Cape City Council waives administrative reimbursement for municipal charter school system
Usually, consent items on the agenda draw little or no debate from Cape Coral City Council or the gallery. Most of them get passed as a group with only the occasional item getting pulled if there is a question.
During Monday’s city regular council meeting, two items not only drew debate but also dissenting votes – charter school financing and the D&D boat ramp property.
City staff gave a presentation on the Cape Coral charter schools, outlining its plan over the next six months to help make the municipal school system sustainable moving forward.
The charter schools have budgeted $500,000 in its reserves in the 2018-19 budget. In the next two years, the system is facing deficits of more than $1.5 million.
The city agreed to waive its administrative “charge back” for the next fiscal year so the schools can purchase Chromebooks for the students, which has become an unfunded mandate for schools throughout the state.
Council members agreed that many of the system’s problems will be resolved once Lee County Public Schools pay the $1.7 million owed the system as a result of recent state legislature. Lee County, along with several other districts, is challenging the bill in court.
Councilmember Marilyn Stout, who once served on the charter school board, said the charter schools have a large amount of reserves and that the charter school system was created without the use general fund money – primarily property tax dollars – to sustain it.
“The promise was made that when the schools were built that there would be no money from the general fund,” Stout said. “They have very healthy reserves. I think it’s more a matter of wants than needs.”
School Superintendent Jacquelin Collins said the main idea is to retain teachers and students. Teachers work eight periods a day without a break and they system has not been able to hire more teachers, while there continues to be a shortfall of high school teachers and students.
“We’re running on skin and bones and aren’t able to compete with pubic schools for teachers or students,” Collins said.
Stout was unconvinced and voted against the item, which passed 7-1.
Regarding the D&D boat ramp, it was Councilmember Rick Williams who expressed his dismay at a conceptual plan that would place a restaurant, via a public-private partnership arrangement, at the site, saying parking would be a nightmare.
“Parking is my concern. The Yacht Club has land around the area they can use. D&D doesn’t have that. You can’t park in the water and it’s already congested,” Williams said. “Micelli’s is already crowded. Adding a restaurant is illogical.”
Williams was the lone dissenting vote in the measure which passed 7-1.
In other business:
* City Council also approved an ordinance that amends the city’s fire prevention and emergency management ordinance. Beer sales will be prohibited during states of emergency to go along with the other alcoholic beverages. Also, open burning during a burn ban will be prohibited.
* The city heard from the kids during several presentations. Students from Oasis Elementary joined in a presentation to replace the Oasis Eco-Friendly Park that was destroyed by Hurricane Irma.
The park, called an extension of the classroom, would include plants to attract butterflies and other insects and promote physical fitness. It would be paid for by a grant. Council to approve request unanimously.
* Carsyn Baxter of the city’s Youth Council gave a presentation on the advantages of commercial recycling, saying it would be a good way for the city to raise income and help make it greener. Lee County has a similar program, which has been very successful, she said.
* Council named juniors Sasha Gorbanovski of North Fort Myers High School and Lisa Nguyen of Ida Baker High School to the Youth Council
* The city’s Community Response Team (CERT) was recognized for winning the Volunteer Agency Service Award for its work during Hurricane Irma.