The Eagle mimics my choices. I will vote for these four candidates!

Anyone but Hall & Neylon!

Direct Quote from Eagle Editorial Staff:

"We are looking for people that can build consensus, are leaders in the community and have demonstrated civility and ability to carry on controversial discussions in a calm and rational manner".

This speaks volumes; we don't need the aarrogance and condescending Hall or the misinformation mill of Neylon. We need civility and truth and thats what Recker, Trotter, Gibson and Waldack bring to the counsel.

The endorsed candidates are truly Gentlemen and leaders! Great job. Although I do not agree with Mr. Batte's views on the STRP I do think he has been a civil voice amoung a group of unruly malcontents.

This says it all. I am sure someone will spin this but the facts are the facts. Looks like we're getting sewers.

News analysis: The STRP and Marco’s environment
An expert speaks out

Thursday, January 10, 2008
If you are perplexed by the arguments for and against replacing septic systems with sewers throughout Marco Island, check out this question and answer conversation with an expert.
He is Clarence Tears, director of the South Florida Water Management District. We asked about the environmental impact of sewers vs. septic systems.
Q. In general, are sewers or septic systems preferable here and why?
A. You need to replace those septic systems with sewers to protect the island’s environment and its beauty. One major reason is so you can monitor water quality.
Even Collier County with their advanced wastewater treatment system can’t provide 100-percent re-use water, but they have checks and balances in place to protect that resource and ensure the proper disposal of the source that doesn’t meet the standards. With a utility system, throughout the day they are always monitoring and checking for water quality.
Q. Septic systems are widely used in some parts of the country, so why not here on Marco?
A. I’ve talked to a lot of scientists who say septic systems are really designed for low-density communities where you have a lot of rural land. Marco Island is truly a high-density areA. The land is limited by water and the proximity of that water to the septic systems, is the true issue.
Q. What specific environmental problems do we face from septic systems?
A. Septic systems don’t process nutrients well, nitrogen primarily, which are indirectly related to red tide and other problems. Ecoli also is an issue.
On Florida’s east coast, there have been barrier islands that waited until there was degradation of the environment so they went back and had to replace the septic systems. In the Keys, they found septic systems impacting coastal barrier reefs.
There’s a big push to get older septic systems off line.

Q. Any other concerns?
A. Scientists worry about medications in the septic systems and their proximity to canals. And we don’t always test for those. Another issue is “optical brighteners,” bleach, water softeners and such. They tend not to break down in septic systems and seep into groundwater and to the waterways.
Scientists sometimes use caffeine, which doesn’t break down in septic systems, as a tracer to see how quickly it gets from septics to the water.
Some cases show it’s almost immediate, depending on soil types.
Q. Didn’t environmental groups make grants to the city for water quality control?
A. The local arm of the District Basin Board through our strategic plan identified $6 million to keep Marco on track. We gave $2 million the first year and we identified a million a year for four more years, because we know the importance of this. It’s part of our mission statement, water quality improvement and environmental enhancement.
Q. Sum up your thoughts on the need, in environmental terms, to finish the sewer project.
A. I just can’t understand why some don’t want to protect what they have on Marco. There’ve been horror stories on other barrier islands around the state.
Honestly, Marco’s (septic) systems need to be replaced. They were a short-term fix. The State Dept. of Community Affairs has told the Island that it (septic system) is inconsistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.
Marco needs to replace it. It’s either now or later. If they stop it now, people not on sewers now will have to spend money on replacing their septic systems and later, they’ll have to get sewers.
The solution is a lot cheaper today than it will be tomorrow.
That’s the view of Clarence Tears, director of the South Florida Water Management District. He has no financial or other personal stake in the controversy.
He also has more than 20 years of expertise in water resources management.

A VERY WELL BALANCED AND THOUGHTFUL ENDORSEMENT.
THANK YOU EAGLE EDITORIAL BOARD.
IT IS TIME TO HEAL AND EXTREMISTS ARE NOT WELCOME.
MR. BATTE IS AN OPPONENT OF THE STRP BUT HE IS NOT AN EXTREMIST. HE REMINDS ME A LOT OF MR. FORCHT WHO IS A TRUE GENTLEMAN AND A MAN OF HIS WORD.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT ALL REASONABLE MARCO ISLANDERS WILL COME OUT AND VOTE FOR TROTTER, RECKER, GIBSON AND BATTE.
LET US HAVE PEACE AND MOVE ON.

