County Commissioner Holds Town Hall

District 1 County Commissioner Rick LoCastro held another informative Town Hall Meeting at the Marco Island Historical Society’s campus to update residents on what has been occurring throughout the county and locally.

Elected just over one year ago to the seat that was held for 20 years by the indefatigable former Commissioner Donna Fiala, LoCastro is doing his best to stay extremely visible within Collier County.

LoCastro updated attendees on several county projects within District 1, including the repaving and elevation of Goodland Road, and the $9.5 Million Marco Island Executive Airport. The new 16,000 square foot building was almost two years beyond its targeted completion date, causing considerable angst with Collier County management and the Board of Commissioners. In the spring of last year, the county filed a $1.2 Million lawsuit regarding the delays, and this fall, was finally able to successfully conclude the action against the contractor.

Two members of the NCH senior staff were on hand, but NCH’s CEO, who was featured in the Commissioner’s invitation sheet, was otherwise occupied that evening. However, he was well represented by NCH executives Jack Ullrich, Director of Facilities and Matt Holliday, Director of Government Relations. They provided an update on the hospital’s plans to build a new urgent care facility on Marco Island at their present campus, located at the intersection of Bald Eagle, Heathwood and San Marco.

It is anticipated that construction will begin by fourth quarter of next year, after the plans for the two-story building are completed. The old building, which presently houses the existing facility, will be razed once the new facility is up and running. NCH representatives were unable to provide further detail, as the plans have not been finalized and the site plan review process with the City of Marco Island has not been completed.

Public Service Department Head Dan Rodriguez fielded a number of questions from commercial operators who utilize the Caxambas Boat Ramp, regarding the issues and controversy surrounding the local boat ramp. Rodriguez oversees the County Parks and Recreation Department on the site. Many issues remain to be finalized prior to the cutoff date on January 1, 2022, to ensure that the concerns of individuals who utilize that ramp for their livelihood will be taken into consideration, while at the same time, protecting public access for non-commercial use.

Collier County staff is working with Marco Island officials to prevent the problems from extending into the residential neighborhoods and to protect the public’s recreational use of the ramp. Another issue being reviewed is safety, both on the ramp, as well as the waterways abutting the ramp. More supervision at the park was added, which appears to be improving the congestion at that facility.

In addition to these concerns, environmental protection at that location is also a priority. Two years ago, the City of Marco Island and Collier County approved a Site Development Plan that was created as part of the project to build a new Coast Guard Auxiliary facility. Since then, the site plan has undergone some unapproved modifications. Areas for retention of stormwater have been filled in to supply additional “commercial parking” at that location. This has raised concerns about the protection of the contiguous area, which borders the waterway and abuts other private properties.