Comments by sailingby

Written on Letter to the Editor: Are you a cry-baby?:

Based on the artless responses of 2themoon, johninmarco, ajm3s and 16_days it is no wonder why Marco Island lost a candidate who wanted to serve as a reasonable, balanced councilor.

The above comments are typical of the mudslinging Marco misanthropes who debase the higher strivings of communal community decision making through respect for one's opposition. They are a disgrace.

Written on Letter to the Editor: ‘Contractor’s raise the roof’:

Steve Olmsted would make a much better qualified City Manager than Riviere.

His implementation of cross-training building inspectors with code enforcement was an intelligent and creative response to the unique set of circumstances the City was facing at the time. This highlights the significant difference between someone with years of actual city management experience and someone who is pretending he has the background required.

Where is the City Council on this? They must see the disconnect between what Riviere's lack of experience has wrought and his complete lack of understanding how the machinery of local government works compounded by utter tone deafness to hearing the needs of the public. The contractors nearly had to run him off on a rail to get his attention.

Marco Island deserves better. We deserve a professional manager.

Written on Contractors raise the roof on Marco Island city manager's decision to move building inspectors to Naples :

The City Council seems to be MIA. Were they informed? Where are the quotations from the Councilmen regarding their opinions on this?

The City Council has the authority over approving the budget. They approved the 2012 budget for the Building Services Department. How can the City Manager eliminate an approved budgeted program in effect over-riding the Council on the budget?

What is the relevance of Riviere saying he fired Olmsted because he didn't cross train the inspectors? If he felt so strongly about it why didn't he set that in motion?

Where is the transparency that Riviere is so keen about? Where is the public forum keeping the residents informed about whatever problems have led up to this decision?

From the 2012 Budget:

Mission Statement
The mission of Building Services is to provide a superior level of building code compliance for the preservation of life, safety, and the general welfare of the people on Marco Island. This is accomplished through the enactment and strict enforcement of effective codes and standards to ensure the integrity of all the components that make up the building environment. Customer service and efficiency are the cornerstones. Consistent code enforcement and permits insure the longevity of the structures for many years and should outlast multiple owners.

Written on 40 non-citizens in Collier and Lee registered to vote, state says :

It does not appear that the current voter registration form for Collier County requests sufficient information to have the capability of verifying a registration in another state.

In fact the online registration form does not request information about in which state a person was previously registered. It does not require a social security number nor a Florida driver's license number. (It requests them, but notes they are not required).

In fact, if you are over 65 "you are exempt from having to provide a copy of an ID at this time."

Makes one wonder if there are more illegally registered voters over the age of 65 than there are non-citizens registered.

Written on Down the same road as Germany (Council for Constitutional Principles):

Interesting...a person who claims to have developed the atomic bomb accuses the President of "engineering the decline of the American republic". A person who dedicated his intellect to engineering the most distructive force humans have ever built climbs on his reputation to accuse others of engineering destruction. I'm sure there are armchair psychologists reading this who can see through his guilt which can only be assuaged by deflecting people away from viewing his diabolical behavior.

But his efforts are ineffectual. There is no pardon for his godless behavior and how he squandered the great gifts he was given.

Written on Would you support a Collier County program offering loans for energy efficiency?:

We could use examples of how the program works individually; who stands to reap benefits (contractors, etc); are contractors approved by local government to protect homeowners; are there tax or other incentives? So far the concept description is a little flimsy and fraught with potential opportunities for fly-by-night contractor abuse.

Protect the property owners and the tax payers.

In 2010 Michigan passed PACE legislation: "The legislation only applies to commercial and industrial properties. In the case of loans for more than $250,000, there must be (1) ongoing measurements that establish the savings realized by the owner from the energy project and (2) a provision in the contract for the installation of an energy project that the contractor guarantee that the project will save more than its costs and that the contractor will pay the owner, on an annual basis, any shortfall in savings."

In Vermont: The law requires municipalities that establish PACE programs to (1) follow underwriting criteria consistent with standards established by the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration and (2) establish other qualifying criteria to provide an adequate level of assurance that property owners will have the ability to meet assessment payment obligations. The law also limits the maximum amount to be repaid for an individual improvement project to $30,000 or 15% of the property's assessed value, whichever is less.

Written on Collier program back on track to retrofit properties with energy-efficient devices - POLL:

We could use examples of how the program works individually; who stands to reap benefits (contractors, etc); are contractors approved by local government to protect homeowners; are there tax or other incentives? So far the concept description is a little flimsy and fraught with potential opportunities for fly-by-night contractor abuse.

