http://www.marconews.com/news/opinion/columns/?partner=RSSmarconews.com Stories: Guest Columnsen-usopinion/columnshttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/nov/06/guest-commentary-housing-leads-way-economic-recove/?partner=RSSSome economists have been suggesting the recession is largely over, and the U.S. economy appears to be breathing new life. A major factor in this resuscitation is the ongoing stabilization and steps toward recovery in the real estate market. Sales are higher than year-ago levels. Pending sales for single family homes increased 163.64 percent year-to-date October 2008 to October 2009 and increased from last month (September 2009) 81.25 percent. Pending sales for all property types from October to October period increased 77.78 percent. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:55:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215175-733717opinion/columnists/allBy Charlie Neal, 2009 President, Marco Island Area Association of RealtorsMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Housing leads the way to economic recoverymarconews.comguest-commentary-housing-leads-way-economic-recoveurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215175-733717Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/nov/06/guest-commentary-lets-work-together-solutions/?partner=RSSOver the last several months our community has struggled through the process known as the annual budget. This year has been somewhat more tedious than others due to the downturn in the economic conditions around the world. Failing financial institutions, plummeting property values and the loss of jobs we’re felt by us all, so we don’t need sanctimonious lectures from those that make complaining instead of problem solving their only contribution. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:53:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215173-733717opinion/columnists/allBy Steve “Stef” StefanidesMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Let’s work together for solutions marconews.comguest-commentary-lets-work-together-solutionsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215173-733717Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/nov/06/guest-commentary-effective-budgeting-challenging-t/?partner=RSSWhile reading the front page article in last Sunday’s Eagle, “City Budget Cuts Don’t Please All,” I became concerned about numerous misleading comments, including comparing our financial process to “renovating a house while it’s on fire,” and council’s direction to explore additional cost savings as a “financial witch hunt.” Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:51:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215172-733717opinion/columnists/allBy Dr. Bill Trotter, City CouncilorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Effective budgeting in challenging timesmarconews.comguest-commentary-effective-budgeting-challenging-turn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-215172-733717Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/oct/08/guest-commentary-find-win-win-way-out/?partner=RSSWhether it is about family matters, business or a private battle with a neighbor, there comes a time in many disputes when working through to the resolution requires the involvement of third parties. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:25:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-212491-733688opinion/columnists/allBy David M. Abercrombie / Eagle i contributorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Find the ‘win, win’ way outmarconews.comguest-commentary-find-win-win-way-outurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-212491-733688Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/sep/16/brent-batten-collier-school-leaders-should-leave-m/?partner=RSSIn football, when you feint one way to divert eyes from what you’re doing, it’s called the old misdirection play. In public policy, it’s called misleading and it ought to draw a penalty flag. bebatten@naplesnews.com (BRENT BATTEN)Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:02:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-210588-733666opinion/columnists/allBRENT BATTENMarco Island, FLBrent Batten: Collier school leaders should leave misdirection to football playersmarconews.combrent-batten-collier-school-leaders-should-leave-murn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-210588-733666Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/sep/08/guest-commentary-marco-has-impact-waterways-statew/?partner=RSSIn today’s world there are too few times where an individual or an organization is given the credit which they most certainly deserve. On behalf of boaters, I would like to recognize the contribution made by Mr. Moss, Chief Reinke, the Marco Island City Council both present and past, and the Marco Island Waterway Committee. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-209879-733660opinion/columnists/allBy Herman G. Diebler / Special to the EagleMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Marco has impact on waterways statewide marconews.comguest-commentary-marco-has-impact-waterways-statewurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-209879-733658Change733660Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/sep/08/guest-commentary-police-chief-addresses-parking-en/?partner=RSSIn February of 2009, a guest commentary by Marco Island Police Lt. Matt Goetz outlined Marco Island’s parking requirements/restrictions so that citizens would be aware of what the parking situation was throughout the Island, where parking could and could not occur and why. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:47:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-209878-733658opinion/columnists/allBy Thom Carr / Chief of PoliceMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Police chief addresses parking enforcement; common violationsmarconews.comguest-commentary-police-chief-addresses-parking-enurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-209878-733658Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/aug/25/guest-commentary-new-budget/?partner=RSSCity Council clearly listens and responds to public comments and questions, and as we approach the budget public hearings residents are asking about changes to services and projects they can expect to see with the new budget. Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:45:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-208823-733644opinion/columnists/allBy STEVE THOMPSON / Marco Island City ManagerMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: The new budgetmarconews.comguest-commentary-new-budgeturn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-208823-733644Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/aug/06/guest-commentary-irreparable-and-irreversible/?partner=RSSThrough the months of April, May and the early part of June of this year, residents of Marco Island were exposed to the saga of the longest, and perhaps most complex, Code Enforcement Board (CEB) series of hearings in Marco Island history. Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:54:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-207559-733625opinion/columnists/allBy GERRY TSANDOULAS / Eagle i contributorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Irreparable and irreversible?marconews.comguest-commentary-irreparable-and-irreversibleurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-207559-733625Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jul/28/guest-commentary-kiester-requests-comments-concern/?partner=RSSCity Council will begin budget workshops for the Fiscal Year 2010 beginning in early August. I would appreciate any and all responses to a few questions of my own. