FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

BOARD EXTENDS MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR ISLANDS/GETS BRIEFED ON SANIBEL LAWSUIT COUNTERCLAIM

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 2, 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/2004/11-02-04/110204/110204.htm). They are:

Bridgeless Islands - Approved an extension to the Lee County Emergency Resolution declaring Lee County a Major Disaster Area for the purpose of authorizing the removal, transportation and disposal of "white goods" and construction and demolition ("C&D") materials from the bridgeless Barrier Islands through marinas on Pine Island until March 4, 2005. Also waived certain Land Development Code Regulations and their enforcement during the term of the Resolution to facilitate the use of Pine Island marinas for hurricane debris removal from the Barrier Islands. These actions will allow the post-disaster recovery process to continue for the Barrier Islands.

FEMA Consultant - Approved an agreement with Adjusters International to provide the county FEMA reimbursement consulting services. The company has vast experience - one of its clients was News York's Port Authority in response to the 9-11 disaster. About $40 million is at stake for reimbursement and Adjusters International fees of about $390,000 are one percent. The company also has been hired by the cities of Sanibel and Fort Myers.

Median Opening - Asked that the issue of closing a median opening along Bonita Beach Road near Sunshine Plaza be brought back in two weeks after Department of Transportation staff confers with the City of Bonita Springs and the plaza's owner. The closing is being recommended because of safety issues. The city wants to keep it open. The county will find out if an alternative opening is agreeable to the owner or if the City of Bonita Springs can find an engineer willing to sign off on the current opening.

Refinanced Bonds - Received proceeds from the Oct. 13 refinancing of $28.1 million of bonds originally issued in 1995 to help pay for the overpasses at Colonial and Del Prado boulevards as part of the Midpoint Memorial Bridge project. The county realized savings of $2.3 million from the refinancing.

Sanibel Library - Extended the interlocal agreement with the City of Sanibel for funding the Sanibel Library for one year with two additional one-year renewal periods. During that time, Sanibel will seek legislative approval to establish an independent special district, the Sanibel Public Library District that will charge its own property tax. Under the terms of the agreement, the county will remit to Sanibel 65 percent of the 0.6055 county library millage levied by the county and collected from property lying within the Sanibel city limits.

Causeway Lawsuit - Received a briefing from county attorneys about a counterclaim against the City of Sanibel over the Sanibel Causeway. The county has 15 days to amend its original counterclaim. County attorneys have indicated the counterclaim would include counts claiming damages due to business interference (in the original bond financing that unraveled due to the city's lawsuit and increased the project's cost); ask for an opinion as to whether Sanibel's portion of the surplus tolls has been improperly spent on non-transportation related expenses; and based on that decision an accounting of payments that may have been improperly spent so those amounts could be refunded.