SEPTEMBER 3, 1993 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 36 islancc: 3 SECTIONS, 44 PAGES REPui-i SANiBBL AND CAPTIVA, FLORIDA Cada fights firing By MaryJeanne McAward Staff Writer 'f-'':'~-7.' '•'J^T~^'': A former Sanibel police officer, terminated in July for alleged breach of security, is trying to win his job back. According to Sanibel City Attorney Robert Pritt, former officer Brent Cada filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the 20th Judicial Circuit Court. Not an appeal, the writ challenges the termi- nation and requests Cada be reinstated as a police officer. It also includes a judgement for back pay, attorney's fees and other related fees. FAREWELL TO SUMMER: Thousands of weekend. Labor Day traditionally marks Both attorney Harry Blair of Fort Myers, who boaters, anglers and beachgoers will be the end of summer and hopefully, the •please see page 2A enjoying the islands and the water this weather will cooperate with outdoor plans. Gulf Pines residents oppose mandatory fee By Ralf Kircher are opposing a $300 legal fee the results were totaled. How can you say that [legal action] Staff Writer imposed upon them by the Gulf "I was very much dismayed to is going to be beneficial?" the resi- ix Gulf Pines property owners Pines Property Owners Association. learn that Gulf Pines property own- dent asked. "It bothered me [that The fee will go toward the associ- ers voted 84-6 in favor of pursuing the association] said to send a ation court battle against the City legal action against the city," said check immediately; that they had of Sanibel's proposed Tarpon Bay Old Banyan Way resident Barbara already incurred expenses before Weir Project. Cooley. "Of course, I was one of the the vote was taken." In recent weeks, the property six opposed." Questions remain about the 4 , owners association contacted each Cooley says that although she legality of the mandatory assess- of the 115 property owners in Gulf opposes the fee, she will go ahead ment. City Attorney Robert Pritt Pines, first asking if they would be and pay it because the association said the property association's willing to support legal action, has informed property owners that decision could be legal, depending according to one of the six property they must pay the $300 or face on the association's by-laws. owners opposed to the fee. having a lien placed on their prop- Normally, owners are assessed for In a follow-up letter, the associa- erty. maintenance of "common areas," tion asked property owners to cast However, at least one other prop- such as parks, roads, community a vote for or against pursuing legal erty owner, who asked not to be pools, etc, he noted. action against the city. identified, said she will not pay the Whether a legal fund is within According to one property owner, money. these parameters remains to be the association must have a two- "The [property association] by- seen, Pritt said. Some Gulf Pines residents don't thirds majority in order to proceed; laws say they can make us pay for want to challenge the city's plan. this was more than attained when 'anything that would be beneficial.' •please see page 2A Driver acquitted of charges in pedestrian death By MaryJeanne McAward The accident occurred outside Staff Writer the Sanibel Community Center at The driver in an accident on about 9 p.m. January 14. A vehicle Periwinkle Way last January, driven by Sanibel resident Carolyn which left one man dead and his Larnar Pickett struck and killed a wife injured, was acquitted August Rhode Island resident, retired Adm. 11 of charges she failed to yield the John Remey Wadleigh, and severe- right-of-way to pedestrians in a ly injured his wife, Rae. The couple, crosswalk. who wintered in Sanibel, were But the acquittal may stem from crossing the street after attending compounded errors by agencies an Audubon Society presentation. involved in the investigation and Despite the fact a death Sanibel Police Chief Richard Plager occurred, the case landed in traffic has begun an inquiry into the man- court after Plager and investigating ner in which the entire case was officer Sgt. Michael Murray, who handled. sought criminal charges against The purpose of the inquiry is not the driver, were advised by to place blame but to take mea- Assistant State Attorney Randall B. sures so similar problems do not McGruther that there were no occur in the future, Plager said. grounds for criminal prosecution. Plager determined cases such as In traffic court, the fact that this require better inter-depart- someone dies in an accident does ment coordination between police not increase the penalty on the officers and between police and the person at fault. This differs from state attorney's office. Investigators scoured the scene of the accident that killed a Rhode •please see page 8A Island man. The driver, a Sanibel woman, was acquitted last month. 