Update to the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce

Ray Dempsey, Jr., vice president, Deepwater Horizon Response/Florida has asked that the word get out that BP will appoint an independent mediator to review and assist in the claims process for the spill.

According to a May 26 news release, “BP has said consistently that it will pay legitimate claims for loss and damage caused by the spill. BP remains fully committed to responding to and paying claims promptly.” Here is a link to the full release: http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7062448

Individual and business claimants may file a claim in one of three ways:
Call the Deepwater Horizon response hotline number at 1-800-440-0858
File a claim online at www.bp.com/claims
Visit one of BP’s Claims Centers.
For more information, please visit www.bp.com/claims

The VCB will continue to closely monitor the situation. At this time, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has not impacted The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management does not expect the oil to come ashore in Florida between now and Monday, May 31. It has not made projections beyond that timeframe. Forecasts are still being made in 72 hour increments.
For easy access, attached is the List of helpful telephone numbers and websites.

As we communicate to our customers, we suggest the key messages are:
• Currently, there is no local impact from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
• We are open for business.
• We don’t know if our area will be affected, but it is in no imminent danger

In the meanwhile, please alert the VCB, by calling 338-3500 or e-mail VCB@leegov.com, to any news you hear regarding consumer queries on the matter as well as any community response efforts so that Lee County can work as a team as much as possible. We shall continue to keep you posted. Please send any comments to VCB@leegov.com.

Thank you,

Tamara Pigott
Executive Director

Here is the update for the situation regarding the oil spill in the gulf.

Your chamber has been keeping in touch with local officials and agencies to understand what needs to be communicated to our membership in order to position your business interests.

First, in case you have missed what is known, there is approximately 210,000 gallons of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico each day from the damaged rig. The affected area will soon reach to Pensacola, Florida.

WHERE WE ARE CONCERNED: What if the affected waters reach the gulfstream? If this circumstance should occur, then the gulfstream will very likely accelerate the affected waters with oil all the way to the Keys. Under this scenario, the prevailing winds from the southwest will move the affected area can potentially (in some form) to our shoreline. The result could be either “tarballs” or oil.

NOTE: I am NOT trying to scare anyone as no one knows if the oil will reach waters in the gulfstream yet or not.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: If anyone can prove that business is being lost either now or as this calamity unfolds, you need to carefully document what has been lost. For example, if a hotel has cancellations then they should document precisely the key information. I would recommend (by common sense and not per any government agency) you document the date a reservation was made, proof of any payment, ask for and write down the reason(s) given for the cancellation, how many nights were cancelled, the rate quoted and accepted, the date of cancellation and any refunds.

WHAT IS NEXT: Wednesday is likely to be an important day. The reports due out should give a higher probability of what to expect from this disaster. The likelihood(s) of what areas will become affected will be better known on Wednesday (of course the caveat of “no guarantees” was given).

FINALLY: I have requested a meeting as soon as early next week to be led by the Emergency Operations Center, with other agencies involved with this matter, to have a face-to-face meeting with our business owners on what is happening as well as what everyone should prepare to do. I was asked to hold off until the Wednesday reports.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me, John Albion, at the Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The phone number is: 454-7500.

Time to hit the accelerator. The next eight months could prove to be critical to Ft. Myers Beach. There will be elections, road projects, beach re-nourishment issues, and transportation and traffic flow concerns all to be discussed and decided. A new Interim Town Manager, Terry Stewart, will be hard at work as of February 1.

First, there is an election in March for two council seats. Mayor Kiker has announced that he is running for re-election and Councilman Herb Acken is retiring from the board. The direction of this town will certainly be affected by who will be serving on these boards. Further, the relationship with other agencies and jurisdictions will certainly be on the desk of these councilpeople. Beach re-nourishment, even with a modified plan, will still be challenged. There are some very needy areas to protect property as well as for recreational uses. Two County Commission seats, presently held by Commissioners Bigelow and Hall are up this fall and both have announced that they are running for re-election.

Second, there will be significant infrastructure improvements. This work includes North Estero Boulevard as well as railings on the north side of the Matanzas Pass Bridge. Also, the bridge will be painted an attractive blue. The result should be a real upgrade on the north side of our island. I believe a real transformation is occurring on that part of our island.

A decision on a successor owner to Seafarers Mall is likely to be made by the bank later this year. The new owner has real possibilities if they work with the town to improve traffic flow in that area and possibly improve parking and/or pedestrian crossings to Lynn Hall Park. Over the next few years, the resulting impacts can radiate down Estero Boulevard.

There will also be discussions about water utility lines, Bay Oaks recreation center, and important conversations regarding better public and private traffic flow on San Carlos Boulevard to Ft. Myers Beach are all likely to be discussed. The tail end of this period will no doubt include a lively discussion on the Town and the Lee County commission’s budgets.

We will also look forward to, hopefully, a scheduled groundbreaking for the expansion of the library and the opening of Newton Park. Off-island improvements include finalizing the widening of Gladiolus Drive as well as the conclusion of adding landscaping along Summerlin Road.

Your Ft. Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce will continue to work on behalf of your business to protect your business interests while pursuing more ways to improve the business climate in the Ft. Myers Beach Area. Our networking opportunities will include the interaction that your business can use to build relationships as well as to hear from officials who affect your life. Attending our upcoming seminars can also help guide you through these turbulent times. Together, we can build a stronger business community business by business. Your participation can allow you to strengthen your business strategies while creating a stronger business climate. The clientele will return but we cannot miss the opportunities for improvements today.