AB

Amanda Ballard

Commissioner District 2 (First Vice Chair)2022-11-22 – 2026-11-17 (four-year term that began in 2022 per MySunCoast Nov 19, 2024 report; start = second Tuesday after the Nov 8, 2022 election, Fla. Stat. §100.041 subsection 2a, text read: 4-year terms commencing on the second Tuesday following the general election; end = second Tuesday after the Nov 3, 2026 election; won re-election by 173 votes per election-night reports)

No biography on file yet.

At a glance

News mentions
0

Term ending Nov 17, 2026.

Voice

Meetings spoken in
3
Total speaking time
20:42
Avg per meeting
6:54
Segments
199

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The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Ballard said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.

Top issues during term (20)

high→May 2026[35]

Bishop Animal Shelter funding and a permanent shelter

The denied change order was $1.4 million; a permanent shelter replacement could cost tens of millions based on comparisons to other Florida counties.

high↓Jun 2026[30]

Temporary moratorium on data center applications

Unknown; a freeze could delay large development while protecting water and utility capacity.

high→Aug 2026[27]

Parking minimums rewrite

Parking studies cost developers money today; the proposal would have traded that for administrative flexibility.

high→Jun 2026[26]

Short-term rental regulation update

Enforcement software and code staffing costs unknown; STRs generate roughly $22 million in tourist tax dollars by one speaker's estimate.

high↑Aug 2026[25]

Baycare free-standing emergency department

A funded county road project on Lena Road is slated for 2030.

high↑Oct 2026[23]

County Administrator Contract

Potential severance obligations if termination had proceeded; contract renewal decision pending.

high↓Sep 2026[23]

Project Grace ice rink at Premier Sports Campus

The county contribution, funded by tourist development taxes, would have gone toward land, with the developer projecting $16-17 million in annual revenue; the project is now dead.

high↑Oct 2026[22]

Cross Connection Control Manual revision (backflow testing)

Residents would pay for backflow tests half as often, but a contamination event could cost far more.

medium↑Oct 2026[20]

Planning Commission appointments

medium↑Oct 2026[20]

2050 traffic circulation plan update

high↓Jun 2026[17]

Parrish Lakes development package

Potable water demand drops by about 20,683 gallons per day and sewer demand by over 14,000 gallons per day versus current approvals.

high↓Jul 2026[17]

County Cash Reserves Policy

Could affect how much of the county's roughly $884 million in unrestricted cash is available to spend or offset taxes.

medium↑Oct 2026[17]

Dementia Navigation Hub space and funding

$36,000 requested from general fund reserves; the underlying grant is $301,000.

medium↑Oct 2026[13]

Independent forensic audit of county contracts

Independent audits have been estimated at up to $100,000; final cost unknown pending scoping.

high↑Jun 2026[12]

Cortez Bridge Construction Staging on County Property

Waiver of roughly $1.4 million in potential construction delay claims against the county.

medium↑Jul 2026[12]

Pedestrian and E-bike Safety

high↑Jan 2026[11]

Ivy Run residential development

New subdivisions would add traffic and drainage demands on rural roads the county would have to maintain.

low↑Nov 2026[10]

Unmaintained swimming pool nuisance

medium↑Nov 2026[10]

Food truck park without approved site plan

medium↑Nov 2026[10]

Code enforcement fine mitigation and compliance

Roughly $110,000 in accrued fines across the docket could be reduced to under $7,000 if all mitigation requests are granted.

Decisions during term (534)

Recorded while Ballard was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.

approvedOct 20, 2026

Proclamations adopted (Veterans Day, Dr. Carlo Barbieri Day, Manufacturing Awareness Month, Friends of Libraries Week, Sleep Baby Safely Month, and others)

approvedOct 20, 2026

Consent Agenda (items 13-52, 63) approved

approvedOct 20, 2026

Item 53: Resolution R-26-139 — infrastructure sales tax project list changes

approvedOct 20, 2026

Item 54: Appointment of Mark VanDery to the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Advisory Committee

approvedOct 20, 2026

Item 55: Contract for Myakka Valley Preserve (Costa) — $14.03 million and budget amendments

approvedOct 20, 2026

Item 56: Contract for Myakka Valley Preserve (Anson Acres Lot Owners' Association) — $170,000

approvedOct 20, 2026

Item 57: Contract for Bunker Hill Preserve (Shelley N. Chilton Trust) — $2.05 million

