The Gateway Gazette

7th Grader Hit by Car Crossing Street Near Westlinks Business Park

2010-11-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

Traffic was stopped on Daniels Boulevard at 3PM today when a 7th grader walking from the Gateway Charter School was hit by a car. Paramedics on scene decided the injuries were severe enough to have the student airlifted out of the area. The accident took place near Westlinks near the entrance to Wilson Miller, just of Daniels. Sheriff's deputies stopped traffic to allow the helicopter to land right on Daniels. School officials were also on the scene trying to help and answer questions.

Give the New G.S.D. Supervisors Your Feedback.

2010-11-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

What should the Supervisors spend the next several years working on? Please take 2 minutes to take our quick survey

Fort Myers Fitness at Gateway Resident November Special. And, As Always...Vets Your Membership is Always Free

2010-11-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

Who Will be the Next G.S.D. Chairman of the Board? Let us Speculate!

2010-11-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

Thursday night will be a day of celebration at the Gateway Services District building. It's not a celebration for the two new candidates about to join the board. It'll be a giddy, joyous chest-bumping party because it's the final day of Bob Nielson's reign over Gateway residents.

The future is bright, even though the two guys I endorsed were defeated this past Tuesday. Even though Nielson leaves many messes behind that will need to be cleaned up, all Gateway residents can now feel comfortable that they will never be tongue-lashed for not pledging allegiance to the flag the way the almighty wants you to.

It's a question whether or not Bob will even show up to his final meeting or stay past the start of soccer practice.He's been leaving early the last few meetings which makes me wonder if he's collecting his paycheck for those meetings. However, enough about Bob the Builder. Forever! Now Supervisors can go about getting back to business and undoing some of the mistakes you-know-who is leaving behind.

The first order of business will be electing a new chairman. A chairman that will run the board meetings again, taking them back from our management company so that the elected officials are in charge once again. My guess is that Supervisor Gary Neubaur will be elected chairman. PLEASE NOTE: This is just a guess, not an endorsement. Everyone knows any endorsement I make is the kiss of death.

I'm guessing Gary for several reasons:
- William Guy is too new, not to mention he has no experience or vision for Gateway, but I digress.Guy is a Pelican preserve/Paul Fish puppet but I digress again. Damn it.
- Margaret Fineberg may nominate herself and vote for herself but that would only give her one vote and you need three. She's out.
- Ed Sichel would have been the chairman if Sardo and Lethem won their races but that idea was nixed as soon as I endorsed the two of them, the final nail in their political coffins. Also, I think if he took on anything else, his wife would lock him out of the house and find a much better looking husband, which isn't hard to do.
- Pete Doragh is an interesting thought. He's been the chairman and knows how to run the meetings without being BS'd by or trampled on by staff. It's clear he can do it even though he rolls his eyes at people when they say stupid things. However, I think he owes something to Pelican Preserve for helping him get elected and that will be to vote for Gary Neubaur.

So my guess is Gary Neubauer will be the next chairman, which, as you know, means he will lose in a landslide vote 5-0 now that I've written about it.

As the Supervisors move on, I'm guessing issue two will be implementing the recommendations of the "special audit" being done by Libby Anderson on how the GSD should be staffed and run.

And issue number three will probably be the countdown to replacing Operations Manager Bill Knight when his contract expires in early 2011.

Pete Doragh Defeats David Lethm in G.S.D. Election & Thanks Residents

2010-11-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Neighbor and Fellow Resident, please let me take this opportunity to thank you for your support in the election. I am grateful and pledge to do my level best to listen and learn. I believe we must work to together to solve the problems our community faces. I look forward to getting started.

I also wish to congratulate David Lethem for the quality and character of the campaign he ran. I look forward to working with him as well so that the community benefits from his skills. He and I have spoken today and he has been most gracious and I am sure we will be able to work together going forward.

I know that many residents in Gateway supported my opponent. I look forward to earning your support and trust in the future. Again, thank you. I look forward to getting started.

Gateway Day Raises $10,000 in Honor of Piper Buckley

2010-11-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

The Gateway Golf & Country Club opened its doors to the community for a Gateway Day Fall Festival, Saturday evening, October 23rd. The donations by attendees will benefit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Lee Memorial Hospital in honor of Piper Buckley. The event was a huge success with over $10,000 going to the NICU, the $5,000 raised will be matched by an anonymous donor.

More than 850 residents of the Gateway community had a great time. Adults and children alike danced to the sounds of ‘Angie & the Perfect Gentlemen’. Children enjoyed the novelty of their own ‘kid size’ barbeque with chicken nuggets, macaroni cheese and other ‘kiddie’ delights, while adults munched down on burgers, chicken, hot dogs, etc.

