County managers, chairs meet in Lee for summit
It was a formal meeting with informal conversation about topics that concern county commissioners and managers throughout Southwest Florida.
That’s how Lee County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Larry Kiker described it Wednesday when county commission chairs and county managers from six Southwest Florida counties (Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Hendry and Glades) met at the Lee County Administration East building for a daylong summit.
It was the first such gathering of what may become many to identify and discuss relevant policy issues throughout the area such as insurance, water quality and the economy.
“We talked about everything that’s important from a regional standpoint. We’re not looking for concrete solutions. We’re filling out the positions of all the counties,” Kiker said. “Are we looking things the same way as other counties? I’d say the answer is yes.”
Kiker said the most important issue that came up was flood insurance, and that they need to talk to the area’s U.S. contingent to work on what could possibly be devastating legislation.
“We have people who are going to lose their homes and businesses and will affect the market. We have a lot on the line with that one single subject,” Kiker said. “We need to develop options so we can manage our way out.”
Three FEMA-related issues that stuck out where the region would benefit from a unified voice:
n Local governments be given routine updates and an opportunity for meaningful input as FEMA moves through mandated affordability studies regarding flood insurance rates;
n Those counties join in asking the Legislature to exempt FEMA maps and regulations from Florida’s “Bert Harris” condemnation and taking laws;
n That other counties should share information and support as input and concerns are presented to FEMA about the process that will yield new flood maps in 2018.
Water quality was also identified as a concern, and as the counties buy more conservation property, it has gotten lost that the purchases were meant so projects could be put in place, Kiker said.
“Those projects aren’t getting done. We need to identify those projects and bring them to attention,” Kiker said.
Lee County could especially have a great year during the legislative session with the approval of water-related issues, such as the $18 million infrastructure project for the C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir, which could clean up the Caloosahatchee and its estuary.
“We’re thinking of looking at all the projects in the region and telling the state to spend it (in certain locations). We can come up with a consensus of where the projects are,” Kiker said.
Other projects include Palmona Park Water Quality Improvements, Nalle Grade Stormwater Park in North Fort Myers and Daniels Preserve.
In regards to the economy, which featured a presentation by Southwest Florida Economic Development Alliance’s Dennie Hamilton, Kiker said the biggest question is if Southwest Florida is preparing its workforce for the high-tech jobs it seeks.
“We’re prepared to accept large companies when they come here, but do we have people to fill the jobs?” Kiker said. “It’s one thing to get them here, it’s another to keep them here.”
During his presentation, Hamilton said historically, there has been no regional organization or regional brand for Southwest Florida, and that the region should see economic development as a regional issue and not just locally, the reasons being that the region has 1.2 million residents and a workforce of 500,000, a seamless presence for prospects and more national and international visibility.
Water was another important topic, especially quality and the new flood maps that came out by FEMA.
Kiker said the meeting was such a success that another is planned sometime after the election in Hendry County, where Amendment 2 could be the big issue.
“If they legalize marijuana, what does that mean? All kinds of things would have to happen because of that,” Kiker said. “If it doesn’t pass, we don’t have to worry about it.”