Census 2020The meeting started with a presentation by Census Bureau Recruiting Manager Don Radcliff.  He described the importance of registering all Estero residents as the results of the 2020 Census will help determine the state’s representation in Congress, as well as how certain funds are spent for schools, hospitals, roads, and more.  They are hiring workers to earn extra income while helping get everyone counted.  If interested, please go to www.2020census.gov/jobs and fill out the application.  (Presentation)

Public Hearings

Resolution No. 2019-16 – Ad valorem taxes

Council approved this resolution, once again reducing the Village’s tax rate.  The new tax rate is 0.7726 mills ($0.7726 per $1,000 of assessed property value) which is the lowest millage rate in southwest Florida.  (Resolution) (Comparative tax rates)

Resolution No. 2019-17 – Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget

budgetCouncil approved this resolution adopting the final budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020. (Proposed Budget)

The proposed budgeted expenditures are as follows:

General Fund                   $ 5,596,670
Special Revenue                  1,138,830
Debt Service                       1,415,800
Capital Projects                 12,258,160

Total All Funds                 $20,409,460

Action Items

Resolution No. 2019-18 – Meeting Dates, Time, and Location for Meetings of the Village of Estero Council for 2020

Council approved this resolution adopting the meeting dates, time and location for Council meetings during the year 2020.  (Resolution)

Resolution No. 2019-19 – FDOT Beautification Grant Application

Council approved this resolution authorizing Village Manager Steve Sarkozy to apply for a beautification grant from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).  The Village will submit two grant applications to FDOT to pay for the installation of enhanced landscaping along US-41.  The two separate landscaping projects would include installation of landscaping along roadway shoulders on the northern and southern borders of Estero and installation of trees along the shoulders and median islands. These projects would complement the ongoing US-41 median landscaping project which is expected to start in October.  Funding could be approximately $100,000 per project.  (Resolution)

Estero Parkway roadway improvements approved, with street lights to be reviewed in 90 days

Council approved the award of a Request for Bids for Estero Parkway roadway and landscape improvements to Cougar Contracting LLC at a cost of $7,262,000.  This includes a contingency fund in the amount of $727,000 (10% of the total project cost) to cover unforeseen circumstances.  The budget for Estero Parkway is $9,300,000 which would fully fund the total project costs of $8,973,000.

Public Comment: 17 Estero Parkway residents spoke in favor of adding streetlights to this contract.

Council voted to defer approving streetlights, asking staff to come back within 90 days with the projected costs, including type of recommended streetlights, installation and associated maintenance fees.

Master Interlocal Agreement – gas tax

gas taxCouncil approved this agreement regarding a distribution formula for the allocation of revenue from local option fuel tax among Lee County, City of Bonita Springs, City of Cape Coral, City of Fort Myers, City of Sanibel, Town of Fort Myers Beach and the Village of Estero.  In the past, Lee County had separate agreements with each of the municipalities specifying their share of the 5-cent and 6- cent local option fuel taxes.   This agreement will provide a formula and expiration date that is consistent for all municipalities.  (Agreement)

Additional details will be available in the minutes of this meeting.  Residents may also view the archived meeting by going to the Village website http://estero-fl.gov/council/watch-meetings-online/.

The next Council meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 2, 2019.