The Lee County Board of County Commissioners has announced the four finalists for the 19th annual Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year Award for 2009. The finalists are: Samira Beckwith ( Fort Myers ), Mary Miller ( N. Fort Myers ), Roxie Smith ( Fort Myers Beach ) and George Szymanski (Lehigh Acres).

The winner will be announced at the 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 16 Lee County Commission meeting in the second floor chambers in the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2110 Main Street in downtown Fort Myers.

A Board of County Commissioners appointed committee of seven individuals who narrowed the 16 nominations to the four finalists. The commissioners will select the winner from that list of four.

The award was created in 1991 to honor Mrs. Burton, a long time Sanibel Island resident and government watch dog. She spent many years serving as a voice of the people to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners as well as playing an active role in Sanibel politics. She died in a 1991 car accident.