Public Comment on non-agenda items: 2 residents stated pickleball should be allowed in gated communities, 1 resident gave an update on the Estero Chamber of Commerce and 1 resident turned over the keys to the River Oaks Preserve as they are moving out of Estero.
Corkscrew Road/Puente Lane traffic signal
Village Manager Steve Sarkozy stated that a traffic signal at this location is very important as there have been a number of accidents at this location, which is at Plaza del Sol on the north side of Corkscrew Road and Estero Town Commons (Lowe’s Plaza) on the south side.
Council approved Resolution 2020-23 approving a budget amendment for FY 2020-2021 to include the Corkscrew Road – Puente Lane traffic signal.
The Village will pay Lee County for construction of the traffic signal at a cost of approximately $792,350 for construction and construction related services. Lee County will use those funds to construct the traffic signal. The Village will be reimbursed the full cost of the traffic signal by the adjacent developments.
Lee County is currently working to complete the project bid package and is expecting to hire a contractor in the first quarter of 2021. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. (Resolution)
Southwest Florida Regional Resiliency Compact
Council voted to support the Southwest Florida Regional Resiliency Compact, which is considered the best way for local municipalities to better anticipate and prepare for the effects of climate change.
Southwest Florida’s Compact would unite Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties and their 10 cities. The purpose of the Compact will be to create a regional network to address the effects of sea-level rise, increase in impactful storms and rising temperatures that impact our coastal region.
FGCU’s Professor Michael Savarese is leading the formation of this Compact and presented the outline of the Compact to the Village Council on October 21, 2020.
Public Comment: 1 resident spoke and 1 eComment Card was read into the record in support of this effort.
Village of Estero monument sign locations
Public Works Director David Willems presented a preliminary list of options for placement of Village of Estero monument sign locations. Council came to a consensus to meet with staff to gather further details associated with signage. (Presentation)
Interview of “interim appointment” to the Design Review Board
Council conducted an interview with Kristin Jeannin, a State-registered landscape architect from Naples. Jeannin has dedicated over 20 years of her life to the profession of landscape architecture. She brings 14 years of experience in South Florida, including working on projects in many of Estero’s gated communities. (Resume)
Council agreed to appoint her for an interim term expiring March 31, 2021, or upon the effective date of the Land Development Code.
Workshop
CARES Act
Deputy Village Manger Kyle Coleman gave a presentation on the disbursement of funds from The CARES Act.
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners allocated $478,157 CARES Act funds to Estero with a December 30, 2020 deadline to expend the funds.
Thus far, the Village has spent $122,000 on items eligible for reimbursement. This includes the PPE care package giveaway on October 24, where nearly 4,000 packages were distributed to the public.
Since the Village must spend the remaining available funds ($356,000 of $478,157 allocated) by the end of 2020, it is imperative that a plan be decided upon by Friday, November 6.
Council came to a consensus to send two masks each to 25,000 residential doors, 7,000 to nonprofit agency employees, volunteers and students (schools, churches, etc.) 20,000 Estero business employees with a contingency of 3,000 masks for over run. In addition, they will arrange for approximately 20 days of free community testing in the Village (exact location not clear at this time). More details to follow. (Overview)
Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website https://estero-fl.gov/agendas/
The next Council meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, November 18, 2020.