Mary Rose Spalletta has resigned from the Fort Myers Beach Maine and Environmental Resources Task Force claming the committee has become an arm for special interests, although in her letter she does not specify which special interests or how they have infiltrated MERTF.
There are four seats up in October on the MERTF committee. They are made by appointment by the Fort Myers Beach Town Council. Spalletta’s seat did not expire until next year so there will now be 5 seats to fill. There are six residents who’ve applied for the four seats that were open, an unheard of amount of interest in a volunteer committee.
Being that Spalletta’s resignation is immediate, the Town Council can decide to fill it right away or wait until the other 4 appointments are made later this year.
MERTF will be a completely changed committee this October when new members are appointed. None of the current members, whose terms are expiring, have yet applied to be reappointed.
Here is Spalletta’s full resignation letter to the Town Council which was submitted on Friday, August 9th.
Dear Mayor Allers, Vice-Mayor Atterholt, Council Members King, Safford, and Woodson:
During the past 9 years during which I have been a member of the Marine and Environmental Resource Task Force I have understood its  focus to be the conservation of the Ft Myers Beach environment.
I believe this is the reason MERTF was established.
In 2015 I  volunteered to serve on MERTF because I believed  the health of our living beach to be vital to its existence.  I still believe that. I know that commercial ventures are also vital to Ft Myers Beach.
I believe that by encouraging best practices and enforcing existing laws we can both encourage business and sustain nature. Indeed, during all the years  in which I have served on MERTF this has been an understanding.
Unfortunately, MERTF has become a focus for  special interests.  These special interests are not  aligned with mine. Their goals are not mine.
They have distorted MERTF’s intentions. They have twisted our comments.  They have labeled MERTF the enemy of the very property owners who stand to benefit from our science-backed environmental efforts and recommendations.
Even the  atmosphere at MERTF monthly meetings has changed from positive discussion to something toxic.
As a result, I no longer want to be a part of the Marine &Environmental Task Force of Ft. Myers Beach.
Please accept my resignation from the Marine & Environmental Task Force Committee and my resignation as Vice-Chair of this committee effective immediately.
Thank you for affording me the honor of having served on this vital beach committee.
Yours truly,
Mary Rose Spalletta
Lady, stand your ground and expose these people for what they are
So very sorry to hear this !!! Mary Rose is a person that truly cares about the island!!!! So sad to see what is happening on FMB !!! I lived there 20 years before the hurricane took our home !!! What is happening there now is totally disgusting!!!
I am so sad to hear about this. In June I was walking along the beach and came upon Mary Rose and another Turtle Time volunteer fencing off a nest. I asked Mary Rose if I could ask her about the turtle nest process & video her talking. She agreed. You can see her spectacular & detailed explanation on FMB Rising. I shared this video with a teacher friend. Her class was studying sea turtles. Thank you Mary Rose for your time, service, talent & efforts.
Mary Rose, you have served Fort Myers Beach and the MERTF diligently and without bias for many years. You truly care about our island as a community for humans and wildlife to share. I’ve seen you early in the morning, working with Turtle Time to find, mark, and monitor sea turtle nests. It is unfair that you and other dedicated, longtime MERTF members have been called “environmental wackos” and other ridiculous epithets. As if “environmentalist” were a dirty word! You, Mary Rose, are what true FMB Islanders can only aspire to be. Shame on those who have made it untenable for you to share your caring and knowledge with the community through MERTF.
Thank you, Mary Rose, for working so diligently for our island. Can’t say I didn’t see this coming, and more like you following…especially how horribly you and the the committee have been so viciously attacked in the more recent past. It’s been a sad, sad shame. Thank you, again…and to all committee members who have given their time and effort these past several years. You have our deepest gratitude.