The Wright Stuff

Creating a safe and economically viable community is something like being a pointillist painter, says Fort Myers city councilman Warren Wright. Using tiny brushstrokes, the pointillist produces a seemingly shapeless mass of well-placed dots that, when seen from a distance, blend into one clear image.

"There are different points, intensities, depths and hues to a city," says Wright. "I enjoy looking at separate problems and digesting data to come up with a complex solution. If you can solve problems in context and it all comes together, it can make a pretty good picture of the city's future."

Wright has been working on improving the future of Fort Myers since winning the Ward 1 council seat last April. Stretching from downtown Fort Myers eastward along the Palm Beach Boulevard corridor, Ward 1 is ripe for growth. But it's also home to some of the city's most downtrodden neighborhoods and highest crime rates.

Wright, 39, first entered the public consciousness as an on-air reporter for a Fort Myers television station. Then a pharmaceutical sales representative, he decided to become involved in local politics after the city approved a series of downtown condominium projects, including a 27-story high-rise adjacent to Centennial Park.

"I was offended the city would allow such a large structure that would cast a shadow over the park and block views of the river," says Wright. "I thought the way things were going, you'd have to be rich and in a higher age bracket to live downtown. That does not make for a vibrant urban core."

Wright's grassroots campaign and first months on council have included some rocky moments. During his campaign, an unknown assailant fired a gun at Wright while he was canvassing a Ward 1 neighborhood in his automobile. Although Wright says he was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time," the case remains unsolved.

Despite a large voter turnout and decisive victory, the sitting city council, including Wright's defeated opponent, refused to allow him to take his seat due to an interpretation of candidate residency requirements. A judge ruled that Wright met the requirements, and he was sworn in on May 16.

Despite the rough start, Wright remains enthusiastic and committed to improving the quality of life and economic future of Fort Myers.

"I came on council to talk about issues and put principles above personality," says Wright. "I'm not really worried about being popular because I've come to realize that one of my responsibilities is to address the elephant in the room. If you have honest and open discussion as your compass, everything else becomes clear."

One of the biggest elephants in the room, says Wright, is the crime problem in Ward 1 neighborhoods to the south of Palm Beach Boulevard. Half of all murders occurring in Lee County occur in Ward 1, where thugs prey on racially diverse residents who often live in poverty and sometimes refuse to report crimes.

"The crux of why I'm here is that I believe we've got to improve that situation," says Wright. "And that doesn't just mean more cops. The best way is to improve home ownership in some of the neighborhoods. When people own their homes, they take more pride in their properties, become more vigilant and crime goes down."

To nurture home ownership, Wright has organized a series of conferences where real estate agents, loan officers and other professionals educate potential first-time lower-income homeowners about buying and retaining a property. He would like the city to establish a formal curriculum that includes eight hours of instruction offered in English, Creole and Spanish.

"There are affordable housing programs available already," says Wright. "But most people who participate lose their homes within three years to predatory loan programs and other factors. What I'd like to see is a curriculum that can provide an anchor for these people."

Century 21 real estate agent Bill Myers lives near the area and participated in Wright's first homeowner conference. "It's getting harder for working people to buy a home for the first time anywhere in Fort Myers," he says. "Many of the homes in those neighborhoods need work, but they fit that $125,000-and-under niche. The area is absolutely primed for rejuvenation."

Increasing homeownership is just one dot in Fort Myers' big picture, says Wright, who would also like to draw more professionals and white-collar businesses to the city's downtown core. With that in mind, he's been a leading proponent of creating a municipal wireless system that would provide residents, police officers, city employees and visitors free access to the Internet from anywhere in the city.

The network would allow police officers to download information, control traffic lights and even visually assess some crime scenes from their vehicles. It would also allow traveling businesspeople to begin working on their laptops as soon as they arrive in town.

"If we can make this city more user-friendly, we'll attract more white-collar business," says Wright. "We are at the top of the list for growth potential. With a beautiful river and great weather, who wouldn't want to live here?"