Happy Thanksgiving!
Engage Estero’s Board of Trustees and Executive Management Team wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for the wonderful community we share and for the people who make Estero such a special place to call home—wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday filled with gratitude, good health, and cherished moments together!
DON’T MISS ENGAGE ESTERO’S NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING, DECEMBER 4TH, 10 A.M. TO 11:30 A.M. AT THE ESTERO RECREATION CENTER
Engage Estero is delighted to welcome the following speakers for the meeting, which will focus on the changing face of healthcare in our area.
• Lee Health’s new President and CEO, Ben Spence, will share his vision for Lee Health over the next decade and provide an update on Lee Health’s plans in Greater Estero.
• Dr. Joseph Klink will review recent developments in Robotic Surgery and Urology Treatments.
On October 1, 2026, Ben Spence became the President and CEO of Lee Health. A 31-year veteran of the health system, Mr. Spence’s appointment at Lee Health marks both a new chapter and the continuation of a career dedicated to serving the Lee Health community. Over the years, Mr. Spence has held increasingly senior leadership roles, helping guide the organization’s growth, operations, finances, and strategic priorities while collaborating with teams across the health system.
Mr. Spence will share his vision for the region’s largest health system during a national healthcare transition, along with plans to continue expanding healthcare services in the Greater Estero region.
Dr. Joseph Klink and his colleague, Dr. Juan Ibarra, have previously explained how robotic-assisted surgery is revolutionizing oncology care, especially in urologic oncology.
Dr. Klink joined Lee Physician Group several years ago to create and lead its urologic oncology department. He previously spent nine years as the director of urologic oncology and robotics at Deaconess Health System in Evansville, IN, and has performed more than 1,000 robotic surgeries. He will provide an update on new developments in robotic surgery and on emerging treatment approaches for various urologic conditions, including BPH and prostate cancer.
The meeting is free and open to the public. Tickets can be reserved at https://esterotoday.com/dec2026.
DANGEROUS U-TURNS BY TRUCKS IN ESTERO
Several residents have noted that, on occasion, large and articulated trucks have attempted U-turns that they could not complete in a single turn. This forces trucks to back up, often into the opposite lane, delaying both lines of traffic and potentially causing an accident.
The junctions where these issues have arisen are:
• Westbound Corkscrew Rd at Puente Ln.
• Westbound Corkscrew Rd at Three Oaks Pkwy.
• Westbound Corkscrew Rd at US41.
Engage Estero has explored with Estero Village Management what can be done to improve road-user safety in such circumstances.
• Although it is possible to have specific signs that limit U-turns for certain vehicles, this does have several practical difficulties.
○ Driver Reaction Time: A sign trying to spell out "No U-Turn for Trucks Over 40 Feet" contains too much reading material for a driver moving at road speed to process safely
○ Enforcement Difficulty: Police officers cannot easily measure a semi-truck or trailer length on the fly while parked near a median cutout.
○ Blanket Bans: Instead of length-based U-turn signs, municipalities usually issue a blanket "No U-Turn" for all vehicles at problematic spots, or route long trucks away from the corridor entirely via designated Truck Routes. But this will also create additional problems
• But drivers of large trucks need to understand that it is illegal for a large commercial truck to attempt a U-turn if it cannot complete the maneuver in a single, continuous motion without obstructing traffic. Under standard traffic laws in most states, including Florida (Statute S. 316.1515), drivers are explicitly prohibited from turning a vehicle around on any public road unless they can do so safely and without interfering with other traffic. Because this practice seriously threatens road safety, the public should notify the police if they see it.
THANKS TO COUNTY COMMISSIONER DAVID MULICKA & ESTERO’S VILLAGE MAYOR JOANNE RIBBLE
On October 22nd, Commissioner Mulicka and Mayor Ribble addressed 80 people in a packed room at the Estero Library during the Engage Estero Community Meeting. They fielded several questions from residents and explained their roles. Commissioner Mulicka said commissioners play an important role in local government, serving as both policymakers and administrators in a system that bridges state mandates and local needs. The Commissioner helps serve residents in Estero and played a vital role in expediting the installation of the protective left turn at the traffic light on US-41 and Williams Road, which saw a traffic accident just over 2 years ago.
Mayor Ribble’s role involves:
• Chairing council meetings where local issues, ordinances, budgets, and development proposals are discussed.
• Representing Estero: She serves as the village’s ceremonial head and represents the community in dealings with other governments and organizations.
• Overseeing local government decisions: Working with the six other council members on policies affecting Estero’s residents, including land use, roads, parks, utilities, and public services.
• Advocating for local interests: She works with regional and state organizations to represent Estero’s priorities.
• Signing official documents: Under Estero’s municipal charter, the mayor executes legal documents as required by local ordinance.
The mayor has been very supportive of residents’ concerns about potential increases in traffic noise from widening I-75 through Estero. And she takes on board (together with the Village Management) areas of strategic concern that include:
• Estero River and the Estero on the River development.
• The Village Center property near Corkscrew Road and U.S. 41.
• Septic-to-sewer project.
• Development along Coconut Road and U.S. 41.
The Engage Estero Board of Trustees and Executive Management Team (EMT) thank both speakers for their time and willingness to listen to concerns of residents.
UPCOMING MEETINGS IN THE NEW YEAR.
• January 29th, South County Regional Library, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. https://esterotoday.com/jan2027
○ Deb Orton, Founder and President of “Friends of BERT, will provide an update on BERT’s future issues to be addressed and an initial timeline.
○ Steve Sarkozy, Estero’s Village Manager, will explain the importance of BERT within the Village and the way it will interlink with other bike paths.
• February 26th, Estero Recreation Center, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
https://esterotoday.com/feb2027
○ Mary Gibbs, Estero’s Community Development Director, will address current and future developments for Estero.
○ Michael Comparato, Director of Vieste LLC, and Project Manager of the Village of Estero SportsPark will provide an update on progress and future plans for the Sports Complex.
