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Marco Island's longest meeting in history provokes change

By LIAM DILLON (Contact)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007

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As Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning at Mackle Park, the Marco Island City Council held its longest meeting in history and it delivered what was expected: intrigue, lengthy public comment and an important change to the Island's biggest project.

That change might not have been what the majority of the at least 350 residents in attendance had wanted, as they spoke early (and late), and often against the city's seven-year $105.6 million septic tank replacement program. Residents spilled out of the council chambers, into the Mackle Park lobby and almost into the parking lot, most of whom came to protest the plan.

Instead, the council passed all five agenda items relating to the program with Council Chairwoman Terri DiSciullo voting "yes" on sewer items for the first time in two years.

"We had a workshop last week where we reduced assessments," DiSciullo said during a break in the meeting. "I heard support of the council tonight to raise reuse water rates."

DiSciullo added that she has seen evidence that the long-term health of the city's waterways could be at risk if the island didn't fully convert to a sewer system.

"From the time I stopped voting for septic tank replacement program issues two years ago I haven't found scientific evidence that we shouldn't do the project," she said.

All five sewer issues, including the initiation of the 2008 portion of the program, passed by a 4-2 vote with Councilmen Chuck Kiester and Ted Forcht, consistent sewer opponents, dissenting. Vice Chairman Glenn Tucker was absent due to a death in the family.

The most contentious issue was the awarding of a construction contract in one of the 2007 assessment districts to Quality Enterprises. The company completed one sewer district in 2006, but also is doing road construction on Collier Boulevard, the island's primary road. Quality is embroiled in an ongoing saga involving asbestos pipe found on city property and some residents expressed concern about Quality's prior work on a different section of Collier Boulevard.

"I implore you to take a break with all of this," said Roger Hall, a Marco resident who is attempting to recall three city councilmen, during discussion of awarding Quality the contract. "Why are you fighting all these people here?"

Hall left the podium to applause.

After a discussion on the possibility of rejecting Quality's bid based on poor performance, Council decided the concerns about Quality's work couldn't merit a rejection.

Kiester and Forcht dissented in that vote, with Forcht voting a "Big No" during roll call.

Tensions have approached their tipping point for over two weeks as residents expressed concerns about allegations of possible violations to the Government-in-the-Sunshine Law, primarily relating to the septic tank replacement program, raised at the Feb. 5 meeting. Council adjourned that meeting after only a half hour after councilors were concerned that the crowd was becoming unruly.

Since then, the two Marco residents that raised the issue, Butch Neylon and Ray Beaufort, have submitted their evidence, e-mails between the city manager and council, to the local State Attorney's Office.

City staff issued a release last week attempting to rebut the allegations and Council on Tuesday night considered hiring a lawyer recommended by the Florida League of Cities to do his own investigation.

Council decided against that option, but did request a public workshop explaining the Sunshine Law led by City Attorneys Rich Yovanovich and Greg Urbancic before regular business at the March 5 council meeting.

Yovanovich said he had already examined the evidence relating to the current complaint, and believed no violation had occurred.

"I'm fairly certain that one of the outcomes of this will not be the undoing of the septic tank replacement program," he said. "If there was a problem, which I'm not saying there was, I think the worst thing that could happen is a minor infraction with a fine."

Sewer opponents also came face to face Tuesday night with condo associations, which are already on sewers and generally in favor of the septic tank replacement program. The condo associations came out in force to protest a proposed 112 percent increase in reuse water rates. The increase in rates comes after a contract that allowed condos and hotels access to reuse water lines in exchange for temporary low rates has expired.

After hearing from condo association leaders and representatives from the city's largest consumer of reuse water, the Island Country Club, the council directed city staff to examine different ways to progress with a rate increase.

Councilmen Mike Minozzi, Bill Trotter, Forcht and Kiester expressed a desire to spread the rate increase out over as much as three years, include a cost-of- living adjustment and perhaps a two-tiered system that would keep the golf course at lower rates.

But Council's direction to move forward with a reuse rate increase, combined with a special workshop meeting last week that if approved would reduce sewer assessments by $2,500 in favor of increased water and sewer rates, was enough for DiSciullo to change her mind.

With the clock 20 minutes after midnight and more than six hours of meeting behind them, council adjourned. The crowd had dwindled to 12, including two councilor's wives.

Fay Biles, president of the Marco Island Taxpayers Association and avowed sewer opponent, was one who stayed to the end.

"I think all the points everybody made about the break and slowing down are great," she said of the septic tank replacement program. "We still don't know the final cost, and that's sad."

Bill Sneddon, a resident who had another view, also stayed.

"What you're giving the city is priceless," Sneddon said to the councilors.

Comments

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Ms. DiSciullo is quoted as saying "From the time I stopped voting for septic tank replacement program issues two years ago I haven't found scientific evidence that we shouldn't do the project." That statement is shocking! Is she suggesting that we are to undertake any and every project, no matter how expensive and potentially dangerous to the environment, because she hasn't found scientific evidence why it shouldn't be undertaken? Is she suggesting that the 77,000 sewer spills we have each year in this country do not constitute a scientific reason to question whether this project should continue? Is she suggesting that EPA statements that central sewers are the second largest polluter of the environment ... second only to agricultural runoff ... does not constitute a scientific reason to question why this project should be undertaken?

