FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
               (239) 335-2777

BOARD APPROVES GOOD WHEELS FUNDING/SET BLASTING PUBLIC HEARING

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 6, 2004) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved (all votes were unanimous) the following items during its regular weekly meeting. They are:

Good Wheels - Approved up to $205,000 for Good Wheels to meet payroll and expenses through the end of February so it can continue to provide county ADA transportation service and services through the coordinated Transportation Disadvantaged Program. In the meantime, the Clerk of Courts will perform an audit to determine any shortfall in rates paid for ADA trips under the contract with the county and recommendations for resolving the funding issue. Based on the findings of the audit, county staff will prepare a recommendation for the Board to consider options for resolving the problem, including increases in rates to all participating entities in the coordinated system (not just the county's ADA portion), re-negotiation of the contract rates, going back to the market with a Request for Proposals for the service, taking the service in-house, or others.

Blasting - Scheduled a public hearing for next Tuesday (Jan. 13) to consider an emergency ordinance that would lower development blasting levels from .5 to .3 peak particle velocity. In December, the Board agreed to extend a moratorium on blasting in the Winkler Road Extension area, but not expand the moratorium to other unincorporated areas. The Winkler Road Extension moratorium is for 90 days while county attorney's draft ordinance options to further limit blasting or prohibit altogether. The emergency ordinance to be considered next week would last through May 1.

Lehigh Roads - Voted to take jurisdiction and maintenance of Abrams and Centennial boulevards in Lehigh Acres from the East County Water Control District. The roads require repairs and improvements of about $550,000 to bring them to county standards and alleviate flooding issues. The county and district will split this cost 50-50.

Tourism/Arts Funding - Approved a $100,000 contribution to develop The Arts and Attractions Fund (AAF) - a private/public partnership between the Alliance of the Arts and the Tourist Development Council, Southwest Florida Community Foundation and City of Fort Myers. The fund will offer grants for marketing and visitor enhancement projects to local arts, attractions and cultural entities. Also approved a $52,500 for the Edison-Ford Estates marketing. Both are tourist-tax funded project approved by the TDC.

Greenway Design - Awarded a consultant contract with David M. Jones Jr. and Associates for $263,239 to design the Ten Mile Linear Park. The proposed greenway would run from Hansen Street in Fort Myers to Mullock Creek south of Alico Road and on into Estero Bay. It would include biking and walking paths and possibly wildlife observation areas and canoe launches.

Causeway Design - Approved a $589,240 contract amendment with Hardesty & Hanover to change their initial engineering and design contract (approved Jan. 2003) for rehabilitating the drawbridge span of the Sanibel Causeway to a bridge replacement design, in accordance with the County Commission's action last fall to replace the drawbridge with a fixed span.

Babcock Ranch - Agreed to hold a "charette" with non-profit public- and private-sector entities to raise awareness about the possible purchase and preservation of the Babcock Ranch and the environmental possibilities for that land. Details have not been finalized.

Single-Member Districts - Unanimously opposed a bill by state Rep. Bruce Kyle to change the County Commission to single-member districts and urged those with views about the subject to voice their opinions at the next county Charter Review Committee meeting, Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m.

Beach Access - Withdrew an agreement with Pink Shell Resort to swap land for a beach access walkway due to property description issues in the legal advertisement. The county will re-advertise and take up the matter at a later date.