The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency approved a request of $77,670 to assist with site verification and permitting for a proposed 20,000-square-foot STEMCat Center that I Will Mentorship Foundation plans to site in front of the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center along the MLK corridor.

Melissa Reynolds, COO of I Will Mentorship Foundation (speaking for founder Dr. Jesse Bryson), told the CRA the requested funds are for early site work and for securing Economic Development Administration (EDA) clearance on site boundaries, zoning and permitting — steps she said are necessary to convince donors and to keep the project on schedule. "This funding request is critical for the kick start of the RFI process immediately... securing the clearance now will streamline future development stages," Reynolds said.

Reynolds described a planned facility the foundation calls the STEMCat Center as a roughly 20,000-square-foot building with workforce labs, training spaces and community services. She said the project has local partners willing to provide discounted construction services (Seagate and Alcatron and Associates were named) and national backing from the Edison Foundation. Reynolds provided an estimated total project cost of about $18,000,000 but said a final budget will depend on engineering and architectural work that the approved site verification is intended to enable.

CRA staff and board members clarified the use of funds and legal authority. Michelle Holton, CRA executive director, confirmed CRA statute language permits use of redevelopment funds for site clearing and similar activities; staff described the requested $77,670 as for clearance, surveying and permitting work rather than for construction. The board was told that once EDA clearance and site verification reports are complete, architects and engineers can prepare definitive project plans and budgets.

Before the item, Vice Chair James Holloway announced he would recuse himself because of an affiliation with the Iowa Mentorship Foundation; his recusal was noted in the minutes. Board member Ware made the motion to approve the CRA assistance; Board member C. Coleman seconded. The board chair called for the vote; the motion passed with unanimous support among the voting members present (yes: 6, no: 0, abstain/recused: 1). No amendments were made to the motion.

The motion as read into the record was: "Motion to approve request from I Will Mentorship Foundation for site work assistance in the amount of $77,670 for the development of the STEM Cat Center located at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center." The CRA staff recorded the item as an expenditure that could be moved into a line with available funding, and staff indicated construction would not commence until after EDA clearance and subsequent permitting and design work.

Board members recommended site visits to existing CRA-supported projects and asked staff to provide ongoing updates as the project moves through the EDA clearance, engineering and permitting steps. The board then proceeded to other agenda items.