by SC Reporter Ariadna Ampudia
Sanibel City Council appointed members for a one-year term to two citizen committees – Historical Preservation and Sanibel Recreation Financial Assistance – at its March 1 meeting. But appointments to the Vegetation Committee was tabled to April, after Councilman Mike Miller raised a concern over an ordinance.
The ordinance, in part, states members must be Sanibel residents and have taken and passed the city’s vegetation exam. One applicant is a former Sanibel resident who currently resides in Fort Myers and Miller said another applicant had never heard of the exam.
City Attorney John Agnew said council “couldn’t change the policy on the fly because it is an ordinance, not a resolution.” But appointments could be made and become effective upon the date they pass the exam.
Councilman Dr. Scott Crater, who is liaison to the Vegetation Committee, said he thought the members could easily pass the exam based on sitting in the room with them. “And I think a lot of them have already taken this test,” he said.
Agnew later reported Natural Resources Director Holly Milbrandt was under the belief all of the committee members know about the exam and have taken and passed it. “I suspect this is not a systemic issue, but it might be one of isolation,” he said.
City Clerk Scotty Lynn Kelly added the public notice for Vegetation Committee applications clearly indicates taking and passing an exam is part of the responsibilities.
Councilman John Henshaw initially said he was concerned about making these appointments without the applicants first knowing there is a required exam and preferred to table the issue. He subsequently withdrew that concern after it was determined members being uninformed about the exam may not be a systemic problem.
Miller first made a motion to appoint the 11 applicants on the condition their appointment is not effective until Milbrandt certifies to City Manager Dana Souza each individual applicant has complied with the ordinance. But it was withdrawn.
Ultimately, council decided to table the appointments until next month. In the meantime, current Vegetation Committee members will continue to hold their seats.
The Historical Preservation Committee:
Seven individuals were reappointed and two new members will join them. There is a minimum of five seats, but not more than 10, and three members constitute a quorum.
Reappointed were Sheila Fortney, Yvonne Hill, Leslie Adams, Jim Pickens, Troy Thompson, James “Clivie” Goodwin and Deborah Gleason, who was serving as the committee’s chair.
New appointees were Patricia Norton and Zachary McLendon, who has a bachelor’s degree in history. Vice Mayor Richard Johnson, liaison to the HPC, said these two individuals will bring much-needed skills, as well as academic rigor, to the committee.
Johnson also disclosed McLendon is employed by Bailey’s General Store, owned by Johnson, but it had no bearing on his appointment.
Sanibel Recreation Finance Assistance Committee
Six individuals were appointed, including a new member from FISH of SANCAP. There were eight applicants for a maximum of seven seats, but two of the applicants withdrew. Miller, who is the liaison to the RFAC, said there is “excellent diversity” among the applicants.
Richard McCurry, Gabriela Bell, Nicole McHale, Barry Roth, who was serving as chair, and Tim Drobnyk were reappointed. Maria Espinoza, FISH executive director, is the new member.
SC Publisher Shannen Hayes contributed to this article.