FortMyersBeach.news FREE Volume 18, Number 44 “By Islanders, For Islanders” November 2, 2018 St. Raphael’s Comfort Hall Community Space Dedicated By Gary Mooney the works for roughly 7 months prior [email protected] to the start of the job. The Hall was originally built in the late 1950s and St. Raphael’s Episcopal early 1960s and I think it is fair to say Church at 5601 Williams Drive on that the only maintenance done to it Fort Myers Beach dedicated the since then was minimal, so it had Reverend Dr. C. Alex Comfort Hall far out-served its usefulness.” The on Sunday afternoon, October new kitchen floor is a sand-based 28. The former Parish Hall, after poured liquid to provide a non-slip a $75,000 renovation, will now traction surface. “The contractors simply be known as Comfort Hall. It promise us that the floors in the features a new commercial kitchen kitchen and Comfort Hall will last and floors, with state-of-the-art long after Ross is in Heaven and I Audio-Visual equipment, complete end up who-knows-where,” Pastor with free wi-fi. John related with a hearty laugh! “We started the renovation The renovation serves a in early July,” said Ross Miller, the dual purpose, offered the Pastor: Chairman of the Church Vestry. “We are trying to resurrect the “Our goal was to have it complete congregation and one of the by September 15, and by-and-large ways we are going about that is it was, but we added a few items, by making the physical campus a as well as encountering some more modern, up-to-date, clean delays over electrical and plumbing and welcoming place, and we issues, as those things tend to think this gets us well on the way happen in any major construction to accomplishing that. Second, project. We played it a bit on the we wanted to provide the Fort safe side and are still happy to host Myers Beach community with an the dedication in late October.” appropriate venue for wedding Pastor John Adler said that receptions and business meetings funds for the $75,000 renovation and similar events that had all the came about “as a result of an bells & whistles already in place, St. Raphael parishioners at the Comfort Hall dedication. anonymous donation that was in and now we have a Cont’d pg.19 No Criminal Sunshine Charges SWFL Water Safety Symposium EITA Plans Ethics Complaint Call to Action By Missy Layfield conversations between Ms. [email protected] Gore and Mr. Boback did not By Gary Mooney to Life Flight that whisked her to express decisions, resolutions, [email protected] the hospital. The great news is the The State Attorney office rules, regulations, conclusions or ‘victim’ regained consciousness has declined to file criminal votes on any matters on which A young woman lay and was well on her way to survival. charges related to the Florida foreseeable action by the council unconscious in the Fort Myers This almost-nightmare Sunshine Law against Fort Myers would be taken. Beach Community Pool. Within scenario was, in reality, a Beach Mayor Tracey Gore and “The audio recordings do seconds, a lifeguard swam quickly demonstration for participants of the Council member Dennis Boback not support any “crystallization of to her aid, while pool staff sprang 2018 Southwest Florida Water Safety over a taped conversation they secret decisions” of Ms. Gore and into action, clearing the area and Symposium, a comprehensive had with Chris Patton and others Mr. Boback on matters that the ushering in safety equipment. training and community education on September 13, 2018 at a Fort council would be addressing in the As lifeguards provided CPR and program hosted by Golisano Myers Beach bar. future.” breathing assistance, sirens Children’s Hospital of Southwest Beverley Milligan, Kunasek’s memo stated from the Fort Myers Beach Fire Florida, the Greater Fort Myers Executive Director of the Estero that the legal review was limited Department approached the pool to Beach Chamber of Commerce, Island Taxpayers Association to whether the Sunshine Law was join the rescue. The FMB Fire Department and the (EITA), said that she heard from the violated. “No policy, procedural, With the Fire Department’s Town of Fort Myers Beach Parks & State Attorney office late Friday, or civil issues, including ethics arrival, the Community Pool Recreation Department at the Fort October 26, 2018 that their office violations, outside of the jurisdiction lifeguards continued emergency Myers Beach Community Pool and had determined that no criminal of the SAO are addressed, and measures until transitioning the adjacent Bay Oaks Recreational violation of the Sunshine Law no comment on such matters is victim to Fire Department personnel, Center for roughly 