News, Comments, Notes
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Dec 03, 2007 State of the District Special Commentary from Frank Halas, County Commissioner for District 2 
Usually I would be picking a time for our annual Town Hall. Not this year. In our struggle with budgetary constraints, we are filling only critical positions that have an impact on health, safety and welfare. Right now we have 180 positions open. We expect the overall situation to worsen quickly as normal attrition takes its toll. Personnel in departments that normally participate in Town Meetings are already overtaxed. As a result, several commissioners, including myself, decided to forgo Town Meetings this year. As an alternative, my commentary this month reports on issues that have been of most concern to citizens in my district. Please share it as widely as possible. Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Nearly all major road projects in District 2 are in their final stages and traffic is flowing much more smoothly. Overall, we are looking good!
Water Restrictions The statewide drought continues. Lake Okeechobee (Florida's "liquid-heart") is drying up. In response to a wet season that did little to alleviate the ongoing water shortage, the South Florida Water Management District announced their plans to recommend that the District Governing Board move to increase water restrictions at their meeting on December 13th. The recommendations include limiting lawn irrigation to one day a week and setting lower water use goals for agriculture, golf courses, and nurseries. Although Collier County currently has sufficient water, we will still need to comply. To keep abreast of the water restrictions, go to www.sfwmd.gov/conserve or call the Water Conservation Hotline at (800) 662-8876.). The water shortfall is not apt to get better soon. We are in the dry season. Water demands for the area are going up - not down. Water will be increasingly expensive. Now is an excellent time for your communities to look into your water use patterns and at conservation techniques. You will be glad you did. Libraries The newspaper reports of the imminent demise of the Vanderbilt Beach Branch Library are inaccurate. The library was not (and is not) slated to be closed. It is in the FY2007-08 budget. That being said, our library program as a whole is in for some very hard times, and its long-term future is not assured. We face continued budget cuts initiated by the legislature. Something will have to give, and it cannot be health, safety, and welfare. Our libraries already need help. We have only ten librarians for the whole system and no funds to hire more. We also have a serious shortage of volunteers. Volunteers are the backbone of the library system and people are not coming forward. You can help keep all of our libraries open and vibrant. If interested in volunteering, you may contact Joanne Wannemacher at the main library on Orange Blossom Drive by calling 593-0334. There is also some potential for a private fundraising initiative to build an endowment for the Vanderbilt Beach Library specifically. I will provide you with more information about how you can participate if it comes to fruition. Parks and Museums Our parks and museums also face cuts. They too need volunteers. If you are an outdoor type, hate litter, enjoy coaching or working with youth, like physical labor, or are a certified lifeguard, for example, there is a volunteer opportunity awaiting you in the park system. They even have some desk jobs. Call Meryl Rorer at 239-254-4033 or email her at MerylRorer@colliergov.net. If you are focused on the history and culture of the area, the museums can use help too. Contact Naomi Goren at 239-774-8476 or email her through the museums website: http://www.colliermuseum.com. Noise Pollution At the last two town hall meetings, noise from commercial establishments - particularly from late night entertainment - was a hot topic. I am happy to report some progress. It appears as though we finally have enough support on the Commission to modernize the noise ordinance, improve sound measurement techniques, and get enforceable standards that allow us better nuisance control. Drainage Surface water management is a constant headache in our district. Flooding is a problem as is pollution of our waterways - all of which are part of Collier County's major flow-ways and estuaries. It is a simple fact that some of our early communities were designed and built without provision for adequate drainage. Others were constructed in seasonal wetlands and flow ways. The original developers are gone. Homeowners and the county are trying to deal with the consequences. FEMA rules, designed to keep housing above the flood plain, inadvertently aggravate the situation. To comply with new standards, new homes must be set higher above sea level than the original homes. As infill occurs, drainage problems worsen. Runoff flows downhill into neighboring yards and streets. Pine Ridge, Willoughby Acres, Palm River, and Naples Park are all looking for affordable solutions to serious drainage issues. Citizens within these communities have done a remarkable job of educating themselves (and sometimes county officials) about the issues. I commend them for their interest, involvement, and persistence. We now have a clear understanding of the extent and nature of the problems. It is clear there is no easy or cheap fix, but I remain hopeful that together we can work out viable solutions. There is good news. The Water Resources Development Act passed. Rep. Connie Mack, who voted for the bill said, "We owe it to our children and grandchildren to leave them a healthy and clean environment." I agree. Florida will receive money from this bill to continue the Everglades Clean up and assist with water resource. The bill also contains money I requested for a study to help us find a way to clean up Vanderbilt Lagoon and its waterways. On this same line, I would like to commend the Vanderbilt Beach Residents Association for convincing the Governor and his cabinet to deny a submerged land lease for a new marina between Turkey Bay and the Lagoon - one of our Outstanding Florida Waters. They have been vigilant about policing development around the waterways and protecting the area. We need to stabilize as much as we can while we work to reduce existing contamination. Pier? This remains an idea under exploration. The seabed study has wrapped up. Traffic studies are not yet scheduled. Some constituents have been delighted at the possibility of an on-the-water amenity. Others have expressed concerns. Please remember that no decision has been made to build a pier, no site has been designated as a future pier, and no conclusion has been reached that a pier is the best or only solution to our water access problems. The county is taking on no major projects that place further strain on the county budget. Even though a pier would be financed with tourist taxes, initial staff time would be needed. Rest assured that, if and when a project like this moves beyond mere consideration, you will be informed and there will be ample time for everyone - whether in favor or opposed - to review and comment. Homeowners Insurance For many of us in District 2, our homeowner's insurance rates are higher than our property taxes. It recently came to my attention that many of us may be eligible for lower rates than we are receiving if we can demonstrate that our home is resistant to hurricane damage. The mechanism for proving this is a Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection of the home conducted by an independent appraiser. The appraiser provides a completed form for review by the insurer. The appraisal typically costs less than $200. If you believe your insurer has not given you full credit for hurricane protections installed on your property, the expenditure may be worth it. My District 2 Advisory Committee will continue to meet monthly. These meetings are open as are all public meetings. The next meeting is at St. John the Evangelist on December 19th at 8:30 AM. If you have issues that I have not addressed that you would have brought up at the Town Hall meeting, you may bring them to the District 2 Advisory meeting or forward them to my office, and I will see that you get the necessary information. Working together, we make a difference. Please remember that Sandra Lea, my Aide, can assist you to reach me or schedule time with me if the need arises. You can reach her at 252-8097. My phone number is 252-8390; email me at FrankHalas@collliergov.net
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