FGUA and Lee County

It has been a sad week for Lehigh Acres and all of the unincorporated areas of Lee County – On Friday 12/16/05 in Golden Gate -- Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) who owns the water and wastewater rights in Lehigh Acres started down a path of no return and started to open Pandora’s box -- The FGUA board minus the Lee County voting member Mr. Jim Lavender and/or (alt) Mr. Rick Diaz voted on FGUA Resolution 2005-36 which states –“the FGUA intends to use the uniform method for collecting non-ad valorem special assessments for the cost of providing capital improvements and maintenance services including but not limited to water and wastewater facilities to property within the unincorporated area of the Lee County, including but not limited to Lehigh Acres” commencing in November 2006. Mr. Jim Lavender and/or (alt) Mr. Rick Diaz could not be at Friday’s meeting do to personal reasons and the FGUA board would not consider mine or anyone’s else’s objections to the presumed use of their so called powers under Florida Statue.

This now means the FGUA has the power to serve populations within or outside of it service area of Lehigh Acres --- so if you live in Alva, Buckingham, North Fort Myers, Pine Island, Boca Grande and Estero -- Watch Out -- here they come --- Since the FGUA is not subject to Public Service Commission by Florida Statue 163.01 7(g)1, the only option is for everyone in the unincorporated areas of the Lee County to call or email your County Commissioner –

Commissioner BOB JANES DISTRICT No. 1 335-2224 email dist1@leegov.com
Commissioner DOUGLAS ST. CERNY DISTRICT No. 2 335-2227 email dist2@leegov.com
Commissioner RAY JUDAH DISTRICT No. 3 (239) 335-2223 email dist3@leegov.com
Commissioner TAMMY HALL DISTRICT No. 4 335-2226 email dist4@leegov.com
Commissioner JOHN ALBION DISTRICT No. 5 335-2225 email dist5@leegov.com

This presumed power by the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) has under Florida Statues needs to be fixed by our local Legislators in Tallahassee and I personally challenge our local Legislators in Tallahassee and the County government to fix this issue before it goes too far and Pandora’s box can not be closed.

Robert Anderson
President
Lehigh Acres Watchdog, Inc
Email - watchdog@lehighacreswatchdog.com
Phone - 239-369-6223
P.O. Box 1778 Lehigh Acres Fl 33970

The 951 wrecking company ---------

Albion's outhouse in Lehigh ----

Florida's developers and politicians ---------

"I can't believe Florida's developers and politicians evolved from us."

John E Albion hints Lehigh Acres again ----------

Today was a sad today for Lehigh Acres – Lehigh Acres has more than 20% of the center line road miles in Lee County which is the bases of the gas tax that pays for road growth and improvements – but in the next 25 years, we the citizens of this great area called Lehigh Acres is only receiving less than 5% back Why? Lee County won’t tell me --- is it because Lehigh Acres is that donor area (cash cow) that I keep on hearing about? I ask all citizens of Lehigh Acres to call the chairman of the MPO – and ask him why Lehigh Acres is a donor area and why we are not getting the needed road improvements.


The current Chairman of the MPO is Lee County Commissioner John E Albion – Phone # 335-2225 email dist5@leegov.com


Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) road plans for planning period of 2030 for Lehigh Acres

My comments ---- It does not make any sense if you look at a map of Lehigh on the roads that the MPO removed and left on transportations needs map.

And the MPO did not include Homestead Rd – from Crazy corners to SR82 --- Why???


