November 17, 2021 / Issue #2021-46

Mayor Murphy and Vice Mayor Hosafros chosen again to lead Town Council

In accordance with the Town's Charter Section 4.02 and 4.03, "At the first meeting after the second Tuesday in November, the Council, by majority vote, shall elect from its membership" a Mayor and a Vice Mayor. 

The Town Charter also defines the roles of Mayor and Vice Mayor:  

• "The Mayor shall serve as chairperson during meetings of the council and shall serve as the head of municipal government for the purpose of execution of legal documents as required by ordinance. The Mayor shall also serve as the ceremonial head of the Town."
• "The Vice Mayor shall serve as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor and, if a vacancy occurs, shall become interim mayor pursuant to section 4.08 of this charter."

Shop the FMB Library book sale this weekend

Seasonal service by LeeTran to resume November 21

Beach service will include three trams, estimated to run every 15 minutes, depending on traffic. Tram service will be seven days a week starting at 8 a.m. from Bowditch Point Park with the last pickup at 11:30 p.m. at Matanzas Pass Preserve.

The open-air, multi-car trams provide an easy, fun way to travel along the beach from hotels to restaurants to shopping and other attractions. 

Schedules for routes
  
Follow service-related updates or learn more

Shop the Mound House store for holiday gifts on November 27 and get a discount

Receive a 20 percent discount off your entire purchase in recognition of national Small Business Saturday when you shop at the Mound House store on November 27.

The store has a variety of items for the entire family specializing in local products that promote conservation and creative learning. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The address is 451 Connecticut Street, Fort Myers Beach.

The Mound House Museum will be open to visitors for tours during those same hours for an additional fee.

American Express began Shop Small Saturday in 2010 to encourage people to shop at their local small businesses. It has grown into a national movement recognized on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Mound House is on the national register of historic places and has been designated a 2020 Traveler’s Choice destination by Trip Advisor. It is a true historical and natural gem located in the Town of Fort Myers Beach in a gorgeous setting overlooking Estero Bay. 

Mound House and its grounds sit atop a 2,000-year-old Calusa Indian Shell Mound. Garden and kayak tours are offered as well as beach walks at nearby Newton Beach Park.

The grounds are free to explore daily from sunrise until sunset.

This week at Mound House

November 18 through November 27

Mound House Outdoor Nature & Education December 2021 Events 

Mound House November 2021
Program Calendar

Dear Fort Myers Beach Neighbors: 
Take Advantage of Two Opportunities to Make your Voice Count

 
The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control and Rescue District is currently undergoing the development of a three to five year strategic planning process. The public is being invited to provide input to develop this plan that will be implemented over the next several years. 
 
Take the survey by midnight on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021.

The District will also be hosting a community meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. remotely via Zoom. Participants are asked to register in advance.

Questions? Contact Dr. Margaret Banyan who is facilitating this process.

mbanyan@comcast.net 
239-707-0674 

Vote for
the Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade every day between now and December 6 in the 
USA TODAY 10Best  contest
for favorite holiday parade in North America !

Like and share this  to help spread the word!

Environmental education booth monthly schedule

Federal grant of $1 million received to assist in the redevelopment of Bay Oaks

The grant is from the National Park Service - Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF provides funding to the federal agencies and the states. In the State of Florida, NPS/LWCF partners with the Department of Environmental Protection - Division of State Lands and its Land and Recreation Grants Program.

The funding will be available starting January 1, 2022 and is predicated by a match from the Town. The project and associated grant are slated to enhance the 15-acre Bay Oaks Recreational Campus. The planned project now includes both active and passive, indoor and outdoor recreation.

“Out of 25 county and municipal grant applications from across the state of Florida, our Bay Oaks project ranked eighth on the priority list,” said Town Manager Roger Hernstadt. “In addition, this is the first time that the LWCF has provided grants of $1 million and we were one of four development applications to receive a grant of this magnitude due to the extraordinary efforts of Town staff.”

Plans to redevelop the Town’s largest park located at 2731 Oak Street have been under discussion by Town Council, the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board (BORCAB) and the local community since 2018. The design firm, DRMP, Inc., was contracted by Town Council in 2019.

Project plans were enhanced in 2020 as initial designs had only been for renovations to the entryway from Estero Boulevard. Enhancements include a new building for the creation of programs for all ages to meet the current and future needs of the community, space for additional classes such as Yoga and Pilates, and an amphitheater.

Ball fields are now also part of the expanded project scope of work which includes but is not limited to:

• Two ball fields with lighting
• Improved entrance and exit for pedestrians and vehicles
• Outdoor basketball, pickleball, tennis courts
• Stage for concerts and events

Bayside Park redevelopment moves forward with Council's approval of Wright Construction as the contractor

One of the Town’s three large redevelopment projects that have been involved in years of planning was given the green light to proceed to the construction phase at a Town Council meeting in November.

Authorization was given by Council to the Town Manager to execute contract documents with Wright Construction for the redevelopment of Bayside Park in the Downtown District on Old San Carlos Boulevard.

The construction is expected to cost $885,346 which includes $44,267.30 as contingency. A start date will be set during the process of executing the contract documents.

Redevelopment plans for Bayside Park have been under discussion for the past few years along with two other iconic areas of Town - Bay Oaks Recreational Campus and Times Square.

In November 2020, Town Councilors finalized a $10 million loan secured through First Florida Integrity Bank to fund all three projects. Grants to help offset the cost of these projects are also being pursued.

A new ordinance (21-06 - Prohibit the Distribution of Non-Marine Biodegradable Straws) was adopted by Town Council on November 1 to allow an environmentally friendly new alternative to petroleum-based plastic straws and paper-based straws. The Town’s first ban on plastic straws was adopted in 2017 and this new ordinance replaces the original one.

When is a permit required?
Visit the Town’s Website  to see the list of projects that require a permit and projects that do not. 

The Town's online permitting service is called iWorQ and can be used to:

• Search and view permits
• View status
• Download/ print approved documents
• Pay fees
• Schedule inspections

PERMIT SEARCH
If you are searching for record information or paying fees,
you are not required to create an account.

Birds are migrating to FMB for the winter

Keep up on the schedule of Town Council and advisory committee meetings

View the meeting calendar on the Town's website for the

Upcoming meetings

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has partnered with DemandStar which is open and accessible to all businesses and gives instant access to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs 

Read more about bids and proposals