Posted on 09/09/2003 5:38:23 AM PDT by AAABEST
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
By MIREIDY FERNANDEZ, mmfernandez@naplesnews.com
Collier County leaders are public servants and need to be reminded of who they work for — the people.
Behind that premise stand dozens of county residents who plan to voice their grievances against county government at a rally today, the same day the five-member County Commission is scheduled to meet.
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AT A GLANCE |
| A "Take Back Your Community" rally is planned today at the following locations:
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Participants will kick off a "Freedom Drive" at 4 p.m. at Max Hasse Park, 3990 Golden Gate Blvd. and at East Naples Community Park, 3500 Thomasson Drive. From there, participants will drive to the government center for an outdoor rally scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m.
"This will be during the meeting so (county commissioners) don't have an excuse to pretend they don't hear us," said John Grasmeier, founder of The Citizen Action Team, a group of civic activists and a rally organizer.
"What we want to assert is that this community, the land, the public access, the public waterways and the streets belong to the citizens. It does not belong to the government or the environmentalists. It does not belong to the developers," said Grasmeier, a homeowner in Golden Gate Estates.
Local controversies such as the Dover, Kohl & Partners project in Naples Park are prime examples of how county leaders are ignoring the voices of their constituents, Grasmeier contended.
The Dover, Kohl project is causing a community uproar for the nearly 3,200 Naples Park property owners, who are being asked to foot a bill of up to $10,000 each for improvements to their neighborhood.
"It seems that every day we wake up, we look at the paper and there's a new right that's being taken away," Grasmeier said. "We want our government to start operating in our interest."
Local groups such as Standing Watch, Florida Outdoor Alliance, the Property Rights Action Committee, Naples Park Coalition for Community Involvement and Citizens for Charter Government are expected to join the Citizen Action Team at the rally.
Barbara Bateman, a Naples Park homeowner for 28 years, is among the residents battling the county against the proposed renovations of her community. Bateman expressed her support for the rally.
"I would like very much to attend that rally," she said. "It really sounds like a breath of fresh air. People are really starting to stand up for their rights. I look forward to going."
Grasmeier said all five county commissioners have been invited to attend the rally but he hadn't received confirmation on whether any of them plan to attend.
Commissioner Jim Coletta, whose district includes Immokalee and Golden Gate Estates, said he applauded the efforts of county citizens to rally for what they believe in.
"The right of people for peaceful assembly is a right we should all respect," he said. "It's our right as Americans and these people have just grievances. Everyone takes a little bit of responsibility in this."
Coletta, who said he planned to attend the demonstration, added, "I encourage people to show up."
But here's a big 
for ya!
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