Furthermore, Ms. DiSciullo misses the point; you don't undertake a $138 million, potentially dangerous project because "you haven't found scientific evidence" why you shouldn't do it; you OPPOSE such a project until you HAVE "found scientific evidence" that you MUST do it. I'm afraid I have lost faith in Ms. DiSciullo's ability to think clearly. Even proponents of the STRP must agree that her argument is specious.

Ed Foster

#1 Posted by EdFoster on February 21, 2007 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

bbyrone and edfoster are fighting for the sake of fighting. They have nothing better to do. They have never done anything positive for the Island; never walked the wonderful beach; never served a meal for the poor; never cleaned up a street, never mentored a child; never took a leisurely ride down vastly improved and beautiful Collier Boulevard. They both have lost any credibility and no they no longer make ANY sense... You can stir the septic all you want edfoster and bbyrone; but the result will always be the same crap...STRP is here to stay. You can bury your heads; I mean your sewage, into the ground for so long before it starts to stink... Both of you are just about there now...

#2 Posted by patton1 on February 21, 2007 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

From the 300+ Marco Islanders at last night's Council meeting, only six of them "JUST DON'T GET IT"

DiSciullo, Trotter, Monozzi, Popoff, Bill Moss and Sal Schiarino.....

#3 Posted by lowus on February 21, 2007 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

These meetings are a joke, at each one everybody speaks out against the STRP and every week they vote to continue the program.
What they are doing is irresponsible since the majority of the voters want the program stopped and I believe it will be with the elections next year.
How they can go forward with the STRP with so much opposition is beyond me.

#4 Posted by 15yearsmarco on February 21, 2007 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

septic systems work fine on Marco. We do not need sewers. You people don't get it. Sewer plants are major polluters. What will the city do in 08. Mr. Moss.......polish up your resume because you are about a to be run out of town. Nothing fires up the people like reaching into thier pockets and all of the people here have had thier pockets reached into via taxes and insurance rates over the past year like never before. Now the city wants thier turn. Patton1....you are a fool.

#5 Posted by strike3 on February 21, 2007 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You can catch some of the public comments from the meeting on video here:
IslandVideoBlog.blogspot.com

#6 Posted by RonnieDeAngelis on February 21, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Far more sewage will be dumped on our beaches and canals from sewer leaks and overflows than would ever come from working septic systems. Properly maintained, septics should last as long as the dwelling itself. Ms. DiSciullo may not have scientific evidence that she shjouldn't do the project (STRP) but I seriously doubt that she has scientific eveidence that she shold do the project. What kind of twisted logic is that?

#7 Posted by lutherdog on February 21, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ranger,

Unless they let us vote on the STRP we will not know what the majority of voters think until the next election. I myself do not know anyone who is for the STRP and I know a lot of people.
There are many realtors on the island who are not selling homes because no one knows how long this project is going to last or what it will cost. Who wants to buy a home with so much uncertainty?

#8 Posted by 15yearsmarco on February 21, 2007 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Disappointment in Terri is an understatement. To have her flip-flop on such a tremendously important issue is more than just saddening, it is a tragedy. Obviously there are only two councilors who have any common sense in that they recognize how important the STRP issue is and how it should have been voted upon by the citizens of Marco. I hope the misguided people on our council are looking forward to 2008, because I sure am.

#9 Posted by rcbauburn on February 21, 2007 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

15yearsmarco does not understand the system of government we have in this country... You do not get to vote on every issue that comes before the council. We elected these people to vote the way we wanted them to vote.. if your elected official is not voting the way you wanted him or her to vote; you will get your chance to vote him or her out of office in 2008. Be petient!
How many people do you claim to know? 8,000? That is the number of voters we have on Marco. If you talked to every one of them, I will take your word. If not; you are blowing smoke like the rest of the "opponents of everything group" led by "president for life" of MITA, Fay Biles.

STRP is here to stay...

#10 Posted by patton1 on February 21, 2007 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RANGER, AKA Don Farmer chirps in -Nice!

#11 Posted by barfieldfly on February 21, 2007 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Patton,

I do understand the system of government we have and not letting the residents vote on the biggest expense in this island history is a mistake.
If the majority of the people want the STRP so be it but if the majority do not want it what will happen next year when the majority votes in a city counsel who stop the STRP? it will be a big waste of tax money that could have been avoided with a vote.
I do not know 8,000 people and I do not know Roger Hall or anyone from POPs or Fay Biles.
Can you say that everyone you know if for the STRP?

#12 Posted by 15yearsmarco on February 21, 2007 at 7:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

34110

The water on Marco is much better now then it was in the late 80's and early 90's....back then it used to smell like the everglades. I still don't drink it but at least now you don't smell like the everglades after a shower.
You make a good point but it does not tell us if Marco is in the 32% or 68%.

#13 Posted by 15yearsmarco on February 21, 2007 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)



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