100 registrants had occurred because Gore and intended.” who determined the situation dire on Thursday morning, October 25. Boback did not make a decision at The EITA released a enough to call in Lee County Life Following the second-by-second the bar gathering. statement with their response, Flight. They loaded the woman into lifesaving demonstration, attendees In an October 25 memo, “The Estero Island Taxpayers their emergency transport, moving adjourned to the Bay Oaks Rec Assistant State Attorney Anthony Association (EITA) respects the her to the adjacent baseball field Center to hear experts discuss Kunasek states that there was State Attorney’s decision not to with ample Life Flight landing room. preventative measures to reduce or no Sunshine Law violation. press criminal charges against Fort Another transition occurred on the avoid drownings, especially among ballfield, from the Fire Department children. “The recorded discussions or Myers Beach Town Cont’d pg.20 Cont’d pg.14 Page 2 The Island Sand Paper FortMyersBeach.news November 2, 2018 Located Behind Publix at Snook Bight Marina Departs From 4765 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach November 2, 2018 The Island Sand Paper FortMyersBeach.news Page 3 Letters to the Editor VOTE LISZAK be is one I already chose is to vote for the commissioners that are up for reelection. We have a wonderful fire district with dedicated firefighters On November 6th, residents of Fort Myers Beach and Lee County who have been looking out for us. I think we have one of the best fire de- have a very important decision to make regarding the candidates for FMB partments in the area and we could thank the current board for that. If you Fire Commission. like what we have now and do not want any increases in your taxes then For Seat #3, I’d like to suggest in the strongest terms possible that you should vote for the existing commissioners, Robert Raymond, seat 1 they cast their vote for Jacki Liszak. Carol Morris, seat 3 and Theodore Schindler, C-5. I can’t think of a single person more concerned with this commu- nity than Jacki. Her tireless efforts as Executive Director of Fort Myers Donna M Koul Beach’s Chamber of Commerce are something we should all emulate. Fort Myers Beach She truly cares about Fort Myers Beach, its residents, and the success of both. And part of that success relies on safe water, for both our resi- VOTE YES ON 3 dents and our visitors. She was there & spoke on behalf of Fort Myers Beach when noted activist Erin Brockovich came to Fort Myers to lobby Of the 12 amendments on the Florida ballot, one that should be of for safe water. She led the charge in letting those in Tallahassee, as well particular interest to the business community is Amendment 3. as Washington know that our businesses, their employees, our FRIENDS This is a pro-business initiative and has been endorsed by the were suffering economically due to this past summer’s water crisis with Florida Chamber of Commerce. both red tide and blue-green algae. Despite claims by gambling interests, casinos do not grow the Her dedication to clean water now carries through to our Fire De- economic pie. They do not bring in new consumers who, in turn, spread partment and the brave firefighters who stand by waiting to help when the the wealth to surrounding businesses. This is particularly true of the Las alarm bell rings. In order for them to be safe when it comes to putting out Vegas-style resort casinos looking to get a toehold in Florida. fires or rescuing those in need in our waterways and the Gulf, we know Instead, these casinos cannibalize customers from existing busi- that they’re going to need clean water. nesses, be they restaurants, theaters or hotels. Resort casinos are de- I know that I can count on Jacki Liszak to continue the fight for signed to be all-inclusive, one-stop entertainment sites. Their gambling clean water for our courageous men & women in the Fire Department. I profits allow them to undercut competitors’ prices for meals, drinks and know that I can count on Jacki Liszak to work hard to recruit the very best lodging. candidates for our Department. Atlantic City discovered this the hard way. It counted on casinos to And I know you can count on her, too! bolster local businesses. Instead, as reported in the Press of Atlantic City, On November 6th, please vote for Jacki Liszak for Fire Commis- the reverse often proved true: “Before casinos took over the Boardwalk sion Seat #3. and became the focal point of the city’s economy, Atlantic Avenue was the place to be. Restaurants, night spots such as the 500 Club and mom- Keran Farrell and-pop stores once lined the iconic road.