Sanibel Island
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FEBRUARY 18, 1999 VOLUME 26= NUMBER 7c 40 PAGES- SCCF's annual Two vying open house for council By Dawn Grodsky < fun, educational Editor i i i By Givenda Hiett-Clements Two candidates have qualified for the upcoming Satnbel News Editor City Council election being held to replace the scat vacated by George Madison, who resigned in early January. Island residents, visitors and lots of children gathered Bill Hillebrandt and Bob Laslow both got thJ3 required during Monday's Presidents Day holiday at the annual number of verified signatures to qualify for the r|tce by last Sanibel/Captiva Conservation Foundation's open house. Friday's deadline. The top vote getter in the March 30th The day's activities included tours of the foundation, but- election will take over the spot now held by Bob Davison, terfly lectures, face painting and an animal sound contest. who was appointed as a temporary replacement. < Kristie Anders, education director at SCCF, said chil- Also on the March 30th ballot will be a non-binding dren from ages 3 to 12 competed by making the sounds of baby alligators, monkeys, crows and classic barnyard ani- t> See Council, page 3 mals such as pigs and cows. Jessica Schlegel came in first with her wolf and mountain lion. Kelly Strehn was second with a dolphin imitation and Gus Costanza was third with his baby alligator call. CEPD wants to In the adult division, George and Nancy Madison's house guests, who are visiting from Italy, took home first and third places. Marco Fabio's chicken was No. 1 with Gino Noci's turkey coming in third. Steve Alvarez won open Blind Pass second place for his baby alligator even though he had a By Pattie Pace cold. Staff Writer Anders said, "The guys lrom Italy were hysterical. Their pantomime of the animals definitely helped with the ' Givenda Hiett Clements Captiva. Erosion Prevention District Administrator wins. It was a perfect day. Charlie Jenkins played all day; Alison Hagerup said last week that Blind Pass needs to be he's great. We ran out of hot dogs and ice cream. I would Page DeVere, 7, and Xristopher Kilgtore, 6, dredged and opened before it closes completely, Sands say we had about 1,200 people through here." eye a fat, bright green caterpillar munching have been shifting since the last beach renourishroent pro- Those who had not been to SCCF lately enjoyed see- away on a Pond Apple tree leaf at the ject and settling in the pass, severely decreasing the flow of ing the new porch surrounding the complex and the Sanibel/Captiva Conservation Foundation's water. progress on offices being built inside. Erick Lindblad, annual Open House Monday. The caterpillar Tom Campbell, a consultant with Coastal Planning & will transform into the Giant Grey Sphinx > See Open house, page 9 Moth pictured on the tree tag. t> See Blind Pass, page 2 Planting for the bird SPRING TRAINING By Jill Goodman Project Waterworks Dee Seragq. The Tigers' Staff Writer The two will demonstrate how" Christopher the need for irrigation, insecticides "Waffles" DiBiase Co-existing within the island and constant trimming is virtually throws to habitat is made easy with a little eliminated by using native, vegeta- Christopher Moen help from the Sanibel/Captiva tion in the garden. > during Sanibel Conservation Foundation's Native "By landscaping for wildlife, Youth Baseball and PlaruvNursery experts. your garden will draw birds and but- Softball League -In a workshop and field trip next terflies and you will have more joy practice Tuesday Tuesday to participating island gar- than buying a new fur coat," Boone afternoon. The , dens, -participants, will learn,how_- quipped. ., . , -„«*.. , minor league-Tigers they can create landscapes resulting Environmentalist Connie are coached this in a low-maintenance, nearly self- Holsinger moved here less than five year by Manager sufficient yard and garden. years ago. She removed all exotic Kirsty Moen, Marty Gardeners and homeowners vegetation from her property, Harrity and Toni interested in creating a refuge for replanting with native species Shannon. For butterflies, birds and critters in their appropriate to the diversity of her details of the own backyards will benefit from a land — wetlands to dry ridges. upcoming season morning with nursery manager and more sports, Kathy Boone and coordinator of > See Birds, page 5 please see page 15. Kathy Michael Pistella Boone, right, leads the January City trying to mitigate overflow fine Landscap- By Pattie Pace Mitch in 1998, causing the ponds, located parallel to ing for Staff Writer Periwinkle Way near the Dunes, to overflow. Wildlife Though City Attorney Bob Pritt tried to negotiate work- The Florida Department of Environmental a further reduction in the fines, DEP Regional shop. The Protection has offered the city of Sanibel an oppor- Director Peggy Highsmith wasn't willing to budge. final one tunity to create an environmental mitigation project "It's important to be fair and consistent," of the sea- rather than handing over $60,000 in cold, hard cash Highsmith told the Sanibel City Council Tuesday. son is for fines levied after wastewater percolation ponds She offered the city a mitigation option, requir- from 9 overflowed. ing preparation and funding for an unplanned, envi- a.m to The fines were based on a 63-day period between ronmental project worth $90,000. That money, how- noon December 1997 and April 1998. The weather pat- ever, can be earmarked in the 1999-2000 budget, Tuesday, tern known as El Nino brought heavy rains to the negating the need to shift funds in the cunent year. Feb. 23. area at the end of 1997 as well as Tropical Storm Michael Pistella t> See Overflow, page 3 2 • FEBRUARY 1999 • "iSLAND REPORTER e a t h e r Blind Pass From page 1 Engineering, informed Hagerup that the Florida Department The costs would be divided between the CEPD, Sanibel High Low Rain of Environmental Protection won't allow the CEPD to mod- and Lee County, with the West Coast Inland Navigation Feb. 10 82 62 ify its existing permit to include the project A full applica- District making a contribution Feb. 11 84 62 tion will be required At their meeting last Thursday, CEPD commissioners Feb 12 82 62 The good news, according to Campbell, is that should tossed around the idea of moving the dredged sand far from Feb 13 81 61 allow the distnct to secure a waiver, allowing work during the project site to msuie that it doesn't drift back into Blind Feb. 14 79 55 the summer Ordinarily dredging projects are banned during Pass Bowman's Beach near Silver Key was suggested as a Feb. 15 79 48 turtle nesting season, but since little activity has been iden- drop site, as was selling the sand to homeowners in Gulf Feb 16 82 50 tified in the area and the need is crucial, the project should- Pines, where beach eiosion frequently occurs win approval, he said "It creates goodwill," said Commissioner Rene Miville Campbell estimated construction costs at $350,000 with "It needs to go to either place Doing what's nght is impor- Ramfal for February is 0 inches so far. another $50,000 in engineering costs tant" Note: Rainfall levels are recorded from the morning of the day given to the following mom- ing. 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RSVP by calling Shell Point is located ofFSummuhn Roid, just 2 miles before the Sanibel Causeway 941-466-1131 or From 1-75 take the Daniels Road exit #21 and travel west S 5 miles to Summerhn Roid Turn left and tiavel S 5 miles to the light at Shell Point Boulevaid Turn light and follow Shell Point Boulevard to enhance of community 1-800-780-1131 ISLAND REPORTER • FEBRUARY 18, 1999 • 3 Council From page 1 Sanibel Causeway referendum, asking voters: "If the diaw- ously worked with Union local chapter of the Retired bndge on the Sanibel Causeway is replaced, should it be Pacific Railroad Company Officers Association and the replaced with a drawbridge similar in height to the current and for Dun & Biadstreet, Sanibel Community Church drawbridge? Yes or no." and served in the U.S. as well as a volunteer at the Both council candidates said they believe they can help Marine Corps. Hillebrandt Barrier Island Group for the smooth out what some have described as contentious coun- stated he is.