FMB Mayor Gore denies wrongdoing after controversial photo & recording

The Estero Island Taxpayers Association suspects Fort Myers Beach Mayor Tracey Gore and Council Member Dennis Boback may have violated Sunshine Law and possibly ethics laws after they were seen having drinks with someone who is suing the town of Fort Myers Beach.

The FMB Margaritaville project is facing new drama and it all stems from a Sunshine Law and possible ethics complaint.

A photo shows Mayor Tracey Gore having drinks with a group of people, but Mayor Gore says the picture doesn’t tell the whole story.

“They have a picture of friends at a restaurant having drinks, I don’t know how they can draw a conclusion from that,” she said.

MORE: FMB Margaritaville faces one-year delay due to lawsuits

A member of the Estero Island Taxpayers Association took the photo, believing Gore and Council Member Dennis Boback may be violating ethics laws by having drinks and discussing town items with Chris Patton.

Patton filed two lawsuits against the Town for it’s approval of FMB Margaritaville.

Beverly Milligan is the executive director of the EITA. She says a member sent her the photo and gave her tape recordings of the group’s conversation.

“They talked about TPI, and Mr. Torgerson,” Milligan said. “They came across as though they were quite supportive of the the action the plaintiff was taking against the Town, and of course, that certainly from a taxpayer perspective is cause for concern.”

She said their legal counsel felt the incident was worthy of filing a Sunshine complaint with the state attorney’s office.

However Mayor Gore says she and Boback did nothing wrong, that they were just hanging out with longtime friends.

“We’re allowed to hang out with friends. It’s a small island,” Gore said. “I got on the council to help people and this constant attack on me from this group is really, you know, it takes a toll.”

Milligan says she relinquished the information to the state attorney’s office.

“It’s really up to them to decide what steps you know they’ll take to go forward but were it me? I would resign,” Milligan said.

And someone did ask the Mayor and Boback to resign in yesterday’s council meeting.

Gore says that’s not going to happen and she’s fighting the allegations with her own attorney and her own money.