Government

LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
www.lee-county.com/CMS/PDF/OrgChartWeb.pdf

AUTO REGISTRATION
 www.leetc.com  go to the Vehicles & Vessels drop-down menu)

Lee County Tax Collector Main Office

2480 Thompson Street
Fort Myers FL
All Offices: (239) 533-6000
www.leetc.com (“Home” drop-down, “Information” fly-out) When: Within 10 working days of making Florida your permanent residency (i.e.; registering children in school, beginning employment, filing homestead status). If Florida is not to be your permanent residency, autos don’t have to be registered. (Migrant workers are exempt). Who: The person whose name appears on the title must be at the office to register, with proper identification. The vehicle must also be at the office. Documents needed: Original title (copies not acceptable) and proof of insurance (at least $10,000 PIP and bodily injury). How Much: Price of tag depends on weight of vehicle. Renewals are usually around $40-$50. Other Fees: A $100 fee is assessed for cars needing new plates for either residents or non-residents, when there is no tag to transfer.

DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES                                                                                                                                                        

Fort Myers Office                     
11285 Cleveland Ave.                                                                                      
Ft. Myers, FL  33907     
Tel: 239-278-7194
                                          
Cape Coral Office                                                                                        
360 Santa Barbara Blvd.        
Cape Coral, FL  33991           
Tel: 239-574-1788 

DMV District Office 
323 10th Ave. W., Suite # 200             
Palmetto, FL 34221     
Tel: 941-723-4551

DRIVER LICENSE
Florida Dept. of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles

11285 S. Cleveland Ave.
Fort Myers, FL (239) 278-7194
360 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, FL (239) 574-1788
Information Recording (239) 772-1300
www.hsmv.state.fl.us/offices/lee.html When: If you own a vehicle, you must register it within 10 working days of becoming a Florida resident. You then have 10 days to acquire your Florida driver’s license. If you don’t own a vehicle, you must first sign an affidavit attesting to that before getting your Florida driver’s license. How Much: The normal license costs $25.25 and is good for six years if applicant has maintained a clear driving record. Note: An eye test will be performed before Florida driver’s license is issued. Please call for current fees.

DECLARATION OF DOMICILE

Lee County Clerk of Courts

County Administration Bldg. - 2nd Floor
2115 Second St. Fort Myers, FL
(239) 533-5000 www.leeclerk.org Why: This is an affidavit attesting to Florida residency. It is useful when three legal forms of Florida residency are required (such as filing for Florida homestead exemption taxes), or for providing residency in determining what State(s) can access state income and death taxes, and which States’ courts supervise the settlement of your estate, or for proving residency to colleges and schools.

PROPERTY APPRAISER (REAL ESTATE)
Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office
(239) 339-6100 Homestead Exemption (239) 339-6120 www.leepa.org/

CITIES (incorporated) that fall within Lee County
Bonita Springs, City of
9101 Bonita Beach Rd., Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 949-6262 www.cityofbonitasprings.org
Cape Coral, City of
City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 574-0436 www.capecoral.net
Fort Myers, City of
City Hall, 2200 Second St., Ft. Myers, FL 33902 (239) 332-6700 www.cityftmyers.com
Fort Myers Beach, Town of
2523 Estero Blvd., Ft. Myers Beach, FL 33931 (239) 765-0202 www.fmbeach.org
Sanibel, City of
800 Dunlop Rd., Sanibel, FL 33957 (239) 472-4135 www.mysanibel.com

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY
2055 Central Ave.
Fort Myers, FL 33901
(239) 334-1102

Student Assignment: (239) 337-8247 Parent Information Center: (2 locations) Ft. Myers & Cape Coral www.leeschools.net/dept/sta What: School registration for the School District of Lee County occurs through the Student Assignment Department. When: Parents of students “NEW TO THE DISTRICT” or reenrolling should visit one of the Parent Information Centers to complete the student registration and school assignment process. Parents or guardians must show photo ID.
Where: Visit the web site above to see what zone and sub-zone you reside in or parents can call 334-1102 to find out which school their children will be attending. Documents needed: At time of registration you must have all of the following documents to complete the registration process. Original Birth Certificate, Health Examination (physical) Social Security Card (if available), Florida Certificate of Immunization (original blue card), Proof of Residence, Proof of Custody is required if child is not living with both natural parents, Name and Address of Last School attended, Copy of I.E.P. -This is just the basic information, more details can be found on the Student Assignment web site.
*If returning to the lee county school district you only need to provide immunization record, proof of residence, proof of custody if applicable and an iep if you child has one. See above for additional information regarding these documents.
** If entering the lee county school district from another public or private school located in Florida you do not need a physical exam. All other documentation listed above is required.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

