Mooring field expansion draws comment
By CHUCK BALLARO
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council discussed an update on the expansion of the mooring field Monday with some public comment, mostly against expansion.
Leon Moyer said there are some sailors who can’t sail anymore or care for their boats, adding he has seen one who has run aground several times.
Joanna Broden, who has sailed around the world, said she chooses to anchor on Fort Myers Beach and spend her money there instead of on a mooring ball.
“The good sailors are thrown in the same pile as the derelict boats. They should not be used as an excuse to punish responsible sailors,” Broden said. “More moorings will make the field more crowded. And the good sailors will take our boats and our money elsewhere where they want us.”
Kathy Light, of the Anchorage Advisory Committee, told the Town Council the committee has recommended having the mooring field named a special anchorage area, which would allow them to be on a chart and would not need anchor lights.
She also said the AAC hasn’t reached a consensus about immediate expansion of the field to the west of the bridge and has started looking at upland service providers, with options being to remain with Matanzas Inn and work with them to expand and improve services, put a trailer on a town-owned property, or purchase a property.
During town council comment, Councilmember Bruce Butcher was interested on the latest involving the suits being filed regarding the product Round-up. He said he wanted to know the facts about the case after reading a news account in which a judge was seen as prejudicial against the makers of the chemical.
“He was using a study that was limited in scope and dealt more with worms than humans. I’m not a defender of Round-up, I want the facts to be vetted,” Butcher said.
Councilmember Ray Murphy lamented the fate of the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, which appears to have become irrelevant since the state has gutted its functions.
“This leaves the councils with little to do. I was greeted to the meeting on Thursday with an agenda item that read ‘Council Relevancy and Future,'” Murphy said. “You could imagine my surprise.”
Murphy also talked about formalizing a change in the Town election date from March to November. There is a plan to have an ordinance in place by the June 3 meeting to change the date.
Councilmember Joanne Shamp said she was concerned about changing the date and office terms, saying both should be put to referendum, whether that is legally required or not.
“We asked them in 2016 about longer terms and they said no by a 2 to 1 margin. I don’t think people mind paying the extra $17,000,” Shamp said of the cost of the Town holding off-cycle municipal elections.
Mayor Anita Cereceda said the problem with March elections is people have trouble getting to the polls with road construction and the peak of tourist season.
“It’s a big favor for our residents to move to November when it’s not so crowded. I do agree that terms should be put to referendum, but in 2016 there were 18 questions on the ballot,” Cereceda said.
Councilmember Rexann Hosafros said people are no longer planting trees on the island anymore, especially after Hurricane Irma two years ago. She said she wanted to encourage people to grow shade trees and not palms.
“There were people buying plants and trees here and taking them off island. The garden club would love to see us go back to native planting,” Shamp said.
Hosafros also complained about the lack of parking at town hall, where you often can’t get a space during meetings. Many have used Chapel by the Sea for parking, and Hosafros suggested getting together with the church to reach an agreement.