Fort Myers Beach staff update canal cleanup, mooring maintenance and dinghy dock plan

Curtis Ludwig, a town staff member, told the Mooring Field Committee that contractor-led debris removal is focused at the south end of the island near Buccaneer Bay and that crews will move into deeper‑water work soon.

"Right now with the debris removal project we have going on, they are at the south end of the island by Buccaneer Bay right now," Ludwig said. He told the committee the work so far has focused on canals and shallow debris exposed at low tide and that divers and flotation will be used for heavier, submerged objects in coming weeks. Ludwig said the work is being paid for with FEMA dollars.

Committee members pressed for detail about what crews are finding and how the town is managing longer‑term maintenance. Ludwig listed items already removed—"deck chairs, porta potties, bunch of wood, pieces of dock," doors, sheet rock and other household materials—and said contractors are returning to canals that are more exposed on recent negative tides to recover additional material. He estimated the contractor engagement runs "to the mid of February" and said the town will decide if the contract should be extended.

The committee discussed safety and environmental precautions. When asked whether crews would deploy containment booms for paint or oil, Ludwig said contractors have not encountered that issue but would notify him and contact the Coast Guard if there were a spill. He and other members reiterated that certified commercial divers should handle deeper underwater work; Ludwig said contractors performing the diving are certified and that town staff would likely not be used for commercial dive operations except for maintenance to the town's mooring walls.

Ludwig reported work and inspections on the mooring field itself. "All 89 mooring balls got our, our, annual inspection and maintenance done," he said, adding that crews replaced three systems, swapped out eight to nine pennants, and changed swivels and shackles where needed. He said the town will aim for systematic maintenance about every six months and that some spare mooring balls are in locked storage.

On personnel, Ludwig said the mooring-field crew is being expanded: two new hires were offered, with one starting the next day and another expected the following week. He said the town is still deciding whether to train in‑house staff and certify them for diving and mooring maintenance or to continue contracting out commercial dives.

The committee discussed a sunken vessel near mooring ball 47. Ludwig said he spoke with Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and was told removal is in progress but no timeline was provided. He agreed to mark the sunken boat with a light this week.

Ludwig also updated the committee on the dinghy dock: he said the Town Council approved the replacement at its Jan. 21 meeting and that the contractor, Kelly Brothers, will be notified to prepare construction plans. He described the new dock as aluminum, removable, designed to float as one unit, and fitted with about a 6‑foot extension on the three pilings to improve storm resilience. He told the committee the construction plans would be emailed to members for review.

Committee members asked staff to research canal ownership and maintenance history—private, state, or town responsibility—because ownership affects permitting and eligibility for disaster reimbursement. Jennifer, the committee chair, and others said inadequate documentation before Hurricane Ian prevented the town from receiving FEMA dredging funds in the past; Ludwig agreed to research records and provide a clearer inventory of canal ownership and maintenance records.

Committee directions and next steps recorded during the discussion included: staff will (1) mark the sunken boat near mooring ball 47 and follow up with LCSO on removal, (2) email the dinghy dock construction plans to committee members, (3) continue the canal cleanup into deeper‑water items and report back on any need to extend the contract beyond mid‑February, and (4) research and report canal ownership and maintenance documentation for future FEMA or grant eligibility.

The committee also discussed reuse of the existing temporary dinghy‑dock components. Ludwig said he plans to store the donated floating sections and explore reusing them for a future second dock or at the mountain house if feasible.

No formal votes on policy or contracts were recorded during the update. The committee closed the item after Ludwig said he had no further updates.