(239) 332-9501 lee-county.com/healthdept

HOSPITALS/Medical Services
Lee Memorial 332-1111
Lee Memorial Health Park (Fort Myers) 433-7799
Southwest Regional Hospital (Fort Myers) 939-1147
Bonita Community Health Center 949-1050
Estero Urgent Care 948-1310
Family Health Centers 332-0417
Lee Memorial Health Line 800-936-5321
Southwest Regional Medical Center (Fort Myers) 939-1147
Florida Blood Center 938-1811
Bloodmobile 936-8727
Hope Hospice 482-4673


VOTER REGISTRATION
Supervisor of Elections Office

2480 Thompson St., Fort Myers, FL
(239) 339-6300 www.leeelections.com Also available when applying for Florida Drivers License. When: As soon as you can prove your residency (i.e.; Drivers License, Declaration of Domicile) Who: To Register You Must: Be a U.S. citizen, be a Florida resident, be 18 years old (you may pre-register if you are 17), not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in FL or any other state, not have been convicted of a felony without your civil rights having been restored pursuant to law, not claim the right to vote in another county or state, submit your valid FL driver’s license number or FL identification card number. If you do not have either of these, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. To Vote: You must be registered at least 29 days before you can vote in an election. If this is a “new registration,” the date a signed application is postmarked or hand delivered to your county supervisor of elections office will be your registration date. If your signed application is complete and you are qualified as a voter, a registration identification card will be mailed to you.

SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE
10100 Deer Run Farm Rd.
(239) 931-0066 or (800) 772-1213 www.ssa.gov

SHERIFF’S OFFICE, LEE COUNTY
(239) 477-1000 www.sheriffleefl.org

POST OFFICE
Fort Myers Main Office
1350 Monroe Street, Fort Myers FL
(800) 275-8777 - For all branch offices www.usps.com

STATE GOVERNMENT WEBSITE
www.myflorida.com

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT – HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
2665 Ortiz Ave., Ft. Myers, FL 33905-7804
(239) 477-3600 www.leeeoc.com
What: The EOC is the official County Warning Point. The EOC receives emergency information through the Emergency Dispatch Center and reports serious emergencies to the State Warning Point located in the State EOC in Tallahassee. We in-turn coordinate State and/or Federal involvement or assistance within the County. All Hazards Guide www.leeec.com/guide/entry.htm People with Special Needs: During an emergency special shelters provide a higher level of medical support than regular public shelters, but they are not for everyone. You must pre­register and have a caregiver to accompany you to use a Special Needs Shelter. Qualifications vary from county to county, but there are specific requirements and procedures to register as a Special Needs client. Consult your physician and local Emergency Management office to see if you qualify for a Special Needs Shelter.

SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM
www.leeeoc.com Click on “Special Needs Program” on the right

UTILITIES

Lee County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Customer Service - (239) 656-2300 Toll Free - (800) 599-2356 www.lcec.net/Home/applyingforresidentialservice.htm Deposit: Minimum deposit of $200 or 2 months bill, whatever is greater. Can be waived with credit check. Refundable after one year of on-time payment for residence. Deposit may be waived if customer has a credit check.

ELECTRIC
Florida Power and Light
Customer Service - (239) 334-7754 Report a Power Outage - (800) 468-8243 www.fpl.com/access/contents/eposits.shtml
24-hour notice required (no weekend service) Deposit: The amount is based on a credit scoring system. A deposit can be equal to approx. 2 mo. average bill at the service address or waived. Deposits are refunded in full after 23 months of prompt payment or when the account is closed. There is a cash alternative to a deposit- an Unconditional Guarantee/Guarantor Contract, which is a legal document involving two parties. In order to be eligible for this non-cash deposit option, the Guarantor must meet certain criteria.

GARBAGE COLLECTION Lee County Solid Waste
(239) 338-3302 Mon. - Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Unincorporated Lee County, Bonita Springs & Ft. Myers Bch
(Charges on property tax bill) Veolia Environmental Svcs. (Area 1, 2) (239) 334-1224 Waste Management, Inc. (Area 4, 6) (239) 334-4115 Waste Pro of Florida, Inc. (Area 3, 5) (239) 337-0800 www.lee-county.com/solidwaste/ Electronics disposal: Same day as regular garbage pick-up, place at curb separately from household garbage.
Recycle: Residents are encouraged to minimize waste, reuse items and look for products that aren’t over packaged. Keeping recyclables out of the regular garbage benefits the residents because less material is burned. Remember: More Recycling + Less Garbage = Cheaper Garbage Bills! Request additional recycle bins if needed.

