Comments by captnjimbo

Written on Letter to the Editor: Not interested in living next to mini-golf complex:

I'm with George...we have the parks, lease them some of that space.

Written on Marco Island property owners question Mackle Park building expansion costs:

Looking for donations is a clear admission that we don't have the money for this right now. I have faith that people will eventually start coming to Marco for retirement...you can see the market picking up monthly but until the tax base is rebuilt we should just cool it a little on big capital expenditures.

Written on Snow way! 35 years ago it snowed in South Florida:

My wife and I were at a sales meeting, staying at the Hilton near Stuart...snow came at breakfast time and the servers were so overwhelmed they wentout side to make snowballs, brought them in and wrapped them and put in freezer so they could take home to their kids.

Written on Double the pleasure, double the fun: Second Marco Island mini-golf goes to City Council for approval:

Lighting should be focused down and to stay wiithin perimeter. Midnight might be an hour too long. Should not infringe on "church" activity.

Written on Marco police developing special training for officer fired, rehired :

If they can document that he had the needed training if he breaks the rules again then certainly insubordination will stick. This is a young and impulsive cop, perhaps he will learn to constrain himself unless absolutely required to protect and serve.

Written on ‘Putting’ golf on Marco Island: Planning Board hears first of two mini-golf proposals:

City has ample park space...why not lease some of it to two different operators...eliminates the "honky tonk" aformentioned...gives a new activity for old and young and provides some revenue to the parks department. Make the lease no more than five years with option for city to renew at their discretion.

Written on Marco Island Planning Board weighs regulations for temporary real estate signs:

Would you believe that visitors and seasonal renters looking to live here one day actually drive around looking for open houses and houses for sale. The signs provide a service.

They do however start to look a little tacky when 5 or six are piled up on each other, perhaps because of the restrictive placement rules.

The truth is, while inventory seems to be coming down, there is still a glut of real estate on Marco Island but people are realizing Marco is on sale now and it won't last forever. I would advise council that there are enough rules for now. Why don't the brokers police their people?

Written on Roundabout medians top issues for Marco Island's beautification committee:

How do the medians on Collier stay so beautiful...MICA.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Marco Island’s future! Really?:

RayPray has a point...but these improvements should be done through zoning, paid for by real estate developers and with a 20 year window. City/County should be supportive but not funding...temporary tax breaks might be considered as an incentive...but not tax money from the current base. Just an idea...

Written on Letter to the Editor: Marco Island’s future! Really?:

I know I shouldn't touch this but our original strip malls never were pretty and now that they are 30 years old...contrast with the Esplanade mixed use property and there is obvious room for asthetic improvement. And I suppose it could easily be left alone but the industrial section is tacky. There is room for improvement so I think an open mind on this is in order.

Written on VIDEO: Man punched, pepper sprayed in Marco patrol car settles lawsuit for $50,000:

Cops are people too...perhaps these big shots will think twice about disrespecting a cop.

Does our policemen have a long record of abuse or was a case where these punks just got to him?

Written on VIDEO: Man punched, pepper sprayed in Marco patrol car settles lawsuit for $50,000:

I give the cop a break...could have been handled differently perhaps...but in the heat of the moment...

Written on Marco Island considers city ambulance service, talks to Naples leaders :

I agree...over reacting to a snafu that can be remedied is probably not the best choice and duplicating a system that has seemed to serve us well is probablly premature. We pay taxes to the county, we should hold them accountable to provide the services they have promised.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Wastewater and water assessments on undeveloped properties (vacant lots):

Did not the city help justify the expansion with the intent of selling water off Island?

I wonder what happened there?

Written on Letter to the Editor: Wastewater and water assessments on undeveloped properties (vacant lots):

I get it but somehow it does not seem right to charge people for something they are not using.

Present lot owners should be grandfathered.

The market will take care of this eventually...if you get around you see more new homes being built than we have had for years and there seems to be a lot of new seawalls being constucted either in preparation for selling the lot or more likely preparation for home building. Something is definitely up.