Protect the property owners and the tax payers.

In 2010 Michigan passed PACE legislation: "The legislation only applies to commercial and industrial properties. In the case of loans for more than $250,000, there must be (1) ongoing measurements that establish the savings realized by the owner from the energy project and (2) a provision in the contract for the installation of an energy project that the contractor guarantee that the project will save more than its costs and that the contractor will pay the owner, on an annual basis, any shortfall in savings."

In Vermont: The law requires municipalities that establish PACE programs to (1) follow underwriting criteria consistent with standards established by the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration and (2) establish other qualifying criteria to provide an adequate level of assurance that property owners will have the ability to meet assessment payment obligations. The law also limits the maximum amount to be repaid for an individual improvement project to $30,000 or 15% of the property's assessed value, whichever is less.

Written on Marco Island Planning Board: Draft handbook outlines elimination of inorganic materials in swales:

As pointed out in the article, swales are designed to usher stormwater run-off into drains in the easements between properties which then exits directly into the canals. It is not like the stormwater sits in the swales and gently percolates through the plant roots as was claimed by one source.

In fact if there were no drains the stormwater would filter through the swales and through either the rock or the ground cover then continue filtering through the ground until it reached either the water table or managed to make its way to the canal.

The arguement that this proposal is to protect the environment is a stretch at best.

If there are grants to foot the bill for the transition that makes it patiable. But please have the Beautification committee come up with some draught tolerant options. How about perennial peanut?

Written on Marco Island Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee: City parks in danger of being loved to death:

In trying to follow the money..."Bryan Milk, community affairs director, said plans are progressing to fund a $4 million building and to negotiate a leaseback partnership with a selected builder. He said offers have been received from Mills Gilbane Building Company, Phoenix Associates, and more recently, Kraft Construction.

Marco Island City Council included $600,000 for Mackle Park’s building project in its 2013 budget and subsequent budgets that would amount to $3 million, Milk said. He is looking at proposals that would set a leaseback payment at about $400,000 per year but did not specify the number of years." http://www.marconews.com/news/2012/ja...

The number of years is a critical factor in the equation. Looks like Milk is saying $3,600,000 total construction cost. If the City pays a leaseback of $400,000 per year the City will have paid $3,600,000 in 9 years and NOT own a thing. After 9 years the cost of the facility goes up $400,000 per year if the City is required to continue paying a leaseback.

A leaseback does not appear to be a good thing for the City.

It is only a good deal for the builder who will still own the facility and has a guaranteed income of $400,000 per year.

It is better for the City to come up with construction funding.

Written on Letter to the Editor: The need is not there:

MICA does not represent a majority of the Island.

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

The City needs to start posting the Parks and Rec's Committee agendas (not just the dates of meetings), meeting minutes and related documents in full on the City website. There is a webpage devoted to this: (http://www.cityofmarcoisland.com/inde... ) but as City Staff Liaison, Bryan Milk has not followed through. He needs to make the proceedings more transparent.

Since Mr. Milk is the Staff Liaison for 3 major advisory committees/boards (Beautification-now pushing for replacing rocks in swales with sod, Parks and Recs now pushing a huge expansion with potential public/private business deals, and the Planning Board, in addition his position as Community Services Director), he has huge power to influence and therefore, huge responsibility to keep the public informed about the proceedings. This may help reduce tensions by keeping the public in the loop and provide more oversight to his alarmingly expanding and apparently unchecked roles.

In fact, the minutes, agendas and related documents from all committee/board meetings should be posted for the public welfare.

The City Council could easily request the City Manager provide this service to the public. Presumably, in compliance with Florida's Sunshine laws, agendas are being publicly posted in advance and minutes are being recorded so timely uploading them to the website should not be a burden.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Not a ‘swale’ idea:

This is an example of an unfunded mandate brought to you by the beautification committee who might want to impose tile roofs next or fancy manatee mail boxes to improve the Island look.

They seem to have completely overlooked the fact that water conservation should be one of the highest priorities for this Island and should be encouraging folks to find other methods of landscaping rather than sod. This is a huge step backward.

The beautification committee is arguing the conservation benefits of lawn in swales as a filter for stormwater...however, storm water runs into the culverts at relatively the same pace whether over sod or rocks during heavy downpours when the rain pools up a couple of inches. What is there to filter, by the way? Our cul-de-sacs receive so little traffic that the there is no significant build-up of debris and oils. The filter argument is a red herring.

