Fort Myers, FL
After months and months of bickering over Wetland 47, the Gateway Services District Board of Supervisors and the Gateway Golf & Country Club have reached an agreement that will allow the issue to move forward. That agreement was passed unanimously by the Supervisors last Thursday night.
The agreement means the district will get the permit it needs, probably in mid-June, to proceed with remediation. Remediation means planting more plants and trees in an area already so overgrown, they're planning a burn to maintain it.
Somehow SFWMD decided about 200 trees of some sort need to be planted. And according to Bill Conrod of Friendly Fire they are the kind of trees that will burn down when you light them on fire. Who knew? Trees burn down when you light them on fire? I'll have to remember that one when I'm out with the boy scouts.
Conrod was telling the Supervisors that if those trees don't survive during one of the "planned burns" the residents are responsible to replant more. It's as if Wetland 47 was put there to keep people on the payroll, a payroll that comes out of our pockets. If SFWMD knows trees will burn down why would they tell us to put the trees in that area to begin with. Answer: because they can. And, don't think it's for any other reason.
Following the vote, all parties involved, the Supervisors, District Manager Brian Lamb and Country Club President Dennis Mitchell discussed what a pleasure it was to work with each other on resolving the issue. The only thing missing was a french kiss, a few mushroom brownies and a big group hug. Mitchell said "this is the beginning of a good working relationship". No doubt, I thought, after the rest of us idiots just payed for your colossal mistake. How bout a kiss for me Denny?
