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Task force urges town council to press for Everglades restoration funding, votes to advise council
Summary
The committee voted to ask the town council to advocate in Tallahassee and to engage partners, visitors and the Chamber of Commerce in urging completion of Everglades watershed projects and to support Captains for Clean Water initiatives.
The Marine Environmental Resource Task Force voted on March 12 to advise the Fort Myers Beach Town Council to press state officials for continued funding and completion of Everglades watershed restoration projects and to support local outreach coordinated with Captains for Clean Water.
A motion, made during committee reports, asked that the task force address the council at its Monday meeting and encourage council leaders who were traveling to Tallahassee to emphasize Everglades projects. A second was offered and the motion carried after an oral vote; the committee recorded no roll-call vote on the motion.
Why it matters: Several committee members said completing Everglades watershed projects would improve water quality arriving in the Caloosahatchee River and Fort Myers Beach estuaries, benefitting beaches, fisheries and tourism. Committee members suggested practical outreach steps including contacting the Chamber of Commerce, supplying pre-written letters for visiting tourists, and coordinating with Captains for Clean Water and other local organizations.
Key elements of the committee's action and discussion: - Motion: The task force moved and seconded a recommendation to the town council urging continued support for Everglades watershed projects and to use upcoming council interactions with state representatives to press for funding. - Vote: The motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. - Outreach ideas: Committee members proposed a town-led push to mobilize visitors (for example, postcards or QR-coded pre-written letters), engagement with the Chamber of Commerce, and continued coordination with Captains for Clean Water and other NGOs. - Follow-up: Committee members said they would present the recommendation during the council's Monday meeting and aim to involve the mayor and town manager while they conduct outreach in Tallahassee.
A committee member noted the local Murph pop-up outreach and other events could be used to recruit visitors and residents to contact state representatives in support of Everglades projects. No town council action was recorded at the meeting; the task force's motion was an advisory push to the council.
