NOW THREE DAYS A WEEK POST COMMENTS AT CAPE-CORAL-DAILY-BREEZE.COM County CAPE CORAL champs Hancock Pirates slug way past unbeaten CCA Red Sox BREEZE —SPORTS EARLY-WEEK EDITION WEATHER:Partly Sunny • Tonight: Mostly Clear • Wednesday: Mostly Sunny — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 50, No. 56 Tuesday, May 10, 2011 50 cents Council mulls proposed charter changes voters opt to base council compensation on Little consensus first go-around on committee-tendered amendments the population, not the number of regis- By DREW WINCHESTER sense to citizens, and voters, come posed change in the methodology used to tered voters, one of two proposed compen- sation options proposed by the Charter [email protected] November, when people could be asked to determine council compensation. “Maybe It’s unclear what charter amendments support a $10,000 pay raise for council the only justification for putting that on the Review Commission. may make it onto the ballot in November, members and the mayor for 2013, among ballot is it’s a lightning-rod issue. It will “I personally felt it was a little much,” as city council neither wholly endorsed nor other items. get people to the polls.” Deile said of the proposed change. “We decried the work of the charter review Councilmember Bill Deile said that Yet Deile didn’t think the pay raise for have a population decline, we have seen a commission on Monday night. issue alone should be enough to entice vot- council members was proper, especially revenue decline, we ask our workers to Instead, officials went through the pro- ers and get them out to the polls. given the recent decrease agreed to by the work harder with less and at the same time posed changes individually, adding and “If nothing else, it’s going to bring city’s blue collar workforce. take a salary cut — to make us immune subtracting what they thought would make people out to vote,” Deile said of the pro- A council pay increase would occur if See CHARTER, page 3A 25 to be inducted into honor society By MEGHAN McCOY Society include Stephanie Diaz and [email protected] Amanda Peterson, junior Kayshel Twenty-five new members will Trudell and sophomore Laura be inducted into the Mariner High Acosta. School chapter of the National Senior Dale Wagner, sopho- Technical Honor Society tonight more Joshua Teeter and Michael during the school’s second induc- Wozny and freshmen Nicole tion ceremony since it was intro- Amaya, Benjamin Diamond, Daria duced last year. Park, Gerilynn Rossman, Megan The Mariner High School jun- Skowronski, Alexander Suarez and iors who will be inducted into the Tyronica Ward will be inducted medical, health and social services into the tech services, information National Technical Honor Society technology, R&D National Tuesday night include Monica Technical Honor Society. Amaya, Kelly Bravard, Annie Anita Lamourewx, co-advisor Charles, Amanda DiCicco, of the Mariner High School chap- Stephanie Leon Alexa Macri, ter, said the first induction was held Angela Minich, David Suarez and last semester with 26 members. Amanda Yoho. She said their membership has Sophomore Tristan Miller and grown to 51 students in one year. freshmen students Nicole Amaya The purpose of the National and Jennifer Lear also will be Technical Honor Society is to inducted. acknowledge outstanding student The seniors who will be induct- achievement in career and technical education. MEGHAN MCCOY ed into the technology and commu- Michelle Wolcott shows excitement after Habitat for Humanity Vice President of nications National Technical Honor Family Services Tanya Soholt gives her the keys to her new home Saturday morn- ing. Also pictured is son, Isaiah Perez, 3. Senior advocacy group Home for Mother’s Day: Women Build looking to start chapters makes ownership possible for Cape mom By ANDREA GALABINSKI To go By MEGHAN McCOY moving all of her furniture in and get settled. [email protected] [email protected] She planned to spend Mother’s Day unpacking A new senior advocacy group Who A mother of two young boys became a all of her belongings, along with organizing her called Seniors Speak and Speak For Seniors Speak and homeowner of a three-bedroom, two-bath north kitchen. Seniors will hold an organizational Speak For Seniors Cape Coral home Saturday morning after a Wolcott submitted her request of interest to meeting Thursday, May 12. What weeklong Habitat for Humanity Women Build Habitat for Humanity in January after the It is a non profit, non medical, Organizational meeting non political entity, said organizer event brought approximately 40 women application sat on her dresser for a couple of When together to rehabilitate a foreclosed