October’s county, city, and school district news was again dominated by recovery efforts after Hurricane Irma. But there was also coverage of our elected officials’ efforts to address ongoing challenges of the environment, health and human services, economic development, and school board and district operations.
Top stories – Hurricane Irma recovery
- County estimates $320M of estimated damage to public and private property in the unincorporated county. Sixty-five homes, including 44 mobile homes, were destroyed, and another 1,008 homes suffered major damage, defined as more than 60 percent of a home’s value. In Everglades City, the hardest hit area, nearly every building was damaged in the storm. Naples Daily News
- County frees up $3.3M to help residents repair or replace homes destroyed during Hurricane Irma. The money comes from an annual grant from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. During disasters and declared emergencies, lawmakers allow the normally rigid and tightly controlled money to be shifted to help people rebuild and recover. Naples Daily News
- FEMA provides housing for 77 displaced Collier families. Residents have to have their home inspected by FEMA to qualify for housing help. It’s the inspections that can slow things down. Naples Daily News
- Update: FEMA scrambling to add staff, shorten waits for housing aid in Collier County. As of 11/2, just 81 Collier families have been approved for FEMA trailers or were set up in apartments by FEMA. Of the over 25,000 inspections to be completed, as of 11/1, inspectors had finished nearly 23,000, more than 90 percent. Naples Daily News
- Collier Schools asks for fiscal help after Irma. Superintendent Kamela Patton told a Florida Senate panel in Tallahassee that of the estimated $10 million the district spent on hurricane-related expenses, Collier would qualify for $4.6 million of insurance and the rest would be self-insured. Naples Daily News
- Collier beach renourishment still years away. Early estimates put a price tag of $30 million to $40 million on the project, which would likely have to be done with an offshore dredge, rather than with dump trucks. County officials are counting on FEMA to reimburse about 75 percent of the cost; the county and state would split the rest. Naples Daily News
- Hurricane Irma cleanup costs blow Naples downtown parking garage plan off table. Talks with the private seller, Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate, had stalled after the Council lowered the city’s offer to $4.6 million after a large group of residents in a public hearing said they were opposed to the plan. Naples Daily News
Top stories – environmental challenges
- Florida DEP renews oil exploration permit in Big Cypress National Preserve. Environmental groups who had urged the Department of Environmental Protection to not allow Texas-based Burnett Oil Co. to resume its controversial work are now evaluating their legal options. Naples Daily News
- County rejects HHH Ranch mining partnership. The 1,000-acre parcel, which sits 3 miles east of Collier Boulevard and immediately north of I-75, has long been desired by conservationists. But “there is no way to justify the gulf between the asking price and the appraisal.” Naples Daily News, BCC Minutes 10/10/17
- ATV park in Immokalee nixed due to panther mitigation, FAA concerns. Collier Commissioners shot down a proposal to put in an off-road vehicle park on the property of the Immokalee Regional Airport. Naples Herald
- Summit organizers see shift in public focus on sea level rise in Collier County. About 200 people gathered to hear a panel of experts organized by Naples Councilwoman Linda Penniman and County Commissioner Penny Taylor. Past efforts to address sea level rise in the County have gotten mired in debate about whether climate change is real. Naples Daily News
Top stories – Health and human services
- Affordable housing recommendations face uphill battle in Collier County. There’s agreement on the problem, but still no agreement on solutions. Yet 40 percent of households are paying an unhealthy amount — more than a third of their income — on rent or a mortgage. Naples Daily News
- Related: Multi-step plan for affordable housing set for vote by Collier County Commission. The goal of the plan, developed by a county-appointed committee, is to provide housing not just for the poor but also for firefighters, nurses, teachers and other workers who have been priced out of Collier County. Naples Daily News
- Sheriff’s Office to receive federal funds to combat drug trafficking as part of the South Florida High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a league of law enforcement agencies fighting drug trafficking in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Collier and Martin counties. Naples Daily News
