As we begin this new Council session, I’ve had time to reflect on everything we’ve been through together: the storms, the setbacks, and all the challenges we’ve had to face as a city. And what stands out to me the most is this: Naples shows up for Naples. We listen, we adapt, and we keep pushing forward together.
That’s why I am proud to say that the State of the City is RESILIENT.
We’ve stood strong together to make tough decisions while keeping the values of this city intact through every setback and challenge. That’s what resilience looks like.
I want to take a moment to thank the people whose leadership and partnership have made our progress possible:
To our new City Manager Gary Young, and our new City Attorney, Matthew McConnell – thank you for stepping into these critical roles and bringing your expertise and advisement to Council. Thank you to City Clerk Patricia Rambosk for your continued service and diligence.
To our dedicated Council Members: Councilwomen Petrunoff, Councilwomen Penniman, Councilman Kramer, Councilman Christman, Councilman Barton, and Vice Mayor Hutchinson, I appreciate your continued dedication to our community.
To all the residents who volunteer their time to serve on our city boards and committees – thank you, your work is essential and delivers results for our community.
But most importantly, thank you to the residents of Naples, your voices matter and your priorities are what drive the work we’re here to do this session.
We’re entering this session with clarity: Naples is growing, our region is changing, and we’re called to lead with focus. But at the core of that is cutting through the red tape.
I am committed to continuing to take a hard look at our boards and permitting processes. Right now, residents, developers, and staff alike are frustrated, and not because of the rules themselves, but because the system feels slow and inefficient. And they’re right. The process must work for the people it serves.
This session, I am committed to working with the City Manager, Staff, and Council on analyzing our permitting processes so that it saves time and money and removes unnecessary barriers. We will minimize steps. We will evaluate our interpretations. And we will push back against any bureaucracy that favors complexity over common sense and disregards public interest.
That starts with us BUT it does not end here.
Because more and more often, we’re seeing decisions that come from Tallahassee and Washington, that are overstepping their place.
We are seeing egregious overreach. It is not the role of the state or federal government to dictate how Naples manages its growth, its safety, or its identity.
I will continue to advocate for and defend Home Rule because we know what works for our community. Naples should never be forced into a one-size-fits-all model of governance that ignores our history, our charm, or our future.
We’ve called on state leaders to take a hard look at what’s burdensome and what’s not, but have yet to hear back from them. Whether it’s FEMA-level development requirements or preemption laws that threaten our ability to protect against flooding, our safety and resilience must come first.
Infrastructure is at the heart of that. Next November, we will ask our residents to consider a $120 million ballot referendum or an increase in storm water fees—the largest infrastructure investment in our city’s history. These funds will repair seawalls, update stormwater systems, restore streets, and protect our coastlines.
We’ve already begun:
The beach ends damaged by Hurricanes Ian and Milton are being repaired.
Outfalls are under reconstruction.
And we are moving aggressively to ensure that Naples is ready not only for the next storm, but for the next generation.
NCH broke ground on the Schulze Family Heart and Stroke facility and the city ended the use of fluoride in the water system.
Our dedication to change reflects our broader commitment to listening to residents and making decisions that reflect their values.
But we can’t do this alone.
We must work closely with Collier County and the state of Florida—especially when it comes to cleaning up our lakes, strengthening our environmental protections, and making sure Naples doesn’t carry the weight of the watershed alone. Our residents pay both city and county taxes, and they deserve a government that listens to them and distributes funding more equitably.
We’re also evaluating the impact of major events on neighborhoods, traffic, and quality of life with seasonal tourism surges. We’re actively balancing the need for celebration with the need for calm, community-centered planning.
We’ve also raised public safety wages to remain competitive and attract the best to serve our community.
We’re proud to have a thriving cultural economy, from the newly open Gulfshore Playhouse to the incredible renovations that were recently completed just across the street at The Naples Players, and the former Von Liebig Center transformation into the Naples Art Institute. These institutions are not only pillars of the arts, but they are drivers of small business and contribute to our economic engine.
And while we protect our neighborhood charm, we will also invest in our vibrancy.
This is what balanced leadership looks like. Fiscal stewardship. Community-first policies. Smart investments in people, infrastructure, and protection.
Naples remains strong because we know who we are, and we refuse to let outside forces redefine us.
We’ve made great strides this past year, but we still have more work ahead. And I look forward to working with each of you as we continue to lead with focus and integrity and deliver results for our residents.
May God Bless the City of Naples and Let’s Get Back to Work.