I heard that Bahia grass should be used because then no irrigation system would need to be installed. This is based on the notion that Bahia grass will go dormant in the dry season and come back in the Spring. But in the meantime, it looks terrible and becomes weed infested and will eventually become a weed patch unless fertilizers and weed poisons are added which increases the amount of pollutants running off into the canals.

This is a bad idea. And a wasteful expense forced on unwilling property owners.

Written on Jan. 23 Town Hall will let residents ask for answers from City Council:

Please live stream this Town Hall meeting or at least video and post on City website.

Written on Stefanides and Morris celebrated as Marco Island honorees at annual Christmas Gala:

Shadow-You are surprisingly correct when you say "...we do nothing". And that is why can't even imagine the contributions given by the men recognized this year and the men and women recognized in past years.

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

So dependable. We knew it was Uhler without reading the letter writer's name. His style is one of histrionics couched in stale rhetoric splayed in his reactionary knee jerk response to any notion regarding even thinking about improving our island.

He is chumming the waters for the usual suspects of nay-sayers, curmudgeons, and hate mongers. Denouncing any potential improvement discussions with hyperbole as though those proposing them were terrorists attempting to overthrow the island.

Using his accustomed technique of boldly lying e.g. "It mandates newly increased population density credits" where no such thing has occurred. (Like a delinquent in movie theater yelling "Fire" to watch the melee that ensues).

It is ignorant to prevent discussion. It is ignorant to cling to cliches and damaging to foist them as truisms, especially as sport.

"decibel-piercing saloons" Really?

Let's explore the ideas of potential improvements and enjoy the mental exercise of sharing ideas in the common good. The world moves on in spite of those who would keep all progress from even being conceptualized.

Written on Islander Jon Arceri among oldest first-year law students:

"And, as a Catholic, I want to help with pro-life issues from a legal perspective.”

John, I implore you to use your strong personality to protect women's rights to choose and to focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies. Please work to increase knowledge about how conception occurs and about the options available for the most vulnerable and at risk, our young people.

Written on Eyes Only: Government not always conducted in the ‘sunshine’:

5) The site of the facility should be within 25 miles of a state designated rural area of critical economic concern;
6) Specific deadlines for construction and employment; and 7) The project will attract substantial additional economic activity to the region. The grant may be awarded, but no funds may be released if these requirements are not met. If these requirements are not met by March 1, 2011, the funds provided above shall revert to the General Revenue Fund.

When you get another moment please see if you can find out when the proposed site was chosen. Were there any other options considered? Who decided on this location?

Thank you for investigating this. It seems that if the public is expected to fund this with $260,000,000 of state and local taxes, then the public has a right to know the details.

Written on Eyes Only: Government not always conducted in the ‘sunshine’:

Please review the following and see if you can determine the time-line for the Jackson Labs proposal:
Below is the Section from Chapter 2010-152, Laws of Florida, that pertains to the Innovation Incentive Program funding:
SECTION 73. The nonrecurring sum of $75,000,000 is appropriated from
the General Revenue Fund to the Executive Office of the Governor, Office
of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, for the Innovation Incentive Program as defined in Section 288.1089, Florida Statutes.
The funding provided in this section is contingent upon the enactment of federal law which extends the enhanced Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage rate, as provided under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. (P.L. 111-5), from December 31, 2010, through June 30, 2011.
Of the funds provided in this section, $50,000,000 from nonrecurring general revenue are part of a maximum three year commitment of $130,000,000, subject to annual appropriation, to fund the development of a research institute focused on genetics and personalized medicine.
Any applicant, to be eligible to apply, must have a demonstrated history
of genetic research, of earning national research grants, and of
establishing global partnerships and commercializing its research, and
must meet the requirements provided below. Before receiving state funds,
the approved entity must enter into an agreement with the Office of Trade, Tourism and Economic Development (OTTED) that, in addition to the
criteria and contract requirements established in Section 288.1089, Florida Statutes, will meet the following requirements:
1) The mechanism to provide local matching funds will be adopted by the
local government within 120 days of the grant award from OTTED, and such local commitment must include at least $130,000,000 of cash, committed future revenues which OTTED determines to have a value of $130,000,000, land or infrastructure, or some combination thereof equaling $130,000,000;

2) As part of the local match requirements in Section 288.1089, Florida Statutes, the project must have secured a site of sufficient size, and
construction shall commence within 60 days of adoption of the local matching funds mechanism;