BUS TRANSPORTATION
Lee County Transit – LeeTran
(239) 533-TRAN (8726) www.rideleetran.com
Rosa Parks Transportation Center
2250 Peck St., Downtown Ft. Myers ADA Passport 533-0300

Greyhound
2250 Peck Street, Downtown Ft. Myers
(239) 334-1011 Mon.-Sun. 5:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. (Hours subject to change). www.greyhound.com

CABLE TELEVISION
Comcast Cable
(239) 432-9277 Local Offices: 4750 Winkler Ave Ext, Fort Myers - (239) 277-2711 24830 Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs - (239) 992-8823 4290 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers - (239) 277-5679 www.comcast.com

Lee TV - Lee County Government Access Channel
Watch on Comcast CH-11, on Time Warner CH-16 also streamed live on our web site
(239) 335-2665 www.lee-county.com    (click on LEE TV)

TELEPHONE SERVICE Embarque
Areas Served: Fort Myers/Lee County Customer Service - (800) 339-1811 Repair: 611; Directory Assistance: 411 www.embarq.com/  Deposit: Based on estimated monthly bill. Waived if customer had good credit history with UTS or previous telephone co. Installation Fee: $50; more if labor and materials are needed. Several other companies also offer telephone service and are listed in a telephone directory.

WATER AND SEWER
In Unincorporated Lee County
Lee County Utilities E-Mail: LCUcustserv@leegov.com
7391 College Pkwy., Fort Myers, FL
(239) 936-0247 or toll free 1-800-485-0214
lee-county.com/utilities
New Water & Sewer Service:
(239) 479-8160 or 479-8154
Application & Deposit

NEWSPAPERS The News-Press
2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers, FL
Customer Service/Home
Delivery (239) 335-0233
www.news-press.com

Boca Beacon:
(941) 964-2995
www.bocabeacon.com

Cape Coral Daily Breeze
2510 Del Prado Blvd. Cape Coral, FL 33904
Tel: (239) 574-1110 Fax: (239) 574-3403
www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
www.flylcpa.com
(239) 590-4800

CRISIS / HELPLINE NUMBERS                            PHONE    
Child Abuse Registry                                               800-962-2873        
Domestic Violence Hotline                                        239-939-3112        
Mental Health Helpline                                             239-275-3222        
Poison Control                                                         800-282-3171        
Rape Crisis Hotline                                                  239-939-3112        
Suicide Hotline                                                         239-275-4242        
Youth Crisis Hotline                                                 800-329-8336

Lee County Government Division of Public Resources For General County Government information call 239-332-2737Web: www.lee-county.com  E-Mail: questions@leegov.comWatch

Pets

ANIMAL LICENSE Lee County Animal Services
5600 Banner Drive, Ft. Myers, FL
(239) 432-2083 www.leelostpets.com What: Lee County pet license (Ord. 98-10) Who: If you and your pet (dog, cat, ferret) live in Lee County for 3 consecutive months, you must have your pet(s) licensed in Lee County, If not you may face a fine. How Much: License cost is $25 if animal is unsterilized, $10 if sterilized, $8 if sterilized and has a microchip ID.

Academy Kennels              
2691 N. Airport Rd.
Ft. Myers, Fl. 33907
Tel: 239-936-1163 

K-9 Companions of Cape Coral       
1429 Everest Pkwy.               
Cape Coral, Fl.        33904     
Tel: 239-573-8940 

Groomingdales   
13141-1 McGregor Blvd.        
Ft. Myers, Fl. 33919
Tel: 239-481-7160 

Kamp Kindness Bed & Bath Resort
1711 SE 47th Terrace
Cape Coral, Fl.        33904     
Tel: 239-945-0111 

Kamp Kindness Bed & Bath Resort
715 Cape Coral Pkwy. W.      
Cape Coral, Fl.        33914     
Tel: 239-542-7387

Animal Hospital of Bonita Springs
8830 Emerald Isle
Bonita Springs, Fl. 34135
Tel: 239-947-3447 

Creature Comforts Pet Resort
1031 NE Pine Island Rd.
Cape Coral, Fl.        33909     
Tel: 239-574-7892
 
Precious Pet Kennels
20950 Jamie Rd.
N. Ft. Myers, Fl.      33917    
Tel: 239-567-0194 

Tails-A-Waggin Animal Hospital    
11960 Kelly Rd.
Ft. Myers, Fl. 33908
Tel: 239-482-6897

Dog Beaches and Parks

For dog beaches, pet friendly hotels and rentals and other useful information go here
Other links:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~dogbeach/aug01.htm
http://www.leeparks.org/pdf/brochure_dogparkscombined.pdf

Some of this information may change.