33957 KlzPORTER NOVEMBER 18,1999 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 26, WEEK 47 NUMBER 48, 28 PAGES 75 CENTS Around Our Town Has the time come for trolley transportation on the islands? It Group discusses trolley might be costly, and usage will need to be system, entrance-area studied but, with traffic park as means to cope increasing every year, a trolley public trans- with traffic congestion; portation system might Fort Myers Beach may be the answer. prove good model —See page 13 Bird Westall by Scott Martell Why do some people Executive Editor feed wildlife, particu- larly dangerous ani- While islanders are stressing out mals such as alligators about Island Stress, a mixed group and shark? from a multitude of organizations, —See page 12 STARS, is moving forward with ideas on how to handle it. Carlene Brennen Island stress is defined primarily Gov. Jeb Bush's deci- as congested traffic — a growing sion to back out of a number of winter residents, service deal to purchase 9,000 providers and visitors — clogging acres near LaBelle for up island roads, particularly a reservoir is going to Periwinkle Way. cost him votes. STARS held i\ think lank session —See page 13 about n number oi' issues, came up | with long- and short-term projects, then prioritized them. A major issue proved lo be trans- portation difficulties. "Thete was a lady who lived in a condominium who came to.us and said it vvas too hard for her to get around during season," said STARS member Rob DeGennaro said. The group wondered — Why not trol- Michael Pistella leys? It could be for the elderly, peo- ple with no cars, those who are Currently, Adventures in Paradise runs two island trolleys as a private business, gener- ally to promote their cruise boat that leaves from Port Sanibel. D> See Trolleys, page 5 Permits & Deeds —See page 11 Council agrees on two sewer plants on island capital costs and $113,800 in operating By Amy Fleming ; Beat the Experts! Staff writer and maintenance costs over the next .r;^:;^^^;n^^>:^;:^^A](i^^:^.;fe;V>ll^ v:i Mandy Greenstein won five years. Buiton & Associates did a the $50 prize in the Island The Sanibel City Council adopted financial analysis from fiscal year 2000 Reporter's college and three resolutions affecting the sewer to FY 2004, and concluded that "no professional football con- system at last Tuesday's meeting —- the rate increase of significance is needed test. adoption of a modified two-treatment beyond the automatic annual 3% — See page 28 plant option for treatment of sewage, increase already provided for." and resolutions incorporating Florida's Councilmcmbcr Nola Theiss, the uniform method of collection for the council liaison for the Wastewater sewer plan's special assessment, and Research Committee, said that in the mis entering into an agreement with the future, the EPA may require more Lee Co. property appraiser and tax col- advanced treatment of wastewater, and lector for appraisal and collection ser- that if the city went to the single plant Director's Note: vices. at Donax, there would not be enough Guest conductor Joel The modified two-treatment plant room to expand. Hefty concurred, say- Revzen will conduct option was recommended by the ing that, if two treatment plants were ?Pfp||§|rf|i|it|i|p|^ Classical Concert I for Wastewater Research Committee after used, they could be expanded and the Southwest Florida reviewing the City of Sanibel could handle the sewage load even Symphony. Wastewater Facilities Plan, which after Sanibel reaches build out. — See page 17 called for expansion of the Donax Sanibel resident Ray Grizzell Water Reclamation Facility and the encouraged council to consider, piping decommissioning of the Wulfert Water trie sewage off the island to Lee Co. Reclamation Facility. The Committee facilities. "Everyone I have talked to recommended that the Wulfert site with knowledge of sewer and water iiiii continue operations at its current treatment says take it off the island." Grizzell also maintained that in the / capacity of 0.125 MGD (million gal- •.••:»PolreevBeat;.^L>;.^iage'3 S lons per day), half of its estimaied long run, costs would be less than treat- •' ;?3|riyirOTihentaL.i-i;pa|^ }Jf. capacity of 0.5 MGD. The Donax facil- ing sewage on Sanibel, "DEP r *Lo6king;iBacK;.;;;:j)afee: 8;:: : ity will be expanded to 2.375 MGD for (Department of Environmental ;: •Busirifess;.;..;.,,;....page 10 a total waslewater capacity of 2.5 Protection) has tightened controls on • .