3) Within 180 days of the award being granted, the entity, in coordination with public and private partnerships, shall commence a philanthropic campaign of up to $120,000,000. Revenues derived from such a campaign may include but are not limited to cash or credit worthy

personal guarantees of philanthropic support. This effort must document with OTTED the expected fundraising benchmarks for the first, fifth and tenth year of the project; 4) The entity may not have received prior funding from the Florida
Innovation Incentive fund or any other state funds;
(Cont below)

Written on Letter to the Editor: Act like our forefathers did:

in response to islandeye1#236971:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

I would have enjoyed having a serious discussion about the issues with you but I will no longer comment on the same page with Klabautermann.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Act like our forefathers did:

"On Thursday, House Republicans released their “Pledge to America,” supposedly outlining their policy agenda. In essence, what they say is, “Deficits are a terrible thing. Let’s make them much bigger.” The document repeatedly condemns federal debt — 16 times, by my count. But the main substantive policy proposal is to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, which independent estimates say would add about $3.7 trillion to the debt over the next decade — about $700 billion more than the Obama administration’s tax proposals."
Paul Krugman

Written on Letter to the Editor: Some views and questions on the Charter School proposal:

There would be a very negative impact on Lely High School if the Marco Island Academy (MIA) drew nearly a quarter of the students away from it. Schools receive financing based on a head count. A certain amount is allocated per student and it becomes the budget for the school. That would be devastating to Lely and it would be completely understandable if the School Board saw this MIA as too detrimental to approve.

If it is a great education the MIA parents seek with the academic rigor they propose then establish the academy within Lely High School to compliment the already outstanding programs offered there.

That might actually have a chance at success and would be an efficient and cost effective solution.

Written on Commissioner Donna Fiala discusses Jackson Labs at Marco Kiwanis:

The population of Bar Harbor, Maine is nearly 5,000. With 1200 employees nearly a quarter of the population works for Jackson Labs; it would create a significant economic impact if it left.

But that is not what Fiala said would occur here. Collier County has 350,000 people. 200 new employees in 10 years at a cost of $130 million is completely outrageous and not even a drop in the bucket!

Written on Guest Commentary: Chamber vows to unite Southwest Florida through marketing campaign:

in response to blogsmog:

First the Chamber tears our community in two, now they want to unite it?
I'm still waiting for an apology from the Chamber(and there are a lot of others waiting too)for their political, demeaning behaviour during the STRP battle.
Vip, you got your head stuck in the 'sand' if you think the Marco citizens are just going to forget what you did to them.

The Chamber did not support or decry the STRP. They did deplore the hate filled behavior of those who went well beyond civil discourse on the matter.

The Chamber members are local home owners with families on the Island. They are struggling with the economic downturn just as we all are.

We need to make every effort to show our beautiful piece of paradise is a wonderful place to live and visit and that we are friendly and respectful to one another, because that is the higher ground.

Lay down your saber blogsmog. The battle is long over. It is time to move on.

Written on Guest column: Chamber says thanks for spectacular Fourth:

Thank you! The fireworks were spectacular. We took out of town guests who were completely impressed. What a delight to sit on the beach on a beautiful evening and celebrate the birthday of this great country. What a special place we get to call home.

Your efforts are very much appreciated.

Written on Survey says: Marco residents warm to charter high school, not redevelopment district:

islandeye-Having trouble staying on subject? Are you denying that MICA editors wrote a biased article denouncing the potential CRA prior to their surveying their membership about their opinion about the CRA? Aren't you curious about their motivation?

If you would like to debate (or even discuss) any of my previous positions on issues I welcome it. Your post above, however, was not to enlighten but to distract from the issue at hand, namely the credibility (or more precisely, the incredibility) of the MICA survey.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Be an informed, involved citizen:

in response to ajm3s:

Free Speech

Next I suppose you'll expect they have the right to vote. Then they may even want marriage rights. Where does the insanity end?

Written on Survey says: Marco residents warm to charter high school, not redevelopment district:

Oh for crying out loud. The MICA newsletter editors wrote a scorching article throwing fear into its membership claiming that the redevelopment would mean thousands of people would be moving into the high rises that would be built in the town center increasing the density and causing bedlam in the streets!

The article was filled with distortions about communities bankrupted by CRAs (there have actually never been any bankrupt communities as a result of a CRA) and rampant corruption and plague and pestulance...

No wonder they got the results they intended to get. When you have to win by deception and integrity is nowhere to be found, what does that say about the way Fay Biles and the naysayers are running things?

The folks heading up MICA should be ashamed of themselves. But those of us who have lived here a long time, know that will never happen. They are so afraid of losing more power. They were the little princes of the Island before it became a City. They are self important guardians (more like condo commandos though) of the deed restrictions Deltona handed them and constantly refer to the deeds restrictions as "The Master Plan" (even though there isn't one) for Marco Island.

