By Dawn De Busk 

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Imagine yourself here in this postcard perfect part of town.

The Town of Naples’ Information Center plans to put up a 4-X-6 foot cut out, where people can put their faces into the image for a photo opportunity.

The artist’s sketch has two spots where people put their faces: to either appear as the person on water skis or as the person waving from a float plane. The Songo River Queen II is in the background scene. At the top of the cut out are the words: Welcome to Naples. 

On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen unanimously decided to move forward with having the cut out completed and placed somewhere in the Causeway District. 

The only drawback was where to put the tourist attraction. 

After all, there had been a huge effort on the part of people involved in planning to keep the Causeway free of signs after the new bridge was built and the Causeway was renovated.

In the end, the board could not decide where the best place would be. So, that was tabled. However, the board did give a nod of approval for the Information Center to make the plywood cut out. It is being done by an art teacher at Lake Region High School.  

Naples Town Manager John Hawley introduced the agenda item, the Naples cut out which is being paid for by the Information Center and private donations.

Selectman Kevin Rogers said the image was fun, and he knew it would prompt a lot of photo opportunities for tourists and locals alike.

“I don’t see any place on the Causeway” to put it, Rogers said. 

“The idea was not to clutter the Causeway,” Vice-Chair Bob Caron II said.

Caron suggested putting it over by the flag pole that flies the large American flag. 

Rogers questioned whether or not the Bay of Naples Condos owns some of that property.

Resident Doug Bogdan stood up and offered his viewpoint. He was concerned that if the cut out were on the Long Lake side of the Causeway, it would be in the way of the scenic views for some people taking pictures. 

“It doesn’t have to be on the water side, facing the lake. It could be on the other side of the street — in front of Dick Dyke’s house. It doesn’t have to be blocking the view of the water.”

Selectman Colin Brackett clarified the length of time the cut out would be set up. It was determined it would be during the summer season, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 

“Let’s give it a try,” Selectman Ted Shane  said, adding that the decision of where to put it should be left up to the town manager.

Hawley later said he did not want to be the one to decide on a location for the cut out. 

“I am not opposed to that space above the flag pole,” Shane said. 

Rogers said, “Either there or Kent’s Landing.”

Hawley addressed securing the cut out.

“One of the concerns I have: This is only going to held in the bar with rebar. As you are aware, recently a lot of material has been thrown in the lake,” Hawley said.

The cut out could be tossed into the lake.

Caron agreed, saying, “I think it has to be more permanent.”

Brackett brought the topic back to the location. 

“I am worried about the flag pole —  people stopping, jumping out to take photo, and blocking traffic,” he said. 

“They do that for nice sunsets, too,” Caron said.

Caron suggested that the board approve the artist’s sketch so that work on the cut out could get started. 

Rogers restated the importance of not cluttering the Causeway. 

“It’s fun. It’s great art work,” he said. “I don’t want to be a fuddy-duddy” but the Causeway is not the best spot for it.

“They worked real hard not to have signs on the Causeway,” Caron said.