Meeting Minutes for June 23, 2025
Heritage Palms Community Development District
The regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Heritage Palms Community Development District was held on Monday, June 23, 2025 at 8:02 a.m. at the Heritage Palms Golf and Country Club at 10435 Washingtonia Palm Way, Fort Myers, Florida and via web conference.
Present and constituting a quorum were:
Mike Whitten – Chair
Stan Switzer – Vice Chair
Bob Breisch – Assistant Secretary
MaryAnn Ferry – Assistant Secretary
Attending remotely:
Supervisor Anderson – Assistant Secretary
Also attending in person were:
Cal Teague – District Manager, Premier District Management (PDM)
Jamie Rivera – District Engineer, AIM Engineering & Surveying
George Smothers – Resident
Also attending remotely:
Christopher Dudak – Client Services Manager, PDM
Gary Rodgers – Master Association Liaison to the CDD
The following is a summary of the discussion and actions taken at the Heritage Palms Community Development District (CDD) Board of Supervisors Meeting.
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 8:02 a.m., and District Manager Cal Teague called the roll. Four Board members were present and constituted a quorum, with Supervisor Anderson attending remotely. Also in attendance were District Manager Cal Teague, Engineer Jamie Rivera, and Resident George Smothers. Attending remotely were Client Services Manager Christopher Dudak, and Gary Rodgers, Master Association Liaison to the CDD.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Switzer, seconded by Supervisor Breisch, with all in favor, the Board approved the remote participation of Supervisor Anderson.
Vice Chair Switzer requested to have an updated Supervisor Manual be provided to him in hard copy, with electronic copies to be provided for the rest of the Board.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of the Agenda
On MOTION by Vice Chair Switzer, seconded by Supervisor Ferry, with all in favor, the Board approved the Agenda, as presented.
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments on Agenda Items
Regarding Agenda Item 6B, George Smothers commented that areas of asphalt on Curry Palm and Tiger Palm are breaking up.
FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Consent Agenda
A. Items to be Pulled from Consent Section for Discussion by the Board
No items were pulled.
B. Motion to Approve Consent Items
On MOTION by Supervisor Breisch, seconded by Vice Chair Switzer, with all in favor, the Board approved all of the Consent items.
C. Consent Items
i. Draft Regular Meeting Minutes for May 19, 2025
ii. Financial Report for May 2025
D. Consideration of Items Pulled for Discussion
FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Attorney
There was no update from the Attorney.
SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Engineer
A. Mill and Repaving Wine Palm Road and Seminole Palm Way Bids
This was advertised on June 4, 2025 and will be open for 30 days. The bids received will be opened on July 3, 2025 at the District Manager’s office. Chair Whitten noted that Club’s latest estimate is that the Oasis construction will not likely be done by the original August 1, 2025 completion date, and is one or two weeks behind, placing the earliest start date for the district’s roadway work in the middle of September. Staff will send a bid update, mentioning the possible delay of two weeks to the project start date, and asking responders to provide a start date and timeline to completion. The Board suggested September 15 as a start date.
B. Recommendation 5-Year Community-wide Roadway Milling and Repaving Needs
Engineer Rivera was asked to do a preliminary roadway inspection of the entire district, and she will then make a recommendation on that orders the road sections into project groupings, and provides estimated costs for each. Supervisor Anderson suggested there be a “timeline to failure” so that future budget needs and assessment increases to fund it can be predicted.
C. Washingtonia Palm Way Roadway Core Sample Result
The core sample report indicated that the roads may not have been constructed properly, with large rocks in the wrong stratum possibly causing soil settling around them. The Board accepted AIM’s request to wait and watch the area; if there is more settling, then reaching out to City of Fort Myers utilities would be the next step, to see if there is a sanitary sewer leak causing issues.
D. Paver Repair Needs at the Guardhouse
Engineer Rivera suggested that spot-repair is appropriate, instead of replacing all the pavers in the area. Field Manager Pepin will be asked to source a new proposal for spot repairs.
E. Raising the Catch Basin behind 10509 Curry Palm Lane
The District Engineer found a contractor (PMI) that can raise the catch basin. Their proposal came in at $8,500.00. The Board approved the 1–2-day solution as opposed to a pre-cast solution.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Switzer, seconded by Supervisor Anderson, with all in favor, the Board approved the PMI proposal for for $8,500 to raise the sinking catch basin behind 10509 Curry Palm Lane.
