BRADENTON — Manatee County Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to rename a portion of Crane Park as The Carol Ann Felts Preserve at David J. Crane Park, a permanent memorial to the former District 1 commissioner. The board also approved moving forward with establishing a Rural Lands and Citizens Advisory Board, an initiative long advocated by Commissioner Felts.
The actions followed a touching and emotional recognition of Carol Ann held at the opening of Tuesday’s BOCC meeting, with the adoption of a county proclamation honoring her life, legacy, and public service. Additional proclamations were read into the record on behalf of the City of Palmetto and the City of Bradenton. Numerous speakers, including colleagues, friends, residents of District 1, and others, took turns sharing stories of Carol Ann Felts and her impact on their lives and within the greater community she served.
Felts, a beloved commissioner who got her start as a dedicated community activist before being elected to serve on the county commission in 2024, was unexpectedly discovered a week ago, collapsed in the front yard of her Myakka home. Authorities have since categorized the cause of death as “natural causes.”
Even before taking office, Felts was an active voice within local government and regularly attended BOCC meetings, where she encouraged civic participation and urged commissioners to prioritize transparency, environmental protection, and the preservation of the county’s agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands. It was Felts’ dedicated advocacy for rural and environmental lands, said the commissioner who proposed the measures, that inspired the actions taken in her honor.
Both board actions taken up in Felts’ honor on Tuesday were placed on the agenda by the only other female serving on the board of seven, District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard.
Following the adoption of the proclamation for Felts earlier in the meeting, Ballard choked back tears as she described how Felts came to be a mentor and friend.
“Being the only two women on the board, we definitely had a bond. She was just always so kind and so sweet, and so funny,” described Ballard, noting their shared interests in Florida history, gardening, and agricultural lands preservation.
Prior to Felts being elected to serve on the county commission, she served as a citizen appointee on the county’s Environmental Lands and Acquisition Committee. ELMAC, as it is commonly referred, is a citizens’ advisory committee that makes recommendations to commissioners on candidate environmental lands for potential acquisition and preservation, as well as advising on land management issues, including recreational planning.
Last fall, Felts was able to cast a commissioner vote in favor of advancing a public partnership between ELMAC and Big Waters Land Trust to purchase 13 acres on the north side of the existing Crane Park in Myakka. The acquisition was funded by the voter-approved Conservation and Parks Referendum. ELMAC serves in part as a steward of those funds, identifying, evaluating, and recommending available lands for preservation to the BOCC.
“When Commissioner Felts passed, I wanted to make sure we honored her legacy in a really tangible way,” said Ballard as she introduced her proposal. “Crane Park, under her leadership with ELMAC and through the county commission, was expanded… And to honor Carol Ann’s legacy in Myakka City, I propose renaming this new section that she helped create in her honor.”
Ballard’s motion was approved unanimously by the board.
In addition to naming the Crane Park expansion, the commissioners unanimously approved a motion to create a Rural Lands and Citizens’ Advisory Board. A citizens’ board that Felts long advocated to be established, years before being elected to the commission, believing it could help provide residents in Manatee County’s rural and agricultural areas a voice within their local government.
Last month, Felts raised the topic as a commissioner, explaining again, as she had as a citizen, her strong belief that such an advisory board was needed. Commissioner Ballard agreed and offered to support the effort when it came before the commission for a formal vote.
Ballard explained that it was her understanding that her former fellow commissioner had intended to return that item to the commission on Tuesday, but because she was not able to do so, Ballard offered that she would like to help complete Felts’ intention.
Reading aloud from a drafted description of the proposed advisory board, Ballard began, “She wanted to, ‘recognize the importance of rural lands as part of Manatee County’s historical and economic contribution; provide insights and advisement on issues that affect rural citizens; ensure communication, services and opportunities are provided in an effective manner that supports areas outside urban and suburban boundaries; and involve both large and small landowners in the future planning and preservation of these areas.”
5 comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.
kmskepton
Such lovely news.
Wednesday, March 4 Report this
Cat L
That's nice, and feels appropriate. I appreciate that Ballard brought it up, and that they've extended that respect to Carol Ann Felts.
Wednesday, March 4 Report this
GLEN GADFLY GIBELLINA
That is the least they can do.
There actions and voting record on over development in her District 1 tell a different story.
Out of district Commissioners voting against the will of Carol and her voters who wanted to stop over development paints a very different picture
Mosaic was the last straw that pass 5-2 against Carol and her citizens on this vote
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations,
or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
― John Adams
Wednesday, March 4 Report this
THarte
Yes - finally giving honor to someone so deserving! Coral Felts was truly an advocate for the people of Manatee County! My thoughts and prayers are with her family.
Thursday, March 5 Report this
Dianna
A wonderful honor for a citizen activist who became a commissioner. I hope we get 4 new commissioners just like her. The rural area in District 1 is just as important to citizens across the county because it was part of the reason we came here and loved living here.
Thursday, March 5 Report this