Mayor Bill – What’s in his Corner

Mayor Bill Barnett

Today is December 31st, 2017 and it’s a spectacular 75-degree day with lots of sunshine and many happy visitors and residents alike who are glad to be here. Memories of Hurricane Irma are slowly fading away, but the remnants will be a constant reminder to me for years to come. I am constantly asked about everything from my favorite restaurants to what my wife Chris and I watch on television and so much more, so I’ll share some of my personal side with you.

When I go to the Publix across from Coastland Mall to pick up a few groceries and I tell Chris I’ll be back in 20 minutes she knows to add at least 10-15 minutes to that estimate, because if there was ever a place to chat about local politics, family, and general gossip, that store is the granddaddy of them all. From the end of October thru mid-April most our evenings are spoken for, so the nights we have at home are bonus ones and we enjoy them.

I have always enjoyed cooking and grilling and still do. Although my mother subscribed to Gourmet Magazine she couldn’t cook and made no bones about it. When I was 16 years old I started looking through her old issues and cutting out easy recipes and making them. Today it’s a cinch to get a recipe online or if I see one that I like in a magazine I just take a picture of it with my phone and try it out.

Sundays during football season are definitely devoted to cooking and watching the NFL. We are Bills fans and Chris’s dad used to run the play clock on the field for Buffalo when she was growing up so she and her family have a great football history. We are extremely diverse when it comes to what programs we watch on TV. From Netflix’s Stranger Things to 60 Minutes and a wide spectrum in between, it’s definitely relaxation for us.

Since I stopped running two years ago I try and brisk walk 8-12 miles a week time permitting. Having eight grandchildren, a rescue bulldog and two rescue cats keep us relatively busy in our spare time (big smile). Our youngest grandchild is a sophomore in high school and our oldest will be 23 in March and is a recent college
graduate. He will be traveling to China in February to teach for 10 months.

In between are three college sophomores, one veterinary tech in training, one licensed fishing captain, and a
professional ballerina with Boston Ballet. Our lives are not boring! There is a City Council election coming up February 6th. There are three seats available and four candidates running for them. Throughout my political career I have always maintained that no matter which candidates the voters elect, I will do my utmost as mayor to make them feel welcome and show them the respect that they have earned by being elected.

There are many new and exciting projects on the drawing board for 2018. Baker Park will become a reality. Construction will begin on our new fire station. Our new city dock will be open. Gulfshore Playhouse will be raising funds for their new facility, which will be housed in our city. The list goes on but the bottom line is that our City of Naples will continue to thrive with cutting edge restaurants, beautiful beaches, a wonderful blend of people and overall a great place to visit or live. I do respond to e-mail at mayorbill@naplesgov.com