Town influenced by County government
At the Pink Shell Resort Renourishment Workshop last month Commissioner Ray Judah admitted that Lee County had not agreed to cough up any permanent financial contribution for the renourishment project.
None, Zip, Zero!
Judah said the county had only agreed to lend $3.5 million to the project to cover any delays in collecting the federal portion of the project. Putting it another way, if the feds did not pay quickly enough on the Feds $3.5 million, the County would bridge that funding gap until the feds paid up. Then the County would get its money back.
So, the County suckered our small Town, with only 3 or 4 percent of the county’s total population, into ponying up $1 million for a county-demanded project that the county would lose nothing on. That’s money our past council’s refused to promise. Only this council agreed to pay it, and offered it without ever being told how much was needed from us.
The question now is: Did our council know they were being taken for a ride by Lee County, who at worst would bridge a short term funding gap, and get paid back?
How do Town taxpayers feel now about our Town Council being suckered by their associates on the County Commission -zero permanent dollars committed by County for the artificial beach that County wants for County growth plans?
Frank Schilling
Fort Myers Beach