Delusions of Grandeur and a Bottomless Wallet?
To the editor:
For a 7-mile long island with about 7,000 full-time residents, some in leadership positions seem to be hallucinating that their “pond” is a great big gulf. Within recent years one or more have proposed, apparently seriously, that Town taxpayers take on the responsibility for maintenance of all of Estero Boulevard lying in the Town and for the Seafarers Plaza property. This would be in addition to other burdens already assumed from the County, including the decrepit water system, all the beach accesses, a swimming pool, and Bay Oaks and its programs plus the Mound House, and the Newton property. All of the latter are currently, perhaps forever, operating at a substantial annual net cost to taxpayers of the Town.
Where does it all stop? Not a single one of the costly projects mentioned was subjected to a taxpayer referendum. The various Councils made unilateral decisions. Lately, this Council has even, with assumed reluctance and a patronizing attitude, taken on the chore of preaching to and about another taxing district’s budget and management. Not only have they made a huge big deal over a facilities report, which no one originally knew was even required and failed to request directly from the library whatever information they determined was missing on the first submission, but very recently the Town Manager and Mayor also pursued the issue further with the County Commission. Their discussions there apparently failed to disclose the multiple reviews of library district books and records already conducted by several entities, which found no violations at all. Commissioners were led to believe that further audits should be required.
And just recently the Town Manager has raised a completely bogus question about whether the new portion of the building was even engineered to house any books! This, regarding plans developed by a very reputable firm of architects using consultant engineers and vetted by County, Town, and Fire District, is beyond arrogant and irresponsible! Only a cursory look at the plans shows the bulk of the book collections on the lower floors of both the new and old portions of the expanded library. There does appear to be a pattern of somewhat obsessive behavior here. To what end, one can only guess.
When storm drainage, water utility, and street maintenance issues remain unresolved, as well as funding for the costly projects mentioned previously, why are our Town Manager and Mayor so persistently concerned with another taxing district’s business? A distraction from ownership of problems that are the Town’s responsibility? An ego issue? Meanwhile, costs and staffing at Town Hall rise, our streets still flood and deteriorate and our water utility disintegrates.
Pat Smith
Fort Myers Beach