Town committee forms needed today
The Town of Fort Myers Beach is looking for volunteer members in the community to serve on town advisory committees. It’s last call for an opportunity to have a voice to be heard on the Beach.
If you haven’t done so by now, interested parties need to submit a letter to the FMB Town Council in care of the Town Clerk by today (Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010). A brief background of qualifications and contact information is needed. Appointments will be made at the Oct. 4 Town Council meeting at 9 a.m. in which all applicants are asked to be in attendance. For more information please contact FMB Town Clerk Michelle Mayher at 765-0202 (ext. 114).
“We’re looking for people who have a genuine interest in serving the community,” said FMB Mayor Larry Kiker. “There is enough subject matter out there to discuss. Just pick out which committee would best serve your interests.
“I’ve met a lot of really nice people who care about their neighborhoods and the town they live in. It’s a great opportunity to seek each other out and get a chance to do some good with the right format. When people do the work on these committees, it is not forgotten. (The Town Council) may not act on it today but, when we have an opportunity, we certainly take the input.”
Town recrods indicate each advisory committee is required to have a minimum of five members and a maximum of seven.With the exception of the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board, all advisory board and committee members need to be residents or real property owners within the jurisdiction of the Town of Fort Myers Beach. BORCAB allows for two of its seven members to reside outside of the town.
The Beach Leadership Conference, a three-day session this past May, served as a advisory committee grooming process. The informative conference featured guest speakers, field trips and interactive group discussions on various Beach government processes and community resources.
According to Mayher, the following listed vacancies include those seats that are up for reappointment as well as vacancies created by resignations.
Here is a list of the advisory committees and openings:
n The Anchorage Advisory Committee meets the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. This committee, which advises the FMB Town Council on the operations of the Matanzas Harbor Mooring Fields, will have four vacancies.
n The Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. This board, which advises the council on the management and operation of the recreational campus, will have three vacancies.
n The Community Resource Advisory Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. This advisory board seeks to enhance the quality of life on Fort Myers Beach by creating a vision for the community. CRAB will have five vacancies.
n The Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. CELCAB, which oversees the Mound House and Newton Park in the promotion of the cultural, historical and environmental resources, will have four vacancies.
n The Local Planning Agency meets the second Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. The objectives of the LPA are to further the welfare of the citizens of town by helping to promote a better, more positive community environment and ensure that the unique, natural characteristics of the island are preserved. The LPA will have four vacancies.
n The Marine Resources Task Force meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. MRTF promotes the stewardship of our marine resources; Estero Bay and its surrounding waters. MRTF will have three vacancies.
Council elections loom in March
Now that the primary elections are over, Beach residents can look ahead to another election which is closer to home.
The next regular election for the Town of Fort Myers Beach will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Terms will expire for town council member seats #3 held by Tom Babcock, #4 held by Jo List and #5 held by Bob Raymond.
Any candidate for these three council seats need to be a registered voter and a resident of the Beach who has resided within the corporate limits of the municipality for a minimum of one year prior to qualifying for election.
Qualifying week for the March 8, 2011 election begins at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011 and will end at noon Monday, Jan. 24, 2011. All candidates are required to pay an election assessment fee which is one percent of the annual salary of the Town Council, or $144.00. A qualifying fee of three percent of the annual salary shall also be paid, unless the candidate for office qualifies by the petition method. Both fees can be waived should the candidate file for undue burden, pursuant to Florida Statute 106.141(6).
To qualify by the petition method, candidates shall secure signed petitions amounting to one percent of the registered voters within the Town. These signatures must be certified by the Lee County Supervisor of Elections no later than noon on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. A charge of ten cents per petition will be charged.
For candidate qualifying forms or for further information, please contact Mayher at 765-0202 (ext. 114).
-information provided by the Town of Fort Myers Beach