Public forum addresses incivility in Collier County meetings

To address the issue of incivility during public meetings and forums in Collier County, more than 600 people attended Greater Naples Leadership’s Reduce the Rancor forum Feb. 7.

The forum featured six panelists, former congressmen Dick Gephardt and Francis Rooney, former Collier commissioner Andy Solis, retired newspaper publisher Nick Penniman, author Tim Love and Rev. Sharon Harris-Ewing. They discussed their views on why Collier County is facing an incivility crisis and proper handling of discourse with those with differing political views.

The idea of a forum was provided to the Greater Naples Leadership by Solis more than a year ago when a lack of civil discourse became more prominent in local board meetings. Examples included Rabbi Adam Miller of Naples’ Temple Shalom facing antisemitic remarks while leaving a school board meeting in 2023 and when demonstrators gathered at a City Council meeting in 2022 in opposition of Naples Pride Fest, holding signs saying “We Will Not Accept” and suggesting the festival led to grooming of children and gender confusion.

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