City Mission Statement: "To deliver exceptional government services and provide an environment where people will be encouraged to live, work, play, and invest."
The Fort Myers City Council is comprised of six council members representing six different areas (wards) of the City. Council members are elected by registered voters in their ward and represent that particular ward of Fort Myers for a four year term. In order to run for election the council member must also reside in that ward.
The City Council of the City of Fort Myers, Florida, holds its regular meetings at 4:30 o’clock p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month, except July and December, unless a holidays falls on Monday and the meeting is then held on the following Tuesday. The City Council meeting is held on the third Monday in July and the first Monday in December. The City Council meetings are held in the City Council Chambers, Oscar M. Corbin, Jr. City Hall, 2200 Second Street, Fort Myers, Florida. Occasionally, meetings are rescheduled or result in continuations so please check the Public Notice to confirm meeting dates, times and places.
City Strategic Plan
View City Ward Maps
Current Year Annual Budget
Ward 1
Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown
Bio: Teresa Watkins Brown is a native of Fort Myers. She graduated from Cypress Lake High School in 1975. She worked in Telecommunications with United Telephone of Florida, Sprint, and Embarq (current name CenturyLink). She worked in various departments: Customer Service, Marketing, Special Services, Public Access, Final Bills, and Revenue Accounting and as the community liaison, Public Affairs Coordinator for the South Region for 15 years. She retired July 29, 2009 with 34 years of service.
Teresa graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Business Studies from Barry University (Lee/Collier Campus) and a Master’s degree in 1999, in Human Resources Development and Administration also from Barry University.
Her community involvement has been very extensive. She currently still serves with the following organizations: St. John 1st Missionary Baptist Church, Boys and Girls Club of Lee County, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Delta Life Development Center, The Source of Light and Hope, Edison Festival of Light, Inc., United Way Allocations Team Leader, Democratic Party, NAACP, Precinct Clerk and Uplift Life Foundation.
- Past Involvement: 8 years, City of Fort Myers Planning Board.
- Term in Office: Elected in 2009 for a 4 year term.
- Teresa loves working with people and look forward to serving the citizens of Fort Myers and the Ward 1 community.
- Councilwoman Watkins Brown has one daughter Alison.
Ward 1 Meeting Locations & Times
Campbell Acres – 1st Tuesday of the month 7pm @ AFCAAM Catholic Center
Castle Bar – NOT ACTIVE
Brook Hill, C Street and White Head Creek Loop all meet together – 2nd Tuesday of the month 7pm @ AFCAAM Catholic Center
East Gate – Meets yearly – Spring Time they call when their ready to meet.
Morningside/Rainbow Groves – Meets monthly. Used to meet bimonthly 3rd Tuesday of the month 7pm @ Riverside Community Center
Pine Street – 1st Tuesday of the month 6pm @ AFCAAM Catholic Center (poor attendance)
Coral Park – They meet bimonthly. Their date and location changes each month. Coordinator has a medical condition.
Seminole Gardens – 3rd Thursday monthly 6pm @ 431 Van Buren Ave @ Clubhouse (Pot Luck Meeting)
E-Mail
Ward 1 - Newsletter - Mar 2013
Ward 2
Councilman Johnny W. Streets Jr.
Bio: Johnny W. Streets, Jr., is a retired Law Enforcement Officer with the City of Fort Myers Police Department (26 years of service.) After retirement he continued to serve the public through both the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers and Lee County Housing Authority.
Education:
- Johnny graduated from Dunbar High School in 1967
- Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy
- Specialized Law Enforcement Training
- Edison Community College
- University of North Florida
- Florida A&M University
- Velencia Junior College
- FBI Academy
Memberships:
- Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
- Board Member - Lee County Housing Development
- Board Member - AFCAAM
- NAACP
- Board Member - Lee County Human Services
Ward 2 Meeting Dates
1st Thursday of each month – 7:00 p.m. at Riverside Community Center
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YOU ARE INVITED TO THE WARD 2 COMMUNITY MEETING
with Councilman Johnny W. Streets, Jr.
City of Fort Myers, Florida
Date: Thursday, March 7, 2013
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: Riverside Park and Community Center
3061 East Riverside Drive
AGENDA:
• Update on City business
• Discussion with residents on neighborhood issues
Ward 3
Councilman Levon Simms
Bio: Levon Simms is a native of Fort Myers. He was born and raised in Fort Myers where he graduated from the historical Dunbar High School in 1964. He later attended Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in Tallahassee, FL where he received his Bachelors of Science degree in 1968.
Levon is a retired schoolteacher and coach of the School District of Lee County. He spent those 35 years mentoring and coaching young people, i.e. Pop Warner football, Little League baseball, high school softball, football, track and baseball. He has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 36 years and is the proud father of Rev. Kelvin LeVon Sims and LCDR Latanya E. Simms. He is also the proud grandfather of Thomas, K'Nisia, and K'Juan.
