Comments by GorgonZola

Written on Marco's finance director retires amid questions of city financial practices:

Hallowe'en is coming -- forget the witch hunt, get off your brooms and use them for a clean sweep. Get rid of every director and person earning over $65,000 at the City and start fresh. Then elect 7 new councilors. If we need a fresh start, (AND WE DO) we need to fumigate first.

Written on Hideaway Beach continues to wash out to sea:

The caption under the photo in the newspaper is deceptive and misleading: there are NO private beaches in Florida. It is overly dramatic and irresponsible reporting to refer to it in this way. However, if this is to be judged by public access as being "below the water line' - we believe this is already washed away at the beach in question.. As we float around Marco Island waterways by boat during the season we see as many boats and people on the Hideaway beach as there are anywhere else. We have never stopped to ask if they are residents or tourists, or why some of them on this public beach are taking advantage of it as an opportunity to walk their dogs and use it as a dog toilet. Certainly no one gets all hot and bothered about Keywaydin, which is only accessible by boat.
Refusing financial aid to renourish this beach can have far-reaching and severe consequences and it seems to us it's not all about sand and the environment. for years - until it became too painful to witness, we sat through hours of TDC and Coastal Advisory Meetings, watching the body language and sour-puss facial expressions of some of their members whenever Marco Island or Hideaway were mentioned. They did not even wait to heqar what the issue was - they already made up heir minds to say "NO" to anything involving us. Is it jealousy and sour grapes? Could be. It's time that everyone looked at the larger photo and cut the political crap. It's not all about disappearing beaches, or action would be taken. People who pay chokingly high taxes and participate in the community for the dubious pleasure of living here are about to lose their homes as the beach vanishes. Wake up! As we have observed, folks who live in Hideaway are no different from the rest of us. They seem to have worked hard all their lives to achieve a certain lifestyle -- good for them! They pay tremendous taxes and frankly, we have heard that many are suffering similar financial problems during these troubling times. Hitting them with extra fees to pay for a beach that anyone can use is criminal.
You may not wish to admit this, but many philanthropical organizations in the community would be a lot poorer in many respects, if it weren't for the generosity of these people, who may be forced to leave if they are faced with even greater financial obligations. Just look at the millions - and we do mean millions - of dollars they have contributed over the years to local organizations such as the Historical Society, The American Cancer Society, Friends of the Library, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, - to name just a few.
If this were about a beach in Naples - granted it receives more traffic - there would be no question.

Written on None:

As always, there's good news and bad news, but it will take a while to sort out. In a few days, weeks, or months - like everything else around here - will it matter? Moss will move on and so will time. He will do the job - he is competent - but we're not sure his fuzzy warm personality was evident in interviews. Question is, who will replace him - someone who felt Naples was the plum job - will he or she settle for the grape - or the raisin?
Unfortunately, when Moss packs his city hall bag, he'll leave behind all the incompetents he hired and was too chicken to fire,We can barely wait to see the list of those who apply for the his position and actually think they can do it - ( or those who are SURE they can do it, but don't apply) -- finally Marco will have something to laugh about.

Written on Sulfides high in small areas:

Now go and download the results - make your own decision on it. Not everything is a "story" -
Yesterday we heard an ignorant person blabbing at great length and volume how he had become very ill and thought he had "food poisoning" from eating lunch in a Greasy Sleeve on Marco two weeks ago. He had a rapt audience, swallowing this tripe. He was sure it was from "what that gas is that's leaking here from the sewers". This is what we deal with: people who don't know anything, acting as if they know everything - and are spreading it around. That is more dangerous than the alleged 'gas'. Too bad he doesn't have some strawberries so it won't go to waste.

Written on Guest commentary: Marco gas: Is it bad?:

We would rather hear from every single doctor on the island and in this area, instead of one (whose history of diagnosis within our family has been so totally incorrect). We need second, third, and as many other opinions as it takes until truth and facts are uncovered. The very competent Dr. Colpher is always on top of situations like this.
According to some of the data from the Tourist Development Board, if one cares to believe it, this area is enjoying the benefits of a busy tourist season, and with tourists usually there is a list of flu and illness bugs at any ime of year. Many people self-medicate because of the high cost of healh care or because they are merely temporarily indisposed, not terribly ill. Then of course - but heavens, we would never find these people on Marvelous Marco - we have those who hear of illness and immediately discover they have all the symptoms including the accompanying hysteria.
Let's see what the facts uncover before making any pronouncements.

Written on Marco Walk almost in compliance, says Olmsted:

We have never had a problem parking here - ever - regardless of the day or time.
Furthermore, this is the first time this location has had any taste and panache - the fountains are lovely, and the entire area looks clean and cared-for. Agami has taken a dead place and pumped a little energy into it. He is obviously no fool and a good business person - who seems to have had experience with some intelligent city officials in other places.
Do you think it's possible that 'someone' changed the rules after the game began?

Written on Marco support staff union attempts hit snag:

We wonder how many people are involved here - is it a massive list of 50? 100? 20? Or none of these?
How much time would it take for an accommodating person to compile this list - and let's face it - how long would it take LL to delegate the job?
We also wonder who is more equipped to comment on whether or not they need a union - the city clerk, or the employees - who must feel their rights are not being addressed.
We suppose she digs in her heels -- because she can. Another reason for a union. Wake up and smell the cappuccino.

Written on DUI suspect rams house:

Don't you have anything useful to say? How , shameful, pathetic, and unfortunately, typical.

Written on On the Town: Look out Naples code violators — here comes Liz:

Maybe she won't be missed by lawbreakers, nitwits, and trash mouths who can only discuss people and not issues, but Liz Carr has historically been one of the hardest-working, honest, and least recognized of city staff. She is often criticized by those who try to get away with making their own rules, but she's a no-nonsense person, always interested in her own professional development; we'd be proud to hire for our firm any day. It is a loss to the city - the good stuff goes north, while the inferior seems to move south.
Good luck to Liz - and may she enjoy the fresh air of a new position.

Written on Collier County launches second phase of bridge survey:

By the way - a quick scan of every major newspaper around the country and the world shows -99.9% of the world is looking at bridges in the same way. But only on Marco would you see a stupid comment like this:
"Leave it to Marco news and politics to twist a tragedy like MN to try to scare people into thinking we now need another multi, multi million dollar project. Ms. Williams, you should be ashamed of your opening sentence. Give the people of that bridge collapse some respect and just report the story instead of making it all about Marco politics in the first line."
THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY SHAMEFUL (and typical)! Creating trouble where none exists.

Features