Light up Estero – Unity in the Community – a special event on December 3, 2022
(New Horizons Choir. See all the photos of Light up Estero in a slide show at the end of this article.) A great turnout by the Estero community on a beautiful day to gather and celebrate the holiday season and continuing recovery from Hurricane Ian at the Light up Estero event held at the Ocean Church. There were two different bounce houses to the delight of the children, and each family received vouchers for the various food trucks on site as well as a Christmas ornament. Village of Estero shopping bags were distributed with a suggested list of items [Read More.]
Interfaith Charities food pantry free to those in need in our area
Interfaith Charities of South Lee offers food from their pantry weekly to those in need living in households south of Gladiolus Road extending to Coconut Road in Estero. They also offer assistance for past due electric and water bills through a United Way grant. New clients must have proof of address and ID for all household members to register. Interfaith Charities of South Lee is a community service organization serving South Fort Myers, Estero and San Carlos Park. They are open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 17592 Rockefeller Circle, Ft. Myers 33967, 239-267-3510. To learn more [Read More.]
Kevin Greenville selected to serve as Village of Estero Finance Director
Kevin Greenville was introduced as the Village’s new Finance Director at a recent Council budget hearing. Greenville came to the Village having previously served as the chief financial officer for multiple governments in Maryland, and in several finance positions for a $1billion revenue health insurance company in the federal employee benefits health insurance program. Greenville is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has a Master’s of Science, Accountancy from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Financial Economics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Government Finance Officers [Read More.]
Estero residents receiving Hurricane Ian assistance in the Village Hall
FEMA now has a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in the Village Hall Council Chambers. The DRC is available to provide residents with everything they need to know about how to apply for assistance as a result of Hurricane Ian. FEMA staff assisted 14 residents the first afternoon they were open in Estero. They ask residents who have insurance to file with them first and then come to the DRC with the insurance estimate. If a resident has been denied by their insurance agency, they should bring the denial in to the DRC. They stressed that residents should continue to ask [Read More.]
Village Attorney, FEMA maps, and septic to sewer projects among topics presented before Council on November 16, 2022
Community Development Director Mary Gibbs “presents” Howard Levitan (on Zoom) with the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association’s Outstanding Elected Official Award The meeting started with Community Development Director Mary Gibbs recognizing former Councilmember and Planning, Zoning & Design Board Co-Chair Howard Levitan for receiving the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association’s Outstanding Elected Official Award. Gibbs stated that, “This is a very prestigious award given out annually for outstanding leadership and commitment. It’s unheard of to receive two awards in one year and is certainly a testament to Howard’s commitment, vision and passion.” Levitan, who served two terms on [Read More.]
Council to conduct a workshop on utilities expansion following their meeting on November 16, 2022
Council will start their meeting at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, addressing the Greater Estero Chamber of Commerce’s financial support for strategic plans for future growth and impact. They will then review a resolution for Village Attorney and a final budget amendment, then conduct public hearings for Milan Villas rezoning, flood hazard reduction standards and adopting the new Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Council will then conduct a workshop for an update on utility expansion projects. The full agenda is here.
Council conducted budget hearings on November 9, 2022
Public Budget Hearings Resolution 2022-33 – final millage rate Council approved this resolution adopting the ad valorem taxes for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 at a millage rate of 0.75 mills, which is a reduction from the prior year’s rate of 0.77. Council has voted five times to reduce the tax rate since incorporation, making Estero’s tax rate the lowest in Southwest Florida. Resolution 2022-34 – Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget Village Manager Steve Sarkozy gave a short presentation on the FY 2022-2023 budget commenting on the fact that the Village is debt-free, having paid off the loan for the Estero on the River [Read More.]
AT&T Cell Tower and Market Place at Coconut Point among presenters to the Planning, Zoning & Design Board on November 8, 2022
At the start of the meeting, it was announced that the Board’s vice-chair Marlene Naratil has submitted her letter of resignation from the Board. Her home was devastated by Hurricane Ian, so she is moving from Estero. Public Hearings AT&T monopole location The first public hearing addressed a special exception to allow a 100-foot-tall AT&T wireless telecommunications facility on the Bonita Springs-Estero Elks Lodge property at 3231 Coconut Road. The applicant had revised their original application from 149 feet to a 99-foot monopole with a 1-foot lightning rod for a total height of 100 feet. Space will be made available [Read More.]
“It takes a village…” and with the help of many local organizations, the Village is helping residents recover after Hurricane Ian
There has been a lot of publicity about local communities destroyed by Hurricane Ian, but many people don’t realize there are communities within our own Village of Estero that were devastated following the hurricane. Approximately 1,000 homes were drastically affected. Those communities west of US 41 were hit the hardest, in particular those living along West Broadway. These mobile home communities* have been home to residents for many years and some have lost everything – their cars, their household furnishings, clothing and precious keepsakes. Immediately following the hurricane, Village staff spent days traveling throughout Estero assessing the damage that occurred [Read More.]
Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Coconut Trace, Pelican Sound and Genova among topics addressed by Council on November 2, 2022
Public Comment on non-agenda items: George Zaluki, Chair, Board of Directors, Estero Forever Foundation (EFF), gave an update on the Foundation’s Hurricane Ian relief fund. To date, about $91,000 has been donated by Estero residents, churches and businesses. All monies will go to Estero residents who were drastically affected by the hurricane, primarily those residents along West Broadway. The EFF is partnered with the Village of Estero, the ECCL and the Greater Estero Chamber of Commerce in this relief effort. It’s easy to donate. Go to the Foundation’s website where you may donate online or get information on how to [Read More.]