Neighborhood Noise, Budget Items and Potential Redistricting

As the summer ramps up, we find people are also leaving for a little vacation. I hope they find some cool places to enjoy the summer. BUT there are still things going on at the county, so don’t think all is quiet and well. One of the problems for the people in the Lakewood community as well as the Glades community is the Legend’s Concerts at Sugden Park. The county gets calls during every concert, and I’m hoping the Parks Department can reach a happy conclusion between the neighbors and the loud music. When people have babies or children who can’t sleep, of the folks who want to sleep can’t because of the loud music, a compromise must be reached, or a solution must be found.   There are two commissioners for that area:  one is for the Lakewood Community and that person is Commissioner Rick LoCastro who you need to contact to help solve the problem, and the other is Commissioner Penny Taylor for Sugden Park, who is the other go-to person to contact.  Please call them for help.

*Another concern that I have, even though I’m not a commissioner anymore, is The City Gate Sports Park, adjacent to the Sports Park on Collier Boulevard, will be on the agenda on Tuesday, June 22 asking for $15 million dollars as an incentive to bring Great Wolf Resort to Collier County! My personal opinion is we don’t give anyone money they request to start their hotel here…especially if they are wealthy and don’t need the money. Why should we start now??! We are such a hot commodity in the tourism field; they should be begging to come to Collier County!   By the time you read this, it will have already been decided at the Commission meeting on June 22, but I just have to say they should call for a reconsideration. After that, other places will also want money to come to this hot tourism area of Collier County. We don’t need to GIVE money to people to come here, we ARE the attraction. Anyway, that is my opinion and I’ll stick with it.  

*While talking about that park, I hear that the commissioners voted to approve spending $184,000 to buy a Food Truck for the Sports Park!  Right now, food trucks are already serving the park with their own money and love it. Why would the County want to own their own food truck, be responsible for the maintenance, hiring people to operate it, buy the food, prepare menus, and compete with their own citizens when the operators are already doing the job? I’m having a real problem understanding the whole situation.   

*I understand the Marco Island Airport will be hiring more people, so if you are interested, call your Commissioner Rick LoCastro. He will have all the information you need.   

*A budget workshop is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 at 9:00AM at the Government Center. Why not drop in and listen, or at least tune in to Channel 97 and watch for yourself.

*And finally, redistricting is coming up and will be a heavy subject.  What is that you ask? Five commissioners are elected to run the county, and each represents a different area. Each usually has their own commissioner, but the two cities, Naples and Marco Island, already have their own Councilors and Police Department and Fire Departments – their very own elected governing officers. Both cities have far fewer people than the district they want to represent, but they have a lot, lot, lot more money. I’m not sure why they need their own commissioner when that commissioner cannot govern their respective cities, but that’s the way it has been for a long time. No commissioner can tell them what to do in their city, and they never get into their business because they have no right to, but somehow that’s the way it has run.   Meanwhile, the East Naples community has been broken apart in pieces so two parts are served by two elected representatives, but they seem to be forgotten when it comes to voting for good things to happen.   Let’s hope times have changed and it all works fairly this time.