So now that another entity, such as a Community Redevelopment Agency, begins to look promising, they try to kill the baby in the crib before it can chip away more at their dwindling power base.

This is just more of the same dig your heels in and just say no to any promising idea that they do not control.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Be an informed, involved citizen:

Have you, in your careful reading of the Constitution, discovered where corporations have the right to voice opinions about issues?

Written on Letter to the Editor: Trivial pursuit:

Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful letter. What you described of your childhood home is very sad.

Like you I am very happy to be able to share my life here on beautiful Marco Island with generations of family. We too appreciate the improvements and enjoy the best streets we ever had in our neighborhood since the sewers were installed.

We live in a great land. Happy birthday America!

Written on Letter to the Editor: Be an informed, involved citizen:

in response to ajm3s:

As an indication of how far we hare strayed as a nation, here is an article making note that a publisher of the Constitution includes a "disclaimer". I would not believe it if I did not see it for myself.

The disclaimer: "This book is a product of its time and does not reflect the same values as it would if it were written today."

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-dre...

Simply unbelievable. Ms. Drummond is an American patriot for reminding Americans to actively engage and be informed.

AJM-

So you disagree with the amendments to the Constitution that were added to improve the original such as the abolition of slavery? Or the protection of the Constitution be extended to include the right to vote for all people without consideration of the color of their skin or of their gender?

Of course the Constitution was a product of its time and we as an intelligent people, capable of learning and adapting what we have learned are able to take advantage of the provisions in the Constitution for modifying it. The Founding Fathers themselves new that it was a work in progress.

BTW
Michael Sanchez holds a degree in history from Fl Int. U. He is not a Constitutional scholar...

Written on Letter to the Editor: The spending continues:

Consultants are contracted to perform professional services so that the City doesn't have to hire them full time. We do not need to have a full time bridge engineer for example. If you think it is more cost effective to have someone inhouse to be available for our engineering design needs, I'm sure it can be arranged.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Re: Vip Grover’s ‘CRA: Fact vs. Fiction’ guest commentary:

Fact: Simply, nothing will move forward until there is sufficient inspection of any redevelopment plans by the public (through Charettes and open forums) and approved by the City Council who make decisions based on their responsibility to the voters on Marco Island.

We are chosing to control the destiny of the Island's redevelpment

Written on Marco Island signs EPA settlement agreement over handling of asbestos :

in response to EdFoster:

I am extremely pleased that the City was not fined and that Quality Enterprises was and that QE effectively pleaded guilty to the six counts of violating the Clean Air Act that the EPA finally charged them with. They accepted the fine (although I think it should have been MUCH larger) and whether or not they admitted guilt during the negotiations with the EPA is incidental. Should anyone care to read the depositions taken by C.A.R.E.S., Inc. in this case, they will find that QE had already admitted to being guilty of the first five counts back in 2006. It took another 3 1/2 years and the continual prodding of Dr. Mario Sanchez to force this issue to a conclusion. I thank him for that! I hope Marco's Public Utilities Department has learned from this and will disqualify Quality Enterprises from ever doing work on Marco Island again.

Ed Foster
Former Marco Resident &
Former Chairman of C.A.R.E.S., Inc.

In other words, the only thing of consequence garnered by this abysmal, lengthy, costly (City legal fees) action dragged out over 4 years by Foster, Sanchez and Biles is the vindication that that City and its staff and the sitting City council at the time hid nothing, had nothing to hide, acted properly in cleaning up any contamination at the time, and those who were out for blood can now be certified to have been on a witch hunt.

The issue was closed years ago. Only by some tortured line of reason, fueled by an inability to lose gracefully, and a shameless lack of concern for the citizens of Marco Island were Foster, Sanchez and Biles able to foist a conspiracy theory so big that innocent bystanders were caught up in it.

You have lost all credibility. But here you are trying to spin the story as if you have achieved something other than complete and utter failure.

Written on Steve Thompson lands Tennessee job about a month after being fired from Marco city manager job :

Haven't you guys figured out yet that there was no reason to force Thompson out? The Sanchez/Foster/Biles insanity about imaginary EPA conspiracies got people so worked up that Thompson lost his job over their cooked up charges that he failed to take their outrageous stories seriously.

Take a look in the mirror. Many outside Marco Island find the merits in Thompson that you blindly refused to see from behind your cloak and dagger fantasies. Perhaps it is time to show a little humility, acknowledge that the bullying is not serving us and find a new path to cooperation in restoring our beautiful community.

