Commissioner Kiker speaks at Fort Myers Beach Chamber luncheon
Lee County Commissioner Larry Kiker attended the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce’s September luncheon in an effort to reach out and communicate to his constituents.
It was a concession he said he needed to make after his narrow primary election win.
He spoke to the Chamber about the Estero Boulevard project, admitting it was not an “easy” project.
“It’s part of growth and the pain of growing,” he said, adding that he’d seen an article published in 1963 talking about Estero Boulevard troubles.
He also spoke about water quality and Lake Okeechobee discharges, but said on the county level, residents needed to be lobbyists, too.
“We work at the county level as best we can,” he said.
Kiker opened the floor up to chamber members’ questions, which ranged from specifics about Estero Boulevard to questions on development on San Carlos Island. Kiker reiterated his position during his election that the county needed to make business-like decisions about development, specifically looking at development as a whole and the cumulative affect of multiple projects in one area.
Chamber Chairman David Anderson asked the commissioner how businesses on the island could aim to recover after multiple setbacks to the tourism-based economy, from Hurricane Hermine to water quality and construction.
Kiker said the first phase of Estero’s construction, running from Miramar Avenue to the Lani Kai, is set for completion before season kicks up.
“You have to stand up for you and your business,” he said. “Some people want to keep development out, and they are not positive about business. You need to stand up tall for what you’re fighting for.”