Resilient Lee Task Force unanimously approved its Recovery and Resiliency Plan and will forward it to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. If approved by vote March 19, the plan will provide a blueprint for the county’s municipalities and other stakeholders to seek federal and state grants to continue recovering from Hurricane Ian, which devastated the region Sept. 28, 2022.

“It took almost a year and a half to get here,” said Lee County Manager Dave Harner, who presided over the approval meeting Feb. 23 at Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers. Task force Chairman Kevin Ruane did not attend.

“We know it’s going to be many years before we recover completely. This plan allows us to seek grants for the future,” Harner said. “Whether it’s the county or the municipalities or collectively, we’ll be working together in many areas. Specifically with flood mitigation. We’ll be working on those issues.”

Although Resilient Lee Task Force also provided input for a Community Block Grant of $1.1 billion coming from the federal government, the approved plan is about the separate issue of boosting infrastructure and planning for future storms.

The plan covers 43 initiatives in eight categories—Planning and Capacity, Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Housing, Economic Recovery, Education and Workforce, Health and Social Services and Cultural Resources.

“The $1.1 billion is very separate from what this resiliency and recovery plan is,” said Holly Smith, a Sanibel City Council member and task force member. “The $1.1 billion is one pot of money. Everyone is going to be looking in their own jurisdiction and stakeholder groups for their own funding. At every level. Every opportunity. I think this plan is going to change over time, and we’re going to add opportunities for more funding sources.”

Harner discussed the next steps.

“The next step is each new municipality or entity, including the school district and the fire departments would approve their own plan,” Harner said. “The county would take all of those plans and accept them and approve their version, which won’t change at all with today’s vote. I think everybody’s consistent that the plan will be consistent across the board.

“Whether it’s the county or the municipalities or collectively, we’ll be working together in many areas. Specifically with flood mitigation. We’ll be working on those issues. This allows us the framework, and it allows us to move forward. They’ll dig deeper with our own entities to decide the next steps to move forward.”