While adults relaxed, children lined up at the bounce house, slide and the horse drawn carriage leading to the haunted walk and chocolate treats. Gateway Golf & Country Club is an integral part of Gateway and the hosting of this event brought friends and neighbors together and at the same time raising money and awareness to benefit our local hospital system.

Check out the photographs on the website at: http://www.gatewaygolf.com/

Gateway Resident Looking for Unwanted Christmas Decorations for Chairity

2010-11-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

Gateway resident Kitty Engles is looking for a little help from her neighbors. Maybe there are a few people out there who can lend a hand. "I hope that some of our Gateway neighbors have some outdoor Christmas decorations that you no longer use. If you do, would you consider donating them to the Fort Myers Women's Club to use to decorate the Burroughs/Langford - Kingsten homes. The holiday decoration of these two homes is a gift to the community". Kitty says she'll even pick up the donations if anyone can help out. Call Kitty 936-3621

Salvation Army Looking for Volunteers

2010-11-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

The Salvation army is looking for volunteers to ring bells during the holiday season. The Salvation Army kettle campaign helps thousands of children and families every year. Volunteers are needed to ring at the Crossroads Publix or at Walgreens (on Treeline and Colonial). Shifts are 4 hours and help is needed starting November 18th.

In 2009 the Salvation Army helped 4,922 families with 41,033 gifts and 6,500 food baskets. 699 people stayed at the Salvation Army homeless shelter and they served nearly 168,000 meals to help hungry children and families.

If you can spare 4 hours to volunteer please call Barry Mills at 561-2119 or via e-mail at mrmillsba@aol.com

G.S.D. Overspends on Attorney by 77% and Engineer by 289% in 2010 Budget

2010-11-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

With the 2010 Fiscal year coming to a close, the Gateway Services District Board of Supervisors, under the direction of Bob Nielson and Bill Knight have over-spent in two line items that would result in any "ordinary manager" getting fired. However, in a government, taxpayer-funded environment, the G.S.D. continues to get away with runaway spending and poor budgeting. It's time for change. It's time for fiscal conservatism.
In 2010, on the recommendation of staff, the Board of Supervisors, approved an engineering budget of $18,296. So far, your elected officials and the staff we pay huge amounts of money, have spent over $71,000 to engineers. That's a budget miss of 289%. Imagine if you did that at your job.

On the attorney side, with a budget of $28,000 the G.S.D. has spent almost $50,000. That's a miss of 77%. I guess you could like at that one as pretty good when you compare it to the engineering miss.

G.S.D. Continues to Waste and Mismanage Your Money

2010-11-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months, the Gateway Services District spend $4,441.50 in the Fort Myers News-Press to advertise Public Hearings. This board under the direction of Bob Nielson and Bill Knight continue to treat residents like they have an endless supply of money. They call for public hearings that nobody attends. They make no local effort to get residents to attend and they waste outrageous amounts of money on classified ads that nobody reads. It's time for change.

Sichel Blasts Doragh for HIS Past Performance and Criticism of G.S.D. Board

2010-10-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

by Ed Sichel
Supervisor - Gateway Services District Board of Supervisors

Pete Doragh is running for seat 5 of the G.S.D. board against David Lethem. Doragh has been on the board and served as chairman. 2 years ago he put his name on the ballot only to quit the race. He said he quit because he was convinced the candidate he was running against, Dave Harley, would do a good job. 2 months after being elected, Harley quit and Bob Nielson was able to appoint Margaret Fineberg.

Last week Doragh criticized the current board of Supervisors. One of those members is Ed Sichel. Sichel didn't receive that criticism well and has responded with this letter below.

In your October 19th issue you ran an article under the headline, Doragh says G.S.D Board “Achieved Much Less Than We Should Expect.” In this article Mr. Doragh went on to state the following: “I don’t think anyone who considers the Wetland 47 events or the current Lake Masters issue would think the board is being effective now. The Lake Masters issue is now stalled because in a penny wise, pound foolish manner the District has decided not to use the services of a mediator. Mediation will occur.” Wow!! My initial reaction was “That’s like the pot calling the kettle black.”

I would remind Mr. Doragh that in the case of the Wetlands issue the timeline is well documented. June 2007, Friendly Fire initiates exotics removal. January 2008 South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) meets with GSCDD and GGCC (Gateway Golf & Country Club) at wetlands. That is 17 months before Mr. Doragh left office and I am yet to see anything he or his board did to rectify or solve the problem, except get out of “Dodge” and leave it for the new board to deal with.

