Fort Myers Beach News - Island Sand Paper -Top Story Archives

02/16/2012 at 4:42pm

Mayor Kiker Brings the Beach to Tallahassee

Last Wednesday, Mayor Larry Kiker accompanied Fort Myers Mayor Randall Henderson, Town Attorney Jim Humphrey and Helen Gorman, Grant Writer for the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, on a trip to Tallahassee to meet with the Southwest Florida delegation of senators to speak on two primary issues specific to the needs of Fort Myers Beach: funding for the completion of the Mound House and fairer

representation on the Tourist Development Council (TDC). The group spent all day meeting with Senators Garrett Richter and Lizbeth Benacquisto and Representatives Matt Caldwell and Gary Aubuchon, and saw results from their efforts on both issues.

Tourist Development Council

The TDC was formed in 1982, when residents of Lee County voted by referendum to form a tourism organization that would promote Lee County's off-season vacation assets in the United States and abroad. A two-percent tax on short-term accommodations was approved to support the new Lee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and its promotions. In 1988 an additional one percent tourist tax was levied to a total of three percent to support the Beach & Shoreline Capital Improvement Program, and in 2005 one more percent was added bringing what's commonly known as the 'bed tax' to five percent.

Issue 574

02/09/2012 at 4:25pm

COP Ordinance Presented
at Council Workshop

A consistent policy regarding COP (Consumption on Premises) on the beach got one step closer to reality Monday when Town Council reviewed the latest version of the ordinance and asked staff to make several additional changes before the ordinance – which was passed by the Local Planning Agency (LPA) on January 12th – goes before council in the first of several public hearings beginning next month.

Before beginning the discussion, council broke with tradition when they elected to allow public comment before a workshop. Beach Pub co-owner Lou Caleca went first, asking if the requirement for biodegradable cups could be dropped due to expense.

Issue 573

02/02/2012 at 4:30pm

Water, Water Everywhere,
But Not Enough to Drink"

A week of cloudy skies doesn't keep our motel rooms from filling up, a week of cold weather won't stop our agriculture from feeding the rest of the country, but if we turn on the taps and the water stops coming out, our economy is done.” - Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater

Renowned environmental journalist and award winning author Cynthia Barnett was the guest speaker at a Conservation Forum on water sponsored by the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and the Everglades Foundation Tuesday night. Held at the Sanibel Community House, Barnett spoke to a room packed with over 200 people on the importance of developing a 'water ethic' that will help Floridians to embrace a new way of thinking in order to make sure that enough freshwater remains for future generations.