Eddie Rood, who owns a home on the south end of Fort Myers Beach, has filed the paperwork to run in the November 4th recall election of John King and Karen Woodson. As of today, Rood is the third person to file.
Rood is probably best known for his years-long fight with the town to construct a long walkover from his house to the beach over the Critical Wildlife Area. After being denied for years by previous Town Council’s, and filing several lawsuits, the walkover was approved, ironically, when Karen Woodson and John King were elected three years ago.Â
Why is he running? “I made the decision to run when I realized that there was not another prospective candidate on the pro development side of the current controversy. I am not in favor of the recall movement, but if it is successful there needs to be a pro development candidate so that both sides are represented equally. I believe it’s best if future development is approached in a reasonable manner with common sense. Each project needs to be looked at individually and common sense applied in the decision-making process. I am in agreement that there are areas that have different needs, and thus need to be developed accordingly. We need to be responsible, but the entire island is not one-size-fits-all. I believe we need to be reasonable and move FMB forward.”
Rood joins Tom Brady and Rebecca Link who filed to run in the recall earlier this week. All three are hoping to replace King and Woodson if the recall is approved by a majority of the voters on November 4th. It will be the first recall of elected officials in the history of Lee County.
The seats King and Woodson occupy are up for election in November of 2026
Councilman King will be on Beach Talk Radio at 10AM Sunday at Wahoo Willie’s. Rood will be on the show at 10:30. Rebecca Link will be on our show Saturday, September 27th on our first show back on the terrace at Margaritaville.Â
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Anyone know how much money Rood’s lawsuits cost the town?
Mr. Rood is the poster child for people with selective hearing. A majority of the people against the Seagate, London Bay and Moss Marina are NOT against development and have repeatedly said so. We are against developing outside the Comp Plan. The Comp Plan supports the reason FMB became a town and anyone running for Town Council should support the Comp Plan.
IMHO… Anyone who is to be considered should have at least served on one committee. And most importantly, I really think they should have served on the LPA.
Lots of generalities in this announcement.
Reasonable manner? Common sense? One size doesn’t fit all?
He says he’s pro development. What does that mean? Hell, everyone knows the town has to be redeveloped. The question is how to do that, what kind of development. High rises, more density, four story limits, following the vision, scrapping the vision.
He doesn’t tell you a thing here about his position on the comp plan, the community vision, density, building heigth…..
These candidates present the perfect opportunity in candidate forums and interviews for this community to begin pressing for – insisting on – clear answers and substantial backgrounds (simply professing love for the island and keeping it paradise is not an answer.)
How about, would you change the height limit, favor higher densities, permit loud music and nightly rentals in the middle of single family neighborhoods, permit more condo development along the bay without environmental impact studies, meet privately with developer applicants and their staffs, open that boardwalk on public land to the publlic?
Clear answers to specific questions not obfuscation, half answers or non-answers and lots of ‘it depends.’
Reject the dodges and generalities. Press. Hard.
Mr Rood conveniently dismisses the FACT that the existing Town Comp plan is detailed, well thought out , accounts for the different needs and areas of the Island and is supported by a majority of residents . The Town Comp plan is NOT against development- it’s a blueprint for responsible development that fits the Island .
Would love to hear any specific proposed changes or new Comp plan presented or areas with disagreement and have them presented to residents –
Sounds like another candidate who wants to pick winners and losers and not stick to a well thought out plan-