We do not cover island races and rarely cover island issues because AMI's unique economic ecosystem allows it to support multiple independent publications that do good work. Joe Hendricks of the AMI Sun is an excellent beat reporter who keeps the island abreast of local issues, and The Islander also does good work. But as Tuesday's election draws near, I want to say something about the Holmes Beach mayoral race.
I met Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth via her feud with soon-to-be-gone Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. When Van Ostenbridge began waging war against a city in his own district, I wanted to know why, so we invited her to be a guest on The Bradenton Times Podcast.
I learned that Holmes Beach is named for Judy’s grandfather, Jack Holmes, who moved onto the island after World War II and began building houses on a 600-acre site that was incorporated into the City of Holmes Beach in 1950.
It was immediately apparent that the third-generation native had a genuine passion for protecting what had always been my favorite island city, so she and I got on well from the start.
As well-traveled as my work has fortunately allowed me to be, Anna Maria Island has always been my favorite getaway. And while all its cities have their respective charms, I invariably spend most of my time on Holmes Beach. It's home to the best slice of public beach and the best sunsets, in my opinion. With eateries like The Beach Bistro, The Doctor's Office, The Feast, Hurricane Hank’s, The Chateau Anna Maria, and both Skinny’s and Duffy’s, it is also a bona fide foodie paradise.
Holmes Beach has also done a fantastic job protecting its quaint charm from modern developers who would turn the island into just one more overcrowded, homogenized Florida tourist trap just to make a few more bucks. Mayor Judy has played a significant role in protecting her grandfather's vision for the island and defending the city from suffering that fate. If she loses on Tuesday, I have little confidence that the community will be able to remain obdurate to the forces that would turn it into something very different than the place we love.
Recently, we published a letter to the editor by Holmes Beach City Commissioner Terry Schaefer—another rare good guy in the world of politics. In it, Shaefer expounded as to why, over the past six years of working with the mayor, he’s urging voters to re-elect her. We also published a letter from restaurateur Sean Murphy in which he offered his opinion as to how things might play out if Titsworth loses.
I’d encourage Holmes Beach voters to read both of those letters and listen to our podcast episode, which is embedded below. Unfortunately, I don't live in Holmes Beach, so I can’t vote in the island city race. But for what it’s worth, if I could, I’d vote to keep Mayor Judy without the slightest hesitation.
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 is also the author of three novels and a short story collection, which are available here.
4 comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.
crcoryea
If you consider leading a city through a global pandemic, holding the best interest of your city while being targeted by state and local officials for special interest groups, fighting for funding to reduce the tax burden on your city residents, and putting the pieces back together after devastating Hurricanes all the while managing thousands upon thousands of tourist each day a difficult job, well it is and Mayor Judy Titsworth has been doing that day in and out. Please consider re-electing Mayor Judy. You can be sure she won’t stop fighting for the City of Holmes Beach. I can say that from my own experience as a former County Administrator, Mayor Judy always stood up for her City but that’s because she put the work in to know all the facts and listened to what her residents wanted. In these very difficult times experience matters.
Sunday, November 3 Report this
misty
What Cheri said! Very well stated.
Sunday, November 3 Report this
Debann
Wish I could vote for Judy as well but I can't...I encourage everyone that can vote FOR HER to do so...GO JUDY...I HOPE YOU WIN
Sunday, November 3 Report this
Libby23
I'm an AMI resistant but not in Holmes Beach. So I can't vote for Mayor Judy either. But I'm right there with you, Mitch. She needs to stay as the effective mayor she has been. With her at the helm in HB we have a shot to Save Florida Home Rule for AMI and all of Florida.
Sunday, November 3 Report this