Stay informed as 2024 election cycle nears

Lee Elections hosted the 2023 Florida Supervisors of Elections Summer Conference in May at the beautiful Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort It was remarkable that the conference was held in Lee County only seven months after Hurricane Ian devastated our county

The resort made an except i o n a l r e c o v e r y e f f o r t t o ensure our election colleagues would enjoy their stay in one of the most beautiful landscapes Lee County offers

Conferences are essential for Florida’s election administrators to come together, share b e s t p r a c t i c e s a n d r e c e i v e guidance from the Division of Elections about how the new election laws will affect us moving forward

Guest Commentary

W h i l e t h e r e w e r e m a n y educational opportunities during the conference, networki n g w i t h f e l l o w e l e c t i o n administrators was among one of the best benefits Meeting and sharing with staff members from other counties with similar positions and responsibilities gives us a fresh perspective on our jobs It builds relationships that help us during the many stresses of conducting elections.

As we near the 2024 election cycle, it is vital that our office remains your trusted source for election informat i o n A s o f f i c i a l e l e c t i o n a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , y o u c a n b e sure that we will provide you with credible and accurate information We must remain vigilant in this new era of

Letter to the Editor

Opposition from for mer vice mayor to Mar garitaville plan changes

(Editor's note: The following letter was sent by former Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Joanne Shamp to the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council, Manager and Town Attorney opposing the changes to the Commercial Planned Development for Margaritaville before the council voted to approve the changes Shamp was on the board in 2018 t h a t a p p r o v e d t h e o r i g i n a l C o m m e r c i a l

P l a n n e d D e v e l o p m e n t ( C P D ) f o r Marfaritaville )

To the editor: Town Council, Town Manager, Town Attorney and Department of Community Development:

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I have become aware of application DCI 20230039 and am writing to voice my s h o c k a n d e x t r e m e d i s a p p r o v a l T h e Commercial Planned Development (CPD) ordinance was precisely crafted to balance development rights, parking and traffic concerns, precious view corridor, outdoor recreation space and environmental protection

The increased density granted by the CPD was approved ONLY based upon the exact conditions and the density/intensity adopted is the maximum that should be permitted at

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Do advancing technology and artificial intelligence. Bad actors can use this technology to fabricate false new stories, images, audio bites and videos to erode confidence in the successful administration of elections in Lee County and the United States

Florida set the gold standard for conducting elections in the 2020 and 2022 elections We aim to continue this standard and provide our voters with a safe and secure environment to cast their votes and protect the accuracy and integrity of elections in Lee County, w h i l e r e m a i n i n g o p e n a n d t r a n s p a r e n t through every aspect of the elections process. My staff and I are always available to answer questions Stay informed about election happenings via our newsletters, social media and website

T o m m y D o y l e i s t h e L e e C o u n t y Supervisor of Elections For more information, visit https://www lee vote/ or call 239533-8683 the congested town gateway where safe vehicular and pedestrian interaction is critical Preservation and expansion of the landmark view of the Gulf and open space preservation in perpetuity for recreation were also critical to the density permitted

As Vice Mayor during the adoption of the TPI/FMB CPD, it is well-documented that I painstakingly studied every detail of the ordinance, assisted in precise wording of each condition and was the critical third vote that allowed adoption at hearing The Town Attorney provided legal assurance that this ordinance could not be amended by f u t u r e T o w n C o u n c i l s o r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e amendments The applicant and their attorneys accepted every word of every condition read publicly at hearing Town Mayor Gore and Councilmember Boback knew that my decision to approve meant a 3-2 a d o p t i o n a l o n g w i t h C o u n c i l m e m b e r s

Cereceda and Butcher Gore and Boback’s affirmative votes were given to heal the divided community as the ordinance was assured to pass 3-2 by my decision The precise perpetual conditions within the ordinance earned my vote and reunited the community by assuring limitations to the TPIFMB development in perpetuity I WOULD H A V E V O T E D N O O N T H E O R D I -

NANCE WITHOUT ALL CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY CONDITIONS 14 AND 20,

PARCELS 2 AND 3 IN PERPETUITY IT COULD NOT HAVE PASSED!

No changed conditions or circumstances in the location of this development exist that warrant change to the limitations of the CPD. The base of the bridge was, is now and shall always remain unique as the critical entry to the town The over-pedestrianized and overtrafficked location requires density control for pedestrian and bicycle safety, traffic management and open space preservation relating to the balance of environmental, commercial, recreation and aesthetic factors essential to the tourist hub of the island community The view corridor is an essential c o m m u n i t y c h a r a c t e r t h a t e n d u r e s Amending the ordinance provides benefit only to the applicant while decreasing the safety, and negatively impacting the welfare and quality of life of the community that you serve Please respect the ordinance as passed and supported by the community and developer PLEASE VOTE NO!

Respectfully,

Joanne K Shamp Gulfport, FL

g e 5 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , A u g u s t 9 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r