Levon is involved in numerous community and religious organizations.
- Current memberships include:
- Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church
- Democratic Women's Club
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
- and the N.A.A.C.P.
Ward 3 Neighborhood Meetings
Lovejoy Park Meeting (Central Fort Myers)
Cleveland Avenue to the west and Fowler Avenue to the east
St. Luke Church - 2635 Cleveland Avenue
7:00 pm - First Tuesday of each month
Franklin/Lincoln Park
Fowler Avenue to the west and Ford Street to the east
STARS Complex - 2980 Edison Avenue
6:00 pm - First Thursday of each month
Ward 3 East Meeting (New Annexed area)
Ford Street to the west and Flint Drive to the east
Unity Christian Church - 2709 Highland Avenue
6:00 pm - Fourth Thursday of each month
E-Mail
Ward 3 - Newsletter - January
Ward 4
Councilman Michael Flanders
Bio: Except for his college years, Councilman Michael Flanders has lived in Southwest Florida his entire life, and specifically Fort Myers since 1968. After receiving his diploma from Fort Myers Senior High, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Design degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech. He then returned to Fort Myers as an Architect Intern for three years and in 1984, eventually opened his own office in the heart of downtown Fort Myers. He is the owner of Flanders Architecture, Inc. and is the City Council representative for the Ward 4 area where he has lived for the past 20 years. He is married and has one child.
Councilman Flanders believes his professional background, as a Florida Architect is a valuable guide in City decisions involving planning, construction, and design. One of his goals is to always improve the quality of the man-built environment within the city, thus influencing the quality of life of the citizens who dwell in it.
During the past decade, Councilman Flanders worked diligently with City staff to install new infrastructure and "Streetscape" ammenities in historic downtown Fort Myers. This massive capital improvement project has transformed downtown Fort Myers into a cultural rich destination enjoy by all age groups.
Past Memberships:
Lee County School Board Architects Task Force, Edison-Ford Winter Estates Foundation, City of Fort Myers Code Enforcement Board, City of Fort Myers Beautification Advisory Board, and Chairman of the City of Fort Myers Historic Preservation Commission, Chairman of the City of Palms Day Committee, and Rotary Club of Fort Myers.
Current Memberships:
Edison & Ford Winter Estates, American Institute of Architects, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Lee County Alliance for the Arts.
Today as an elected official, he represents the City of Fort Myers on the following boards:
- City of Fort Myers City Council
- City of Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency
- Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization
Citizens of Ward 4 are encouraged to participate with Councilman Flanders on issues and concerns of their community. City and neighborhood meetings occur on a continual basis, and constituents are urged to communicate their concerns and opinions through the Ward 4 website or by telephone. In order to provide the best representation possible as an elected official, Councilman Flanders believes public input to be crucial on neighborhood and City issues.
Term of Office:
Elected 1998 - four year term
Re-Elected 2003, 2007 & 2011
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Ward 5
Councilman Forrest Banks
Bio: Forrest Banks was raised and attended public schools in Eustis, Florida. He attended The Citadel where he received his BS degree in Civil Engineering. After serving as a Lieutenant in the US Army he worked as an Engineer with the US Forest Service in Tallahassee, Florida, Ashville, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia.
Forrest Banks came to Fort Myers in 1969 to work for a local engineering company. He later served as the President for 17 years. He was Project Manager for several large projects in the City of Fort Myers including Eastwood Golf Course, Centennial Park, Metro Park and Veronica S. Shoemaker, Blvd.
His community service includes the first Lee County Planning Commission, Boy Scouts of America, Canterbury School, The Imaginarium, The Edison State College Foundation, First Presbyterian Church, The Florida Department of Transportation Greenbook Committee, and The City of Fort Myers Planning Board.
Councilman Banks and his wife, Vickie, have been married 39 years.
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Ward 6
Councilman Tom Leonardo
Bio: Councilman Tom Leonardo is currently serving his second term in office representing the citizens of Ward Six, the City's newest Ward which was established in 2006. Tom and his wife Marianne have been married 48 years and have four children and seven grandchildren.
Councilman Leonardo serves on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization, and represents Lee County as its voting member on the statewide Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. He has served Fort Myers as Chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency, and Chairman of the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center.
He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and is active in Veteran's affairs. Tim Leonardo, the Leonardo's youngest son, is a U.S. Marine, who has just recently returned from combat zones in Afghanistan.
Councilman Leonardo encourages all citizens to become involved with their local government, and to attend City Council meetings, or to watch them on the City's Comcast channel 98. He is always available to speak or meet with any citizen on matters that they wish to discuss.
Term of office:
Elected in 2007 for a 4 year term.
Re-Elected in 2011 for a 4 year term.
E-Mail