BCC Minutes 05/25/2011 J (w/School Board)BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
.
THE COLLIER COUNTY
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
JOINT
MEETING
MINUTES
MAY 259 2011
May 25, 2011
TRANSCRIPT OF THE JOINT MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AND THE COLLIER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
Naples, Florida May 25, 2011
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County
Commissioners, in and fo; the County of Collier, having conducted
business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m. in SPECIAL SESSION
in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida,
with the following members present:
Chairman: Fred Coyle
Jim Coletta
Donna Fiala
Tom Henning
Georgia Hiller
Collier County District School Board: Barbara Berry
Pat Carroll
Kathleen Curatolo
Roy Terry
ALSO PRESENT:
Jeffrey Klatzkow, County Attorney
Leo E. Ochs, Jr., County Manager
Gary Brown, Interim Superintendent
Tom Eastman, Real Property Director, School District
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Collier County Board of County Commissioners
District School Board of Collier County
Joint Meeting Agenda
May 25, 20119:00 AM
Board of County Commissioners Chambers
3299 Tamiami Trail East, 3`d Floor
Naples, FL 34112
1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
2. Athletic Field Availability and Rental Rates
3. Early Learning Coalition Local Match Funding Consideration
4. Westclox Road Extension in Immokalee
S. Update on Plantation Island Road Maintenance
6. Potential Use of Schools as Polling Places (Supervisor of Elections issue)
T
7. Discussion Regarding the Potential Co- location of a New Fire Station on the Grounds
of the Palmetto Elementary School
8. Public Comment (please submit speaker slip; limited to 3 minutes)
9. Adjourn
NOTICE: All persons wishing to speak on Agenda items must register prior to speaking. Speakers must
register with the Executive Manager to the BCC. prior to presentation of the Agenda item to be addressed
All registered speakers will receive up to three (3) minutes unless the time is adjusted by the chairman.
Collier Cc Ordinance No. 03 -53 as amended by ordinance 04 -05 & 07 -24, requires that all lobbyists shall,
before engaging in any lobbying activities (including but not limited to, addressing the Board of County
Commissioners), register with the Clerk to the Board at the Board Minutes and Records Department.
May 25, 2011
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Ladies and gentlemen, the workshop
meeting between the district School Board and the Board of County
Commissioners is now in session.
Would you please stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you. County Manager, are you
going to be our moderator today?
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Yes, sir.
Good morning, Commissioners, and members of the School
Board; it's great to see everyone here this morning.
Dr. Brown and I have worked on a joint agenda here, based on
input from individual School Board members and commissioner
interest, and also any staff issues that we thought would merit the
attention of this group this morning.
So without further ado, Mr. Chairman, we can move right into
the first item on the agenda, if you'd like --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: -- unless you want to go through
some introductions for the public's benefit.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, we can do that. Why don't we
start with Ms. Berry and we'll go around the table.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: I'm Barbara Berry,
School Board, District 3.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Commissioner Georgia Hiller,
Collier County Commission, District 2.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Kathy Curatolo,
School Board member.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Donna Fiala, County Commission,
District 1.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Pat Carroll, School
Board, District 1.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Fred Coyle, County Commissioner,
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May 25, 2011
District 4.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Roy Terry, School
Board Member, District 5.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Jim Coletta, Collier County
Commissioner, District 5.
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: Gary Brown. I'm the
Interim Superintendent for Collier County Public Schools.
Item #2
ATHLETIC FIELD AVAILABILITY AND RENTAL RATES —
MOTION SUPPORTING STAFF'S REQUEST TO WORK WITH
SCHOOL BOARD STAFF REGARDING FEE STRUCTURE, AND
TO SEEK OTHER OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDING CAPACITY
VIA INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS — APPROVED
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: And I'm Leo Ochs, County
Manager. So thank you.
The first item this morning is a brief discussion on athletic field
availability and utilization.
Both of the staffs and both the School Board and the County
Commission own and operate athletic fields. We have joint use
agreements that have been very, very beneficial to our Parks and Rec
Department, and hopefully to the School District over the years.
We do have some differences in some of the rental rates, and we
just wanted to take a minute to brief both boards on those issues and
ultimately seek some direction for both staffs to continue to pursue
ultimately a rate schedule on both entities that will help to maximize
and optimize the use of all of the public facilities for the benefit of the
community.
I believe Barry Williams, our Parks and Recreation Director, will
present initially.
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May 25, 2011
MR. WILLIAMS: Good morning. Barry Williams, Parks and
Recreation Director.
Mr. Ochs, thank you very much. And Commissioners, School
Board Members, thank you for the opportunity just to speak to you
about this issue.
I think we've included in your packet just an executive summary
that kind of outlined the issue for us. And let me just start by saying,
we have a wonderful relationship with the School Board. We
appreciate it a great deal. We have interlocal agreements at 10 school
sites where we're able to use the public facility the school has, the
green space, the athletic fields for the public's use when school's out,
and so that has been a wonderful relationship.
I think for us what we're seeing and what we're beginning to see
is in some instances some overutilization issues for us. And what
we've had is a number of youth sports organizations that operate in
Collier County that come to us.
And I was talking to Ms. Carroll prior to the meeting just, you
know, part of the issue that we think is the rates that we're charging,
and we gave an example of our cosponsored youth organizations. We
charge a dollar per child per week. That's a highly subsidized rate.
And it works out to about three dollars an hour for rental of the field.
So what we see is that we are -- when youth organizations are
looking at the potential of playing in a public facility, whether it's a
school or a park, you know, we certainly come in as a bargain for
folks. But what that's causing we think is just that overutilization
issue.
So what we wanted to do this morning was just to request from
the Commission and the School Board the opportunity for us to work
with staff on the School Board to look at developing some parity with
the rate system where having a lesser rate, if you will, on the parks
side won't necessarily cause everybody to run and try to utilize the
fields where we don't have capacity.
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May 25, 2011
So with that, if I can, I'd just like to stop and see if there's any
questions that you might have or any concerns that you might have.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I have a question
about a cost analysis. I'd like to know what the cost is, particularly
from the School District side, so that we ensure we cover the cost but
make it available to the community.
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: We have Mr.
Eastman here I think that can speak somewhat to that question, and
review briefly what our fee structure is.
MR. EASTMAN: Our field rates are listed in our administrative
procedure, which is available on line. It's 75.10. And our costs are
reflective to -- we don't look at these uses as a profit center. The costs
are designed to just recoup the cost. Utilities, lights, many of the
activities have field lights, and we charge for those so that we're not
subsidizing the event.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Thank you.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Barry, if I
understand your concerns, you would like to bring the usage fees in
line, whether it's School Board or the Commission status; you want
them somehow in line with one another.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Yes, ma'am. And I
think that -- I think if we had the opportunity to work with School
Board staff, we don't want to create a fee system that is more or less
than what the School Board would be. But if we were on parity, we
think that that would help the area's youth but at the same time be a
fair representation for the taxpayers in terms of covering costs. So
that was the thought process.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I'm interested in the same issue
that Ms. Curatolo is interested in. Are our fees in any way based upon
recouping the cost of maintaining the fields?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: I would have to say it's
a subsidized exercise that we have now with the dollar per child per
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May 25, 2011
week. It's a $3.00 per hour, so in no way are we covering our cost.
It's been a fee that we've had for as long as I can remember. I've
been in the position about five years, so -- we haven't raised it. The
recession kind of chilled some of the discussion for us, you know, in
looking at raising the fee, not wanting to hurt folk, but at the same
time it's a highly subsidized rate.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I think we need to find out what it
cost us to maintain the fields. Because if you're implying that we are
suffering somewhat by the fact that people are migrating to our fields
because we charge less money for use, then it's a self - imposed
problem --
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- and I think we need to deal with that.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Commissioner Hiller.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, I'd like to make a motion to
support your request, that you have the ability to work with the School
Board staff to find out, you know, what can be done to achieve parity
between the pricing between the two systems. Again, you know,
depending on what the fields are and, you know, what the uses are.
