Jeff Lytle: Maybe this time, charter government has a chance in Collier

The prospect of charter government for Collier County is fascinating. Though it is couched in terms of efficiency, it will be watched and debated in terms of who will be in control and what the difference will be for those who are happy with the status quo.

If the goal is that local government — all local government, even the School Board — should be one, big, happy family, there is cause for concern. That is dangerous regardless of the fringe benefits.

Some of the same good reasons for charter government are the same or close to the good reasons offered in 2003 — and that effort never really got anywhere.

When Bob Stone of Golden Gate came out of nowhere and raised the idea of rewriting the framework of local government, he did it with the baggage of a disgruntled citizen bent on revenge for the Interstate 75 interchange at Golden Gate Parkway "taking" his property.

Aptly, his trial balloon was front-loaded with hot-button topics. They included:

• An elected county manager, limited to two consecutive four-year terms.

• Commissioners similarly term-limited, who set their own salaries.

• The manager would have line-item veto power over spending or any other commission action, overturnable by a supermajority.

• Commissioners would not be allowed to accept campaign contributions from lobbyists or other professionals coming before the board for favors.

• Consultants and builders who choose to bid for county work and get it cannot come before the board on other business for six months.

• Commissioners and staff members could not come back as lobbyists for three years, except for projects they had worked on; in that case, they never can lobby.

Great, ethical ideas — guaranteed to raise the hackles of those with the power to put them down.

And they did.

The last I heard, Stone had retired to Costa Rica.

Now we see a charter pitched as an option by the opposite camp — insiders who are serious-minded and are to be taken seriously. They are retired and actively employed members of Collier County government's productivity committee, which alternately is the darling or the enemy of commissioners and top management.

When they talk about higher and uniform pay rates among county departments, more satellite county offices, making sure far-flung computers can talk to each other and building roads cheaper and faster, they are talking about policy that can be effected by simple resolve rather than a charter.

When they talk about a county "treasurer," that steers attention to the county commissioners' royal pain, the independently elected watchdog clerk of courts, Dwight Brock. Commissioners on occasion have been known to want to corral the independently elected sheriff, Don Hunter, as well.

Instant flashpoint for established constituencies.

Instant opposition.

We'll see how this plays out. The details of a charter government would be thrashed out by an appointed citizens committee and then voted on countywide before anything happens. But still, when an idea this heavy starts at the top, it has a way of going somewhere.

• With elections coming, this newspaper's editorial board is gearing up for candidate-interview season.

We thought we had heard it all — until we lined up a date with Collier County School Board candidate Nick Ballo, a student at Naples High School.

He asked for a reminder by phone as his agreed upon interview date drew closer.

Kind of a wake-up call.

I forget the exact words I used in reply, but they said "no."

• Don't forget — free admission for Collier Countians at the Naples Zoo this coming Saturday as long as you're there by 11 a.m.

Enhancement by Jeff Hendrickson/Staff

The way it should be at Seagate beach.

On the first Saturday of each month the zoo says "thanks" to taxpayers for rescuing the landmark on Goodlette-Frank Road from developers.

• Naples City Council member John Sorey delivers the good news that the scary no parking/tow-away zone sign closest to the public Seagate Beach parking lot south of Clam Pass has been removed.

He agrees the public really should feel welcome at the public beach and the public parking lot.

We now direct your attention to the "Beach Access" sign that you see first as you get close. Rightfully, the "No Parking At Any Time" sign under it has been removed.

Now, in its place and under "Beach Access," this would close the deal: "Public Parking Ahead on Right."

That's a computer-generated rendering at left of how it would look.

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