Manatee County Commissioner Announces Retirement

Manatee County Commissioner Larry Bustle has announced he will not seek re-election.

The Republican will serve out the remainder of his second term and then plans to spend more time with his wife, Edie, family and friends, he said in a statement released to media Wednesday afternoon.

Bustle, 80, was first elected to the county commission in 2008 after serving seven years as the mayor of Palmetto. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and went on to become an Air Force fighter and test pilot. He retired at the rank of colonel.

“Colonel Bustle flew 130 combat missions in the F-4D Phantom II aircraft during the Vietnam War,” his biography on the county website states. “For his service in Vietnam he was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine Air Medals and the Purple Heart, among others.”

Bustle suffered a stroke in May and was just recently given clearance to attend county commission board meetings by telephone, he wrote in the statement. He hopes to return to attending meetings in person in October.

“After a summer of rest, rehabilitation, recovery and careful reflection, I have decided not to run for reelection next year,” the statement said. “In 2016 I will finish my second term on the County Commission and begin a new chapter in my life’s journey.”

All told, Bustle has dedicated 46 years in public service.

Photo courtesy of Manatee County