FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Fort Myers Beach will soon decide whether to merge their local mosquito control district with Lee County's larger operation, following Governor DeSantis' signing of a bill on Wednesday.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent Anvar Ruziev hears from the two mosquito control districts about the merger:
The bill allows for a referendum vote that will determine if the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District will merge with the Lee County Mosquito Control District.
Currently, the Fort Myers Beach district operates with just two employees and one of the lowest millage rates in the state — about $55 a year for a $500,000 home. If merged with Lee County, that cost could potentially double to over $110 annually.
Joanne Semmer, chairwoman of Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control, expressed concerns about the potential merger's impact on service quality.
"Their office is in Buckingham, so if you make a call, they're gonna have to come all the way out from Buckingham to provide service. We provide service almost immediately or within 24 hours," Semmer said.
However, Lee County Mosquito Control is the largest mosquito control district in the country, with over 100 employees and an aerial fleet that treats salt marshes and coastal areas.
ITS BEEN A BAD START TO THE SUMMER FOR MOSQUITOES:
Jennifer McBride, communications director for Lee County Mosquito Control District, emphasized that the change would bring different, not necessarily more, services.
"It's just a different service. So, you know, they're just... Different mosquito controls. We have a larger one. So you know, we're able to provide some of those aerial things that small ones can't. So as far as the millage rate doubling, you know, that that's entirely up to the voters," McBride said.
For the merger to be approved, 51% of voters in both Lee County and Fort Myers Beach must vote in favor during the referendum scheduled for November 3, 2026.
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