It'll be interesting to see Bill Conrod's reaction when he finds out his friends at the Gateway Golf and Country Club sat quietly while the Gateway Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to go after Conrod's company Friendly Fire. The board is seeking $25,000 from Conrod. Up until that point Friendly Fire and the Club were locked arm-in-arm singing from the same song-book.
Conrod was supposed to be at last night's meeting so, perhaps, the club was thinking he had it coming for not showing up. Plus they had their own sweatheart $20,000 deal so maybe that was the time to cut the Friendly Fire rope and let 'ole Bill dangle in the wind. And, as we learned last night, there was a whole lotta story changing going on. All along Conrod had been saying he asked the club if a permit was needed to do the work on wetland 47. He's also been saying the club told him a permit was not needed, it's our property, so go ahead and do the work. Last night, for the first time, the club disputed Conrod's claim. The club was saying that conversation "never took place". In other words, Conrod damaged the wetland all by himself - and he's a liar! Back that bus back up Dennis, here comes Bill.
Not one Country Club board member spoke up to defend Conrod. Not one of them said the board should not go after him. Now that's a true friend. Just thinking out loud here. What if Conrod now decides he has no allies in this mess and tells everyone to take a flying leap? He was prepared to do a lot of the work, so the club was saying, at no charge. If he decides not to do any of it, what happens then? And, who pays for a new contractor to do the remaining work on wetland 47? Could it still be done before the next SFWMD deadline?
Gateway District Manager Brian Lamb said "Friendly Fire is getting off a little light here". Our Board of Supervisors authorized staff to go after Conrad for $25,000. They gave him credit for $10,000 worth of work already done. What if he decides to fight us for the $15,000, whether its real cash or time spent working on the wetland? Are we prepared to file suit against him and spend more money in legal fees.
Oh my! How did we get here? Fort Myers, FL
