2008 Marco City Council Election

Full gallery »Marco Election 2008: Pro-sewer election party

  • New city councilors Jerry Gibson, Frank Recker and incumbent councilor Bill Trotter rejoice as the election results are confirmed.
  • Well-wisher surround re-elected councilor Bill Trotter as the results begin to show a solid victory for himself, Frank Recker, Jerry Gibson and Wayne Waldack.
  • A sign emerges as the celebrations begin for the winning candidates.
  • Candidates Wayne Waldack and Frank Recker are embraced after hearing 87 of 94 precincts reporting that they are ahead in Pro-sewer vote, at The Chefs' Express Courtyard Cafe in Marco Island.
  • Beverly Trotter cheers for her husband and candidate Bill Trotter after hearing the pro-sewer vote is leading, at The Chefs' Express Courtyard Cafe in Marco Island.
  • Beverly Trotter's reaction to her husband and candidate Bill Trotter's lead in the pro-sewer vote, at The Chefs' Express Courtyard Cafe in Marco Island.


Full gallery »Marco Election 2008: Anti-sewer election party

  • Andrew Guidry shared his election night with his wife Catherine and nearly four-month-old daughter Aubrey. Guidry was not successful in his election to the Marco Island City Council.
  • Roger Hall and wife Linda thank friends and volunteers who helped in his campaign for the Marco Island City Council. Hall was unsuccessful in his bid for a council seat.
  • Supporters of the candidates who opposed the sewer project crowded together to look at election results in the Marco Island City Council election on Tuesday at Konrad's Seafood & Grille Room. The four anti-sewer candidates were defeated.
  • Godfrey Davies, campaign manager for Butch Neylon and council candidate Joe Batte, standing to Davies left, look over early results in the council election on Tuesday. Batte and his anti-sewer running mates were unsuccessful in their efforts to win four council seats.
  • A huge throng lined up on election night at the salad bar at Konrad's Seafood & Grille Room. They were there in support of Joe Batte, Roger Hall, Dr. Andrew Guidry and Butch Neylon who lost their bids for election to the Marco Island City Council.
  • Jim Kennedy became a volunteer master of ceremonies for the election watch at Konrad's Seafood &Grille Room on Tuesday night. Actually, he was trying to direct traffic to the buffet in a restaurant crowded with supporters of candidates Joe Batte, Roger Hall, Butch Neylon and Dr. Andrew Guidry, whom all lost.


Full gallery »Marco Election 2008: At the polls

  • Campaign supporters hand out literature at the Marco Presbyterian Church, Precinct 190, on Tuesday afternoon. Many people stumping outside the polls said a lot of voters appeared to have made up their minds well before walking in to vote, but that didn't deter supporters from turning out in droves to make one last entreaty to voters.
  • Supporters of the four anti-sewer candidates greet cars coming into the parking lot at Marco Presbyterian Church, the polling place for Precinct 190. They said the pace was a steady trickle throughout the afternoon.
  • The flow of voters to polls is a slow trickle Tuesday afternoon on Marco Island. But poll workers say the flow has been steady, and expect turnout to be high, reaffirming predictions by the Collier County Supervisor of Elections office.
  • Candidate Joe Batte greets supporters outside the Marco Presbyterian Church, Precinct 190, on Tuesday afternoon. Batte said he and fellow candidates were up as soon as polls were open this morning, making the rounds to greet voters and drop off bottled water to supporters.
  • A poll deputy measures out 100 feet from the poll entrance at Marco Presbyterian Church, Precinct 190. Poll workers took no chances Tuesday, strictly enforcing the rules barring anyone from campaigning within a certain radius of the ballot box.
  • Incumbent Candidate Bill Trotter chats with a supporter outside the polls at the Marco Lutheran Church Tuesday afternoon. Trotter was the only candidate running for re-election. Councilor Terri DiSciullo declined to run again, and Chair Mike Minozzi and Councilor Glenn Tucker were both term-limited.

Election Day photos from precincts around Marco Island on January 29, 2008.



Full gallery »Campaign parties for Marco City Council candidates

  • Not too far from a table with pamphlets and candidate petitions, City Councilor Bill Trotter mingles with supporters in the entryway to his home. He launched his re-election campaign with a kick-off party Nov. 29, the day before signed petitions were due at City Hall for verification. Trotter is the only incumbent vying for one of four open council seats.
  • City Council candidate Wayne Waldack socializes with residents at an informal meet-and-greet at Nene's Monday night. Waldack organized the event to talk face-to-face with supporters about issues weighing on the January 29 election. Residents will have another opportunity to do that with the whole slate of eight candidates at the Marco Island Taxpayers Association forum Thursday, December 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mackle Park.
  • Marco Island Area Association Board of Realtors Governance Committee Chair Keith Dameron (center, right) shakes City Council candidate Jerry Gibson's hand before presenting him with a check from the association. Board Member Dick Shanahan (center, left) and President-Elect Jim Mashey, (far right) were also present for the formal endorsement of Gibson, a realtor, who they said represents the interests of the island's realtors and its population at large. The association will conduct formal interviews with the other seven candidates Dec. 17 to evaluate who else to endorse, followed by a debate it will co-sponsor with the Chamber of Commerce at 6:30, Dec. 17 at the Marco Island Hilton.
  • City Council Candidate Wayne Waldack talks with supporter Tom Owens Wednesday night, November 28, at a campaign meet and greet. Waldack kicked off his campaign by greeting residents in the parish hall of San Marco Catholic Church, where he answered questions and talked one-on-one with supporters. Many present asked questions about the city's Septic Tank Replacement Program, and urged Waldack to become as knowledgeable as possible about the project so he could provide reliable information to voters during his campaign.
  • City Council Candidate Jerry Gibson addresses his supporters during his campaign kick-off Tuesday night at Vergina. The event coincided with the start of the campaign qualifying period, and many of those present were signing petitions for Gibson's certification as a candidate. He urged the residents present to pass along word of his candidacy to five friends, and said he was heartened by the support he had received so far.
  • Marco Island city council candidate Frank Recker talks with people who attended his campaign kickoff party at the Marco Island Marina Clubhouse on Thursday, Nov. 15.


