On Monday during public comment former Town Council member and recall committee co-chair Bill Veach said he would withdraw his appeal to John King’s recall but only if the 4 current council members appointed Tom Brady.
A judge ruled that the petition Veach and former Mayor Ray Murphy used to recall King was fatally flawed because it did not specify who the recallers were claiming King tried to have fired on the town’s staff. In addition to the judge ruling in King’s favor, King has denied all the recall allegations. Over 60% of those who voted in the November recall voted to have King recalled. They also voted to recall Karen Woodson.
Brady came in 2nd place on the recall ballot with Rebecca Link receiving 9 more votes. Link took Woodson’s spot on the council. The same judge who ruled in King’s favor also ruled that Woodson’s recall ballot was valid. Woodson has also denied all the allegations against her. Both Woodson and King have filed defamation lawsuits against Veach and Murphy. Both Woodson and King have filed defamation lawsuits against Veach and Murphy.
Brady has announced he’s interested in Atterholt’s seat, along with LPA member Jim Dunlap.
Toward the end of the council meeting King said Veach’s offer to drop the appeal was blackmail and added Veach could drop the appeal at any time.
When asked to comment on Veach’s offer, King’s attorney Morgan Bentley said “I have to hand it to him – that is pretty cheeky to just get up and ask for that in public. So was all of this about a recall or about getting his friends appointed to the Board.”
Fort Myers Beach taxpayers are covering King’s legal fees with Bentley in the recall court cases because King was an acting Town Council member when the recall accusations came to light.
Yes, I think King should have respected the results of the Recall Election and stepped down. But staying on the Council appears to be his legal right, so I guess we just have to sit down and shut up until the next election.
I do think a pool of 3000-odd eligible voters is too small and the Council salary too small to consistently attract top-flight leaders. I’d vote to go back to Lee County if they’d have us.
It appears to me after watching the last few council meetings King needs to step down if he is not going to fulfill his duties. He has not really had any positive input in any of the meetings. He is only talking under his breathe and not contributing to the meeting. You won King according to the last appeal. Hold your head high and contribute to the discussions if not and you are going to be a sour grape person then please step down. We need to build up the island not continue to tear it down.
His only contribution is an unamusing quote about music from his disk jockey days to make a motion to adjourn the meeting.
The Veach appeal is doomed. His offer is little more than trying to sell a pig in a poke.
King’s defamation suit however is valid. Here’s hoping Veach, Murphy and all the misinformed learn valuable lessons as this plays out. And of course it will continue to be at the expense of all. Veach and Murphy have made many decisions that have cost taxpayers plenty and that goes for decisions made on council long before Ian and Seagate.
Mr. Nuff please restrain yourself. You are entitled to speak out and let your opinion be known and can do it without vocalizing in a bullying way. FMB needs to reunite and be kind while in the process.
Sunshine, it’s a typical liberal strategy to claim someone is bullying them only when they disagree with their ideological position. Nothing I said could be considered bullying so please step down from your moral soapbox and pretense of being a victim.. However, we can certainly agree that being kind should be our goal for all of us on FMB. Do you think it’s kind when you make up false moral allegations against your neighbor or disrespect them by calling for them to resign a position they worked very hard to obtain and were awarded by the true majority of the Town voters in a General election? I serious doubt that since I don’t see those posts of condemnation from you, Sunshine. Once everyone can agree on that simple truth we can be much more civil with each other.
First, I don’t know any of these people. I am a full time resident of Ft Myers Beach.
To these I’m guessing libtards who say King should resign because they are butt hurt and claim he was voted out. Voted out, during a “special election” that had less than 50% vote!!! He was also “voted In”, during an “actual election”… For even making the comment he did, trying to bribe council is all you need to know about his character, should never be allowed to serve the town again in any capacity. This should also bar the Brady character from being allowed to serve as well, being he was obviously involved in this whole charade.
And we all know Murphy’s character, so the fact they are all in cahoots says all I need to know.
Stop the BS and let all the residents have their say in November..
You are obviously in the dark as to the island’s turnout history. 50 percent is pretty normal in off year elections. It’s the folks who obviously care most about the island who turn out and the ones who did so on recall were pretty emphatic.
And how do you know Brady was involved. Who told you that?
Where is the evidence to support your claim Brady was involved in a blackmail?
It’s funny how you only want evidence when it fits your viewpoint.
As said below, where was “all this evidence” to have a recall!!!!
I’ll wait!!!
This is a reply to the people that post under aliases. Man up (or woman) and use your real name. If you have to say something, have the intestinal fortitude to really stand behind it.
Morgan Bentley said the quiet part out loud. Every person who supported the recall and now screams that King should resign are just radicals who lack personal ethics and respect for process and democracy. It’s most concerning that they’re led by previous Mayors and Council members who should have higher standards. How can you expect them or people whom they support to manage Town business honestly when you know they intentionally bent the rules in the recall and continue to try to manipulate the system to get what they wanted? That’s what happens when you have a Municipality so small that it can’t recruit top talent to participate in Government. Every day that passes and every new drama that unfolds just validates more and more that the best answer is for Lee County to take over the Town so it can be properly financed and managed.
I have personally been in 3 TC meetings where John King has said, and I’m paraphrasing, “I don’t know how to vote” and has pass his vote until everyone else has voted. Wanting someone off the TC because they are not qualified (not top talent, in your words) to make important decisions does not make me a radical. That doesn’t make me want Murphy or Veach back either, 60% of the island want people that will follow the initial reason the Town was created. John King needs to walk away.
Wanting someone off the TC is totally within your rights Carol, and the process to have your voice heard is called a general election, however fabricating lies for a recall election and then crying like a child for him to resign even when that fails is radical and not normal behavior for adults. The full electorate voted him him to serve a full term and you do not have a right to demand his resignation or make up lies to spur a special election simply because you didn’t like the way he voted on specific projects or you like how he communicates. That’s how spoiled children who don’t get their way behave Carol – not grown adults in a Democratic society and neighborly community.
Bullshit. They had every right to call for a recall. Florida law allows it and defines it. Who the hell are you to call them radical and spoiled children. They’re residents and taxpayers.
You sound as arrogant as King who once called some of his constituents stupid.
They aren’t stupid. Nor are they radicals or spoiled children.
King should step down. As mentioned the majority of voters do not want or need him voting on any issues related to the town. He was voted out because he did not listen. The sore loser should take his loss like a man and vacate his seat just like he took it when he was voted in initially.