•Gorriinentary.......:pagel2 sewage operators. The new mles call v: •Sparfc^itao6rs...i...:.pttge: 15 - MGD. In a letter to council, Utility v ; ; :i : Director John Hefty said that a cost for two operators and three shifts for •: ' *I|lanci:Xife;(,;.,.; .;page 17^ ' ;*TY listings:..,,... -page.;^^ analysis made by Hartman & ;;t*'CIassifiied_R;.,;,;..;:pjige.; 1A. ; Associates, Incof the two plant option Sewer, page 4 ; i would require ait additional $60,000 in 2 Q NOVEMBER 18, .,1999 • ISLAND REPORTER P o i i ceR e p © •* t% was pronounced dead at 4:45. hand-rolled cigarettes with the same leafy substance they had Jewelry thieves may have been The man was an Indiana found inside. They also found a wooden box with a small resident later identified by a amount of the material in it. Everything they found tested pos- apprehended friend who said he and his,. itive for'marijuana. Collier County officers have arrested two men in Collier family and the man and his Smith was arrested and placed in Short's patrol car. He County on burglary charges who are strong suspects in the jew- wife were all staying at agreed to allow the officers to search the premises and signed elry robberies that have been plaguing the lower part of the Hurricane House. The friend a consent. The search revealed a Baggie with a small amount state for several months. accompanied Officer Cliff of white powder that tested positive for cocaine, additional According to Sanibel Detective Kurt Schulte, Collier Short and Sgt. Brendan marijuana cigarettes and other drug paraphernalia. All the County Sheriff's Department set up an undercover officer as a Fitzgerald to the condomini- material was seized and placed into evidence. Smith was jewelry salesman, sent him on calls, then watched to see if he um to notify the victim's wife processed at Sanibel Police Department and taken to the Lee was followed... which, indeed, he was. Everything was going who acknowledged that he had had a heart condition and a County Jail. He was also cited for having an open container in according to plan until the potential robbers got lost. "But "deteriorating pump," according to the police report. his car. apparently greed got the best of them," Schulte commented, "because when they couldn't find their 'jewelry salesman,' Beach patrols continue Stalled car moved they broke into a high-priced clothing store and stole a bunch Six extensive beach patrols were conducted by Officers Officer TC Tyus proved to be the "hero of the day" when he of very expensive bathing suits... Guess -they just couldn't, go Feliciano, Cummins, Cechman and Jalbert during the past managed to get an abandoned, stalled Saab that was blocking home empty-handed." week. Three people were given warnings about nude sun- both lanes of late afternoon traffic off the causeway C-span at The burglars have been identified as the same people fol- bathing and two women about topless sunbathing. Another two 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Island Garage towed the car lowing the "salesman," and police are developing a photo line- individuals were issued warnings about having no fishing to storage. up to show victims and witnesses involved in the various cases. licenses and two others were warned about their loose dogs on the beach near Beach Access 4. • Crashes Watch your hubcaps • Cynthia Gold of Cape Coral was cited for following too Schulte also pointed out that, while there haven't been any Lost & Found close after she hit the back of a trailer being towed by Thomas more "smash 'n' grab" burglaries recently, the latest thing • On Nov. 13 Officer Cliff Short found a brown spaniel-mix John Watterson of Fort Myers, and coming to a stop with the - seems to be grabbing hub-caps off high-end cars that are dog with no tags running loose in the area of the American trailer on the hood of her Saturn causing $1,500 damage to the parked for the night:— 11 such incidents by press time. "This Legion. When no one at the Legion recognized the dog, he took car. There was no damage to Watterson's vehicle. doesn't appear to be kids," Schulte said. "There were a lot in it to the police pound and gave it water and food. • Sean F. Rooney of Fort Myers was cited for the same thing Fort Myers before Sanibel was hit the first time last Friday. And • While making business rounds on Nov. 11, Officer Dustin after hitting a Honda driven by Mark M. Sinibaldi of Mesa, AZ we've been made aware of a new business in Fort Myers that Worth found a seven-foot long pressure sprayer attachment in , who then hit Eugene J. Bruno who was driving a '98 Chevy. deals in used hubcaps." front of Chico's at Periwinkle Place and took it to the station $3,500 damage was done to Rooney's car, $ 1,000 to Sinibaldi's A1994 Lincoln Continental belonging to an Estero man and for safe-keeping. rental and $500 to Bruno's Chevy. a '99 Dodge Stratus parked under Hurricane House condos • Ernesto Ramos-Sica of Fort Myers was also cited for fol- were both relieved of their wheel covers during the night of Barking dog leads to arrest lowing too close after he hit Margarita A.