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Board debates hiring lead-generation consultants, narrows priorities for June workshop
Summary
Members pressed staff on whether to hire third-party lead-generation firms, debate cost and scope, and agreed to prepare a short list of target industries and a workshop in June (inviting FGCU and possibly Dover Kohl) to clarify the board's long-term economic-development vision and priorities.
The Economic Development Advisory Board spent much of the meeting discussing how to focus limited city resources and whether to hire third-party lead-generation or marketing firms. Staff offered cost estimates: lead-generation firms ranged in examples from about $50,000 a year (Veil Strategies) to $75'$85,000 (Kamoinge Associates), with some firms requesting multi-year agreements. Staff said the department has limited remaining FY funds available for professional services and advertising and urged the board to identify two or three target industry sectors before contracting.
A board member used an AI research prompt to produce a candidate list of growth sectors (logistics/distribution, advanced manufacturing, health care/life sciences, real estate/infrastructure among them); staff urged the board to narrow to two or three sectors aligned with Fort Myers' local assets so marketing and lead-generation can be targeted. Members also discussed expedited permitting or third-party estimators to reduce project costs and asked staff to check whether existing fee or BIZAC-like funds could support additional staffing or expedited review.
The board agreed to a short list exercise: members will submit their top two industry sectors ahead of the next meeting; the board plans a June workshop to refine a vision, hear an FGCU research briefing, and determine prioritized action items; the board also voted to invite Dover Kohl to present at an upcoming meeting.
