CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSIONER ROBERT SKIDMORE IS FACING AN ETHICS COMPLAINT. ACCORDING TO THE SUN, THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN DECEMBER BY HAROLD WELLS JR. OF BOCA GRANDE AND GALE McGUANE OF WINDWIND, WHICH ACCUSES SKIDMORE HAD A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THE WIDENING OF PLACIDA ROAD SINCE HIS FATHER OWNS THE COOL BEACH CAFÉ. THE COMPLAINT SAYS “WE BELIEVE SKIDMORE’S PUBLIC ADVOCACY OF THIS PROJECT WAS INFLUENTIAL IN CONVINCING OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE FOR THE ROAD WIDENING. WE BELIEVE AT SOME POINT HE BECAME AWARE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST INVOLVING THE COOL BEACH CAFÉ ON PLACIDA ROAD, A CAFÉ HIS FATHER NEGOTIATED FOR AND PURCHASED WHILE THE ROAD WIDENING PROJECT WAS BEING CONSIDERED AND EVALUATED BY CHARLOTTE COUNTY STAFF AND THE COMMISSION.” SKIDMORE DECIDED IN NOVEMBER TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING AFTER DECLARING HIS POTENTIAL CONFLICT, AND DID ABSTAIN IN FEBRUARY WHEN A VOTE ON A MOTION TO STOP TO PROJECT CAME UP. BUT THE ETHICS COMPLAINT SAYS HE SHOULD HAVE ABSTAINED FROM TWO EARLIER VOTES IN 2009, WHICH WERE TO NEGOTIATE FOR THE DESIGN OF THE ROAD AND TO FIND A MANAGER FOR THE PROJECT. SKIDMORE HAS REQUESTED THAT THE COUNTY PAY FOR HIS LEGAL DEFENSE, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED AT TUESDAY’S COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING.
