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Resident angered over Marco’s use of property
Increased liability insurance at core of parking lot troubles
KELLY FARRELL / Staff
City of Marco Island officials erected a barricade Tuesday between the police station's parking lot and the parking lot owned by physician Andrew Guidry at 19 Bald Eagle Drive. The barricade will remain as Guidry and the city are unable to reach an agreement on who should have access to their neighboring parking lots.
KELLY FARRELL / Staff
City of Marco Island officials erected a barricade Tuesday between the police station's parking lot and the parking lot owned by physician Andrew Guidry at 19 Bald Eagle Drive. The barricade is planned to remain as Guidry and the city are unable to reach an agreement on who should have access to their neighboring parking lots.
Andrew Guidry
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Some rational answers surfaced Wednesday evening regarding what first appeared to be irrational behavior between the City of Marco Island officials and physician Andrew Guidry. What didn’t surface was a solution to the ongoing dispute over the use of the parking lot at 19 Bald Eagle Drive, adjacent to the police department.
Guidry and the city first developed a working relationship as interdependent neighbors in February of 2005 when the city was making plans to construct the Marco Island Police Station. The project required the discontinuation of Bald Eagle Drive which at that time ran between Guidry’s medical practice and the city’s fire station.
Guidry donated the land he was entitled to due to the discontinuation of Bald Eagle Drive in exchange for some offerings by the city. A “road closure and cooperation agreement” between the city and Guidry, approved by the council and signed by former City Manager Bill Moss and Guidry outlined the stipulations.
The city would provide the following services to Guidry: expand his parking lot to the North, design and build a new entrance off San Marco Road, build a new sign for the medical practice, resurface the parking lot’s asphalt, warranty the asphalt for three years and design and build new landscaping throughout the property.
Some of these provisions were necessary for the construction of the police department and some were above and beyond the scope of the project and were meant to be reimbursements for Guidry’s generosity in donating the land, said interim City Manager Dana Souza.
The negotiation that seems to be of the most concern is one that occurred off city record. The city replaced Guidry’s parking lot lights with ones that matched the city’s lamp posts next door. The city has been paying for the electricity on those lights ever since the construction of the police station in 2006. There is no record of this being in exchange for another donation by Guidry. Guidry says that’s because no other donation from him to the city occurred.
“There was no agreement, no handshake deal that I would let them use my parking lot indefinitely,” Guidry said.
Public Works Director Rony Joel was responsible for negotiating most of the interactions between Guidry and the city. Joel said it was a “gentlemen’s agreement” to exchange lighting for the city and public use of Guidry’s parking lot when overflow parking was needed during evening meetings. The relationship between Guidry and Joel became publicly sour in late March, three months after Guidry made a failed run for City Council. Signs stating “Parking: $20” were posted at the entrance of his lot during a council meeting.
“I don’t want to fight with Mr. Guidry. I just want him to walk over here and help us resolve this,” Souza said.
Guidry wrote a letter to the city on May 7 saying that he was not the full owner of the property and that city had erroneously negotiated with only half of the parking lot’s owners. He cited business partner Mitchell Snow as the co-owner. Snow is the co-owner, but was not co-owner until April 2006, nearly one year after the contract between Guidry and the city was signed.
The relationship struggles heightened Monday during a City Council meeting when a police cruiser blocked Guidry’s lot and further escalated when the city constructed a cement barricade between the lots Tuesday morning.
“That barricade occurred because of the city’s heavy hand ... They treat you like dirt,” Guidry said in a phone conversation Wednesday evening.
Guidry said he spoke to Joel and several city officials on numerous occasions over the course of a year regarding refuse left in his lot after city meetings as well as his concern over increases to his liability insurance once his lot was open to the public 24 hours per day.
Souza said he personally walked Guidry’s lot after meetings to pick up any trash, whether he believed it was left by city officials, the public or Guidry’s own customers.
“Once the insurance company learned the lot was being used by the city and public my insurance company raised my rates three-fold. That’s the biggest ax I have to grind. This goes well beyond the scope of the agreement. They just need to lease the lot, reimburse me for the expenses I’m incurring and problem solved,” Guidry said.
Guidry’s other proposal to solve the problem is to only barricade his property in the evening when it no longer negatively impacts his day-time business and customers.
Souza said the city does not have the resources to erect and remove a barricade on a daily basis. The barricade remains. He also said: “The city doesn’t need the parking.”
Souza responded to a letter from Guidry on May 5 saying “The city is not interested in leasing your property for city use.”
In the letter Souza also said that he would like to negotiate with Guidry. Guidry said Souza’s “flat out no” to his request for reimbursement doesn’t look like negotiation.
Guidry said the permanent barricade which blocks access to his business from Bald Eagle Drive violates written agreements, including the site plan. It also seems to make his 19 Bald Eagle Drive address a misnomer if there is no longer access between his lot and Bald Eagle Drive.
“I don’t want to see this go to litigation,” Souza said.
Taxpayers also may not want to see this go litigation, but the question remains as to whether taxpayers would prefer to pay for the availability of Guidry’s parking lot.
Comments
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Grow up Doc! Didn't you get the least amount of votes out of the eight candidates? Would this be an issue if you won?
