Amanda Ballard
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 3
- Total speaking time
- 20:42
- Avg per meeting
- 6:54
- Segments
- 199
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Top issues during term (20)
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.
Temporary moratorium on data center applications
Unknown; a freeze could delay large development while protecting water and utility capacity.
Parking minimums rewrite
Parking studies cost developers money today; the proposal would have traded that for administrative flexibility.
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.
Baycare free-standing emergency department
A funded county road project on Lena Road is slated for 2030.
County Administrator Contract
Potential severance obligations if termination had proceeded; contract renewal decision pending.
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.
Cross Connection Control Manual revision (backflow testing)
Residents would pay for backflow tests half as often, but a contamination event could cost far more.
Planning Commission appointments
2050 traffic circulation plan update
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.
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.
Dementia Navigation Hub space and funding
$36,000 requested from general fund reserves; the underlying grant is $301,000.
Independent forensic audit of county contracts
Independent audits have been estimated at up to $100,000; final cost unknown pending scoping.
Cortez Bridge Construction Staging on County Property
Waiver of roughly $1.4 million in potential construction delay claims against the county.
Pedestrian and E-bike Safety
Ivy Run residential development
New subdivisions would add traffic and drainage demands on rural roads the county would have to maintain.
Unmaintained swimming pool nuisance
Food truck park without approved site plan
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.
Proclamations adopted (Veterans Day, Dr. Carlo Barbieri Day, Manufacturing Awareness Month, Friends of Libraries Week, Sleep Baby Safely Month, and others)
Consent Agenda (items 13-52, 63) approved
Item 53: Resolution R-26-139 — infrastructure sales tax project list changes
Item 54: Appointment of Mark VanDery to the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Advisory Committee
Item 55: Contract for Myakka Valley Preserve (Costa) — $14.03 million and budget amendments
Item 56: Contract for Myakka Valley Preserve (Anson Acres Lot Owners' Association) — $170,000
Item 57: Contract for Bunker Hill Preserve (Shelley N. Chilton Trust) — $2.05 million
Item 58: SEMA Construction license agreement for Cortez bridge staging
Dementia Navigation Hub — $36,000 supplemental funding
Independent external/forensic audit of county contracts
Motion to terminate County Administrator Charlie Bishop for cause
Motion to formally reprimand County Administrator Charlie Bishop
Presentation of the Team Member of the Month for October 2026
Recognition of Commissioner Bearden for His Dedicated Service to Manatee County
Heather Hackett Day - No Presentation Scheduled
National Family Caregivers Month - No Presentation Scheduled
National White Cane Day - No Presentation Scheduled
National E-Waste Day – No Presentation Scheduled
Red Ribbon Week 2026 - No Presentation Scheduled
Approval of the Clerk's Consent Agenda dated October 20, 2026
Voting record (20)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.
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.
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.
defer Item 38 to September 22, 2026
approve the 2027 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Retiree cost sharing for the self-funded and fully insured employer sponsored benefits
Approval of the Clerk's Consent Agenda (Items 4-48)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast funding
Disclosed voting conflict with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.
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.
Item 19: Bishop Animal Shelter Shade Structures Change Order ($1.4M)
Voted with majority to deny despite requesting acoustic panels be included.
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.
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
that the $3,000 payment to the County Administrator be dropped
Item 6 — Fifth Amendment to County Administrator Employment Contract ($3,000 payment)
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
authorize the County Administrator to execute Interlocal Agreement with the City of Anna Maria, for the Anna Maria City Pier Repair/Rebuilt Project.
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.