EDITOR'S NOTE: Ellen Sugarman is a nationally known investigative reporter. She has given KWTN permission to serialize her new book about environmental terrorism in the Florida Keys. Here is a synopsis of previous chapters. For complete chapters, see our website: www.kwtn.com.
In Chapter 1, officials from County Code Enforcement, the Sheriff's Office and the Florida Marine Patrol— off-duty and in civilian clothes, but armed— pay an unofficial visit to property owners on Little Knockemdown Key. A few days later, the owners were cited, ordering them to tear down unpermitted structures— even though many of those structures had been there prior to the law requiring permitting.
In Chapter 2, Sugarman used Fantasy Fest as a backdrop to introduce us to her cast of characters. In Chapter 3, investigative reporter Kate Anderson hears about an allegfed conspiracy by multiple government agencies to take over private property in the Keys. In Chapter 4, she starts to look into it.
Chapter 5: Officials "raid" Little Torch Key. Chapter 6: Government officials charge a Sugarloaf resident with environmental infractions and, in Chapter 7, they take his house. Chapters 8 and 9: Kate's review of Code Enforcement records seem to reveal a pattern of deceit. Chapter 10: A lawyer tells a property owner, in jail on seemingly trumped up environmental charges, that he can get him off if he will sell his property cheap to the Conservation League.
In Chapter 11, Kate shares her suspicians with the editor of a local newspaper . Chapter 12: The editor suggests that she take a close look at Rev. Clive Farrell and the Conservation League. Kate and a freind head down to Bahama Village to hear Farrell address a meeting of Last Chance. Chapter 13: The meeting. Chapter 14: Kate meets Clive Farrell and asks for an interview. Chapters 15 and 16: The interview.
Chapter 17: Another government raid. Chapter 18: Kate does her homework. Chapter 19: She attends a Code Enforcement meeting.
CHAPTER 20
Kate sat through the rest of the meeting, making notes on the agenda of the outcomes of various items. By the time the secretary called #21, the next to last item, the audience was showing signs of fatigue. But most everyone had stayed. The secretary went on, reading Billy Ray's name, the plat description of his property, and the code enforcement violations. From his seat, Ricky Pindar explained to the board that Mr. Johnson was "incapacitated" by the fact that he was currently in custody down at the Monroe County jail, for some of these very charges. He said it with a smirk and two of the Board members returned the smile. For the first time that afternoon, a murmur passed through the room. At Pindar's direction, item #21 was tabled pending outcome of the criminal charges. Then, almost as an aside, he asked the Board to levy a $250-a-day fine until the violations were cleared.
The next item, concerning a Key Largo boatyard, was also tabled—at the request of the company's attorney, a serious looking older man with an office in Miami. Moments later, the meeting was adjourned and the crowd began to file out. Kate lingered, listening to comments and observing. Then she walked outside, toward a small clutch of people who had massed at the edge of the parking lot. She stood off to one side, watching, trying to remember who was who. Then she drew closer, allowing herself to comment a bit when the conversation turned to subjects she was familiar with. People began to check her out, eye one another to see if anyone knew her. That was when she decided it was time to introduce herself before people clammed up or began to disperse. After all, they had no way of knowing which side she was on. So she did and explained that she was looking into a story about some interesting—that was the word she used, "interesting"—conservation efforts. Particularly concerning Preservation 2000 acquisition areas in the Keys. Some funny stuff going on down here.
When she said that, all conversation ceased and people just stared at her. Someone asked her to repeat her name and she did, then asked who she wrote for, so she trotted out her bona fides. Then everyone started talking at once.
"Young lady," one old gentleman said, "you're the first person from the media who's shown any interest in our problems down here. You know . . ."
Then a red-headed woman in a cream colored suit and high heels interrupted him. "Say, Miss Anderson. I'm Mary Jo Ryan. I'm a realtor in Marathon. Do you have a card?"
Kate fished in her purse for cards and distributed them. Then Mary Jo grabbed her by the arm and turned her around, waving to someone who'd just come out the door. "Say, Frank," she called. "You and Lloyd come over here a minute. There's someone you should meet." She leaned over to Kate and said, "Be sure and talk to these boys. They'll give you a story that'll make your hair stand right up."
Frank and Lloyd—the `boys' as Mary Jo called them—were a gay couple. Frank was a small, distinguished looking man with slicked back gray hair and a small dark mustache, somewhere in his fifties. Lloyd was young and `Butch', the pretty boy. Small and muscular—he was obviously a body-builder—with a dark tan, a platinum crewcut, big brown eyes and a puppy dog look. Kate thought he had a very nice smile.
