FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Mary Gibbs, Lee County Community Development Department
                (941) 479-8345

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 29, 2000) – A Lee County "Quick Response Team" of code enforcers that was established earlier this year to target problem areas has issued more than 1,700 citations in sweeps throughout the county during the last seven months.

The Board of Lee County Commissioners established the team in April in response to concerns from citizens that code enforcement violations were not being enforced in a timely manner in certain areas. The Board funded the hiring of four new code enforcement officers (at an annual cost of $125,000) to comprise the team.

Since the team was established it has done sweeps in 10 communities and issued 1,706 citations for nuisance and building code violations, illegal signs and violations of permitted uses.

"This program has been successful in increasing enforcement and responding to residents who want to keep their neighborhoods and communities clean and looking beautiful," says Mary Gibbs, director of Lee County’s Community Development Department.

The sweeps and number of properties cited are:

• Fort Myers Shores (238)
• Russell Park (103)
• Alabama Groves (131)
• Morse Shores (60)
• Lehigh Acres (262)
• San Carlos Park (364)
• Page Park (60)
• Rosemary Park (106)
• Leitner Creek (57)
• Bonita Springs (sign violations sweep – 97 cited)
• Bonita Springs (228)

For more information about the county’s Quick Response Team program, contact Bob Stewart, Deputy Director of Development Services, at 479-8320 or Rick Roberts, Chief Code Enforcement Officer, at 335-2535.