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:36:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-206875-733616opinion/columnists/allBy CHUCK KIESTER / Marco Island City CouncilMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Kiester requests comments, concernsmarconews.comguest-commentary-kiester-requests-comments-concernurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-206875-733616Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jul/28/guest-commentary-facts-not-fiction---buying-water-/?partner=RSSRecently a former Marco Island resident and a chronic correspondent wrote their “histories” and their “facts” associated with the city’s purchase of the water and sewer systems in 2003. Since neither of them were involved with the purchase process and since many of the so-called facts were unfair and totally wrong, I felt it important to correct this disinformation with a factual review. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:24:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-206873-733616opinion/columnists/allBy JOHN ARCERI / Eagle i contributorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Facts not fiction - The buying of the water systemmarconews.comguest-commentary-facts-not-fiction---buying-water-urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-206873-733616Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jul/14/guest-commentary-attacks-and-misinformation/?partner=RSSA few weeks ago I published a letter in the local papers commending both LCEC and the City Council for the decision by LCEC not to have any further electric rate increases in 2009. Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:20:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-205856-733602opinion/columnists/allBy John Arceri / Eagle i contributorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Attacks and misinformationmarconews.comguest-commentary-attacks-and-misinformationurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-205856-733602Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jul/02/guest-commentary-marco-island-charter-middle-schoo/?partner=RSSMarco Island Charter Middle School's "A" grade based on FCAT scores from the Florida Department of Education comes with continued improvement and increased diversity at a school that has continually made high marks. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:55:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204985-733590opinion/columnists/allGeorge Abounader, Marco Island Charter Middle School PrincipalMARCO ISLANDGuest Commentary: Marco Island Charter Middle School's diversity, "A" grademarconews.comguest-commentary-marco-island-charter-middle-schoourn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204985-733590Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/30/guest-commentary-fourth-july-1776-birth-our-nation/?partner=RSSSince childhood I have always had a caring and fond memory for the Fourth of July. Norman Rockwell, a great American artist, portrayed the freedoms we all hold dear, enough even to fight and die for as Americans did in World War II. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:50:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204787-733588opinion/columnists/allBy Wayne Waldack / Marco IslandMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Fourth of July 1776 — The birth of our nationmarconews.comguest-commentary-fourth-july-1776-birth-our-nationurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204787-733588Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/25/guest-commentary-performance-matters-fire-departme/?partner=RSSIn this article, we continue the review of performance measures for City operations included in the report on Service Efforts and Accomplishments — the SEA Report — with a specific focus on the services of the Fire-Rescue Department. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:58:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204418-733583opinion/columnists/allBy Chief Michael Murphy / Marco Island Fire-Rescue DepartmentMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Performance matters — The Fire Departmentmarconews.comguest-commentary-performance-matters-fire-departmeurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204418-733583Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/25/guest-commentary-forensic-audit-and-odds-and-ends/?partner=RSSI recently read two self-serving letters and one self-serving “I told you so commentary.” Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:51:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204416-733583opinion/columnists/allBy Chuck Kiester / Marco Island City CouncilorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Forensic audit and odds and endsmarconews.comguest-commentary-forensic-audit-and-odds-and-endsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-204416-733583Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/16/guest-commentary-open-letter-city-council/?partner=RSSI had the pleasure of serving on the ad-hoc committee that created the draft version of the Ordinance for Short Term Rentals that you will be considering in the near future. As I said at your recent workshop and at the Planning Board hearings, the originally proposed ordinance and its various incarnations have taken on a life of its own. It has become an incubator for more government. Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:53:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-203539-733574opinion/columnists/allBy George A. Percel / Managing Broker, Prudential Florida RealtyMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: An open letter to City Councilmarconews.comguest-commentary-open-letter-city-councilurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-203539-733574Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/11/guest-commentary-seat-belts-save-lives/?partner=RSSThe idea that seat belts save lives is not a new one. Since the advent of mandatory seat belt installation in every automobile in 1968, countless lives have been saved in crashes due to restraint devices. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:41:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-203177-733569opinion/columnists/allBy Lt. Pete Beucler / Marco Island Police DepartmentMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Seat belts save livesmarconews.comguest-commentary-seat-belts-save-livesurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-203177-733569Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jun/09/guest-commentary-welcome-finance-director-bliss-th/?partner=RSSRe: Commentary “Performance Matters at City Hall,” by Finance Director Patricia Bliss. Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:24:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-202968-733567opinion/columnists/allBy Sayre Uhler / Eagle i contributorMarco Island, FLGuest Commentary: Welcome Finance Director Bliss; thanks for opennessmarconews.comguest-commentary-welcome-finance-director-bliss-thurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-202968-733567Change0Usable