MERTF strikes back at councilman’s accusations

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force has voted to request the town council correct the record over comments made by Councilmember John King in June concerning the advisory group at a council meeting which they believe were unfounded and inaccurate

At the June town council meeting, King criticized the task force over a conversation at a MERTF meeting regarding raking on the beach and a letter sent from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation’s Southwest Florida Regional Species Biologist seeking help from the task force to address what the FWC saw as “unreasonable resistance” from some in the community to protecting shorebird nests

At the following town council meeting, MERTF board member Dr. Greg Fossum made a committee report about several recommendations from the task force After Fossum spoke, King said the reputations of three individuals were being “sullied” and “disparaged” by comments made at the previous task force meeting regarding raking on the island Though task force member Robert Howell expressed concern at the meeting about what he said was raking on berms and near berms, no individuals were named.

Task For ce bel ieves uplighting at Baysi de Par k would violate li ghti ng ordinance

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Just a month before Hurricane Ian, town officials and community members celebrated the reopening of Bayside Park under fancy shade sails on a shaded stage platform and artificial turf after months of construction and two years of planning to replace the former park and gazebo

Completely wiped out by Ian, the park was the scene of debris piled up high in the days afterward Now, plans are in the works to reopen the park as

STEVE JOHNSON

Town of Fort Myers Beach Marine and Environmental Resources Chair

soon as the end of September, in what w o u l d c o i n c i d e w i t h t h e o n e - y e a r anniversary of Ian

While the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the park a year ago was cheerful amid songs, speeches and a new water fountain, it was also a project that faced oppo- sition from the Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force for plans to install uplighting on the coconut palm trees and poles there.

The task force believes the uplighting violates the town’s lighting ordinance

See BAYSIDE PARK, page 12

“The tone, tenor, and rhetoric is not helpful,” King said

In addressing King at the June meeting, Fossum said “We had no documentation of it occurring or not occurring,” before being interrupted by King

“Accusations were made,” King said “You called people names,” King said Fossum never personally called anybody names or made accusations at the

See ACCUSATIONS, page 14

NATHAN MAYBERG

An adult drowned in the water near B o n i t a B e a c h D o g P a r k a f t e r attempting to assist a juvenile. The boy was brought to shore safely by a paddleboarder though the man could not be saved.