City Considers Purchasing Caxambas Boat Park

Marco Island City Council plans to consider a purchase of Caxambas Boat Park from Collier County as Council began budget discussions on Monday night. Also on the horizon is reconstruction of the Collier Boulevard and North Barfield Drive intersection at the entrance to the island for a cost of approximately $4.1 million

Caxambas Boat Park

City Council members said they would like to consider taking over Caxambas Boat Park instead of having the County in control of the park on Collier Court.

“I think we’re in a unique position where the County might be interested in exploring giving it to us,” said City Councilman Darin Palumbo. 

Jamie French, director of Collier County Growth Management and Community Development, offered Council an update on Caxambas Boat Park on Monday. The boat park is open but is awaiting its 5,000-gallon fuel tank, which will be available for recreational boaters and will not include diesel, French said. The fuel is expected by November. 

Considering a City takeover of Caxambas Park will be on a future agenda with items of discussion including aspects of the current parking configuration that may be out of compliance with the County’s site development plan; allowing commercial operations other than the current bait shop and upcoming fuel sales; purchasing the property or requesting the County deed the property to the City; learning the costs of maintaining the property and discussing pros and cons as well as probability of taking stewardship of Caxambas as a way for Marco Island residents who do not live on waterfront property to easily access boating. Hayden Dublois of the Marco Island Planning Board said the County is out of compliance with their site development plan. The parking configuration has been a point of contention with some people wanting more parking, and kayak rentals is a commercial operation that several residents said they wished returned.

Business Advisory Committee 

The Ad Hoc Business Development Advisory Committee, through their Chairman Gregory Pascale, made three recommendations to Council, who put the items on a future agenda for consideration to:

• Hire a business liaison who works for the City to assist businesses in development and redevelopment plans. 
• Clean up the land development code to resolve any glitches and offer renewed trust and understanding among residents.
• Change a requirement in the development process from requiring certified mail as notice to nearby property owners to allowing first-class mail instead. 

Construction on Collier Boulevard

Awarded a contract, 7-0, to Coastal Concrete Products, LLC, DBA Coastal Site Development for the intersection improvements at North Barfield Drive and North Collier Boulevard at a cost of $4.1 million. The cost was higher than initially expected due to increased tariffs, uncertainty in supply chains, and the necessity of night work, said Public Works Director Justin Martin. The project is a significant endeavor because it includes water and sewer line reconstruction as well, he said. There is not a detour available, so one lane will be done at a time. Improvements will also include replacing median space with more turn lane space, improved pedestrian signals, and improved traffic signals. 

Budget Talks Begin

Assistant City Manager Casey Lucius presented preliminary discussions about the 2026 General Fund budget, which is mostly funded by property taxes. She anticipated $1.5 million in increased costs in 2026 if there is nothing new, she said.

If Council adopts the same millage rate as 2024, 1.24 mils, which is $124 per $100,000 in assessed property value, the City could make suggested wage increases, said Lucius. 

If Council adds a three percent LCEC franchise fee, the City could have some money for things not yet budgeted but discussed, including improvements to bridges and infrastructure, water quality improvements, shade at Veterans Community Park, and emergency reserves, Lucius said.

“I’m not so sure we know where we’re going with all these numbers,” said Champagne. “I don’t want to live in a DOGE environment,” he said, suggesting not to overly cut the budget. DOGE stands for Department of Government Efficiency and is an initiative of the second Trump administration tasked with cutting federal spending.

“I don’t plan to approve a ninth year of rollback,” said City Councilwoman Bonita Schwan. 

The rollback rate is the tax rate that would bring in the same amount of money as the year prior.

Residents speaking on the budget also supported a sufficient tax rate for the City, being careful to raise enough money to allow for the uncertainty in the economic environment and weather. 

“The reserves are not sufficient, but no one knows what sufficient is,” said Dennis Bartolucci.

Reserving 25 percent of the operating budget, which is the current City strategy, is not a scientific approach, Bartolucci said. 

Similarly, resident businessman Tony Oliverio suggested not cutting too much. “You can’t cut your way to success,” Oliverio said. 

Resident Terri Somerfield agreed with Bartolucci about building healthy reserves, adding, “As Dennis [Bartolucci] said, you can’t be short-sighted on this.”

Oxygenating Canals 

Council approved a project to oxygenate a canal as part of a pilot project. This was removed from the consent agenda by Councilman Stephen Gray. The approximate $88,000 contract with Sanders Laboratories Environmental Testing Services is for a pilot aeration study in a canal to improve water quality by adding oxygen, much as would be done in a fish tank with an aerator, described Martin. If successful through water tests, the same could be done to numerous canals, he said.

Council approved the expense 4-3, with Councilmen Rene Champagne and Stephen Gray, along with Chairman Erik Brechnitz, voting against it.

Other Items

• Approved, 7-0, spending approximately $85,000 with contractor Trebilcock Consulting Solutions for the design of traffic signal upgrades to replace signal controllers and lighted pedestrian safety signage at 10 intersections.
• Approved, 7-0, on second reading, an ordinance approving the Firefighters Pension Plan.

Council Communications 

• There were several Council communications, including Councilwoman Tamara Goehler requesting amendments to the Noise Ordinance be considered on a future agenda. She is reviewing it with City Attorney Alan Gabriel.
• Gray suggested a “most wanted” style poster of invasive plant species to help people identify which plants around the island need to go.

Citizen Comments

Among citizen comments was resident Linda Scherzinger, a member of the Beautification Advisory Committee, who said she was sad that LCEC cut trees on Bald Eagle Drive but was then relieved when City Manager Mike McNees said they were being replanted with smaller trees. 

Upcoming Meetings

• City Council Pre-Budget Policy Workshop is scheduled 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Wednesday, April 30.
• Special Called City Council Meeting with Earthwerks Land Improvement and Development Corporation, with a proposal to Council for a public-private partnership to improve canal water quality through using the sediment to build eco-friendly islands within canals is scheduled 2:00 – 4:00 PM, Monday, May 5. 
• City Council Meeting of above Earthwerks proposal is scheduled to continue 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM, Monday, May 5.
• Budget Policies Workshop is 2:00 PM, Monday, May 19.
• Regularly Scheduled Council meeting is 5:30 PM, Monday, May 19.
• Rodenticide Meeting is to be held 9:00 AM, Wednesday, May 21, for the public to learn more about alternatives to rodenticide and why it is important. 
• Meetings are held at 51 Bald Eagle Drive in the Community Room.