#1 Posted by MarcoFacts on May 8, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The lesson here is do not run for public office and lose. The folks you lose to will abuse you and beat you until you leave the community. Keep your head up Doc, you are living in a rough neighborhood.
#2 Posted by Fossil on May 9, 2008 at 6:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Stop looking at this problem in terms of personalities. The City sought and received a donation of a large property to enable the construction of the new police building with the City Council public meeting room. This donation was of a very valuable property. The City has constructed this new building and public meeting center WITHOUT ADEQUATE PARKING. Why has the City not provided the adequate parking required of any one else on Marco Island? Why did Mr. Joel construct new lights on private property without the City Council approving a contract covering all aspects of the use of private property at the appropriate times? For the City Officials to now condem the man who donated this property [ worth at least $500,000.00 ] for wanting to use the parking spaces in his own parking lot for the patients of all the Docters offices in his building during office hours does not seem fair. Dr. Guidry should not have to bear any extra cost for allowing public parking in his lot for the benefit of the City and it,s residents during Public Meetings. Stop attacking this fine man and have the attorneys put a fair contract together for the City Council to approve. The fact that Dr, Guidry ran for public office has nothing to do with not having the proper agreement in place in the beginning. Whenever staff members do things without Council approval, we are going to have problems.
#3 Posted by SmokeyJoe on May 9, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I forgot to mention that all of the patients of the various Docters should still have access to Bald Eagle like all the other residents along the old Bald Eagle Drive, Closing off access to Bald Eagle from the Docters Parking Lot is not treating this property the same as all other propertys along old Bald Eagle.
#4 Posted by SmokeyJoe on May 9, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not look at it with personalities SmokeyJoe? the Dr. had no problem coming before council to give the property to the people of Marco Island. Nothing comes for nothing and he has received his award, parking lot, lights, electricity....not to mention a hefty write off. Great, there are plenty of people on Marco who do great things (money & time) and never 'throw it in the faces' of the recipients as the dr. is doing. I say keep the access closed, if it is a liability for the dr. it is a liability for the residents of Marco too.
#5 Posted by happyonmarco on May 9, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lesson: Do not upset this guy prior to your operation.
#6 Posted by sunnycity on May 9, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lesson: Do not trust a word Rony Joel says.
#7 Posted by gernblanstone on May 11, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lesson: Do not go to an unstable doctor. This guy is a piece of work.
#8 Posted by happyonmarco on May 12, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LESSON:---Do not expect fair discussions from people who have hate in their hearts. Do not expect them to require the City to require the same parking requirements on themselves that they require from every other project on Marco. These people like happyonmarco, will continue to smear the doctor instead of seeking a fair solution by the City Council. Do they still want City employees to make " verbal agreements " like installing City lights on private property without Council properly approving a detailed contract covering any such agreement?
#9 Posted by SmokeyJoe on May 12, 2008 at 2:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Exactly SmokeyJoe!!!!
#10 Posted by Rachael on May 12, 2008 at 5:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why was this not an issue prior to the election and long before the city hall was built. Why is this only an issue after he lost the election. Like I said earlier, if it is a liability for the dr. which now doubt it probably is, it is also a liability for the residents of Marco. I am sure there is plenty of parking now that the city is televising the meetings and that the old hate slate has apparently moved off the island. A verbal agreement like any "gentlemen's" agreement takes two gentlemen...nuf said.
#11 Posted by happyonmarco on May 12, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Immature Medical Student
Predatory Businessmen
Tyrannical Officer
Unprepared Debater
Egotistical Politician
Cry Baby looser
But no, I shouldn't dwell just a mans good points.
#12 Posted by OldMarcoMan on May 12, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
happyonmarco and OldMarcoMan----- Do you approve of Roney Joels handling of this without City Council approval or not? Should the City be required to have adequate parking for the number of seats in the meeting hall or not? Do you expect our City Government to function in a business like manner or not? Please answer these questions so we can tell if you are concerned citizens of Marco Island or just people who will whitewash any wrong doing by our City staff and people who like to just smear those you do not like.
#13 Posted by SmokeyJoe on May 13, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
SmokeyJoe,
Those two will never be happy about anything in their life. Just two miserable beings who have nothing good in their life. Nothing to smile about.
OldMarcoman, learn how to spell loser is not looser. Also Dr. Guidry is one hell of a doctor.
#14 Posted by dc5799 on May 13, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dc, I agree with you, Guidry is a good Doctor and a good soldier who has fought for our country and saved many soldiers lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. That is what’s so puzzling about this immature behavior with the parking lot. He is a good guy who is just acting like a baby because he lost the election! The parking lot was NEVER an issue until AFTER the election. Andrew needs to grow up; he's lost a lot of patients and is bound to lose more with his juvenile behavior! Moreover, he is losing credibility and the respect of many people on this island.
#15 Posted by ejburger on May 14, 2008 at 7:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good for the Doc, standing up to the corrupt good ole boy network on Marco, their time is coming.
and by the way doc you can add four new patients to your roster.
#16 Posted by gernblanstone on May 16, 2008 at 11:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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