There might be different rates for different fields for different uses.
I'm not sure if that would be a fair assessment. So I'd like to make a
motion to support your request.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And I'll second that motion and I
have a question.
Do we, the county, ever maintain fields for the school system? I
remember at one time we used to do that. I don't know if we still do.
And if we do, that certainly should be taken into consideration as well.
Because if -- and we're subsidizing the school system.
MR. WILLIAMS: Just to answer your question, we have
arrangements, a master and a local agreement with the School Board,
the Board of County Commissioners, and we have separate interlocal
agreements for 10 school sites, I believe it is, where we manage the
May 25, 2011
fields, the green space. And in return, what the School Board provides
for the public is the use of those fields after 3:30 after schools out and
on the weekends and in the summertime. We rent those fields based
on our fee schedule to the public. And so again, that fee schedule is a
lesser amount than what the School Board would have normally
charged.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And secondly, while you are
negotiating this or discussing this at length, I think we also have to
determine what impact it will make on the children in our community,
especially those that are in the lower income bracket. We don't want
them out sitting at the mall or, you know, on street corners, we'd
prefer them to be in a wholesome activity playing ball. And so we
have to also take that into consideration, maybe even working with the
Sheriffs Office as the two organizations work together and including
the S.O.
(At which time, Commissioner Henning enters the Boardroom.)
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, ma'am.
And we can work with the youth force organizations as well in
terms of talking to them about looking at this issue.
And you're very correct; we don't want to create something that,
you know, causes these youth organizations not to participate. That is
very important.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you.
Commissioner Fiala's bringing up a very good point. We didn't
get to where we were with our rate structure by just setting what the
actual cost was. Remember, we subsidized the libraries, we
subsidized a whole bunch of different things out there, public use. I
mean, we have beach passes to be able to get our public to the
beaches.
And we also, we have recognized over the years that the children
of this community have to be served. And if we're going to try to
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May 25, 2011
balance it out to a cost factor, then I can assure you the only children
in this community that will be served will be those that come from
fairly well -to -do families.
Anyone know from the school system how many children are on
subsidized lunches? Maybe that can give us some idea what the
economic situation is we're dealing with.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: It's over 50
percent.
But I don't think -- I think we need to look at the cost analysis.
Not that that should be the only criterion, but at least look at the cost
and then look at the use of the fields and then have staff creatively
discuss how we provide the opportunities for all children within this
community.
But without the cost analysis as part of that puzzle, I don't think
that we can move beyond where we are.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I agree with --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: And I just wanted
to make the clarification on that.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: You need to know where you
are before you can go forward. But we have to keep the human
element forward at all times, and we have to provide something in the
way of affordability for this product that we're offering.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller and then Mr.
Terry.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Kathy, have you noticed as a result
of the fees that you're charging that children are being deprived from
the use of the field because the cost is prohibited? Because
Commissioner Coletta is suggesting that the rates -- it would seem to
me the implication is that the rates you're charging is serving to
exclude anyone other than children that come from wealthy homes.
And I would find that hard to believe that the School Board would
adopt a policy that would, you know, exclude children.
May 25, 2011
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: First of all, that
would be a staff question --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right, so let's --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: -- and not a
question for me. But I will say this --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But from a policy standpoint.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: -- that our primary
objective -- and other board members may also want to have
something to say about this -- is to provide sports activities for the
children that attend each of those schools. It's a part of the holistic
approach that we take to learning. So that is our primary objective.
And to my knowledge we serve our students quite well in that arena
across the district.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So asking staff, you know, with
the same question, do you find that your rates are serving to exclude
the population that you're intending to serve, or do you find the rates
to be fair and reasonable?
And of course, you know, you obviously know how many
children use your fields and, you know, the population of children that
use those fields, so I'm sure you've analyzed that carefully.
MR. EASTMAN: I don't think it would be fair to say that we're
preventing the children from using the fields. We actually have an
exception that allows for no fee to be charged when it is children using
the fields and the people organizing the event are unpaid volunteers.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay.
MR. EASTMAN: It's really the adults that are being paid as
coaches, they -- and then they can also get an exception where they
would receive a half rate as well. So we have exceptions to serve the
children.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's great. So you have
mechanisms in place to take care of children that come from homes
that are economically disadvantaged over other families?
.,_..
May 25, 2011
MR. EASTMAN: That's not in the policy. But what is in the
policy and the procedure is the promotion of youth events, be it
sporting or academic. And the people that pay are the people that are
organizing the event that are making money for themselves.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, I see.
MR. EASTMAN: When it's strictly volunteer, those events,
there is no charge.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So the situation that Commissioner
Coletta is describing does not occur because of the structure that you
have in place the way you describe it.
MR. EASTMAN: I don't think that -- I think that there's a need
potentially for more capacity, as I hear from Barry Williams. And that
fact that there's a need for more capacity even in -- in every area, the
Immokalee area as well, shows and is evidence that it's highly utilized
and available. We have kids playing and doing these types of
activities extensively.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So your rate structure is not
prohibiting that.
MR. EASTMAN: I would say it is not prohibiting that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's exactly what I thought.
Because I would imagine that families would be upset and would
verbalize that if that were the case.
The other question I have is with respect to the number of fields.
We have 10 interlocal agreements?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Is there any way to expand that? I
mean, how many fields are actually available that the school has, and
could we expand the number of interlocal agreements to allow for
more parks -- or more of your fields to be used as parks?
MR. EASTMAN: There certainly is an opportunity with any
new facility. We attempt and are doing a much better job of trying to
coordinate with Parks and Rec to hear what their needs are.
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May 25, 2011
An example of that would be some of the potential new DRI's,
like the Town of Big Cypress, we would potentially have new school
sites there. We would work with Parks and Rec to see what their needs
are. They would also receive park facilities based upon those.
But even outside of the DRI context, any new school we work
with Parks and Rec to see what their needs are. We don't always
match entirely. The design of the school is for school, first and
foremost and for Parks and Rec, secondarily, if it doesn't interrupt
with our operations.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I just don't have the history,
so I just want to understand. Do we have interlocal agreements with
all your fields, or just a select number of the fields that currently exist?
MR. EASTMAN: Just a select number. And those are fields that
have been chosen by Parks and Rec for a large part.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Barry, is there potential to expand
that relationship?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Well, I think we do
work very closely with the schools to look at potential sites that meet
the need of the recreational needs of the community.
So a part of this discussion, if we were directed, we could look at
existing sites to see if there were others that might fit into that criteria.
Tom mentioned though that we often will look at the new sites as
having the best potential versus existing, but I think it's a great
suggestion for us to look at existing and see if there's some
opportunities that might be worth pursuing further.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Then I'd like to amend my motion
and add that to the scope of your cooperative study, to see what other
opportunities are. Because there is a great deal of demand, and
whatever our structure is right now is not serving that. So if we can
expand the total capacity by, you know, creating more interlocal
agreements, I think it would be mutually beneficial, if cost permits.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Just a moment.
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May 25, 2011
Does the second agree with the modification motion?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Terry?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Thank you.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I think this is really a
great example of why we're having this meeting today. I think we
need to make sure that all of our entities in the county work together
to determine what's best for the children of our district.
There are some communities that can afford things a lot better
than other communities, but at the same time we have a responsibility
to the taxpayer to make sure that we aren't just giving the facilities
away. There's upkeep, there's lighting in some facilities, for instance,
and things that need to be done to take care of the fields so that we
have safe fields for our children to play on.