Mr. Doragh mentioning the Lake Master’s issue is even more perplexing and downright incredulous. The Lake Masters overpayment of $172,000 occurred between May of 2006 and May 2008. The current board would not have to deal with this issue if it were not for the lack of financial controls and incompetence of the individuals who handled these 24 invoices and payments over this period of time. Mr. Doragh as Chairman of the board or his Vice Chairman had the responsibility for signing a monthly recap of all invoices processed during this period of time, which on many occasions he did. I would remind Mr. Doragh that there is a purpose for this procedure and that is it shows Board CONTROL and APPROVAL of expenses, an item the auditors look for at year end. In essence Mr. Doragh approved the overpayment but now finds it necessary to criticize the current board for the way they are trying to clean up the mess he helped create.

Today I received an e-mail from Mr. Doragh to the residents of Gateway where he states, “It is very important for our community both to keep the quality high and to keep costs down that problems are resolved quickly and creatively.” Sounds wonderful but in addition to the $172,000 overpayment to Lake Masters I mentioned above, I do remember that in the face of a resident backlash to the proposed $7.5 million Tennis Complex Mr. Doragh signed a $599,500 contract extension with Johnson Engineering. Approximately $27,500.00 of this was spent on surveying the park, which is another example of a waste of resident assessment dollars.

Cheers,

Ed Sichel

Doragh Says G.S.D. Board "Achieved Much Less Than we Should Expect"

2010-10-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

Pete Doragh was once the chairman of the Board of Supervisors. 2 years ago he decided not to run when a candidate he felt comfortable with decided to run against him. That candidate won, then had to resign shortly after being elected.

Doragh's position was filled by appointment, not election. Since then, Doragh has been wallowing on the useless traffic committee. He is again running for the board and I asked him to describe his vision for the future of Gateway.

My vision is for Gateway to remain a premier community which is a great place to live and work and raise kids. GSD plays a key role in this because GSD is responsible for maintaining much of the backbone infrastructure in the community. I think that over the last several years GSD has made some improvements in the community, but has achieved much less than we should expect. This primarily stems from a constant drumbeat of controversy and a focus on matters which are not at the core of the districts purpose.

We have I think to accomplish two major things to make progress, and everything else will flow from that.
We Need Civility Restored. First, we are a community of neighbors. Disputes should not be tong wars. Instead board members should seek to act by consensus as much as possible, and especially when consensus is not reached, comport themselves with dignity and mutual respect.

Unfortunately this has not been as commonplace in the last couple of years as it should be to the detriment of the community. Incivility casts our community in a bad light, undermines our ability to reason together, and encourages unnecessary and expensive escalation of disputes. We spend way too much now on fees and costs driven largely by the failure of our leaders to achieve consensus. I hope to see a sense of common purpose restored to board activity and my experience and background on the board and in the community position me well to lead in that direction.

We Need Practical Problem Solving. Second, any time a mistake is made at present the first order of business seems to be to determine who is to blame, and of course consequently, those in the line of fire react defensively. Again, the community is not being well served. In my view there are two priorities when a mistake is made. The first is to correct the mistake as quickly, fairly, and inexpensively as possible. Then we need to take corrective measures to prevent having the problem again.

I don’t think anyone who considers the Wetland 47 events or the current Lake Masters issue would think the board is being effective now. It is clear that the District Manager, Attorney, Operation Manager and Engineer as not working effectively together either. Whatever one thinks of the Wetland 47 resolution the reality is that this issue is now 3 years old and whether or not the district can protect itself against future permit violation costs is completely unresolved. This should be a major focus but is almost entirely off the table. The Lake Masters problem is now stalled because in a penny wise, pound foolish manner the District has decided not to use the services of a mediator. Mediation will occur. The only question is how much will be spent in attorney’s fees before that. Again, my track record is that I am effective at leading the board to such solutions and keeping the consultants working together, or seeking new ones that will.

One Thing Never Changes. Life is Always About the Kids & Pets

2010-10-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was a young and considerably more hefty radio talk show host wanna be a thousand years ago. In fact I was most certainly a big fish in a small pond....literally. Oneonta, New York is a small community in every way. You could run into the Mayor on the sidewalk, talk to the chief at the police station and know every family having dinner at the Italian restaurant on the railroad tracks. As a young and, obviously, soon-to-be-famous radio star, my job was my life.

Local government issues, national politics, local sports, tons of interviews, fundraising, all of it. I was awarded the key to the City one winter because I was the only idiot dumb enough to stay at the radio station during a 10-foot blizzard (I still have that key by the way).

I was prepared, organized and ready to inflict my opinion on anyone who would listen. And with only 2 radio stations in town, the other on a static-handicapped AM dial, I had a 50-50 chance people would hear me.

