Meeting on SW 6/7 draws ire of citizens
Planned to protest UEP — not discuss paymentBy GRAY ROHRER, grohrer@breezenewspapers.com
Hundreds of residents filled Cape Coral City Council chambers Tuesday to speak out against the controversial utilities expansion project that will bring an average of $17,000 in assessments and fees to Southwest 6/7.
Many of those seats were promptly empty just moments into the meeting after citizens learned the meeting dealt with information on the payment options associated with the project, and was not a discussion of the UEP itself.
"We're really here simply to talk about the various payment options that have been sent to you," Financial Services Director Mark Mason said at the onset of the meeting.
Many of the protesters had signs, flyers and stickers with one message: Stop the UEP.
"A lot of people were very upset when they left," said Duane Adams, a resident of north Cape Coral, an area which faces average assessments of $6,000 for water utilities.
Many residents decried the timing of the project, which will bring added bills on parts of a city grappling with record foreclosures and more than 12 percent unemployment.
"With the economy the way it is, whether it's $6,000 or $18,000, you're going to put on people the financial straw that broke the camel's back," Adams said.
Proponents of the UEP say the payment options, some of which delay the first payment for several years, leave time for the economy to rebound.
Residents of SW 6/7 can choose to pay the assessments and fees off over 20 years, with the first payment showing up on their tax bill in 2011, opt to defer payments for 10 years or pay the entire amount upfront.
The 20-year financing and 10-year deferment options carry estimated annual interest rates of 7.5 percent.
But opponents of the project claim that even in a good economy the UEP should not go forward as it is too expensive and based on unsound growth projections that leave the city with unnecessary amounts of water.
"Even with all the new people (connected to water utilities) there we'll still have too much capacity," Councilmember Bill Deile said.
For residents who were disappointed they were not able to properly voice their opposition to the project, although many did so during Tuesday's meeting, there is a protest planned at 4 p.m. July 13 in front of City Hall.
"I think people thought they would have a chance to voice their opinion," said Gary King, a SW 6/7 resident and outspoken critic of the UEP.
Public input will also be allowed when council members take up the final vote on the issue during their July 20 meeting.
Informational meetings for the payment options available in the North 1-8 section are set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Mariner High School.
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kaylan1
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07-06-09 11:57 PM
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any one but MWH dont think mayor should line his POCKETS "CONFLICT OF INTREST" bYE bYE NEXT ELECTION aLL YOU loosers
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Nirvana
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07-06-09 4:58 PM
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I have a response to Robert01. Before I bought my house in NW Cape I checked the Cape Coral web site about the project. Now this was just this past Feb. It said they would be addressing this area in "2018 if ever". If I had known that they could not be trusted and it was coming this soon I never would have bought here and I am so sorry I did. So yes Robert01 it WAS a surprise.
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johnny
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07-02-09 4:31 PM
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Moving forward in Cape Coral: 9.5 acres = $88,000 Cash, or $20,000 a year for 20 years, or $325,000 due in ten years, Moving forward? Can you help a brother out make a donation for my water bill? Moving forward is moving backwards! Putting my family in the poor house and saying good by to the family farm!
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bridget2
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07-01-09 1:13 PM
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Alright...you are giving us the option of choosing the prepayment option which in turn we would receive a 20 percent discount, reducing the payment for a 10,000 square-foot lot to $4,800. Deadline for this is Oct 23, 2009.If I elect to pay ahead then I expect to be hooked up to water within 7 days.You gave us citizens a deadline. THE CITIZENS want to put a deadline on you!!! If you are unable to meet this deadline, then the Citizens of Cape Coral will expect you to pay a 7% tax on the money we paid up front. We will expect to be paid the 7% in a CHECK monthly made payable to the homeowner until you are able to connect us to city water. I think that would be very fair. You are not going to have many citizens giving you money upfront for an UNCOMPLETED utility.and I don't care how many promises or contracts that you are going to throw out to the homeowners.Your word and the paper that it is typed on is worth NOTHING in our books. It is a scam! The citizens will pay for a defunct idea!
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bridget2
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07-01-09 12:55 PM
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xxxx
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Robert01
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07-01-09 12:22 PM
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The people voicing displeasure over the water/sewer project need to understand it will go forward. I don't believe 1 to 2 % of the population is representative of the Cape population. Is fair for the Cape residents who have city water and sewer to pay for those who knew it was coming and are now acting like cry babies. This was not a surprize. If you can't afford it move out. Leigh Acers has a lot of cheap homes for those who don't want to see progress.
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RetiredAuditor
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07-01-09 10:32 AM
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The "Pick your Poison" meeting didn't go exactly as the present city officials planned. They could not completely divert public anger about this massive waste of public funds and future meetings will be even more democratic with people demanding the right to be heard. I expect the unemployment rolls will see a few more familiar faces after the election.
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