And I think the important thing here, and I would go along with
the motion, I think that we need to have both entities look at their field
system and then compensation schedule and come up with some ideas
on how we can work together better to make more fields available, if
that's possible, and also get the fee structure where it's at least
reasonably close or in line with each other.
I think that one of the problems now is that the county is
subsidizing a lot of their fee structure. We aren't necessarily, we're
going by what it cost for us to put a field together and put children on
a field. And I think if we can bring those closer together, we can
spread the use of fields out across the county and have a lot better
system.
So I would go along with the motion. But I think before we even
have that meeting, each entity needs to sit down and determine costs
and need to determine what they want in terms of fields for students to
play on and children to play on and then come together in a meeting
and look at the total picture and come up with something that's
agreeable throughout the district.
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May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah, Commissioner Terry,
you're absolutely correct. We need to know what our numbers are,
and we need to be able to go forward with it, we need to try to explore
new opportunities, we need to try to identify new opportunities. All
that's correct.
The only thing I'm going to say is that I wasn't trying to berate
the school system for what they charge, I was just trying to bring up
the fact that we do have, especially in our district that we represent,
Commissioner, we have a need that probably is greater than any other
place in Collier County. Very, very disturbing to find that so many
people out of work or underemployed, many houses up in foreclosure.
That 50 percent rate that we referred to for the school system is
only an indicator of the total county. And I would assume that
probably in District 5 it's considerably higher than the 50 percent.
These people cannot come up with an extra couple of dollars to be
able to supplement their kids.
As we go forward with this -- and I think I was characterized in
the wrong direction of where I was going -- I'm talking about when we
start our negotiations and our talks coming forward, we have to keep
the human element ever present and ever in mind, because these
children have to be served. And if they're not going to be out there
playing sports, what are they going to be doing? There's enough
trouble in this world as it is today.
I can support the motion as it is. But if we come back with rate
increases, I doubt if you'll find me supportive of that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Just a clarification.
I know this was supposed to be a workshop. We're not supposed
to take votes in workshops. But if we're in a meeting, would it be
appropriate for the -- I guess the School Board, I don't know the
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statutes, to vote on an item when they're not in -- where they regularly
hold their meetings.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I mean, if
possible. I was going to ask about the governance issue from Mr.
Fishbane from the School Board perspective. But if we can't vote on
it, maybe we can come to some consensus.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I wasn't expecting to take a formal
vote, but we have to have a motion to get something before us for
consideration --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I'd like to get Mr.
Fishbane's -- if that's okay, Mr. Fishbane's opinion.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Can I say one thing before Mr.
Fishbane speaks?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Please, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: This was actually advertised as a
joint meeting, not -- I'm not sure that it was actually advertised as a
workshop.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And because it was advertised as a
meeting, not as a workshop, we actually have a court reporter here
today, and so my understanding is that we can vote on any matter
brought before us jointly today as compared to a workshop.
So your point is exactly correct, Commissioner Henning, and
maybe we can clarify that this is not a workshop and that this is in fact
a meeting and we can take action.
MR. FISHBANE: I was just going to mention, Mr. Henning's
right, if it is a workshop then you can talk about consensus but you
really cannot be entertaining motions. If it's a regular meeting, that's
something different.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And my understanding, and I
believe County Manager Ochs just confirmed that this is in fact a
meeting, not a workshop.
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May 25, 2011
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: That's correct, Commissioner, it
was advertised as a joint meeting.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So as a result, that should be
corrected, because when we opened the meeting, Commissioner Coyle
announced it as a workshop and that isn't the case, which I think is
what led to the misunderstanding.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's fine. As long as the
County Attorney agrees that we're in a meeting and not a workshop.
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, you have executive summaries with
recommendations. You're going to have to either take the
recommendation or not take the recommendation.
So, you know, however you want to handle this, staff needs to be
directed on these things one way or the other, whether it's by
consensus or by motion. But, you know, this was advertised as a
meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And we do have a motion and a second,
okay?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Good.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And does anyone disagree with this
motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there any objection to the motion?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: No.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I just have two comments, if I
can.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: First comment is, as they go in to
discuss these, especially the cost analysis, which is terribly important,
I want to make sure -- you know, we can say the costs can be anything
we decide they can be. And I'm hoping that they're going to be more
near a fair cost analysis, rather than an inflated one. And I mean,
because we want to discuss how we can help the children of our
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May 25, 2011
community, not pack our pocketbooks. So I just wanted to make sure
that that's taken into consideration.
And can you name the 10 interlocal agreements that we have
right now, please?
MR. WILLIAMS: This will be interesting if I can or not, but --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I have all kinds of faith in you.
MR. WILLIAMS: Well, let me start and then Tom's going to tell
me the ones I miss.
Avalon Elementary, Corkscrew Elementary, Corkscrew Middle.
Dreamland is a -- what we call Dreamland is associated with a school
in Immokalee. That's Pinecrest. And Eden, Osceola, Palmetto.
Starcher Pettay, Sable Palm, and Veteran's Memorial.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: What about Vineyards?
MR. WILLIAMS: And Vineyards.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: All you have to do is
drive by Vineyards on Saturday morning and see the number of
children in Collier County that are being served on that site.
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, ma'am.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: If anybody -- I think
that's important too. Who exactly is renting these fields? Because the
idea -- if one listens to this discussion, one gets the idea that children
are out on these fields just playing. And I don't think that's the case.
You have different groups.
MR. WILLIAMS: That's correct.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: In the case of
Vineyards, you have the Optimists that basically are the sponsoring
group for literally, I would say, thousands of children that pass
through that facility on any given Saturday morning. Maybe that's a
little exaggerated, but there sure are a lot of them down there, starting
quite early in the morning and going until late in the afternoon.
So I think that's an important factor too, as to who are these
sponsoring organizations that are renting these and, you know, what is
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May 25, 2011
their capacity in terms of what kind of costs can they bear.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And lastly, over at East Naples
Middle School, even though you don't have an agreement with them,
and I don't know who's doing what, I'm amazed. I mean, it isn't a
formal playground or a formal ball field, nothing. It's always busy as
we all know. So a lot of times they don't need something, you know,
really with a lot of frills. They just need a place to play.
And I doubt that anybody charges them to play at East Naples
Middle, because they seem to just go in and play there. And as I say,
it's always busy.
So maybe as you're discussing this we can also consider just
having places for these kids to play without having any formal -- you
know, as you were talking about building new places, they don't need
a lot, they just want and need a place to play. So thank you.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Yeah, I don't think
there's anybody on this group that wants to restrict fields to children. I
think that the main purpose of both the county and the School District
is to provide opportunities for as many children as possible. We do it
during the school day and then also our fields are available in the
afternoons and evenings.
I think that when the committee looks at this or gets together to
discuss it, they want to make sure that we maximize the use of our
facilities without totally destroying the facilities, naturally, because
there is some time that's needed for fields to recuperate and to recover.
So I think we want to maximize the use, get as many facilities as
possible available for children after school and on the weekends, and
we should look at it with that in mind, not restricting any usage of the
fields for our children.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
All in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Aye.
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:•
May 25, 2011
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The motion passes unanimously.
That took us 30 minutes. We've got a number of other items to
Let's go to item number three.
Item #3
EARLY LEARNING COALITION LOCAL MATCH FUNDING
CONSIDERATION — MOTION FOR ALL STAFF TO WORK
TOGETHER TO FIND FUNDING AND CONTRIBUTION
POSSIBILITIES W /SCHOOL BOARD WITH "IN- KIND"
FUNDING — APPROVED
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: This one should be quicker.
This is the discussion on the early learning coalition local match
funding consideration.
The County Commission earlier this year back in April agreed to
fund a portion of the local match required from the early learning
coalition to leverage additional state dollars for their services. And at
the time of that discussion the County Commission asked me to place
this item on the agenda for some further discussion and perhaps
consideration by the School Board to help fund the local match that
the county is now funding, at least at a 50 percent level.