In the winter every kid in town would pray to the weather Gods that there was enough snow to cancel school. And, after they were done praying they would pick up the phone, every last one of them, and call the radio station. "Is my school open, is my school open? Of course I was the big fish so they all assumed I knew which school they attended. They showed very little concern about my one-way ticket to stardom. I was creating art people.

The second most popular phone call we received on a daily basis was about lost dogs and cats. Kids, neighbors, residents in tatters after losing the family pet, begging for us to make an announcement that their Beagle had broken through the fence on East Street. Or the neighbors cat was stuck on a telephone pole clinging for his life.

Fast forward 20 years. Local Radio is being replaced by the web and e-mail. People get their news and information on their phones within 30 seconds, no commercial interruptions. And, my daughter says she'll hologram me when she grows up, enough of this texting stuff Dad. Thanks to Pete and Cindy Doragh for saving Lucky from the traffic on Gateway Boulevard and calling me at home last night. Thanks to all of you for responding to our e-mail and helping us find Lucky's family.

Some things will never change. The most important things in life are still kids and pets...........

We'll see you all tonight at the Pack it for Piper Hockey Game

Where - Oh Where - are the G.S.D. Candidates? Are They Out There?

2010-10-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Election day is a tad more than 4 weeks away here in Gateway (and everywhere else) and you can start to see the strategy unfold of the 4 candidates running for 2 open seats on the board. We sent out an invitation to all the candidates to participate in a candidates night forum September 12th or 19th and only one, David Lethem, showed any interest.

That means the strategy of the candidates is to prevent voters from questioning them on the issues, asking them about their vision for Gateway and hoping voters will see their sign at the voting place on their way into the booth. 2 candidates have a website, including David Lethem. 1 candidate doesn't have a site another has one that is so pathetic it's not even worth sharing.

This lack of campaigning by the candidates, their refusal to face questions from the voters, will leave Gateway residents scratching their heads on election day. And, as you know, this current G.S.D. board of Supervisors, led by Bob Nielson, features several people who snuck on the board because they were appointed, not voted in. Too much is at stake for residents to allow candidates to sneak in this time.

So what is a voter to do? Here are some suggestions:
- Over the next several weeks, we will give you the opportunity to hear what candidate David Lethem has to say. Lethem has been more open to questions and has agreed to answer the important issues facing Gateway.
- If you live off Griffin Drive it's important you find a way to get in touch with the candidates and get their opinion on the landscaping. Many of you have told me repeatedly you are a "one issue" voter this year. And that issue is the landscaping. Sue Doiron is attempting to get something on the record from all the candidates about that issue for all of you to have. You should reach out to her.
- Send an e-mail to Ed Sichel and Gary Neubauer and ask them for their thoughts on the current candidates. Ed & Gary are taking the board in the right direction. They are more conservative when it comes to spending and have a smart vision for Gateway.
- Call me at 225-7376, stop by Fort Myers Fitness or send me an e-mail. I will tell you who I am voting for from my years of covering this current board adding in what I know about the current board candidates. You can take it for whatever its worth, which is probably about six cents.
- Do not be swayed by a candidate handing you a piece of candy or chocolate bar on the way into the voting booth. They will try to get you to remember their name as you go in to pull the lever.

Candidate Question for David Lethem. What if Your Term Started Tomorrow?

2010-10-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

We will be featuring David Lethem now through election day by asking him the questions we believe are important to Gateway residents. We asked him what he would do if he was voted in and his term began tomorrow.

Lethem:
One of the first things I would do is to start the process of coming up with a vision and strategic plan for the next few years which addresses all of our "mission critical" issues:

Budget: I would push the budgeting process to be more forward thinking..not only having an annual budget but a three and five year plan also. I would also ask for a temporary freeze on hiring any more independent consultants until this issue and the others below were accomplished.

Board Function: The current board is not functioning as well as it should, for a variety of reasons. I would push the Board to become more proactive leaders, and ensure board decisions are made by the Board, keeping the community benefit at the forefront. Decisions should not be unduly influenced by outside third parties, such as the Board Attorney and DMS. These individuals are advisors, and should only be called upon when their professional advice is warranted.

Strategic Plan: This district needs a long term strategic plan to address its issues, from economic growth to landscaping. In order to accomplish this, we first need to put an end to all of the issues that have gone unresolved and dogged us for so long, such as the road turnover, the connection fee issue, financial reserves, lake management, homeowner communications, etc.

And of course, the Board, after the election, will need to elect a new Chairman. It is critical we get the right supervisor for this position, one who will provide the intelligent leadership, management skills, and business acumen sorely needed.

Looking For Someone You Can Trust to Kill For You?