Full gallery »iDebate on Marco Island

  • Butch Neylon fields a question as fellow candidates Joe Batte, Andrew Guidry and Roger Hall wait in the background for their chance. Thursday's debate featured nothing but resident-submitted questions, all provided via the Marco Island Blog, a website administrated by resident Mario Sanchez.
  • Andrew Guidry makes a rebuttal at Thursday's iDebate, sponsored by Joey's Pizza and the Marco Island Blog. Only four of the eight candidates turned out for the debate, leaving little room for conflict or scathing rebuttals.
  • Joe Batte steps up to the microphone Thursday night at the iDebate, sponsored by Joey's Pizza and the Marco Island Blog.
  • Roger Hall participated Thursday night at the fifth City Council candidate forum co-sponsored by Joey's Pizza and Pasta and by the Marco Island Blog.

The fifth Marco Island City Council candidate debate was held Thursday, January 10. The debate was co-sponsored by Joey's Pizza and Pasta and by the Marco Island Blog.



Full gallery »MITA hosts intimate candidate forum

  • Jerry Gibson (bottom left corner) addresses a group.
  • Andrew Guidry pounds a point home.
  • Butch Neylon (far right) addresses a resident.
  • Roger Hall listens as a resident poses a question.
  • Joe Batte (far right) listens as a resident poses a question.
  • MITA Vice President Bill Duncan introduces the candidates

The Marco Island Taxpayers Association forum held a candidate debate Thursday, December 13.



Full gallery »Celebrate Marco hosts City Council debate

  • Candidate Roger Hall responds to a question, flanked by fellow hopefuls on the dais regularly occupied by City Council members. Pictured, from far left, are Joe Batte, Jerry Gibson, Andrew Guidry, Hall, Butch Neylon, Frank Recker and Bill Trotter. Wayne Waldack (not pictured) was also present.
  • Candidate Joe Batte
  • Candidate Butch Neylon
  • Jerry Gibson (left) listens as Andrew Guidry fields a question. Candidates were limited to two minute responses, with one-minute rebuttals allowed by any single candidate who raised his hand. In the round in which candidates could pose questions of one another, no rebuttals were allowed.
  • As more residents file into the community room for Tuesday's debate, a full house awaits the start of the night's events.
  • Supporters of the four so-called anti-sewer candidates chat near a table with campaign fliers and pins before Tuesday's debate.


Full gallery »POP kicks off Marco City Council debate season

  • Roughly 200 residents were all ears Thursday night, as they evaluated seven of the eight City Council candidates in the first debate of the season. Sponsored by political action committee Preserve Our Paradise, the debate centered around a candidate-on-candidate style of questioning.
  • Frank Recker addresses a question posed by fellow candidate Butch Neylon. The debate gave the candidates an opportunity to play off one another’s strengths and weaknesses, as they were able to ask tough questions of opponents and set up like-minded candidates for an easy volley.
  • The candidates take a breather between rounds. Pictured, from left to right, are Andrew Guidry, Butch Neylon, Wayne Waldack, Roger Hall, Joe Batte, Jerry Gibson and Frank Recker. Incumbent candidate Bill Trotter declined the invitation to the debate, citing a prior commitment.
  • Preserve Our Paradise Chair Russ Colombo takes an audience question. Members of the community queried the candidates on issues ranging from their vision of the island in eight years to the how the candidates would keep the island safe from septic system failure of the sewer program is halted.
  • Roger Hall responds to a question from fellow candidate Andrew Guidry. Candidates will have a chance to connect with residents one-on-one next Thursday night from 6 to 9 p.m. at the annual Marco Island Taxpayers Association forum at Mackle Park.


Full gallery »Petition drive for Marco City Council candidates

  • Ken Recker looks on as his wife, Sandy, signs a petition supporting his candidacy. Recker, like fellow candidate Jerry Gibson, kicked off his day at the Marco Island Yacht Club for a meeting of the Sunrise Rotary.
  • Roger Hall (left) chats with Bob Appel (sitting) and Frank Wendt (standing) after the two signed petitions at Hall's home Tuesday morning. Hall, like many other candidates, opened his home to visitors Tuesday, offering coffee and pastries to residents who signed petitions.
  • At Andrew Guidry's medical practice, rather than fill out medical paperwork, Louise Moore fills out a petition supporting Guidry's candidacy in City Council elections. She stopped by Tuesday morning just for that purpose.
  • Jack Patterson watches as neighbor Pat McKee signs a petition for his City Council candidacy. Patterson said he plans to walk the streets of his neighborhood to fill the 134 petitions he needs to qualify.
  • Robert Moscoso (left) and Steve Zoccoli fill out petitions in front of the oatmeal box converted to a paper holder for petitions endorsing Ken Allen.
  • Jerry Gibson watches as fellow Rotarian Jack Patterson (not the same Jack Patterson running for council) signs a petition at the Sunrise Rotary meeting at the Marco Island Yacht Club Tuesday morning. Patterson signed Gibson's first petition on the first morning of the qualifying period for the Jan. 29 election.

Registered Marco Island voters signed petitions for candidates seeking to qualify for Marco Island City Council elections on Tuesday, November 20. Tuesday marked the opening of the qualifying period for Jan. 29 elections.




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