User profile: conchsoup
Joined: Jan. 9, 2007
Comments posted: 140
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Comments by conchsoup
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Posted on February 3 at 12:26 a.m.
The election results show overwhelmingly that more than anything Marco Islanders reject the contentious behavior of those who were constantly bringing lawsuits against our City and who could not disengage from vicious personal attacks on our City Council members and City management with whom they disagreed.
It is apparent that some of them such as Mr. Colombo have only contempt for those who disagree with him. It is disappointing that Dr. Biles continues to foment dissent by refusing to acquiesce with a decisive majority decision.
It will be interesting to watch their behavior in future council meetings. It will be interesting to see whether or not the anti-STRP and MITA folks will get the message from the voters that their obnoxious behavior is what distanced them from the majority as well as a clear understanding that the STRP is desirable.
On Satisfaction, disappointment — and ultimately — hope abound in days after Marco election
Posted on January 20 at 9:46 p.m.
Hawk-it is a fantasy that you and others who are facing having sewers but refuse to accept responsibility for paying for them actually think the rest of island is going to subsidize you. The slate of anti-sewer candidates are one issue candidates and the vast majority of the island is already on sewers. People on sewers already are supportive of the STRP and see the desparate measures you and the angry few are still trying to foist upon the rest of us. You are the one who will lose yet again in your already long string of loses.
We are looking to put the likes of you and the negative candidates in our past!
PS
I accept responibility for paying for the STRP in my neighborhood.
Posted on December 26 at 1:37 p.m.
Most islanders see the outrageous antics of the anti-STRP crowd as disruptive and counterproductive. They are REALLY tired of your constant haranguing. They have known the councilmen and women for many years and have worked with them on countless civic organizations. They voted for them already and know them to be honest and hardworking and trust their judgment. In fact most citizens are benefiting from the changes not only from the beautification of the island but also for the environmentally sound decision to complete the sewer project. They have respect for the decisions made by the council and have noted that the upgrades increase the value of their property.
What they hear and see of you is annoying, incessant whining and crankiness. You are berating them for their election decisions and your criticisms fly in the face of what they see before them. The Island has never looked more beautiful. They see you ran off a well respected city manager who was grabbed up by a neighboring city. Naples would never have hired Mr. Moss if he were guilty of half the awful things you accuse of him of. You have no longevity here. You have no history here. You are Johnny-come-latelys (except for poor Mrs. Biles who most of us know and just shake our heads about).
You have always threatened that the next battle you will win, but you have always lost. Every single time you have lost. You lost repeatedly on appeals and even when you went to the Florida Supreme Court. You always say the next battle is your big one and you will take over control. But you lose every time. You lost the recall battle. You lost all the lawsuits you brought against the city for how they made the decision on the STRP.
Some people are just slow to grasp reality and like a stubborn child having a particularly long tantrum think they are actually going to convince the adults to respond differently.
Posted on December 25 at 9:56 p.m.
"Environmental supporters of CARES"? Who are you kidding bb? The CARES contingent was about refusing to have to pay for the sewers not about any high minded environmental sentiment. The swales were designed to collect rain runoff and before there were conduits the rain water filtered through the ground and migrated back to the canals through the area where septic tanks are located. There is nothing environmentally sound about this system.
As the tides raise the level of water in the canals the level of water is also raised in the ground water under our homes around the septic systems. Septic systems’ contents leech into the surrounding ground and are under water when the tides are high. This is not environmentally appropriate. While the action of tides carries the contents out to sea the evidence left behind in the nutrient rich canals clouds our water in algae. While it is suggested that fertilizer runoff contributes to this problem too, that does not discount the effects of tides on the underground septic tanks.
An attempt to recall the councilors supporting the septic tank replacement program was purely brought about by residents not wanting to pay for the sewer system. They could have had an argument that the price was too steep but the council went to great lengths to provide alternative payment methods including one that avoids payment at all until the property is sold. The cost is high. I know, I have to pay it too. But the democratically elected council made the decision in the best interests of the whole island.
To support the single issue candidates you suggest based solely on their promises to overturn the septic tank replacement program is detrimental to the financial well being of the island. It is detrimental to the environmental well being of the island and it is detrimental to the long term governing of the island since we have other concerns than just this issue. Finally I suggest voting for anyone but those candidates because they have shown how angry and mean spirited they are when in front of the council. They are argumentative and belligerent and generally very unpleasant to watch. I do not want to have a city run by these candidates.
Posted on September 16 at 10:01 a.m.
Liam-You did a brilliant story of this man and his life. I hope you keep writing. You deserve an award and to be encouraged. You are the best story teller at the NDN.
Posted on August 22 at 4:44 p.m.
