Page 8 - August Life In Naples Magazine

MAYOR’S

CORNER

MAYOR BILL BARNETT
I t is always challenging for me to write an article when it that Mother’s Day is the start of the quiet season and that will last

covers four months and today is June 24th. With that being
until the beginning of October.
said I can’t help but comment on a tiny paragraph in the
I noticed that when the Naples Daily News was once again
Saturday June 23rd edition of the Naples Daily News under
that we hadn’t had a raise in over 10 years and they never mention
their Kudos & Kicks section which they write every Saturday showing their dismay with our pay raises they failed to mention
and it was a kick about our City Council. that our County Commissioner’s salaries
Specifically, they squawked about the fact are in the high 70’s. It was pointed out to
that we break for the summer on June me that the County is way bigger than our
Once again, a great
13th, and we don’t have another meeting City and that justifies their salary. Never
until August 13th. They also carried on big thank you to all mentioned is the simple fact that there are
about a raise for City Council and for the five County Commissioners one for each of
Mayor. Had this been the first time they of our City employees the five districts. Also not mentioned is that
had brought this up I most likely would that do so much for each of them has their own administrative
have responded in a different way. This assistant. Do they work harder than I do, or
is at least the third time they have made all of our residents put more hours in than I do, I don’t think
a statement of how displeased they are and visitors alike. so. Am I complaining? No I’m not but I am
with the above and they just can’t let it go just a little tired of being “kicked” by the
so maybe a little Naples history for them Naples Daily News when they have nothing
might be in order. better to write about.
The year was 1984, and I was a newly The construction of our new Fire
elected Council member. The format Station No. 1 is moving along at a good
was the same but the major difference was the communication. I pace. With any luck at all the rebuild of our Pier from the damage
candidly remember my Mayor Ned Putzell and his wife Dorothy caused by Irma might be completed by the end of August. For
would go to France and stay with their friend Julia Child for the those of you that haven’t had a chance to visit our new City Dock
majority of the summer break. He would call in once a week to see this is a great time to do it. It really came out spectacular. Baker
what was going on. There were no cell phones, or e-mail and long- Park is fast becoming a reality and is going to be a beautiful
distance phone calls were expensive. Even back then, our City was addition to our City.
a 365 24-7 organization which remains the same today. Are they It has never been a secret that my wife Chris and I have a
really that naïve to believe that we just exit the building after our nine-year-old rescue Old English Bulldog named Zsa-Zsa and
last meeting in June and disappear until August 13th? I sometimes two rescue cats Ava and Maggie ages unknown. Today was the
wonder. In reality with all the means of communication available day that the ugliest dog in the country was announced. Not only
to us we are never out of touch. I have always thought that our was she a Bulldog but, her name was Zsa-Zsa. Ugly? I think they
staff breathes a sigh of relief when our summer break begins. We are beautiful!
leave them with a huge list of projects to work on including the Once again, a great big thank you to all of our City employees
budget, which we deal with upon our return in August. There isn’t that do so much for all of our residents and visitors alike. I am
a day that goes by that I don’t speak with our City or Assistant constantly receiving compliments about our City in every way
City manager. I would candidly invite the Naples Daily News to imaginable. My answer is always the same, “It’s because of the
send one of their representatives to spend a summer day with me wonderful employees that work for and care about our City.”
at City Hall and I’ll show them what the word quiet really means. Enjoy the rest of your summer and if you’re bored and have nothing
The phones don’t ring, my e-mails are at a bare minimum, and it is to do then by all means e-mail me at mayorbill@naplesgov.com I do
indeed a rarity that someone wants an actual face-to-face meeting respond.
with me. The one thing that has not changed in 30 plus years is Mayor Bill

8 Life in Naples | Aug/Sept/Oct 2018