Written on Test oil drilling rig on way to Cuban waters, 90 miles from Florida Keys :

Okay...we can't drill for oil in the Gulf...but the Chinese can.

Maybe we can buy the oil from them...just ship it to Houston.

Written on Mixed reaction, emotions to Marco Island's speed limit change:

speaking of donut shops...and further off subject...anybody notice the new dunkin donut signage?

Written on Mixed reaction, emotions to Marco Island's speed limit change:

When I read the change I tried it. First the bridge is posted at 35 and when you come down the Marco side...down hill...your speed picks up a little as you entered into the 30Mph.

I tried going 30 and it was incredibly hard...plus I was threatened with a rear ender and given the bird!

The problem is not the 35...it was the 45 that people were actually going. Since everyone is sounding off I think 45 on most of San Marco would be fine...35 to 40 on most of Collier would be fine except at Bald Eagle and the crosswalks where 30 would probably be best because pedestrians have trained themselves to step in front of moving vehicles (dumb).

City manager had his heart in the right spot...but the universal speed limit should have been thought thru. No real damage done.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Bridge thanks:

Pedro...It is good to be grateful for improvements in the infrastructure but to me it was a little embarrassing that Marco Island took this money from Taxpayers all over the country for a bridge we did not really need right now. Opportunistic we were.

It is indeed a well done project and will speed people on and off the island...but the in season bottle neck will show up somewhere else.

I am sure a lot of people share your enthusiasm and that is a good thing.

Written on Marco officer fired for role in August car crash:

Let's see...two miles distance at 80mph would take about one and a half minutes. At 50mph about 2 and a half minutes...a fifty seconds difference. At 80mph he did not get there at all, almost killed an innocent and destroyed two cars.

Written on Marco officer fired for role in August car crash:

Okay...three wrecks...out.

My observations of this police department have been that it is professional and the cops are pretty good people. But 85 MPH lights or no lights is poor judgement.

Written on Naples-Marco Island lost 3,000 jobs since last August, one of biggest losers in Florida:

I can't speak for Naples but it is hard to believe significant job loss on Marco...let's see, I think Guy Harveys has closed. Also we have had a couple of City jobs eliminated.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Marriott Convention Center still alive?:

This gets a little tricky, The Mariott and the meetings and conventions it draw brings a lot of prosperous people to Marco Island...people that get exposed to us and set aspirations to one day live here and with todays virtual offices they do not need to wait until retirement in many cases. With mother nature collecting so many of the original owners here so fast, the convention center would not only present job opportunity in the short term, but real estate demand in the longer term.Marriott has been a good citizen over the years...perhaps we should be a little open minded...what kind of structure are they proposing and how would it fit into our environment...without knowing how can we judge?

Written on Gulf Coast snook fans remain shut out PHOTOS:

Where I live Snook are in abundance and are running aboiut a yard long, Between the snook and the Goliath it is getting harder to catch snapper.

Written on Coyote warnings for Marco residents, visitors:

They will form packs and attack and eat your pets. They should be aggressively discouraged from moving into the neighborhood in my opinion.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Objecting to the assessments:

anybody that bought under diferent conditions should be grandfathered. Not fair to change the rules.

Written on Loan an option for Marco to replace ‘totally obsolete’ Smokehouse bridge:

in response to RAFMARFL1:

Have they considered building a parallel pedestrian/bike bridge from Jane Hitler park?
That is probably all that is obsolete.
I don't look forward to driving 20 extra miles a day for a year and a half.

Now that is outside the box thinking...love it.

The other thing we could do is to continue to build the reserve account and simply wait until we have the money.

Written on Marcophiles: Academy controversy now is academic:

in response to Dubrovnik:

And another thing Captjimbo. You are a 70 year old gradpa like I am a 21 year old model. No grandpa would dare call a mature women, such as Ms. Watt "a little girl" such as you did. This is the talk of one women, who know's the other women quite well.

once again pal...100% dead wrong are you.

