Nearly two dozen Charlotte County government, school board and nonprofit leaders addressed the county’s legislative delegation Monday at the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association. They requested funding and support ahead of the 2024 Florida Legislative Session for various projects to maintain services and improve quality of life for residents.
State Sen. Ben Albritton and Reps. Michael Grant and Spencer Roach listened as nearly two dozen officials stepped up to the microphone.
Punta Gorda Mayor Lynne Matthews sought funding assistance for Hurricane Ian-related seawall repairs and replacements in the amount of $4,740,992 for construction costs. The total project will cost $37,927,935.
The Punta Gorda canal system suffered seawall failures due to the September 2022 hurricane, which caused damages to three-quarters of a mile of seawalls in Burnt Store Isles and more than 6 miles in Punta Gorda Isles, affecting approximately 582 parcels.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is covering 75% of the cost and the state will cover 12.5%. The other 12.5% would fall on the canal maintenance districts, which likely would charge assessments, Assistant City Manager Melissa Reichert said after the meeting.
The actual amount would be determined by canal advisory boards and City Council, Reichert said, and depending on future funding and what the boards decide, waterfront property owners may have to bear some of the cost.
Residents in the Charlotte Park section of Punta Gorda also may face future costs when their septic systems are converted to a new central sewer collection system. The city is seeking $15 million from the state to go toward the system, which will replace nearly 1,400 septic systems. Matthews said the central sewer will improve water quality by removing 30,000 pounds of nitrogen annually.
Each household conversion cost is estimated at $30,000, and the project would be constructed in phases.
In addition, Matthews said the city seeks the delegation’s assistance with obtaining $10 million for construction of a $78 million wastewater treatment plant.
Charlotte County Board Commissioner Chair Bill Truex sought a total of $46 million to fund various infrastructure projects, a flood monitoring system, repairs to Charlotte Sports Park’s stadium and upgrades to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office 911 system.
Charlotte County Public Schools Board of Education Chair Cara Reynolds urged the lawmakers to provide $30 million to fund the first phase of rebuilding Port Charlotte Middle School, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian, and to provide $5.5 million for aviation classrooms and a training center at Punta Gorda Airport.
Social workers, heads of nonprofits, health care advocates and volunteers also had their say.
Lynn Dorler, executive director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County, asked the legislators to urge the state to fund a new clubhouse in Englewood that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Some 1,000 children belong to the organization, which provides hot meals and snacks.
During the public comment portion, several parents with developmentally disabled children took turns asking legislators to uphold and bolster the Medicaid Waiver program, which provides services to people with particular needs, including life skills development, therapy, equipment and transportation.
Angela Melvin, founder of Valerie’s House, which provides a safe haven for grieving children in the county, and Nadereh Salim, CEO of Children’s Network of Southwest Florida, which seeks to remove children from foster care and have them placed for adoption, both asked for continued support from the state of their nonprofit organizations.
Teri Ashley, executive director of nonprofit Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, requested digital emergency communication signage to alert residents of an evacuation order.
Others requesting support and funding included James Parish, CEO of Charlotte County Airport Authority; Mike Coates, director of the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Authority; Aysegul Timur, president of Florida Gulf Coast University; Jeffrey Albritton, president of Florida SouthWestern State College; Victoria Scanlon, CEO of Charlotte Behavioral Health Care; and Michael Nachef, vice president of government relations at Lee Health.