2010-10-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

I love a great story. Someone willing to take a risk and put everything on the line. Many people will never know what goes into starting a small business. The business plan, dealing with banks for money, putting up your life savings as capital, the hours, the stress.

It's something I would never trade for another nine-to-fiver. And when I see others trying to do the same I love to tell their story, so here goes. For the longest time we were using Advantage Pest Control. The reason for that was because a member of the gym was an employee of Advantage. We like to do business with people who do business with us. The reason we stated with Advantage, even after that member left the gym, was because of one person, Robert Berkley.

Berkley was one of those people you would want working for you. They are few and far between as many of you know. His service was great. His interaction was excellent. He always did what he said he was going to do. When we had a nest of bees he made extra trips to the house to make sure they were gone (at no charge).

One day he was telling me the story about why he was no longer with the company. The new guys was fine but he wasn't Bob. Now I know he's just the bug guy. They spray something that will probably give us cancer in 20 years and they come back a few weeks later. But...when Bob told me he was starting his own company I told him to sign me up as soon as he was ready to roll. Bob's company is up and running now, it's called Berkley Pest Control. When you call the number he answers the phone. His website is http://www.berkleypest.com/ and his telephone number is 239-738-3144.

So, if you are in the market for a new pest control company, someone you can trust. Bob's not Billy the Exterminator, but he'll do a great job around your house. It's a great success story and we really pull for local businesses when someone puts everything on the line. Good Luck Bob.

It's Official. Sean Bunger is the New Pastor of G.T.L.C. Why Did He Choose Gateway?

2010-09-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Sean Bunger was officially installed as the Pastor of Gateway Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor Sean has been preaching at G.T.L.C. for the past three weeks, however, the church big-wigs were in town, they dotted his i's and crossed his t's making everything official.

Pastor Sean was born and raised in Newton, Iowa, the home of Maytag Appliances. He attended college on a basketball scholarship, but due to a knee injury had his athletic career cut short. He then transferred to and graduated from Coe College, a small private school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Following college Pastor Sean moved to the West Palm Beach and worked in marketing for Enterprise Rent a Car and the PGA National Resort and Spa. He eventually answered a call to ministry and began by volunteering with his churches youth group. That developed into a full time job as Director of Youth Ministries. He attended seminary at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA. where he met his wife Jess, who graduated with a Masters in Youth, Mission, and Culture.

Pastor Sean received his Master of Divinity degree in 2006 and was called to a church in Gales Ferry, CT where he served for 4 years until moving to Gateway. Pastor Sean and his wife Jess have a 5 year old son now in kindergarten at Gateway Charter. He is a man on an island of Gator fans. "I'm a Tennessee Volunteer fan and my wife is a Wisconsin Badger". I had a chance to ask Pastor Sean a few questions about his new position in his new community. Here is our full interview.

How are things going so far?

My family and I are very excited to be at GTLC. The first few weeks have been a whirlwind simply getting to know the area and people that make up not only GTLC but the Gateway community as well. When you start at a new church you need to listen to the history and stories of the congregation and at the same time bring your own thoughts and gifts. This takes time, but is an important part of the first few weeks together.

Why did you choose G.T.L.C.?

When I was discerning a new call, one of the things that I was looking for was a church that was eager to explore new ways of being and doing church. I sensed an energy and desire from those I met during the interview process to try new things. Many times churches get stuck in the mode of "we've never done it that way" and things never change and people wonder why the church suddenly starts to decline in activity and attendance. What I sensed from GTLC was a desire to be challenged to help this community grow in faith and service to their neighbors and the world around them.

What can people expect when the come to your service on Sunday?

People can expect to be accepted for who they are and where they are in their faith journey. Whether they have been coming to church for years or have never been, I want them to feel like they have a place. Our worship service is one that I would define as "blended" with elements of traditional Lutheran worship mixed with more contemporary praise songs. In my preaching I really try to bring God's Word in context for our lives today. I want people to know that the church is not a place for perfect people, there are none, but rather a place where you can hear about God's love and be challenged to ask questions and take the next step in your spiritual journey, whatever that next step might be. I also hope that people realize that as a Pastor I'm not perfect, I've made mistakes and I'm growing each day just as they are.

Will you be adding anything new to G.T.L.C.?

Over time I hope to expand and build on the existing youth ministry programs and education opportunities for all ages. A passion that I have is small group ministry, this is something that takes time to nurture and build, but once it gets going is a strong program that those who are involved in look forward to each week. I hope that we will be expanding our Sunday school ministry and our outreach into the community by hosting and welcoming groups from the community to use or facilities.

