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Issler,

You are either the most stupid or most ignorant man on this island. You say that the asbestos issue "was perpetuated by Ed Foster and Butch Neylon ... and cost the Taxpayers of Marco Island over $300,000." Neither Butch nor I crushed asbestos; we didn't mishandle it; we didn't hide it; we discovered it (or rather, Butch and Roger Hall discovered it). The city denied everything until the evidence was so overwhelming that even the FDEP had to insist that the place be cleaned up. The cost should have been on Quality Enterprises shoulders but our city manager took responsibility on the city - for one cleanup after the next until more than 4 feet of soil had been removed from Site C.

You say: "If you have any doubts, read all the evidence and read all the depositions and read the Court documents." Issler, it is you, not the citizens of Marco Island for whom "evidence means nothing." I was at the depositions; you were not. You haven't read them because the city has refused to release them although that was part of the mediation agreement. If you had read them, you would have learned that the QE's on-site manager had absolutely no experience handling asbestos, nor did any of his workers (a clear violation of federal regulations) until CARES discovered it. You would learn that Rony Joel claimed not to be able to distinguish between asbestos pipe and concrete pipe.

Had you attended the mediation, you would have known that CARES' demands were entirely pro-city: that QE undertake the full cost of the cleanup; that QE cover all the city's legal exenses; that QE also cover CARES asbestos-related legal expenses; that QE indemnify the city against future legal expenses and claims that might arise because of the contamination; and that QE contribute $250,000 towards the development of Veterans' Park. Most of these "demands" were no more than our insistance that QE fulfill its written contract; I viewed the Park contribution as a "fine" for misbehavior and gave Mr. Enman authority to negotiate the exact amount.

In the mediation, Marco's City Manager argued against CARES and on behalf of Quality Enterprises. He did not insist they fulfill their contract; he did not insist that they pay to cleanup Site C or to pay the city's legal expenses; and, he did not ask QE to indemnify the city against future liability for possible health issues. If you want to know who cost the city $300,000 (if that is the correct amount), his name is A. William Moss, not Butch Neylon, not Ed Foster and not CARES, Inc.

You suggest people read the "court documents." Issler, the matter never made it to court so there are no "court documents." Had I been permitted into the mediation (the mediator threatened to slap CARES and me with sanctions if I so much as set foot into the building), I would not have signed the agreement and the matter would have gone to court. When the mediation document was signed by my deputy, I resigned as Chairman of CARES.

Ed Foster