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Fort Myers advisory board backs pursuing outside lead‑generation firm to boost recruitment
Summary
The Fort Myers Economic Development Advisory Board voted Oct. 2 to support pursuing a contracted lead‑generation/site‑selection service for the Economic Development Office, after a presentation on options and costs. Staff will circulate proposals and brief council liaisons before a council decision.
The Fort Myers Economic Development Advisory Board voted Thursday to back pursuing a lead‑generation process — a contracted, fixed‑price effort to identify and qualify businesses for recruitment — to supplement the city’s Economic Development Office.
Board member Dwayne Dyer moved that “this board support a lead gen process for our economic developer,” and a board member seconded; the chair called the question and the board approved the recommendation by voice vote. The action asks staff to provide a current proposal and cost estimates to the clerk and to brief council liaisons ahead of any council agenda item.
Why it matters: Economic development staff said Fort Myers lacks the internal bandwidth to make the volume of outreach needed to generate site leads. Economic Development Director Steve Weathers told the board the office’s current budget is “around $300,000,” with limited travel funding, and described two outside options discussed in the meeting: a retail‑specialist proposal at about $50,000 a year (three‑year engagement) and another lead‑generation approach discussed in the $75,000 range for a pilot. Weathers and board members described outside firms as offering fixed costs and measurable deliverables — a way to scale outreach without immediately hiring additional city staff.
What the board debated: Members split between a strategic, long‑term vision (defining the city’s industry priorities) and a tactical push to increase the volume of qualified leads. Some members warned that economic development necessarily touches infrastructure, workforce and quality‑of‑life issues and said the board must coordinate with other agencies and council representatives. Others pressed that a targeted lead‑generation effort would be a straightforward tactical win that can be measured and, if successful, could justify additional staff later.
Next steps: Director Weathers said he would forward a current proposal and pricing to the clerk for distribution; board members were asked to discuss the concept with their council liaisons and return with feedback at the next advisory board meeting. Any contract would require city procurement review and, if executed, council approval.
Board members did not record a roll‑call vote tally in the minutes; the meeting recorded a voice vote in favor.
