Keep the small-town feel in Naples

Letter to the editor published February 11, 2020

‘Keep the small-town feel’ in Naples

Naples has been fortunate, for the most part, to have a history of dedicated citizens we have elected to public office.

In my 40 years (and four generations) as a resident, I’ve had opportunities to share my ideas with elected officials. We don’t always agree, but they do listen.

Sometimes an issue will present a conflict that gets resolved by polling the community for their input. This can be burdensome, but it is as fair and democratic as one could expect. I believe this has more than a little influence on why in many national surveys Naples is listed as one of the best places in the country to live and work.

When driving around the city, just the visual impact of the beauty and care in maintenance sends a clear message that this place is special and the residents take pride in keeping it that way.

Naples does sell itself, and this means more pressure for development. City residents have made it clear through the visioning process that the numberone priority is to keep the small-town feel we enjoy. We need to elect citizens who have experienced the Naples culture, understand it and are prepared to defend it.

My votes go to the incumbents: Bill Barnett, Ellen Seigel, Michelle McLeod and Reg Buxton.

Ronald A. Soulard, Naples