How Do We Get out of This Mess?

My name is Brice Claypoole. I’m 16 years old. I have a deep love for our nature and a passion for protecting it. I’ve been following Manatee County politics—and their impact on our community and environment—for several years. I get involved where I think I can make a difference, like advocating for mangroves and wetland buffers.

It’s been a frustrating experience, with a Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that consistently serves special interests at the expense of their own constituents. If you follow local politics, you probably know the routine: lots of people speak out against a detrimental project only to have their comments fall on deaf ears. How did our BCC come to abandon fair representation?

It began in 2020 when Commissioner Vanessa Baugh introduced a major sponsor of local political campaigns, developer Carlos Beruff, to political consultant Anthony Pedicini. Beruff has long been involved in Manatee politics, where he is frequently accused of using campaign donations to effectively “bribe” commissioners to make decisions that are friendly to his development business. 

Beruff and Pedicini formed a plan to take control of the county commission, Beruff funding several choice candidates while Pedicini acted as their consultant. They funneled tens of thousands of dollars into misleading attack ads smearing opponents. Their strategy paid off when Vanessa Baugh was elected, along with developer-funded candidates George Kruse, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, and James Satcher.

The new board majority hit the ground running. Likely under Beruff's direction, they immediately fired our highly qualified county administrator and began the unprecedented move of completely reshaping county government. This new BOCC’s goals were to consolidate power and eliminate all barriers to development, which became even easier when developers took the entire board in 2022. 

The takeover was marred by scandals, mismanagement, and corruption. Commissioners were investigated for theft, ethics violations, and Sunshine Law violations. Baugh admitted to corruptly abusing her power to obtain COVID-19 vaccines and resigned shortly after to be replaced by real estate broker Raymond Turner, former treasurer of a major developer lobbying group.

A Roseate Spoonbill stands amongst the devastation of a newly clear-cut property. Photo by author.

A Fork in the Road

The most prominent developer-controlled commissioner is Kevin Van Ostenbridge (AKA KVO) who won a seat in 2020 and soon became Board Chair. Van Ostenbridge has unwaveringly served special interests who bankroll his campaigns. He has faced ethics complaints and potential Sunshine Law violations. In 2023, he served 90 days probation for theft of a bougainvillea plant. One of his biggest controversies is his attack on home rule in Holmes Beach and threats to build a parking garage against the community’s will.

Van Ostenbridge continuously shows contempt for those who oppose his actions, such as during the 2022 scandal where he referred to former Commissioner Besty Benac as “a c*nt.” He provoked outrage again in a 2023 hearing when he called me a “political pawn” of “communists” due to my support of wetland protections. It was a stunning moment for me to realize that Van Ostenbridge did not care about his constituents, apparently viewing children as an obstacle to his agenda.

Another Commissioner elected in 2020 was George Kruse. Then, a political ally of Van Ostenbridge, Kruse often voted with the pro-developer block. He faced several high-profile controversies culminating in a car crash and accusations of driving under the influence in April 2022 (Kruse denies these allegations and was never charged with DUI).

Since the incident, Kruse’s votes began to diverge from the board majority. “I heard the perception of me,” Kruse wrote in a recent Substack. “I saw the outrage against me. I spoke with people in our community and outside of it who were impacted by drunk driving. I took these to heart. I reevaluated my life with sincerity. I made a renewed vow to focus on doing the right things for the right reasons. […] I know I’m a substantially better person today as a result of April 2022. I can’t change the past. But I’ve made every effort to change the future.” Kruse has shown intelligence, humility, and a willingness to learn. Despite his mistakes, Kruse has grown as a commissioner and become the voice of the public on an otherwise unhearing board. 

Now, Van Ostenbridge and Kruse are up for reelection, facing off in an unprecedented race between incumbent commissioners. Van Ostenbridge and Commissioner Raymond Turner are joined by Beruff and Pedicini’s two other choice candidates, Steven Metallo and April Culbreath, in running expensive developer-funded campaigns. Rather than engaging with the community ahead of the election, these candidates are relying on their unlimited funding and mass attack ads against their opponents.

Kruse joins Republican challengers Talha Siddique, Robert McCann, and Carol Felts in contending the status quo. Instead of taking developer money and churning out negative mailers, these candidates are running grassroots campaigns, talking with community members, and promising a return to representation and responsible policymaking. 

The Tipping Point

A green sea turtle killed by red tide in 2021. Photo by author.

The impacts of bad governance are real and tragic. We have suffered from increasing traffic, irreversible loss of green space, and degrading water quality. I have seen the collapse of seagrass meadows and the destruction of mangrove forests. Lyngbya algae choke waterways each spring, and red tides kill wildlife. One of the most awful things I’ve ever seen is dead sea turtles lying on the beach during red tide. It astounds and saddens me that our commissioners continue to let this happen.

If Van Ostenbridge and allies win this election, it will show that local politicians have to sell their souls to developers and turn a blind eye to the community’s suffering. Developers will maintain control of the BCC, and the public will continue to have little say in policy-making. The impacts on our community—the failing infrastructure, the traffic, water pollution, and lost resources—will be irreversible. What will be left when my generation assumes responsibility for this land?

If, on the other hand, people wake up to the influence of developers and look past Pedicini’s misleading mailers, then we can turn things around. If Kruse and other community advocates win, it will prove that you can successfully run a clean, grassroots campaign. We can elect the candidates who promise to rebuild Manatee County’s government, restore integrity, and immediately work to save our county’s natural wonders.

I don’t have a vote, but as someone who will inherit the legacy of today’s decisions, I feel a responsibility to speak out. Now, it’s up to you to take back Manatee County from developers! How can you help? First, share this article with a friend—maybe two. Everyone has to be informed about the state of Manatee politics if we are to turn things around. And make sure you vote on August 20th!

Here are the candidates that I recommend, the candidates who promise to restore good governance to Manatee County:

District 1: Carol Felts

Carol Felts is an eighth-generation Floridian who promises to fight over-development and conservatively steward tax dollars. Felts has been active in local politics for years, often speaking at commission hearings and advocating for community-friendly policies.

District 3: Tahla “Tal” Siddique

Tal Siddique served in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and has a record as a Republican community leader. He brings a focus on accountability, public safety, and environmental protection.

District 5: Robert “Bob” McCann

Dr. Bob McCann is a physician and veteran of the U.S. Navy. The most important issues for him are protecting our environment and improving the quality of life for residents. He is focused on protecting parkland, reducing overdevelopment and traffic, and supporting local veterans.

District 7: George Kruse

Commissioner Kruse is the only incumbent commissioner with a history of fighting for the community rather than pandering to developer interests. He has successfully raised impact fees, supported veteran housing projects, and worked to reign in reckless development. Kruse’s record shows a responsible public servant deserving of a second term. 

Supervisor of Elections: Scott Farrington

Along with BCC races, the Supervisor of Elections is an essential race this year. Developer-controlled incumbent James Satcher has shown that he’s dangerously anti-democratic, making it imperative to vote for highly qualified challenger Scott Farrington. Farrington has over two decades of experience running elections. As a Certified Elections Administrator and Master Florida Certified Election Professional, he promises to bring integrity and security to the office.