You, the Observer, were wise and kind enough to print ALL my letters, WITHOUT censorship, and I Thank You.

For many months now, I have heard frustrations and complaints on the above-mentioned regulations from local business owners."/>
You, the Observer, were wise and kind enough to print ALL my letters, WITHOUT censorship, and I Thank You.

For many months now, I have heard frustrations and complaints on the above-mentioned regulations from local business owners."/>
You, the Observer, were wise and kind enough to print ALL my letters, WITHOUT censorship, and I Thank You.

For many months now, I have heard frustrations and complaints on the above-mentioned regulations from local business owners." />
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Rally cry for business owners

3 min read
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To the editor:

For 3 months in a row, I wrote letters of complaint about the “new” signage regulations and live music regulations forced on businesses here on Fort Myers Beach and how this is abusing local business rights to do business and their freedom to do so.

You, the Observer, were wise and kind enough to print ALL my letters, WITHOUT censorship, and I Thank You.

For many months now, I have heard frustrations and complaints on the above-mentioned regulations from local business owners. Soon after, with the help of a concerned Council member, we put together a meeting for the unhappy business owners to voice their complaints on this subject to the Council member with the intention of changing these unfair regulations.

When the day and time came up for this “Big” Change Meeting, did any business owners I previously contacted show up or respond? No!! I know some of you business owners here are thinking, ” Let sleeping dogs lie” or “I don’t want to be inconvenienced” or “I already have all my permits” or “I can’t be bothered, let someone else do it” or “I’m scared of going up against Town Hall on anything!!!” or worst of all, “There’s nothing we can do to change anything!!!” Some are using one if not ALL the above excuses, so as not to get involved.

Ask yourself these following questions: Have you had a great degree of difficulty getting signage permits, had to jump through hoops to get them, and required to pay large fees to do so?? Have you been forced by the Town to strip down window advertising for NO logical reason?? Have You been forced to take down any decorative art on the exterior of your place of business (to attract customers) and told by the Town that you MUST pay a BIG FEE to put it all back up again?? Have you had live music forced to be SHUTDOWN at Your business and then required to get a permit to ALLOW live music on your premises (something we could do for FREE a year ago!!!)??

If you don’t get involved with YOUR voice on this, you get ALL the local Government rules, regulations, fees and permits that you DESERVE just to do business here!!!! Apathy GOES NOWHERE! Get involved, be engaged and help bring about a change in what is NOT fair to you and your business.

We again are attempting to organize another Meeting of Bizz Minds with a Town Council member to bring to the table your complaints concerning signage and live music regulations. Strength in NUMBERS is important here. If you have a desire to add your voice to make changes in the Town’s OVERBEARING Regulations on YOUR Business, and would like to PUT FORTH your suggestions and ideas to do so, please email your interest to me at jd.burdge@yahoo.com With enough response from you, I will make sure a meeting for ALL of us to attend will be established, and I will then inform you back on to when and where.

As Bob Marley once sang, “Get up, Stand Up, Stand Up for Your rights!!!” Happy 4th of July People.

Happy Jeff

Fort Myers Beach