The Lee Board of County Commissioners formally adopted its strategic priorities Tuesday.

The board priority list, developed during a planning meeting in February, continues to prioritize water quality, access to public lands, investment in human services, infrastructure and clear communication with the community, officials said.

The board continued its commitment to work on the Multi-Year Strategic Action Plan, which includes:

· Transportation – Projects are ongoing with annual tier ranking process.

· Flood mitigation – Projects are underway with further discussion planned.

· Water Quality – The Wastewater Master Plan is underway and water quality projects continue. Septic-to-sewer projects are being identified.

· Parks & Recreation – Conservation 20/20 preserve access programs are ongoing and shade structures are planned for parks.

· Procurement – Local vendor preference information has been updated.

· Tourism – Sports facilities assessment and staff analysis are underway.

· Economic Development/Redevelopment – Redevelopment efforts are underway, including efforts in North Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres.

· Financial Stability – Analysis and reporting to the board is ongoing.

· Communications – Continue to build communication strategies on multiple platforms to include traditional and digital communication channels.

The board voted to approve specific priorities within the categories, which include:

· Complete the Countywide Wastewater Management Plan for submission to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in January 2023.

· Identify project(s) to be submitted in the 2023 legislative session for septic-to-sewer grant funding.

· Analyze the feasibility and impacts of the County purchasing Florida Governmental Utility Authority’s (FGUA) assets.

· Submit recommendations for spending of American Rescue Plan Act funds that continue to focus on human services, affordable housing, workforce training and infrastructure.

· Develop options for the Civic Center complex after an engineering study is completed.

· Continue working on access to Conservation 20/20 properties, including GS-10.

· Continue public education using social media platforms, including information about the County’s comprehensive plan.

Lee County has created a special landing page with the strategic priorities and additional information from the Strategic Planning Workshop, including the presentation, minutes and information from last year’s workshop. It is available here: www.leegov.com/bocc/strategicworkshop. A video of Commission Chairman Cecil Pendergrass discussing the strategic priorities is also on the site.

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Source: Lee County Government