You are all wrong, wrong, wrong and will see it on election day. If you had paid attention to the real issues of this Marco City election you would have clearly seen that BATTE,HALL,NEYLON and GUIDRY are best to bring us all back together here on Marco Island.They are the only ones that pledge to put our Finances in order, get our residents involved in our government and reduce the controll of the manager over the Council.They also will not operate as if they know better than the residents and exclude residents from the government process.

Yo Neylon, are you paying attention to what Clarence Tears is saying. I don't see him saying any of the lies you told the City Council he said at Monday's meeting. Your whole campaign has been one lie after another.

SmokeyJoe what are you smoking? Are you out of your mind? Can you read? Talk about being BLIND to the facts! Your candidates lied and countinue to lie about the need for the STRP.

WE MUST SEWER OUR ILSAND. IT IS THE ENVIRONMENTALLY CORRECT AND FINANCIALLY CORRECT THING TO DO!!

Are you listening Smokey or did you enhale too much effluent from your leaking septic system. Get with the program and admit the facts. I am voting for Gibson, Recker, Trotter and Waldack!

jcchamberland....I am not on a septic system. I have been on the public sewer system since I came to Marco Island, years ago. Maybe we should sewer more of Marco when it is necessary or requested by the residents on septic systems and they are willing to be assessed for it but this STRP is being done to find more revenue to fix a problematic system purchased without proper examination beforehand. The council majority is forcing many, many of our local residents to pay $20,000.00 + to eliminate their septic systems that are working well and are causing no health or other problems. We do not need to spend another $100 million more on this unnecessary project and incurr this increased debt on our residents for years to come. The City should be spending more of their time on the many other problems in our city. your candidates see nothing wrong with the power given to this city managerto spend up to $100,000.00 without even going before our elected Council.There are many other problems in our City operations but you Candidates will not see them or fix them.We need change now. We need BATTE, HALL, NEYLON and GUIDRY

Nice email compliments of the HATE SLATE. They know they have no facts and they know their candidates are liars. Neylon can only make up data so long before he'll actually have to provide proof!
____________________________________
I can hardly type this I am so angry. First, the Eagle only endorses one of our guys, Batte, then I heard that the other night at the MICA meeting Butch tells everyone he has only been a resident for 3 months, the same day that the other side runs an ad they have lived on Marco for over 50 years! Who is in charge of timing on our side, no one? Ted practically endorses Recker in the paper, someone needs to tell him this a war for the future of our Island and no time to be open-minded. Both papers print Woodward’s stuff about Butch’s facts not really being facts and it has been a week since that letter has been on line and still no rebuttal from our side! The LTE are running 2 to 1 against us, who told Sayre he could go on vacation? What is going on? How tough is it for Butch to take the press out to the leak and get photos of the 170,000 gallons of sewage pouring out? Or do we need to start praying for rain to prove the million gallon figure? I looked thru Butch’s website and can not find any proof or data– get on the ball and update your website!

But what takes the cake was my reading the Eagle article on everyone's position. Only two of is sticking with Bill? He spent hours and months ahead of the election sending out selected articles and creating PR with his Eye on Marco and only half of us can stand by him and his waterway ordinance? We discussed many times that the only way to win this election is to keep the core and expand it to include others – now we are losing the core!

Speaking about that can’t any of you see the trick question regarding the POP amendment? Unbelievable! Now that Moss is gone 100% of us say there is no reason for it? What? Butch, Roger, Joe remember you are all on record supporting Russ and saying that the amendment was not political but really needed. Now you turn on one of all loyal supporters who Colombo got to sign it (further dividing the core) and by rejecting the need for the amendment you are saying in essence it was all just politics to get rid of Moss! If CM gets their hands on your old quotes we are dead, what happened to campaigning as "men of integrity", why are we abandoning that? At least Andy is clear on that account since he never publicly supported POP. But frankly I am sorry that we let Godfrey talk us into him, we should have kept Allen – at least he would have done well in the forums and has some brains.

