Volunteering Off-beat Vince page 2A page 1C pit- APRIL 11, 1997 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 22 3 SECTIONS, 48 PAGES 1 d ^*% err r™i •HH Old Schoolhouse Gallery set to become First Independence Bank By Mark S. Krzos St. Cyr said he modified the slope of the drive- News Editor through roof and said the building will be white with The Old School for Black Children, currently green trim. occupied by the Schoolhouse Gallery, will be under- Planning Commissioner John Veenschoten said he going a facelift before the First Independence Bank spoke with three former students of the school and moves into the building at 520 Tarpon Bay Road. said that although they could not remember precisely Sanibel Planning Commissioners ruled Tuesday what the building looked like, they did remember that that the historic building would have to be restored to it did not have any colored trim aiound the building. its almost original state. "It was all white," Veenschoten said of the color of The Sanibel the building. T m Colored School's just a purist, I deed was first guess." issued in 1929 and Commissioners its first teachers disagieed with were Angelita Veenschoten and Stafford Swain allowed the George and Hazel bank's plans for Hammond. the green-colored Recoids indicate trim to s-tay as that the teachers' planned. employment dates "I have talked back to 1924, to several of our although no build- black residents Island Clean Up Day volunteer Ann ing existed until who attended the Deignan, displays a little girl's plastic 1929 school," said shoe before she adds it to her bag of Commissioners Planning debris to be tallied in the final count. determined that Commi.ssionei restoring the build- Artist's rendering of the new First Independence Bank site, Steve Mullins as ing to the way it the Old School for Black Children. Photo by Mark Krzos, he explained that Island showing looked during that he wanted the period is its primary objective—a rural schoolhouse. assurance that a plaque is placed in a highly visible signs of intelligence The specifications made March 25 to members of location and tells the history of the building as well as First Independence Bank included protecting the his- its significance to early island residents. "I want to be Great Island Pickup volunteers find beach- torical structure—parking areas must be anything but sure that the history of this building is told." es and roadways cleaner than years past paved, minimize the roof angle over the drive- Mullins said he envisioned a nice metal plaque that By Michelle Moran through, show the designation of the historical plaque details the building's history. Editor and keep all the original features of the building if But Veenschoten said he thought the plaque should Katie McCurry held tight to the two wood possible. be in line with other plaques the city uses to signify a chips she found while cleaning the island April 5. Architect for the bank, Joe St. Cyr said although historic site. "What do you think these are worth?" she said the bank will not pave its parking lot, the bank will holding up the chunks of wood. "Where's use a concrete that is textured with shells. •please see page 2A Kristie?" "It will ensure a non-urban look," St. Cyr said. Katie and her sisters Kayla and Kelley, along President of First Independence Bank Chip Black with dad Richard, joined in the Sanibel-Captiva agreed and said that the bank will take another step Union hearing next week Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Great Island and use the concrete throughout the entire bank prop- The Public Employee Relations Commission erty. Originally, their plan called for the laying of •please see page 3A (PERC) will hear testimony from the City of asphalt along the access driveway and the drive- Sanibel and union officials hoping to represent eli- through windows. gible Sanibel police officers. The April 18 telephone hearing will be held at 9 a,m. m the legislative conference room at City State aims book at Legion Hall. PERC Hearing Officer Jerry Cheatham will By Mark S. Krzos chases from the Grog Shop and a Walgreen Drug review the merits of each side to determine the News Editor Store. By doing that, Banks said, the Legion avoided collective bargaining unit for the Sanibel Police The liquor may stop flowing at the Sanibel- paying state surcharges on the booze. Department. Otice the proposed unit is approved Captiva American Legion Post 123 if the state Banks said Florida keeps a watchful eye on alco- by PERC> Sanibel officers will vote on whether Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco has its hol sales. Manufacturers sell to distributors who then they want to