Fear not pal...you will never hear a direct response from me again. It's been a hoot.

Written on Marcophiles: Academy controversy now is academic:

in response to Dubrovnik:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Sorry Pal...I am a 70 year old grandpa and 25 year owner on Marco with grandchildren that will never live here.

My comments are not self serving in any way, shape or form.

Regardless I see only upside for our owners and our ability to recruit young sucessful residents to our piece of paradise.

Written on Marcophiles: Academy controversy now is academic:

Lack of controversy will be short lived as the start up location can't handle 300-400 kids and to be viable the school has to have more than the present capacity of 100. The middle school is successful and an asset to the community and the continuity and development of the community. It would be my hope that they get universal community support so that when completed we have another institution in keeping with the improving place where we live.

Jane Watt...for a little girl you have been amazing...to have stayed so focused for so long in spite of the setbacks makes you forever special in my mind. Enjoy your opening day tiger.

Written on Marco police car involved in wreck that shut down Collier Blvd.:

The medians are beattiful but should not be higher than 18 inches near the turning lanes.

Drive the length of Collier and you will see several oportunities for accidents because of blind spots.

Written on Gators one step closer to coming to Tin City:

right...we should be teach children to hug alligators.

Written on Liz Carr has new position at Marco Island City Hall:

in response to JohninMarco:

Note to both Island guy and gator. City of Naples, 1 code officer. City of Marco, 2 officers and 1 supervisor. Naples is cutting spending by 8%. Marco raising taxes. My suggestion is follow the money.

Johnin marco...spot on and good research. Does it really take three people to do this job on this small island?

Written on Liz Carr has new position at Marco Island City Hall:

A manager and two officers. That adds up to three bodies.

Written on What are your thoughts? | Stock market plunges 512 points, worst drop since 2008 :

rolomokat...thanks for clearing this up for us.

Written on What are your thoughts? | Stock market plunges 512 points, worst drop since 2008 :

WTF...interesting handle (I used to fly)

You may be right, but I sure hope not. My sense is we are agonizing slowly on the comeback but fear has a funny way of manifesting.

Written on What are your thoughts? | Stock market plunges 512 points, worst drop since 2008 :

While on the subject of the stock market a 10% drop within a month just does not make sense. In spite of a mixed economic environment large caps seem to be showing great improvement as they are seeing signs of life with dramatically reduced overhead and employees...they have lots of cash and the M&A situation seems to be heating up. We certainly are not in great shape but cars are on the road, people are in stores, real estate seems to be picking up...but increased taxes are going to happen and it has people spooked. It is tough to predict a bottom line into the future, blah blah. It looks to me however that somehow the market is being manipulated...no proof, but a sudden sell off if you are on the front end of it means a bigger gain when it recovers...I think we are being played.

Written on Big Cypress parents: Transfer of principal will ‘split up our family’:

I grew up in business and have seen what a fresh look can do. I have seen districts, regions and national programs and companies that were percieved to be well run...and indeed were well run...accelerate growth dramaitically because the change in management generated a fresh look, discovering opportunities the established managers just did not see and therefore did not pursue.

Retail chain stores do this all the time...fresh look, new challenges, continuous improvement is the goal. Many CEO positions change every 3-5 years because boards tend to bring in expertise to solve the current situation. You see the need with politicians all the time and you can also see how some long term incumbents get too secure and comfortable.

This could be a very good thing...shake things up a little.

Written on Protected shorebirds killed on Marco beach:

There is a woman that takes a dog on that beach unleashed. My wife approached her to tell her that dogs were not allowed, out of an act of kindness, so she would not be fined. The woman unleashed a fury at her claiming she was stupid because she knew nothing about comfort dogs. Residents beach guards might have something to say about this.

