Jacob Ogles
Cape Coral took a beating from Hurricane Ian. But it just secured millions from the state to be better prepared for the next storm.
Supplemental funds set aside in the House and Senate include a collective $9 million to expand an Emergency Operations Center in Southwest Florida’s most populous city.
That fully covers a request filed this Legislative Session by Rep. Mike Giallombardo, a Cape Coral Republican. He submitted a $9 million request from Cape Coral City Manager Paul Clinghan.
The ask noted that the city isn’t just recovering from an historic storm, but experiencing explosive growth.
“As one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas, Cape Coral is in need of funding for an expanded Emergency Operations Center,” the request reads. “The EOC expansion will serve the City’s population of more than 200,000 residents. The existing EOC was constructed in 2001 when the City’s population was 107,631 and the City is anticipated to reach a population of more than 400,000 residents in 10 years.”
Indeed, the latest American Community Survey results show the Lee County city has grown to a population of 198,912, now exceeding Tallahassee in population, if only by hundreds.
But the metropolitan area also suffered a major hit from Hurricane Ian.
The House ultimately dedicated $5.5 million from its supplemental funds, known as the “sprinkle list.” The Senate chipped in another $3.5 million from its own similar funding pot for the project.
Sen. Jonathan Martin, a Fort Myers Republican, had championed the funding request in the upper chamber. His request said the money will go specifically toward design, permitting and construction costs for the expansion. The facility will allow for the consolidation of emergency and disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery operations.
“The construction of an expanded Emergency Operations Center will allow for all essential coordination to be conducted in a hardened facility with the necessary capabilities (e.g. meeting space, restrooms, showers, technology) needed to properly prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster,” the request reads.
Martin also filed a request for Cape Coral’s Northeast Reservoir Water Transmission & Regional Water Supply Project. The Senate sprinkle list includes $1 million for that project, notching another win for the city even if it’s only one-fifth of what was requested.
One comment
Larry Gillis, Libertarian (Cape Coral)
March 13, 2024 at 2:41 pm
“SPRINKLE LIST”.
It’s hard to argue against State money for the Cape Coral EOC, I suppose. However, the name “Sprinkle List” sounds suspiciously like the old, dreaded “EARMARKS” at the Federal level. These budgetary markers are traded back and forth, every single one of which is paid for by the long-suffering taxpayer. (I think we all remember the famous “bridge to nowhere”, in Alaska).
So, what boondoggle (belonging to someone else) did we have to agree to, to get this money for the Cape Coral EOC?
Comments are closed.