FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lee County commissioners plan to allocate more taxpayer money toward expanding the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Tuesday morning.
The money will go toward the ongoing design phase. When it's all said and done, the entire expansion project will be a $20 million investment into keeping people in Lee County safe.
The EOC is where emergency leaders are headquartered during severe emergencies like hurricanes, and where they work to bring you real-time updates.
The multi-million-dollar expansion that’s in the works will add a second story to the building, which will allow even more key agencies to be stationed there to better serve you.
Commissioners are expected to approve a change order Tuesday, allocating nearly $400,000 more to the design phase.
Expanding the EOC will allow it to become a two-story, multifunctional center and a permanent location for three key county entities: Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Communications, The Lee County Sheriff's Office Communications Operations, and Lee County’s Traffic Operations Center.
Lee County Commissioner and Chairman Kevin Ruane said the county saw an opportunity to create this type of synergy between agencies during hurricanes like Irma.
The design phase is expected to last through December 2022. Soon after is when the county expects to break ground.
