Anny Sanchez (front right) surrounded by her family, Mayor Joann Ribble, Estero High School Assistant Principal, Lee County School District and Lee County School Board members and Council

Mayor Joanne Ribble and Councilmembers presented Estero High School student Anny Sanchez with a letter of recognition for her exceptional commitment to academics, athletics, and service.  While balancing cross country and track, she has maintained employment, completed extensive volunteer service, earned her AICE Diploma by the end of her junior year, and secured acceptance into FGCU’s full-time dual enrollment program for her senior year.  She has achieved all of this while earning an impressive 5.44 GPA and ranking third in the Estero High School Class of 2026.

Mackenzie Lehigh (front right) surrounded by her family, Mayor Joann Ribble, Bonita Springs High School Vice Principal, Lee County School District and Lee County School Board members and Council

Mayor Joanne Ribble and Councilmembers presented Estero resident and Bonita High School freshman Makenzie Lehigh with a letter of recognition for consistently demonstrating what it means to be a leader both on and off the court. She approaches every practice and competition with a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and a genuine willingness to challenge herself and grow.  Makenzie has maintained an outstanding cumulative GPA of 4.0, further reflecting her dedication to excellence.

Action Items

Williams Road & Atlantic Gulf Blvd. amendment

Public Works Director David Willems explained that the Village and consultants have been working for several years to obtain property easements to construct the proposed Williams Road & Atlantic Gulf Blvd. improvements project. Negotiations with one adjacent property owner recently reached an impasse, forcing a redesign of the project. To complete the redesign, the Village needs additional services to be performed by Kisinger Campo & Associates (KCA) that were not contemplated in the original contract.

Council approved a contract amendment to Kisinger Campo & Associates to provide additional professional services to secure right of way and provide additional permitting assistance for a not to exceed amount of $241,212.

Resolution 2026-01 – Purchasing Card Program

The Village’s Finance Director Kevin Greenville and his staff have examined the feasibility of creating a P-Card program for the Village and their examination of historical spend data demonstrates that the Village makes sufficient recurring purchases which could be made on a P-Card so as to make the creation of a P-Card program financially worthwhile for the Village.

Council voted to adopt this resolution.

Bond Counsel agreement

The Village is planning various capital and land acquisition projects that may be financed through the issuance of municipal bonds. While Village Attorney Robert Eschenfelder provides general legal services, bond counsel services require specialized expertise in municipal finance law and federal tax law applicable to bond issuances.

Council approved a piggyback agreement with Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A. for Bond Counsel services.

Workshop

Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT)

Doug Hattawy, Trust for Public Land, provided an update on BERT.

The Village has been involved in discussions with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), Seminole Gulf Railway (SGR), Bonita Springs, and Collier County regarding the potential acquisition of a portion of rail line controlled by SGR within these respective jurisdictions. The Estero portion of the line lies from the Estero Parkway right-of-way to the Village’s boundary with the City of Bonita Springs. The total length is approximately 4.1 miles and 130 feet wide.

After numerous discussions at the executive level, legal counsel for TPL has proposed to the three governmental entities two options, one a Purchase and Sale Agreement and the other a Lease-Purchase Agreement.

This was a workshop item not subject to a vote, however, there was a consensus of the Council to further pursue the advantages of both options.

Public Comment: 1 eComment card was placed into the record and 3 residents spoke of the importance of BERT to residents’ safety and health as well as to the local economy.

Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website.

The next Council meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 4, 2026.