Local Government complex holds ribbon cutting
The new Pine Ridge Government Complex held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 15650-15680 Pine Ridge Rd. location. The complex houses the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Iona-McGregor Fire Protection & Rescue Service District, Lee County Tax Collector’s Office and Lee County Emergency Medical Services.
Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah was the master of ceremonies for the event, which included many of the facilities’ officials as well as several County dignitaries. After a Presentation of Colors by the Multi-Agency Color Guard and an Invocation by Sheriff’s Office Chaplain David Goins, Judah introduced the ceremonies’ speakers which featured Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott; Iona-McGregor Fire Chief William “Bud” Elliot; Assistant Tax Collector Larry Hart; and Lee County EMS Deputy Chief of Operations Kim Dickerson.
“I feel like we’re having a family reunion,” said Judah. “It really is with great pleasure that we unveil this incredible complex. It truly demonstrates a cost efficiency to the taxpayers and an enhanced service to the general public.”
The Sheriff’s Office Charlie (West) District serves many communities in the area which fall within the boundaries south from Colonial Boulevard and west of U.S. 41 to Gladiolus Drive and the portion of Summerlin Road that leads to the beach areas. The new facility is expected to enlarge and enhance the office’s core level of service in many ways.
“Ultimately, these buildings are useful, appropriate and necessary,” said Scott. “What it’s really all about is the men and women that work in and out of these facilities that make it happen for the community. I’m just honored to be a part of that.”
Iona-McGregor Station 75 will provide timely response to the District’s populated areas such as Health Park Hospital and Harlem Heights Elementary. The station is necessary due to the population growth in the Iona-McGregor vicinity.
“Pine Ridge is the only corridor where we have industrial in our district, and this is jobs for our residents,” said Elliot. “We have a need to protect this. With the opening of this station, we can equalize the responses (with Station 2 down on McGregor) which makes the entire District more functional.”
The Lee County Tax Collector’s Office is a 10,000 square-foot state of the art facility. The office offers Motor Vehicle/Vessel services, Real Estate, Personal Tangible Property Tax, Local Business Tax, Hunting and Fishing Tax needs and Driver License services.
“This is truly about partnership,” said Hart. “We felt it was a time to move when one of our customers decided to drive through our window (in the Summerlin Square office.) You can get your driver’s license, pay your property taxes, and renew your vehicle registration as well as title.”
Lee County EMS completes the four-way inter-agency complex. This facility provides improved life-saving response times within the Pine Ridge Road community.
“To have four agencies working together in field work and our patients’ care is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity,” said Dickerson. “This is where our crews stand to dedicate emergency services for you.”
West District commander Captain Matt Powell, referred to the complex as ‘a more centralized location for the sheriff’s office to serve the needs of residents in the west part of our county,’ whose coverage area extends from McGregor Boulevard to Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach to U.S. 41.
“Coupled with the Summerlin Road expansion, this puts us in the middle of the action, which is where we want to be,” said Powell. “That, along with the convenience factor for the public, makes it a win-win situation.”
The complex involves two buildings to combine for 40,450 square feet. The Tax Collector’s Office building measures 10,155 square feet, while the Emergency Responders’ building (the Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, EMS services and a meeting room) is 30,295 square feet.
Due to the land being owned by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, the project’s cost ($9 million) was greatly reduced. Gora McGahey was the architectural firm that designed the nine-acre property, which includes a heli-pad for the EMS helicopter.