As we reported earlier this month, former Town of Fort Myers Beach Council member Bill Veach made what he called an “offer” to the Town Council; appoint Tom Brady to former Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt’s seat and he would drop his appeal of John King’s successful recall fight. King called it blackmail. Here’s what the Town Attorney said.
On Tuesday, Town Attorney Nancy Stuperich informed the Council that due to what Veach said, council member King could not vote for Brady for the open seat. She said if King voted for Brady he would benefit financially if Veach followed through and dropped his appeal because there are attorney’s fees involved and the court still may decide that Veach has to cover King’s attorney’s fees if King wins the case. The appeals court has not yet ruled on Veach’s appeal to King’s recall court win.
Brady finds himself in the awkward position of distancing himself from the Veach offer. He told the council Monday, during public comment, that he understood why Veach did what he did but he had no idea the offer was going to be made and never discussed the issue with Veach before he made the offer.
Last year during the recall of King and Karen Wooson, 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.
After Atterholt resigned, Brady announced he was interested in the seat. LPA member John McLain also voiced his interest.
King said Veach’s offer to drop the appeal was blackmail and added Veach could drop the appeal at any time.
Fort Myers Beach taxpayers are covering King’s legal fees in the recall court cases because King was an acting Town Council member when the recall accusations came to light. King and Woodson are paying legal fees for the defamation lawsuits out of their own pockets.
The question becomes “How does any of this benefit the people of Fort Myers Beach?”, the folks council members took an oath to serve. Thank you BTR for showing us what a cluster town government has become. I haven’t heard this kind of stuff since the Stramoglia mess in the 80’s.
Why is Veach resending his offer not an option?
Rescinding*
Seems Mr King should recuse himself from the entire process of picking the replacement councilor. How can his voting for Tom Brady be a conflict, but voting for someone else and against Brady not be? Seems like the cleanest approach would be to just stand down for this one.
When a corporate executive retires, when an associate is terminated, when an elected official is voted out, when someone wants out & quits — For the love of God, JUST STFU AND GO AWAY!
Bill Veach wanted out. He quit. Go away, preferably all the way back to Colorado.
Exactly. An unelected person having this much influence over a town government is ridiculous. Veach is realizing his goal of having the influence of a council member without being elected.
Steve, Kinda like when someone leaves the island. Just Go Away.
I am comfortable with the fact that since we enjoyed being there so darn much, had a presence on the Island since 1967, were residents and homeowners since 1982 and still own a condo just off the south-end I feel very comfortable still being part of it all. Thank you very much.
However, being that we sold our FMB home I would never mouth off or speak at council meetings, organize political lynch mobs on the Island, try to sway council votes or elections or play like I’m ‘Benny Bigdog’ after quitting a council position.
So you just mouth off here. You don’t live here. Go away. Islanders really could care less about what outsiders spew.
Tough rocks for you.
Mouthing off on here will continue and the fact that it gets under your skin prompts me to want to mouth off even more.
I could care less if you continue to make a fool of yourself. That’s on you. Just held up a mirror fool.
Proof reading is a worthy habit. “Held up a mirror fool” and “Hold up a mirror fool” mean two entirely different things. Are you saying you held one up?
I agree with you Kevin. Go away Duello. Very few people care what you are think. I have read your comments over the years and find they are as devisive as the people you criticize. I have purposely not used my full name since once before when we disagreed on Facebook you looked me up on
and commented on my personal info. You are creepy.
I feel so very, very bad for hurting you so deeply years ago that you are unable to use your full name when commenting. Please refresh my memory as to whatever mean, hateful thing I said so I can be sure to never, ever do that again!
John Kerry? Iraq?
Huh?
Tom Brady is unethical and therefore inelligible for the seat because it’s assumed he conspired in Veach’s offer to drop his appeal?
Evidence? Where?
Pretend the October vote never happened? Sixty-three percent of the turnout’s decision should be meaningless, a mirage?
King and Woodson badly underestimated the size and determination of the opposition.
This council should not.
So now evidence must be provided? Interesting.
King should resign, not because of this but because the last council meetings I saw he has held his head down and spoke under his breath. He is not actively participating in the council meetings. King hold your head up and speak so everyone can hear you – you have won so far. You still have your seat. If you do not wish to participate, please excuse yourself.
King should resign before making any more bad decisions for the town. The voters spoke and voted him out just like they voted him in.
FMB voters sound like John Kerry in 2004 when he said he voted for funding the war in Iraq before he voted against it. Kerry lost. FMB voters voted for John King before they voted against him. Guest we lose too.
I think that anyone recalled would have been voted for before. irrelevant analogy
Why would resign?