School board opts for county redistricting map
The School Board of Lee County will bring Lee County’s map of choice to a vote on Dec. 7.
The board members who chose Map 5 as their first choice were Board members Cathleen O’Daniel Morgan, Debbie Jordan, Melisa Giovannelli, Mary Fischer and Chris Patricca.
The option is the same one that the Lee County Board of County Commissioners also voted upon, which includes 13.81 square miles of area change.
Planning Growth & Capacity Director Kathie Ebaugh said there are only three districts impacted by changes in the map. The changes are at the edge of District 4, which takes away a little from District 1 in the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers area. In District 5 it takes a tad from District 4 in the Tice area.
District 3 and District 2 remains the same.
“This is strictly about a legislative boundary, a political discussion, the electoral map that helps us determine who would be elected in what areas,” she explained. “We have five independent legislative representatives and two at large.”
While the Lee County Commission has five seats, all elected by voters countywide, the school district has seven seats with five elected only by voters within a particular district and two, Districts 6 and 7, that are elected by voters county wide.
Chief of Staff Dr. Denise Carlin said the public will have the opportunity to provide input during the Dec. 7 board meeting during public comment.
Following the vote, staff will work on the required notifications and getting the redistricting map certified by the state of Florida.