What happened to the headlines : "COUNCIL SET TO PUSH BACK ELECTION DATE TILL NOVEMBER '08?
What a scam!!
People of Marco this the final straw!
This is the 'Shot heard around Marco'.
These jerks think nothing of you pee-ons, are we just going to sit here and take it?
Lets organize and get this city back before this A*&HOL&^%S turn it into a barron wasteland.

The biggest story in years and it is burried in the article. What happened Ed? The arrogance of this council is beyond belief. What is to keep them from extending their term agains a year from now if they get away with this outrage?

Unbelievable... pure arrogance by Minozzi and Tucker. They don't get the message. Marco Islanders will not take this quietly into the night, you can rest assured of that.

It ain't over boys, don't get too comfortable up there, you've been there too long as it is!!

I wonder if it is legal to put signs on our lawns to show are displeasure with these counselors, maybe seeing their names on every front yard on Marco will get there attention. We could also add the name of Bill Moss.

Last night city council directed staff to prepare an ordinance seceding Marco Island from the United States and annexing it to Cuba. Are we going to take this sitting down? The four who voted to extend their terms of office are despicable. What gives them the right to decide when they will step down? What gives them the right to deny people the vote? Marco can no longer be considered a democracy; it has become a dictatorship controlled by an oligarchy. This cannot be permitted to stand. Making matters worse, the council then gave itself a two month break to delay reconsideration of its vote.

I was not a resident of Marco Island when it became a city. Nonetheless, I'm sure I would have voted for citihood had I been here. But who could have forseen that it would result in this? County government could not possibly have been worse than a banana republic run by a Ship of Fools. This time, they've gone too far. If the council chair does not call an emergency session immediately and rescind this decision, our only recourse will be peaceful civil disobedience starting with a refusal to pay our water bills. Are they going to turn us all off?

If Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi could do it, why can't we?

Ed Foster

Mr. Foster: With all due respect, you are not a resident of Marco Island now ( as you discuss residency above). And if not for the sale of your home falling through, you would not be a taxpayer here either.
Was it not you who stood up in front of the Council and demanded that elections be held at a time where as many registered voters as possible could vote and find out information about what they are voting for. I was at that very meeting. This is not about extending terms. This is about making certain that as many voters as possible get to vote and get to find out about what they are voting for without us having to pay for a special election. January did not work as nobody is here in December.
Ed Issler

I have lost all faith in ability of city staff and the majority of the city council to deal with and administer the operations of the city of Marco Island.
Wake up Marco Islander’s the barbarians are really at the gates.
Ray

Hey everbody how do you feel about 'Teri Descrewus' now?

lauralbi1,
find a new topic, and yes it is about extending terms. What a joke these people are. Giving themselves a November 2008 election then they won't leave office unti Jan 2009. The positive here is that these people know they are out. They are backed into a corner and now are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power. Time to call local news and national news and show America what dictatorship looks like in Florida. Seriously, there is a need to let all Marco residents understand what these people are doing. NDN, Marco Eagle, Sun Times front page.

Hey there's a thought. Let's give the city back to the county, if the'll have us. Never had problems like this when we were un-incorporated.
Ray Beaufort

Ray,
I think we should talk to Naples about annexing us, we would be the Marco Island section of Naples.
At least they know how to run a City.

What arrogance! I cannot believe it. The dust has not yet begun to settle from all the problems and lack of respect for the general public and now this? Outrageous. The sooner the better for this upcoming election.

Hey, 15 years: Naples is replacing and has replaced their Septic Tanks with sewers. Their Council and City Manager operate the same as ours. Maybe you have a good idea

Your wrong lauralbi1 no other City Council operates like ours.

Ray Beaufort is NOT "sailingalong". Another form of pagagarism

I can't type-plagarism. Sorry

While I've not tried to be overly political, this absolutely stinks and I will have to become one of the major island "malcontents". This now sounds like Russia or Cuba trying to tell everyone when and if they can vote again.
Councilors, do not try to do something stupid like this. We have enough problems and enough discord on this island. We need to settle our issues legitimately and we need to do it as quickly as possible. I will follow what the electorate says, but only if it is done according to our current laws. Extending your terms in office is completely wrong!
Since the state has decided to change the primary, we need to change our elections to January of '08!
Get with the program and get with it now!
Bob Brown

lauralbi1,
Naples is voting in January. Why aren't we? Time for change. ASAP!!!!!!!

