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City council to reconvene after summer break

By Staff | Jul 11, 2013

The Cape Coral City Council comes back for its first meeting in a month Monday with much to consider, not the least of which is what to do about the proposed fire assessment.

There will be a final public input about the proposal to impose and collect fire assessments, even if it won’t happen immediately since City Manager John Szerlag has withdrawn the revenue proposal for the city’s 2014 budget

But there will be other items to consider, from the calling of a primary for two city races to regulations on newsracks and vending machines to what to put in the former K-C’s River Stop location at the Yacht Club beach.

On the agenda is an ordinance establishing procedures and regulations for the installation, placement, size, maintenance, and insuring of newsracks and newspaper vending machines.

The ordinance has been getting pushed back ever since the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval in a 5-2 vote during an April 24 special meeting.

The newsracks can rust and deteriorate over time if not maintained or abandoned, and could create a hazardous situation on roadways, according to proponents of the measure.

The ordinance would give the city the right to remove hazardous newsracks and establish rules regarding them.

Carioscia said this ordinance is necessary because of all the odd places these newsracks can wind up, such as a median, which he said is not mentioned in the ordinance.

“We have them at Eldorado and Skyline on the median,” Carioscia said. “I guess there was no room or they didn’t feel comfortable putting them on the lawn, so they chained it to the light pole.

“We don’t need anyone to go to the median, grab the paper and then come back,” Carioscia said.

A public hearing date has been set for July 22 on a resolution to hold primaries in two of the four city races in September, the mayoral and District 1 on Sept. 10, and a resolution is required.

Seven candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the seat held by Mayor John Sullivan, while four will run in District 1 for the seat Marty McClain will not seek re-election for.

Districts 4 and 6 have just two candidates and will not require a primary.

The primary election will be held Sept. 10, with the top two vote-getters moving on to the Nov. 5 election.

The vote is just a formality, said City Clerk Rebecca van Duetekom, as it simply approves the list of candidates who will be running.

“It’s a process we have to get it scheduled. It is housekeeping. They called for the election and aware of the ballot, so they have to approve that,” van Duetekom said.

Also, the city council will set forth an administrative resolution for City Council to rank the three prospective firms vying to operate the location of the former K-C’s River Stop at the Yacht Club, providing food services, bait and tackle, and fuel docking services.

Those three firms are Zak Kearns, Dixie Roadhouse and T&D Adventures of Southwest Florida, which the Selection Advisory Committee ranked in that order following its June 11 interviews.