Lee County approves $150 million interim line of credit for water‑reclamation projects amid public objections

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a motion combining administrative items 39–41 to effectuate a $150 million line of credit intended to provide interim cash flow for advanced water‑reclamation projects, including work in Southeast County and Fort Myers Beach. Commissioners said the interim financing will be replaced later this year with permanent bonds.

Why it matters: The line of credit is a large, mid‑year financing measure that county staff described as a cash‑flow tool for two major reclamation projects. A member of the public said one project is under legal challenge and asked the board to halt further spending until the legal matter and broader public input are addressed.

During public comment, Marcia Ellis said she opposed items 39, 40 and 41 being bundled and brought forward in the middle of the fiscal year. "I don't understand why we're coming back midyear asking for $150 million and setting up funds in the middle of the year," she said, adding that "the Southeast Water Reclamation Facility is under legal challenge and... continues to be built in defiance of the rule of law." Ellis urged the board to "breathe, pause, and think more clearly" before advancing large financing outside the normal budget process.

County staff told commissioners the line of credit is intended primarily to manage cash flow while the county arranges permanent bond financing later in the year. The staff presentation described the funds as "not the full funding" for the projects but as an interim mechanism to keep construction and related work moving. The board moved and seconded to combine the three items and, after calling for public comment, carried the motion with no recorded objection.

The meeting record does not include a roll‑call tally for the combined motion; minutes show the motion carried after no speaker objected during the public‑comment period. The record also does not specify who moved or seconded the final motion on the record.

Next steps: Staff said permanent bonds will be put in place later in the year to replace the interim line of credit. The Southeast Water Reclamation Facility project was described by a public commenter as being subject to an ongoing legal challenge; the county's presentation did not provide additional detail about the litigation status during the meeting. The board recessed and will reconvene for an evening public hearing on an unrelated charter amendment.