unionize. way. sell to retailers and retailers can only buy from the 6iscussion will center on the positions eligible The popular island hangout was cited for several distributors. Through this procedure ABT can tell the for union representation within the department, liquor law violations Feb. 6 and the state now appears purchases didn't come from another state with lower T|ie Labor Division of the Fraternal Order of tax rates. determined tamake an example of the Legion. Police filed for union representation Feb. 18, cit- Captain Dave Banks of the Fort Myers ABT office Banks explained: "If you run out of Canadian ing issues of favoritism and lack of promotion. said Wednesday of the charges brought against the Clubr you have to buy from a distributor and you The filing shows 23 positions eligible for union Legion, the most serious is allegation is that the club have to maintain those invoices from those purchas- representation within the department, but city offi- had 45 bottles of liquor without matching invoices es." Banks added the Legion failed to produce invoic- cials; are expected to contest the eligibility of from a wholesale distributor. es for the 45 bottles. sergeant. Sergeants were ruled ineligible by PERC "They were purchasing alcohol from a non- In addition, the Legion was serving alcohol direct- in 1993 after a filing by the labor division of the licensed distributor," Banks said. "They were buying ly to non-members. Fraternal clubs such as the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) to represent from a vendor." Legion are permitted to serve non-members only if a police officials in a collective bargaining agree- According to Banks, agents found liquor bottles member buys the drink. "We went in there and pur- ment with retail price stickers and receipts of liquor pur- •please see page 8A 2A Q APRIL 11, 1997 • ISLAND REPORTER Dream house giving birth to Habitat homes By Jill Goodman youth from the church went down dur- Staff Writer ing spring break and were most helpful. Until the end of April, visitors have They were really great helping with the opportunity to tour Dream Home, a traffic and giving information. It's been $2 million, 8,000 square foot showcase a big effort." house. The proceeds of this event, Each Habitat home, built entirely by which began in March, are slated to volunteer labor, costs about $30,000 to build homes for the needy through the construct; the immediate goal is to auspices of Habitat for Humanity of erect six new homes in the Lee County Lee County, Inc. Area. No government funding is used, Coordinators Donna Sublett and all the costs of the houses come from Rusty Rooker organized volunteers donations of funds and labor. from the Sanibel Congregational According to past experience, as Church to help with the project. One many at 40,000 visitors will tour the day each week, 20 of their volunteers Dream Home from the opening, March make the trip to Bonita Springs, where 1 through the closing day on April 26. they take their turn acting as docents. "The attendance has dropped off and "We were asked to coordinate the we are hoping folks from the (Sanibel) Churches on Sanibel (by Habitat) and island will go down, the proceeds all go we are supplying hosts an hostesses, to Habitat an it's fun to see the house. traffic directors and security help every Approximately 100 or so visitors go Tuesday starting in March and through through the house each day. We are April," Sublett said. Members of the Dream Team are Donna Sublett and Rusty Rooker, hoping to build as many houses as we According to Rooker, they recruited chairs, volunteers Betty Ann Heidecker, Maryelle Sanford, Damon can. Its an opportunity for folks to see about 150 people to handle the nine DaLorge, Youth Leader Kim Collins, Caline Sanford, Craig Stewart, Pelican Landing and the Colony which Tuesdays, with some volunteers offer- Steve Olser, Joei Peterson, Andy Willis, Andy Robinson, Susan is the new area. So, it's sort of a win- ing to go more than once. Sublett, Hillary Corbin and friends, from Fort Myers. win situation," Rooker said. The house, built by Brentwood year. People come in and fill in a fact mortgage payments which are used to The Lee County Habitat has built Development Corporation, is a model sheet. To qualify they must be needy fund more houses. 143 homes to date and anticipates hav- at the Colony in Pelican Bay, and have a clear background, not have Habitat homes can be seen in ing 250 by the year 2000. The Dream house project came any history of drag abuse or felonies. Harlem Heights, Dunbar and Pine "It's an amazing situation. When I about a few years ago through the Part of their participation is to commit Manor.