2A • SEPTEMBER 3, 1993 • ISLAND REPORTER Buzzzzzl New baits attract mosquitos By MaryJeanne McAward This project, the only one in the Staff Writer country of its type, may find a The mosquito control districts of large-scale use for Octenol, cur- Lee and Collier counties have been rently used to lure mosquitos into employing strange bait to lure the some Collier County traps. pesky insects to their deaths. Octenol, which Lemire said A synthetic chemical that smells smells like ox breath and has also like ox breath is being used in been compared to the smell of a Collier County while in Lee, blocks sweaty sock, is a powerful attrac- of dry ice are being used to lure tant for salt marsh mosquitos. mosquitos into area surveillance, or The project aims to test a philos- sentinel traps. ophy, proven in Africa by These small traps, set up researchers working with tsetse throughout Southwest Florida, help flies, that large traps baited with scientists determine what species Octenol may one day be so effective of mosquitos are present in the in mosquito control that chemical area and aid in spotting varieties spraying would no longer be neces- that are vectors for diseases like St. sary. Mosquito control districts throughout Southwest Florida are experi- Louis Encephalitis. Lemire said the project has been menting with new processes that may soon make spraying obsolete. This is how it works: The baits' going on for about a year and noted to each trap. Holes in the top and scents waft above the traps. Small Klein, who was unavailable for skin. comment, is tabulating some of the Wichterman said Lee mosquito sides of the cooler allow the fans in the traps suck mosquitos control uses dry ice—which is "smoke" from the dry ice to waft into collection containers, suffocat- results now. about an area. ing them.Then, scientists empty Lemire said research may con- made of frozen carbon dioxide—to tinue for two to three years. In the attract mosquitos to its sentinel The gas attracts the mosquitos, the traps and identify the insects. traps. which are sucked into the trap con- There are dozens of species of next stage, scientists will refine the tainer by small fans. mosquitos in Southwest Florida. parameters of the current test and There are more than 20 different adjust for better results. trap sites in Lee County, from Boca Wichterman said the dry ice Gene Lemire, a research ento- Grande to Bonita Springs, includ- seems to work as well as Octenol mologist with the Collier County According to George ing several in Sanibel, Wichterman attracting mosquitos. Mosquito Control District, is work- Wichterman, an entomologist with said. ing on an innovative, cooperative Lee County Mosquito Control On another front, Lee mosquito research project with Dr. Dan District, mosquitos are drawn to The traps are prepared at sun- control is working in conjunction Klein, who works for the U.S. carbon dioxide, the exhalations of set, when an eight to 10 pound with Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota Department of Agriculture in people and animals. Carbon diox- block of dry ice is put into the on a project to determine the Gainesville. ide is also exuded through the small, foam cooler suspended next •please see page 9A -WEIR •from page 1A The entire matter of legal action stems from debate over the city's surface water manage- ment plan and specifically, the Tarpon Bay Weir Project. The city plans to reconstruct and raise the level of the Tarpon Bay weir and touts the undertaking as a drainage project that would also enhance the environment. But many property owners believe that rais- ing the level of the weir would flood their low- lying properties. They fear their property values will plummet. In June, the Gulf Pines Property Owners Association filed a challenge to a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit applica- RAINY DAYS: Sanibel received almost tion which would enable the city to proceed with seven inches of rain last week, according the project. Soon after, the Sea Oats Property to the Island Water Association. Minor Owners Association joined in the challenge. flooding became a problem in some areas. City Attorney Pritt has noted that this chal- lenge could cost the city $30,000 or more in liti- Weather gation fees. High Low Rain When Sanibel City Council members were Aug 25 93 75 .05 first notified of the challenge, they voiced con- Aug 26 91 79 cerns about losing a $250,000 grant from the Aug 27 90 74 Southwest Florida Management District. The Aug 28 90 73 .14 city can only receive the money if it completes Aug 29 84 71 .82 the project by the end of the year and litigation Aug 30 78 72 3.1 might postpone the completion date.