Marco gears up plans for Tract K while School District abandons solar proposal

EAGLE i submission

Aerial view of the 11.6 acre, on-Island Collier County School District land, Tract K. Submitted by Tony Zarrella, EAGLE i

Photo by KELLY FARRELL, Staff

Two American Bald Eagles watch over their nest on Tract K, which is an otherwise vacant piece of Marco land on Tigertail Court owned by the Collier County School District. The eagles were perched on the tree nearby their nesting fuzzy eaglets Monday evening after the Florida Energy and Climate Commission chose to grant money for green energy projects other than the solar project planned for Tract K at their meeting Feb. 22, 2009. Kelly Farrell/ Staff

Terri DiSciullo on Tract K solar

Former Marco City Councilor shares her thoughts.

MARCO ISLAND — Tract K might still go to the city’s hands. At a Marco Island City Council meeting Monday evening, council members discussed purchasing the property. It was not an agenda item, but was brought up during Council communication.

Councilman Jerry Gibson said he hoped the council could just let lay low on the issue for at least a year.

"After what we’ve just come through, nothing is going to happen right now. I think we’re rubbing salt in an open wound," he said.

Some council members indicated that the council and the School Board would have to mend some fences before a true dialogue could happen.

"Right now, we don’t have a school board with open ears," said Councilman Rob Popoff.

Popoff said the city could buy it, but doesn’t currently have the money. The city could lobby the School Board for some generosity, but Popoff said he doesn’t see it working.

"Even if the eagles leave, we have to wait six years before we can do anything." he said.

Council Chairman Bill Trotter added that a workshop should limit public comment so Council and city officials can work through options of moving forward without further offending school officials with heated public debates on the issue.

"We don’t want to polarize this issue anymore than we already have." he said.

The Council will address the issue at a workshop at 3 p.m. Monday, March 16, in the Community Room at City Hall, 51 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco.