Bill Barnett wish you a Happy New Year!

What better way to start an article than wishing all of you a happy, healthy New Year!

By the time you read this article, we will know if my Buffalo Bills are still on their way to the Super Bowl and, if so, can we finally win one? Time will tell but hope springs eternal!

What would you have done? Last week I was in the Publix at Naples Plaza picking up some groceries. When I came out and went to my car, I noticed the car parked next to me had a dog inside. All of the windows were up and, although the car was running and I’m sure the air conditioning was on, he or she was quite active. I’m sure the driver had intentions of just picking up a few things and coming right back, but I know for a fact that there are car models that will shut down automatically after a period of time left running. I started to get in my car to head home and then a thought crossed my mind: What if something mentioned above did happen?

I have read too many horror stories of pets suffocating in cars. We all know it’s not just pets but much worse! I sat there for a minute and then called the non-emergency number at the Naples Police Department and gave them the information, the row number, make of the car and plate number. They said an officer was close and would check it out. I waited for another five minutes and just as the officer pulled up, the owner of the car came back, got in and left. The officer and I chatted for a few minutes, and I know she would have at least in a nice way told the driver that leaving their dog in the car wasn’t a good idea. Bottom line, I felt good and no harm done.

Just a few weeks ago Naples was named by a top publication as the number one place in the country to retire! Now, we all have our own opinions when we read an article like that. My personal thoughts are that, although that might be true and it certainly sounds good, the realism is how many people can afford to live and work here? Yes, we have everything one could possibly want
(with the exceptions of hurricanes) from a great school system, fabulous restaurants, performing arts, great golf clubs, superb beaches, and wonderful lodging facilities. There is so much more I could take another page just to name them.

The future looks great for Naples, but we are not without our issues either. We will continue to work on solutions for workforce housing but
that doesn’t just pop up out of nowhere. There is property that has been set aside and development is underway, but time is a problem. Our tradespeople end up moving further and further away, and if you have ever seen traffic on I-75 South from Cape Coral and points north at 6:30 a.m., you will see what I’m talking about and it’s not just during season anymore.

2025 will mark 52 years for me living in the City of Naples. This year in each of my Life in Naples articles, I will finish with one of my favorite memories about my experiences during those years. My first memory was in March of 1972. I received a call from a friend who had moved from New York to Marco Island. He told me it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen, and I should come visit and see what Marco and Naples looked like. I had no intention of moving, but my former wife and I decided on a whim to go for the fun of it. We flew to Fort Lauderdale, landed in the late afternoon and drove across the then two-lane Alligator Alley (I-75 today). We checked into a motel on the corner of Mooring Line Drive and US 41. The next morning was a beautiful sunny day. We spent the day walking and looking at the uncluttered beauty of Naples and made up our minds that night that, even though we didn’t know what we were going to do in Naples, Florida, we were going back to N.Y, sell our home and grab our three young children and move to Naples. We did!

Have a great January, don’t forget to make reservations if you’re dining out!

All the Best,
Bill Barnett, Former Mayor
I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com