Top stories – City of Naples
- Naples Councilman Sam Saad sought meeting with agent before 7-Eleven vote. The request to meet is documented in emails Councilwoman Linda Penniman said she is turning over to an investigator probing the case for the Florida Commission on Ethics. Naples Daily News
- Related: Ethics Naples, a 501c4 political action committee, seeks a better ethics policy for the City. They are collecting signatures of City residents to place a charter amendment on the 2018 ballot to require the City to adopt a best-practices ethics policy. Petition here. EthicsNaples.org
- Naples Council members give themselves big pay raises. Mayor Bill Barnett and Council members will be paid more than their peers in all but two of the state’s weak-mayor governments. Naples Daily News
- Related: A proposal to raise the pay for Naples mayor and Council isn’t just bad timing. It’s outrageous. Editorial, Naples Daily News
- Naples rehires city attorney Bob Pritt but could call for firm search later. It’s about “continuing to renew contract after contract with the same firm for 20 years and the city not taking a look at having inside counsel,” Councilman Doug Finlay said. Naples Daily News
Top stories – Collier Schools
- NAACP sues Collier Schools over decision to hold class on MLK Day as a hurricane makeup day. The revised calendar originally proposed by CCPS did not do so. However board members said they’d received complaints from parents and teachers about the district’s proposal to hold school on the first day of winter break. The vote was unanimous. Naples Daily News
- School Board solicits bids for a risk assessment of district programs or practices to determine if an internal audit is necessary. By a 5-0 vote, the board is “appropriately following the lead” of Vice Chairman Erika Donalds, a chief financial and compliance officer for an investment management firm. Editorial, Naples Daily News
- School Board drops member comments from Board self-evaluation form. The 3-2 vote “rendered virtually useless” the self-evaluation that’s been used for eight years. Editorial, Naples Daily News
Top stories – other news
- Arthrex to add South Carolina site, creating 1,000 jobs with $74 million plant. It plans to work with Tri-County Technical College in Anderson, S.C., to help provide qualified workers to fill manufacturing jobs. Naples Daily News
- Related: Arthrex will expand in S.C. partly due to apparent limits to growth in Collier. “This is a wake-up call,” Commissioner Penny Taylor said. Naples Daily News
- Related: Arthrex’s business decision should send a message to leaders. At a time we’re trying to compete and grow not only this region’s workforce and economy but also Florida’s, “political and educational leadership came up short.” Editorial, Naples Daily News
- Collier commissioners may create new stormwater fee in February. Pipes and culverts are well past their useful life in older parts of the county and have started to fail in at least one area, while the county is struggling to keep up with the demands of new homes entering the system. Unless taxes are cut as an offset, the new utility would almost certainly amount to a tax hike for property owners. Naples Daily News
- Marco Council receives unanimous support for COPCN bill. Collier’s state legislative delegation members voted to support a local bill that would allow the city to operate its own ambulance services rather than relying on the county. However, there are a few stipulations. Marco Eagle
- Collier County will not pursue public golf course “at this time.” After hearing a presentation on a Collier County Public Golf Course Facility Needs Assessment Study, Commissioners voted 4/1 to not consider operating a public course unless an offer comes along that is “too good to pass up.” Naples Daily News, BCC Minutes 10/24/17
Did you know?
I’ve been writing Sparker’s Soapbox with the goal of helping inform Collier voters since May 2014! The current Month in Review series began in May 2017. You can read and search past issues in the Blog Archive on my website, sparkers-soapbox.mystagingwebsite.com. There you will also find a page on how to find your elected officials (here) as well as a page with links to the websites of the elected bodies that represent Collier voters (here).
Finally, in case you missed them, here are links to my three most recent posts:
- October 2017 Month in Review – State News
- Was Florida ill-prepared for Hurricane Irma?
- Collier voters: Know your representatives
Thank you for your interest in being an informed Collier County voter.
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