MOM
May 25, 2011
The match is 50,000 this year. I think the wine festival and the
Community Foundation had provided a portion of that local match.
County Commission had provided the balance. And that's essentially
the issue.
Mr. Sheffield can give you a brief overview of this item.
MR. SHEFFIELD: We do have representatives here today from
the Early Learning Coalition. And if you don't mind, I'd like to ask
them to come up and perhaps they can introduce themselves briefly
and explain the needs of the coalition.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes.
MS. COTTER: Good morning. My name is Nga Cotter, I'm the
CFO of the Early Learning Coalition.
MS. THOMPSON: I'm Gayla Thompson, I'm the Associate
Director of Program Services for the Early Learning Coalition.
MR. ESCAYG: I'm Peter Escayg, Director of Operations for the
Early Learning Coalition.
MS. COTTER: With the requirement of the six percent for our
school readiness program, we're required by the state to request for
local match, and for specifically Collier County.
From time to time the number may change, but we estimate about
$150,000 for the year, upcoming year. We're also anticipating another
$150,000. The NCEF have contributed $75,000 for this year, and the
commissioners have contributed $25,000.
We're asking for the next four years that the County and/or the
School Board will be able to match the requirement.
Pretty much -- if you have any questions for me, specific
questions, I'll be happy to answer.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Ms. Berry?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Can some of that
money be in in -kind contribution?
MS. COTTER: Yes, it can be. It can be in the form of say rent;
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May 25, 2011
buildings that the school may have available for us.
As I talked to Ms. Barry earlier, it could be in the form of
training that can be offered by the school. Any kind of in -kind that is
-- that would make our program a quality program, we would be able
to use that.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: In terms of use of our
school buildings, per se, I think right now we have tried to use every
available bit of space, because as you know, we've got class size
reduction that we're faced with with the Constitutional Amendments.
So every space within our schools are going to be utilized. I mean,
they have looked at everything that could possibly be used in that
manner.
So I think it's looking at any other facility perhaps. I'm thinking
in terms of dollars, actual money to be paid out. I think certainly from
the school system perspective it's going to be a difficult kind of thing
to do. But I'm thinking more in terms of the in -kind kind of
contribution that perhaps we can look at. And I don't know, I don't
have the answer to that right now.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Ms. Curatolo?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I think it would be
helpful -- number one, I do think perhaps maybe out in the eastern
corridor we may have some space that we could look at. But I think
there are lots of in -kind services in terms of training, support in some
way that from a staff perspective there can be discussions about.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: How much money are we really talking
about? What are you looking for?
MS. COTTER: As I mentioned earlier, it varies, because our
budget has been cut. And it's also about the needs of other children.
We have priorities for, like say at -risk children, and if that spikes up
we have to use those dollars first for those children, so then therefore
the working poor categories, the dollars that we're seeking for may be
reduced. But we've been able to keep it constant, within
May 25, 2011
approximately $150,000 a year.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: $150,000 a year from what sources?
MS. COTTER: From the Agency for Work Force Innovation,
the State.
If we're able to bring in the $150,000, we're able to draw down
over $2 million for the local county.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, I guess what I'm looking for is the
Board of County Commissioners voted to give you $25,000 this year.
Are you looking for the School Board to share that $25,000 with the
Board of County Commissioners next year, or are you looking for
$25,000 from the Board of County Commissioners as well as from the
School Board?
MS. COTTER: It depends. As I've said, the NCEF, they have
agreed to give us on a sliding scale, if you will, that they committed
this year $75,000, which I just received a check. And then we're able
to supplement some of the in -kind through the M program (phonetic)
that they support, which is in -kind that they provided in terms of
training, supporting, actually going into the classroom and training our
teachers and so forth.
So therefore, with the $75,000 from the NCEF, $25,000 from the
Commissioners, and then the rest was in -kind. So we were able to
make up the $150,000 this year.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The Board is going to be
looking at community development block grants to help this in the
future. The problem is we all know that comes from the State -- well,
the Federal Government through the State. And with them looking at
budget reductions, that may be depleted or even disappear. So that's
something we need to keep in mind in the future. But also other
grants might be disappearing too.
I think we all need to take a look at -- watch what develops in the
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May 25, 2011
future and work together and try to resolve it. I think it's the best thing
that we have these kids, children, in a safe place while their parents
are working.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Terry?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I agree with that.
I also think that we ought to direct our administration to look at
in -kind possibilities and report back to the Board at our next meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes, thank you.
I think we're all in agreement. I couldn't tell you how pleased I
am with everyone here in the direction we're going.
I think we can get there. This is an item I think we should move
forward to staff. If we need a motion to that effect, I'd like to make it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, we have a motion from
Commissioner Coletta for --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Certainly. And I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- approval for our staffs to work
together to see if we can find ways to meet this requirement. And
second by Commissioner Fiala.
I would -- before we take the vote on that, I would just like to
make a request. You have a really good story to tell. It can be easily
translated into a cost benefit analysis. And I think that if you were
able to show that the number of children -- not now, but at the time
when you come back the next budget request, if you were able to
show the number of children that are being cared for and the number
of adults that are being employed as a result of the support you're
providing, it would be a lot easier for the members of the School
Board and the Board of County Commissioners to make decisions
about how much money we could provide and what the justification
might be.
All of us I think feel good about this process, but it would be
extremely helpful for us if you could give us a very clear cost benefit
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May 25, 2011
analysis when you come back. Okay?
MS. COTTER: Thank you, we will.
We did send out, and we have this investment in child care and
pre -care maintenance, we have it for this year. Next year when we
come back, we'll update it and give it to you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'd like to see it updated specifically for
Collier County in demographics. Is that what it is?
MS. COTTER: This is for Collier County.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, good. Thank you.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Commissioner, one last
point.
I do want to clarify to the Commissioners and to the rest of the
Board from my standpoint, and I think actually from the school
system. It cannot -- we cannot do the actual handing of money. But
we can perhaps, as Mr. Terry mentioned, look into the in -kind. So I
just want that perfectly understood that it will have to be an in -kind
type contribution that we would make.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All in favor of the --
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I just want to make an
observation. Are we going to ask for public comments before we take
action?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Do we have anybody registered for this
item?
MR. MITCHELL: Sir, we have nobody registered for this item.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Do we have anybody registered for any
item?
sir.
MR. MITCHELL: Yes, sir, we do.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Which item?
MR. MITCHELL: It's the joint emergency services center.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: It's item seven on your agenda,
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May 25, 2011
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, we'll take public comment for
item number seven before we vote, okay?
All in favor of this motion, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It passes unanimously.
Item #4
WESTCLOX ROAD EXTENSION IN IMMOKALEE — MOTION
TO MOVE THE PROJECT OF JOINING WESTCLOX TO LITTLE
LEAGUE ROAD AND ALL STAFF TO SEEK POTENTIAL
GRANTS AND FUNDING TO COORDINATE WHERE
(W /SPECIFICS) THE ROAD SHOULD GO — APPROVED
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Commissioners, item four on
your agenda is the Westclox Road extension discussion. This item
was placed on the agenda by the School District.
Jerry?
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: Yeah, I think this is
an item that Mr. Terry, our vice chair, is interested in discussing as it
relates to students and parents from Eden Park Elementary in
Immokalee.
Page 24
May 25, 2011
Mr. Terry, would you like to comment on that?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Yes. As you know, we
went through an extensive rezoning process over the last year with
students. The Westclox Road actually dead ends at Eden Park
Elementary School in Immokalee. There's a large community that can
see Eden Park Elementary, but in order to get to it they would need to
drive about two and a half miles around past Lake Trafford
Elementary School and then back to Eden Park.
The school system is putting in a walkway, but in a meeting with
the parents there were many parents who had concerns about allowing
their children to walk alone to school and wouldn't want to drive them.
