WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23, 2022
VOLUME 37, NUMBER 48
Town council votes to waive permit fees for 90 days By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted Monday to approve the waiving of permit fees relating to work necessitated by Hurricane Ian. The waiving of permit fees will be allowed for those who have received approval for building permits up to 90 days since Hurricane Ian, which will run
through Dec. 27. Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said the intent of the fee waiver was to be in concert with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, which waived its fees for 90 days. Mayor Dan Allers said the fire department’s waiver of fees was for accepted permits and approved permits so as to not have a flood of permits applied for near the 90th day.
“The last thing I think we want to do is have 2,000 permits come in on that 90th day and everyone expecting they are going to have their permit fees waived,” Allers said. Allers said the waiver on permit fees was intended to provide some relief to property owners. “It’s not just an opendoor policy,” Allers said. Town of Fort Myers Beach
Councilmember Bill Veach had expressed concern about the waiving of the fees, as it could potentially cost millions of dollars in revenue it will be losing in other budgeted revenue items including construction permit fees and parking meters. “This is not our money. This is the taxpayers’ money,” Veach said. See PERMIT FEES, page 3
Curfew hours changed By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
New manager hired By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
n a span of one week the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council welcomed two new councilmembers after an election in which voters ousted the mayor, accepted the resignation of the manager, rescinded the acceptance of the manager’s resignation, suspended the manager with pay after
I
insidetoday
rescinding the acceptance of his resignation, appointed the uncle of the vice mayor as the interim manager at no pay, announced the search for another interim manager, again accepted the resignation of the former manager and then hired two new interim managers to replace the interim manager.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council approved the hiring of Chris Holley (pictured) as the new interim manager on Monday. Holley and his firm H2 Solutions will handle interim management duties over the next six months. Holley will be working on Fort Myers Beach until January when his counterpart See NEW MANAGER, page 3 Kevin Wilkins will take charge on the ground. PHOTO PROVIDED
The Town of Fort Myers Beach has changed its curfew hours, following action by the town council Monday and consultations with the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The new curfew hours for those crossing the Matanzas Pass Bridge on the north end of Estero Island have been changed to 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. For the Big Carlos Pass Bridge entrance and exit on the south end, residents can enter and exit from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Fort Myers Beach Communications Director Jennifer Dexter said. Dexter said contractors will need to continue to adhere to the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew at the Big Carlos Pass Bridge exit and entrance. The reason for the difference between the Matanzas Pass Bridge curfew hours and Big Carlos Pass Bridge curfew hours is that the City of Bonita Springs is maintaining a curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Bonita Beach faces similar debris issues to Fort Myers Beach. In an email, Dexter said "residents should be prepared to show proof of residency if they are traveling on and off the island during the curfew hours."
Letters to the Editor.....................................................4 Beach Living.................................................................8 Web Poll........................................................................4 Beach Bulletin.......................................................11-18 Business.......................................................................6