Written on Marco Island signs EPA settlement agreement over handling of asbestos :

Let me get this straight...Mario Sanchez with Fay Biles full backing sued the EPA because he thought they were in cahoots with a previous Marco administration and City Council along with other prominent respected city activists he disparagingly refers to as the syndicate and for over a year he has been accusing them of all manner of law breaking and conspiracy by hiding information and lying ; of subjecting the Islanders to asbestos filled air and an asbestos laden Veteran's Park.

He has filled his blog with conspiracy theories and hounded the EPA and the DEP and the Florida Attorney General's office with endless requests for documents attempting to prove that a cover-up took place and that we should jail the many fine people he has dragged through the mud all this time.

And now we find the truth is that he is a fool, and he was wrong, and there is no cover-up and there never was a cover-up and the fine people he accused so maliciously are completely innocent of his rantings.

Neither he nor Fay Biles nor their mean spirited followers will have the integrity to admit they were wrong or to apologize for the angst and malevolent atmosphere they have fueled for years causing Marco Island to be reviled by its more sanguine neighbors.

It is too late to undo the damage they have caused good people, too many even to list here. But we know who they are. And we know who are the perpetrators of the vendetta.

Written on Federal grant may encourage Marco Island to spend more on new bridge:

The article reports "Amadeo Petricca, a Marco Island Taxpayers Association board member, said he was OK with building a more elaborate bridge if the bulk of the total price tag could be paid for with off-island tax dollars.

“When you’re spending someone else’s money, this is how nice you do it,” Petricca said.

And yet MITA does not support the CRA which is an investment in the redevelopment of the Marco Island Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) using tax dollars returned to Marco Island from the County.....

Take a closer look at this reasoning MITA and you might finally support the CRA.

Written on Letter to the Editor: Congratulations! But ...:

in response to Brillo:

Give away the farm and there will be no farmers.
Give away homes and there will be no reason to buy. Give away money and there will be no reason to work. Give away free enterprise and you will have socialism.
Get up on your feet and stop complaining why the economy screwed you. It screwed me too, but just like previous Americans who believe in this country, I will get up on my two feet, do the best I can to make my life better under the best system in the world.

Give away mothering and you will have no more mothers...oops, mothers already spend 18 years or more per child without remuneration...

Most people want to work and some countries believe that all people have the right to work, but we are caught in a system where our corporations send jobs overseas instead of creating jobs for our own citizens.

It is not just you who is having a difficult time getting back up on your own two feet. The deck is being increasingly stacked against the worker. The economic system is designed to extract as much from you as possible through banking fees, insurance rates for home, car, flood, hurricane, credit card fees etc. and unless you got into the stock market 10-20 years ago you are like the guy at the bottom of a pyramid scheme.

We have some major economic policy issues to face and we need to stop blindly accepting the old ideologies and begin discussing ways to get people back to work. For beginners, we need to bring the jobs back to America.

Written on Marco resident sent e-mail to council before manager fired, saying plan was 'no secret':

"Sacher said Friday he first heard about the plan to fire Thompson from Marco Island Taxpayer Association President Fay Biles the week before council made the decision."

Biles egotistic power trips are legendary. She has been honing her skills of behind the scenes manipulation for over a decade and has apparently managed to pull off a coup d'etat while also managing implausible deniability. “I took no part at all in this,” Biles said.

Biles has been stacking the Council Chambers for years with dissidents and misanthropes and those who just like to bash the powers that be for amusement, species that unfortunately thrive when thrown together and who are especially shortsighted.

Biles organizes behind the scenes letter to the editor campaigns and emails to City Councilor campaigns so she can hide behind her aloofness and Ph.D. and self appointed status as President of MITA (Marco Island Taxpayers Assoc) since its inception.

She is not only self distructing now but she is also attempting to take down the City government of Marco with her.

Recker seems to have lost his ability to think clearly and is reacting to Biles con job of creating a smoke screen with her angry followers so that he cannot see beyond it to the vast majority of the Islanders who are shocked and outraged by his actions.

Sad day for Marco Islanders.

Riviere would be well advised to slow down and be cautious at this point in time. Hopefully he will rely on a long view and what is best for Marco Island by considering that Biles voice is more shrill than substantive. And that the rest of us who have been bullied by her and her angry mob are looking for someone who will fight back and be thoughtful and reasoned in the midst of chaos.

Written on Marco Island interim city manager eliminates community development director:

Well, well, well....if you can't beat them with a ballot you can always overthrow the government with a coup! Talk about lack of transparency...just who is calling the shots?

