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MAYOR’S

CORNER

MAYOR BILL BARNETT
I n my opinion the month of March is the busiest one in While we might

Naples. It also signifies that I will have been back in the
not all agree on
Mayor’s seat for a year and it seems that the days and months
everything, we
have flown by.
an ardent supporter of these groups.
Therefore, much to the angst of my peers at the magazine I have should continue to their members. I have always been
a lot to write about and might as well get it all out as our season will They along with our various advisory
start coming to a close in April and by mid May it will be for the and work boards (all volunteers) are perhaps
most part finished. collaboratively one of the most valuable assets that
I read the print section of our local newspaper every day and we elected officials have. Many of
have done so for forty years plus. I am computer savvy but I just can’t to keep our 5th the homeowners associations send
bring myself to read the paper online. In 1984 when I was elected Avenue South the their own newsletters out to their
to my first term as a City Council member I learned rather quickly members, which is a great way to
to scan the paper first thing in the morning to hopefully not see my beautiful, vibrant communicate. Although I might on
name in it and if I did I hoped it was something positive and not street that it is. occasion disagree with an opinion
negative about a vote that I had made on Council. Well, for the most or viewpoint they have I have never
part I managed to survive on the good side of the editors and on actually responded because they are
occasion I didn’t but it was okay, just part of politics. I then figured certainly entitled to their opinions and I do respect them. After
out a system of how to look at certain sections first where the local having said that I am for the first time ever going to voice my
news was covered and the editorial page was a great starter. In one opinion about a newsletter that one of the associations recently
of my former terms as Mayor I opened the paper one morning, went sent out to their members. The article claimed to include an update
to the editorial page and was surprised to see in the editorial that of lawsuits that were filed regarding 5th Avenue South. These
Jeff Lytle who was the former editorial page editor at that time had lawsuits were filed after City Council applied laws that have been
said in the editorial that he thought I was ubiquitous. I immediately in place for years to recent re-development approvals on 5th Avenue
felt a pang of panic run through me because I had never heard that South. I would have expected the board of this association to be
word before and it just didn’t sound good to me. After looking it up objective and factual when reporting the status of these lawsuits.
I had to smile because he was referring to the fact that at whatever In my opinion that’s the purpose of an update by a neighborhood
event was happening in Naples I seemed to be there. The word association to their members. Unfortunately I feel what the board
stuck with me throughout the years and this season in Naples I feel distributed was one-sided and biased. This “update” contained a link
like the word ubiquitous sums it all up for me. Believe me, I’m not to court documents filed by the plaintiffs, but not to documents
complaining! I enjoy being busy to the max and it seems to agree filed by the City. It even failed to include the order of the judge
with me. I have always said that our community of Naples, Florida dismissing one of the lawsuits. Our City Council, 5th Avenue South
is perhaps one of, if not the most generous and charitable places to property owners and the community at large have worked together
live in the world. I am fortunate to be able to play a small part in the for decades to improve the vitality of our downtown. A master plan
many wonderful events that take place in Naples both as a Charity was created in the 1990’s to avoid a repeat of the high vacancy rate
Auctioneer and as your Mayor. and empty storefronts. Over the years Fifth Avenue South has been
In 1984, when I was a rookie City Council member there were honored with many prestigious awards and is widely recognized
literally a few property owners groups and I’m not sure they were as one of the best downtowns in the State of Florida. While we
even associations. Today, I am proud to say that our entire city is might not all agree on everything, we should continue and work
represented by Homeowner Associations. In addition, we have collaboratively to keep our 5th Avenue South the beautiful, vibrant
a President’s Council whose members are appointed by their street that it is.
individual associations and they meet once a month at City Hall Having lived in the City of Naples for 44 years I am still as
for presentations by our city staff and they are kept well informed of enamored with it today as I was in July of 1973 when I first moved
projects that are not only happening in our city but future ones that are here. Please enjoy all that we have to offer and I do respond to
on the drawing board as well. They in turn pass the information back e-mails @ mayorbill@naplesgov.com.

12 Life in Naples | March 2017