Thoughts on Redistricting

It’s a joyous time of year for our families and our friends. It’s time to celebrate love and friendship and joy and worship. It’s also a stressful time of year, even though we live in a paradise and have beautiful weather and so many blessings, because there are many emotions also involved. 

*As I personally look at the end of the year and forward to the new year, I cringe when I see what three of our commissioners did to District One. Yes, Marco Island is still intact, so dear readers, don’t worry about that; and our commissioner (who will not be the commissioner for many of us at the end of the year) tried to turn the direction of the other commissioners, but they didn’t even bother to listen! The county staff has been working on this division of the districts for over a year! They had so many criteria to meet and rules to follow. All five districts in Collier County are required to have close to the same number of people in each district. The planners also tried to break up the districts so each had their share of minorities. There were so many rules, but this gives you a peek at what they had to deal with. If I do say so myself, they did an outstanding job! Yes, we each had some different ideas, but the result from this panel was that it was fair and followed all the rules. What came out of that disastrous meeting that followed was that they broke the East Naples, District One into three pieces and stuck us in areas we were not even familiar with! I live in Lakewood, between U.S. 41 East and Davis Boulevard and have lived in that area where my children went to school, and we worked hard to bring District One – East Naples, to a better standard! I’ve lived in the same house for almost 48 years, and now all of a sudden, I live in District Four with the City of Naples who rules that district! (I guess they want to make sure all their affordable housing stays in East Naples and not where they live) with their commissioner Penny Taylor, who suggested the other commissioners do it this way!! She stated that the League of Women Voters and the NAACP called on her and suggested this arrangement. A lady from the League stepped up to speak, but the poor woman wasn’t even sure of what she should say on their behalf and couldn’t answer any questions, and then from the NAACP, Vincent Keyes, their president, wanted to make sure the division of minorities was fair, which was confirmed at the beginning of the meeting and repeated a number of times by the presenters. Vincent is a fine man, but I believe something was pushing him that way. I’m pretty sure he knew how fair the original presentation was, but I believe he had some other forces pushing him. Many of us believe the same way. So now East Naples District One is divided in three pieces, and Golden Gate Estates is divided for the first time in history, and two development communities are divided in pieces! AND THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX IT!!! For the next 10 years we are stuck with this divided decision! Yup, I’m very upset about this, but we are stuck with it, no matter how much division or even damage it causes. By the way, this decision also divides the school districts along the same lines! The upcoming local election should be interesting! Included with Marco Island and Isles of Capri and Goodland in the new District One will be Naples Heritage, Cedar Hammock, Falling Waters, and Green Heron, all in East Naples. 

*A pat on the generous back of Alice Sweetwater’s Restaurant on Airport Road for again reaching out to one of the poorest elementary schools in East Naples – Avalon Elementary School. It’s a great school with dedicated teachers who really work so hard with the kids. Well, the folks at Alice’s have been collecting items and money to give these kids and even families, for a wonderful Christmas! They asked the kids for a list from each child and then set up trees at the restaurant for people to choose names and items from. Also, a few people came in on their own wanting to participate!! They donated money for bikes and new clothes and even things for the rest of the families! Every year manager Mary Beth from Alice’s puts on this terrific effort to reach out to the kids who need it most. Her employees get into the mood very quickly and do all they can to help! It’s one of those God things from good people who reach out to other good people and let them know they are cared about. 

*And with that, Dear Friends, I wish you and your families a wonderful, loving, Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!