Engineer Rivera left the meeting at 9:01 am
SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Old Business
There was no Old Business.
EIGHTH ORDER OF BUSINESS New Business
A. 8051, 8059, 8067 & 8075 Queen Palm Lane Drainpipes Extension Proposal
Pristine Lakes had provided an estimate of $400 to extend the drainpipes closer to the edge of Lake 2.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Switzer, seconded by Supervisor Ferry, with all in favor, the Board approved the Pristine Lakes proposal to extend the drain pipes to the edge of Lake 2 for $400.
B. Lake L-2 Shoreline and WCS Planting Proposal
Pristine Lakes had provided an estimate of $375 to plant 25 Fakahatchee grasses, 100 Canna Lilies and 50 soft stem Bulrush on the north end of the lake. These plants are intended to hide the outfall structure from the nearby homes, and the proposal was approved by the Board.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Switzer, seconded by Supervisor Anderson, with all in favor, the Board approved a Pristine Lakes proposal to install 25 Fakahatchee Grasses, 100 Canna Lilies and 50 soft stem Bulrush at the locations indicated for $375.
NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Field Manager
A. Current Field Management Report
District Manager Teague reviewed the Field Report and the following were discussed:
- Regarding Lake 8 Shoreline Repair on Page 41 – Field Manager Pepin noted that though the project has been completed, there are several channelized washouts forming along the shoreline and Pristine Lakes will repair. Mr. Pepin suggested that the exposed coir mat be covered by sod, despite there being a high chance that the sod will die off when the lake level rises this summer.
- Chair Whitten will reach out to Field Manager Pepin to install two or three more signs for the L-6 outflow, and to install more stakes to secure the recently installed gate arms.
- Supervisor Switzer wanted to know if there is a continuous fence around the entire property. District Manager Teague stated that there is not, with Chair Whitten noting many locations with no perimeter fence.
B. Follow-up Items
i. 11284 Wine Palm Fence Gap Repair
Field Manager Pepin noted that this is scheduled to be completed this week.
ii. Branch and Dead Tree Cleanup on Lake L-12 and Lake 28
Field Manager Pepin reported the vegetation and debris cleanup has been completed in the canal portion of Lake L-12. The large branch in Lake 28 is still pending.
iii. Golf Course Bulkhead Cap Update
Field Manager Pepin noted that some of the bulkheads in question belong to the CDD and not the HOA. There are several caps on the range lake that need to be replaced. Mr. Pepin plans to inspect all the other bulkheads next month, to determine if any other locations need to be repaired. Once he has a complete list of issues, he will send it over to Artistic Structures and to another company for a second quote.
Regarding the Club’s bulkheads: Greg Kriesch told FM Pepin that the Club will have the bulkhead repaired that is near the end of Curry Palm.
TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS District Manager
A. Annual Form 1 Reminder
All supervisors have completed this their annual filing, which is required by July 1 every year.
B. Annual Ethics Training Reminder
As a reminder, this is due every year by December 31. Staff sent a memo last month with links for taking the four hours of annual ethics training.
C. FY 2026 Budget Discussion
The approved proposed FY 2026 budget has been sent to the city and county, but it can still be discussed and changes proposed for the budget hearing in August. The Board agreed that it needs to plan for the roadway mill and repaving, and they will need $2 million more in the next 4 years, which will mean an increase in assessments next year. District Manager Teague noted that borrowing is an alternative; another bond issue might be at ~3-4%, whereas short term lending is up to ~6%. There are $475,000 in R&M Roadway Reserves now.
ELEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS H.O.A. Report
Gary Rodgers had left his remote meeting location, so George Smothers gave a brief update. He said that the parking lot is done, and will be striped, with parking for personal golf carts to be added. The driving range drainage work is in progress. He said that there has been no further HOA meeting discussion on Cane Toads.
TWELFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisor Reports, Requests, and Comments
- The Board discussed seeing some cane toads, noting that Field Manager Pepin has not seen any.
- Regarding chemical Cane Toad repellent: Hot Stop is utilized in Australia but is not available in the US,. There is a product called Pup Defense, which Supervisor Ferry is using to ward off adult toads.
- Supervisor Breisch will not attend the October meeting in person.
- Supervisor Ferry will not attend the July meeting in person.
THIRTEENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments
There were no general audience comments.