Item P1
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: July 20,2005 Division: BOCCI
Bulk item: Yes No ~ Department: BOCCI
-
Staff Contact Person: Jana Johnson-Willi
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Discussion regarding increasing complaints of the growing colonies
of iguanas. Being vegetarians they are considered harmless but they are eating plants, flowers and
indigenous plants as well as being a real threat to small animals and children.
ITEM BACKGROUND: The State Department of Agriculture recommends trapping the iguana, then
putting him in your freezer where he will die a painless death. This is not an acceptable means to rid
the pest.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOT AL COST: BUDGETED: Yes - No -
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes - No - AMOUNT PER MONTH_ Year -
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMBlPurchasing _ Risk Management _
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: rj)i:dR. Ai. Sp..ldtal(
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
DOCUMENT ATION: Included - Not Required_
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 2/05
Captain Harlan Franklin
28 Bamboo Terrace
Key West, FL33040
(305) 296-9566
capthf@8vl.um be({$cVl-h,flE'~
June 28, 2005
f
The Honorable Dixie Spehar liECEIVED
Monroe County Commissioner JUL 1 2005
722 Prado Circle
Key West Fl33040 DfXiE MAYOR
M. SPEJ./.tiR
Good Morning,
I realize the last thing you need to be confronted with is a new problem. However, being
the sole commissioner with good common sense, you are the logical person to approach.
I don't know if you have had any complaints regarding iguanas, but let me assure you,
the day is coming. Here in Key Haven, the iguana population has tripled since last
summer, and as prolific as they obviously are, I expect they will triple again by next
summer. I would assume you are aware that these big lizards are basically vegetarians,
and therefore considered harmless. Well if you like plants and flowers in your yard,
these critters are a major pest and far from harmless.
In Boca Grande, they have as many or more iguanas than we have. There, the city
commission received so many complaints that they hired an exterminator to get rid of
them. The exterminator caught two. The reason. . . .. by the time the commission got
around to taking action, cool weather had arrived, and the iguanas had holed up for the
winter. Which brings up a more serious problem. A few found their way into the attic
of houses, and made nests in the insulation. That really made a mess. I used to spend
time every fall in Boca Grande, have friends there, and read the local newspaper on my
computer every week, which is how I am informed with their iguana problem.
Dixie, I hope you take this seriously. I hate bringing up a problem without a solution.
The State Department of Agriculture recommends trapping the iguana, then putting him
in your freezer where he will die a painless death. No thanks.
~
'H & ~ranklin
Editor-at-Iarge, Florida Sportsman Magazine. Free Lance Writer: fishing, boating & cruising