SWFL mayors, commissioners to head to DC to discuss ‘Lake O’

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Local city mayors and commissioners are headed to Capitol Hill to talk about the Lake Okeechobee releases and other water management issues.

Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson says those releases are having a major impact our area environmentally and economically.

“The tannin waters of the Caloosahatchee and the releases merging with the pristine aqua colors of the Gulf of Mexico, it breaks your heart to see that transition,” said Mayor Henderson.

Henderson along with Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane and several Glades County mayors have announced they’re headed to Washington D.C. on Feb. 21 to talk about the water releases.

“This week many citizens from Fort Myers have reached out to me, disappointed, concerned, frankly very worried about the devastating effects that these releases have,” said Henderson.

The trip will be the first time, mayors from both coasts show a united front in Washington.

“We’re partners in this and that we’re not adversaries and not pointing the finger or playing the blame game,” said Henderson. “What we’re interested in is making sure that we support the efforts of Washington and Tallahassee top a satisfactory resolve.”

While at the nation’s capital, the mayors will meet with our local delegation to help come up with short and long term solutions.

“It’s important that we have face time with them, that we impress upon them the significance, the critical nature of making sure we get the resources to create a flow-way, multiple flow-ways that solve this problem sooner than later,” said Henderson.