get to bypass the joys of diaper changing and the sleepless nights associated with infants.

“Adopting from the state costs nothing for the family, but the process takes time. You can’t get discouraged and I’d be happy to talk to anybody that wants to learn more about it,” Escobio said.

Their adoption process has included many preliminary meetings, screenings, home visits and a 30-hour preparatory class.

“It’s more difficult than I imagined. You learn a great deal. I’ve learned not to be just the fun dad; I have to be the stern dad sometimes too. And there’s not much quiet time anymore,” Ryan said of his new role as a dad.

“No more sleeping late, but I get a lot more cuddles,” Escobio added.

Creating family

“There are a lot of little things you have to do to instill in them that we are a family,” Escobio said of the transition taking place.

She recently bought a refrigerator magnet that says “family” and serves as a daily reminder to the kids that they are part of a family.

Working together, the quartet has developed family rules that are written down and posted on the kitchen cabinets. The family favorite is “Always be happy.” Others include “Listen carefully and follow directions” and “Keep things safe from dog chewing.”

Lily and Lizard grew up on the mainland but have quickly taken to the Island lifestyle.

“They’re natural beach bums. They love the beach and they love dogs. Our dogs, Mojo and Porter, have quickly become therapy dogs,” Escobio said.

The kids are developing healthier eating habits but they still complain about the beloved McDonald’s meals of their past being replaced by more nutritious meals cooked at home and at local restaurants, including their favorite breakfast spot: The Beach Café at the Manatee Public Beach.

Family firsts

Ryan recently took Lizard for his first-ever visit to a hardware store; and Lily and Lizard have already visited the dog park and skate park in Holmes Beach, The Center in Anna Maria, the Trail of Treats, artsHOP and Saturday’s Christmas on Bridge Street. The kids have been to some of Ryan’s band gigs and during his first visit to a music store Lizard showed an interest in the drums.

“They haven’t had an opportunity to experience a lot of things. Seeing them see things for the first time is amazing. I’m looking forward to a lot of firsts,” Ryan said.

Lily and Lizard are enrolled at Anna Maria Elementary School and adjusting well to their new school. Lily said she likes the math classes best and Lizard said he likes P.E.

When asked what she wanted from Santa, Lily, said, “I don’t care what I get. I get what I get and I don’t throw a fit.”

Upon further reflection, she added, “I want a stroller for my baby dolls.”

Lizard was more specific.

“The only thing I want is more remote control cars,” he said, which prompted chuckles from Escobio and Ryan due to a recent incident involving one of Lizard’s cars and the swimming pool.

When sharing her thoughts on celebrating Christmas in her new home, Lily said, “I think it’s going to feel good.”

BRADENTON BEACH – Marilyn Maro won the Ward 2 City Commission seat last week when she pulled the ace of spades that bested the two of spades drawn by fellow nominee Anne Leister.

Cutting the deck for high cards during the special commission meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, was required because the four sitting commission members on two previous occasions were deadlocked in a 2-2 tie when trying to trying to reach majority consensus on filling the vacant commission seat formerly held by three-term commissioner Ed Straight. Mayor Bill Shearon and Commissioner John Chappie favored Maro, while commissioners Ralph Cole and Jake Spooner favored Leister.

As stipulated in the city charter, City Clerk Terri Sanclemente supervised the tie-breaking effort that was similar to the card cutting ceremony overseen by Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett in 2015 to decide the tied mayor’s race.

Sanclemente shuffled the new deck of cards and removed the jokers before Maro drew the winning card that Leister was unable to match. Maro was then sworn into office and the meeting was adjourned.

Maro will serve the remainder of the two-year commission term that runs through November, 2018, and she will be paid $400 a month for her service to the city.

She is a retired cosmetologist and cosmetology instructor who also owned two hair salons at one point in her career. She has lived in Bradenton Beach for nearly 19 years and she was accompanied to last week’s meeting by her husband Eddie.

Maro has never served in public office before, but she attended most of the city meetings that took place in the past few months and this has given her a good understanding of the issues the commission is and has been dealing with.

When discussing her fortunate draw, Maro said, “I was so nervous when I cut those cards. I didn’t even look at it when I held it up. I didn’t expect that, but I was so happy. I would have never dreamed in my wildest dreams I would pull an ace of spades. I have it sitting on my refrigerator.”

In regard to the work that awaits her, Maro said, “You have to pay attention. You have to read a lot and there’s going to be a lot to it. I really want to thank all the people who supported me through this whole thing. I’m just so grateful and I hope to do a really good job.”

The first city meeting Maro will participate in will be the commission workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 27, which pertains to an agreement with Manatee County to transfer stormwater billing from the city to the county. Maro’s first regular commission meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 5.

As the newly-appointed Ward 2 commissioner, Maro also automatically earned a seat on the Community Redevelopment Agency that consists of the four other commission members and recently appointed members John Horne and Ed Chiles.

HOLMES BEACH – Former Commissioner Marvin Grossman last week was appointed to the commission seat vacated when he failed to qualify for reelection in the fall.

