Positive Visions
May 10th, 2012
I have so many thoughts and ideas running through my head
lately, and if I don't write them down soon, my head is going to
explode! Writing for me is such a strong desire, and not having be able
to lately can literally turn me into a grouch. Getting it written also
gives me more drive to getting certain things done too.
So today I express some positive visions. Visions that may plant a seed into those who read this or visions that could be cared less about. Either way, I must write!
My first vision is about the pond at our beautiful Naples Zoo. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this because every time something like this comes up and our Director of Parks and Recreation Barry Williams comes into the picture, along with the subject of money, my eyes open very wide.
Why? Because we have $500,000 in a reserve for our Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park and I am so afraid it will be used for something such as this "saving the pond" idea. That scares me.
So why not try this Barry. Yes, I know you read my blogs so read carefully as I work my magic (*@*@*@*@*@*)...... Okay, do I have your attention?
Good.
Do not give any money from any Parks and Rec fund to preserve this pond. It already sounds like maintaining this pond now and in the future is going to be very costly anyway. But if the desire of saving the pond becomes a must, then try this.
Build a walkway bridge over Goodlette Road to the entrance of the pond. Guests can park at the two story parking garage at the mall and head over. They can be welcomed by signs in the parking garage leading them to the zoo with cute little animal pictures and facts along the way.
For the mall to be able to work with the zoo on this, do a swap. On the opposite end of the walkway from the zoo back to the garage, welcome them to the food court at the mall offering the variety of delightful menus and endless shopping. Using more signs of such pleasures along the way.
(Just writing this last paragraph make me think I need to go out and buy that book Fifty Shades of Grey. Looks as though I may need a few shades myself.)
So moving on, how do we pay for this? By possibly doing the 50/50 split. By means of having the county add more money into the Greenway project from a vote by the taxpayers on this years ballot. Same as the last vote. Requesting taxpayers pay a share again for so many years. If it turns out a no, then pave the pond. And why does the county have to pay anymore anyway?
They don't.
My next vision came from Mark Teaters and a post he posted on Facebook yesterday. It was this article titled, Study: Manufacturing not Lee County's strength. If you would like to take a moment and read first, click here;
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120509/BUSINESS/305090022
It's about manufacturing jobs in the top 100 areas throughout the US and Lee county sitting way at the bottom. Here are a few paragraphs from this article got my attention.
Jeff Kottkamp, chief executive officer of Bonita Springs-based VR Laboratories, said it is important for manufacturing jobs to make up a larger percentage of overall jobs in Southwest Florida.
“That number has got to come up as we look to have a diversified portfolio in our economy and not just tourism and construction,” Kottkamp said.
“There are advantages and disadvantages either way, but a community can be successful if its specialized or diverse,” Krueger said.
I could not agree with them more. So if you read the article and now take that idea and combine it with my next vision.
I can vision The Estates Community become the new and leading area for future manufacturing plants for Collier County. With the new Arthrex plant on it's way, they could bring us a great foundation for our future. The jobs alone would be certainly needed for many. And you cannot ask for a more perfect place.
I will end this with my last and greatest vision which you all know is our Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park. (Still think the name is too long. Okay, I'll call it Annette's Park.) I never plan to let up on this for I know the need for this park is so great. I plan to file this petition I have here on my desk to not only get those park impact fees back that have been taken away over the years, but to also request 1/2 if not more park fees for future development and placed into a single fund just for this park. I hope you are reading this too Barry. (*@*@*@*@*@*)
I also want to try and change impact fees for commercial developments. I feel we need to add parks to their impact fees. Spread out the impact fees by taking a certain percentage from fire, roads, jails, emergency medical, government, and law. And this should not only be for parks, but for library's and schools as well. This is a change that should have happened a long time ago.
And there you have it. So now, let's get the ball rolling people!
So today I express some positive visions. Visions that may plant a seed into those who read this or visions that could be cared less about. Either way, I must write!
My first vision is about the pond at our beautiful Naples Zoo. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this because every time something like this comes up and our Director of Parks and Recreation Barry Williams comes into the picture, along with the subject of money, my eyes open very wide.
Why? Because we have $500,000 in a reserve for our Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park and I am so afraid it will be used for something such as this "saving the pond" idea. That scares me.
So why not try this Barry. Yes, I know you read my blogs so read carefully as I work my magic (*@*@*@*@*@*)...... Okay, do I have your attention?
Good.
Do not give any money from any Parks and Rec fund to preserve this pond. It already sounds like maintaining this pond now and in the future is going to be very costly anyway. But if the desire of saving the pond becomes a must, then try this.
Build a walkway bridge over Goodlette Road to the entrance of the pond. Guests can park at the two story parking garage at the mall and head over. They can be welcomed by signs in the parking garage leading them to the zoo with cute little animal pictures and facts along the way.
For the mall to be able to work with the zoo on this, do a swap. On the opposite end of the walkway from the zoo back to the garage, welcome them to the food court at the mall offering the variety of delightful menus and endless shopping. Using more signs of such pleasures along the way.
(Just writing this last paragraph make me think I need to go out and buy that book Fifty Shades of Grey. Looks as though I may need a few shades myself.)
So moving on, how do we pay for this? By possibly doing the 50/50 split. By means of having the county add more money into the Greenway project from a vote by the taxpayers on this years ballot. Same as the last vote. Requesting taxpayers pay a share again for so many years. If it turns out a no, then pave the pond. And why does the county have to pay anymore anyway?
They don't.
My next vision came from Mark Teaters and a post he posted on Facebook yesterday. It was this article titled, Study: Manufacturing not Lee County's strength. If you would like to take a moment and read first, click here;
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120509/BUSINESS/305090022
It's about manufacturing jobs in the top 100 areas throughout the US and Lee county sitting way at the bottom. Here are a few paragraphs from this article got my attention.
Jeff Kottkamp, chief executive officer of Bonita Springs-based VR Laboratories, said it is important for manufacturing jobs to make up a larger percentage of overall jobs in Southwest Florida.
“That number has got to come up as we look to have a diversified portfolio in our economy and not just tourism and construction,” Kottkamp said.
“There are advantages and disadvantages either way, but a community can be successful if its specialized or diverse,” Krueger said.
I could not agree with them more. So if you read the article and now take that idea and combine it with my next vision.
I can vision The Estates Community become the new and leading area for future manufacturing plants for Collier County. With the new Arthrex plant on it's way, they could bring us a great foundation for our future. The jobs alone would be certainly needed for many. And you cannot ask for a more perfect place.
I will end this with my last and greatest vision which you all know is our Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park. (Still think the name is too long. Okay, I'll call it Annette's Park.) I never plan to let up on this for I know the need for this park is so great. I plan to file this petition I have here on my desk to not only get those park impact fees back that have been taken away over the years, but to also request 1/2 if not more park fees for future development and placed into a single fund just for this park. I hope you are reading this too Barry. (*@*@*@*@*@*)
I also want to try and change impact fees for commercial developments. I feel we need to add parks to their impact fees. Spread out the impact fees by taking a certain percentage from fire, roads, jails, emergency medical, government, and law. And this should not only be for parks, but for library's and schools as well. This is a change that should have happened a long time ago.
And there you have it. So now, let's get the ball rolling people!
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