Is this about reducing the government until it is so small it can be drowned in a bathtub?

Mob rule...this does not bode well.

Is the tar being boiled and are the chicken feathers being plucked out back?

Written on Letter to the Editor: It is just the beginning:

I would ask you to send me copies as I don't believe CM ever sent any threatening letters but this is minutia far outweighed by the lawsuits and so on brought about by CARES (all of them failed and wasting tax payers money) and now still being brought about by Fay & Sanchez (and potentially costing tax payers even more money....for what?)

But I really am fatigued by looking backwards. When we do we tend to trip all over ourselves because we are not minding where we are going.

We are wasting so much of our precious time on following the distractions Fay is causing that we are unable to bring stability to our self-governing.

It is time for some calming and sensibility and healing which cannot be accomplished so long as we pick at old wounds.

Written on Letter to the Editor: It is just the beginning:

jp-
Fay Biles was present at the Council meetings voting for the purchase of the City Water System and expressed no reservations. In fact she was a proponent of purchasing it. Is she to be painted as an egotistical incompetent too?

CM never sent a letter to Condo owners threatening anything...

Real Estate investors opposed the STRP because of the costs (ask Davies). Most of the Island was already on sewer, including about 80% of private homes and had already paid sewer fees when they purchased their homes and continued to pay sewer fees on their monthly bills (not just condo owners).

What do you think happens to the contents of septic tanks along the canals when there is a high tide? There were prescription meds detected in the canals along with the other disturbing results. But this battle as you noted is over EXCEPT that Fay and others are continuing to try to undermine the City government as I noted above.

THAT is the problem. The blatant continuing antagonism has distorted our political culture. Fay is still, years later, attempting to dredge up evidence to undermine the City Government purely for her own ends. If she can make them look bad, then she believes she will still be relevant.

The sad part is, she is an intelligent woman. She could be a positive force moving forward with the current administration, but instead she is using Sanchez to find something, anything to prove the Moss administration was lying about the asbestos.

The asbestos issue was keenly tied to the STRP back in the day, if you recall, as the club to discredit the City and therefore defeat the STRP.

She is so intently focused on this that she has worked to force the firing of Thompson over....wait for it...suppression of asbestos issue related letters. But, as Council pointed out, the 2 letters last year from the EPA asking for more information were at the behest of Sanchez. And were not of significance. Until the EPA letter a few weeks ago which resulted from Sanchez filing a lawsuit against them. That letter was promptly shared with Council.

Fay is making this a big deal. She got Thompson fired over it. She created a hostile environment for years now and that is not conducive to good government. We have a responsibility as good citizens to work with our local government in order to get the best results.

What we have now is completely dysfunctional. And our activist citizens who thrive on anger are fueling it.

Still not Ray.

Written on Letter to the Editor: It is just the beginning:

Fossil-For the record, you are wrong about who you think I am.

You are also wrong to blame the business community. The commercial district was already on sewer. The STRP WAS about cleaning up the canals. Perhaps Moss' least transparent act was keeping the fecal count out of the news so as not to undermine the home values on Marco.

Fay (aka MITA) admits her involvement coordinating Thompson's firing. This rather important issue of wide concern and interest to residents was not on the agenda. Where is the transparency for the rest of our community to have a say in it? Fay is only about transparency when she is trying to further her ends.

Written on Letter to the Editor: It is just the beginning:

(Cont. from above)

You are still in denial. You have Sanchez tilting at your windmill now, suing the EPA to get their attention. You got their attention. They are still not finding anything of consequence. Failure to post signs...with fines per day that may go into the millions of dollars...this is pathetic.

Fay, there is no WMD. Stop your incessant, hateful attacks on the City. You never wanted Marco Island to became a City and you are still against it. You have fought this battle for 15 or more years now and only pain and suffering to show for it.

MITA is a joke. You are the self anointed President for Life and run it out of your home. But you believe it is a force and try to use it to beat the City up.

The Island deserves better than the treatment you have given it.

Written on Letter to the Editor: It is just the beginning:

Fay- You, Roger Hall, Ed Foster and others fought the City about the septic tank replacement program (STRP) with reasoned arguments (cost to homeowners was high). That was the strongest point made against the otherwise environmentally sound decision to try to clean up our waterways suffering from measurable ooze from the septic tanks that line Marco's canals.

You became bitterly opposed to the STRP (you do not lose gracefully) and when real estate investors (eg Davies) with multiple properties realized they were going to have face multiple STRP fees, the discussion waters were muddied and digressed.