Grossman, who served four years on the commission, had one challenger for the seat Dan Diggins, who has been in commercial aviation as an engineer, a commercial pilot, an air traffic controller and an air safety investigator and is a newcomer to elected office.

Prior to the appointment resident Nancy Deal and Barbara Hines spoke in favor of Grossman.

“He is dedicated to the preservation of this community,” Deal said. “He brings good humor, creativity and hard working dedication.”

Hines said, “He’s the heart of this commission. He is always there when somebody needs him.”

Diggins said he offered his services and has “quite a bit of experience in high levels of government, both in the U.S. and abroad. I think my skill set experience would help the city a lot. I’d be a great advocate for the city, both on the Island and to the county and state and other jurisdictions.”

Grossman said, “It has been my pleasure to work with you. Seldom do you get to accomplish lots of the things you wanted. I look back to the election four years ago, and I had a list of all the things we all wanted to do.

“It’s amazing almost all of it is being done. I’d like the opportunity it finish it up.”

Commissioners then approved Grossman’s appointment unanimously.

Commissioner Jean Peelen thanked Diggins for taking an interest in the position and said, “I am grateful that someone thinks it’s worthy to be on this commission other than us. I want to say a word of appreciation for putting himself out there, which is not easy.”

Chair Judy Titsworth agreed and said, “I am very impressed with his credentials, and I think his heart is in the right place and added that she hopes he will run for a commission seat in the future.

Grossman will serve until the next election in November 2017.

The Bike Share AMI partnership has launched a new bike share initiative aimed at providing eco-friendly alternative transportation solutions for Island residents and visitors.

The founding partners of this new service are The Center of Anna Maria Island, Beach Bums AMI and Adventure Away. The service now features four bike share racks where the bright yellow Bike AMI bikes can be rented for $20 a day.

Rented bikes can be picked up and dropped off any of the four hub locations. One of the bike share hubs is located at The Center at 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria. The partnership’s first sponsored bike share location is outside the offices of Mike Norman Real Estate and Vacation Rentals, at 3101 Gulf Dr. in Holmes Beach. A third hub is located Adventure Away’s booking office at 102 Bridge St. in Bradenton Beach. There is also an off-island hub located at the AMI Adventure Rental Center at 12208 Cortez Road in Cortez..

A press release issued by Julie Kirkwood says the hub in Cortez is an ideal location for those who wish to park their cars and use a bike share bike to get on and around the Island.

When dropping bikes off at a location other than the original rental point, Island riders can use the free trolley to another desired location on the Island. The Monkey Bus and some of the other local shuttle services also travel over the Cortez Bridge to the off-Island hub in Cortez.

“Bike Share AMI is a part of broader ongoing efforts of Ride AMI Alternative Transportation Solutions to encourage and grow more care-free and alternative transportation in and around Anna Maria Island,” the press release notes.

A detailed map of the bike hub locations can be viewed at www.bikeshareami.com, where rentals can also be booked. Bikes can also be rented by calling The Center during regular hours at 941-778-1908 or by calling Adventure Away at 1-844-522-6654

“Bike Share AMI Partnership is continuing to look for additional sponsors to help grow and expand the bike share program as well as the general promotion of safe and healthy biking efforts in and around Anna Maria Island,” the press release says.

Bike Share AMI also has a GoFundMe page where donations can be made to assist the bike share program.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Jean Peelen asked Police Chief Bill Tokajer at last week’s meeting about noise complaints and whether officer discretion or the decibel meter is used as the measurement when a complaint is received.

“The code has two criteria – decibels and the seven criteria the officer uses for decision making,” Tokajer explained.

The seven criteria are:

• The volume of the noise;

• The intensity of the noise;

• Whether the nature of the noise is usual or unusual;

• The volume and intensity of the ambient noise, if any;

• The proximity of the noise to residential sleeping facilities;

• The time of the day or night the noise occurs;

• The duration of the noise.

“The criteria don’t have to do with how loud is the noise is,” Peelen pointed out.

Tokajer said officers use the decibel meter on repeat complaints, but the city has only one decibel meter and they are costly at $3,000 each and $580 to calibrate each year.

“We don’t have that many noise complaints that would warrant us to buy one for every officer,” he said. “When the officers need one, they just drive by the police department and get it.”

He said he would instruct officers to use the decibel meter as often as possible.

HOLMES BEACH – Police Chief Bill Tokajer recognized Officer Rob Velardi, who has served the city for 30 years and plans to retire on Jan. 2, 2017.

At last week’s city commission meeting, Tokajer said Velardi “was recognized as Officer of the Year twice in 1994 and 1998 and has received commendations including helping thwart an attempted homicide in 2014.

“When I went through his file, it is so thick with citizen comments and accolades for the job he’s done. This community has truly embraced and loved Rob as well as we have as a police department. He will truly be missed.”

Mayor Bob Johnson presented Velardi with a plaque that read, “The city of Holmes Beach sincerely thanks Officer Rob Velardi for 30 years of dedicated service to the city and citizens.”