The only guy looking good this week in the paper is Chuck. This is too important an election to keep messing up – we don’t want Chuck stuck there for two more years alone and looking foolish! We only have a couple of weeks left – I am giving one more week before I pull the signs out of my yard and start telling my friends to do likewise, this is getting too embarrassing – we might only get 30% of the vote the way this campaign is being run. I lost the money I gave Foster for the litigation now it looks like I am going to lose the donation money I gave you guys. Add that to the sewer bill I am going to be stuck with and I am going to have to give up golf and retirement! John & Bryone please forward this on, as when my computer crashed I lost everyone’s email addresses. Thanks, Joe

montel, Hall et all believe that it was the citizens' right to decide the outcome of the referrendum. The council did not have the right to deny them that vote by subverting the process.

I guess the fact that the Eagle doesn't put much stock in demonstrated business abilities is reflected in the fact that they are dwindling from a daily to a weekly newspaper owned by the real estate interests. When you have a free paper, paid for by the Board of Realtors the endorsements are predictable.

Observer – You must be new to the Island. The Eagle was only a daily paper for about 18 months, prior to that it was a Weekly paper. I think they are just trying to get the best product out for the customers. It is funny you guys come down really hard on the Eagle when they print something you do not agree with. You guys run a campaign of smear anyone who does not agree with you. As you guys like to remind everyone this is a democracy. You guys only believe in democracy as long as everyone agrees with you.

marcoobserver, you are wrong; it is NOT the citizens place to make decisions for things as important as sewers, that is why we have a council. they are voted in to make the tough decisions and I feel at least four of them (ocassionally five of them)are making the right decisions.

I think the city council is saving the anti-sewer people from themselves. Some citizens and four candidates are so determined to stop the sewer project that they are blind to the fact that it will end up costing us all more.

I hope that the stubborn few take their blinders off before the election.

The Eagle was a wonderful Newspaper when a certain reporter was the personal pal of a certain candidate. As soon as he left; things turned sour for the negative bunch! So now, the Eagle is a bad paper owned by the Real Estate interests!
By the way, marcoobserver; do you own a home on Marco Island? If you do, you should be a part of "Real estate interests" group.

It's all about growth and how many Celebrate Marco Members can write. These people really need the sewer expansion or they are likely loose their shirts. If you do not want your city to grow into a Miami Beach then vote for Batte, Guidry, Hall and Neylon. If you do not care about public health and the enviornment or continued back room deals with the money folks on the island, vote for Recter, Gibson, Waldack and incumbent Trotter who was recalled by more than 2,000 of our residents. You must choose.

You are lying lolala, just plain lying. Trotter was not recalled you liar! Hall tried to recall him because of his pro-sewer vote but the judge threw it out of court. Plus Hall never got the necessary signatures. You people are LIARS. Why can't you talk the truth?

Sailor, Leyroy, Geezer, Beau, Soloman, Sailingby, and many others are all one and the same,an army of one. We are all tired of your hate and unfounded slurs. You were the person that worked the hardest on the recall and did all the tabulating of the votes. You know the truth. Why don't you call Hall up on the fact that he didn't get the necessary signatures. He says he does and has offered to let anyone who wants to count them. Put up or shut up! You won't because you are the liar and a very sick person.

