Causeway Tolls to Jump Higher

i Sanibel Police search for a 'gator at the Village Week of August 12-18, 2004 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 33 20 PAGES 75 CENTS Council defers vote on bridge lawsuit Causeway tolls By Kevin Duffy "Our chances of winning and keeping a drawbridge, I Staff Writer don't think we're going to do it" he said. "We need to act and act quickly." to jump higher In a special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 10, the Sanibel In a separate motion, CounciJ voted 4-1 against send- City Council delayed a vote on whether or not (o drop ing a letter to the U. S. Coast Guard requesting that an Sanibel's lawsuit against Lee County to prevent replace- Environmental Impact Statement be conducted before a By David Fischer ment of the Sanibel Bridge, citing a lack of time to review permit to replace the bridge be issued. This would be Breeze Corp Staff Writer ^documents and inform residents. intended to reveal the full impact of replacing the draw- The Lee Board of County Commissioners unanimously .** — decided to raise the cash toll at a public hearing held Tuesday evening, August 10. The tolls will rise from $3 to $6 and the pre-pay toll from. 50 cents to $3 to fund the three bridges that will comprise the new causeway. Sanibel officials and residents have consid- ered dropping the lawsuits against the county concerning the causeway, but commissioners and county staff were not sure that dropping the suits would have any impact on the toll increases. "If there is an opportunity to iower the tolls, we're going to do it." Commissioner Bob Janes said. "Ttn not sure set- tling the lawsuit has much to do with it." David Owen of the Lee County Attorney's Office said the count}' was scheduled to close on a bond to fund the cause- \\ ay in January. The bond had to be withdrawn from the mar- ket after lawsuit*, were ilicd against the coumy by the City of Sanibel nnd by Save Our Bay. Amy I)a\ ies of the Lee Coumy Department of Transportation said the lawsuits, increased interest rates, increased coverage requirements and increased construction costs are all factors contributing lo the increase in tolls. She said the increase will allow the county to meet debt service coverage and enhance the bond rating. Davies told the commissioners that the required toll I'hoio iry i'<:!>i Jilockmnre would have increased some regardless of the lawsuits, but MacKenzie Half was filled on Tuesday, Aug. 10 for a special meeting of the City Council called to consider drop- the proposed increase would have been only $4 cash and $2 ping the City's lawsuit against Lee County. Councilman Dick Walsh attended the meeting by telephone. pre-pay. Tolls Council's action came just as a public hearing of the bridge with a fixed-span bridge on various forms of page 3 Lee County Commission to discuss possible toll increas- wildlife classified as threatened. Councilwoman Judy es to cash and transponder customers on the Sanibel Workman voted to send the letter. Bridge was preparing to get underway in downtown Fort "We need to re-state our concerns," she said. Myers. Residents packed the council chambers of City Hall to At that meeting, the county commissioners voted speak, with opinions on whether or not to proceed with unanimously to increase the tolls for both cash and the litigation seemingly spiit. Many spoke in favor of the Goss nominated transponder customers. lawsuit, and many others, including a large contingent The council voted 4-1 to table the matter "until a date from the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of uncertain," which will fall sometime during the week of Commerce, urged it be dropped. to head CIA September 12. Councilman Jim Jennings was the lone dissenting vote. SOP MEETING By Renny Severance page 2 Executive Editor On Sanibel, the naming of the island's favorite son lo Back to school lead the CIA was met with enthusiasm Tuesday. By jenny Burnham Porter Goss. named by Staff Writer President George W. Bush to be she next director of "Today was the smoothest opening we've had in 18 the Central Intelligence years," said Maureen McMenemy, secretary to lhe Agency, faces confirmation Sanibel Schools principal, Barbara von Harten on by the U.S. Senate. Monday, Aug. 9. A former Army According to Ms. von Harten, the first day of school Intelligence, then CIA officer. "was just incredible: the students were on time, the Goss is well qualified accord- buses were on time, everyone was in class when the ing to those who know him and his background. See SCHOOL Bob Janes, who holds the page 2 seat on the Lee County Commission Goss held in the 1980s, said he is extremely pleased by Goss' nomination. tNOEX "It's just fantastic for Porter, for the country, Lee County, and Sanibel," Janes said. "They couldn't have picked a bet- • LrriTRS page 6 Babcock Ranch City gets Limited Soil removed ter one." • DATEUM: page 9 still available Open Permit Goss declined to run for re-election this year. Two years ago he was seriously considering retiring from Congress, but • Rr..