Chris Curle/Special to the Eagle

Marco's Moose Lodge, on Marco Lake Drive, the scene of a hot, noisy confrontation recently among members over an election of lodge officers.

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You think Marco Island city elections can be rough and tumble? From the sound of things, municipal politicians could learn a lesson or two from the recent “election night” at Marco’s Moose Lodge.

On that night the lodge would elect officers for the next term. Two factions had emerged and emotions on both sides were running high.

The Moose Lodge on Marco Lake Drive was packed, standing room only. Members milled around the parked cars out front.

Moments after the 6 p.m. meeting time, the Lodge’s chief executive, Governor Paul Blaine, announced that the election of officers would not be held that night, because of alleged improper campaigning. The crowd was furious.

Cries of “No, no way” and “You can’t do that!” filled the room. It got worse.

Gov. Blaine later told me, “There was an incident. It was not a good thing to say the least.”

Others involved, asking not to be quoted by name, offered these details: One person involved with the Lodge had put notes on several members’ car windshields, urging them to vote for a slate of candidates opposed to some of the current officers.

That angered some members who say such “campaigning” is against Moose rules. As tempers rose, insults were exchanged. Harsh words turned into action.

One member chest-butted another and said something like, “I’m 60, but I can still kick your ...” He then threw a heavy drink glass at the chest-buttee. It missed him but struck a second man and the drink splashed on a third guy.

The glass thrower scratched his intended target in the face, drawing blood.

“He scratched me like a girl,” said the victim, who then punched the glass thrower/face scratcher in the head. Three times.

A few other angry Moose men began shoving and jostling and other behavior not conducive to a lodge meeting.

The person who had left the campaign notes on the cars, not knowing that was not allowed, wrote a letter of apology and tried to hand it go Gov. Blaine, telling him the candidates had no knowledge of her actions. Blaine reportedly told her to give the note to the bartender.

The hundreds of people at the meeting dispersed eventually, but the memory of the Monday night Moose mayhem lingers. Candidates opposed to current Moose leaders reportedly got a letter saying they cannot run for office again. They will contest that.

I asked Moose Gov. Blaine whether another election will be held.

“Election of officers is postponed. There will be one but it’ll be a while. We have to go over the situation and see what disciplinary action must be taken. The national Moose organization is already involved but I can’t say any more right now.”

Just so you know, throwing beer glasses, chest-butting, head-punching and face-scratching are not prescribed Moose lodge activities.

The Loyal Order of Moose organization has been around since 1888. It has 2000 lodges and chapters in the U.S., Canada, Britain and Bermuda. In all about 1.5 million men (and women known as the “Women of the Moose”) are members.

Moose (is the plural Mooses or just Moose?) conduct community-related activities. They also operate a home and school in Illinois for children in need and Moosehaven, a retirement community for senior members in need. It’s in Orange Park, Fla., near Jacksonville.

Marco’s “premier” realtor

Jim Prange of Premier Properties says, “The secret is out and the bottom has been found” in Marco’s real estate market. He offers several reasons for that conclusion and has the credentials that make people pay attention when he talks real estate. According to Prange, who’s been doing real estate on Marco for 28 years: “Today’s buyers are different from those of 2004-5. We now are dealing with end users and long-term investors instead of flippers. The smart money is buying now. The real estate recovery will start here before most other places. It’s already started.”

Jim writes in his latest “State of the Island” report that some buyers lack a sense of urgency because it appears that everything on the island is for sale.

“The truth is if you look at everything that’s for sale, about half the properties are priced competitively or within reason. The other half is priced for the next real estate boom.”

Jim gave me a lot more specific information and data about the short and medium term outlook for Marco real estate.

That’s in my Farmer File column Friday in the Naples Daily News.

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Don Farmer has been a full-time Marco Islander for ten years and a part-time resident for more than 30 years. He says full-time is better. Farmer welcomes your ideas for column items via e-mail at don@donfarmer.com.