Cape Coral’s Community Newspaper Since 1961
www.capecoralbreeze.com
Weekend Edition, June 16, 2023
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Council continues on demolition track Consultant to develop plans, specs for bids for ‘deconstructive preservation’ of historic Yacht Club Ballroom By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com
Cape Coral City Council voted 6-1 on Wednesday to move forward with seeking bids to demolish the historic Cape Coral Yacht Club. After Resolution 152-23 was pulled from the Consent Agenda by District 3 Councilmember Tom Hayden (the only
DAR
Organization presents Youth Citizenship Awards
“You can’t just send it down the road. And you don’t have to. You can do what you want with the rest of that site, just rehab and bring up to code. You can have it both ways; preserve the building, history, and recognize the commitment and people who made this city what it is today.”
— former mayor Joe Mazurkiewicz vote against) following impassioned public
comment, the amendment to the resolution
‘PERFECT STORM’ National study shows alarming statistic for pets By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com
— Page 28
INDEX Business........................32 Commentary................4 Education....................28 Obituaries.......................46 Puzzles.........................40 Real Estate..................17 Sports........................38 Web Poll......................4 Weekly Recap..............19
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national study has shown an alarming statistic for pets, including four-legged friends that call Southwest Florida home. Newly released data from Shelter Animals Count, a national database that compiles information from municipal and private shelters throughout the country found that dog euthanasia rates in shelters has nearly doubled (5.6% to 10%) when comparing the first quarter of 2021 to 2023. Cat intake has remained steady, however, many shelters are unable to take in cats, which results in an increase in the feral cat population. Officials with the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, a non-kill shelter, said they are seeing a large increase in requests from pet owners to
A
See STUDY, page 18 This is Firelight. He was adopted from as a puppy but given little training or proper socialization. Returned and adopted again to a wonderful family who wanted him very much but were not allowed to have him because of his breed and his size. / CCAS
was passed. The vote approved Amendment #2 to the agreement between the city and Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc. to provide additional design phase services at the Yacht Club in the amount of $262,743.50. Part of the resolution includes the demolition of
See YACHT CLUB, page 20
Investigator: Cummings did not reside in district Council member calls report ‘a web of lies’ By VALARIE HARRING
vharring@breezenewspapers.com
Using what she called a “preponderance of evidence standard,” the administrative investigator hired by the city of Cape Coral has found that Councilmember Patty Cummings was not a resident of her district when she ran and she did not reside there until March of this year. In the investigative report prepared by Vicki L. Sproat of Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller, Sproat’s findings state that “Cummings was not a full time or part time resident” of the home she listed on Palm Tree Boulevard during the relevant period and that “Cummings did not reside in District 4 until March 22, Patty Cummings 2023.” Sproat also found that “Cummings failed to cooperate in the investigation,” citing what she called “the greater weight of the evidence.” Council called for the investigation in March after a Cape Coral resident claiming whistleblower anonymity sent a complaint to various officials alleging that Cummings “fraudulently represented herself as living in District 4” in violation of a city charter provision that requires candidates to reside
See CUMMINGS, page 9