How do you plan to grow the membership?
In the next few weeks we will be unveiling a redesigned website that will serve as an outreach tool to welcome people who are looking for a church as well as for people who already attend to get up to the date information about our programs and ministries.

The one question that every church has is how do we get more people to join our church. People want to be a part of something that adds to their life. We are all busy and over scheduled, so when we choose to be a part of a church we want it to bring meaning to our lives. People also want to be a part of something that makes a difference in not only their own lives, but also the lives of others. I want to help people realize that the church can be all of these things, relevant, exciting, life changing, and a place that you want to be. The only way this happens is by listening to those who walk through our doors. What are they seeking? What gifts and passions do they have? How might the church serve their needs and nurture their passions and gifts? What the church has to realize is that we are constantly changing. Whenever someone new walks through our doors we have changed because the person brings something new to the table. Of course the church can't be everything to everyone and not everyone will agree with everything I do, but we can show Christ's love and care for everyone who comes. Church growth is hard work, but GTLC has the one ingredient that is the first step, we have people who love God and each other.

Gateway Resident John Gamba Qualifies for Triathlon World Championships

2010-09-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

On a brutally hot course in Cancun Mexican, Gateway resident John Gamba traversed the 70.3 mile swim, bike and run course in enough time to qualify for the Ford Ironman 70.3 Championships this November in Clearwater, FL.

Completing the course in 5 hours and 25 minutes, Gamba qualified with less than 13 seconds to spare. Gamba commented that he "knew he was close at mile 13 of the run". He sprinted to the finish, passed two international competitors within 100 feet of the finish line and learned two hours later that it was good enough to qualify. John's next big race will be Ironman Cozumel in November.

New Dance Studio Opens in Gateway

2010-09-28T06:25:00.001-07:00

I.L.T. Dance Studio has opened up in Gateway across from the Elementary Charter School. Classes are for adults as well as kids and include pre-ballet, ballet, pointe, tap, hip hop, jazz and lyrical classes. The after school dance program includes Ballet, Hip Hop and Jazz. Owner Michelle Verissimo has over 20 years of experience. For pricing and more information call 898-8692 or e-mail iltdance@comcast.net

Fed Up Gateway Greens Residents Planning to Recall Their H.O.A. Board

2010-09-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

Unhappy with the way they're being treated by the Gateway Greens H.O.A., a group of residents have decided they want to "recall" the board. This group met a week ago and were irate about several issues, including spending stop sign removal, a new tree planting program and what's happening to the family being forced to maintain community property. They no longer trust Denny Whitworth and his board of friends and they're trying to reach out to other neighbors and get the current H.O.A. board removed.

One of the issues this group of residents wants to know is where the ballots are from the most recent election. And, they have accused a member of the nominating committee (rhymes with Sprinkle) of destroying them. I have no evidence of that. However, those ballots should have been saved and should be on file with the over-paid management company, Alliant. Someone should call Alliant and ask to see copies of the ballots. That's public information for Gateway Greens residents.

And by the way, after listening to this group, nobody is allowed - EVER - to give me grief about criticizing an H.O.A. Holy Cow. These people were brutal.

There is one item that definitely needs to be changed and is clearly undemocratic about the Gateway Greens H.O.A. election process. Several subdivisions behind the gate are permitted to vote as a block. So, if you're not paying attention your association president can cast one vote for a candidate you may totally despise. Shame on you for not getting involved. It's not like you have a life or a job or kids or anything. One block vote can change the entire outcome of an election. That one vote may count as 70 or 80 votes. So, in essence, a candidate only needs to kiss up to one person rather than go door-to-door to meet and greet every resident. It's unAmerican.

The group wants feedback to see if there is enough interest in recalling the current H.O.A. board. Send an e-mail to recallthehoa@yahoo.com with your name and address. A recall committee is being formed. Suggestions for replacements are being taken and a town hall meeting will be held. In the mean time, the group is seeking an injunction to "stop them from further damages". That will cost about 5,000 dollars. 110 people are needed for a recall vote.

Gateway Greens H.O.A. President Accused of Harrassing Hampton Greens Family

2010-09-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, or maybe it's daily, I come across an H.O.A. story that's totally unbelievable it helps illustrate my point that most H.O.A.'s are nothing more than a group of bored middle-aged golfers with nothing better to do than to harass people.

These retired political amateurs create fiefdoms with their cronies. They want you to run your life the way they want you to run your life. If you let them run over you they will push you around and threaten you until you submit. And, most people do submit, not because they are apathetic, but because they don't want to deal with these idiots. They have lives. They have kids. They work for a living. It's easier to make it go away. The problem that Gateway Greens is facing is an H.O.A. board made up of friends who think alike. If residents really knew how money was being spent, how elections were being held and how residents are being lied to by this H.O.A. things might change.

