Incorporation makes its way into conversation
It all started when the issue of flooded parking lots was again raised at a North Fort Myers Civic Association meeting.
Member Wendy Fahl then brought up one word that has been bandied about for decades, one some say could solve many of the area’s problems.
Incorporation.
In the past two decades, Fort Myers Beach, Estero and Bonita Springs have all made the jump to become independent governing agencies in Lee County.
As cities or towns, the communities have governing bodies, staff, and some of them even have their own police and fire departments. They can make their own decisions in policy making and elect their leaders.
North Fort Myers, like Lehigh Acres and Alva, is unincorporated, meaning it relies on the county for all its decisions and amenities.
Fahl said by incorporating, many of the problems North Fort Myers has could be rectified, as it could prioritized their problems and get them addressed immediately.
The primary problem with this is the same one that’s been there for decades.
Money.
“It’s about money. We don’t have enough money to have city staff. If we had our own council and staff, we would get more attention,” Civic Association president Michael Land said.
Gregg Makepeace, former president of the civic association, said he formed the group as a way to eliminate the area’s perceived economically depressed status, not necessarily for it to become its own entity or get big box stores to come to town, since North Fort Myers demographics, mostly retirees who live in mobile home communities, aren’t conducive to it.
“There’s not enough of a tax base. We have $18,000 manufactured homes. You get no tax money out of them,” Makepeace said. “The big businesses go to where the money is. It hasn’t improved.”
“The attitude of ‘We can’t do it’ won’t get anything done. That’s why we’re not seeing growth,” Fahl said.
Civic association member Al Giacalone took a different view. He said it’s time to get a glimpse of reality.
“Incorporation would add another level of taxes that most people can’t afford,” Giacalone said. “If you want incorporation, we should incorporate with Fort Myers or Cape Coral.”
Until that day comes, Fahl said North Fort Myers would remain a low-priority area that will have to wait for basic amenities that most incorporated cities and towns have.
“I can’t enjoy the waterfront. I’d like to be a tourist in my own hometown,” Fahl said.
Because of a lack of a quorum, no final votes were made, though those who were present approved motions to hold a candidates forum before the primary and to move the seasonal Farmer’s Market from Marinatown to the Shell Factory, under the guidance of Richard Dunmire, a member of the civic association board who was unable to attend due to a candidates forum.
Last year, Marinatown’s flea market was seemingly hit by bad weather every Friday, which cut badly into attendance. Land said he hoped the change of venue and the move to Saturday will result in more success.
Dunmire is running for an at-large position for the Lee County school board.