'.»••;• JUNE 28, 1996 VOLUME 25 NUMBER 26 island 3 SECTIONS, 36 PAGES POR Formula food fight finding foes Bj Mark S. Kr/,os Sanibel-Captiva In 1993, it was a ban ue this, I have no other make some restaurants, punishes him because liew, Niter Chamber of Commerce on drive-throughs. Now choice but to contest this such as Thompson's he's successful. Thomp- The inuem.iry sound President David Besse its the restaurant chains in a court of law. My Lazy Flamingo, non-con- son, who owns two Lazy of pounding nails into compared the ordinance themselves. back is against the wall." forming. Flamingoes on the island coffin* eihoai in the ears to a firing squad. "I love Sanibel and I In the latest chapter in "If a major storm hits and two franchises off- of some Siimbcl.restau- "Passing this -and .don' t .like-, the. pas i t ion .SanibeL's. ongoing, formu- . this _area_and. my. restau- island,, said.his. restau- rant owners Tuesday sending it to the City you're putting me in," la food fight, the city is rant is 50 percent or rants are not fast food after I he F'lanning Council would be [a] said Larry Thompson, proposing an ordinance more damaged, I'll be in and would like some lan- Gommi^ion approved an death sentence," Besse owner of the Lazy that would eliminate for- trouble," Thompson said. guage implemented in ordinaiki h.mning for- said. "The issue here is Flamingo and Tarpon mula restaurants from According to ,. •please see page 8A mula riMiiUMIlts. architecture not product." Bay Cafe. "If you contin- locating on Sanibel and Thompson, the ordinance Hurricane seminar stresses evacuation ByRalfKircher the Sanibel Emergency Management Editor Plan (SEMP), Francis Bailey has said for years "Anyone who thinks about riding the safest place to be during a hurri- out a,hurricane in their house or cane is Nebraska. But even the life- somewhere else—forget it," Reif long island resident who has weath- said. "It's foolish." ered a few storms himself brushed up Reif not only recommended evacu- on his hurricane acumen Tuesday at ation, but early evacuation—before Sanibel's annual hurricane seminar at anyone tells you to. the Sundial. "If you go a day ahead of everyone "If you're going to live on a barrier else, the world is your evacuation _ island, you have to know what you're shelter," Reif said. I up against," said WINK-TV Chief Reif suggested that retirees in par- | Meteorologist Jim Reif, who spoke ticular should jump at the chance to % before the crowd of nearly 100. leave before families and people who Evacuation was the buzz word of Riki Sehuck of Bailey's True Value Hardware shows Edna Mae the seminar, which was sponsored by •please see page 2A eMon a gas-powered generator at Tuesday's hurricane seminar. Numerous power outages Chamber board votes Eddy chair leave people grumbling Permanently replaces Congress B) Rulf Kircher felony theft of state « electric," she said. "But Editor sales tax, a charge still, it's really neat. It Dian Eddy became stemming from his staring reminds you how close the permanent Sanibel- position as co-owner of « freezer you are to nature here. p s Captiva Chamber of Congress Jewelers. « °meon That's why we come to Commerce Chairper- The chamber board, her in there. this island. Most of us son -Tuesday after a which currently has 16 the h * that>s what adjust. But we're still unanimous vote. members, also voted human, we still flick the "I'm very excited to unanimously to name ft J*"« Carmen light switches." shc work with Dian," Al Williams vice chair- did dur- Flicking a switch did chamber executive man. power out- visitors and residents lit- director David Besse Eddy has served on tle good throughout the said. "I've known her the board for more day. Even if the light for a long time. It was than four1 years. She is went on, it was sure to go 111111S1 an easy decision for director of marketing 't seemed off again, due to rolling for 'Twecn Waters Inn. 1 the board." '" '"Put into the outages from Lee County owner of the Captive c lost il Eddy had been serv- said' ~\' * " she Electric Cooperative. Chronicle, and owner U|UsI ing as interim chairper- »M1I couldn't The outage stemmed son since the resigna- of Eddy and Assoc- ' M i IHHIgh." from a June 15 lightning tion of Scot Congress. iates, an advertising strike that damaged the agency. liddy will 1 1 11 1 her Congress Mepped Ifcaj? ?. ^ " ' own 2079 transformer at Lee down May 0 after serve oul Congress1 substation. The trans- Electric meters stood still during several being charged with •please see page 8A •please see page 7A intervals Tuesday, forcing some businesses 'ype. to improvise their daily routines. 