FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
              (239) 335-2777

LEE COUNTY GOVERNMENT: HOLIDAY SCHEDULES/RECYCLING/TRASH COLLECTIONS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 22, 2003) - Lee County Government Offices under the Board of County Commissioners will be closed Dec. 25 and 26, and Jan. 1 and 2.

RECYCLING
Remember to recycle this holiday season, especially Christmas trees and present wrapping paper.

With the start of the holiday season, many of us generate much more garbage then usual. Please remember that much of it is recyclable. Aluminum pie tins, plastic and glass bottles, aluminum beverage cans, mayo and relish jars, plastic whipped topping tubs to corrugated cardboard as well as sales fliers and catalogs, all of which are recyclable. This holiday season you may add paper wrapping paper (no foil) to your recyclable paper products. For a complete list of recyclable items please refer to the red 2003 Solid Waste Reference Book or visit our website at www.leegov.com/solidwaste. Thanks for participating in our recycling program and thank you for ultimately preserving precious natural resources.

CHRISTMAS TREES
Christmas trees will be picked up on regular yard waste collection days. Residents of multi-family complexes are urged to contact their Management Company or their Association for a Christmas tree pick-up schedule. Please ensure that lights and other trimmings are removed so that the trees can safely be processed into mulch.

GARBAGE SCHEDULE
Please be advised that all unincorporated areas of Lee County as well as the City of Bonita Springs, and the Town of Fort Myers Beach will have their garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection day delayed for one day starting Thursday, December 25, 2003 in observance of Christmas holiday and again Thursday, January 1, 2004 in observance of New Year's Day.

This means that if the usual collection pick up day is on Thursday, then it will be picked up Friday, December 26th. If the usual collection pick up day is Friday, then it will be picked up Saturday, December 27th. Then the following week, Thursday's collection will be on Friday, and Friday's collection on Saturday.

LEE TRAN
On Wednesday, December 24, all Lee Tran buses and trolleys will stop running early evening - generally between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Please see your driver for ending time and location for each route or call 275-TRAN.

Also, please remember there will be no bus or trolley service on Christmas Day.

LIBRARIES
On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, all libraries within the Lee County Library System will be closing at 5 p.m.

We wish all Lee County residents a safe holiday season and look forward to serving you in 2004.