Yeah, this "expert in the field for 40 years" was the one who admitted that we bought a utility (Florida Water) in desperate "disrepair" and "overpaid" for it, even though he was a vital proponent for the purchase. Now the newly sewered people are paying for that mistake. AND he still considers himself an expert in the field and obviously IS considered one by most of the "powers to be". Yet, he wants us to make the same mistake with the electric company. I don't get it.

HE IS A SNAKE.

Mr. Kiester, et al: I am trying to understand your question. You receive thousands of e-mails from Marco Island residents. You receive hundreds from the same individuals and interest groups. Your voting record and conduct reflect these e-mails and their influence. In fact, your relationship with a previous reporter affected the news published in the paper. Each and every citizen should take the time to express their views to the entire Council and express it on every issue and as much as they can and as many times as they can.
On behalf of the almost 70% of the Marco Citizenry, I can say with certainty, in answer to your question, that Thank God it isn't you !!!
Ed Issler

Ed Issler: Check this email written to another Council member by John Arceri: "...It is pretty clear that the loss of Marco Island from the LCEC service territory would result in probable rate increases to the remaining LCEC customers. As such, would LCEC agree to a special arrangement with the City to provide some of these savings every year (ie. $5 million) if we don't proceed with takeover? After all, LCEC could explain to their other customers that such an arrangement with Marco is better for all. Just some thoughts." Ed, I remind you, the "thoughts" expressed in this email were written by John's own hand. Let's see, first we intimidate then we threaten the coop with a takeover if they don't do as we say. Does this sound like a New York gangster using strong arm tactics? I think so. Maybe the coop's "other customers" should think about organizing before it's too late.

dear ed: have you read these emails...i have, and one thing is very apparent....arceri has, at the very least, preferred/unlimited access to the government of marco....you truly have to agree with that don't you? further it seems to me that john either 1. has some personal agenda or 2. is obsessed with control and power.

Issler, you know and have admitted that the 70% crap you keep espousing is wrong. I had asked you before how you came up with that number—was your math ability that poor, or were you basically a dishonest guy? Since you have started spouting 70% again, I vote for “dishonest.”

And you have often bragged about the “machine” that was making things happen the way you wanted for Marco. Your most recent “machine” quote: “The next election will yield the same results, as the machine is still in place to get the message out and voters to vote.”

Now, after reviewing the Arceri email collection, I see what you mean by the machine. And the master mechanic is Arceri, with all his little cogs like you busily whirling around him.

Fossil/Van and others: I read your responses and am just amazed that you think that what you have stated is relevant. Honestly and objectively, come on take off the skewed glasses and drink from the cup of objectivity. You can read my own postings from long ago when I wrote in these same blogs about the upcoming committee on LCEC. While I have never read Arceri's e-mails, I said basically the same thing that Fossil quoted above. Van, what are you trying to say ?? I write e-mails to Council all the time, ask any of them. I express my opinions to them all the time. Hopefully you do the same thing. I hope that you both and Mr. Arceri never stop doing it. I certainly will not. The Council has 5 members that represent a landslide majority of our voting citizens. Whether you agree with their decisions or not, that is how are City is run (in answer to Mr. Kiester's question). Mr. Kiester has a lot of "Sour Grapes" when it comes to Mr. Arceri, going back to when Mr. Arceri was on Council. I know because Mr. Kiester wrote some scathing e-mails about me to Mr. Bania (I have them) and I got involved in this stuff.
In my opinion, and really, in fact, this is a non-issue that is unsupportable and pure rhetoric on the part of Mr. McMullan (the requestor) and Mr. Kiester. Think about it, the two people behind this opinion letter consist of one that is a convicted Public servant and another, but for the errors of a young District Attorney, very possibly would have been one also. I base that comment on conclusions that I made based on the articles about Mr. McMullan's past Indictment when he was a Public servant, which I encourage all of you to read about.

Let's move on to something important like reducing our City expenses.
Ed Issler

Actually, I just rememebered that it was not a blog, but that I sent a Letter to the Editor. I suggest you read it again to settle down.
RUSH TO JUDGEMENT
The recent effort by City Council to study a takeover of the LCEC service has created a panic along with a number of new “experts” and naysayers without any justification or foresight. There are those asking questions like who will run it and why fix something that isn’t broke? There are those with no vision that say “No, don’t study this because it is more than we can chew at this time”.

Thank everyone for the fact that our recently elected Council is made up of people that are not afraid to find out the hard answers. They are not afraid to find out information before jumping to conclusions that have no bearing on doing a study or not.

Has anyone thought that maybe if a study showed that we could save millions by taking over LCEC, and we started looking into it, that LCEC, might decide it is in their best interest to lower our rates? God forbid that Marco Island find itself in a strong negotiating position for a change. Or did anyone think that if there is enough money in this acquisition that we could contract with FP&L to run our Utility?

But no, LCEC is our Knight In Shining Armor. That is why, for the first time ever, they held a Public Forum, complete with questions and answers and accompanying threats. Did anyone ask themselves why LCEC did this? Why are they so afraid of Marco Island doing this study?

