close

Proclamation, celebration for former mayor’s birthday

2 min read
article image -
Myron “Mike” Klein

Citizens are invited to attend the presentation of a proclamation and celebration for former Sanibel Mayor Myron “Mike” Klein’s 100th birthday on June 4 at 12:30 pm. at Mackenzie Hall.

Klein served as a member of city council for two consecutive terms from 1980-1988. He also served as vice mayor from May of 1981 through December of 1982 and as mayor from December of 1982 through December of 1983 and December of 1987 through November of 1988.

In 1983, Klein was the mayor when the Sanibel City Hall on Dunlop Road was finished.

During his terms as mayor, the city council adopted 61 ordinances and 227 resolutions.

Among the legislation adopted during his tenure on city council were numerous ordinances concerning implementation and development of land use and building codes. Some of the legislation passed during his tenure includes:

– Establishing a moratorium pertaining to prevention of overdevelopment of commercial properties

– Conveyance of land owned by the city to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

– Approving an agreement with Community Housing and Resources to serve as the city’s housing foundation

– Amending comprehensive land use plan protecting wildlife habitats and gopher tortoises and their burrows

– Prohibiting imposition of impact fees

– Granting permission for fire control department

– Setting up refuse collection

Klein is originally from Rochester, New York. In 1943, he graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in physics. Klein worked for Eastman Kodak Company before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He spent several months at the University of Nebraska before being transferred to Army Night Vision and Electro-optics laboratory in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Klein was involved in the early attempts to build infrared night vision telescopes. The work resulted in present-day night vision binoculars used by the United States Armed Forces. He also received the Legion of Merit for his work in this field. Klein retired as an associate director of the U.S. Army Night Vision and Electro-optics laboratory.

Klein was a Sanibel resident from 1975-1999 and bought his first home in 1968. In 1979, Klein alongside Ikki Matsumoto, Polly Matsumoto and Pete Smith formed the non-profit organization called The Barrier Island Group for the Arts or BIG ARTS. Currently, he lives at the Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, where he is an active participant in pottery classes.

For more information, contact the City Manager’s Office at 239-472-3700.

Mackenzie Hall is at 800 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.