Westclox Road is I think .16 miles in length and it could be
joined to Little League Road. And I would -- I know that there are
many road projects that the Commission is concerned with, but if they
could look at moving this item up to make it convenient for parents to
get their children to school, especially on rainy days, or those parents
that just want to be able to drop them off in the morning before school.
So I would like to ask that the Commission consider moving
Westclox Road, an extension of that, to Little League Road higher on
their agenda.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: We have a whole process that
we go through on a regular basis which consists of a number of
advisory committees. The MPO works for the county to get us to
where we need to be.
Possibly Mr. Feder might be able to give us some direction on
this, how the structure is -- or excuse me, in this case Nick
Casalanguida.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yeah. Good morning. For the record,
Nick Casalanguida with the Growth Management Division. Good
morning, Board Members and School Board Members.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Nick, excuse me. Before you
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May 25, 2011
start, we have an aerial, if you haven't found it, under your materials
that you can refer to. And it's also up on the screen for those who can
see it.
Go ahead, Nick.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure.
Commissioner Coletta is correct. We go through an annual
process as part of the AUIR and CIE. Currently the only two capital
projects we're proposing are grant funded projects that we have
matching grant projects right now. So if anything, we're cutting back
on our program even more, as you can imagine.
What I've suggested to the County Manager, Mr. Ochs, and for
the Board's consideration is that we would provide in -kind project
management services for this project and we would take over the road
as a public road when completed. That's something we could do
easily, if the School Board was willing to fund the design,
construction and maintenance of -- construction and C.I. We would
take over the maintenance when completed.
But if anything, we're going to propose to the Board in the fall
cutting back the program even more in terms of capital construction.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: What's the bottom line of that answer?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Bottom line is we're cutting back on
our program and we're doing less funding for projects right now. So I
don't know how we could move this up if we're taking projects out of
the program.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Who was first?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Well, mine is pretty simple.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Just two fast questions.
You had referred to Little League Road, but I don't see it on this
map. Could you tell me where that is?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: They said the connection, and it was
hard to tell by the executive summary, was .16 miles. All I could
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May 25, 2011
imagine is you're going to go due west on Westclox and then connect
it to Peace Way through that vacant lot.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And the second thing you said it
refers to in the executive summary is Community of Independence.
I've never heard of a Community of Independence in the Immokalee
area. Could you tell me where that is?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure. It's on your diagram. I'll
highlight it right now.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Can you also highlight where this
road is supposed to be, where the connector is?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's to the left off the map.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: The -- actually Little
League Road is just off the left edge of the map, as the drawing is up
there. It runs north and south, I believe, or from top to bottom.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: You have a drainage swale. Let me
show you what's going on.
This is existing Westclox public maintenance right now. The
School Board owns this piece right here. What we're talking about
doing is connecting it further west. This subdivision has a vacant lot
right here you could tie into as well.
You also have a drainage swale that comes across here also.
You're looking at several hundred thousand, and if you're going to go
farther, even more to do this project.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller, I --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: The Community of Independence?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's just to the south there.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: There you go, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Justice, Peace Way, American Way,
Allegiance Way.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Oh, okay. Thank you.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Are you aware of
any joint funding that we could apply for?
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May 25, 2011
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Grant applications. Safe Routes to
School would be one of them. We'd also look at any federal grants
that are available right now through the MPO process. That's
something we could apply for.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I would like to
certainly recommend that those from our staff who are very familiar
with this issue, and it is a safety issue, work with county staff to see if
there is potential for grant money --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: -- to provide this
opportunity in the near, rather than the far.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I think that's an
excellent possibility. I think we ought to look into that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Can we call that a motion and a second?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: We certainly can,
Commissioner Coyle.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much.
Commissioner Coletta was first, I think, then Commissioner
Henning.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah. You know, one of the
things we're running into is not -- the problem is not money, it's the
lack of money. And it's going to be like this for a long time to come.
And the truth of the matter is, we have some critical projects up there
that are stacked up that have been put forward. Golden Gate
Boulevard is one, the four - laning of it from Wilson all the way out to
Everglades, desperately needs to be done. It's been put off.
The completion of the four - laning all the way to Immokalee,
which would be Oil Well Road, which we're working on right now,
and then from there to be able to continue down to Immokalee. All
these things are being stacked up with different priorities.
So where do you get money for something like this?
One of the possibilities out there, and I'm going to fight to make
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May 25, 2011
sure it stays in the Immokalee area, is that we have a settlement
coming from the casino, it's going to be a yearly settlement in lieu of
impact fees. It's something I lobbied for a couple years ago and it
passed and we never identified the amount of money. And I would
like to be able to see if we could identify what that money is and see if
that source of money is anything that would get us at least maybe to
the design with this road.
But once again, too, being the fact that it's going to be a very
limited pot of money, dealing specifically with the Immokalee area,
before we do anything we have to have a community meeting to make
sure it's the will of the public and not just this commission who wants
that road done over something else.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thank you.
Mr. Terry mentioned about constructing a road over a mile long.
Nick has identified that there's a vacant lot within the community that
we can connect to to shorten that distance by several yards.
Is it the understanding or the will of the School Board and the
County Commissioners to do the best cost feasible by connecting it to
that lot into the community or building a mile long -- over a mile long
road?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I would say what
is most feasible from a safety perspective that reaches the goal that
would need to be reached in order for children to get to the school.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And the reason I'm saying that, I
think the community would love for us to spend monies to build a
mile long road instead of directly connecting into their community to
solve a problem. And I would like --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: And again, I
mean, I think we have to look at the community also. From our
perspective on the School Board side we are discussing it from the
issue of students at that particular school. But we would certainly
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May 25, 2011
want to have community input also to see what is the best option, what
is the cost of that -- of those options and then come back and make a
decision based upon all of the information before us. We only bring
this to you from a School District perspective.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Let me just clarify that
the length of the road from what I've been told is .16 miles. It's not
quite a mile. I'm just making that as a clarification.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: .1?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: .16. It's not a mile.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay. So it is just an
interconnecting --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Yes.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sir, when the agenda item came up,
.16 to me -- you know, 5,280 feet with, you know, 20 percent roughly
is not 1,000 feet. So I can't imagine where they would want to do any
farther than that vacant lot.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: So that's what I looked at when I saw
the item.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, if I can just clarify the motion.
The motion dealt primarily with the pursuit of funding that was
specifically related to Safe Routes to Schools. And if that is the case,
if we could get that funding, we're not taking it away from funding for
other roads that we have already established a high priority for.
So if we focus on the funding issue first, to ask our staffs to
jointly pursue grants which are specifically for Safe Routes to
Schools, then that would seem to be a fairly good fit.
And then as Commissioner Coletta observed, before we build the
road we have to go through a process, and we have to start talking to
communities.
So if we could -- if you wouldn't mind me offering a friendly
modification to the motion, it would be to pursue the Safe Routes to
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May 25, 2011
School grant funding for the road and to ask our staffs to begin to
coordinate where this road should go and lay the groundwork for
community meetings and working with the neighborhood to find out
what really is feasible.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: So moved.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: If that's okay.
And the second's okay with that?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: (Nods head
affirmatively.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'm sorry, was somebody -- somebody
had their hand. Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I question why we haven't been
applying for these road grants related to Safe Schools in the past.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: We have. We apply every year.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, we do?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And so have we done so this year?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I'm sure we have, yes. We do every
year.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Do we know what the information
is on that, what feedback we're getting as to whether there's funding
available and what our chances are getting those funds are?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: We usually get funds almost every
year for one program or another for Safe Routes to School. Can be a
sidewalk connection, could be a pedestrian walkway, advanced
lighting. Anything that promotes, you know, walk- ability, connect -
ability to schools. So we usually grab grant dollars almost every year.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And in those grant applications
that we have currently pending, do we have to identify specific
projects, or are they general grants for this specific purpose?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: They are specific projects.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, they are specific?