The preliminary numbers are staggering. Marco Island generates $1.7 million dollars per year per square mile in Electric Revenue for LCEC. The balance of their service area generates $140,000 per year per square mile. Or that Marco Island’s system delivers some $308,000 of revenue for every mile of high voltage electric wires on Marco Island compared to only $46,000 per mile for the entire LCEC service area.

But we are not talking about an acquisition here. We are talking about a study. All of a sudden electricians are experts, citizens are experts. Let’s be happy that our Council has the vision to look into this matter. It may result in nothing, or it may be a bonanza for us. Support those with vision trying to do what’s best for our Paradise!!
Ed Issler

Avenger: You give much to much credit to one individual and no credit to the 8000 or more (out of 12,000) that voted in the current Council. It is time for you to realize that Retirement is just one aspect of this Paradise and that there are other people and other services that require attention. Yes, I don't rememeber the exact numbers, I only know that it was defined as a landslide.
You are right about one thing, though. There are those of US (and there are hundreds, not a few) that will work tirelessly to make certain that a convicted Mr. Kiester is not re-elected to Council and that Mr. Hall or Mr. Neylon are not elected in his place.
Ed Issler

ed...why can't you figure out what "i am trying to say" i thought it was fairly simple..
let me make it clear to you..
"it seems to me that john arceri has the ear of our city government, more so than any other citizen that is not in government".
i did not say a word about you writing emails to the city....unless you are john arceri in disguise.

let me quote you..."open your eyes". ed, sometimes you make alot of sense and sometimes i have to wonder where you are coming from....read the emails that are published. you must agree with at least some of what others are saying...

ISSLER.............You admit you have not read the emails that give direction, involve private meetings with staff, indicate contacts with certain consultants or businesses and pretty much has the staff responding on a regular basis to requests and directions.You always want to talk about " FACTS ", How about reviewing the proof before you open your mouth on this subject. These emails will open the eyes of any fair-minded resident of Marco Island, that Arceri has entirely too much control over Officials and staff without any record of the City Council Authorization at any Public meeting. Every Resident of Marco Island should Carefully and completely review all of the emails to see who is really running Marco Island.

Issler, as Ronald Reagan once said, “There you go again.” In post #3 above, you lied about the 70% (yet again). So in post #9, you respond to me with this: “8000 or more (out of 12,000) that voted in the current Council.” That works out to 66.7% and so is another lie by you.

There were 34,109 votes cast in the January election. The four guys elected received 20,598 votes. That works out to 60.389%, if ya take it to five significant figures. My source:

http://www.colliervotes.com/results.a...

Here’s the issue, Issler—when you lie about things like this, for whatever twisted reason, you lose credibility. I believe little of what you post. You’re on the Electric System Municipalization Study Committee. Whatever sub-group you work with will need big-time accuracy checks because of your lack of trustworthiness as evidenced by your pattern of serial exaggerations and outright lies.

When it comes to emails Kiester should keep his mouth shut!! Isn't he the councilor who deleted his emails, made a mockery of the Sunshine law and was found guilty in a court of law. Seems to me he is calling the kettle black. At least we have the opportunity to read these emails, we never got the chance to read Kiesters.

Montel, you miss the point. It's not the fact that these emails exist that is important, it's what they represent. These emails are full of factual evidence that Marco Island has a shadow government and that one citizen has extraordinary access and influence. There is something wrong with the ethical and moral sense of citizens that try and compromise our democracy. Do they represent the will of the majority? We don't know as John Arceri has never run for office against anyone. His activities are un-American and reprehensible. Montel, go to church and ask your minister to give you special one on one assistance with this. You made a wrong turn here somewhere, get back on track and start thinking like an American.

Monte Lazarus (aka Montel):
We, the citizens of Collier County, would like you and your partner in crime, Johnnie Arceri, to leave the county asap. You've done too much damage to us, the citizens, and we no longer wish you to live here. We're looking forward to seeing your homes on the MLS list very soon.

Thank you

it's amazing...issler makes all these comments then goes back in his shell when he's asked to clarify what he types...

van: What do you expect from him? He has been presented with documentation that clearly illustrates how his mentor John Arceri, is running a secret government in the shade. Marco Island's Democracy has been compromised. Issler and a few other citizens helped Arceri make it happen. Arceri is now completley in charge. Kiester is left out in the cold and all but neutralized by Arceri's puppets. Ted Forcht, just doesn't get it. He wants so much to belong and be part of the Marco Island social scene that he is easily manipulated unless left out of the loop (John is working on that part of the relationship). The other five puppets are standing at attention and awaiting John's pull at their strings.

No guys, I have been working out of town for two weeks now, am out of town now and have many other things going on in my life other than posting these blogs.
You are saying that our Council cannot think for themselves, cannot formulate their own opinions, and are under control of a single citizen. You guys are the ones that need to chill out and get a life. As I said, I hope Mr. Arceri, you, me and everyone never stop writing to our representatives and expressing their opinions on issues.
That process is a great thing, no matter what your opinion is.
Ed Issler

Montel,
What rock have you been under? I thought you left town. Poor old Sal misses his walks with you and Arceri.

Montel has a point. City Council gets emails all the time from citizens telling them what they should do. Moreover, Kiester should shut his trap as his emails will never be available for us to read...he broke the law and deleted them. There must have been some incriminating evidence in his emails.