Letters from home
City hall has been bombarded with emails from outraged citizens over the airport development fiasco; here's another sample of what your friends and neighbors are thinking and writing
-- compiled by John Patten, 05/04/07
-- jpatten@veniceflorida.com
Got a comment? Make it here.
Yumpin' yimminy!
City hall's email server has been quite literally bombarded by the citizens of Venice over the issue of development at the airport. The locals aren't happy and they are sharing the moment, sometimes expressing fear, sometimes expressing anger, but overwhelmingly expressing one thought: stop the madness.
Only one email from a resident- ONE - that I could find was in support of continuing on with the debate. That one came from Bill and Holly Nieck, residents of upscale Pelican Point, which is located outside of the Venice city limits.
While city hall would have you believe that the dissent is coming from the usual suspects (Venice Taxpayers League, Venice Neighborhoods, etc.), what becomes clear is that the anti-development sentiment is coming from the community at large. Councilman John Simmonds, for instance, has stated on several occasions that this is all the work of a just a few people spreading misinformation. I personally take Simmonds to task on that issue in a couple of the emails.
The ultimate irony: a marketing email from Ritz-Carlton (i.e. Marriott) inviting council to join in the fun in Sarasota at their Cinco de Mayo bash, this after a somewhat revelatory and embarrassing email from one of their golf execs to our illustrious mayor only a few days ago. Drink up, guys!
Here then, from the past five days or so, are what your friends and neighbors are telling city hall.
NOTE - Clicking on any link will open up the full letter as an Adobe Acrobat Reader file in a new window.
April 27 - Aurelia McAllister
Please stop listening to and representing the special interests who lobby all around city hall, and please start representing the average voters who live here and who vote for our "leaders."
April 29 - James and Jean Cauthorn
Please do not allow these overblown, gaudy, unnecessary, "Improvements" to ruin the beauty of the town and clog our roads with more traffic.
April 29 - K.H. Kern
Mayor Hammet: Please do not consider any of these outlandish proposals. We all have seen or heard of proposals of this nature elsewhere which in certain instances turned out to be far from what the original concept that was envisioned for a community.
April 30 - Charlie Flinkstrom
John Nolen rolled over in his grave last Wednesday following the private developer workshops (charades) and said "Whoa."
April 30 - Timothy Gomber, Bradway and Associates Realtors
As a 50 year resident of the City of Venice I have not felt the need to write a letter to the council for any reason until now. It seems that you are losing sight of what the citizens of this town want.
April 30 - Barbara Hower
Public reaction to your day-long presentation of development options should ring loud and clear to all of you that this approach is unacceptable to the citizens of Venice. News that grants are available for improvements and to maintain the airport fly in the face of Council's words. Shame on all of you for these shady tactics.
April 30 - Betty Katzin
Please keep Venice the paradise it is. Our roads and infrastructure couldn't stand becoming another Sarasota.
April 30 - Ray Modjeski
The small area we call Venice Island could be overwhelmed unless sound strategic thinking is applied involving ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT considerations. We need you to put them all on the table for consideration. Viewing them individually plays into the hands of the developers.
April 30 - Michael and RoseAnn Nekulak
Have you thought about the traffic congestion that 1500+ employees would bring to that part of the Island let alone the year round time share and hotel occupants, you would need acres of black top parking spaces and new access roads.
April 30 - Dick Ozimek (to Councilman Rick Tacy)
As a fellow member of the Venice Loyal Order Of The Moose, I ask you to please consider in leaving the Lake Venice Golf Course alone.
April 30 - Fred Roscoe (to Mayor Fred Hammett)
You and a possible vendors wife making news, when will you ever learn. The City of Venice will be seeing this project in court for a long time.
April 30 - Marie Sawczyk
I find it incredulous to think that the City council is entertaining any of the suggested plans for development of the airport area. A Colosseum? I didn't retire to Marco Island because I didn't want to live in a resort town.