Adding to an H.O.A. dictatorship, we always have worthless management companies that basically steal money from people. They are paid to harass and threaten taxpayers. They sit in their offices, inaccessible to homeowners, writing threatening letters and berating people for a low-mulch count. At the same time they ass-kiss a 5-member board of curmudgeons. One Gateway Greens resident was told by Alliant this week, "We are not dealing with your stop sign questions any more". I'm sorry. How much are your quarterly dues and you get that kind of answer?

Back to my story. I've tried to figure this one out every which way from Sunday and it boggles my mind. These two pictures below are in front of a homeowners house in Hampton Greens. It's an area that for years has been owned and maintained by the Gateway Greens H.O.A. As you can see, the palm tree is dying a slow death and the area around the wall has not been properly maintained. The area's been neglected.

According to the family living in the house behind this area, out of the blue one day, the H.O.A. decided it no longer wanted to take care of the area and demanded the family take care of it. The family does not own the property. The family has never been given the deed to the property. The family has never been responsible for maintaining the property. The family has documentation from the original builders that says they do not own that property.

Apparently, Denny Whitworth and the Gateway Greens H.O.A. just decided one day to tell this family to take care of it. Why? What gives him the right to do that? It's simple. It's all about power. "I'm the king and you are a peasant".

As I've said a hundred times before, H.O.A.'s do whatever they want. And you people that give me crap about how a community would fall apart without H.O.A.'s...I'd like to see you explain this one. You will try to explain it because you are them. You are trying to be king by stepping on and over other people. Here's a case of an area that looks horrible because of an H.O.A. Here's an H.O.A. going out of its way to harass neighbors. It's nothing more than a power trip and it makes no sense.

Whitworth has not given any understandable or factual understanding to the family why it is now their responsibility to pay for maintenance of an area that has always been maintained by the H.O.A. It's an area never been maintained by this family. How does this make any sense whatsoever?

Bob's Report Card is in.

2010-09-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

85% of Gateway residents have spoken and you have given El Presidente a failing grade as chairman of the G.S.D. board. If I were the principle, I'd be calling him into the office to let him know he would be getting left back. Fortunately for Gateway residents, election day is less than 7 weeks away and Bob the Builder will be out.

On November 2nd the "Bob Cabal" is no more as Nielson and Carol Stanley exit and Margaret Fineberg's input and votes become the minority. When David Lethem and Vince Sardo are elected in 7 weeks, insanity will no longer reign. Board meetings will be professional. And, the didictatorship crumbles. Please get involved this November.

Yes, my friends, progress is being made. Progress is being made.

Nielson Trying to Rehab His Reputation With Sixty Days Left in His Reign

2010-09-10T05:28:00.000-07:00

Ever since we started writing the truth about H.O.A.'s and the over-spending of the G.S.D. Bob Nielson has been trying to discredit what we write. He even went so far as to make a motion to have me removed from the Gateway Park Committee 2 years ago. His week jabs continue to this day, with only 56 days left in his pathetic term in office.

It was my plan, for the most part, to leave El Presidente alone for the next 56 days. To allow him to go quietly without constantly highlighting how he's nearly ruined the Gateway Community with his out-of-control spending and 5 hour board meetings. Well, I couldn't do it. He baited me yesterday and I took the bait.

Nielson's total incompetence, and some would argue, negligence, will soon end with the upcoming election. However, yesterday instead of sticking to a script he went off the reservation as he usually does. Instead of just trying to communicate to the people, the little dictator had to open his letter with a barb at your truly. And when he does, my creative juice machine is tripped into high gear. And that always means fun for me and good entertainment for you.

Thursday afternoon Nielson, representing the Gateway Services District, sent out an e-mail that started off with the following statement: "More often than not we hear about the negative news in our community". Uhhh, would anyone like to take a guess who Nielson's taking a stab at with that statement? This guy can't conduct a board meeting or write an e-mail without taking a shot at me. He's obsessed. And, here he is, in such an illustrious position, as chairman of the board, stooping to such a low level to get in the mud with a piddly little newsletter. Nielson will never see it the way we do...he's the reason for the negative news. We just happen to be highlighting it or the residents would be totally in the dark as to what he's doing to them.

Nielson has been on the board for more than 4 years. He's been the chairman, he's been the vice chairman. Bob Nielson decides NOW after all those years to communicate with the residents. Bob Nielson has never held a town hall meeting (we've held 6). As Chairman or Vice Chairman he's not organized a single community event (We've organized too many to count). Bob Nielson tried to build a $7 million tennis complex without making an effort to communicate that to the residents. Can you imagine the financial devastation that decision would have on us now if it was able to go through. This is Nielson's last minute attempt to save his reputation.

