The 5-member Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) is the county’s legislative and governing body. Each commissioner is elected by all Lee County voters but must live in the district they will represent. They are elected for a maximum of three 4-year terms. Each November, the Board elects a Chair who serves as its presiding officer.
Oversight by the County Commissioners impacts every resident every day and includes, but is not limited to:
- taxation,
- human services,
- public safety,
- land use and development decisions,
- roadways and traffic,
- legislating local laws and ordinances,
- water quality and water treatment,
- solid waste, and
- coordination with federal, state, city, and the school district.
The County Manager, the County Attorney and the Hearing Examiner report to the BoCC. The County Manager is appointed by and reports to the BoCC. This official is directly responsible for the administration and operation of the County, and for the execution of all BoCC policies.
Commissioners’ salaries are set by state law and increase as population grows. The current commissioner salary is $100,289 in FY 21-22 plus an estimated $30,000 – 40,000 in job benefits.
BoCC meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 9:30am in the Commission Chambers in the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main St., downtown Fort Myers. Public comment is limited to three minutes to address agenda items and other issues. The Commissioners also meet as the Comprehensive Planning and Zoning Board on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, serve as the Port Authority, which oversees transportation in the county, and on the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Commissioners also appoint committee members to County Advisory Committees, many of which are inactive.
Commissioners are subject to the Florida Sunshine law, which prohibits private communications on any issue that is to come before the Board. The Sunshine law requires that “1) meetings of boards or commissions must be open to the public; 2) reasonable notice of such meetings must be given, and 3) minutes of meetings must be taken.”
Resources
Commission District Map: https://www.leegov.com/PublishingImages/Area%20Maps/CommissionDistricts.pdf
Lee County Facts Q & A: http://www.leegov.com/aboutus/transparency
Florida Association of Counties: http://www.fl-counties.com
Lee County’s governing Charter: https://www.leegov.com/charter
Advisory committees: www.leegov.com/bocc/advisorycommittees/committeesearch