Trotter was recalled by more than 2,000 citizens. That is a fact. Live with it. As for the Eagle. What do you expect. It is private newspaper with no obligation to be fair. It depends upon the advertising dollars, and right now the MI Chamber of Commerce and Celebrate Marco's leader John Arceri are calling all the shots on Marco Island. They have had their puppets on the Council and the Planning board for the last four years. They are not going to give up their grasp on all that revenue the city brings in. Vote for Change, vote to place the power back in the hands of the taxpayers and not those who want to use your money so that they can make more. Vote for Batte, Hall, Guidry and Neylon.

there's the moron montel again...how can anyone of you...on either side...believe what this character posts...he is a train wreck and a disgrace to everything that is NORMAL. and as for the CROW (ie eagle)....this is another joke of a newspaper/rag.

and motel/montel...what in the world are you babbling about in this post? m...oron...ontel

Neylon: We know you are lolala so cut it out. Trotter was never recalled. There was a petition to recall him but it failed. You do not recall an official by collecting signatures you moron!A recall election is held and if the general public wants someone recalled then they will be recalled. You guys not only LIE; but you are all pathological liars and minions. The City is not controlled by anyone. People who do not believe in Democracy like you make these stupid allegations. You do not want to listen to facts; hear the truth or give anyone a chance to speak. You steal political signs from buildings, threaten people with violence or loss of their business; boo a church minister and scream like pigs in City Council meetings.
There is nothing wrong about owning a business and making money; most businessman I know are honest, decent and hard working people; they do not screw their employees out of money like you did and they also pay their taxes like you did not!
You and your ilk will not be elected; your own supporters are beginning to see you as the liar you are.

You have at least 5 aliases in this blog site and you accuse others of doing the same. Just because you are phony and a liar does not mean everyone else is just like you. You admitted publicly to being a full time resident for only three months (3 months) and you want to change Marco Island?

I thought Sailor, Leyroy, Geezer, et al said lolala was Hall. Who am I to believe?

Soloman, I suppose you would also say that Clinton was never impeached? Trotter was recalled by all who signed the petition. The effort failed. Failure of an impeachment or recall process does not imply a lack of justification, just the contrary. Otherwise, it would never have happened. Live with it, 2,000 plus citizens did not think Trotter deserved to sit on our City Council and sought to have him removed.

Ray,

Why are you so angry? What makes you such a mean person? What drives your hate for your former compatriots? Was it that they threw you out? They threw you out because you were so over the top. I remember. I was there.

I don't think that you care who wins. I think that you just want attention and a way to vent. You could be turned in any direction. Kind of sad really.

Gee,they didn't endorse Minozzi's clone. I guess they don't plan on showing up at the next K of C pancake breakfast either.

Tariq,

I'm upset! First you said I was "lolala." Then it was Hall. Now it's Neylon. Admit it; you haven't the foggiest who "lolala" is and neither do I. He/she does make a lot more sense than you do, however, and is a lot more truthful. You are so overcome with hate that you can't see straight.

Ed Foster

Soloman,

Whoever you are, you're surely not the legendary wise king of the Bible. You say: "it is NOT the citizens place to make decisions for things as important as sewers, that is why we have a council. they are voted in to make the tough decisions". And who do you wish to elect to the council to make those decisions? A happy-go-lucky golfer turned bartender, a bankrupt real-estate salesman turned refrigerator salesman, a councilman who has demonstrated time and again that he listens only to a select group of people, has never found a way to spend money that he doesn't like and refuses to stand up and defend his record in open debate, and a dentist turned lawyer. There's not a one of them who has the foggiest idea of the environmental dangers that sewers bring, not a one of them who has bothered to research the EPA's current stance on sewers and septic systems, not a one of them except the councilman who has regularly attended council meetings. They're four puppets and you would have them make decisions for you rather than think for yourself? We've had enough of puppet councilmen. Don't be surprised if others prefer to elect leaders.

