Lee County
Resilient Lee Task Force talks recovery
Lee County will be receiving more than $1.1 billion from the federal government as a boost to continue recovering from Hurricane Ian. The funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with 70% earmarked for median-income level areas and 30% for other uses, amount to about $1,338 per person in the county, per the 2022 U.S. Census.
This led to the creation of Resilient Lee, a task force with 13 elected officials and community leaders. Those leaders will work with branch leaders covering eight subtopics, including planning and capacity, economic recovery, infrastructure, housing, education and workforce, natural resources, health and social services and cultural resources.
Over the course of 39 meetings, public input and data was gathered, which will be compiled into an action plan.
FGCU selects fifth president
Aysegul Timur was chosen to become Florida Gulf Coast University’s fifth president in a 7-6 vote by the school’s board of trustees, making her the first female president selected to lead the university. Following the retirement of FGCU’s fourth president, Mike Martin, Timur took over presidential duties July 1.
She was previously the university’s vice president and vice provost for strategy and program innovation. Timur moved to Naples 25 years ago and earned a doctorate from the University of South Florida, and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Istanbul.
At FGCU, she launched the micro-credentialing and digital badges initiative, and recently led the university to receive a $22.9 million grant from the Department of Commerce—Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Talent Grant for workforce development in Southwest Florida.
Lee County’s bed tax revenue plunges
After a record-setting March 2022, one year later, bed tax revenues dropped by 49.5%, from $11.3 million to an estimated $5.7 million. That estimated gap of about $5.6 million means Lee County will have less money to restore beaches, maintain sports facilities and market tourism.
There were downward trends across the board. Number of visitors (34.6%), visitor days (28.6%), room nights (30.6%), direct expenditures (31.4%) and total economic impact (31.1%) all sustained drops with similar percentages from a year prior.
Bed tax numbers were even greater because of the 31% of rooms that remain out of commission due to hurricane damage or destruction, with the bulk of available rooms bringing in more bed tax revenue because of higher room rates.
New development coming to Fort Myers
Alessio Development released renderings for the Terraces at Royal Palm, showing 40 townhomes and a 15-story condominium tower being placed for land currently occupied by Royal Palm Square in Fort Myers. Alessio bought the 14-acre site for $12 million last year.
“The point is to have a walkable, mixed-use community with dining, entertainment and shopping, with a luxury lifestyle in Fort Myers,” says Sawyer Smith, a Fort Myers attorney who is representing Alessio Development.
Renderings show a resort-style pool, green space, a wave pool and a condo tower with rooftop dining.
Collier County
Naples Pier design contract awarded
Naples City Council awarded Turrell, Hall & Associates a contract to provide design and engineering services for the repair of the Naples Pier. The firm will receive just less than $1.5 million.
The city in collaboration with Naples Youth Council conducted a public survey, which received more than 10,000 responses, to learn what is most important to locals about the pier and what they would like to see in the future design. Those surveyed were asked to list the top three reasons they visit the pier, with more than 70% stating they use it for sunset viewings, about 50% for sightseeing and just less than 50% for entertaining guests. In addition, 25% listed fishing as a use for the pier.
Although it is difficult for locals to see progress being made with the Naples Pier, county staffers assert that things are moving quickly behind the scenes.
Collier County has new superintendent
New Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli, who was appointed in May, is gearing up for the school year. Her agenda includes improving academics, bringing in a new student advisory council and connecting with parents, students and teachers.
Ricciardelli is a Naples native and has 28 years of experience in education, including serving as Collier interim superintendent and deputy superintendent. Early in her career, she worked in Broward, Orange and Seminole counties, where she served as a teacher and at Lely High School as an Exceptional Student Education specialist and dean of students. She also worked at Palmetto Ridge High School for six years as assistant principal of attendance and discipline, and returned to Lely as assistant principal of curriculum and instruction. Ricciardelli was later chosen to be principal at Golden Gate Middle School and later returned again to Lely to serve as principal before taking a position in district leadership.
Collier County receives $700M in road projects
More than $700 million of the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative is going to projects in Collier County, with the goal of improving traffic.
The initiative will invest $7 billion to prioritize 20 critical infrastructure projects. With Florida’s population projected to grow by 600 people every day over the next 30 years, the initiative will help relieve congestion, enhance safety, facilitate trade, promote economic growth and provide more resilient transportation infrastructure, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Of the 20 projects across the state, four are in Collier County. Those projects include $23 million for Interstate 75 at Pine Ridge Road interchange, $578 million for I-75 from Golden Gate Parkway to Corkscrew Road, $85 million for State Road 29 from County Road 846 E to New Market Road and $44 million for SR 29 from New Market Road to SR 82.
CCSO using AI to improve safety
Collier County Sheriff’s Office is using artificial intelligence software as a new way to prepare for dangers Southwest Florida may face. Rapid SOS is an intelligent safety platform that links more than 500 million devices, apps and sensors to various responders and agencies. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is one of them.
Michael Martin, CEO of Rapid SOS, said the region received a 3,000% spike in 911 traffic as Hurricane Ian struck SWFL. Even the best response systems in the world wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of spike, he said.
Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said combining 911 requests with the ability to geolocate enables his office to respond much more quickly and efficiently. The software will help them prepare for the next hurricane, and for unpredictable situations, such as school shootings.
