FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:            Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
             (941) 335-2777

 BOARD APPROVES ANIMAL SERVICES POSITION/INCINERATOR RESOLUTION

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 17, 2002) – The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved the following items during its regular weekly meeting.  They are:

Pet Ownership Education – Approved the creation of a new position within Animal Services to help with community education about responsible pet ownership and pet overpopulation.  The $49,000 cost will be funded with $1 from the sale of each license.  For more information, contact Scott Trebatoski at 432-2090 ext. 230.

New Air Ambulance – Approved spending $185,950 to reserve an EC145 Helicopter airframe for a new helicopter to replace the current Lee County EMS air ambulance by 2004.  The existing air ambulance is entering its 14^th year of service.  The plan calls for the county to spend $361,853 next fiscal year and the remaining amount upon delivery.  Total cost will be $3.719 million for the airship and $1.759 million to outfit it as an ambulance.  The current helicopter will be used as a backup.  For more information, contact John Wilson at 335-1601.

Midpoint Bridge Enforcement – Approved a two-year agreement with the Florida Highway Patrol to provide toll violation and speed enforcement on the Midpoint Memorial, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway bridges.  The cost is $66,760 per year.  The agreement calls for anywhere from one to three troopers to be on patrol at the bridges during random hours selected by the county.  Off-duty troopers on special detail will do the enforcement.  For more information, contact Scott Gilbertson at 479-8580.

Incinerator Support – Adopted a resolution confirming support of the Board of Lee County Commissioners for the expansion of the county’s Solid Waste Energy Recovery Facility.  The project calls for expanding the plant from a capacity of 1,200 tons-per-day to 1,800 tons – by adding a third, 600-ton combustion unit.  The estimated cost of the project – including engineering and permitting – will be about $80 million, to be funded with bonds repaid through garbage fees.  The resolution will be used during the permitting process to show regulatory agencies the Board’s and community’s support for the Waste-to-Energy Facility.  For more information, contact Lindsey Sampson at 338-3302.