Ed Foster

the 'sewer puppets'- Gibson, Trotter, Walduck and Recker

Who in the world are Recker, Waldack and Gibson? I never heard of these people prior to their announcement to run for political office. They were never previously seen in Council Chambers while it was in session. Who are their supporters (John Arceri and Celebrate Marco and Chamber of Commerce)? Who contributed all that money to them (John Arceri and Celebrate Marco and Chamber of Commerce and Real Estate community) What do they stand for? (Blind Obedience to John Arceri and civilty to their elected officials). Who is the incumbent that was recalled by 2,000 voters during his first term? (Trotter). Who voted along with the majority council to bring us this unnecessary 20,000 dollar assessement? (Trotter). Which candidates best represents the current majority of Councilmembers who do not listen to thier Citizens? (Trotter missed 3 forums and Recker, Waldack and Gibson failed to show for 1 each). Who represents the will of our residents, the people who pay the taxes? (Joe Batte, Roger Hall, Butch Neylon and Andrew Guidry). Who represents open transparent government, reduced spending, reduced utility rates, halting growth? (Joe Batte, Roger Hall, Butch Neylon and Andrew Guidry). Who will not be led but will lead? (Roger Hall, Butch Neylon, Joe Batte and Andrew Guidry). Which candidates represent the best qualified and experienced for the job of representing the people of Marco Island? It must be.... Roger Hall, Joe Batte, Butch Neylon and Andrew Guidry!!

Answers to lolala:

1. Recker, Waldack, Gibson are Marco Island residents. Neylon admitted to being a resident for only three months.
2. Making a fool of yourself, shouting and booing a minister at the City Couincil never qualified anyone for office, anywhere.
3. They have thousands of supporters who want to return to peace and tranquility on Marco Island.
4. Civility is what they stand for.
5. Trotter was never recalled. If you do not understand the difference between being recalled and asking for a recall election, you should not be running for office. Did Clinton get impeached?
6. These candidates do not have to show up for your so called "forums". They showed up for the forums that count.
7. Who is Hall? Where does he live? How long has been a resident of Marco?
8. Who is Guidry? Other than his diapered appearence on a sleazy TV Show, no one heard of this opportunist.
9. Who is Neylon? Someone who does not believe in paying his employees what they are due. There is nothing lower than that.

Your candidates represent absolutely NOTHING; other than to stop the STRP and bankrupt the Island.

Ed Foster: You are wrong once again but keep on guessing.

Hate is not a political agenda. Neylon and Hall represent HATE.

Ray,

Are you admitting to being patton1 as well as sailingby, sailor, leroy, geezer and God knows how many others? You're a veritable one-man band! You know, the guy in the clown suit beating a drum while playing an harmonica, clashing cymbals between his feet and occasionally tooting a clown horn.

Seriously, Ray, the above posting by patton1 is the first I've seen that sounds like you ... focusing in on Neylon and Hall, who for some reason known only to you, elicit the full degree of your irrational hatred. Tarik, on the other hand, hates me above all others and uses the same language in his e-mails to me that he uses on the blog site. That's why I identified him with patton1. My apologies to Tarik if patton1 is really you, but why not just sign your blog postings like a man so I can restore some of the respect I once had for you.

Ed Foster

patton1,
Who are you and why are you so misinformed,stupid and so full of hate.Get a life

What else can we say? Let's continue the policy of lies, deceit and reckless irresponsibility in city government. Why, 3 of the four endorsees didn't even have the courage to attend the candidate forum last week at Mackle Park. That pretty much says sit all about themselves.

what experience does the four sewer puppets have in politics? what experience do they have with municipalities, utilities, governance?
These four ASP's (Aceri Sewer Puppets)are a joke.
Marco island, wake up or else your going to lose your paradise.
Vote Batte, Neylon, Hall & Guidry.

hey folks....let's compromise....vote 2 pro candidates and 2 anti candidates....then we can all get along...it's that simple....then the votes will be 4/3...just the opposite of what they have been....come on...2/2...it's the american way....compromise!

Van,
There are not two of the CM men worthy of my vote.I prefer 6/1, with Popoff all alone.

I agree with DC.

sailor...a recall is a recall...they were recalled...albiet not successful...kind of like an impeachment....there was an impeachment of clinton...albeit not successful...FACE it...they were recalled....by 2,000 citizens of marco island...period. a recall is a recall...and impeachment is impeachment..the history books will always state Bill Clinton was impeached...get your facts straight.

We, the People. On Election Day, the people as defined in our Democracy will have spoken. I will support the outcome, whatever it is.
But let us all be cautious of using "People" in our opinions until it is determined how the People think.
Right now, 2,000 is a minority, but we will see. So far, about 6000 of us have voted in early and absentee ballotting. This is a good sign for Marco as we need to get as many people as possible to express their votes.
Ed Issler