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Jeff Lytle: One thing we won’t miss about Hunter
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Don Hunter will have a lot to miss when he leaves the Collier County Sheriff’s Office after 20 years at the helm. He has built up quite an agency, bringing it into the 21st century.
He probably won’t miss me very much. His relations with our editorial board have had their ups and downs.
Then again, I am not going to miss dealing with him on seemingly simple matters that he can make so-o-o-o hard.
A classic example: The deputy whose unmarked pickup truck duty vehicle was towed from a marked no-truck zone on private property and got the truck back without paying.
It is like beating your head against a bureaucratic wall.
Hunter’s office says the deputy did not pay right away because the deputy was not given a bill. AA Auto says that’s because 10 to 20 deputies showed up and intimidated the tow-firm owner’s wife into letting it go.
It took two weeks of nibbling and gnawing in Sunday columns to get Hunter and the office to report the deputy had finally paid the fee of about $140. Hunter said the deputy had finally gotten a bill — which the company explains was relayed by the officer conducting a review of all this.
Hunter’s excruciatingly detailed version, published Saturday, tended to back up the deputies and questioned all others’ versions. Take the number of deputies who showed up at the tow yard, for example. He says there were five besides the deputy who had been driving the truck. The towing company owner, Tom Sepanski, counters that was the number of deputies who reported their whereabouts to headquarters. He says witnesses counted at least 10 patrol cars.
Hunter dismissed the difference as “fairly typical for an internal affairs review.’’
There was a line at the end of Hunter’s official reply about regretting perceptions that fell short of agency standards. He told me later nobody would be required to make an apology, but six deputies would be “counseled” about how their demeanor can be perceived. Yet, Sepanski told me the same day that Hunter had called him and apologized if his wife felt intimidated and offered to meet with her himself to tell her personally.
Good for him.
But why is this so hard? Why is just telling the whole story so hard? It’s not rocket science.
Just talk to people. They’ll get it.
If mistakes were made, say so.
Then move on.
Thank goodness Sheriff-elect Kevin Rambosk says that’s the way he will do business.
■ ■ ■
City of Naples residents need to be aware that architects are talking about amending the 42-foot height limit on commercial buildings approved by voters in 2000. Architects did not get far with City Council when the trial balloon was floated this past week. They are saying they need to go a little higher in order to have better looking buildings.
■ ■ ■
They saved the best for last.
Quotable quotes from candidates meeting with our editorial board:
Florida Rep. David Rivera spoke of university presidents angry about budget cuts “screaming bloody Mary.”
U.S. House District 25 spans two different planets — Collier and Miami-Dade. When candidates from the Miami area talk about immigration policy, they mean who should be allowed to come and go to Cuba. On this coast, immigration policy means who from Mexico and Central America should be allowed to come here.
When asked how he is campaigning, Democratic challenger Joe Garcia says: “I’d like to tell you I’m out knocking on doors. In reality, I’m on the phone raising money.”
Dick Kuhn, running for Lee County Commission, says he would use his 20-plus years as a budget analyst for the county and courts to root out the fat: “I know where they hide it because I used to do it.”
Steve Lohan, running for Bonita Springs fire board, addresses firefighter union-backed board members deciding salaries and pensions: “The union has to understand the party is over.”
His opponent, union-backed incumbent Bob Patterson, says Lohan is just upset that a new firehouse is being built across the street from his house. “I’ve heard that,” Patterson says, “but I haven’t heard it from him.”
Lee Commission candidate Les Cochran says of opponent incumbent Ray Judah: “He doesn’t have a clue about the budget, and you can put that in your paper, with your quotables.”
Jeff Lytle is editorial page editor of the Daily News. His e-mail address is jflytle@naplesnews.com. Call him at 263-4773.
Comments
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The taxpayers won't miss Hunter either. Too bad we're stuck with Rambosk now more of the same, probably worse from what I've heard. He's as corrupt as the rest of them & bringing in many corrupt people from the outside.
#1 Posted by diamondgrl on October 4, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rambosk has credentials out the ying-yang. I put that in the plus column.
Let's give him a chance and hope there are many watchful eyes anxiously awaiting improved policies as well as actual implementation of those policies.
On paper, he looks fabulous.
In person, he is affable and self assured.
Could be a wonderful combination.
Watch and wait before you judge.
I'm cautiously optimistic.
Prove me right, Mr. Rambosk, please.
#2 Posted by intense on October 4, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Corruption runs loose at the sheriff's office.What evere happened to the girl who was chased and tackled by the undercover guys at the coastland mall? Oh thats right it will take i.a. 6 months to put the lies together.
