AMI BEL LIBRARY 70 DUNLOH RD island y 33957 REPOR Ft ER Week of July 19-25, 2001 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 28, NUMBER 28, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS City focuses on Skirling Way Massacre Richard and Fleur Cook, who were given the largest recreational needs fine in the city's history for allegedly destroying gopher tortoise nests, provide their County's help uncertain; Phillips and Interim City side of the story. improvements to facilities Manager Sam Ackley have met with representatives from the Lee —See page 9 could take years, but County School Board and the Lee staffing may need County Parks and Recreation immediate attention Department, asking for input on mm the concept, Phillips will also advertise a proposal for the study Down to Two By Pete Bishop soon, soliciting consultants the Staff writer city could hire to spearhead the City council will choose a Preliminary steps toward cre- study. new city manager on July "I'm very optimistic," said 27. Still in the running are ating a master study of Sanibel's recreational facilities and needs Phillips. "I think it's something Michael Copp of Glenwood that's needed — something the Springs, Colo., and former are well underway, according to Sanibel City Manager Helene Phillips, the city's recre- Michael Pistella Bernie Murphy, now of ation director. t> See Recreation The pool at the rec complex was built 20 years ago. Ormond Beach. page 3 —See page 2 New Complaint Council considers increasing city staff The city of Sanibel has filed Code enforcement, enforcement, has council members In May, the Five-Year Budget the past few months, council mem- a new complaint against considering hiring more planning Projection Review Committee rec- bers have indicated long-term Properties in Paradise, alleg- planning may get help department staff. ommended the council consider planning will be one of the city's ing the rental company is City Planning Director Bruce providing an additional code priorities in the coining years. At doing business illegally By Pete Bishop Rogers and Code Enforcement enforcement officer. The commit- the same time, the city's crack- under a new business name. Staff writer Officer Ray Hendzel recently tee's report also noted a study down on short-term rental viola- —See page 2 asked the council to consider hir- determining the routine activities tions has Hendzei, the city's only A steady amount of permit ing at least three new staff mem- of planning staff should be con- enforcement officer, busy up to 40 applications, added to the needs to bers — an additional code enforce- ducted in order to analyze the need Feuding with Lee improve Sanibel's long-term plan- ment officer, a staff planner and a for a new planning technician. The Lee County ning abilities and beef up code planning technician. During goal setting meetings of > See Staff Commission will address page 4 Sanibel's concerns over the Sanibel Causeway and over money for below-market rate housing during its meet- Frannie's aood fire ing on July 24. —See page 3 By Renny Severance and planning of Dave Ceilley, Islander Editor according to Eric Lindblad, execu- tive director of SCCF. On Friday the 13th, the Sanibel" There has been pressure on Captiva Conservation Foundation SCCF over the past year to inciner- decided to burn the unsightly piles ate the piles that were easily visible Awesome Oasis of Brazilian pepper, Australian pine from the road. However, instigating Staff writer Dawn deBoer , and other unwanted flora that had a bum of this size requires the right discovers an oasis on been piled high in Frannie's combination of wind, humidity and Captiva, the Oasis Pool Bar Preserve on Tarpon Bay Road for rain to keep it from becoming far & Grill at 'Tween Waters nearly a year. more interesting than any of the Inn. Despite the date, the event went particpants want. A good rain the off without a hitch. No one was night before, coupled with gentle —See page 7, injured, the fire stayed where it winds in the right direction made belonged, and afternoon rains did Friday's conditions ideal. •not quench the blaze. Sauel a?i.tt! The success of the operation is > See Fires Brazilian pepper and Australian pine tree piles burn along due in large part to the hard work page 2 Island Gardening Tarpon Bay Road, in Frannie's Preserve. Ron Sympson on being an expectant father and on live oak trees. Car burglar arrested Edmond Gavin, black —See page 19 Sanibel has had more than its Woman may have share of car break-ins recently, so, pioneer patriarch, dies been involved with when Lee County deputies asked Sanibel pioneer Edmond During his the Sanibel Police Department to Gavin Sr. died in Fort Myers on younger years, • Environmental News . .page 5 Sanibel burglaries keep an eye out for the van of a July 13, 2001, He was 84. Edmond lived ByAnneBellew possible suspect, they were more Born April 1, 1917, in with his parents, • Business & Technology page 7 Staff writer than happy to cooperate. Tallahassee to Isiah and Hannah marrying Elnora As a result, the Lee County Gavin, he moved to Sanibel with Walker on Nov. • Opinion —, page 9 According to a Tuesday News- Sheriff's Department arrested his parents in 1921, Theirs was 13, 1934, and Press editorial, "an alert Sanibel Monica Gail Vidaurri, 29, of the first African-American fami- eventually estab- • Looking Back page 10 detective" Did The Right Thing- Lehigh Acres, charging her with ly to establish residence on the lished their home Gavin He "broke [a] case with old-fash- car burglary, petty theft and fraudu- island. A brief history of the fam- on a portion of •Dateline page 11 lant use of a credit card. ily can be found in the Sanibel what is today known as the ioned police work, not the privacy- Gavin Site on the J.N. "Ding" invading surveillance cameras Museum and in various books on • TV listings page 16 the history of Sanibel and being considered in Bonita t> See Burglar t> See Obituaries Springs." Captiva Islands. • Classifieds page 21 page 16 page 4 2 • Week of July 19-25, 2001 • ISLAND REPORTER I *l _* J-» J-.it- < "-I. • _ U.'^1 City briefs I Copp or Murphy will replace Interim the county processes each da\. The pub- Council to select city City Manager Sam Ackley in October. lic is encouraged to attend the niccLing. New complaints filed Ackley has acted as the city's chief which will be held at MacKenzie Hall manager July 27 administrator since Ed Sealover and starts at 10 a.m. against rental agent The Saruoel City Council is expected resigned in March. to select Sanibel's next city manager By Pete Bishop during a special meeting scheduled for Rental amnesty Staff writer 1:30 p.m., July 27. County recycler to Although the council selected three hearing July 23 Tearing Kevonda Cross may be illegal- 1\ renting Sanibel properties under the finalists for the position at a special speak at Stewardship Judge William Mcher will hear name oi <'i new corporation, ihe city of meeting last Wednesday, one finalist, arguments July 23 concerning a motion Committee meeting by local rental agencies lhai w.uu the .Sanibel has tiled an injunction meant id Bonnie Kraft of Gresham, Ore., has stop her iitim doing so. Emory Smith, Lee County recycling circuit court to enforce an amnesty deal withdrawn from consideration, Michael Cross filed papers with fxe County Copp, of Glenwood Springs Colo., and coordinator, will be speaking at the signed with the city last May. The Sanibel Stewardship Committee's next Jan. 5 dealing Properties in Paradise Bernie Murphy of Ormond Beach, are amnesty agreement concerns po^ihle Resort Rentals inc.. one week beloie ciiv the final two candidates. meeting Friday, July 27. violations of Sanibel's short-term renuil officials .soi/cd records from the office of Kraft pulled out after the city Smith coordinates the state's most ordinances. her Periwinkle Way rcntiil agency announced the new city manager will be successful county recycling program, While rental agents claim ihc Fropeiuv* in. Paradise Inc. Cioss closed offered a package that includes and toured the county's material recov- amnesty deal should cover property the Properties in Paradise Inc. office in $105,000 in salary, a $1,000 monthly ery facility with members of the owners who rented homes through April and is currently suing the city, claim- housing allowance and a $300 monthly Stewardship Committee in early June. agencies that signed the agreement, ing the search was conducted illegally. vehicle allowance. The new city manag- While the county recycles approximate- Sanibel City Attorney Doug Wyckoff The city's motion for summary judgement er will also receive general employee ly 36 percent of its solid waste, it has has stated the property owners are not in (hat case will be heard Aug. 13. benefits. After a six-month evaluation, been estimated Sanibel residents and covered in the deal. According to the city's complaint, filed terms of employment may change. businesses recycle at an approximate The city has recently collected close July 9, by shutting down her previous rate of 11 percent. company while creating the new corpora- Copp will interview with individual to $15,000 in fines from property own- The county is currently building a city council members next Monday, ers who have done business with new recycling facility, which should be Tuesday and Wednesday. Murphy will Properties in Paradise Inc. l> See Complaints able to double the 110 tons of garbage interview Thursday and Friday morning.