Two Mayors Reach Consensus on Reaction to Florida Lawmakers

State Pressure for Consolidation on Anna Maria Island

State pressure for consolidation on Anna Maria Island is back on the front burner.

Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth informed The Islander on September 4 about their plans to respond to a recent letter from state Sen. Jim Boyd and state Rep. Will Robinson Jr, both R-Bradenton.

In 2023, the legislators called on the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to study the potential consolidation or dissolution of the island’s three municipalities.

OPPAGA completed the study last year and reported that merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the island, but streamlining municipal services might lead to cost savings.

Boyd and Robinson requested the island mayors to provide ideas for potential streamlining in January.

While Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie did not respond, the other two cities provided feedback in February. The legislators are now seeking a progress update.

“As we prepare for the 2026 Legislative Session, we want to follow up on our previous correspondence concerning the OPPAGA study…,” Boyd and Robinson wrote in an August 28 letter to AMI’s mayors. “We recognize that recovery efforts have demanded much of your attention, but these conversations remain critical for the residents and taxpayers of Anna Maria Island.”

They emphasized the need for clarity regarding progress before entering the appropriations process in Tallahassee. Specific updates requested include:

• Any steps taken since the OPPAGA study regarding shared services or cost-saving measures;
• Efforts for coordinated operations to reduce duplication and improve efficiency;
• How these priorities are reflected in the cities’ budgets moving forward.

“While we remain committed to supporting Anna Maria Island and its recovery, we need to understand what progress has been made at the local level to ensure we are working toward the same goals,” they stated.

The legislators called for a response by October 1 “so we can consider these matters as we enter the appropriations process.”

Short and Titsworth have discussed the topic and plan to meet for a potential joint response to the state legislators. However, they admitted that little progress has been made in terms of streamlining services, citing ongoing recovery efforts from significant storms as the main reason.

“We haven’t consolidated in any department,” Titsworth said. “I don’t think any city at this point has found any great reduction in cost.”

Short echoed this sentiment, highlighting that recovery from calamities has been the primary focus. “We have all been extremely focused on recovery and repair from the hurricanes… There’s been no rest in terms of dealing with that stuff.”

In contrast, Chappie, who did not respond to a September 4 call from The Islander, presented a draft letter to legislators during a September 4 city commission meeting. This letter mirrored the sentiments of the other mayors regarding the challenges of rebuilding from recent storms but also pointed out a lack of consolidation progress. “Despite our repeated offers to engage in broader conversations about shared services, the other municipalities have not expressed a desire to move forward,” he wrote.

Chappie’s draft concludes by affirming the city’s openness to future dialogue while requesting that legislators do not disadvantage the city in the state appropriations process.

Key Information

• Legislators Involved: State Senator Jim Boyd and State Representative Will Robinson Jr.
• Study Conducted By: Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA)
• Legislators’ Letter Date: August 28
• Response Deadline: October 1
• Concerns Raised: Need for updates on service streamlining and budgets in response to prior OPPAGA recommendations.
• Challenges Faced: Ongoing recovery from hurricanes impacting consolidation efforts.