This committee is a waste of time. Recently revealed e-mails disclose that John Arceri is running this program through Ronny Joel. Arceri will push this through just like he did the acquisition of Florida Water and use this committe as cover for not going to a referrendum since the citizens committee has studied and approved the LCEC acquisition. The e-mails document that Ronny Joel and Steve Thompson are the puppets and Arceri is pulling the strings.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marco Island should only acquire the Electric Company if they'll take Marvin Gardens and the Shortline Railroad for it. Maybe and this is just maybe... we could throw in St. Charles Pl. Anything beyond that would be too financially straining on the taxpayers. It's the only way to keep the taxes as low as they are. Welcome to Marcnopoly. Oh yeah, wonder if Carr will be selling "Get out of jail free" cards?

MarcoObserver: You really need to see a doctor. You seem to have a schitzoid streak running through you. Any ultimate outcome of this will be put in front of the voters. And the only way it will even make it that far is if the numbers prove out. At that point, it will be up to you and I.
The people spoke (a landslide proportion) in the last election, where were you ?? There is no one man pulling any strings, get real in order to make positive comments and contributions. And most importantly, enjoy life.
Ed Issler

Issler, this has nothing to do with any election. John Arceri was not on the ballot. We have read John Arceri's emails, available on marcoislandblog.blogspot.com. We have read how he comes up with an idea, develops it, researches it, ramrods it through City Hall and hands a fact sheet to a Councilman to use as their own. We have read how he manipulates our Council and made it his own. How he invites them individually to his home for private "briefings". How he frequently offers to take our City Manger out to lunch and deep water fishing ala Saprano. We have read that he frequently asks the City Manager for time to "brief" him on City Projects. We have read how he reminds Council that they "must control the facts" and how he writes his own "fact" sheets, to help them do so. We have read emails in which he gives guidance and direction to the Public Works Staff, Public Affairs Officer and the Finance Director. We have read evidence that proves pretty near every assessment, fee increase and obligation the City imposes on us today, can be traced back to John Arceri. We have read that the idea to replace the Jolley Bridge was also his idea (sorry Mike, you were likely used). John Arceri controls our City and we now know this because we have read his emails, written by his own hand. How Thompson puts up with a private citizen giving orders and direction to his subordinates is beyond me. It appears our Council puts up with a private citizen negotiating with contractors and lining up consultants without thier prior approval is a new form of Democracy I'm just now becoming familiar with. As John is so fond of saying; "Just a few thoughts to consider."

From marcoislandblog.blogspot.com

Thanks to the efforts of a local patriot, the following links are to the emails produced by the City of Marco Island due to a Freedom of Information Act (Florida Statute 119) request.

The over-600 pages of emails are quite revealing and raise some questions. Here is an incomplete synopsis from a quick perusal:

There are many instances where city employees and councilpersons are being told what to do, what to say, and before they say anything, they run it by a one John Arceri as quoted "to make sure it looks good".
This same individual is requesting reviews/studies/visits from companies on behalf of the city. Where exactly did this authorization come from?
This individual is communicating on behalf of the city with vendors, contractors and other organizations as the intermediary between them and city employees and councilpersons. Where exactly did this authorization come from?
City employees and councilpersons are being bombarded by "information" by this individual.
This individual reviews and comments on public performances and public declarations by city employees.

Even the wives of the councilpersons are communicating with this individual on city issues.

Issler, you have often bragged about the “machine” that was making things happen the way you thought was so wonderful for Marco. Your most recent “machine” quote: “The next election will yield the same results, as the machine is still in place to get the message out and voters to vote.”

Now, after reviewing the Arceri email collection, I see what you mean by the machine. And the master mechanic is Arceri, with all his little cogs whirling around him.

MarcoObserver is pretty astute in his assessment; your response makes it clear that he’s hit very close to home. Funny that you would brag about the machine, then insist it doesn’t exist when the hundreds of pages of Arceri emails show his behind-the-scenes machinations.

Recommend you read Fossil’s post above. He’s done a great job in articulating the problems with the machine and its methods.

The real winner in all those Emails was John Arceri.
Now I know who to go to if I need to get the ear of the City or County.
Stop spinning your wheels with Foster, McMullan, and the rest.
If its Arceri I have to go to get stuff done then its Arceri I'm going to see.

OldMarcoMan, you are so right. If I are any member of my family is in trouble with the law on Marco Island, the first person I will go to is John Arceri.

John Arceri is the best thing that's ever happened to this island. If it wasn't for John this island would have been complete chaos years ago. You should all get down on your knees and thank God for putting John Arceri on Marco Island. One other thing; John's one heckuva third baseman too!!!

John Arceri is the first council- past councilor (appointed-not elected). It is such a shame that our island councilors to not have the confidence to do the job they were elected to without him! Arceri is the reason that our Marco is ran for a profit as a corporation. Marco is not ran for its longtime citizens. Marco is now ran for profit. There is profit in the electric company. We were blindsided with giving the water company to the city (we are all now paying dearly- for profit!) Do not be a fool and let the for profit- City (ran by Arceri)take over our electric company. LCEC does a great job and even in hurricanes- we have never lost power for over day! lived here for 25 years. Oh by the way.. look back at the first council.. Arceri - did you have anyone running against you? or were you just conveniently able to grab a council seat on a newly formed city government. Please let the snake slither back in its hole and get off our island and out of our affairs permanently. He had his time on council-yet according to the above post- he never has left his seat and controls city.. how unfortunate for the citizens of Marco. it is really a shame that this person controls our city staff! seems not legit? do we really have puppets for Arceri- how unfortunate for Marco. Wake up Hourigan - we have complete chaos!- thanks to Arceri- maybe he can stay on the ballfield and play ball instead of playing with our city hall!

We all know what a great job LCEC has done during past weather emergencies. Now that our city fathers have created a highly contentious relationship with the utility, let's hope we get the same response if Fay causes any outages.

I've read the e-mails on the marcoislandblogspot. Let's cut to the chase and fire Ronny Joel, Steve Thompson, and the council and coronate John Arceri King. He is running the island anyway. Look at the money we'd save. I am amazed that the citizens on this island tolerate such corruptness. It must be something he puts in the water.

I'm with you marcoobserver. I strongly believe in a transparent government. So let's turn the lights on and put John Arceri in the spotlight. We shouldn't be blaming the Council and our City Staff for following his orders. If hourigan82247 is to be taken seriously then it must be obvious to anyone examining our city's programming. Nothing would have been done without John Arceri, the Council is incapable of seeing what needs to be done until John shows them. The City Staff doesn't know how to implement the Council's (read John's) ideas until John Arceri shows them how to do it. I agree with you, get rid of the incompetants and let John Arceri run the City. At least that way when we are unhappy about something the City does, we can direct our anger to the fellow who actually is responsible. We would save a lot of money too and would never need a public meeting again.

After reading the emails on marcoislandblogspot it's pretty obvious who is running the show. We are living in OZ and have just glimpsed the man behind the curtain.

It's also pretty obvious our city leaders seem to be a bunch of castrated bulls. Not one seems to have the cajones to tell this guy to p*ss off.

By the way, I'm available for lunch and that deep sea fishing trip with Bill Moss and Steve Thompson that has been offered to be arranged. Simply pleasure, no business of course. I'll bring some worms. Or do you have that covered?