The meeting started with Mayor Jon McLain presenting Vice Mayor Joanne Ribble with the Florida League of Cities “Home Rule Hero Award.” Ribble was honored for working tirelessly throughout the 2023 legislative session to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s municipalities and advance the League’s legislative agenda. This is the third year in a row that Ribble has been honored with this award from the Florida League of Cities.
Action Items
Vieste, LLC Agreement
Council approved a contract with Vieste LLC for a public/private partnership for the Williams Road mixed-use development project on the Village-owned properties. Vieste will be responsible for the execution, oversight, and assistance in executing a marketing process whereby the Village will seek qualified private sports, recreation, and entertainment providers for the mixed-use development project. The monthly contract amount is $28,000; details to be worked on over the summer for approximately 4 months.
The 21-acre property is located on the north side of Williams Road, east of Via Coconut Point and the railroad tracks.
Grant management services
In response to Hurricane Ian and to help assist with recovery, the Village may have access to additional grant funding opportunities, including a Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). To best position the Village for these funding opportunities, staff recommended the Village obtain the services of grant funding professionals.
Council approved staff’s recommendation to select two firms, Hagerty Consulting and Anser Advisory Consulting, LLC, to provide grant management services to the Village for a one-year period. Financial impacts will be identified with future task authorizations.
RVi supplemental staffing contract
In keeping with the Village’s government light model, the monitoring of landscape maintenance services is proposed to be provided by a private firm instead of hiring new Village staff.
Council approved a supplemental staffing contract with RVi to monitor the landscaping along Estero Parkway, US 41, Via Coconut Point, Corkscrew I-75 Interchange and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway (after Village takes over maintenance). RVi will be monitoring each roadway for plant health, pest issues, pruning, fertilization, mulching and irrigation.
The contract for landscape maintenance inspection services is $60,000, with a $6,000 contingency (10%) for additional services that may be required to complete the project.
Ordinance 2023-04 – Village initiated rezoning on Williams Road
There was a first reading of this ordinance rezoning the 21-acres of property on the north side of Williams Road, east of the railroad tracks. The west half of the site is vacant and wooded, and the east half is the site of the Golf Coast Driving Range. A public hearing and second reading are scheduled for June 21, 2023.
Resolution 2023-11 – Capital Improvement Program
Council moved the Capital Improvement hearing and resolution on to second public hearing on June 21, 2023. The Capital Improvement Program will set the funding for the Village capital improvement projects for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and provide a plan of priorities for the next 5-years.
Workshops
State legislative session and appropriations update
Village lobbyists Ronald L. Book, Rana Brown and Lena Juarez, JEJ Associates, gave an update on some of the actions taken by the state legislature including the successful response to the Village’s request for monies for Estero’s septic to sewer program to assist homeowners with this expense. The Village is expected to receive $7.5 million to help with this project.
No voting occurs during workshops.
Enterprise Resource Planning Solution
Finance Director Kevin Greenville presented Council with information on plans to upgrade the Village’s financial software. The Village currently utilizes Sage 50 for its accounting software, which does not meet the current demands of the Village. After extensive research, staff recommended engaging Tyler Technologies to utilize their Munis ERP Solution. Tyler Technologies is a Standard and Poor’s 500 Company focusing exclusively on providing software solutions and services to federal, state, local governments, and school districts which currently serves 419 governments in the state of Florida. The cost is $269,489 which includes all implementation and three years of annual fees.
No voting occurs during workshops.
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, June 21, 2023.