Piano~I think a case can be made about the collusion of the three board members out of the sunshine by the actions of Thompson and by the actions of the board there and the event chronology in Rockford as reported in the press there. Additionally, to date, to my knowledge, the board members have not had to respond under oath. There are severe penalties for perjuring oneself.
We are about to write a new chapter in the history of Sunshine Law violations and what the spirit of the law is if it turns out that Mr. Abbott and Mrs. McShea orchestrated the Thompson take-over. We will also learn a lot more about the character strengths and flaws of those board members involved.
It was quite a show to watch Mr. Abbott coaching his wife Linda as she vacillated about her vote. On TV in front of everyone transfixed to the school board meeting July 31, we saw him at the microphone laying out the structure of his point of view about why his wife needed to vote to fire Baker. He sat in the front row and it appeared he was positioning himself there as a force to leverage her vote.
Linda Abbott lost any credibility she may have had. It became painfully apparent that she was doing his bidding. It will not be surprising to those of us who watched that demonstration to hear that ultimately Charlie Abbott was an architect along with Mrs. McShea in coordinating this coup.
Mr. Baker was railroaded out of his office. He has the right to have a full and fair hearing of the events that lead up to his firing. The public has an equal interest. If he wants to return to his job that should be his option if it is found that he was wrongly fired.
On Fired superintendent makes good on promise to sue school district
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Posted on August 22 at 12:36 p.m.
FYI
"Humidity in the air hastens tarnish .... Salt corrodes and pits silver"
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid...
(Therefore one can surmise my experience with quickly tarnishing silver can be attributed to the salt laden humid air found in SWFL in the summertime).
For goodness sake Ed, for someone who claims so much knowledge of chemistry, you seem bemusingly ignorant of some very basic information.
BTW-I am on septic and have been watching with great interest the unfolding story of the STRP. I am not thrilled to have to pay for this, but I do not agree with the myriad mis-statements of the above. I will not be paying for the updating to the treatment plant, only for the part that is estimated for increasing the capacity. The past sewer users are paying for the update. I have to say Ed et al that you know this is fact as well. You are very aware of the mis-statements above and show your bias when you don't correct them. Is that because you have an axe to grind and you're just plan mad at the CM because he has defeated you everytime you tried to claim this was an illegal project? This is beyond tiresome and you are only fooling yourselves.
Posted on August 22 at 12:03 p.m.
cindiwithani ~ So what you are confirming then is that the three majority board members did conspire to oust Baker and even went so far as to seek outside counsel before the airing of the report in the public view...which is the first time, supposedly, that they were able to talk among themselves about the report and Baker's role in it.
These three board members are crooked and have attempted in their fumbling feeble vindictive and manipulative ways to overthrow a sitting and contracted superintendent. Our respect for the law has to reign in this case though it will cost us because without the law there is only chaos like we have just seen.
There is a right way (legal) and a wrong way (illegal) to serve the public. If found guilty of violating the Sunshine Law (especially in light of the damage caused Mr. Baker) the three amigos should also be ousted.
There is plenty of evidence that they conspired to hire Thompson before Baker was placed in front the firing squad.
BTW The courts may debate whether he committed a firing offense and based on the kind of testimony from the report's authors, they will not find that he is guilty of one.
Interesting that Charlie Abbott, Linda Abbott's husband, is a co-conspirator in this. Is he a ring leader? Why? Anyone know what his role is in this? Or his history?
On Fired superintendent makes good on promise to sue school district
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Posted on August 18 at 2:43 p.m.
Joe-It is unbelievable the number of ways people upset about the STRP can find to bash the city admin.
South Collier Blvd. looks fantastic, was on budget and on time. There is no reason to expect any less from the current North Collier project. The Island will look better than ever in a few months, and the roads will drain properly now.
The contractors are using the vacant park space as a staging area because the city is able to reap savings from providing an on island location; Simple, efficient and effective. Just what we'd hope for from a professional city manager and staff.
I don't see any evidence that the work on Barfield is harmful to citizens. One person wrote that her silver had tarnished when she returned from being away. My silver tarnishes too in little time from the salt water air.
The complaints are part of the 'get rid of the STRP at any cost and take no survivors' mentality. The STRP is here. Every court battle; every personal attack on a councilman; every personal attack on the city manager has ended in a net loss for the attackers. It is dumbfounding how bullheaded and wrong some people persist on being....I'm sure these words will have no effect but I feel better.
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Posted on February 14 at 5:58 p.m.
Let it go Russ. The battle is over. Your war has been lost. Throwing eggs now reflects more about your poor character in the face of defeat than anything else.
Time for bygones to be bygones.
On Letter to the editor: Add value