Written on WCI out of bankruptcy, but stalled communities leave residents angry:

I know this is going to look like a subject switch. I am for the Charter School on Marco, but I am not against Lely. This article lays the poor sales on the schools. Give me a break...high prices and a colapsed economy killed this project...not the schools.

Written on End of an era: Marco Police Chief Thom Carr resigns, says lawsuits not part of decision:

in response to rolomokat:

This just in: Chief Carr has retired. And in a related story: Dunkin Donut stock is down 3 points on the day.

Now that's funny!

Written on Naples city manager gets protection after ex-worker vows to ‘shoot Moss in head’:

Ocram...there is wisdom in your words.

Written on Falling grades: Collier County Schools no longer an 'A':

While there were some shifts negative, they were minor versus the overall gains...a positive article. The slight decline in Collier can be regained. Keeping score and competition are good things.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Cannot be undone:

I am just about done with this but just to clarify...I have never knocked any teacher although I think the unions have become too strong over the years and there are teachers that should have moved along as there are employees in any profession. Next, I have no children anywhere near this Island and because of professions do not expect any need for personal use of the schools here. I do have grandchildren in the Detroit Burbs, the Chicago Burbs, the Minneapolis Burbs, Mystic Ct and I lived in Wisconsin. I had a daughter that was a public school teacher and I have another daughter that has taught in public schools and is fully acredited and is now teaching in a private academy and I have been paying attention to this issue for over twenty years. I was lucky enough to afford private and parochial schools for my kids who also attended public schools until they hit the wall in these oversized and somewhat impersonal and remote high schools...a problem that I have seen in many communities up close and personal.

Also...and we have been down this road before...I don't think I have ever taken a personal slam at anyone on this blog site, except to criticise an occasional blogger that had been insulting to another individual or so far off the mark that they were insulting to all.

I have some knowledge and some experience and a point of view which I occasionally share mainly for the purpose of broadening a discussion...and that is it from me on this conversation chain.

Written on Riviere’s greatest hits: Marco Island’s city manager presents list of accomplishments to City Council:

Short memories...this guy is a saint next to the hot shot we had before.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Cannot be undone:

Blondie...not my point of view but well presented. The beauty of this blog site on our somewhat isolated Island is that a lot of ideas from a diverse background have the opportunity to get aired out. In my own case I went to high school, 100 in the graduating class...all white boys with a dead mother or father...not much diversity there. But I did get a pretty good education and worked my way up to a vice president of a 500 million dollar a year publisher and finished my career as president of a substantial printing company and retired to Marco Island at 59 years old.

They used to say you got the diversity thing in college and then in the workforce...not sure it is such a big deal in high school. I would vote for more attention in smaller classrooms where there is little opportunity to get lost in a system that is too remote and too impersonal. But if that is what people want...they can get it...just keep sending your kids to Lely.

At least one will be able to choose and that's a pretty good thing...right?

Written on Letter to the Editor: Cannot be undone:

The best thing about Pilar's statement is that it is well writen.

It ignores the fact however that the charter school system has gotten wheels almost everywhere in the country.

Like a lot of big business, there has been massive consolidation in the public school system over the years resulting in the elimination of neighborhood schools and parental involvement, disclocated administration, a break in discipline and to protect themselves in what has turned out to be a factory type mentality teacher's unions that have probably gotten too much protection and have added to the problem.

The Charter school concept takes us back to smaller neighborhood operations where the teachers are on one year contracts and the parents stay more closely involved and the administration is focused on one school at a time. As Marco Island has grown and matured its needs for a workforce has also and as proven by the success of the elemetary school and the Charter Middle school both the need and the demand have been proven and the results of a smaller community based concept have been excellent.

When you figure that the tax money you pay will be comming directly back to the community, transportation cost should drop, time wasted on the bus, time wasted driving back and forth to Lely, jobs created on the island and a good education for the consumer, how is this not a win for all of us?

One thing this string of blogs is not about...turtles.

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