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May 25, 2011
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So there's no way that any of the
existing grants can be used towards this end?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It goes through a process. No, ma'am,
you'd have to apply specifically. It's reviewed and then chosen. So
it's for a specific project.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Is there any other source of
funding available? What's typically used to fund road construction
related to schools?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It typically is for Safe Routes to
Schools.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Is it?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Things like that.
And they're usually more for pedestrian connections, but they can
be used for anything that would increase safety so that, you know,
kids aren't put in harm's way or vehicle miles traveled reduction,
shorter distances to a school. So we could apply. And this would be a
viable grant to have.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And just for the future, when you
identify school related road construction, do you actually meet with
the School Board's staff and concurrently decide what the needs of the
schools are?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Absolutely. Tom's been an excellent
counterpart in that process. We work extremely well together.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And this is just a recent issue that
just came up because of the change in the school sizes?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: This is a fairly new school --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Classroom sizes.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, fairly new school, and I think as
the School Board is -- and the School Board can correct me --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: The rezoning.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: -- if I'm wrong --
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May 25, 2011
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Rezoning.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: -- as they go through the process and
they identify neighborhoods, you know, it's great that they put that --
they're going to put a pedestrian connection for it. I think that will get
a lot of use.
But again, as they noted, a lot of families like to drive their kids
to school, which we kind of want to avoid, if we can, but this will help
alleviate that. And it will take trips off of Lake Trafford and loop
them back around.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, if this is our standard
approach and we know that we've just experienced rezoning and it's
had this effect on this school, does the School Board have any other
concerns about other roads that might need reconsideration in light of
the rezoning that's taken place, or is this the only one that's --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I can defer to Mr.
Brown, but I don't believe there are any at this time.
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: I'm not aware of any
at this point in time.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay, thanks.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor of the motion, please signify
by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
Page 33
CHAIRMAN COYLE
Item #5
It passes unanimously.
May 25, 2011
UPDATE ON PLANTATION ISLAND ROAD MAINTENANCE
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Fifth item on your agenda is an
update on the Plantation Island Road maintenance issue.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Terry, did you want to say
something about this?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I believe this issue has
been resolved and I think we can remove it from the docket.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: For our Board's information, if I
could have Mr. Gossard just give you a 30- second update on where we
are in terms of maintenance obligations?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We can allocate 30 seconds.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Start the clock? Go.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Start the clock.
MR. GOSSARD: Very brief.
Travis Gossard, Road and Bridge Superintendent. Good
morning.
Basically we have found documentation proving that Plantation
Parkway is ours in entirety and we will be maintaining it. We started
on May 16th filling potholes, trimming trees, and we will continue.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Good. Now look for something on
Mamie Street.
MR. GOSSARD: Yes, sir, we are.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All right, thank you.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: No action required on that item,
sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. That's good. Let's go to item
number six.
Page 34
May 25, 2011
Item #6
POTENTIAL USE OF SCHOOLS AS POLLING PLACES
(SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS ISSUE) — ITEM MOVED TO
A FUTURE SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA WITH A REVIEW BY
THE CALENDARING COMMITTEE — CONSENSUS
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Item six is a discussion
regarding the potential use of schools as polling places.
This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Ms.
Edwards, Supervisor of Elections, and she's asked me, Mr. Chairman,
with everyone's indulgence, if I would read her letter into the record
very quickly.
So it says: Dear board members, the purpose of this message is
to request that the members of the Board of County Commissioners
and the Collier County Public School System consider the benefits of
using public school facilities as polling places.
Public school facilities have adequate parking and large rooms,
such as gymnasiums and cafeterias. School facilities are also ADA
compliant and are constructed and operated with tax dollars.
In the past I have spoken to individual School Board members
who have supported the concept and referred me to staff. I have met
with different superintendents over the last several years, as well as
staff, but have been unsuccessful in these attempts.
Several neighboring counties are already utilizing schools as
polling places such as Miami -Dade, Broward and Charlotte counties.
For our most recent county survey of Elections Offices using public
school facilities as polling places, please see the grid in attachment A.
Different options that are being utilized and /or I would request be
considered include: consider placing the dates of the elections on the
school calendar as in- service days. This option would eliminate a
Page 35
May 25, 2011
concern about having election workers and voters on school property
during a regular school day with the students.
It would offer the opportunity for teachers and students who are
registered voters to be trained and join us as elections workers and
could even be considered a part of the curriculum with the Elections
Office staff participating with the teachers prior to Election Day in the
classroom.
Consider scheduling an in- service day for only one level of
school, such as all elementary, all middle or all high schools as
in- service days for Election Days.
Consider collaborating with the Election Office staff to determine
the geographical areas of the county in which we are experiencing the
greatest challenge in locating polling place facilities and permitting
the use of a school in those geographical areas for polling places.
Florida Statute 101.71(5) states that, "public tax supported
buildings shall be made available for use as polling places upon the
request of the supervisor of elections."
However, rather than having to force the issue, the Elections
Office would like to build a partnership with the Collier County Public
School System.
Elections are not an everyday occurrence. They occur every two
years in even numbered years. Since each of you has been brave
enough to step out and commit to public service by running for public
office, you understand the importance of the operational component of
conducting elections.
So in conclusion, please consider working in partnership with the
Election's Office staff to create a win/win situation for the students,
voters and citizens of Collier County. Respectfully, Jennifer J.
Edwards, Supervisor of Elections.
Mr. Dave Carpenter from the Election's Office is in the audience
this morning and available to answer any questions that anyone may
have on this issue.
Page 36
May 25, 2011
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I don't see a lot of hands raised.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Here's one.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Go ahead, Commissioner Fiala.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes, I think this is a great idea. I
think this is long overdue and I think we should move forward with
this.
She's given ways in order to accomplish this, and if this works
into the school schedule, which I'm hoping it will, I'd love to hear
from the School Board members, but if it does, then I'd like to make a
motion to approve this.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I would ask --
from a School District perspective, I know that we vote on a calendar
far in advance of the school year. So I'm not sure about amending a
calendar for this school year, should there be any small elections that
would arise. I mean, I would certainly like to hear from other School
Board members.
I would support this wholeheartedly, but we have to insure that
we let staff and students know well in advance, vet this with our
school communities to ensure that we can coordinate.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: We don't have any elections this
year, I mean in this calendar year, it would be next year. So I think
we have --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Unless there were
a special election.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- ample time to prepare. Yes.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Again --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: I think the main
concern is, Ms. Fiala, that we cannot have students in the buildings
when these elections are going to be held. That breaches security, and
this is a big concern obviously for the School District. So it would
have to be planned.
One of the problems with in- service days, as the way they're
Page 37
May 25, 2011
scheduled, it normally comes at the end of grading periods. That's
how they're scheduled. And so there would have to be -- that would
have to be taken into consideration.
I don't disagree with the use of public buildings. I happened to
work in the polls many years ago when several of the schools were
used. That was a very common thing that went on in Collier County.
In fact, I personally worked at Naples High School as a polling pers --
as a precinct person in that situation.
We also didn't have the issues with security at that time. At that
time students were in the school, everybody was moving along as
normal.
Times have changed.
So this would have to be something that definitely would have to
be coordinated and see if there was any opportunity to work anything
-- work this out at all, if there's that opportunity.
But again, you know, I think we've got some contract things. I
don't know how that all works out, but there are contract negotiations
that would have to be considered as well. So -- and I'm not talking
about facilities, I'm talking about with teachers and so forth. So those
things have to be considered. Mr. Brown probably has more
information on that.
