Editorial by Robert Anderson
Publisher of the Lehigh Acres Gazette
It’s recently come to light that on June 26; Lehigh Acres Fire Board Chairman Commissioner Larry Becker was so intoxicated he fall down a small flight of stairs in the back of Mirror Lakes Golf Club restaurant and bar and broke some ribs and lacerated his face, after drinking pitcher after pitcher of Michelob Light with his so-called friends.
Why was he leaving the bar so intoxicated, was he going to drive has golf cart home?
During the incident one of the bar maids even take off her blouse to try to stop his facial bleeding. Becker even had someone call the Fire Department to take him to hospital.
Chairman Larry Becker
One person who talked to us but Becker’s public intoxication said maybe Mirror Lakes should name the bottom step “Becker’s Landing”. According to unnamed sources Becker’s favorite watering hole has been Mirror Lakes Golf Club for some time.
Is this what we need from our local elected officials, public intoxication, and fallen down drunkenness in Lehigh Acres? What would have happened if he got to use his golf cart and drove home, property damage or even a death?
Should politicians govern themselves in the exact same manner that the average taxpayer does? Or should they be held to a higher moral standard, and be held personally accountable for any improprieties and indiscretions that involve them, on any level. We, the citizens, are supposed to live up to a certain moral and legal conduct, and therefore our elected leaders should be setting the examples.
Florida Statute Annotated Section 856.011 provides that no person shall be intoxicated and disturbing the peace while in public. The statute also prohibits endangering the safety of another person or property while intoxicated.
So what are your feelings about this issue? Should Becker give a public apology? Or resign from the Lehigh Acres Fire Board? Or just find the nearest AA meeting.
Editor’s Note: The views expressed by Robert Anderson do not necessarily reflect those held by the staff of the Lehigh Acres Gazette. The Gazette provides a venue for people to express their opinions concerning any subject matter and presents this as “opinion,” not news.
Everyone can do as they choose on their own time. Politicians, elected officials, etc are people too. As long as it doesn’t affect the job they do, it shouldn’t matter.
Barbara when you become a elected official you give up part of your private time, and you take on a field of serving the public with no set time other than 24 hours. And once you are sworn in you are accountable for that Oath. I like Mr. Becker and feel he has preformed well how ever his actions are not in the best intrest of his position, my recomendations is that he must set his own punishment then we can see how much of a leader he is
This is sad. First he dismisses a uniquely qualified candidate to be our fire chief, just to hire his friend — then he has the nerve to get drunk in public. Probablly on our dime! Time to go — and take that troublemaker fire chief with you.
Just sad. Where were his friends or the management? “Say when” should have been said.
I would ask you Mr.Anderson if you were present when Mr. Becker fell.The “small” flight of stairs you say he fell down are fairly steep and metal with ridges in them that anyone wearing golf shoes could get caught on and trip and fall.The truth is he could just as easily have broken his neck or fractured his skull. As members we play golf a couple of times a week and we all have a couple of beers and “bust each other up” afterward which is not to say we drink pitcher after pitcher of beer. Mr.Becker lives on the golf course which is why he had a golf cart as many of us do. So as members it is our favorite “watering hole” and a place to enjoy each others company. The “Becker’s Landing” sign was a joke amoung the members who bust each others testicles constantly as any other group of guys do. Perhaps you are not invited to any groups like that and after reading your article I can understand why. Don’t talk about public officials unless you want to start at the highest office in this country and work down. This fire commissioner is probabaly the best we have had in a while with the best business sense. It seems to me I have read articles written about your past so I might use the old biblical saying,”let he who is without sin cast the first stone”. AA is not required here but you might give weight watchers a try. I’m sure it would be much more beneficial to you than you the effort you are putting into turning your rag into some sort of a neighborhood tabloid.
Mr. Fitzgerald,
We have photos of the stairs and multiple eye witness reports about this issue.
Mr. Fitzgerald by attacking our publisher does not prove your point at all.
One simple thing …. We, the citizens, are supposed to live up to a certain moral and legal conduct, and therefore our elected leaders should be setting the examples.
Did Mr. Becker live up to that simple rule?
Regards,
Lehigh Acres Gazette Web Team
Whoa. Higher standard? The public (as a rule)doesn’t fill its face with beer and perform a double gainer down the steps – front or back. Mr. Becker needs professional help. He should be fired for drinking Michelob Light.