The potential switch of the municipal election should be the top story.
The Sun Times had the election story on its Web site last night. For the latest news, and a bit more truth and accuracy, the Sun Times is clearly the choice.

lauralbi1,
Your statement above "This is not about extending terms. This is about making certain that as many voters as possible get to vote" do you actually think there are more people on Marco in Nov. then are here in the Jan? Seems to me they want to have the elections when less people are here not more.

"When in the course of human events it becomes neccassery......."

15yearsonmarco: If you are interested in facts and history, then we can have an objective discussion. There is actual statistics that more of our neighbors vote in elections held in November, and a higher percentage and higher number of Naples voters vote in November than in January or March. January was absolutely no good as nobody is here in December for educating on issues. March would have been okay, but costly.
The facts and history back up November as the best time to get the most and highest percentage of voters.
But, as ususal, you probably will not check this out or be interested in the facts as it does not work to your advantage.
Ed Issler

Bob: I disagree with your comment above. While I would have favored a March election, this would have cost us monies. January just does not result in a high enough percentage of voters that participate. I agree with you that we are at an important time in Marco's growth and we need to have as many citizens as possible participate in this process. History has shown that March (now January) elections just do not generate the voting interest as November elections do. Given the fact that there was a choice to move them up or delay the elections for a "free of charge" vote, I think that the November date is good to get more voting particpants. After all, nobody has proven that the current Council does not represent the "will of the majority". Mr. Hall got less signatures on his Recall petition the second time around than he did on the first effort. Certainly 2,000 ciitizens or the 150 that fit into the Councoil meeting do not represent a majority of the 14,000 registered voters. I, as you do, look forward to the next election. I, as you, will support the Democratically elected Council and their decisions. I may not agree with them, but understand how a Democracy works, as you do.
Ed Issler

Issler you without doubt are the biggest BS'er on these blogs. You write as if everything you say is fact, its my guess that your friends and family know you as a total BULLSHi^%$R as well.
I do enjoy your blogs after you've had a few drinks
I, like many others enjoy playing the new game 'Decifer Isslers Blogs' yes total entertainment for the whole family!
Thanx,
Issy

Issler, earth to Issler, where do you live? There are more people here on Marco Island at the end January after all the holidays are over than any other time except presidets day week. Where do you come up with this crap. The only reason to move the election to November would be to keep the ship on course with the iceberg.

Can someone please help me understand why this guy (the VI) agrees with and defends every action taken by the Marco CM or city council? Is there anything he won't side with the council on? Is the CM his best and only friend? Are any of the council members his best friend? Does he have any friends? If my best, or only, or someone who wanted to be my friend was part of this city government I would never defend his/her incompetant decisions in public.

ICEBERG!!!!!!!!!!!!Dead Ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed (Issler)
You and I totally disagree on this issue. There are definately more people here to vote in January than there are in November. January also gives those running for office time to inform the electorate as to where they stand on issues. As we all know, we have many issues and we need to get this under control.

Bob Brown

Who changed the main article? When? And why? Read it. It is not the article that was posted this morning. Someone added a convoluted opinion by the ex-AG, now Governor Crist. Is it right to change an article after it is written?

And why were all the blogs removed for a period of time on the Eagle website and those opposed to the city suppressed on the NDN web site? Does Scripps know what's going on down here with our "free" press? If I'm over-reacting, fine. Tell me how, why and who made these changes!

Ed Foster

Bob: If that is true, then I do agree. But I think you will find that more prople actually vote in the November elections. The ones that are not here tend to vote via absentee ballot. Let's agree to get the statistics and compare the results. I will contact the Collier County Supervisor Of Elections Office to get some numbers.
Ed Issler

Strike3: You just might consider that the City Council for the City that you live in, the majoiryt elected City Council at that, is representing the voters of Marco island. You might consider disagreeing in more respectful manner, especially given the fact that we are merely sharing opinions. If you disagree with the Council, then, by definition, you are disagreeing with the governing body elected to make these decisions that you happen to not agree with. I happen to think that they should take the density away from Veteran's Park property, as an example. They choose not to do it. I disagree and have expressed this opinion to them. I happen to like the improved Collier Blvd and the underground utilities and getting rid of Septic Tanks. Maybe you don't. That's what makes the World go around. The average age of a full time resident on Marco Island is going down almost each time a house sells nowadays. That is great and makes the Island that much more diverse.
Ed Issler

Ed,
I think when they update an article, which they do when more info is available it takes time for them to move the comments over to the updated article.
Issler when you get numbers please get Marco numbers, Naples is not Marco.

