Council supports 20/20, Everglades restoration
The Sanibel city council was a case of the sniffles away from not having a quorum, but was able to get a lot done during its monthly meeting Tuesday at City Hall.
Mayor Kevin Ruane and Councilman Jim Jennings were excused from the meeting, leaving just three councilmen to make the decisions.
And as has usually been the case, the water and environment was the main topic of discussion, as it resolved to support passage by the voters of the referendum regarding Conservation 20/20, as well as support for the Everglades for the Next Generation Act, the Everglades Land Acquisition Act of 2016 and the federal partnership for Clean Water Land Acquisition Act.
It also supported sending letters to Gov. Rick Scott and Col. Jason Kirk of the Army Corps of Engineers, urging them to accelerate planning for Everglades Agricultural Area water storage.
“This is a huge issue, and I’m proud of how the city of Sanibel has taken the lead in this,” Councilmember Chauncey Goss said. “The White Paper has become the gold standard.”
Vice Mayor Mick Denham, who was in charge of the meeting in Ruane’s absence, said despite all the science, it will take much more to get the job done.
“There is good engineering, science and planning. We just lack the money and the will,” Denham said. “This is a $16 billion endeavor and there’s lot of competition for federal funds. This has to get done.”
James Evans, natural resources director, gave his progress report on Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River. As of Tuesday, the lake was at 14.62 feet and was dumping 2,800 cfs of water into the river. The water salinity in the estuaries was still low, but bacteria levels were back in the good range.
Evans reported no algae blooms on the beaches or in the river, but there was some in the dead end canals.
In other business, the city recognized three employees for their service. Michael Henry of Public Works was recognized for 30 years of service, Dave DeFonzo, recreation program specialist, was feted for 25 years, and Ben Peple was named Employee of the Third Quarter.
The council also passed a resolution on the assessment for the city’s collection and disposal of solid waste, recyclables and horticultural waste. The city will charge $282.57 for solid, horticultural and recyclable waste and $371.76 for backdoor solid waste.
The council also recessed briefly to hold a shade meeting regarding union negotiations. The council also tabled a discussion regarding a stipend for councilmen, as only three were present at the meeting.
Councilmember Marty Harrity said that all five members should be present before having such a discussion.
The city charter prohibits councilmembers from earning any kind of salary, but allows them to be compensated for expenses incurred in doing their duties.
Council members have mentioned a stipend of $1,200 to $1,500 per month to council members, and $1,500 to $2,000 per month for the mayor.