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: Some of the days,
the planning days or the days at the end of grading periods, are
negotiated items with the union. We do that every year to make sure
that certain days are reserved for teachers to figure grades. Those are
the ones that are the most difficult, because they're set at the end of --
like you said, the end of a grading period. So we would have to look
at those types of things in order to try to put together a calendar.
Calendars are amazingly difficult to build. But we could consider
those things in it, certainly.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: So in --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- my motion then if I would say
that supervisor of elections could work with you to work out a
calendar, if that is feasible, that would be acceptable to you?
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: There would --
yeah, we have typically a calendar committee, and we could certainly
have a representative from the elections office to be a part of that
group.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Dave, can you explain why this is
a matter that is brought in front of the board, the two boards jointly?
Isn't this really a matter more between the supervisor of election and
the School Board? I'm not sure why the Board of County
Commissioners is voting on this.
MR. CARPENTER: I am not certain why Ms. Edwards chose to
bring it forth into this meeting, other than it seemed to be a public
opportunity to bring the issue up before the public. It seemed like a
good vehicle to do it and she chose to do it.
Now, would something like that really require a vote of the
Board of County Commissioners? That I would of course doubt on
that, because it really is a School Board issue.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It would seem to me that would be
the case. And I'm not sure that it's appropriate for us as the
commissioners of the county to get involved in this discussion
between the Supervisor of Elections and the School Board as to how
the School Board chooses to use its facilities to help with the polling.
MR. CARPENTER: I would like to make one comment. We
understand the difficulties of trying to run a polling place when school
is in session, which is part of the reason why we voluntarily pulled out
over the last school that we used, which is Manatee Middle, in about
2004 I think may have been the last day we used it. Voters and buses
don't get along very well together, as we know. And parking at a
number of these schools, particularly the elementary, tends to be very
Page 39
May 25, 2011
limited. So we're not contemplating a situation, a normal situation
where the schools are open and voters are going in.
As far as timing goes, we would also not be contemplating
anything before the election year of 2014. So it would be the fall of
2014 before we would, you know, really consider any sort of move in
this direction.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Terry?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I would suggest at this
point -- and thank you for your report. I would suggest at this point
that we just as a School Board direct our administration to work with
Ms. Edwards to see if there's any way that this can be done. It will
require -- if we do it, it will require us to close the schools on that day
and sometimes that means we have to look at vacation days and, you
know, do we take Veteran's Day or do we take an election day or do
we take this or do we take that. So there are a large number of
different parts of this community that have some say in what we want
to do with the days that we take off for vacation.
So my suggestion would be that we just move this to our
administration, ask them to work with Ms. Edwards and we move on
to the next item.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Well, I concur. I
think our -- the most feasible aspect of this whole situation would be
to trade out our Veterans Day holiday versus the Election Day
holiday. But that's something that we need to discuss and have it part
of the calendar committee.
Item #7
DISCUSSION REGARDING A POTENTIAL CO- LOCATION OF
A NEW FIRE STATION ON THE GROUNDS OF PALMETTO
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — MOTION DIRECTING STAFF
MEMBERS FROM THE BCC, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SCHOOL
May 25, 2011
BOARD, EMS AND GOLDEN GATE FIRE TO WORK
TOGETHER AND TO BRING BACK A COST ANALYSIS AND
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND NEED FOR A PROPOSED FIRE
STATION /RAPID RESPONSE CENTER BUILDING, WITH
GOLDEN GATE FIRE DISTRICT BEING THE POINT PERSON —
APPROVED
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
The next item, do we have a presentation on this? Does someone
have a presentation to be made on this before we hear from the public?
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BROWN: Commissioner,
Chief Metzger did send a PowerPoint presentation to me.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: If I may, this is my item, if I
may introduce it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Oh, it is? Okay.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes, thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Go ahead, make your presentation.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Well, my presentation is going
to be an introduction and tell you how we got to where we are today.
This is an item that's been discussed for some time now, but I just
wanted to be able to get it out in the public.
Back on May I Ith, Fire Commissioner -- Golden Gate Fire
Commissioner Chuck McMahon invited me to a meeting that
consisted of School Commissioner Roy Terry, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk
at the School Board Administration Center. We had a brief discussion
about the upcoming meeting that we were going to have, the joint
meeting, and I was asked to put it on the agenda so we could get the
discussion going forward.
And with that, I'd like to take just a minute, since it was
Commissioner Chuck McMahon's initiative, to have him come
forward and he'll introduce his chief and tell you what his vision is.
And the county's stake in this whole thing is besides being
Page 41
May 25, 2011
County Commissioners, we're basically also fire commissioners. We
have two Fire Districts under our control and also EMS. And at some
point in time if this vision comes forward that Chuck's talking about,
EMS may play a role in it.
Go ahead --
CHIEF McMAHON: We hope so anyway.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Did I take everything away
from you?
CHIEF McMAHON: No, I got plenty.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Okay, great.
CHIEF McMAHON: How are you all doing? For those of you
that don't know me, I'm Chuck McMahon, Golden Gate Fire
Commissioner, Seat 2.
You know, we've been looking for locations for fire stations and
medical emergency locations for years, through the steering
committee and other things. I've been to the School Board with Mr.
Baker and my Assistant Chief David Anderson several years ago and
we talked about, you know, co- locating a station on school property
and it went nowhere.
A couple years ago Rob Stoneburner went to the superintendent
and Mr. Thompson, and again we ran into a dead end, no walls. So
we're still looking at that. I mean, that's still an option.
But you know what? Something even greater occurred to me.
Because there's a large need of a rapid response center out in the
Estates area. Potentially the school on Everglades and Tenth is like
sitting right at the perfect location to serve the community very well.
That's an option.
Today I want to present a concept of united working together to
bring a Rapid Response Center into the Estates area. Sheriff Rambosk
has a need for a substation out there, definitely fire has a need for a
substation out there, and EMS has a need for a substation out there.
The school would benefit because they would have 24 -hour, you
Page 42
May 25, 2011
know, medical emergency service, they would have 24 -hour security.
I mean, it's a win/win for everybody.
And this is just an early concept. I mean, there's a lot of work
that has to take place for this. This isn't going to happen tomorrow.
But it's not going to start until everybody reaches out and let's start
working together.
I'm currently working on a concept to bring together a Rapid
Response Center in Collier County Estates area and will be looking
for cooperation from Collier County leaders. It would be an honor to
work with all Collier County leaders and other community leaders to
bring this concept into reality. Please consider what a great benefit
this would be for our community with Collier County Board of
Commissioners, Collier County Public Schools, Collier County -- or
Golden Gate Fire Department and Collier County Sheriffs
Department working collectively on this project.
So consider that. I mean, this is something that's good for the
community. There's a lot of work that would have to be doing (sic),
there's a lot of legal questions, there's a lot of -- you know. But until
we talk today and say, you know, can we work together and do
something, it just sits idle. So we want to see if we can't move it
forward.
And I'll share one more thing with you about working together.
This is something that I experienced this year, and I simply was
amazed at the outcome. We have the Naples Bears Rugby, which is a
club, okay, that's brought together by students from different schools,
high schools in our community. They went and practiced together for
just a few months and became a team and have gone out and won a
state title, they've gone out and won U.S.A. South, and just got back
from the nationals and ranked sixth in the nation for a rugby club.
And this is what happens when you work together. These kids,
you know, they played against each other on football fields and
against each other on the baseball fields, and amazingly enough they
Page 43
May 25, 2011
brought it together, okay, and they went and they supported us, Collier
County as a whole, the State of Florida and the southern part of the
U.S. in such a short time.
If the kids can do that, I don't understand why we can't. So I ask
everybody if we can't work together and bring about a Rapid
Response Center in the Golden Gate Estates for the community.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Couple of questions. First of all,
what is the cost of the land?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller, could I get you on
that mic.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, sorry. I'm going to have to
turn around.
