FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Donald D. Stilwell, County Manager

(941) 335-2221

LEE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR RESIGNS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 11, 2000) – J.W. French submitted his resignation today as Lee County’s Public Works Director.

French had been on suspension, with pay, since June 8 pending the outcome and resolution of the Clerk of Courts’ internal audits of utility matters. Jim Lavender, Director of Construction and Design, will continue to serve as interim Public Works Director.

French was hired by the county’s Transportation Department in April 1991. He was promoted to Public Works Director in February 1993. His current salary was $111,228.

The county’s Public Works Director directly oversees three county departments (Transportation, Environmental Services and Construction & Design) with 601 employees and operating and capital budgets last year of $320 million. Environmental Services includes the divisions of Utilities, Solid Waste and Natural Resources.

The county will continue to review the findings – and take corrective action if necessary – of the Clerk’s recent internal audits of utility purchases and the utilities operations and maintenance contract with Severn Trent-Avatar Utility Services.