Votes at a glance: Fort Myers council approves land purchases, budget amendments, grants and multiple contracts

Below are key outcomes from the Fort Myers City Council meeting on May 5, 2025. Items are listed with the motion outcome and essential details as presented at the meeting.

• Resolution 2025-38 — Budget amendment: Larchmont Avenue Improvements. Approved. The council increased the Larchmont Avenue Improvements capital project by $1,426,400 (from $2,450,000 to $3,876,400). Funding: 2018 bond proceeds $463,100; utility operations $432,700; stormwater fund reserves $530,600.

• Resolution 2025-56 — Local Housing Assistance Plan (SHIP program). Approved. Council approved the local housing assistance plan required by the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program and authorized submission to Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

• Resolution 2025-58 — Land acquisition appropriation. Approved. The council appropriated $426,000 from land acquisition fund reserves to purchase three lots on Hoople Street from SMS and Partners LLC for Midtown redevelopment (exhibit A referenced in staff report).

• Permission to advertise — Acquisition of 2110 and 2112 Hoople Street. Approved. Staff will advertise a public hearing for June 19 (noted in staff comments as 05/19/2025 in the agenda) to consider purchase of the improved 12-unit multifamily property and adjacent parking lot for $520,000 plus closing costs for Midtown redevelopment purposes.

• Permission to advertise — Disposition of 1772 Delaware Avenue (AHCP). Approved. Council corrected the sale price: house selling price $256,000 with a 6% concession included for closing costs, yielding a contract amount of $272,350 to the buyer, Stephanie L. Robinson, under the Affordable Home Construction Program.

• Contracts and construction approvals. Approved: closeout and final payment for Central & South advanced wastewater treatment facilities biosolids replacement project with The Haskell Company (final payment $602,206.13; project closeout reduced contract in the deductive amount $170,773.25). Contract awarded for Toppin Street and Riverside Pier construction to Stokes Marine, Inc. for $1,882,135.69. Supplemental task orders and construction manager authorizations were approved for Fire Station 18 ($344,293.34 with Tobler OAK Venture LLC) and Roberta Clemente Park Phase 2 ($1,842,632 with Wright Construction Group, Inc.).

• Grant subrecipient agreements. Approved: acceptance of CDBG-DR funding for the LARK Expansion Project (subrecipient agreement with Lee County) and CDBG-NDR funding on behalf of Goodwill Industries for a new headquarters (subrecipient agreement with Lee County).

• Permission to advertise — Ordinances and rezoning. Approved permission to advertise Ordinance 4044 (Cleveland Avenue redevelopment subarea amendment), Ordinance 4051 (rezoning 6.7 acres to heavy industrial), and related public hearings as listed on the agenda.

• Consent and administrative items. The council approved various consent-agenda items and contract language cleanups; item 3.6 was pulled from the agenda. Items 3.7 (youth employment agreement — contract cleanup requested), 3.9 (utilities item with revised quote and terms), and other consent items were approved.

• Rachel at the Veil repairs: approved multiple small contracts totaling $90,891.93. A prior bidder filed suit and sought an injunction; the court denied an emergency temporary injunction earlier the same day, allowing the council to proceed while litigation remains pending.

For motions where a mover and second were recorded at the meeting, the council typically recorded the mover as Councilmember Fred Berson and second as Councilmember Darla Bunk or as noted in the minutes. Many items passed by voice vote with no roll-call tally printed in the transcript.

The meeting included additional proclamations and advisory-board presentations; several items were informational or were pulled for later action. Details and staff exhibits for each item will be available in the official meeting packet and minutes.