To the editor:

In 2015, I had the privilege of serving as the chairman for the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District’s Board of Commissioners for the fifth time during my 16 years of service to the district.

Lehigh Acres MSID, formerly East County Water Control District, is a multi-county Chapter 189 district created by the state to provide drainage and flood control; conservation and mitigation; irrigation; navigation services to Lehigh Acres and other powers granted by the state.

In 2015, the district had many notable accomplishments, including:

Transitioning from East County Water Control District to the newly formed Lehigh Acres MSID. Under legislative act, our agency was granted additional powers. We welcomed the community to celebrate and learn more about this transition at a dedication ceremony on Aug. 26.

The Board of Commissioners accepted a $1.2 million grant from FDEP for the construction of the Southwest Weirs Project; this project will allow the district to construct 25 water control structures providing better flood control and the rehydration of the historically dry area of Southwest Lehigh.

The district entered into agreements with FDOT to provide stormwater retention for the State Road 82 widening project and secured $3.2 million to start several of the district’s capital projects.

We hosted a town hall meeting that brought together governmental entities and elected officials – including Rep. Matthew Caldwell, State Sen. Lizabeth Benacquisto, Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman, Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann, representatives from the South Florida Water Management District and the Board of Commissioners from Lehigh Acres MSID – and residents to discuss water storage and water quality needs for Lehigh Acres.

I am proud to have made a presentation to the Lee County Delegation on Oct. 14, to request $3,750,000 for the purchase of stormwater retention land, planning and design. Our board of commissioners voted to support the budget request at the Oct. 19, meeting.

I would like to thank the community, my fellow commissioners and our staff for their support.

J. Nathan Stout

Lehigh Acres