“The Clinic’s board and CEO have been working diligently on upgrading the Clinic’s staffing and services over the last 18 months,” said Harrison Coerver, Chairman of the Boca Grande Health Clinic Board of Directors. The Clinic now has three primary care board-certified physicians, three RNs, an LPN, two medical assistants and a radiology technician. The next step is to consider ways we can improve our facilities to support the Clinic team in delivering first-rate care to patients.”

The Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association is dedicated to making sure every part of the Gasparilla Island shoreline is in compliance. Enforcement officers in Lee and Charlotte counties have the same mission, as do the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers and State Park rangers. 

According to the agenda published by Lee County government two days ago, Lee County commissioners were supposed to gather for their regular monthly meeting to discuss many items, including the Gasparilla Island cell phone tower and surrounding site. The agenda describes the item as a decision to be made to allow the new tower’s construction, as it has to be approved by county commissioners because of the Gasparilla Island Conservation District Act. The GICDA specifically addresses any buildings or structures over 38 feet, which are not allowed on the island. 

However, the Community Cell Tower Committee, which is the island’s group of community leaders and emergency officials overseeing the new cell tower project, said they have asked that the description of the agenda item be changed due to a few miscommunications, primarily due to the historic nature of the buildings around the site. The committee was surprised to see this item on the agenda, as they hadn’t even had time to get a good look at its contents.

Staff recommended that the Board approve the item to “maintain consistent, reliable telecommunication services for residents of Boca Grande,” which makes sense. It had also already been signed off on by Community Development Director Dave Loveland, Anne Henkel of Budget Services, Peter Winton of Budget Services, County Attorney Michael Jacob and Marc Mora from the County Manager’s office.

But there were still a few questions from island committee members that had not been answered at the time they last met with Vertical Bridge (the cell tower company) … questions that were supposed to have been answered prior to final submittal of a plan to the county.

Boca Grande community members are invited to join Lee County officials at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, for a ribbon cutting and sneak peek at Lee County Parks & Recreation’s soon-to-open dog park on Wheeler Road.  The specific opening date for the Wheeler Road Community Dog Park is yet to be announced. But the ribbon […]

West Charlotte County residents turned out in great number to let Charlotte County Commissioners know they are adamant that densities in their area need to be controlled for the protection of the people, wildlife, economy and overall wellbeing of their corner of the county … and they are most certainly concerned about putting anything that […]

Inn Marina Manager Brian Knight recently received a letter that made him quite happy. It came from Mercury Marine, and declared the Inn Marina to be number one in service, as nominated by their customers. In 2006 Mercury Marine implemented the Service CSI Award to recognize the dealers who “set the mark” in delivering customer […]

A group of Gasparilla Island residents, emergency workers and organization heads have gotten together to form a group called the Community Cell Tower Committee. Their goal in the meetings that have taken place in the last month and a half is to keep progressing our problem – the lack of a permanent cell phone tower – until it is no longer a problem.

So how do contractors or lot owners find a way to still sell or develop a lot and still manage to be a responsible human? The answer lies in several different directions, including on-site relocation, offsite relocation, a “10 or fewer burrow” permit or hiring an authorized permit holder to come help with relocation.