FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lee County is taking a proactive step toward fiscal responsibility and streamlined government operations by introducing a new position known as the Chief of Government Efficiency, or “COGE.” The role comes on the heels of the creation of a similar federal initiative dubbed “DOGE” – a government efficiency watchdog supported by Elon Musk – but with a local twist aimed at optimizing county spending and improving service delivery.
Watch senior reporter Emily Young's full report here:
Senior Reporter Emily Young sat down with John Bodner, the newly appointed COGE for Lee County, ahead of his first official day on the job. Despite the new title, Bodner is no stranger to county operations, having served as the Chief Administration Officer for three years.
“We have a couple of initial projects that we’ve been eyeing and things for me to immediately get working on,” Bodner explained. “We have a couple of ideas that we think have some quick wins we can produce in 90 days.”
The primary focus of the COGE position is twofold. According to Kevin Karnes, Lee County Clerk and Comptroller, the first goal is to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. “COGE has two main goals, and the very first one is to save the tax players dollars, making sure the right dollars are spent the right way for the right reasons,” Karnes said.
The Clerk’s Office handles more than 1,000 statutory duties, including records management—such as passports and marriage licenses—court-related tasks, and financial responsibilities. The goal of the COGE role is to evaluate these duties and suggest ways to streamline operations. “We’re looking at our required responsibilities and identifying areas where we can improve processes, making them more efficient and cost-effective,” Karnes explained.
Bodner emphasized the importance of accountability when managing public funds. “We’re asking people in the public to pay for things that they may or may not even want, so when that happens we have to take extra special care of those funds and make sure we’re being good stewards of those monies at all times,” he said.
Bodner’s appointment comes with the assurance that his experience in a similar role – successfully implemented in another state – will benefit Lee County. “While residents may not see an immediate decrease in their taxes, the goal is to prevent any increases, thereby keeping our millages steady,” Bodner noted.
As Lee County embarks on this new chapter of government efficiency, both county officials and residents are hopeful that the COGE initiative will lead to significant improvements in spending and operational effectiveness, all while safeguarding taxpayer dollars.
Bodner says he hopes the initiative is so effective, that they’re able to pay his salary with the money they’ve saved.
