WEEK OF JANUARY 25, 2023
VOLUME 38, NUMBER 5
Council moves to seek new attorney By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
In the latest personnel shakeup initiated by a new Town of Fort Myers Beach Council, Town Attorney John Herin Jr. and his firm Fox Rothschild are facing the possibility that their days serving the town are numbered after the council voted 4-1 Monday to request proposals for a new law firm.
The discussion included accusations by Councilmember Bill Veach against Councilmembers John King and Karen Woodson that they had violated the town council’s policies and procedures by soliciting a new law firm without any official vote by the town council to do so. The talks Monday were initiated by interim Town Manager Keith Wilkins, who referenced a letter from a Fort Myers law firm
seeking to provide services to the town. According to the Jan. 19 letter from the law firm of Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller to the town council, they were approached by councilmembers John King and Karen Woodson through communications in which they were told the Town of Fort Myers Beach is looking for new counsel. At issue with that is the town council never took any official action to request pro-
posals for new counsel before Monday’s meeting. King and Woodson said they approached the firm on their own accord. In a letter to the town, John Agnew and John Miller of the law firm stated “Through communications with Council Members Karen Woodson and John King, we understand the Town of Fort Myers Beach is seeking a new firm to provide Town Attorney See COUNCIL, page 3
Trailers arrive as DeSantis announces more aid for school employees By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Owner of Semmer Electric and Bonita Bill’s, organizer of annual children’s fishing tournament, was pillar of San Carlos Island By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
ill Semmer, owner of Bonita Bill's and Semmer Electric, died on Friday evening. He was 76. Semmer was as well known for putting on the annual children’s fishing tournament at his restaurant Bonita Bill’s and for helping to organize and put on a fireworks display at Fort Myers Beach Pier for 25 years. The cause of death was melanoma, his daughter Katie Reynolds said. Semmer had been undergoing treatment since being diag-
B
insidetoday
nosed with the form of skin cancer in December. “It spread very fast, very quickly,” Reynolds said. A U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Semmer moved to San Carlos Island after returning from his service in the war. Semmer’s main trade was as a master electrician, starting Semmer Electric in the early 1970s. With his sister Joanne, he also co-founded the Ostego Bay Marine Science Center across the street from Bonita Bill’s on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Carlos Island. He
Bill Semmer, who operated San Carlos Island businesses Semmer Electric for approximately 50 years and Bonita Bill's Waterfront Cafe and Tiki Bar since 1991, died Friday. For 25 years, he organized the annual fireworks show on Fort Myers Beach and until his passing organized the annual children’s fishing tournaSee BONITA BILL, page 5 ment. FILE PHOTO
On Sept. 28, the home of Fort Myers resident Barbara Morgan was flooded with six feet of water by Hurricane Ian. Forced out of her home, she stayed with family as she awaited her next steps. On Thursday, she was hugging Gov. Ron DeSantis in front of her new stateissued trailer next to her home at a press conference publicizing the distribution of Governor the state trailers Ron DeSantis and more aid for school employees. Morgan said the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided her $2,500 for three months of rent to find shelter after Hurricane Ian but said there was no home in the area available for less than $2,500 for one month. Morgan can stay in the new state trailer for six months. Morgan embraced DeSantis with a hug and said “thank you to the whole team, the whole staff.” “Everybody’s been just so wonderful,” Morgan said. Morgan said there were a couple glitches with the trailer and after making a call they were fixed within a couple hours. See TRAILERS, page 2
Guest Commentary.....................................................4 Business.......................................................................5 Letters to the Editor.....................................................4 Beach Bulletin.........................................................9-16