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Residents and land-trust representatives urge Commission to approve Conservation 2020 purchases
Summary
Public commenters including representatives of Calusa Land Trust and the League of Women Voters praised Conservation 2020 land-acquisition efforts on Pine Island and urged commissioners to fully fund and follow voter intent for the program funded by a 0.5-mill tax.
Several residents and nonprofit representatives addressed the board during public comment to support Conservation 2020 parcel purchases on Pine Island and to urge continued funding of the voter-approved program.
"This project has been in the works for 9 years," Cheryl King, president of the Calusa Land Trust, told commissioners, thanking staff and urging approval of items 16 and 17 that relate to final purchases. Marsha Ellis, speaking later, told the board the Conservation 2020 program had been approved by voters repeatedly and said the county should "follow through with that ministerial duty" by replenishing funds from the 0.5-mill tax, which she described as generating about "$65,000,000 annually."
Commenters framed the acquisitions as protecting habitat, wildlife corridors and water quality and urged the board to reflect voter direction in the budget process. Commissioners acknowledged the comments during the consent discussion and moved forward with the consent agenda that included conservation items.
No formal change to the Conservation 2020 program was proposed during the meeting; the remarks were part of public comment ahead of consent actions.
