County begins to hone direction for Lee Civic Center
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners inched forward on April 18 as the elected board continues to determine the fate of the Lee Count Civic Center complex.
“Today, I don’t think the conversation is about the past, or what should have, or maybe should not have had happened, but I think it is about that most people believe that this property really does need to be redeveloped,” County Manager Roger Desjarlais said. “No one on this team, and I know no one on the county commission, wants to close down that property in its entirety.”
He said they want to make sure the center’s events that are currently on the schedule will take place to the fullest extent possible. However, there are some repairs that have to happen before they can.
“What we can’t tell you today is the exact amount of time and the exact cost for those repairs. I don’t think it will take very long,” Desjarlais said, adding staff can report back at the next meeting.
The recommendation approved was to support the continuation of the 4-H program at the facility off of Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers; possibly enhancing the opportunity for more access; supporting the 100-year anniversary of the fair in 2024, with staff coordinating the terms and conditions with the Fair Board; preparing a transition plan for assuming day-to-day operations of the center property; and presenting community engagement feedback regarding long-term options.
The motion passed, with Commissioners Cecil Pendergrass and Ray Sandelli opposing it.
Assistant County Manager Christine Brady told the commissioners that repairs have been completed at the Tinsley Pavilion, Davidson House, the three barns and the Grand Pavilion, which allows 4-H to continue to use the facilities. The facilities, construction and management team, Brady said, continue to work on a plan for the actual center building.
Assistant County Manager Marc Mora said nine electrical deficiencies have been cited as either a code violation or a life safety issue. They range from simple fixes such as reinstalling panel covers to complicated electrical work, such as the replacement of the center’s main switch of the circuit breaker.
In addition, there are concerns with the parking lot light poles, as some have exposed live wiring that needs to be replaced, capped and covered, with an estimated cost between $17,000 to $22,000.
Mora said the recommended code repairs and life and safety issues have an estimated cost of $300,000.
“I live in that community. I have lived here my whole life,” Commissioner Mike Greenwell said about moving to Fort Myers when he was 4. “All I am trying to do and trying to get the county to work with is making the 4-H program at the level it should be at. When you go there and see the facility it is embarrassing. I have personally stood there and bought animals because I couldn’t sit down. It’s time to take care of the children like we do with the ballfields and soccer fields.”
He said there will always be a fair as long as he has a vote and the Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair Association and its board of directors, which has been operating the day-to-day operations of the county-owned facility, has the opportunity to continue to run that fair, as all they have to do is negotiate an agreement.
“I am trying to fix it for the community and make it better. We have a wonderful piece of property to build a nicer facility for our constituents and children. To continue to manage the property in the way it is run, is not fair,” Greenwell said.
Pendergrass shared his concerns about hiring staff and running the center after the contract with the fair board expires on Sept. 30, especially during events. He said the county provided an estimate of about $688,000 for one year for supervisor salaries, maintenance salaries and operating equipment. Based on his analysis, the county would have to have equipment, with a cost up to a million dollars for the first year to run the facility. Pendergrass had concerns regarding verbiage of “maintaining planned events to the most extent possible.”
One of the events that may be affected is the Araba Shrine Circus, scheduled for May 12, at the center. Don Wells, reporter for Araba Shrine, said during public comment that with Lee County closing the main building, it will put them in a terrible position as they cannot reschedule the circus.
“Our only option to honor the commitment is to have an outdoor circus at the mercy of the weather and hot sun. The cost of the circus is $20,000. The owner of the circus offered to provide a tent for $15,000. We just cannot afford that,” he said.
County staff said they believe they can have the electrical components taken care of, so the circus could take place at the center.
Pendergrass read an assortment of events starting on Oct. 2 that ranged from a Riverdale class reunion, gun show, various meetings, RV shows, Home and Model Show, craft shows and a Senior Expo that will take place on the grounds.
“Would you be able to provide enough staff to run all of these events without canceling? What happens if those events get cancelled and at the end of the day we, as the board of county commissioners, will get blamed for them canceling?” he asked. “I want us to have a plan, a financial plan and a construction plan of what we are going to do. A master plan of what the facility is going to look like on top of health and safety features. What is it going to cost us?”
Deputy County Manager Dave Harner said Parks and Recreation will ultimately oversee the center. He said they have on-call and event coordinators who can work events.
“Our goal is to work on a transitional plan and work with the fair board to make sure nothing is missed in the process,” he said.
Pendergrass said after the fair board’s contract sunsets, all the events would be on the county to park cars, run the shows, man the restrooms, clean the place, open and unlock the doors.
“Collecting parking, maintaining restrooms, the cost that the team gave you for maintaining the facility is to maintain the outside of the facility,” Harner said, adding that Parks and Recreation does parking for events all the time. “On calls would be coming from the revenue that it generates … bringing in revenue to offset those on call. We can also partner with other nonprofit entities to split the profit, so they can get a percentage and we can get the percentage.”
Greenwell said they are assuming that they would receive some income from the scheduled events to offset some costs.
“So anything we book in the future would also offset any costs Lee County taxpayers would have to pay because we would be able to utilize those funds to run the facility?” he asked. “We are not putting a burden on the taxpayers for a million dollars.”
Harner said they will generate revenue, but ultimately when it comes to Parks and Recreation, they generate 18 percent of revenue to cover their cost.
Desjarlais said all the repairs that have to be done are necessary and have to be paid for no matter what.
“I am confident that we can have the majority of those events, assuming those paying for the events still want to do that,” he said.
Other comments from the board included not having a financial model for the center, or a financial report of events being held, revenue collected and the lack of a sinking fund. There were also strong feelings on keeping the center as a rural niche, as well as putting out a request for management of the facility, which would go through a procurement process.
Commissioner Kevin Ruane said he struggled with not having any historical information and the lack of a financial model of what took place in the last 20-odd years.
“All of the events have to have some form of revenue,” he said, adding that they can only speculate revenue and expenses.
Ruane asked to have a future workshop, as the commissioners were only spitballing at the dais.
“We do a great job in a workshop environment,” he said, adding that discussions can be had about short-term and long-term plans for the center. “This building has deteriorated over 23 years. We have the ability to have a workshop and come up with a conclusion before Sept. 30. (We can) have a workshop and come up with a solution before the contract expires.”
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