Where does the money go?
To the editor,
The city recently approved a bid by “Bird” Westall to clear the Sanibel River of vegetation and debris in 2011 under a $100,000 contract, or about $2,000 per week. Assuming Mr. Westall works a full 40 hour week, his pay will come to $50 per hour worked.
As Mr. Westall will likely devote some time to his Canoe Adventures business, perhaps he will work 20 or 10 hours each week cleaning the river, which works out respectively to $100 or $200 for each hour worked. This will be Mr Westall’s fifth city contract.
Meanwhile, council has turned down a $15,000 gift to stream all council meetings live on the internet. As a homeowner and life member of the SCCF, which operates on a modest budget, I’ve watched the city’s budget increase exponentially to $44 million, an extraordinary sum, and wondered where the money goes. Now I know.
Elton Shepherd
Sanibel and Atlanta, Ga.