by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
Dr. Scott Crater announced his resignation from the Sanibel City Council just before the start of the new year due to a change in state law requiring municipal officials to file a more detailed public financial disclosure called “Form 6.” The law went into effect Jan. 1, and Crater feels unpaid officials should not be subject to this requirement.
“Sanibel Council members are unpaid, and unpaid positions should not be subject to these new requirements, which are an unnecessary invasion of privacy,” Crater said in a statement.
It was decision he agonized over for a couple of weeks before submitting his resignation on Dec. 28, 2023.
“Local governments are so close to the people they serve, and councils thrive on the input they receive from the community,” Crater said. “We learn from the public comment every time we meet, and we learn from each other. The process is deliberate and transparent.”
On May 22, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 774, “Ethics Requirements For Public Officials,” into law, which included an amendment to require certain local officers, mayors and elected members of the governing body of a municipality to annually file a Form 6, a very detailed financial interests disclosure.
“These requirements will limit the pool of those willing to serve as city council members, and this will weaken city governments throughout the state,” Crater said. “Already, council members in Naples and Fort Myers Beach have resigned, and dozens of local officials around the state have stepped down.”
Prior to this amendment, Sanibel’s City Council members were required to file a Form 1, a less detailed financial disclosure. Form 6 requires filers to report their net worth, assets, and liabilities. The specific value of each asset more than $1,000 must be reported, and the name and address of any creditor for each liability exceeding $1,000 must be included.
“On Sanibel Island, my wife and I own our home and the vacant lot next door,” Crater said. “We do not have business interests or rental property on the island. We do not have any interest in any businesses that do business with the City of Sanibel. That should be sufficient disclosure, in my opinion.”
Crater has lived full time on the island since 2008 with his wife and three children. His resignation came with sadness and frustration for him, since the rules changed in the middle of his first term. “Local officials should have been given the opportunity to finish their terms, and then decide to run again based on the new disclosure requirements,” he said.
Although an unpaid position, Crater said serving as a council member has been one of the most interesting and satisfying job’s he has ever had. “It’s been my privilege to serve our small, close-knit community.”
His fellow council members will discuss the process to temporarily appoint someone to his seat at the Tuesday, Jan. 16 meeting. The council’s discussion will also include holding a required special election to permanently fill his seat.
“Dr. Scott Crater has served the citizens of Sanibel with honor and distinction during his time on the City Council,” Mayor Richard Johnson said in a statement. “His leadership and collegiality displayed, especially in the days and months following Hurricane Ian, was vital to Sanibel’s response and recovery efforts. I know this was a difficult decision for Scott, and his presence will surely be missed on the City Council.”
In Crater’s statement, he expressed his deep respect for his fellow council members and praised City Manager Dana Souza, CFO Steve Chaipel, and their staff for their hard work bringing Sanibel back after Hurricane Ian. “We are very lucky to have them working on our behalf,” he said.
“I am grateful for the trust the community placed in me when they chose me to serve. In a sometimes divided world, Sanibel has been a beacon of unity and civility during the process of hurricane recovery,” Crater concluded.
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