2A Q JUNE 28, 1996 Q ISLAND REPORTER ISLAND REPORTER'Q JUNE 28, 1996 Q 3A Supporters of housing authority organizing strategy Experts: Hurricane preparedness saves lives ByMarkS.Krzos But Responsible Housing Greenberg said. "CHR's administering Greenberg said. "It's ridiculous. Our ByRalfKircher Tuesday's seminar display written evidence News Editor Committee Chairperson Maggie of the BMRH program has cost over $3 charter amendment does not end the Editor stressed evacuation, of how the products The citizens group Vote Know con- Greenberg said Sanibel voters are million to date for the 41 units and BMRH program, it changes the admin- The experts are unani- WINK-TV Chief score on Dade County's ducted its inaugural meeting "composed of well-informed, educated annually costs $300,000." istration." mous. Hurricane prepara- Meteorologist Jim Reif tests. Wednesday night at the Sanibel and highly intelligent people," who But the crux of it all, according to Greenberg's group, which has been tion saves lives. spoke of the necessity of Reif said that half of Community Church. The group dis- knew exactly what they were signing. Harrity, is the Responsible Housing lobbying the city to take over the pro- Tuesday's annual hur- formulating a personal the people living in tent cussed strategy, finances, legal matters Vote Know's Steve Greenstein said Committee simply doesn't want low- gram since last fall, tried unsuccessful- ricane seminar at the hurricane plan that cities after Andrew prob- and how to inform the public of what it one of the Responsible Housing income housing on the island. ly in February to get City Council to Sundial had approxi- includes the protection of ably would have had believes is the truth—Community Committee's allegations is the Below "The bottom line of RHC is 'get off place the amendment on November's mately 100 island resi- one's life and property. homes to go back to if Housing and Resources, Inc. is operat- Market Rate Housing program can be my island and stay off,'" Harrity said. ballot. The committee then gathered dents and visitors consid- "In years past, prepar- the wind had not pene- ing as it should, responsibly. run more effectively by the city and at a Vote Know's Janet McBee agrees. enough signatures on a petition to force ering and reconsidering ing for a hurricane meant trated the houses in the The group's formation came after cheaper cost to tax payers. Greenstein "These people want to make Sanibel the issue to a vote in November. their plans and prepara- starting the day before it first place. the Responsible Housing Committee says that just isn't so. an elitist community. They want the Those interested in supporting Vote tions for a major storm. hit," Reif said. "In 1996, "The outside of your gained enough signatures to force a "I spent several years working with waiters and waitresses to serve them, Know may call 472-9182 or fax 472- Edna Mae Beston hurricane preparedness is home was built to with- vote on whether the administration of the government, so when someone says they want to be catered to," McBee 6406. Those interested in supporting realized she has her work something you have to stand 110 mph winds; the city's Below Market Rate Housing government can do something cheaper, said. "But they don't want those people the Responsible Housing Committee cut out for her. prepare for weeks, the inside was not," Reif Program should continue to be operat- you rest assured that I'm hiding my to live here." may call 472-3435. "We're pretty protect- months, even years in said. "If you let the wind ed by CHR or be turned over to the wallet," Greenstein said. "That is certainly not true," ed as far as windows," advance." in, you lose." city. "Only if you believe that govern- the three-year island resi- Some of this longer Keeping the wind out Vote Know members maintain that ment is more efficient than the private dent said. "But we're term preparation includes can be accomplished in misinformation has been spread across sector will the cost be cheaper for tax- going to have to do proper house construc- several ways. Windows, Sanibel regarding CHR's business payers," Harrity added. FREE Special Report From Realtors John & Elisabeth Smith: something about our tion and retrofitting of doors and, although often Residents picked up armloads of hurricane preparedness brochures operations. The group is out to prove According to Harrity, the figures garage door." older houses. overlooked, garage after hearing of the importance of prior planning. CHR, an independent, contracted not- used by the Responsible Housing for-profit corporation, is best suited to Committee are inaccurate by lumping Home & Condo Buyers: Beston, who had never Reif noted that since doors, are the points built before 1990 only More important than Team's David Santa run the city's housing program.