Marco Island city leaders reverse vote after meeting clears out

MARCO ISLAND, Fla.- The Marco Island City Council voted not to discuss launching an investigation into one of their own.

City leaders changed their votes at the last minute after the meeting cleared out Monday night. With only three members of the public still left in the room, council members voted 4-to-1 not to investigate Council Member Joe Batte.

Council Member Victor Rios was the only one to vote against the change while expressing his concern and want for an investigation.

Batte has recently come under fire after allegations surfaced he was abusing his power.

One neighbor has even hired a private investigator to look into what has been going on for the past four months involving Batte.

“I felt there was a definite intimidation factor here,” said private investigator Keith Perry.

A neighbor of Batte hired Perry after his tenant received a noise complaint back in March. The neighbor believes it was unfounded and only given because Batte made the complaint.

“If the chief of police continues to operate under the fear of his good friend and advisor, I am sure he too will follow the in the footsteps of the Fort Myers Police Chief Doug Baker,” said Perry at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Rumors of Batte’s abuse of power have been circulating for months. Some accuse Batte of wasting taxpayer dollars. Others say he is asking police to patrol his neighborhood when he is out of town, asking the city to keep his neighborhood clean and respond to his complaints.

Chief of Police Al Schettino spoke to the City Council Monday night saying much of what has been said over the past few months about Batte is false.

“She said we were erasing reporting and in cahoots with Batte,” Schettino said of a citizen who obtained the noise violation police report.

“We will see. The chief stood up there and said he will tell the members of the public the truth and forgot about 80 percent of the complaint,” said Perry. “It was probably politically correct but was it the truth, far from it.

During public comment a handful of people spoke, most asking for an outside investigation into Batte.

“I find all this very troubling and I do think Mr. Batte should be investigated,” said one resident.

There was much confusion in Monday’s council meeting over policy and how to vote to place something on next week’s agenda. The council voted in favor of discussing the potential investigation next week. When the room cleared out, council reversed their vote.