HUD CDBG‑DR funding will pay for pool, Newton Park and downtown lighting; town expects planning bids this summer

Frank Kropatschek, compliance and operations director for the Town of Fort Myers Beach, told the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board on March 26 that the town has cleared major administrative steps and is close to getting permission from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to go out for bids on projects grouped under the town’s CDBG‑DR application.

Kropatschek said the package as discussed with HUD covers multiple projects and was split into three procurement segments: the Newton Park work, downtown San Carlos lighting and the community pool. “We’re just about ready to be, given permission to put out for bid,” he said. “The first part of that bid is gonna be for planning and design.”

The town described the funding in broad numbers in board remarks: roughly $13 million for the combined set of disaster‑recovery projects, with about $4.3 million discussed for the parks portion and “roughly almost $400,000” set aside for downtown safety lighting. Kropatschek said the largest allotment went to a North water tower project, followed by the pool and Newton Park. He also said…