All Pine Islanders need to immediately notify the Lee County Commissioners that the welfare of Pine Island should not be ignored in county redistricting, and that all five of the presently proposed redistricting maps are unacceptable to Pine Island.

This subject is scheduled for a hearing and possible vote on 13 September, this coming Tuesday, at 5 .m. in the Commissioner Chambers. Please send an email to the commissioners and pertenient staff (addresses in cc line above) telling them that they should send the proposed maps back to the staff for revision so that Matlacha Isles and Sanibel both continue to be in our district. Also, if possible, please attend the hearing on 13 September.

To review the entire redistricting report open the attachment or go to http://www.lee-county.com/gov/BoardofCountyCommissioners/Pages/Redistricting.aspx and note the five proposed redistricting maps.

Alternatives one and two are very close to the existing district lines, but are unacceptable to Pine Island because they transfer Matlacha Isles to Cape Coral (an action not required to meet redistricting guidelines). Given the ongoing efforts by Cape Coral to annex Matlacha Isles and other other parts of Pine Island, that would be a very bad move. Put Matlacha Isles back with Pine Island and alternatives one and two are acceptable.

Alternative three again gives Matlacha Isles to Cape Coral and is thus unacceptable. It is otherwise a somewhat tempting choice because it would for the first time place all of the coastal areas in one district, but we cannot trade off Matlacha Isles or any other part of our very cohesive community. We are a small community and we have to stick together.

Alternatives four and five let us keep Matlacha Isles but we lose Sanibel, which is not in our interest. Not only do Sanibel and Pine Island share a long history and culture, we have always also long been strong political allies. Sanibel has produced some of Lee County's finest leaders, and they have served Pine Island very well--changing that would be a very bad idea.

Given that the commissioners have already said they do not like alternatives two and three, the wiser course for Pine Island is to recommend to the commissioners the adoption of alternative one modified so as to put Matlacha Isles back into the Pine Island Area. Alternatively, any modified option that keeps both Matlacha Isles and Sanibel in our district would be acceptable.

How the district lines are drawn is not currently of great importance, but if (the repeatedly proposed) concept single-member district voting becomes the law, where the lines are drawn will be critical to the future of Pine Island. Thanks for your help and email the commisioners your views right now.

Phil Buchanan