Manatee County remembers Carol Ann Felts at Crane Park memorial

By Lesley Dwyer
| 5:00 a.m. April 21, 2026

Carol Ann Felts' sons Kiel and Nicholas Felts unveil the new sign at David J. Crane Park.

East County
News

Flags flew at half-staff in Manatee County and at the state capitol Saturday to honor the late Manatee County Commissioner Carol Ann Felts, who died Feb. 24 at her home in Myakka City.

About 100 residents, family members, dignitaries and Manatee County staff gathered under a canopy of trees at David J. Crane Park in Myakka City on April 18 to share stories and honor the quirky commissioner, who was often referred to as the mayor of Myakka.

“My mom, first and foremost, was a beautiful, brilliant bad-ass,” her son Nicholas Felts said. “She got things done. She also smoked like a chimney and swore like a sailor.”

Nicholas Felts’s eulogy brought the crowd to tears from both laughter and sadness.

His brother, Kiel Felts, stood by his side. Together, they unveiled a new sign at Crane Park that reads, “Carol Ann Billberry Felts Preserve at David J. Crane Park.”

Billberry was Felts’ maiden name, and her sons asked that it be included in the dedication.

Brothers Nicholas and Kiel Felts speak about their mom.

Commission Chair Tal Siddique (on the right) presents Nicholas and Kiel Felts with a sign and proclamation that dedicate the preserve at Crane Park to their late mother Carol Ann Felts.

About 100 residents, family members, dignitaries and Manatee County staff members gathered under the trees in Crane Park to honor Carol Ann Felts April 18.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard holds her youngest son as she speaks to the crowd. "I wasn't tearing up until they did that whip salute because I think (Carol Felts) really would have loved that," Ballard said.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard said dedicating the additional 16 acres of Crane Park that Manatee County acquired in June 2025 was a fitting tribute, but only the start of honoring Felts’ legacy.

“By creating our rural citizens and lands advisory board, that is something that will live on,” she said. “That will give a voice to citizens in our rural areas for many years to come.”

Even before being elected to represent District 1, Felts used her voice and encouraged others to do so, as well.

Myakka City’s Heidi Minihkeim recalled meeting Felts 13 years ago.

“Carol kept encouraging me to be an activist,” Minihkeim said. “She wanted to protect Myakka City and the river.”

Felts’ passion not only inspired residents but inspired Manatee County staff members, too.

Glen Gibellina is a candidate for District 4. He became close friends with Carol Ann Felts because both were longtime Manatee County activists.

There were quite a few black cowboy hats in the crowd to honor the late Carol Ann Felts, who represented the rural parts of Manatee County.

“She was such a huge proponent of environmental protection in our rural lands,” said Kara Koenig, Environmental Lands Program section manager. “I’m so appreciative of her determination to protect these lands. All we can do is continue in her honor.”

Koenig noted that Felts wanted all her staff briefings conducted in person, so Koenig knew first-hand how proud Felts was of the county’s recent negotiations to purchase easements on Mossy Island Ranch and Thundercloud Ranch, two massive properties that total 1,483 pristine acres, now protected in perpetuity from development.

Commission Chair Tal Siddique serves as the memorial's emcee.

“(Felts) didn’t just talk about preservation,” Commission Chair Tal Siddique said. “She lived it. She fought for it, and she made sure those conversations happened even when they weren’t easy. If you ever sat through a board meeting with her on either side of the dais, you’ll remember it. Her passion wasn’t quiet. It wasn’t reserved. It was real, and it came from a place of love for this community.”

Siddique emceed the service, which included a ceremonial whip-cracking salute performed by members of the Florida Cracker Trail Association.

Members of the Florida Cracker Trail Association perform a ceremonial whip cracking salute.

Like mother, like son — Nicholas Felts teaches guests how to crack a whip following the ceremony.

Felts’ best party trick was to crack a whip, and anyone who wanted to learn, she’d teach. She’d been taking the annual cracker trail ride across the state for decades.

Nicholas Felts, 42, recalled missing a week of school for the ride when he was 17 years old. He carried with him the whip he kept from that 120-mile trek with his mother.

“I wasn’t tearing up until they did that whip salute,” Ballard said. “I think (Felts) really would have loved that. She served for almost a year and a half, but her legacy will be much, much longer than that.”

Straight from the horse’s mouth

Nicholas Felts lovingly referred to his mother as “a crazy horse lady.” Carol Ann Felts loved her horses. They led her into all sorts of adventures. At 38, Felts started barrel racing. About two decades later, a horseback ride led her into politics. She became a commissioner at 66. But five-plus years earlier, she had spotted a little, yellow sign on one of her rides. It was announcing a development in a place that only a horse could reach. It made her start asking questions, which led her to become an activist and then a commissioner.

During the April 18 memorial service, a video presentation shared Felts’ views on herself and Manatee County in her own words. Here are a few snippets:

“Here’s my words as to what I am first and foremost, and that’s a Floridian.”

“There is a motto that was instilled in me: If it is to be, it is up to me. You could fuss. You could fight things. You could do all kinds of stuff, but the thing is, you’ve got to do it.”

“There are still people out there that value an agricultural lifestyle, whether it’s a large farming corporate concern or it’s what we call those 5-acre cowboys. I work very hard to make sure that we remember the past because it’s what we were built on here in Manatee County.”

“Our first tourists, or snowbirds, in Florida were farmers. I think that the best defense of having a strong America is to take care of ourselves and not rely on imports. We can’t ignore our heritage in Manatee County.”

“Don’t forget where you came from because you never know where you could go.”

“The best part (of being a commissioner) is when you can actually be effective, when you can actually solve a problem or you can work directly with staff to address an issue and you come up with something really good. Those are the best days.”

author

Lesley Dwyer

Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.