Ed Chiles left nearly speechless after surprise recognition of service to Bradenton tourism
Seldom has Ed Chiles been at a loss for words.
But Monday morning, a surprise honor at the end of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council meeting came close.
Chiles, an environmentalist, community leader, restaurateur and entrepreneur, was recognized for his 25 years of volunteer service on the TDC, the longest tenure of anyone in the history of the organization.
Ellliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, presented Chiles an engraved compass, and called him a mentor, a leader and a great listener who consistently and unselfishly gives of his time and talents.
“If I had known, I would have worn long pants,” Chiles said to laughter from the dais and the audience. Chiles was decked out in a long-sleeve white shirt, Bermuda shorts, and casual shoes, appropriate summer attire in Bradenton.
After receiving his engraved compass, Chiles turned to the audience, his emotion rising, waved, and said, “Thank you.”
That was all he could manage.
Earlier in the meeting, Chiles sounded the alarm about protecting coastal water quality, especially after the problems at Piney Point, when a giant pond holding millions of gallons of contaminated water, sprung a leak earlier this year. The breach threatened homes in the neighborhood, and triggered a release into Tampa Bay.
“We all have to do our part,” Chiles said, referring to homeowners, homeowner associations, and industrial threats like Piney Point.
Chiles said details will be announced soon for a model project to protect the waterways that make the Bradenton area so attractive to visitors and residents alike.
“So that we don’t kill our golden goose,” Chiles said.
Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant piggybacked on what Chiles said by adding that more needs to be done to keep trash out of the waterways, trash carelessly discarded by residents and visitors alike.
“It’s not just the nutrient loading,” she said. “We need an overall attack on contamination of our waterways. We need an overhaul,” she said.