‘It’s a simple and direct message to a fantastic guy,” Johnson said. “The community spirit that he exudes through the community and this organization is just tremendous from what I’ve seen in my two years here.

“I’ve seen the reactions, and they are fabulous. We shall miss you tremendously. Thanks you for everything you’ve done for this city, the citizens and your fellow officers.”

“Thirty years has really gone quickly,” Velardi said. “Thank you so much to my family and police family for being here. It really means a lot. This city is probably the finest small city I could ever have gotten involved with.

“It’s been my privilege to serve the citizens of Holmes Beach for all these years. It’s really like a family here

“Most notably in the last couple years I’ve really needed everybody. I’ve had some health issues, and the people here have been behind me 100 percent. I’ll never forget it. Thank you very much.”

He also thanked his family and “most of all, the love of my life, my beautiful wife, Angela, for 35 years. She has nursed me and supported me and without her I would not be here.”

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As Christmas nears, the Island’s churches prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. They will likely see some visitors, in addition to their regular worshippers. Here is a rundown on activities for each church. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, some churches offer the regular service.

• CrossPointe Fellowship, Rev, Ed Moss, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-0719: Christmas Day, 9 a.m. service.

• Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, Rev. Matthew Grunfeld, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-1638: Christmas Eve, 5 p.m., family Eucharist with music; 10:30 p.m., carol sing; 11 p.m., Festival Eucharist with music.Christmas Day, 9 a.m., Holy Eucharist.

• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Rev. Rosemary Backer, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-1813: Christmas Eve, 7 and 10:30 p.m., carols, candlelight and communion. Christmas Day, 9:30 a.m., worship; 10:30 a.m., fellowship.

• Harvey Memorial Community Church, Rev. Stephen King, 300 Church St., Bradenton Beach, 941-779-1912: Christmas Eve, 5 p.m. service; no service Christmas Day.

• Roser Memorial Community Church, Rev. Dr. Bob O’Keef, 512 Pine Ave., 941-778-0414: Christmas Eve, 5:30 p.m. Family service in the sanctuary with Christmas carols and special music from the Joyful Noise Children’s Choir. All children will receive a gift. The service will end with the singing of “Silent Night” and the Passing of the Light; 9 p.m. traditional service in the sanctuary with a special musical performance. Christmas Day, 9 a.m., worship and brunch. RSVP required for the brunch.

• St. Bernard Catholic Church, Father Micheal Mullen, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-4769: Christmas Eve, Mass at 4 and 10 p.m. with Christmas Carols at 9:30 p.m.; Christmas Day, Mass at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

ANNA MARIA – The city commission recently adopted a series of land development code (LDC) amendments, one of which will eliminate generator noise associated with construction sites in residential neighborhoods.

The Anna Maria Commission adopted the code amendments contained in Ordinance 16-824 on second and final reading during its Dec. 8 meeting. The amendments were first discussed at the Nov. 10 meeting.

The amended ordinance will prohibit the use of generators on future construction projects.

“Temporary utility service, which is protected by telephone pole or limited receptacles, must be available for all construction sites unless the construction is of a nature that no power is required,” the ordinance states.

“Generators were an issue. Now it’s crystal clear you can’t have a generator and you need a temporary utility connection,” City Planner Bruce McLaughlin told the commission.

Contractors also will be required to file a notice of commencement with the Manatee County Clerk of the Court when applying for city-issued building permits. The county’s notice of commencement form requires the name and address of the property owner or lessee and a description of the interest in the property. The form also requires the name, address and phone number of the contractor, information pertaining to the project’s surety bond and information on the lender, if there is one.

During Dec. 8 meeting, Commissioner Dale Woodland asked McLaughlin if any new language was being added to the code that addressed parking requirements for contractors and subcontractors.

“We have a lot of problems on new construction with parking and trucks tearing up the right of way. Is there an opportunity while we’re doing this to make any improvements?” Woodland asked.

The existing ordinance language says, “All off-street parking shall comply with the city’s ordinances and the laws of the state and regulations of all applicable governmental agencies.”

McLaughlin said it was too late in the process to insert new language that addressed parking because it was not referenced in the ordinance title and was not included in the required advertising that is part of the ordinance adoption process.

“We do require a staging plan from a contractor that shows where materials will be stored, where trash will be stored and where employees will park. We also have a bond from the contractor for right of way repairs to any damages to the right of way during construction,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin told the commission that more changes were coming, and the next round of changes might provide the opportunity to discuss potential construction site parking requirements.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement in our code. There will certainly be a major rewrite coming to you in time. It’s likely there will be some additional interim amendments such as this one coming to you,” he said.

The amended ordinance now allows swimming pools to be placed in the required setback areas if certain conditions are met. This had been prohibited in the past.

“Construction of a swimming pool on a lot where the structure does not meet the yard or setback requirements in the zoning district may be permitted if the neighboring property owner formally consents to the construction; or the property owner can demonstrate to city staff by means of construction staging and management plan that the construction of the pool will not create a nuisance to adjacent property owners,” the new ordinance states.