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BILL BARNETT

his is the first time in many years that I find myself with time off from being termed out and coming back and getting
heading into the hottest summer months and I’m still re-elected again I spent an actual 28 years as an elected official in
T in Naples. Usually, Chris and I are heading towards the Naples. People assume that elected officials in general do quite

cool climes of Angola, NY (outskirts of Buffalo) for my favorite well when it comes to salaries and benefits especially pensions, and
fresh local grown corn, cooling off in Lake Erie and of course here’s the crux of my story. From my start in 1984, salary for the
hanging out with our many family members and friends that live Mayor and City Council members was a laughable matter. Every
there all year. I’ll share a story with you that goes back many years time someone brought up the words “salary raise” the mayor and
and is relevant to what I wrote above but I’m sure that there aren’t those who were on City Council and had finished their actual
many of you that live in Naples today that have any idea what I’m careers just smiled and answered we do this job because we love
going to tell you. I was fortunate back in 1975 in Naples to acquire it, not for the money, and therefore no raises or if there had to be
the Toyota Dealership which had gone on the market. Hard to a raise by ordinance it would be the bare minimum. In the mid-
imagine, nobody knew what a Toyota was back then, they were 1980’s a Council member was making about $6,000 a year which

selling five new and five used cars a month, and my background was basically a part-time stipend, not a living wage.
before we moved to Naples in 1973 was automotive and I would I’ll move this story to today the year being 2026 and although
have never dreamed that I would be fortunate enough to own a the salaries of the Mayor and Council are more in range of where
new car dealership. I had the vision that Naples would be a great they should be, there is still no pension or retirement benefits
place for selling used cars and had no idea that two huge gas crises for Council Members or the Mayor and most likely there never
were about to make Toyota a household name. One was in 1974 will be.
and for those of you that remember there were long lines around Now that I have been retired for six years and I can look back

the block, odd even rationing by license plates, no gas signs, and on my 28 years serving The City of Naples, I can certainly relate to
even a national speed limit of 55-mph speed limit to save fuel. The the old adage of doing the job as Mayor was a lot more than just
second was in 1979 that went into 1980. They were both grouped loving it! I lived it!!
together and known as “the 1970s energy crisis.” The point I want Have a safe, happy and healthy summer and fall.
to make is that those were good years for me, and I sold out to All the Best,
Germain Motor Company in 1983 and was elected to Naples City Bill Barnett, Former Mayor
Council in 1984 and was a pure rookie with no political knowledge 239-777-7952
but I did know almost everyone who lived in Naples then because I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com
of my Toyota days. (Yes, today I’m driving a 2025 Toyota Camry

and I love it.) At the beginning of my political career which lasted
from 1984 through 2020 both as a Council Member and as Mayor

8 www.LifeInNaples.net