WEEK OF AUGUST 20, 2025
Volume 63, number 40
City council asks for changes to draft budget
By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
At its recent budget workshop, the Sanibel City Council directed staff to include a design plan and feasibility study recommended for the city’s Surface Water Management Master Plan in the proposal. On Aug. 12, the council reviewed the most recent draft budget for fiscal year 202526. Deputy City Manager and Finance Director Steve Chaipel explained that the preliminary taxable property value from the Lee County Property Appraiser on July 1 was $5,634,817,483. In comparison, the pre-Hurricane Ian valuation was $6,357,621,055 — down 11.4% — and this year’s value was $4,687,992,704 — up 20.2%. The not-to-exceed 2.5000 millage rate approved last month — the same rate as the current fiscal year — would result in See COUNCIL, page 20 SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
ISLANDERINSIDE
The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District reminded motorists to “Slow Down, School’s Back In Session” last week as School District of Lee County students returned to class, including at The Sanibel School.
School resumes for Sanibel students as new year starts
By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Students returned to The Sanibel School on Aug. 11, kicking off the start of the new year.
“Our first day was extremely successful. We had smiling faces, we had incredible families,” Principal Jennifer Lusk said, adding that families again had the opportunity to walk See SCHOOL RESUMES, page 19
Sanibel fire board updated on station projects
By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District’s commission heard updates on the design of one fire station and the construction of the second one during its recent meeting, plus adjusted the fire prevention fees. On Aug. 13, Schenkel Shultz’s Nathalie White gave a presentation on the plans for the reconstruction of Station 171 on Palm Ridge Road. Similar to how the engineering, architectural and design firm approached Station 172, it looked at what makes Sanibel special, along with the his-
tory of the district. She spoke of the over 100-year-old, two-headed sabal palm at the station that did not survive Hurricane Ian. Once a symbol to the district and used on its patches, she reinterpreted it for the design elements. As for the demo site plan, White explained that the existing station will be demolished. However, they will retain the apparatus bay and training building. The
rebuilt station will have a smaller footprint. She continued that the new station’s ground floor will have an elevation of 16 feet, which was requested by Fire Chief Kevin Barbot. It will exceed the 13 feet required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as it is a HUD project that is receiving federal funds. See FIRE BOARD, page 21
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