Issler, you will say anything won't you? History? Marco Island has elections in March. How can you say that more people vote on Marco Island in November then in January? I don't believe Marco Island has ever even had an election in January before. Maybe you are counting figures for the Presidential election. Even so, there are many more people here during January then November. Are you nuts? There is something very wrong with you. Have you been to a doctor lately? If you do go, please don't argue with him. Doctors usually have a pretty good idea what they are doing.

There just can't be this many masters of misinformation on Marco Island. I think eagleeye has to be Ed Issler or his genetic twin.

I can read your opinions and not respond that is my choice. What I can't do is stand by and read your moronic misstatement of the facts without comment.

Ray Beaufort

Mr. Issler, your incoherent babble leaves me scratching my head.

Ray Beaufort

lauralbi1,

why do you post here? Are you stupid? Your comment above says I am not able to disagree with the governing body. Why not?

I disagree with "w"! I voted for him. He went a different direction than I thought he would. Now he is running the country into the ground. I won't even go into that.

Issler,
I mean NO ill will toward you. I would love to buy you a beer some time and shoot the bull with you. We would never agree but that's OK. You need to think for yourself soon before you believe everything anyone tells you. Good luck in your future BS (I mean comments) here. I need to stop reading this crap.

FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE MOTIVES AND ACTIONS OF ONE ROGER HALL.

Dear Councilors:

On June 4, 2007 Mr. Roger Hall addressed City Council during discussion of an issue pertaining to the Septic Tank Replacement Program. He conveyed to City Council his recollection of a conversation with Mr. Ken Rech, P.E., Environmental Engineer with the Collier County Department of Health. Some of the comments by Mr. Rech as conveyed by Mr. Hall include:

"I do not see any need to replace the septic tanks on Marco Island either now or in the future."

"Well, yes, there is an increase in the nitrogen in the water, but it comes from the runoff, it comes from fertilizer. It has absolutely nothing to do with septic tanks and there hasn't been any linkage between septic tanks and nitrogen and runoff and pollution in Florida."

"The [septic tank] failures are non-existent. The septic tanks in his mind and in his words on Marco Island are working fine and they present no health threat to the community. They are designed to do and they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future in his words. And he sees no need for us to be replacing these septic tanks."

Many of us were surprised to hear Mr. Hall's account of the phone conversation with Mr. Rech. The comments seemed in contradiction to previous statements made by Mr. Rech, and they appeared to contradict the policy of the Department of Health.

Of course, there are usually two sides to an interpretation of a conversation. Excepts from Ken Rech's interpretation of the conversation are:

"The transcript [Hall's comments to City Council] did not in any way reflect the telephone conversation on Monday 6/4/07."

"The only truth in the transcript is that he did speak to me on the phone."

In that 10 of the 17 assessment areas are underway at some stage, perhaps neither position now has any relevance on a public policy developed over two years ago. None-the-less, our citizens should know that the Department of Health endorsed the City's STRP.

Dear Mr. Moss:

The transcript from Mr. Hall did not in any way reflect the telephone conversation on Monday 6/4/07. The response to the email from Mr. Hall reflects my recollection of the call and Mr. Hall did not report in a factual way. The only truth out of the whole transcript was that he did speak to me on the phone. The statements he said I made are not true and definitely his spin on a 5 minute conversation to support his platform at my expense and a further need to spend time on a requirement to defend myself.

Ken Rech, P. E.

Environmental Health & Engineering Director

Collier County Health Department
(239) 403-2499 Ext 5528

its 10:45 P.M
Its time to play 'Decifer Isslers blogs'

(theme song begins):

'all day long he spins his lies, try'n to look good in Bill Moss's eyes.
But when the sun goes down and he starts to drink,
'decifer Isslers blogs' will really make you think.
Yes decifer Isslers blogs will really make you think.

hey issler...you idiot....season, when most are here is jan-april......not november....you are a complete moron.

patton1...you're as big a moron and ed issler.

patton1....you are as above....maybe a little bigger moron.

van: is that the best you can do? call someone a moron? how pitiful can you get.
you are probably having difficulty sounding out the words on long messages.
take your time.things will start to make sense when you start constructing full sentences.

if the shoe fits...wear it!

