News Articles

Aileen McElroy

South Lee Messenger

April 2, 2008 - ESTERO - Last Tuesday, U.S. Congressman Connie Mack, members of the Estero Chamber of Commerce, the Lee County School Board, the Estero Post Office, (U.S.P.S.) and other local officials gathered to celebrate the start of construction on the new Estero Post Office off Three Oaks Parkway.

According to Estero Chamber of Commerce Chair Meg Judge, plans for a new post office have been in the works for eight years as a means to better accommodate the growing community. The United States Postal Service (USPS) purchased the five-acre site from the Lee County School Board after three and a half years of active planning between the Chamber, U.S. Congressman Connie Mack, the Lee County School Board and the USPS.

“It’s a smart thing to do when you have school boards that are willing to work with the community because they had 76 acres and now because of this hundreds of thousands of dollars go back into the school board,” shared Judge, prior to the ceremony.

The Three Oaks post office is slated to open Nov. 17 and the existing Broadway Avenue post office will also continue to operate.

Estero Postmaster Deborah Rardin opened the groundbreaking ceremony amid the din of beeping bulldozers on a brisk Tuesday morning.

“Three and a half years and we’re finally breaking ground. My dad taught me that when there is a will there is a way and that’s what I’m looking at,” said Rardin, surveying the crowd. “I feel there was a will with the Chamber and their relentess focus and passion to make this happen, to get this done no matter what. And the Lee County School Board is the way. They made this happen through their cooperation and generosity.”

Father Hugh McGuigan of Our Lady of Light Church blessed the site before Judge took the podium.

Judge thanked members of the Chamber, school board, USPS and local officials for their collaboration in making the new post office a reality. She also commended U.S. Congressman Connie Mack for keeping his promise to fulfill one of Estero’s top priorities by “writing letters, making phone calls and bringing people together.”

“We’re thrilled that we could make this happen for the community,” she said. “And I am absolutely delighted to introduce Connie Mack, a man that has worked tirelessly for this community and all of Lee County.”

Mack credited Judge for her role in brainstorming the new post office.

“Obviously today is going to be about slapping each other on the back but I want to start off by saying this would not have happened - I would not have been involved if it wasn’t for Meg,” he said. “When she puts her mind to it she makes things happen. We sat down and talked about the post office before I was elected and I appreciate that conversation. As an elected official, you want to know what it is that the people are looking for. It’s an exciting day and I’m proud to have played a part in it. If anything, we’re successful because we come together as a community. I can not wait for Nov. 17 when the doors open.”

Shortly after Mack and members of the Chamber and school board planted gold tipped shovels into the ground, school board chair Jeanne Dozier shared her excitement for the new post office.

“It’s just a great thing for the community,” she said. ‘This is a fine example of governments working together collaboratively with the tax dollars to make sure that we have good services for our community. This has been going on for three years. It’s like the little engine that could that says ‘I think I can, I think I can,’ and then, ‘I know I can.’ We think we can do it, we know we can do it and that’s where we are today. We’ve done it and the ribbon will be cut in November.”

Dozier also praised Judge for her ability to follow through on an idea.

“We probably would never have come up with this idea had it not been the mind of one single person that Estero is so fortunate to have in their community and that is Meg Judge,” said Dozier. “Meg comes up with a lot of ideas and she doesn’t just come out with an idea and say, ‘here it is’ she takes the idea and follows it through.”

Lodge Construction of Fort Myers was awarded the contract to complete the 10-month project.

“I’m exhilarated,” said Lodge Construction district marketing director Nikole Richardson. “We just bid on it a couple months ago and now we’re breaking ground with a ground breaking ceremony with all these city officials. It’s a pretty big deal. A lot of our projects go off without a hitch. It’s nice to have all this attention.”

Richardson noted that she was excited for the post office’s opening on two levels.

“I’m proud for my company,” she said. “And I live in Estero, so on a personal level, I’m proud for Estero.”