LCSO nonprofit Home Front Heroes raises funds using taxpayer-funded assets

Author: David Dorsey, Gulfshore Business
Published: Updated:

Taxpayer-funded assets of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, including a helicopter ride, marine patrol unit ride and gun range-shooting experience, have been used to raise thousands of dollars for a nonprofit run by a handful of LCSO employees.

Home Front Heroes is scheduled to have a rezoning hearing March 13 in front of Lee County’s hearing examiner. The nonprofit hopes to change a 10-acre, mostly vacant riverfront property off Moody River Road in the Moody River Estates Community Development District from residential to commercial. This would allow Home Front Heroes to build a “youth ranch,” including a private, 10-slip boat ramp, outdoor recreation areas and about 50,000 square feet of commercial uses. The project would have two homes for caretakers of the property, where LCSO deputies and their families would live. The charity lowered the proposed number of homes from four to two since Gulfshore Business first reported the nonprofit’s plans on Jan. 6.

Using public funds for the private gain of two North Fort Myers riverfront homes and a private boat ramp could run afoul of Florida law, said Caroline Klancke, executive director of the Florida Ethics Institute.

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