The Estates Community, "Remember When"?
April 8th, 2011
The night was good last night at the Parks and Recreation meeting,unfortunately with all the activities out here last night, I felt the attendance was poor. Maybe 25 people from the community and 10 others from Parks in Recreation along with Commissioners Coletta, Fiala, and Hiller. And thanks for your support Coyle and Henning.
This is going to be a bit long, but I did not want to miss anything I felt was important to the community.
I will put it this way on what Marla Ramsey said; we have two choices to get our park, either wait for the economy to turn around, in which I'll be dead by then, or taxes. I vote taxes.
There were many comments and suggestions made last night but I want to go directly to Mike Ramsey, the Vice President of The Golden Gate Estates Area Civic Area Association, who made it clear as a bell, nailing every aspect on the head, thanks Mike. Before I do, I want to clarify Mike was representing himself, not the position of the Golden Gate Estates Area Civic Association.
Here they are:
April 7th, 2011: Suggestions to find the $11.5 millions in money in Collier County Government budget for the Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park for Golden Gate Estates.
1. The Vanderbilt Beach Road Extension Project - since this project has
been scrapped the, the properties purchased by Collier County Government
could be sold and the money put forward to the construction of the park.
2. Reduce the amount of money spent annually on road median maintenance
and dedicating the savings to the construction of the park that can actually
be used by people.
3. "End of the Year" monies that come back to the Commissioners that
was not used could be reallocated to the park instead of going to "pet
projects" such as road medians on Immokalee Road that cannot be used by
people.
4. Trash pick up in the Estates: Estates residence have indicated that
they could get by with a once a week trash pick up, since most waste being
picked up is recycling. The savings of this could be applied to the
construction cost of the park.
5. Impact fees that have been "deferred" by the BCC, could be
renegotiated to start "partial payment" back to Collier County Government,
and this money could be allocated to the construction of the park.
6. Phase the construction of the park, not everything has to be built
the 1st year; therefore reducing the initial construction cost.
7. Restructure the utilization of the monies that would be acquired
from the SFWMD in regards to the ATV Park Settlement. The BCC can
restructure the settlement, to acquire cash and apply that monies to the
construction of the park which all people can use.
Is he good or what!
Remember when? The days were good, money was flowing in from impact fees from all the new homes out here and the many new things were being built all over Collier County? We alone paid $16,000 on impact fees for our home, so that money went somewhere, right? Yes it did, on a first come first serve basis as people came and requested the many projects that have come to be here in Naples. Some good choices, some bad. That alone needs to change. Priority needs to start taking precedence.
Now here we sit in The Estates, all the money gone, barely a dime to spend for our park. We basically paid for this park already and clearly I understand that, but we also have to come to reality it's all gone and we have to come up with alternatives if this park is ever going to happen. Last night when I came home, I was talking to my father-in-law and he asked many questions about the meeting. I brought up the fact that maybe we should get that money back? So I emailed the Commissioners and Parks and Rec. this morning, and here is the what I wrote:
Good Morning,
Great meeting last night although turnout wasn't so great. I could not help but think of yet another thought. Here goes:
All that money that we paid out here in The Estates for impact fees that went everywhere else but here, why not get it back? Pay us back by placing a MSBU on the tax-roll this year and exclude us from those taxes. $50 annual assessment per household could generate up to $8 million dollars or more (guesstimate). Add that to the ATV park settlement(IF it happens), and viola', our park is complete!
Also consider re-negotiating with the SWFMD in bringing out a higher settlement to be paid out in "increments" over the years. This way, they are not strapped, you can start the park and everyone is happy!
Then add a MSTU for The Estates Community on the 2012 ballot for a tax to maintain our park and build this fire-station that is also needed off Desoto, not an expensive glorious firestation, just simple, yet doable. Sorry, had to throw that in there, Mark Teaters is keeping that priority over my park and wanted me to mention it:)
You think this all may not go over well? I think it will be very much justified by our newspapers, my writings, and how it is brought out and presented to the Naples community by all of us.
As Commissioners, you want the best interest of the community, right? Now is your time to shine and show it.
Thank you and look out for my blog soon with more on "My Thoughts Exactly!"