Patton1, so Mr Rech is stating that it is DOH policy to not approve septic tanks for use on Marco Island? He also said that he has evidence of the vast majority of Marco Island septic systems failing and contaminating our waterways? He has scientific evidence that demands the need to replace all the septic tanks on Marco Island as soon as possible? He has real collected data indicating that the vast majority of nitrogen leaking into our waterways is coming from our septic tanks and not from our efforts to have green lawns? This is all verifiable because Mr. Rech said in a phone call that all of the above points that Mr Hall alleged Mr Rech did not support were made by Mr Hall and were not true. Can't you see the contradictions and politicing going on Patton1? Surely you are not foolish enough to believe Mr. Rech has reversed Florida policy as a result of one phone call with Bill Moss.

The above episode is precisely why I post to this blog. In decades as a published writer, public speaker, and talk radio host, I've never seen, let alone experienced, the odious strain of vile, in-your-face, corruption that seems standard operating procedure in The City of Marco Island.

After years of investigation and consultation, we were bringing estate grifters, who've held my father in a coercive bind - some say 'extortion', or 'blackmail' - to justice, and my father to safety.

A noxious admixture of Markograd 'safety' officials and Naples estate lawyers did what grifters couldn't, despite decades of conniving. They derailed our efforts, and threw the undersigned to the threshold of prison via false charges, for something so banal as money and vanity. Is that why criminologists call it 'the banality of evil'?

Naples estate lawyers 'partnered' with Markograd officials to thwart justice. Not to worry. Pulling gags in Naples doesn't exempt estate tricksters from legal consequences. Where's Nifong these days, hmmm?

Naples Fifth Avenue estate lawyers with an eye for human weakness but not the stomach for its consequences, diverted a Living Trust from lawful beneficiaries. Unable to falsely imprison those whom they reduced, they stupidly threaten to sue.

Julia M. Zecchino is murdered, my wife is promised the same fate, her good name is sullied by grifters with whom these lawyers colluded, and they threaten suit? Aren't they bold?

Like Markograd's thugocracy, they're reaching for the last penny on the table.

What will Markograd aparats do next? File sham 'Domestic Violence' charges against refuseniks, as was done to the undersigned? Threaten Libel suits against all who question Markograd's questionable doings, as they hamfistedly do to the undersigned.

This is why I post. I smelled smoke. Smoke suggests fire. Why wait for your home to become fully involved? Best to knock down the flames of corruption while they smolder.

Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
20 June, 2007

PS -

Among so many other fine, astute comments, above, from those who hate injustice and love truth, Ed Foster makes a fine point. Marco Island seems well on its way to becoming another Cuba, given the heavy-handed authoritarian style of rule. Perhaps Markograd should annex itself to cagasstro's island prison-nation.

Might we then see the spectacle of all those who dislike valiant Cubans, themselves paddling their rafts southward from Marko, to the freer shores of Cuba? Stranger things have occurred. Never say never.

Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
20 June, 2007

PS -

Among so many other fine, astute comments, above, from those who hate injustice and love truth, Ed Foster makes a fine point. Marco Island seems well on its way to becoming another Cuba, given the heavy-handed authoritarian style of rule. Perhaps Markograd should annex itself to cagasstro's island prison-nation.

Might we then see the spectacle of all those who dislike valiant Cubans, themselves paddling their rafts southward from Marko, to the freer shores of Cuba? Stranger things have occurred. Never say never.

Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
20 June, 2007

The real joke here is in the numbers.

Let's assume the city attorney was paid to research this procedure, ie: $5,000?. Now lets try to estimate how much money our city will spend over the additional 5 months. ie: $50,000,000?

They have the nerve to think we will thank them for saving the city $30,000 by extending the election??

Stupid is as stupid does.

I have an idea! If we can convince Issler that there will be more people here in January than in November he will go to his friends at city hall and tell them to vote 1/29/08. Issler always was yelling about the 16,000 or 60,000 or 15,000 fulltime residents.........what ever... you know what I'm saying.
Maybe they will listen to Issler. Maybe he secretly makes policy here on Marco Island and city hall idiots just listen and act on this incredible wisdom.

OPEN LETTER TO KEN RECH
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ENGINEERING DIRECTOR
COLLIER COUNTY, FL

June 6, 2007

Dear Mr. Rech:

As you may suspect your e-mail to me has precipitated a lot of attention on Marco Island. I am sorry that you believe that I took your remarks out of context as that was certainly not my intent. I pointed out to you that this is a politically charged situation on Marco. I didn’t wish to expose you to the political pressures I believed your comments would generate without forewarning you. The government on Marco Island has a track record of “seek and destroy” all those that would disagree with them and I certainly didn’t intend to put any words in you mouth.

