North Chamber names top deputy
When Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy David Wharton heard the complaints from North Fort Myers residents about homeless people destroying their properties, he decided to do something about it.
Wednesday, Wharton’s actions were rewarded as the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce feted the Deputy First Class with its Deputy of the Quarter award during its monthly business luncheon at Three Fishermen.
Wharton spent five days in a cleanup effort at four camp spots in North Fort Myers in and around the general area of the community park and Weaver’s Corner. Wharton even spent two days of his own time making sure the area was cleaned up.
“It’s a great honor. I didn’t do it to receive an award. I thought it needed to be done. I heard the complaints in the area,” Wharton said. “I appreciate the award, but it’s not why I did it.”
On May 13, Wharton took on the task in the wooded areas in North Fort Myers where for the past year residents, business owners and patrons have complained of homeless people being intoxicated, destroying properties, soliciting money, being unconscious in front of businesses and harassment.
After obtaining several trespass letters from the land owners, many of the homeless were told to leave.
Those who complied were offered available services and those who were not in compliance were arrested.
Properties included in the clean up were the lot next to the AMVETS on North Tamiami Trail, the lots between Goodwill and the North Fort Myers Community Center, Brooks Road and North Tamiami Trail, and the southwest corner of Pine Island Road and North Tamiami Trail, the only corner without a business.
Wharton then obtained inmate workers to assist with the trash removal that occurred between May 14 and 17, and coordinated resources from the Department of Transportation to bring in dump trucks, paid for by federal grant money.
More than 10 tons of trash was removed from the sites during the four-day cleanup.
Also, Lee County Commissioner Larry Kiker and County Manager Roger Desjarlais were guest speakers.
Kiker said Lee County now, as opposed to 2009, is totally different, as it no longer has to raid reserves or other programs to balance the books.
“For six or seven years, we took money out of reserves to balance the budget on the backs of our workers, who never got a raise,” Kiker said. “This year, We’ve balanced the budget without taking money from 20/20 or reserves and all workers got pay raises.”
Kiker said they were also able to purchase patrol cars and ambulances.
Kiker also discussed water quality issue, and the success of the sharp reduction of the county impact fees that he said was responsible for bringing new construction into the area.