Fort Myers Beach Community Development and Planning Director Frankie Kerpachek told the Anchorage Advisory Committee on Aug. 20 that she oversees permitting, development and the town-controlled tourism assets that include the mooring field, and that town staff are pursuing grants and reimbursements to reduce a recent operating deficit.

Kerpackech said the town is pursuing FEMA Public Assistance reimbursements and state grants but many payments remain “in limbo” and are not yet posted to the town’s accounts. “They’ve all been approved by the state. They’ve all been approved and packaged correctly. They’re just kind of waiting in limbo,” she said, describing how outstanding reimbursements affect the mooring-field budget.

Why it matters: the mooring field is both an environmental-management tool for Matanzas Pass and a tourism asset that brings boats and visitors to the island. Committee members and staff framed the mooring field as central to the town’s economic and environmental strategy and said recovering revenue and securing facilities are priorities going into the next fiscal year.

Town projections and budget treatment

Kerpackech said salaries and some operating costs for the mooring-field program are paid from the town’s general fund but are shown against a mooring-field line item when reporting that program’s revenues and expenses. She told the committee that the town’s projection to operate the mooring field “as close to expense neutral as possible” would require roughly $225,000 to $250,000 in annual revenue, a figure she tied to last year’s experience and current staffing and maintenance costs.

She also said the town spent nearly $2 million out of available municipal funds to finish debris cleanup after Hurricane Ian while FEMA processing continued, and that those disbursements create an interim-looking deficit until reimbursements arrive.

Operations, facilities and near-term projects

Harbor Master Curtis Ludwig reported operational items the committee can expect in the coming months. “We have an estimated completion of October 28 right now,” Ludwig said of the new town boat under construction. He also said the dinghy dock installation is scheduled for Sept. 1, and that crews have arranged temporary docking to limit service disruption during the installation.

Curtis provided monthly operational data for July showing reservation counts by berth length and the number of pump-outs performed. For July the report listed 11 reservations in 40-foot spaces, 35 in 50-foot spaces, eight 60-foot, four 70-foot and two 80-foot reservations; the file also showed 55 pump-outs for the month and month-specific revenue figures. Committee members asked staff to include year-over-year revenue comparisons and to publish the monthly report in the agenda packet so the public can access it.

Occupancy and residency rules

Committee member Ted and staff discussed occupancy trends and long-term stays. Committee data presented by staff showed average mooring-field occupancy in recent months in the high 30s (for example, a monthly average near 38–39 nights) and a facility capacity of 89 mooring balls with several out of service for maintenance at times. Staff confirmed the reservation system allows a maximum single reservation length on the booking platform of six months; the original mooring-field paperwork also contains a cap intended to limit permanent live-aboards (the documents identify a limit tied to the program design and earlier approvals).

Pump-out service and grant limits

Kerpackech and staff noted that a pump-out boat is funded by a grant that constrains fee-setting and service radius. She summarized the grant limitation as restricting the funded pump-out coverage to a roughly 1,000-foot radius of a specified location in the Back Bay and said the town cannot raise those grant-set charges beyond the grant terms.

Town stance toward private marinas

Committee members raised concerns that a town-run mooring field could compete with private marinas. Kerpackech and Ludwig both pushed back, saying the town provides services marinas do not and that the mooring field’s rates are generally lower than wet-slip fees. As Kerpackech told the committee, “The only service we have is a pump out boat, and we service those marinas as well.” She said the town seeks cooperation with private operators rather than competition.

Financial outlook and next steps

Kerpackech said the town expects approved FEMA and state reimbursements to change the reported deficit when the payments are posted. She told the committee that council-level budget presentations are planned in September and that staff expect to show improved numbers once reimbursements are realized. Committee members asked staff to model scenarios that would bring the mooring field closer to the $225,000–$250,000 annual target and to identify options for a hardened upland facility for harbor operations.

The committee asked staff to add the monthly operational report to future agenda packets, to include year-over-year revenue comparisons, and to return at the next meeting with suggestions for a marketing and rate strategy to increase occupancy.