approved5-1Oct 20, 2026

Item 58: SEMA Construction license agreement for Cortez bridge staging

deniedVoted no2-4Oct 20, 2026

Dementia Navigation Hub — $36,000 supplemental funding

approvedOct 20, 2026

Independent external/forensic audit of county contracts

deniedOct 20, 2026

Motion to terminate County Administrator Charlie Bishop for cause

deniedVoted no3-3Oct 20, 2026

Motion to formally reprimand County Administrator Charlie Bishop

approvedOct 20, 2026

Presentation of the Team Member of the Month for October 2026

approvedOct 20, 2026

Recognition of Commissioner Bearden for His Dedicated Service to Manatee County

approvedOct 20, 2026

Heather Hackett Day - No Presentation Scheduled

approvedOct 20, 2026

National Family Caregivers Month - No Presentation Scheduled

approvedOct 20, 2026

National White Cane Day - No Presentation Scheduled

approvedOct 20, 2026

National E-Waste Day – No Presentation Scheduled

approvedOct 20, 2026

Red Ribbon Week 2026 - No Presentation Scheduled

approvedOct 20, 2026

Approval of the Clerk's Consent Agenda dated October 20, 2026

Voting record (20)

6 yes11 no3 abstained

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

Voted noOct 20, 2026

Dementia Navigation Hub — $36,000 supplemental funding

Noted the county had never structured nonprofit funding as direct rent payment and questioned rejection of the offered space.

Voted noOct 20, 2026

Motion to formally reprimand County Administrator Charlie Bishop

Did not find the administrator's words constituted a threat and faulted commissioner conduct for initiating the exchange.

AbstainedSep 1, 2026

defer Item 38 to September 22, 2026

AbstainedSep 1, 2026

approve the 2027 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Retiree cost sharing for the self-funded and fully insured employer sponsored benefits

Voted yesAug 25, 2026

Approval of the Clerk's Consent Agenda (Items 4-48)

AbstainedAug 25, 2026

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast funding

Disclosed voting conflict with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.

Voted noAug 25, 2026

School zone speed limits (Item 64) — first motion

Did not want to risk state and federal road funding over a five-mile-per-hour difference.

Voted noJul 28, 2026

Item 19: Bishop Animal Shelter Shade Structures Change Order ($1.4M)

Voted with majority to deny despite requesting acoustic panels be included.

Voted noJun 4, 2026

continue the transmittal public hearing for Ordinance PA-25-13/Ordinance 26-01 to August 6, 2026, for Manatee County Ordinance 26-01/PA-25-13.

Voted yesJun 2, 2026

authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment 1 to Agreement 24-R083613CD between Manatee County with Chemical Injection Partners Florida LLC, dba CIP Solutions, adopting the Revised Fee Rate Schedule e

Voted noMay 19, 2026

that the $3,000 payment to the County Administrator be dropped

Voted yesMay 19, 2026

Item 6 — Fifth Amendment to County Administrator Employment Contract ($3,000 payment)

Voted noFeb 12, 2026

adopt Manatee County Zoning Ordinance No. PDR-25-08(Z)(G); and approve the General Development Plan with Stipulations A.1 - A.5, B.1 - B.9, C.1 - C.4, and D.1 - D.3

Voted noFeb 10, 2026

authorize the County Administrator to execute Interlocal Agreement with the City of Anna Maria, for the Anna Maria City Pier Repair/Rebuilt Project.

Voted noFeb 10, 2026

Anna Maria City Pier repair/rebuild interlocal agreement (Item 12)

Concern that the county may have to make another large investment to build a separate structure to accommodate the water ferry at the pier.

Voted yesJan 28, 2026

PDR-24-18(Z)(P) / Penler Lorraine — Continuance

Voted yesJan 28, 2026

PDR-24-03(Z)(P) — Erie Road Residential — Approved

Voted noJan 28, 2026

deny the Manatee County Zoning Ordinance Number PDR-24-35(Z)(G); deny the General Development Plan and direct the County Attorney’s Office along with staff to prepare written Findings of Denial and to

Voted noJan 28, 2026

deny Manatee County Zoning Ordinance PDR-23-45(Z)(P) and deny the Preliminary Site Plan; deny the Findings for Specific Approval; and deny Specific Approval for alternative to LDC Sections: 1) LDC Sec

Voted yesJan 28, 2026

PDR-23-45(Z)(P) — Bus Barn Rezone — Continued