home. months as she tossed around the idea of filling Robert Hertz. The purpose of the group is to Thursday, May 12 A home dedication was given for Michelle it out and turning it in. Once her job was out- 6 p.m. Wolcott and her sons Adrien Wolcott, 5, and sourced in October last year, the need to fill out help seniors become more empow- ered. Where Isaiah Perez, 3, Saturday morning, which the application began to grow. All Faiths Unitarian Church Wolcott said right as she was being let go, “Our main purpose is to lessen brought out many of her friends, family, volun- 2756 McGregor Blvd. the same company that dismissed her offered a isolation and loneliness and to teers and sponsors of the Women Build event Information and RSVP that took place from April 30 job in a different division, allow seniors to speak together in a which she took without supportive, positive atmosphere,” No charge light dinner through May 8. RSVP to Robert Hertz The opening prayer was hesitation. Unfortunately, he said, adding seniors can share provided by the Rev. Susan the new job was a their real life experiences in the 471-3277 decrease in pay with a group. Henderson and the blessing of Over the course of the week the home was given by Robin loss of benefits. The The meeting will be held at 6 mation on pharmacy options, living up to 40 volunteers young and change with work led to p.m. at All Faiths Unitarian Church, arrangements available to seniors King. Before the blessing old gave their time to help ren- began, everyone was asked to her moving in with her 2756 McGregor Blvd. Information and definitions of different levels of find a spot on the exterior of ovate the home by patching parents a little over a year about decision making for seniors senior care cost. the home and place their hand the walls, painting the interior ago. will be offered, with a panel and “This is variations and what you on the wall while a prayer was and exterior of the home, The Wolcott family discussion. Seniors, their families get for your money, helping you to read. installing new mirrors, replac- stumbled upon a three- and friends, and anyone looking to focus on what’s best for you.” Vice President of Family ing appliances, replacing the bedroom, two-bath home start a chapter in another local area, Hertz is a licensed clinical social Services Tanya Soholt pre- floors and any other rehabilita- that was built in 2001 are invited to attend. worker. sented Wolcott with an assort- tion that needed to be done. after being handed a list Besides launching the group “As a senior myself, making ment of gifts before she of foreclosed homes that there, Hertz’s goal is also to estab- decisions about my future, I have received her keys Saturday she could choose from in lish local chapters outside of the found lots of conflicting informa- morning. She was given a Cape Coral, rather than greater Fort Myers city area. tion as I saw it, less-than-true repre- pink hardhat and tool belt that building a new home. The To accomplish the goal of sentation, and great lack of knowl- the women used during the home is 1,089 square feet empowerment, there will be month- edge of what costs and options truly event, along with a hammer, with a 250-square-foot ly meetings where seniors, families are. paint brush, American flag, a tool kit and a sun porch and a fenced-in yard with trees. and friends can support one another “By sharing information and our Bible that had her name engraved on it. Over the course of the week up to 40 volun- and develop what works best in experiences, we can strengthen sen- After Wolcott received the keys to her teers young and old gave their time to help ren- their decision making. ior options.” home, she told the crowd smiling that she was ovate the home by patching the walls, painting “My main view is we should be A light dinner will be served at speechless. the interior and exterior of the home, installing able to talk and share our experi- no charge but a donation to the “It’s a hand-up, not a hand-out,” she said new mirrors, replacing appliances, replacing ences both good and bad so that church is suggested. You must about her new home. “It is everything I need to the floors and any other rehabilitation that service providers know more about RSVP to Hertz so there is an ade- make the boys feel comfortable.” needed to be done. our needs,” he said. quate meal count; call 471-3277. Wolcott said as soon as the last car left her Speakers expected to attend the “There has already been a lot of home Saturday morning she was going to begin See HOME, page 2A initial meeting will provide a vari- excitement about the group,” Hertz ety of information, including infor- said.