FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

BOARD APPROVES FUNDING FOR JAIL OPERATIONS/SETS IN MOTION TWINS CONTRACT RENEWAL

FORT MYERS, FL (June 8, 2004) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved the following items during its regular weekly meeting (backup can be viewed at
http://www.lee-county.com/meetings/agendafiles/2004/06-08-04/060804web/060804.htm). They are:

Jail Overcrowding - Approved $590,468 for the Sheriff's Office to staff the second floor of the core jail building at the Ortiz Correctional Facility to relieve current jail overcrowding. Annualized cost for 42 correctional officers and other expenses to operate the second floor (224 beds) is $3.3 million and is included in next year's Sheriff's budget request. The average daily jail population has increased by more than 200 inmates this fiscal year, creating a need to hire and staff all housing areas of the core building.

Twins Agreement - Approved a total of $900,000 to build a 6,000-square-foot weight room and meeting facility for the Minnesota Twins at the Lee County Sports Complex. The funding is contingent on the Twins agreeing to a lease extension to 2020, with two, five-year options that could take the term to 2030. The funding is $500,000 from Tourist Development Council (tourist tax) reserves in the stadium debt account and $400,000 of county construction budget reserves. The county hopes to have the Minnesota Twins lease extension finalized later this month.

Causeway Funding - Authorized establishing the budget accounts for the $40 million of tax-exempt commercial paper the county will issue as temporary financing for the Sanibel Causeway bridges replacement.

Justice Center Renovations - Approved a guaranteed maximum price of $4.46 million to Centex Rooney Construction Company for the renovations to the 4th and 5th floors of the Justice Center (Pods A and B). The project includes renovations, restroom remodeling, elevator lobby improvements and central energy plant alterations.

Animal Services - Accepted a $9,700 grant from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation to help support the cost of Animal Services supplying KIND News subscriptions to Lee County public schools, grades kindergarten through 5th grade. The monthly publication provides humane education and teaches responsible pet ownership.

Del Prado Study - Approved $500,000 for a corridor study for a new road connection from Cape Coral/North Fort Myers/Bayshore to I-75. The Board has requested that the scope and geographical limits of a corridor study be expanded to include not only extending Del Prado Extension to I-75, but to incorporate the entire Del Prado Corridor from Cape Coral Parkway, including Cape Coral's request for widening and maintenance of Del Prado from S.R. 78 to U.S. 41. Cost sharing for improvements would be determined through the study.

Other:

 •Observed a moment of silence prior to the Board meeting in remembrance of President Ronald Reagan.

 •Thanked the City of Fort Myers and developers of the Parker Daniels residential project for agreeing to additional monitoring of water quality once the development is completed and to tie-in to the city's reclaimed water lines once that is available in 2005.

 •Requested the county's Community Development Department research any regulations that may be necessary to mitigate homes in subdivisions being built next to each other at different base heights, which could create flooding issues.

 •Asked the county Marine Sciences staff to research Palm Beach County's program that buys the right of access on existing water accesses and boat ramps to help alleviate the shortage of these facilities.