The Lee County commissioners showed some of their exasperation with the iguana problem before settling down and unanimously voting to create a mechanism to collect untotaled dollars to fund an undefined effort. That's a scary interpretation that is also more than a little unfair to the commissioners. They now have legal ability to appoint a panel, with Boca Grande representation, to decide how to put the iguana on a "Rarely Sighted" list.

Boca Grande residents were not the only ones with comments. One gentleman identified himself as a candidate for commission office and proceeded to berate the incumbents for "throwing money" at every problem. He then made a campaign speech and lost the audience's attention. An earth-moving contractor asked "who decides which species gets eradicated and which species gets protected?" He tried to convince the panel that burrowing owls and manatees were both invasive exotics and should be bulldozed and bar-b-qued respectively. Laughter followed him back to his seat. The suggestion that a meat-packing

Dr. Jerome Jackson, to his credit, was passionate about the need to remove these pests. He listed the threat to the dune structure, the human health risks and the damage done to native species. He also called on the citizens of Boca Grande to be pro-active participants in the removal effort. Many already are doing their best.

There are new trap owners on the island and Wal-Mart is running low on CO2 pistols. Maybe we could form a league and compete. There are caveats to air gun ownership. It is not illegal to discharge an air gun on your own property and it is not illegal to kill iguanas. It is illegal to shoot within 1000 feet of a school or school bus. Lee County Sheriff's office will be strict about that. Trap them and take them to a more remote location if that is a factor. Be careful; if your pellet hits someone else's property there could be civil liabilities. The risk is low but it is there. Never shoot without a backstop.

Because there are prohibitions against relocating live iguanas it does come down to "catch and kill." One speaker at the meeting stated it is almost mutually exclusive for any program to be "effective" and "humane." It need not be so. There are humane capture traps available and once captured the animals can be "humanely" dispatched. I have done a little testing and find that within 10 feet a CO2 pellet gun is potent. Mine came with safety glasses,

The future of this year's reproduction cycle falls into the tender mercies of residents. It will take time for the county to decide what to do and how. County animal control is not standing by for orders yet.

The meeting generated a number of stories and commentary in the area's daily papers. Gavin

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