"This is Kate Anderson, boys," Mary Jo explained. "This lady just may be the answer to our prayers. She's a reporter, she writes for a number of big magazines. And, get this. Kate here thinks there's some questionable tactics going on in the land conservation down here. I guess she's looking for some stories, am I right, Kate?"
At first, the `boys' looked almost startled. Then, in unison, they began to laugh.
Frank was the one who spoke up. "You think there's a story here? That someone will want to print? You know, none of the local reporters want to hear it. Believe me, we've tried to interest them . . ."
Kate nodded and replied with a non-committal, "I think."
"Well, just wait `till you hear about Pirates Key," Mary Jo said.
"Pirates Key?" She recognized it as an agenda item but couldn't think of what it concerned. Tonight had been the first she'd heard of it.
"That's our property," Frank explained. "It's, uh, a mile or so off Big Torch. We've owned it, oh, just over a year."
Lloyd nodded. He seemed to be looking around nervously. "Say, listen, Frankie. We really gotta go. It's getting late."
Frank's mouth opened, as if he was about to say something, then shut.
"Let me give you my card, you can call me," Kate said, peeling two off and handing one to each of them. They stood reading. He card said, simply, her name and phone number. "I write for a number of publications," Kate started to explain. "So, this is my generic..."
"Freelance?" Lloyd asked. It sounded like an accusation. They were about to lose interest.
So Kate said, "If you call me and we get together, I'll bring some of my pieces. That way, you'll get a better idea of what I do." She listed a few magazines and newspapers, trying to salvage this connection. She had a feeling, if she could get it, their story would be important. "Oh, anything you tell me could be confidential, it's up to you. Just name a time, I can come to you." Sensing an impasse, she handed Frank a notebook. "Would you write down your phone number? I'll give you a call."
"Oh, go on," Mary Jo urged. "Give the lady your number, I'll vouch for her. She's on the up-and-up." Since Mary Jo didn't even know her, Kate decided she really liked her style. And it worked. Apparently Mary Jo had some clout.
Frank handed her back the notebook, but took out a small chrome case and opened it, extracting a card. "Call me in the morning, that's the best time to get me in. You may end up just talking to me. Lloyd's a fishing guide, this time of year, I hardly see him." Bragging on his boyfriend. Then, he took a close look at Kate and added, "If he does get some down time, maybe we can persuade him to take you out to Pirate's Key."
"That'd be great," Kate said, thanking him.
As they were walking away, Frank turned and called over his shoulder, "Mary Jo? Tell her about Dr. Paul. Now, there's someone she should talk to. If she can find him."
Mary Jo nodded and waved at Frank.
"Dr. Paul?" That would be Dr. Paul Williams; but Kate played dumb.
"Dr. Paul Williams, a really wonderful guy. He had a short career in pediatrics down here, until they ran him out of town. The environmental police, the ones you're talking about. I think I could get you his number, I know someone who's in touch with him. Yes, you must talk to Paul Williams. Definitely. He lost everything. Everything. Just because the DEP decided they wanted his beautiful beach property. On Sugarloaf." Mary Jo stood for a moment staring after Frank and Lloyd, shaking her head.
Just then two women walked over to them. Mary Jo gave them each a big hug, then introduced them to Kate as the Kerwins, Jane and Bobbie. "These are some old friends of mine from Key West. They also own some property out on Little Torch. They also have a story. These good ladies have had their share of problems, MORE than their share. Believe me."
The Kerwins nodded their heads and started to mumble. They were, Kate judged, somewhere in their sixties and no one would ever make the mistake of thinking they weren't related. They had the same round rosy, faces, short white hair with bangs, bright blue eyes and dimples. A little chubby, they even dressed alike, in colorful two-piece shorts outfits, wide culottes and sleeveless long shirts.
"They bought a nice little piece of property out on Little Torch," Mary Jo began, telling their story. "For their retirement, you know. They planned to build a little retirement house out there when they stop working. Bobbie works in the City Clerk's office downtown. Has, for what, nearly eighteen years?" Bobbie nodded. "Janie manages the Margaret Truman laundry, I'm sure you know it. On the corner of Margaret and Truman?" Kate did. She had always enjoyed the cute play on words, since Harry Truman made it a habit to vacation in Key West.