May 1 - Gretchen Beckhelm
If you won't permit us to vote on the development, then at least postpone the plan until after the next city council election and we'll express our feelings by voting in a new council.
May 1 - Norma Dayton
If Venice prices out retirees who have come from many places and have various income levels, you will have lost an important group of volunteers. This should not be an elitist community.
May 1 - Theresa and Barry Fouts
Please do not allow them to develop/destroy anymore of Venice. We do not want to see the property at the golf course/airport developed.
May 1 - Leroy Herman
Please do not close the Lake Venice golf course to put in hotels and resort facilities. It's bad enough to have the snowbirds that we have. Keep Venice for us.
May 1 - Bill and Holly Nieck
The value of the land and tax base if developed properly - mixture golf courses - hotel rooms - low rise condo developments - marina would be a marked improvement for the Venice area. I also feel keeping schools on the island serve no purpose and add to traffic congestion.
May 1 - Herald-Trib's Larry Evans responds to a complaint from Councilman John Simmonds (Simmonds' original email is on the second page)
Thank you for the complimentary description of me as "a responsible honest person." I take it that, in this case, however, you consider irresponsible the editorial opinion that I played a role in forming.
May 1 - Simmonds responds to comments from Venice Florida! dot com's John Patten (Patten's comments are included below Simmonds' response)
Despite your opinion, mine is that no Council Member had any more information than I did which was only a list of the companies who would present their pitch. I don't particularly like negative blogs but I do hope you make money with yours.
May 1 - Roscoe and Jan Turner
The Venice community should be involved and the final decision maker in any plans for the space. It should not be decided by a few at city hall and the developers who want to make money by exploiting our resources.
May 2 - Jeanne Benkoski
Been to Sarasota lately - traffic is a mess - beaches full - waiting lines for restaurants. Pass any of the Airport proposals and we all might as well live in the congestion of someplace like Sarasota.
May 2 - Everett Grover
We are STRONGLY OPPOSED to this development because of the effect it would have on the quality of life in Venice. Currently, Venice is an attractive place to live because of its low-key atmosphere.
May 2 - Jacqueline Lehmann
This morning's headlines of the Herald is all about the lack of water for Florida and our area specifically. We do not need to add additional visitors or residents that will put a strain on water and sewage until these issues are reconciled.
May 2 - Simmonds and Patten again
Patten: "I would love to be able to write about positive things. Unfortunately, you and the rest of the cast keep doing bone-headed things and the public's right to know outweighs the need for cheery sunshiny fluff."
Simmonds: "I know yea some of it is negative; but it is the Councils fault. Before you get all exercised again maybe your getting your leg pulled"
May 2 - Dick Windgassen
According to today's Gondolier, Marty Black has reminded us that the construction at the airport was part of the 1969 Airport Master Plan of 1969. Perhaps the city manager is not aware that in tiny Venice at that time, the thought was not about conserving open space but filling the vast empty space. In 1969 my oil company employer's ten year plan included a study of ways of using up the enormous glut of oil.
May 3 - a phone call from Mr. Brown
Mr. Brown stated: he is "against all airport development and leave golf course like it is."
May 3 - Don and Dee Kennedy
Please, please, preserve our dear Venice. I know your job is tough to balance growth with the preservation of our heritage, but these proposals are over the top.
May 3 - Bob and Anne Morris
Our area has a plethora of high-priced golf courses which the ordinary Venetian cannot enjoy. Please search your conscience when it comes to decisions on the Lake Venice Golf Club. Think about health for our area instead of wealth for a certain few individuals.
May 3 - Ritz-Carlton to all council
Good morning. Here's a snapshot of upcoming events at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota. Hope to see you here. Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Bay View Bar & grill Saturday, May 5, 4 to 9 p.m. We're traveling South of the Border to Bay View Bar & Grill where you and your amigos can enjoy Tequila and Salsa Tastings.
John Patten is the editor and publisher of Venice Florida! dot com and had previously worked in broadcasting for over 12 years. He can also be incredibly rude at times.
