July 6, 2022 / Issue #2022-28

It's sea turtle nesting season

WE ALL - residents, visitors, property owners, business owners - have responsibilities in this season to keep the beach safe for nesting turtles and their hatchlings.

FILL IN HOLES ON THE BEACH!  

It's fun to dig holes in the sand at the beach, but please fill them in before you leave.

Holes are a hazard for sea turtles as they attempt to make their way from the water to a spot on the beach to lay their eggs, and as the hatchlings move to the water after they leave the nest.

Holes are also a safety hazard for people who are walking on the beach.

Read the entire list of responsibilities we all have during sea turtle nesting season.

Learn more:  www.turtletime.org
Visit the  sea turtle section on the Town's website

PLEASE DO NOT USE FLASHLIGHTS OR PHONE LIGHTS ON THE BEACH

During the nightly patrols that Town staff have been conducting to monitor sea turtle nesting regulations, dozens of white flashlights and phone lights have been observed. These lights disorient nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. 

Town staff have been distributing long wavelength flashlights to beachgoers provided by the Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force (MERTF) to educate about the lights that are permissible. 

Hurricane season has started

Donate blood at Diamondhead July 28

Donated blood goes to help save the lives of patients at these facilities:

• Lee Memorial Hospital
• HealthPark Medical Center
• Golisano Children's Hospital of SW Flonida
• Gulf Coast Medical Center
• Cape Coral HospitaI
• Level II Trauma Center at Lee Memorial Hospital
• Regional Cancer Center at the Sanctuary

 To donate blood you must:

• Weigh at least 115 lbs.

• Be at least 17 years old or 16 years old with parental consent

• Be in generaI good health - no colds, flu, sore throat, etc.

• Have photo ID with date of birth if new donor
  
  

You will receive these vital health checks at no cost:

• Pulse Rate
• Blood Pressure
• Body Temperature
• Hemoglobin (iron level)
• Blood Type
• Cholesterol level

Just one single pint of blood can help save the lives of several people.
Your donation can be separated into its different components: the
platelets may go to a child with leukemia, the plasma to a patient with a clotting problem, and the red blood cells to an accident victim.

Questions about donating blood?
Call 239-343-2333

Florida Power & Light will be trimming trees and vegetation in the areas marked in red on the below map in the coming weeks.

This work will be performed by Lewis Tree Service, a qualified line-clearing contractor. 

For neighborhood trimming, residents will be notified in advance of any associated work occurring on their properties. 

Trees and vegetation are a leading cause of outages, especially during hurricanes and severe weather.

Visit fpl.com/trees to learn more about power line safety and the line-clearing program. 

Thanks for recycling FMB! 
 

Lee County Solid Waste has announced that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has named Lee County Solid Waste Florida’s top recycling county for 2021.

The amount of material Lee County residents recycled in 2021 would be enough to fill 168 football fields with material 70 feet high – as high as the highest point on the Sanibel Causeway.
 
Lee County received credit for recycling 1.6 million tons of the total 2.61 million tons of waste generated locally, according to numbers that FDEP recently released. This brings the county’s recycling rate to 81%.
 
This is the sixth time Lee County has led the state in recycling since Florida began tracking in 2000. Strong participation by both residents and businesses has enabled Lee County to meet and exceed the state’s 75% recycling goal every year since 2017.
 
FDEP recycling credits are acquired for items such as curbside recycling by residents as well as business recycling of materials such as cardboard, yard waste, scrap metal and construction and demolition debris.

Lee County also receives recycling credit for energy produced from garbage processed at the Waste-to-Energy plant in Buckingham.
 
Visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste for more information. 

FREE Hazardous Waste Collection event

Wednesday, August 17
8 a.m. to Noon
Bay Oaks Recreational Campus, 2731 Oak Street

This drive through and drop off event is FREE and open to Fort Myers Beach residents. 

List of acceptable items

Lee County is evaluating internet and broadband service and needs your help 

In cooperation with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Broadband, Lee County is asking residents and visitors to take an internet speed test and a broadband survey to help evaluate current capabilities and determine areas in need of added service.

Take the internet speed test and
fill out the broadband survey

 
The results of tests taken throughout Lee County will further develop Florida’s Broadband Availability Map which will display areas in need of additional broadband service.
 

IMPORTANT information from Lee County Utilities

(The Town’s water comes from Lee County)

Chlorine flush will end on Thursday, July 21

Weekly Events July 14, through July 23

 July Events

July 2022 Calendar

Summer lecture series continues in August and September featuring birds, bugs and butterflies
 

The iconic Mound House, one of Southwest Florida’s most-beloved historic attractions that traces its roots to the ancient Calusa of over 2,000 years ago, is inaugurating a new Summer Lecture Series. 

The series is for adults only with a wine and refreshments reception at 5:30 p.m. and the lectures from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Due to limited seating, advance registrations are necessary by the Monday before each lecture. Make reservations by calling 239-765-0865. Cost is $7 for Mound House members and $12 for non-members.

August 9
Reservations due by August 8
Bobby Feldman, Mound House Curator of Education
The Creatures of the Mound House: From Birds to Bugs

September 13
Reservations due by September 12
Yvette Carrasco, Environmental Educator
Butterflies by the Bay

www.moundhouse.org

Did you know that beyond the tourist resorts of Mexico awaits a fascinating world of history, archaeology, culture, and natural wonders? Our trip to Mexico starts in Merida, the Capital of the Yucatan, which is a city culturally rich with both Mayan and colonial heritage. While in the Yucatan we will visit the Mayan sites of Uxmal, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and Mayapan, an important city during the final centuries of the Maya civilization.

The geology of the Yucatan is unique and a visit to the Geohydrologic Anillo de Cenotes will provide an opportunity to see sinkholes created from a meteor impact 65 million years ago and take a refreshing swim. A must-do while in the Yucatan, and on our itinerary, is visiting the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses 146,000 acres, and is home to 304 bird species including thousands of flamingos.

Boat rides and walking trails will offer splendid views at various times of the day.

From Merida, we will fly to Mexico City and spend a couple of days visiting the archaelogical sites of Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan, National Museum of Anthropology, and UNAM Botanical Garden while staying in the popular district of Zocalo.

Traveling west into the central highlands of Michoacan, we will have the opportunity to witness one of nature’s amazing wonders – the wintering grounds of the monarch butterfly where millions of these butterflies arrive from across the eastern United States and Canada.

Traveling back to Mexico City, it will be time to return home with abundant memories and photographs sure to last a lifetime.

Environmental education pop-up booth hosted by the Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force

Representatives from the Town's Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force (MERTF) are hosting a pop-up educational booth at various locations around Town throughout the month.

Community members interested in serving as volunteers to advise and support the work of Town government are encouraged to apply for current openings on the Town's advisory boards and committees.

The Town’s boards and committees exist to advise Town Council about Bay Oaks Recreational Campus, the Matanzas Pass Mooring Field, Mound House, Newton Beach Park, finances, island preservation and history, marine resources, anchorage, nuisance abatement, and public safety.

Available openings:

ATTENTION BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Effective September 22, 2022, all contractors registered with the Town MUST be a licensed contractor through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Contractors licensed through the Lee County Contractor Licensing Board will not be allowed to register with the Town or apply for building permits.

Department of Business & Professional Regulation

Keep up on the schedule of Town Council and advisory committee meetings

View the meeting calendar on the Town's website

Upcoming meetings

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has partnered with DemandStar which is open and accessible to all businesses and gives instant access to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs 

Read more about bids and proposals