"These are hard working people, in the old Key West tradition. These are not rich people, they've been here all their lives, worked for everything they had. They paid out on their property, a little bit every month, aren't I right, ladies?" The sisters nodded. "For two decades, a little bit a month. That's the kind of salt of the earth I'm talking about." Seeing the look on Jane's face, she blurted, "Now, don't get embarrassed at me saying that, Janie. It's the Lord's honest truth. These are good, hard-working, honest-as-the-day-is-long people. Now, why would someone come along and steal their property from them, I ask you? Tell Kate what happened, Bobbie."
"We were surprised a couple months ago when we went out to the property. You see, sometimes we take a nice drive out there on a Sunday. Just to walk around out there, look at it and dream. Imagine what it'll be like to live there one day. It's such a pretty spot. Anyhow, this particular Sunday..."
"...there was a chain across the land," Janie interrupted. "We couldn't even get on to our own land. There was a sign, too. No entrance, US Fish and Wildlife Service. You know what that is?"
"We found out all about them," Bobbie continued. "When I went to work on Monday, I got the numbers and tracked this down to a man named Henry Fielder. He's in their land acquisition office, right here in Marathon, as a matter of fact. I gave him a call and told him there must be some mistake. He said, No mistake. They intend to acquire our land."
"But, we don't want to sell it."
"And he was trying to find the money to purchase it, that's what he told me. They still haven't found the money. But, the chain's still there. They did give us a key to the padlock."
"Wait a minute," Kate said. "I thought you just said you didn't want to sell it."
"We don't," Janie replied. "We're just two old ladies, this was our investment for the future. But, they came to see us at home. The very next day. Three of them, all in uniforms, very official. They had i.d.'s and all."
"What did they tell you?" Kate asked.
"Intimidated them, is what they did," Mary Jo interjected. "Intimidated these law abiding ladies. Made them feel they had no choice.
"They told us, Mr. Fielder did, either we sell it to them or they'll just take it anyway. That was pretty much the gist of it," Bobbie explained. "They can do what they want, they're government. We decided we'd better sell it."
"They can't just swoop down and take these properties . . ."
"My dear, they can and they do. That's what's going on down here. Fascists, that's what they are," Mary Jo said.
"Well, we appreciate your interest, Miss Anderson was it?" Bobbie said, explaining that they wanted to get home before dark. "You know, it's hard to drive this road in the dark. Hard enough by day. I'm in the City Clerk's office, like I said. You can find me there any day." And they were off, still smiling pleasantly, even after telling of their outrage. No wonder Fish and Wildlife could have their way with them, Kate thought.
"I tell you, you must come by my office. I'll tell you stories that'll just curl your hair, as my sainted mother used to say," Mary Jo told Kate, enlarging on a metaphor. And I've got a lot of stuff that'll interest you. Why don't you drop by later this week? Just give me a ring, I'm often out with a client. Make it toward the end of the week, give me time to copy some things for you. And I'll get you Paul William's phone number, call me tomorrow on that. From what I remember, he's somewhere in Palm Beach. With his kids. Did you know he's a single father? What a pity, to run him out like that..."
Kate looked around them. The crowd had thinned and it was beginning to grow dark. She decided she'd better head for home, too. She thanked Mary Jo; what an ally she had found. All in all, it had been a lot more intense than she'd expected. She felt drained. But she also felt encouraged. There was a story here, a big story, and it looked like she could nail it down. On the drive home, she thought about the people she'd met, people who desperately needed her help. Well, nothing like the cold light of publicity to right a wrong that was being covered up, at least that was what she thought at the time.
To be continued next week.
Willing Seller is a work of fiction. The events and characters portrayed are imaginary. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is coincidental.
Ellen Sugarman's writing has appeared in publications such as Newsday, Time, Vogue, Ms., Penthouse, New York Times Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Sun Times, and the Miami Herald's Tropic Magazine.
As a freelance television producer, she has worked with ABC, Fox News, A&E and the BBC.
Several years ago, she produced a segment on environmental terrorism in the Florida Keys for ABC's 20/20. Although scheduled to run several times, the show was ultimately killed, reportedly because of pressure from the Nature Conservancy.
The program did air in the Keys, however, after activist Peter Anderson was able to obtain a videotape of the show and paid for time to run it on local cable television.
Among a number of shocking revelations, the program documents that former State Attorney Kirk Zuelch, while a member of the local Nature Conservancy board, offered to drop charges against property owners accused of environmental crimes if they would sell or give their land to the Nature Conservancy. Zuelch quickly resigned from the Nature Conservancy board after he was interviewed by 20/20.
Anderson encouraged viewers to tape the show when it ran on local TV. If you want to see this show, KWTN has a couple of loaner copies. Info: 292-2108.