#3 Posted by MONKABOY on October 4, 2008 at 11:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rambosk does have a lot of credentials. Federal credentials...
You see how the feds are messing up this country and you want a fed for your sheriff?
The blind leading the blind.
What more can I say?
#4 Posted by 3i3am3 on October 5, 2008 at 3:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How true #3 Its ok Facts will be out. and the place those facts are from will suprise you. At some point it may have taken time but shameful facts will follow. Notice the continue word (FACT) # 2 Rambosk will hear first. that will tell truly how things are handled. And Sheriff Hunter will show how he will truly bow out. IT's like a mother and father who want to believe their child does no wrong because they have showed him right from wrong and that they are good parents. Unfortunately there are times your child and maybe a friend are misbehaving and you receive that same story several times from different individuals. The other child is punished each time and not yours at some point you look and say GEE maybe he is misbehaving. What would they have to benefit from saying these things about my child. What would my child have to benefit from lying? I would hope that all good caring parents see the conclusion of this. This maybe a very simple way to look at it but I believe it says alot and the conclusion the individual arrives at. TELLS alot of his or her character.
#5 Posted by zzcoupe on October 5, 2008 at 3:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nicely done #4
#6 Posted by zzcoupe on October 5, 2008 at 3:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I imagine it's not easy to keep all those deputies in check, especially some who take "brotherhood" a few steps past what's acceptable.
#7 Posted by Bramble on October 5, 2008 at 4:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am happy with Kevin Rambosk being elected, it was what most voters wanted and its a change in that department. Although, I much rather would have liked to see Ortino there for some issues that probably will continue to go on especially since Rambosk is from within and his years of service in Collier has brought him close ties to the Corrupted Couunty Government Official we presently have in office. The same ones that Jeff has befriended throughout the years in thye name of "Politics". Rambosk & Ortino would probably be the best of both worlds if we could have elected both. This way there could be someone who can chase the crooks out of there without having to think of past realtionships or political favors.
#8 Posted by d5stealth on October 5, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good Point there d5stealth,
You would think that since one of their own ran for public office he would know who are the crooks, where to look, and how to investigate them. No, way, not ever! These crooks dominate in every corner of the county. No-one will dare touch them, not even the local news media investigators. We're not in Lee County. Here they found a safe haven.
#9 Posted by d5stealth on October 5, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see the Vic lovers remain in mourning. Whiners.
#10 Posted by GeeRide on October 5, 2008 at 5:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Corrupt is a pretty strong word/accusation. You complainers never seem to have any proof (oh yeah, "just wait.. you'll all see the proof soon enough"), but it is entertaining to read.
Also, I heard the government is still keeping aliens in that secret alien jail in Roswell. Oh yeah, and who killed Kennedy...and is Elvis alive or what?
You should thank every cop you see more often and thank God you live in this great country that has laws and a system of checks and balances. Do you understand what that means?
Lytle, you've now had the last word, will you drop it now or is this your favorite story of the year, because it is so huge and everyone wants to read more and more about tow- truck-gate.
#11 Posted by shwing on October 5, 2008 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hunter is gone. Thats great. Rambosk is or will be the Sheriff. Williams will be the undersheriff. His son, now promoted to chief whom-a-gotchie will be in control with his pop. Nice. CC corruption still going on. nice.
#12 Posted by ccso_id on October 5, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe Hunter will take Thompson with him when he retires? They can party together. Thompson doesn't look like he knows how to have fun though. He's too busy collecting over $300,000 a year along with his CCPS teacher wife, how nice, and the rest of Thompson's IL team. They make me ill! Schwing...schwing over to CCPS for corruption at it's finest.
And WHAT ABOUT those annoying skyboxes while Hunter's at it? Is there a cop in there or not? Please take those into retirement, too.
#13 Posted by beetlejuice on October 6, 2008 at 1:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well that's 2 minutes of my life I wish I had back. Thanks for another disappointing editorial Lytle. At least you're consistent...
#14 Posted by Analytical_Skeptic on October 6, 2008 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
beetlejuice wrote: "And WHAT ABOUT those annoying skyboxes while Hunter's at it? Is there a cop in there or not? Please take those into retirement, too."
The point is to NOT know if there is someone in it...never know if they are watching. This kind of deterrent can be effective!
Considering some of the crimes (vehicle break-ins, purse snatching) committed in parking lots, I am quite happy to see these around. I feel good about it especially when my wife is out shopping alone.
#15 Posted by BlueTonguedVole on October 6, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BTW maybe you should accompany her more often and stop spending, I mean waisting time blogging Dude! If I were nmarried to you I too would be shopping......all day!
#16 Posted by QtrPndr on October 9, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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