You orchestrated and fueled the flames of intense antagonism aimed squarely at the City Manager who was doing his professional best for the future of Marco Island.

When your reasoned argument failed to persuade, however, you chose a particularly vindictive strategy of personal annihilation against those that did not agree with you and you chose the blunt force slash and burn, take no prisoners strategy to prove them wrong and therefore you right. But you did lose. Even though you nearly killed the formerly friendly and relaxed character of Marco Island you refuse to accept that you lost and to this day are continuing to battle lost wars.

There is something truly tragic in all this....the ruined careers of honorable people; your still growling supporters heckling the City Staff and City Council and some new supporters you have been grooming like the gullible Mario Sanchez, your newest henchman.

You did not and still do not care what lies destroyed in your wake. Your personal vendettas against Bill Moss and the City Councilors was merciless, cruel and extraordinarily destructive for the Island. And now you have manipulated the Council into using shady tactics to unceremoniously dump Thompson because he was in your way.

During the STRP war, you threw gas on the fire to try to stop the STRP by whipping up those who trusted you into fearing for their safety by claiming the normal gases released from the dewatering procedure were life threateningly dangerous.

And then there was the asbestos in the crumbling pipe discovered during the Collier Blvd. beautification project. You have had a field day with that one ever since. You and Foster and Hall et al really tried to cause panic and to scare more innocent residents with trumped up exaggerated and intentionally misleading rants and raves in the local media.

This alleged asbestos issue was your weapon of mass destruction to try to prove once and for all that you were right, if only you could make this WMD the sign of City malfeasance you needed to discredit and wipe out everyone who disagreed with you. But the DEP came in and looked around and gave direction and installed monitoring devices that showed ABSOLUTELY NO danger or harm was evident.
(cont. below)

Written on GOOOH finds a home on Marco Island while seeking to evict Congress :

This sounds like a classic Ponzi scheme and this guy Cox is the one at the top of the pyramid. He will rake in the money using all these probably sincere but gullible people. It's a shame.

Written on Hunt for city manager begins on Marco Island:

in response to Fossil:

Mr. Percel were you in the room when the member of Celebrate Marco directed a tirade of hate speech towards the so called "cave dwellers" (otherwise known as homeowners)? We residents have lived in chaotic enviornment ever since the STRP was dumped on us. Welcome aboard sir.

I was in the room at the church when one man new to the organization said two words out loud against those who were tearing the Island apart with their incessant vitriol. And he was immediately addressed by those leading the meeting and no further outbursts happened as I am sure your secretly shot video tapes show. I also saw the Anti City group sitting along the aisle trying to hide their video camera. And they tried to disrupt the Celebrate Marco meeting. And here you are years later still attacking the City.

Don't you realize that you are living on bile. The sewer system is a done deal. Haven't you learned any lessons about losing? Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.

You have been picking at a wound and not only has it failed to heal, it is festering. You are spoiling paradise. You may not have liked having the septic tank replacement program (I have had to pay for replacing mine too and I am not a rich person), but I know that septic tanks are terrible for our coastal community.

But the extreme bad behavior of a few of you is not about stopping the STRP. It is done deal. You are just misbehaving badly and cannot control yourselves. I've seen kindergartners who behave better.

Written on Hunt for city manager begins on Marco Island:

We need professionals managing the City. People with the educational background and experience in public sector management.

The public sector is not the same as the private sector in many significant ways; Major decisions are made only in the sunshine by the City Council; The Clerk's requirements for recording are particular; Noticing meetings is critical; Preparing for the Council meetings is nothing like in the private sector.

An HR manager might be inter-changeable with the private sector. An engineer, administrative assistants and maybe even department managers might be inter-changeable with the private sector.

But the City Manager does not have an equivalent. Maximizing profit is not the goal as it is for private corporations. The entire operation is measured according to different criteria. The significance of hiring a professional City Manager is essential.

Chief Murphy would be the best interim Manager.

Written on Letter to the Editor: CRA + TIF = MI in extremis:

in response to Klabautermann:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Lely is not in the City of Naples. It is unincorporated Collier County. The reference of the letter writer was to 5th Avenue South where the Naples CRA is....which is more than 20 miles away.

Written on Does town center need a master plan?:

Shadow-Bitterness wastes an opportunity.

We are considering here the opportunity to involve the community in developing a master plan for the heart of Marco Island. Master plans typically are lengthy processes that involve multiple charettes often lead by an urban designer. Stakeholders are invited to provide input and feedback. We've had them here on the Island in the past. The are extraordinarily useful and productive.

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