New Ad Hoc Committee Stumbles at Gate

It seems as though the phrase,  “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” can mostly be found throughout a number of comedic skits and well-known lines in some great movies, and it may have found a home here. Some councilors at the May 6 Marco Island City Council Meeting might have had some second thoughts about the establishment of yet another new Ad Hoc Advisory Committee to the council, this one regarding Business Development and Redevelopment as proposed by Councilor Richard Blonna.

After establishing the committee in December 2023, the group has had difficulty finding or maintaining potential committee members. Their organizational meeting in April had to be canceled due to a lack of quorum. At the May 6^th meeting of council, three names were presented for approval, and although those presented were eventually passed, Councilor Rola questioned whether all met the criteria regarding their residency on the island as required by the City Charter. The three members are Mr. Marv Needles, Robert Choka, and Darin Spindler. The committee's purpose is to identify city requirements that negatively affect one’s ability to develop or redevelop property or open and operate a business here on the island.

When Councilor Blonna first proposed such a committee, several of his colleagues questioned whether that should be a function of the Chamber of Commerce to assist its own members. Their concerns were related to the costs associated with staff time to support another Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee. Ultimately, they agreed to his proposal and will once again attempt to have their first public meeting of the committee on Wednesday, May 15. It will be held in the first-floor conference room of city hall starting at 1:00 PM. The meeting is open to the public, and input is allowed, however, it will not be televised, as only meetings held in council chambers have that capability.