In an effort to ensure that I was accurately reflecting our conversation I wrote notes, which I read to you as we spoke. I sent you an e-mail reiterating our conversation giving you the opportunity to review and adjust any of your comments before I quoted you. I further stated councilman Kiester would be calling you to have much the same discussion. You gave me your e-mail address and I sent that e-mail at 9:41 on Monday morning as I said I would. You knew it was coming. I don’t know what more I could have done to insure I was quoting you accurately. It is unfortunate that you did not respond to it for a day and a half.

Having said that, as I read your e-mail of 4:20 PM 6/05/07 I find we agree on most of the items in your e-mail. I have incorporated your comments as I read them in an effort to establish our common ground.

1. You do not dispute the representation that there isn’t any need to replace the septic tanks on Marco Island either now or in the future. What you have added, which I agree with, is that septic systems, as with anything else in this world, must be maintained and they don’t last forever without replacement and repair. We have a plan, the Kiester plan, that provides for a septic tank inspection program to monitor and inspect the systems on a regular basis.

2. You do not dispute that there are no federal or state regulations that will force the replacement of our septic tanks either now or in the future. We agree the city can mandate connection to a sewer system as they are doing on Marco Island. We agree that the use of decentralized systems and alternates to central sewer are under consideration in many parts of the country and Florida. Again, we agree that private septic systems need proper maintenance and oversight for long term use.

3.We agree that there are many sources of nitrogen and pollution in our waterways. Nationwide, the largest source is runoff from landscaping and agricultural uses. Here on Marco, we have not made any effort to control the amount of nitrogen on our golf courses or used in our landscaping. Additionally, we do not make any effort to treat the runoff as it runs directly into our waterways.

4. We agree that there have been very few, 6 more or less, complaints about the 6,500 sewer systems on Marco Island. This would strongly support the fact that these systems are working as they were designed to do and they are not approaching the end of their useful life span. As part of the STRP, the contractors have been dewatering millions of gallons of groundwater immediately around the septic systems for the past two years. The city has assured us that this water does not contain contamination from the septic systems and does not need to be treated. Additionally, the sand that is being excavated from the laterals for the sewer system which run right up to the leaching fields of the existing septic systems do no show any sign of contamination. There isn’t any difference in that sand and the sand that is being dug for the laterals for the vacant lots. Several hundred sites to date that have been so excavated which answers the answer to the question of how much the systems are leaking into the groundwater. They are not.

5. We agree that we need to educate our owners as to how to maintain their systems to ensure a long and useful life span. That is part of the Kiester plan.

5.A We agree that the city has the right to select the sewer system they chose. I don’t agree that anytime a central sewer system is available it is the preferred method of disposal. The Florida Stormwater education site states: “Septic Systems can treat wastewater better than most sewage treatment facilities at a fraction of the cost and can last indefinitely. So what’s the catch? Homeowners must make sure the system is properly designed, installed and maintained.” Here is the link to the site: http://www.tappwater.org/what-septic....

6. One has to temper the representation with condition of the central sewer system. The largest cause of beach closures in this country are the failures of central sewer systems. The central system on Marco Island is approaching 50 years old and little if anything has been done to maintain it. The city represents that we have an inflow of 1 million gallons of groundwater a day during the rainy season. The industry recognizes that the outflow from central sewer systems amounts to between 17 to 30 percent of the inflow. Our central system, which is overdue for replacement, is leaking between 170,000 to 300,000 gallons a day of raw sewerage into our aquifer. It would seem that taking 6,500 users off their non- polluting septic systems and adding them to this very porous central system is not in the best interest of our environment. The beach closures on Sanibel and Captiva last August/September were related to leaking outflow from the central sewer system either in Ft. Myers or on the island itself. It had nothing to do with septic systems.

It is clear that these are very important issues and there is much controversy and misinformation surrounding them. Rather than conduct an information campaign via e-mails and the local media, it is obvious that a public information meeting certainly is called for in order to establish a clear distinction between facts and fiction, including a discussion of a viable septic tank maintenance program. A well informed citizenry is the backbone of any democracy. I will do anything that is necessary to organize such a meeting which I believe is long overdue. Would you department be willing to help?

Sincerely,

Roger Hall
Marco Island

The only blogger that sounds crazier than Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino is Roger Hall. He writes a novel to try and hide his lies.