Trolley Makes Final Budget

Marco Island City Council held the final meeting approving the city budget and rolled back millage rate on Monday, September 23rd. 

The FY 2024-2025 budget for Marco Island is approximately $32 million and is largely funded by a property tax rate rollback of 1.24 mills. This is a decrease of about 1.1 percent from the current rate of 1.3137 mills. This is the eighth year in a row that Marco Island has rolled back its property tax rate.  

A rolled-back rate means that the city will maintain the same amount of revenue while slightly lowering the tax rate for most property owners. The rate decrease is due to increased property values and new development. When the city learned that an insurance expense decreased, council members included a project that has become a controversial, election hot topic - a trolley trial program.  

The tax rate and budget overall received few comments or critiques from citizens. But the $200,000 estimated expense for a three-month trial of a trolley on Marco Island brought several opponents to the public meeting Monday, much as it had at the meeting earlier this September.  

Citizen supporters of the trolley also spoke Monday in favor of determining whether a bus circulating primarily around the perimeter beaches of the island could help to reduce traffic and improve some parking conditions on Marco.  

City Councilmen and citizens began a feud over the trolley that has taken shape on social media. City Councilman Richard Blonna had referred to several trolley naysayers as “anti-intellectuals” at the previous city council meeting in September with several such residents claiming the title for themselves on Monday.  

“I think you owe us an apology,” said resident Cynthia Sheppelman. “Some of you think we’re stupid or anti-intellectual,” she added. 

Blonna had apologized to his colleague on the Council at the previous meeting after saying that Vice Chairman Erik Brechnitz must have fallen asleep during other trolley discussions. 

Resident John Martini suggested Marco Island run a ferry similar to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket except that people leave the cars on the mainland.  

“Residents have the automobiles; visitors don’t,” Martini suggested. 

Ryan Sullivan, host of “Good Morning, Marco” podcast, suggested that the trolley was a worthwhile idea for residents, including older residents, who could then safely access groceries and other stores.  

“I would use the trolley if the closest bus stop was not two miles from my house,” Sullivan said. He suggested stops closer to residents’ homes, stating that a stop at Mackle Park would make the trolley useful for him. 

"I think the trolley is an amazing idea,” said Sullivan. "If we’re going to pay for it, I want to use it,” he added. 

Council approved the budget, including the trolley expense, voting 4-3, but Council will still have to vote on the actual trolley pilot program when details are presented. A memorandum of understanding between Collier County Area Transit and Marco Island will be drafted and Council will then vote on the project. Proposed routes, schedules and a wrap design for the trolley are in development phases, Blonna has said.  

Councilmen Greg Folley, Brechnitz and Joe Rola opposed the budget.  

City Council Election Update 

Council members’ seats that are opening in the 2024 election include Blonna, Chairman Jared Grifoni, Becky Irwin and Joseph Rola. 

Blonna and Irwin are two of the three eligible incumbents running along with Tamara Goehler, Stephen Gray, Deb Henry and Bonita Schwan. Jill Kiley recently withdrew from the race. 

Folley ran for Florida House of Representative District 81, losing to Yvette Benarroch.  

The new Council may appoint someone to fill Folley’s seat upon resignation. The city will advertise the vacancy on November 6 and accept applications between Nov. 6 and Nov. 19, said City Clerk Joan Taylor. 

Current city council’s last meeting together is Nov. 4. The supervisor of elections is to certify the elections no later than Nov. 18, not including any ties or calls for recounts, Taylor said.  

Marco Island Police without Bodycams 

Later that evening Grifoni, who will no longer serve as Council Chairman after the November 5 election, suggested the future council consider body cameras for MIPD, which is the only municipal Southwest Florida law enforcement agency without them, he said. The costs would exceed $330,000 annually, Grifoni said. The suggestion comes after Naples Police Department recently purchased body cams, joining Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Myers Police and Cape Coral Police departments as agencies using body cams.