By a vote of 2-1 the Fort Myers Beach Town Council voted to kick the DiamondHead expansion proposal back to the Local Planning Agency for review. The project changed enough from last month’s LPA denial for at least two council members to believe the process needed to be restarted.
With 5 members of the town council you may be wondering why only 3 voted on the project? Mayor Dan Allers recused himself because his company Island Carts FMB has a contract with DiamondHead. Vice Mayor Scott Safford recused himself because the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Sandsculpting event at the resort next month. Safford’s wife is the President of the Chamber. That recusal seemed somewhat far-fetched to many people in the audience Monday. Recusals are made when there’s a clear financial benefit to council members. There did not seem to be any financial benefit to Safford for him to recuse. Safford does not work for the Chamber, which is a 501c4.
Council member John King wound up running that portion of the meeting with both Allers and Safford silent. Council members John McLean and Rebecca Link felt the proposed changes were a “significant departure” from the original presentation to the LPA and voted to send it back. King voted against sending it back…