May 19, 2021 / Issue #2021-20

Important notice about FMB Community Pool

The kid pool and large slide are temporarily closed due to a delay in the contractor getting a new pool pump installed. Health Department guidelines require the kid pool to be closed until the pump is replaced.

However, a few water features are still open for smaller kids to enjoy until the kid pool is reopened. The lap pool is open as well and programs are available. 

Swim lessons will resume this summer! Watch the Town’s website and social media outlets for details as they become available.

Water aerobics are at 9 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Aqua strength is at 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 

For more info,  visit FMB Community Pool.

UPDATE: Estero Boulevard Lighting Project

The stakeholders group that was created at the direction of Town Council to provide input for the Estero Boulevard Lighting Project has met twice, on March 24 and May 12.

The meetings were hosted by REDD, Inc., DBA Town Lighting Engineers. REDD, Inc., has been contracted by the Town to begin to address longstanding safety and wildlife-friendly lighting concerns on Estero Boulevard. 

Watch the second meeting of the stakeholders group from May 12.

Visit Projects Around Town to learn more about this project and others.

New look to the Town's website coming May 24  

For the past several months, staff have been working through a redesign of the Town's website with CivicPlus. CivicPlus is the vendor that the Town has used for many years to host the website and provide the structure for staff to manage the content.

This redesign was necessary for many reasons, one of which was to bring the site into compliance with standards set by federal law for people with disabilities to access information. The other reasons were to match the Town's branding strategy that was adopted by Town Council in 2020 and update content, menus, and page layout that had not been refreshed in several years. 

Most users of the site should see the new look Monday morning, though population of all of the elements can take up to 48 hours for some users. The links that users need to pay utilities, request public records, find code and building information, and access other information will still be available, maybe just in a different place.

Your patience with this changeover process is much appreciated! If you do encounter issues, please use this form to let us know or call Jenny Dexter, Communications Coordinator, at 239-765-0202, ext. 1112.

Since October, the website has been monitored by Audio Eye, a web-based software, for compliance with accessibility standards for people with disabilities. In addition to Audio Eye, staff continue to review and revise all documents contained in the site prior to 2021 for accessibility. Until that process is complete, some documents may not be accessible to optical character readers (OCR) and screen readers but alternative means to receive those documents are available. 

To receive any desired information through alternative means, please submit a public records request electronically or call the Town Clerk’s office at 239-765-0202. 

Sea turtle nesting season is May 1-October 31

• Turn off unnecessary lights
• Make outside lights turtle friendly: fully shielded from beach view, low to the ground, downward directed fixture, long wavelength, wildlife friendly bulbs
• Block interior lights from beach view: use black out curtains, set an alarm to close the curtains at 9 p.m., move interior lights away from windows, use 15 percent transmittance tinted “turtle” glass
• Clear the Path: fill in holes on the beach before leaving for the day, remove beach furniture and other obstructions

If you see a turtle on the beach, do not disturb it with lights or photos or noise.
Quietly back away and let the mama turtle lay eggs and return to the ocean.

See The Town’s 2021 Sea Turtle Conservation Flyer

For more information, visit turtletime.org

Questions?
Contact Chadd Chustz, Environmental Project Manager
chadd@fmbgov.com, (239) 765-0202 Ext. 1312 

Congratulations on your American Idol success Casey Bishop!

PROCLAMATION

 
WHEREAS, Casey Bishop, a resident of Lee County, is a talented young lady who has grown up in Southwest Florida gathering local attention as an exceptional singer;
 
WHEREAS, Ms. Bishop was chosen for and has competed for several weeks on the popular national show American Idol on the ABC network;
 
WHEREAS, Ms. Bishop has been quite successful in the competition on American Idol, voted as a top five finalist;
 
WHEREAS, American Idol promotes and recognizes the finalists on its show with pre-recorded public visits to their hometowns, which is shared with the American Idol audience and fans;
 
WHEREAS, in that pre-recorded visit, Casey was to perform in the Town of Fort Myers Beach at Lee County’s Crescent Beach Park;
 
WHEREAS, Town Council is immeasurably proud of Ms. Bishop; is grateful for the attention that her talents and success on American Idol are bringing to the Town and Lee County; and wants to ensure that she receives every well wish possible for future success.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Town Council hereby proclaims Tuesday, May 18, 2021 as Casey Bishop Day in the Town of Fort Myers Beach.

View Mound House Upcoming Outdoor Nature &
Education Events for:
May 13 through May 22, 2021

and Mound House & Newton Beach Park Program Calendars for:
  May 2021  and June 2021

Volunteers needed for lead and copper water
testing from their household taps

The Town's Utility Department is looking for volunteers to participate in the upcoming lead and copper sampling as required by the United State Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Lead and Copper Rule.  

The Lead and Copper Rule, 40 C.F.R. Sections 141.80 to 141.91, requires monitoring at the consumer taps to identify levels of lead in drinking water that may result from corrosion of lead-bearing components in a public water system’s distribution system or in household plumbing. These samples help assess the need for, or the effectiveness of, corrosion control treatment. 

Interested? Email fmbh2o@fmbgov.com to register.  

The Utility Department is planning on collecting the required samples in July 2021.  All participants will be contacted and provided with all supplies necessary for sample collection.  

Hurricane season starts June 1
ALL HAZARDS GUIDE FROM 2020 
provides some resources to help you be ready 

Brochure available at Town Hall while supplies last

Find other resources on the Town’s website

People who live in, work in, or visit the Town of Fort Myers Beach are being asked to take part in an  online survey  conducted by the Public Safety Committee.

The survey is designed to determine the community’s level of need and interest in the possible development of a community policing/neighborhood program.

Topics that the survey addresses include pedestrians, homelessness, bike traffic lanes, law enforcement response, street lighting, and neighborhoods.

The Public Safety Committee will review the results and make recommendations to Town Council.

Deadline to take the survey is May 28.

Receive urgent alerts through the Town's CodeRed system by text and/or email

Come work at the beach!

Our fun and unique beach town is hiring! 

Current openings:

• LIFEGUARD/RECREATION AID (PART-TIME)
• MAINTENANCE WORKER I - BAY OAKS
• MAINTENANCE WORKER - HISTORICAL PROPERTIES
• MUSEUM INTERPRETER
• UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE CLERK

Learn more and apply 

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