VOTE IN OUR NEW BOB NIELSON POLL TO THE LEFT

Bob Nielson once said at a board meeting "this is the kind of stuff we need to keep from the residents" referring to the board's agenda book. A bird cannot change his feathers. Once a vulture, always a vulture. You see Nielson is exactly the kind of representative we don't need. He's exactly the kind of representative that we see getting voted out in local, regional and national elections. If he believed in anything he did for this community or if he has any vision, he would have run for election and defended his record. And, so all of you people know, by the way, Nielson, who has less than 2 months left in his term, has left the last two board meetings after "stopping by" for about 30 minutes. He left that out of his e-mail yesterday.

Bob Nielson's definition of progress

Another part of the little dictators e-mail said the following: "We are also happy to report we have made progress in our attempts to have the vacant lots adjacent to Bank of America on Gateway Blvd. cleaned up". Uh, Bob-the-Builder, have you noticed the weeds are ten feet tall? Have you noticed the weeds have not been cut for about 6 months? Progress! We don't need your kind of progress any more. All of a sudden, after many Gazette readers have been e-mailing and calling the county about the lot, this is on Bobby's to-do list. How about last month or the month before? How about giving the residents a weekly progress report? How about telling the truth? You have no jack with Lee County or the beanstalk wouldn't be ten feet tall.

Ladies and gentlemen of this great community, never forget that in addition to Bob's $7 Million Tennis Complex idea, he was also on watch when residents got screwed out of tens of thousands of dollars in the Wetland 47 mess. He approved invoices where residents were double-billed for years by two contractors for work never done. He allowed Paul Fish and Sherri Bucaar to use our attorney to try to stop a Waste Management landfill located outside of Gateway. We spent tens of thousands of dollars defending nothing. On Nielson's watch the spending on engineers and attorneys was so out of control it lead to Nielson once saying at a board meeting "how did we get here?"

El Presidente there is not enough time to rehab your reputation. The damage is too deep to solve with one unprofessional e-mail. Not to mention that it is my plan to keep feeding the people the facts.

When Nielson exits in November there should be no celebration, no plaque for the wall and no thank you very much Uncle Bob. There should be a loud cheer and a big sigh or relief from the entire community.

Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty we are free at last.

Show Guard This Letter if You Ever Get Stopped at Stoneybrook Gate

2010-09-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Stoneybrook H.O.A. Considering Fence to Keep People From "Lehigh" Out.

2010-09-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

As always if you don't pay attention, your H.O.A. will step beyond its bounds and waste your money for idiotic reasons. Residents of Stoneybrook are already paying a security company to keep order in that community and now board members Margaret Fineberg and Joe Mikulka want to build a fence around Stoneybrook.

They want to do it with money from a reserve account. A reserve account is money that should be used, when needed, in an emergency situation. If you are the Stoneybrook H.O.A. or the Gateway Greens H.O.A. it simply means collect as much money as you can and spend it on whatever you can. Collecting extra money from residents for non-budgeted items is nothing short of stealing. That mMoney that deserves to be given back to the residents because it's money they have no right spending.

The initial idea is to install about 430 feet of six foot fencing and a gate around the entrance. That would cost about $15,000. Phase two of the fence project would be about a one mile stretch from the Stoneybrook entrance toward 82 and along Gateway Boulevard. One mile of this fence, six feet tall, will run about $160,000. If the Fineberg spending cabal continues with the project site work will need to be done, including moving shrubs, which will only increase the cost.

The spenders believe this will keep non-residents and "uninvited guests" (code for Lehigh) out of Stoneybrook by forcing them to go through the front entrance. Keep in mind that if you are a Gateway resident, the security guard cannot prevent you from entering Stoneybrook. Gateway residents maintain the roads which means you have access to them. Legally the guards cannot keep you out. Show your Gateway ID and tell the guy to let you in or call the G.S.D. office from your cell (561-1313). The Stoneybrook H.O.A. gave up its right to be a private community when the G.S.D. took over maintenance of Stoneybrook roads.

Board member Joe Mikulka is the driving force on the fence issue. It's unknown if the fence will be electric and whether or not there will be moat with Gators. Everyone knows people from "Lehigh" are scared of alligators.

This is an issue that everyone in Gateway should keep an eye on. If this H.O.A. decides to put a chain-link fence around Gateway because they are afraid of Lehigh residents, it will certainly have a visual impact for all of us. I encourage residents to attend the next board meeting to ask specific questions about the fence. They meet again at 7pm Tuesday the 14th.