\L&vi.-\rE page 10 The contaminated soil events in the Middle East, coupled with the overall threat of The window to acquire Sanibel gets a license to terrorism, kept him in Washington for one more term at the • TV LIS'IIKCS .-. page 13 the ranch for a nature deal with nuisance has been removed from preserve will stay open 'gators. Roadside Park on president's request. Now, at age 65, Goss is retiring from the • Omi'LAKirs page 13 for about 90 days. Periwinkle U.S. House of Representatives where he has chaired the House Intelligence Committee for the past eight years. He • POI IChBh.AI" page 16 also has sat on the House Rules Committee as well as the • Q.ASSIHKUS page 17 See GOSS — Sec page 5 — See page 3 See page 4 • LOOKING BACK page 19 page 3 2 • Week of August 12 - 18, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER protect the city from additional claims and damages that may result from the S.O.B. MEETING suit. Chamber Executive Director Steve Islanders' reactions Greenstein said that his organization, until From page 1 now, had not taken a public stance .on the issue. But the possibility of the county Councilman Steve Brown said he imposing a toll structure that would "crip- objected to having the documentation — ple" small businesses on the island dictat- to the toll increase including a third amendment to a class ed otherwise. action suit being brought against the coun- Dropping the lawsuit, Greenstein said, By Kevin Duffy Our Bay and a member of the Planning ty by a group of Sanibel residents calling would not mean that Sanibel had caved-in. Staff Writer Commission. "Where did all the surplus themselves Save Our Bay, Inc. — present- "We don't see it as a sign of weakness, toll money go over the years, elsewhere ed to the council for vote with insufficient we see it as a sign of hope "he said. "We The Lee Board of County in Lee County, that didn't benefit the time for review. He also strenuously are concerned, as a business community, Commissioner's unanimous decision residents of Sanibel?" objected to Mayor Marty Harrity calling of the issues that lie ahead." Tuesday to increase the tolls on the Gargano said that the tolls would for an "emergency" public meeting of Brown called the lawsuit a "polarizing" Sanibel Causeway did not sit well with have increased even if the city had council to do so. issue • between the business community residents of the island. dropped the lawsuit, due to the rising "It's obvious there is a game plan in and Sanibel residents. He challenged them Chamber President Ann Joffe said costs of the bonds and construction place that not all of us are privy to," Brown to justify making a quick decision. that her business, She Sells Sea Shells, materials. said. "None of you would vote on a business will be negatively impacted by the Workman agreed, saying she was con- plan brought to you 10 minutes before," he increased tolls, as will all businesses on cerned with the rush to take a vote before said. the island. Joffe, who has 20-23 employ- "We got stabbed twice the public had a chance to review the doc- Long-time resident Francis Bailey ees, reimburses them for their tolls. uments. urged the council to work with the county The pricing of her goods, Joffe said, in the back/' "What is the sense of urgency?" she to resolve the issue. is also affected due to the rising costs of — Jerry Muench asked. "For the good of the island we've got to freight coming over the bridge. former mayor Brown also questioned why Vice Chair stop this lawsuit," he said. "I've been successful because I've Dick Walsh, who was out-of-town, had to Resident Claudia Burns compared the been able to keep my prices fair," she be reached by phone in order to cast a county to a bully, and asked the council said. "To be forced to raise my prices Janes agreed, saying that the toll vote, maintaining that no sense of urgency not to drop the lawsuit. Another resident, over something over which I have no increase is a mere reflection of the costs to vote existed. Walsh listened tothe entire Barbara Anderson, said that the fixed-span control, that isn't fair." of the project.

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