NAPLES Potpourri by Bill Barnett VOTE VOTE VOTE

Bill Barnett

Here we are in the middle of Season in Naples and in the middle of a City Council Election that will no doubt be contentious. I have said in my past two articles that I would keep you the readers up to date and I am going to do that. The opinions that follow are strictly mine.

There are six council members and one mayor for a total of seven. The election will be on March 19, and the last day to file for a Council Seat or the Mayor’s seat was January 19. As of today, there are three Council Members who will be staying on because they still have 2 years left on their current terms. Due to a recent resignation by a council member, there are now three council seats up for election and the mayor’s seat.

There are three candidates currently running for mayor. The first candidate is Ted Blankenship who is just finishing his first term as a Council member and he seems to think by his campaign literature and e-mails he sends out that he can fix anything that he feels needs fixing. One example is he pledges to never raise your taxes. He seems to forget this takes the majority of Council to do, but it sounds good to the voters but is an empty pledge.

The second candidate is the current mayor, Teresa Heitmann. Her campaign literature speaks of issues she has dealt with and one that jumps out is her quote “If you re-elect me I will ensure your voice guides the future of the City”. I haven’t quite figured that one out as once again citizen’s voices and requests are handled by all of City Council, not just one person.

The third and final candidate (so far) for mayor is Gary Price. He is my choice for mayor and sets a fine example of what a mayor for our city should be. Gary has experience, drive, and the know how to improve our lives here in Naples and has proven it by his past City Council experience.

He is well-known in our City and knows the real issues that need to be dealt with; for example, when the current Council tried to restrict citizens on how they could rebuild their homes after Hurricane Ian, hence the forming of House Bill (SB 250). He has a list of items that all make sense and are doable with strong leadership which he will provide.

There are four council candidates that have chosen to run for City Council. The first is Bill Kramer who has dedicated over 25 years serving our Naples Community. He and his family share deep rooted connections to our City. Coach Bill Kramer is a well-respected leader in both education and sports and aims to bring the same passion and commitment to Naples City Council. He is one of my City Council choices.

The second council candidate is Tony Perez Benitoa. He is a successful Board Certified Marital and Family Law attorney and a Supreme Court Certified Mediator. Helping others is what he does and that’s why he’s running for City Council. Tony has served on many boards and committees in Naples and he is a beloved coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team. Bringing out the best in himself and others is one of the foundational drivers in Tony’s life. He is another of my City Council choices.

The third council candidate is Berne Barton. The Barton name is well known in the City of Naples as his parents have been active in the Naples community for many years. Berne was born at Naples Community Hospital and raised in Downtown Naples. A graduate of Naples High School and Auburn University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in operations management. He is a proud family man and his wife Audra has been a Collier County school teacher for 28 years and a Golden Apple recipient. As a lifelong resident, Berne couldn’t stand idly by while the very fabric of homeowner’s rights was under assault. He has witnessed the current administration undermining property rights and neglecting the voices of the majority. This was his driving reason to take a stand and fight not only his rights, but the rights of every homeowner in our community. Berne is another of my City Council choices.

Linda Penniman is the fourth Council candidate to announce. All one has to do is google her as she has served on so many boards and committees in Naples including serving on City Council in 2014. She had to resign due to a medical problem that her husband had.

Once again, I caution the City voters to do their homework when selecting candidates, and I hope I have helped some of you with my selections.

Bill Barnett, Former Mayor

I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com