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Bay Oaks advisory presses for strategic plan as staff outlines pool design timeline
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Summary
Members of the Bay Oaks advisory board reviewed park maintenance priorities, assigned strategic-planning homework and heard an update that the pool design will go before the town council for approval of the design contract before May 4; staff said design could take up to a year and construction will follow procurement and permitting.
Members of the Bay Oaks advisory board spent the bulk of their meeting pressing staff for clearer timelines and a stronger role in a townwide strategic plan while laying out short-term revenue ideas and maintenance priorities for Bay Oaks Park.
The board’s chair opened by noting two advisory vacancies after a recent resignation and asked residents to apply. The board then approved minutes from the March 18 meeting after brief debate about whether a full strategic-planning session should have been held during the current meeting. Committee member Joy Sullivan moved to approve the minutes; another member seconded and the motion passed by voice vote.
“How are we moving ahead to better Fort Myers Beach in Bay Oaks?” Howie Hoffman, who identified himself as a representative of the Triple Deuces Fort Myers Beach senior softball team, asked during public comment, asking specifically about the pool and nets for the ballfields. “Did the cement people come and things like that?” he said.
Staff gave the group an update on the pool project and related park items. Jeff Haughey (staff member present) said the town manager had negotiated with a design firm and that the design contract was scheduled to go to the town council for approval on May 4. “Once the council approves that on May 4, then we can start the design phase,” he said, adding that design work could take up to a year and that procurement and permitting would follow before construction could begin.
Board members asked the staff to ensure the pool design considers locker-room-style showers and storage so traveling teams can use the facilities. “Maybe we can make that a multi-purpose shower facility so it would be able to be used for other people other than just the pool,” said a committee member, adding that improved locker rooms would support rentals and events.
Members also pressed staff about several park items: the town currently has four pickleball courts with a possible four more if a donor’s offer is finalized; shade sails depend on court placement; an FOB access system remains delayed while legal and procurement steps continue; and landscaping and pavilion repairs are candidates for help by the Friends of Bay Oaks or other community groups.
On revenue and programming, the board adopted a short list of “buckets” for strategic planning—revenue, facilities, programming, partnerships and marketing—and assigned homework. Chair asked each member to visit the pool site and produce (1) a list of needed fixes and (2) five new revenue ideas to present at the next advisory meeting. Staff was asked to compile the town’s wish list and provide revenue-by-category figures so the advisory group can prioritize requests for the next budget season.
The advisory board also discussed special events and permitting, including a proposal to provide a rain-day backup location for a community event (described in the meeting as WhatsUp FNB). Staff reminded members that any outside event using the facility would require appropriate insurance, a special-events permit, and counsel review for contracts.
The board set its next regular meetings for May 20 and June 17 and announced there will be no meeting in July. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn carried by voice vote.
What’s next: members will inspect the pool and return on May 20 with prioritized lists and revenue ideas for staff to synthesize and present to the town council where appropriate.