The night was good last night at the Parks and Recreation meeting,unfortunately with all the activities out here last night, I felt the attendance was poor. Maybe 25 people from the community and 10 others from Parks in Recreation along with Commissioners Coletta, Fiala, and Hiller. And thanks for your support Coyle and Henning.
This is going to be a bit long, but I did not want to miss anything I felt was important to the community.
I will put it this way on what Marla Ramsey said; we have two choices to get our park, either wait for the economy to turn around, in which I'll be dead by then, or taxes. I vote taxes.
There were many comments and suggestions made last night but I want to go directly to Mike Ramsey, the Vice President of The Golden Gate Estates Area Civic Area Association, who made it clear as a bell, nailing every aspect on the head, thanks Mike. Before I do, I want to clarify Mike was representing himself, not the position of the Golden Gate Estates Area Civic Association.
Here they are:
April 7th, 2011: Suggestions to find the $11.5 millions in money in Collier County Government budget for the Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park for Golden Gate Estates.
1. The Vanderbilt Beach Road Extension Project - since this project has
been scrapped the, the properties purchased by Collier County Government
could be sold and the money put forward to the construction of the park.
2. Reduce the amount of money spent annually on road median maintenance
and dedicating the savings to the construction of the park that can actually
be used by people.
3. "End of the Year" monies that come back to the Commissioners that
was not used could be reallocated to the park instead of going to "pet
projects" such as road medians on Immokalee Road that cannot be used by
people.
4. Trash pick up in the Estates: Estates residence have indicated that
they could get by with a once a week trash pick up, since most waste being
picked up is recycling. The savings of this could be applied to the
construction cost of the park.
5. Impact fees that have been "deferred" by the BCC, could be
renegotiated to start "partial payment" back to Collier County Government,
and this money could be allocated to the construction of the park.
6. Phase the construction of the park, not everything has to be built
the 1st year; therefore reducing the initial construction cost.
7. Restructure the utilization of the monies that would be acquired
from the SFWMD in regards to the ATV Park Settlement. The BCC can
restructure the settlement, to acquire cash and apply that monies to the
construction of the park which all people can use.
Is he good or what!
Remember when? The days were good, money was flowing in from impact fees from all the new homes out here and the many new things were being built all over Collier County? We alone paid $16,000 on impact fees for our home, so that money went somewhere, right? Yes it did, on a first come first serve basis as people came and requested the many projects that have come to be here in Naples. Some good choices, some bad. That alone needs to change. Priority needs to start taking precedence.
Now here we sit in The Estates, all the money gone, barely a dime to spend for our park. We basically paid for this park already and clearly I understand that, but we also have to come to reality it's all gone and we have to come up with alternatives if this park is ever going to happen. Last night when I came home, I was talking to my father-in-law and he asked many questions about the meeting. I brought up the fact that maybe we should get that money back? So I emailed the Commissioners and Parks and Rec. this morning, and here is the what I wrote:
Good Morning,
Great meeting last night although turnout wasn't so great. I could not help but think of yet another thought. Here goes:
All that money that we paid out here in The Estates for impact fees that went everywhere else but here, why not get it back? Pay us back by placing a MSBU on the tax-roll this year and exclude us from those taxes. $50 annual assessment per household could generate up to $8 million dollars or more (guesstimate). Add that to the ATV park settlement(IF it happens), and viola', our park is complete!
Also consider re-negotiating with the SWFMD in bringing out a higher settlement to be paid out in "increments" over the years. This way, they are not strapped, you can start the park and everyone is happy!
Then add a MSTU for The Estates Community on the 2012 ballot for a tax to maintain our park and build this fire-station that is also needed off Desoto, not an expensive glorious firestation, just simple, yet doable. Sorry, had to throw that in there, Mark Teaters is keeping that priority over my park and wanted me to mention it:)
You think this all may not go over well? I think it will be very much justified by our newspapers, my writings, and how it is brought out and presented to the Naples community by all of us.
As Commissioners, you want the best interest of the community, right? Now is your time to shine and show it.
Thank you and look out for my blog soon with more on "My Thoughts Exactly!"
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