Council Turns Down Bridge Referendum Donna T
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The island's newspaper of record £2 The Founding Mothers .:iLT* of Sanibel at BrG ARTS — see page 14 Week of December 4-10, 2003 SANIBEL &CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 30, NUMBER 48, 28 PAGES .75 CENTS State to examine alleged campaign violations Donna T. Schuman inaccuracies in the report were found. Ln each instance, According to the commission's report Staff Writer prompting her to file a com- Jennings allegedly signed checks Jennings said he made his best effort to plaint with the commission. on the campaign account. The file timely treasurer's reports that com- One Sanibel City Councilmember could The alleged violations are only people authorized to sign plied with Florida law. face multiple fines for allegedly violating still being reviewed, Jennings the checks were campaign trea- "During the coarse of my campaign I election laws during the campaign in March said following Gargano's surer James Reddington or did not knowingly or willingly fail to of this year. announcement of the violations Jennings' wife Christine — report contributions," Jennings said in The Florida Elections Commission has during the public comment peri- whom he appointed deputy trea- the report. found probable cause that Councilman Jim od of Tuesday's council meet- surer. Jennings has 30 days to respond to the Jennings violated 56 Florida Statutes deal- ing. In two separate counts, report with a petition stating whether he ing with the handling of campaign contri- The commission's findings, Jennings allegedly violated a would like either a formal or informal butions. If found guilty of the violations, issued Nov. 21, found Jennings statute prohibiting a candidate hearing before the Florida Elections Jennings could face a $1,000 fine for each allegedly violated multiple from certifying a campaign trea- Commission. Another option would be a violation. counts of three different Florida Jim Jennings surer's report that is incorrect, formal hearing before the Division of The alleged violations were brought to election statutes. false or incomplete. According Administrative Hearings. Mediation for the attention of the Florida Elections The majority concern a statue prohibit- to the commission's report, Jennings failed these hearing is not an option. Commission by Sanibel resident Marie ing a person who is not a campaign treasur- to report 24 different contributions in two Although the allegations raised ques- Gargano in June 2003 following a review of er or deputy treasurer from making expen- treasurer's reports filed with the Sanibel tions on the City Council's position in the treasurer's report for Jennings' cam- diturse from a campaign depository of a City Clerk. Those 24 contributions also the matter, City Attorney Ken Cuyler paign. According to Gargano, a former candidate or political committee. Probable counted as individual violations of failing to said the issue is outside of the council's campaign treasurer, she noticed several cause for violating 30 counts of this statute report campaign contributions. jurisdiction. Council turns down bridge referendum Donna T. Schuman residents that the city will continue with Staff Writer its plan on this issue. "We're looking at our legal possibili- Sanibel residents may not find out ties,'' Brown said referring to hiring a whether a "sea change" has occurred on law firm to examine the Causeway's the island, regarding the preference for a maintenance records to determine if the fixed span bridge "or a drawbridge....at bridge was properly maintained. "We least not any time soon. already have something in the works to After more than three hours of debate deal with this issue." and public comment, the City Council Prior to the vote Councilmember Judy voted 3-2 against a resolution proposing Workman and Dick Walsh maintained a referendum that would finally answer their support of the referendum. the question of what bridge islanders "The last time we asked the people, 91 really want. percent said they wanted a drawbridge," To the surprise of many who attended Walsh said. "This referendum will the meeting, Mayor Steve Brown cast the enable the council to see what the citi- vote that killed the proposed referendum. zens want." Council found themselves deadlocked at According to Workman, the "sea the last meeting over this issue in change" is nothing but hype. Karen Nelson photo Brown's absence. However, Brown said "A vote against the referendum would The BIG ARTS Arts & Crafts Fairwas held last Friday and Saturday and artists and he knows what islanders want and his reflect a fear that we will find the same craftspeopel reported a better response and turnout than last year.The combination stance on the issue is on the record. 