Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that Fort Myers Beach will receive an $11.9 million interest free bridge loan for operational expenses because of the impact of Hurricane Ian on the Town’s tax revenues and governmental operations.
The loan is designed to cover the town’s operational expenses until additional funding from sources such as FEMA is received. The Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan Program is managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Operational expenses covered by the loan are associated with continuing, expanding, or modifying local governmental operations to meet disaster-related needs, and include costs such as, but not limited to, staff salaries and payroll.
Totally – given what has happened, having a clean slate (unfortunately…) look for ways to minimalize, change it up in a cost efficient way !
Have owners provide their ideas …..
To be honest what would cost the least in the long run and look the best is artificial turf, even if you buy recycled turf from an stadium I have done it and looks great. NO WATER NO WEEDS NO MAINTENANCE.
Agreed! It’s unnecessary things like the town did when they removed the grass and replaced with “native vegetation” in the areas between the road and sidewalks I see as luxury spending.
We live on the south end and the grass in the right of ways was never mowed and it’s not the responsibility of the homeowner. It looked terrible. The native vegetation was brilliant due to low or no maintenance. That’s smart business. I’m all for luscious grass if it’s manicured. More than ever, we don’t have that staff on the beach to maintain that look. I say plant the wild sunflowers that have popped up all over the right of ways!!!!
Seems a good time to really look at what’s necessary and what is not necessary. Streamline the processes, cut back on spending, look at ways to reduce costs. Just like all businesses do. Adapt to the new environment. Don’t just use this as a crutch to continue the current path. Wouldn’t it be great if in the end you could hand most of that back and say it wasn’t needed. Save the taxpayers some money in this devastating time and going forward.