Open Letter to Mrs. DiSciullo

Greetings Chairwoman DiSciullo:

I just read your memorandum RE: Recall Petition dated 9/18/06 and am compelled again to write to you.

I apologize for having to do this so often, but it seems that our Council if nothing else appears to need some political advice. In politic s perceptions are actually more important than what has actually happened. I say this because you have acted without there being any need to. You h ave committed public resources for something that you do not know will happen. Your decision to commit these resources is based on perceptions and projecti ons not a public need, emergency or reality.

You claim you wrote the memorandum because you felt the need to seek City Council's approval to reimburse legal expenses for the three Councilors being recalled. You site a Florida Supreme Court ruling as your authority. I assume that was provided to you by the City Attorney or Councilman Tucker or perhaps via the City Manager.

There is currently no need for the three Council members to seek legal representation. The only thing that has happened is the electorate has been asked by Mr. Hall to vote to support a petition to recall these men for various charges. To invoke some law saying that the city must support them comes across as being political and inappropriate at this time. You are throwing gasoline on a fire.Further, you are doing it without discussion and thoughtfulness. The funds you are obligating appear to have no limits and are subject to anyone's interpretation of "reasonableness". I remind you that you are a steward of these funds, they actually belong to the citizens of this City. The revenue of Marco Island is not a personal check book fo r the Councilor's to use as they please. If the Councilmen being accused ever require legal assistance that can always be discussed as the need becomes a reality.

It is also your responsibility to protect the voting rights of you r citizens so if you respect the Republic form of government, you must reconsider this decision. Your decision to use taxpayer mone y to comfort those being accused is the wrong message and inhibits the right of the electorate to vote on this issue. If you are so sure that Mr. Hall is wrong and that the voters will prove you are right, what are you afraid of? Let the process play itself out as it is designed to do. We shall see what the voters say. The electorate o nly wants to vote and they should be permitted to do so.

Personally, I believe you have been influenced again by Councilman Tuck er and the City Attorney. The Attorney has an interest in maintaining the current state of affairs in Marco Island, he is making a lot of money. Continued conflict is always in the interest of the Attorney. Ask a divorce attorney and they will tell you the same. Councilman Tucker is an accused who has made false statements to promote his agenda in the past and admitted as much. He should not be trusted.

We didn't vote for you because you did what lawyers told you to do but because we believed you were grounded in our community, had g ood instincts and common sense. We believed you to be like us and were interested in us. So please discard the advice you have been given, it is politically flawed. Use your good judgment and reconsider this decision.

Sincerely, Byron Erickson