Estero Council urges Lee County to reconsider vote to rename Don Eslick Bridge

The Estero Village Council on Wednesday morning unanimously passed a resolution that urges Lee County Commissioners to reconsider last week’s vote to change the name of the Don Eslick Bridge to Estero Community Bridge.

Estero Mayor Jim Boesch said he plans to read the village resolution before Lee County commissioners at their meeting Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Old County Courthouse in downtown Fort Myers. 

“We will do our best on behalf of not just the council, but on behalf of all of our residents, to express our desire to make sure this motion is rescinded so the bridge is still named for Don Eslick,” Boesch said.

More:Lee commissioners revoke honorary naming of Estero bridge for 'Mr. Estero' Don Eslick

At the suggestion of Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, Lee County commissioners voted Dec. 4 to draft a resolution that would rename the Interstate 75 overpass on Estero Parkway.

Neither Pendergrass nor the other commissioners mentioned Eslick's name prior to taking their vote.

The Estero Parkway extension is owned by Lee County. The Village of Estero controls the stretch of Estero Parkway from U.S. 41 to Three Oaks Parkway.

Several Estero councilors Wednesday described the county commissioners' decision as "deceitful." 

“I’m just so disappointed with our commissioners,” said Councilor Howard Levitan. “Their actions were so mean-spirited and vindictive.”

Councilor Katy Errington said the commission’s vote “a slap in the face for those of us who live in Estero.”

“For some reason, the (county) board decide to throw their power around. It is not helping the community. We should have peace here,” Errington said. “We shouldn’t have to be sitting here today discussing this the way we are. Why didn’t someone come to us and say this is a problem?”

More:Lee commissioners revoke honorary naming of Estero bridge for Mr. Estero, Don Eslick

With Eslick in the audience, several Estero residents spoke before the council about the work he has done to benefit the community. 

Eslick serves as the interim chairman of the Estero Council of Community Leaders, a volunteer group of residents from the village’s gated communities who advocate for policy issues.

“Without his tireless efforts, Estero would not be the unified village it currently is,” said Scotty Wood, an Estero resident and chairman of the village’s Planning and Zoning Board.

After the council approved its resolution, Eslick thanked people at the meeting for their words of support.

Eslick recalled the day the county named the bridge after him. He received a plaque from commissioners, which he still has in his closet, Eslick said.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” he said.

Eslick said having his name on the bridge has encouraged other people to get involved in the community.

“When you get into these things, you don’t do it for the recognition you get,” Eslick said. “You do it for the satisfaction that you get out of doing it.

Lee County spokesman Tim Engstrom said that as of Wednesday afternoon, the resolution to rename the bridge had yet to be signedby Lee County Commission Chairman Larry Kiker. 

If Kiker signs the resolution and makes the name change official, Commissioner Frank Mann said he would propose an item at the county’s Dec. 18 meeting to reverse it, according to The News-Press.

Other council actions Wednesday:

• Waived contingencies on the Estero’s pending purchase of 62 acres along the Estero River, which allows the village to proceed toward closing on the property in January.
• Accepted a loan commitment from Capital Bank. The financial institution will provide the village with a loan to fund the property purchase. The village will take actions to finalize the bank loan at a public meeting in early January.
• Set a total project budget for Estero Parkway of $9.29 million. Councilors established a budget for road surfacing and landscaping at just over $8 million and a budget for road lighting at $1.2 million.
• Determined not to hold early voting prior to Estero’s March 5 Village Council election. Holding early voting would have cost the village an extra $13,000 in election costs, according to meeting agenda documents. Four council seats are up for election in March: District 3 held by Jon McLain, District 4 held by Katy Errington, District 5 held by Mayor Jim Boesch and District 7 held by Jim Wilson.
• Decided to hire a consultant that will perform a peer review of a mine report that challenges the need for lime rock mines in southeast Lee County.

More:Resolution renaming Eslick bridge ready; Mann readies bid to change the name back