91 percent prefer the drawbridge," of good weather and improved booth layout made for a successful event. "I have spent countless hours represent- Workman said. ing what I Councilmernbers Marty Harrity and think Jim Jennings also maintained their oppo- HBO HEAS9 Sanibel sition to the referendum. i j mm wants," "I think there has been a sea change, • OPINION page 6 Sanibel PD iRon Sympson on The estuary Brown said. but that's not the point," Jennings said. igets gift Igroundeovers {studied "I feel I "If we find there is a sea change where • ENVIRONMENT page 11 know what will it go from there." the outcome However, the councilmembers were • LOOKING BACK page 12 iDefibrillators add to city i [There are many solutions iMike Hannan reports on of the refer- not the only ones at odds over this issue. e n d u m (safety capabilities jto various groundcover [ecological trends of the For more than an hour, residents took • REALESTATE page 14 Ineeds jCaloosahatchee estuary. would be their turns at the podium to voice their — Seepage 2j without the opinions. • DATELINE ....page 15 — See page 8 — Seepage 25 referen- "I think it's apparent to all of us as to dum." what type of bridge is going to be built," • TV LISTINGS page 17 Brown also assured See REFERENDUM • CLASSIFIEDS page 28 page 3 Design • Installation • JHttititance • Tree Work 28 YEARS BEAUTIFYING SANIBEL & CAPTIVA —=** 2 • Week of December 4-10,2003 • ISLAND REPORTER ISLAND REPORTER • 'Week of December 4-10, 2003 • 3 CITY •' COUNTY "• STATE In other news, the Sanibel City Council.., By Donna T. Schuman • adopted the shared-use-path master Coast Guard sets no-wake Staff Writer plan. City Council considers e-mailing agenda Generous gift to Sanibel P.D. • reviewed the appropriately sized • approved a $23,415 fee for Johnson zone around drawbridge AEDs improve life-saving capabilities home report issued by the Planning Engineering to perform National Donna T. Schuman Although the Department. The report focuses on the Pollutant Discharge Elimination System By Donna T. Schuman bridge,'' Wingard said. "But I am sure I Staff Writer council agreed to appearance of single family homes and services for fiscal year 2003-2004. In Staff Writer would have heard about it." the new system, duplexes. 2002 the council approved a contract Wingard did say there were sections of The Sanibel City Council has turned one member sug- The departments approach to this issue with Johnson Engineering, Inc. covering Boaters beware while operating your concrete intentionally missing from to the electronics age for publishing gested the agen- does not include a limit on the size of a five years of the NPDES-related engi- vessels near the Sanibel Causeway. underneath the bridge. Following an meeting agendas. das be published single family home or duplex dwellings neering services. In an effort to secure safety on and inspection last January, Lee DOT left a Following a suggestion by in the newspaper for community compatibility standards. around the Causeway, last Saturday the portion of the concrete exposed to moni- Councilman Dick Walsh, the city council again. The format for drafting the regulations • approved a request from the U.S. Coast Guard declared the areas sur- tor its condition. decided unanimously to compile an e- "I am in favor involves revising section of the Land Historical Committee to serve wine rounding the drawbridge a no-wake zone. "If people see concrete missing from mail database of any residents interested of e-mailing the Development Code dealing with appear- at the Annual Docent Holiday Party to be Anyone .caught violating the federally the bridge that could be it," Wingard said. in receiving an agenda for the council agendas," ance of structures and adding design stan- held at the Historical Village and mandated zone could face up to a $27,500 Wingard added that the procedure was meetings. Council also decided to have Councilwoman dards to that section. The report also sug- Museum on December 7. Council also fine. normal. an outside company maintain the list and Judy Workman approved a request for the Historical e-mailings for the city. gests revising and supplementing regula- Based on the condition of the bridge, On Nov. 18 the Lee County Com- said. "However, tions such as front yard development, total Committee's Island Hammerheads to the Coast Guard decided to make safety a missioners passed a resolution declaring Walsh suggested this alternative last Dick Walsh we should also lot development, side yard setbacks, land- build a non-functional outhouse structure federal issue, said Paul Wingard, deputy the existence of a transportation emer- summer when the city decided to stop explore publish- scaping, building heights, angle of lights, at the Historical Village and Museum. director of the Lee County Department of gency for the drawbridge. The resolution publishing the agenda in the Island ing the agendas in the newspaper again." roof characteristics, uninhabited ground • passed a resolution appointing mem- Transportation. requests that the U.S. Coast Guard issue a. Reporter to save money.