The MPO removed these projects for the list -----


Westgate Blvd – Todd Ave ext to Lee Blvd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Leonard Blvd – Todd Ave ext to Gunnery Rd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Gunnery Rd – SR82 to SW 23 St from 4 lanes to 6 lanes – reason not needed

Gunnery Blvd – Centennial Blvd to Buckingham Rd 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Homestead Rd – Sunrise Blvd to Alabama Rd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason intersection improvement may be sufficient

Joel Blvd – E 17th to SR80 from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Alvin Ave – Lee Blvd to Buckingham Rd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Alabama Rd – Sunrise Blvd ext to Homestead Rd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

Alabama Rd – SR82 to 40th St from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

23rd St SW – Sunshine Blvd to Beth Stacey Blvd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

23rd St SW –Gunnery Rd to Sunshine Blvd from 2 lanes to 4 lanes – reason not needed

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But the MPO has left on the transportation schedules the following ---



40th St SW ext Current terminus to Alabama Rd from 0 lanes to 2 lanes .10 miles at 1.8 million dollars

61st St W -- Cemetery Rd at Stratton Rd to Sunshine Blvd from 2 lanes to 2 lanes 2.11 miles to connect across canals at 18.3 million

9th St W – Ann Ave at 19th St W to Richmond Ave 2 lanes to 4 lanes 2.34 miles at 30.7 million

Alabama Rd – 40th St ext to Sunrise ext 2 lanes 4 lanes 1.05 miles at 12.1 million

Beth Stacey Blvd ext --- SW 23rd St to Milwaukee Blvd 0 lanes to 2 lanes 1.09 miles at 6 million -- Note – County share 53% Developer has agreed to the other 47%

Centennial Blvd – Cedartree Ave to Gunnery Blvd 2 lanes from 2 lanes o 4 lanes .42 miles at 7.1 million

Centennial Blvd ext – Gunnery Blvd to Sunset Rd 0 lanes to 4 lanes .18 miles at 3.1 million

Gunnery Rd – Lee Blvd to Centennial Blvd 2 lanes to 4 lanes 1.2 miles at 12.2 million

Todd Ave Ext – SR82 to Westgate Blvd 2 lanes at the 8.6 million

Commissioner Albion tries to control the LACPC again ---

Commissioner tries again to control the LACPC --- By appointting John Miller to the planner selection committee ---

John Miller responses by email with the following within two hours of the appointment ----

Exact quote form email ---

To members of the Lee County Board of Commissioners, LACPC Chairman, Bo Turbeville, members of the LACPC.

It has been brought to my attention that my name was mentioned for a position with the Consultant Selection Committee. With all due respect and gratitude, if this is indeed true, I must defer to the decision of the LACPC Board that Mr. Ed Weiner is our only voting representatives to that committee. Additionally it was a consensus that Mr. Mike Welch sould be an additional representative if the County Staff allowed. This is my first reason.

Secondly, I do not profess to be experienced with regard to picking a Planning Consultant. While my Subcommittee is very much interested in having the opportunity to add our findings to the Comprehensive Plan, I will await the decision of County Staff and our representatives and urge the Selection Committee to proceed with all haste and dilligence.

Respectfully submitted,

John C. Miller, Beautification and Conservation Subcommittee, Lehigh Pride Team

Letter to the LACPC Board -- our esteemed County Commissioner

Exert from a Letter to the LACPC Board for Mike Welch -----

I was honored to accept your invitation to participate on this committee. I was then later surprised to find I was not actually a member of the committee, nor is my colleague Ed Weiner. Mr. Mudd and Mr Daltry had originally promised the LACPC a seat on the selection committee... now I am disappointed to find what had been originally promised will not be delivered. It is my understanding that the original promise of including us as voting members has been reduced to making us nothing more than glorified observers.

I also understand Robert Anderson has attempted to mediate the situation in the hopes of restoring the original promise of voting membership. Such a measure would require the assistance of our esteemed County Commissioner, who appears more interested in using the situation to gain greater control over the LACPC and the planning process itself.

The LACPC is not a commodity that can be negotiated away, nor is the right of the people of Lehigh Acres to plan their community's future. I find it deeply disappointing that Commissioner Albion appears more concerned with controlling Lehigh Acres than representing us, as he has been elected to do.

And so, I would like to inform you I will not be a part of this committee. I will take no part in a process that appears to be a veiled attempt to take control away from the people of Lehigh Acres.

Respectfully,

Mike Welch