What is the cost of the land?
CHIEF McMAHON: You know, the cost of the land, if we're
talking about the school property --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Is that the property -- it's a school
parcel that you're looking to acquire?
CHIEF McMAHON: Well, it's a school parcel that's available.
It doesn't necessarily have to go there, I mean, but that is an
opportunity -- you know, that's a spot where it can go.
We've been quoted a price for that five acres at $300,000 for the
past six years; the price hasn't changed for five acres of land.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And what would it cost to build
the station?
CHIEF McMAHON: We are in the beginning of a concept right
now. We have nothing -- it has to start somewhere. So this is where
I'm at today. I'm coming to everybody and saying can we work
together, can we start putting this together and look at it. I mean, it's
long term.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I guess my concern would be you
have to have the totality of the cost established in order for everyone
May 25, 2011
to understand what this project is really about. And then, you know, if
in fact what you're describing is the case in terms of the Sheriff
wanting a substation, EMS wanting a substation, you needing a station
and the school benefiting, that there could be an opportunity where
there is cost sharing four ways for this project that you're proposing
that you're suggesting is a need.
So I think in order to get buy -in, you have to establish -- or show
evidence that all of these parties actually do have a need to persuade
them to participate, and then secondly know what their allocation
would be out of the total cost and then determine whether or not it's
financially feasible from their respective standpoints.
CHIEF McMAHON: I agree with you 100 percent. But until we
as Collier County leaders and the elected officials, we need to direct
staff to look at that and bringing it together and build something so
that we can come back and say this is what it's going to cost.
Right now how do we as single entities build something that
needs to be built together and then have a cost to --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So would you like a motion that
suggests that the staff of the four agencies, or departments as the case
may be, get together to come out to develop some sort of an analysis
to suggest what the, you know, overall cost is and how there's a
potential for cost sharing?
CHIEF McMAHON: Yes. In essence I believe what you said, if
we had the -- if the staff is able to work together, first of all, then the
staff can come back to us with numbers and concepts.
But if we don't, you know, give them direction to work together,
then how do we start bringing it together? It has to start here. You
know, we have to come in and say, okay, this is what it's going to take
and we work together to do it.
We know there's a need. And you'll hear that from Chief
Metzger here in a minute. And it's not just the fire, I mean, it's the
whole community as a whole. I mean, there's a lot of things that you'll
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May 25, 2011
be hearing here in a minute.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Have you at all been working with
any of the staff of any of these agencies?
CHIEF McMAHON: No. We've met with the School Board,
like I said, a couple times and things just didn't pan out and that was
the end of it.
Now I went to -- I said I had enough, okay, because it's not going
nowheres. And I said to myself, I said, you know what, I'm an elected
official. According to my enabling act, it is my job, okay, and it tells
me clearly in my job that I need to build stations and work with other
entities to do this. So I have to come to you guys and girls and say
look, we work together and do what we can do to bring this about.
And this is a starting point.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And maybe the problem is, is that
when you met with the school, maybe what you asked for was ahead
of, you know, laying all the facts on the table. Because obviously we
don't have all the information based on what we're discussing here
today. Your answers to my questions suggest that we don't have the
full picture. And so I think we also need to include the other agencies,
like you indicated, the Sheriff and the EMS need to be part of this as
well and, you know, bringing everyone together to the table to discuss
this as a -- (hand -held mic was handed to Commissioner Hiller) oh,
you're wonderful, thank you so much -- that that might, you know,
move this along based on the needs analysis that you're saying that
you have that supports this.
CHIEF McMAHON: I agree with you. And I've taken the first
step toward that when I asked to have a meeting with Commissioner
Coletta and Board Member Roy Terry and Sheriff Rambosk. The four
of us met and talked about the concept.
And when I left that room I felt very confident that when -- and
asked to be able to come here today so that we can bring this out and
get the support of our elected officials to give direction to staff.
May 25, 2011
So all I'm asking is that we get -- I have -- our board's already
given us permission to, you know, communicate with anybody else to
build and look at the possibility of a Rapid Response Center in the
Estates, which it is needed and I don't think any of us can sit here and
say it's not.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, we cannot speak for the
Sheriff because he's an independently elected constitutional officer.
But we -- I certainly could make a motion today to suggest that all the
parties bring their staff together to analyze what the total cost is and
how cost sharing, you know, could be established and how this project
would be funded in light of that cost sharing. But you would have to
go to the Sheriff and ask him to participate. Because I don't -- we
can't vote to --
CHIEF McMAHON: I've already done that and yes, he is on
board --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, that's great.
CHIEF McMAHON: -- and he has a need, he says, and he's
willing to do whatever we have to do to work together.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, I'd like to make a motion for
staff to explore, you know, the financial aspects of this project, the
funding aspects of this project and cooperation and cost sharing, you
know, as feasible between all four entities: Collier County EMS, the
School Board, the Sheriff and Golden Gate Fire.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Question.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Go ahead, Commissioner Coletta.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Chuck, you've been working on
this for a little while. Did you want this to be staff driven at this time?
I got a feeling that that might not be the direction you're looking for.
Are you looking for possibly representatives from --
representative from the School Board, representative from the
Commission, Collier County Commission, representative from the
Sheriffs Department, several different entities to be able to come
Page 47
May 25, 2011
together to be able to talk about the possibilities, or do you just want
to turn it over to staff?
CHIEF McMAHON: Commissioner Coletta, at this point in time
the need of the Rapid Response Center in the Estates is a 9 -1 -1 in my
opinion as a fire commissioner. I will look for help from all leaders
and staff. So I -- yeah, if you want to put together an elected official
committee to work with each of our staff, that works with me too.
Whatever opens up a door to -- for us to work together unitedly as
community leaders in Collier County to bring this about.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: My only concern is if we turn it
over to staff, they're going to say it's premature and that might end it.
If we can get elected officials, a delegation, you know, from each
group there involved in the whole thing, it's going to keep it out in the
public domain to the point where the interest will stay in. It might still
not happen for some time, but at least it's not going to go away like it
has a number of times in the past.
CHIEF McMAHON: It is by no means a short-term item. I
mean, we've got a lot of work to do, as you were talking, you know, as
the cost, the design. I mean, there's just so much to do, the School
Board, if they're allowed to even let us use that land for different
things. Because I know there are issues.
But if we don't start today and just keep putting it off then, you
know, we're hurting the citizens, and that I've got to stand up for the
community.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I understand we
have a second presentation on this --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We better get to it quickly.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: -- issue, so I think
it would be a good idea to hear that second presentation and then have
discussion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, Chief?
CHIEF McMAHON: Thank you.
WIM
May 25, 2011
MR. MITCHELL: We have one speaker.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That has to be Mr. Billington, right?
MR. MITCHELL: Yes, sir.
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Chief, would you mind using
this podium?
CHIEF METZGER: Well, what I was -- I don't think I'm going
to use my PowerPoint at this point. I've kind of been taken out of the
game.
Good morning, distinguished members of both boards. I
appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today. And if my
presentation seems a little disjointed, it's because I'm going to have to
modify some things on the fly here.
But I would like to thank all of you for allowing us to present to
you this morning. A special thanks to Mr. Coletta for getting us on
the agenda. Thank you.
And Mr. Terry, thank you very much for giving me an
opportunity to get a first blush on this concept with you.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Eastern Golden Gate Estates area
desperately needs a fire station. And this presentation from me is
going to be principally focused on a fire station. But that is not in any
way to detract from the concept of a rapid response center, because I
support that idea as well.
But why do we need a fire station? In 2008, the eastern end of
the Estates suffered an 880 -acre fire that destroyed three residences.
Thankfully nobody was seriously injured.
But the reason why that fire got up and going is because we were
a long way away from our closest fire station to be able to response
into that area. The response time to that area from our current station,
71, was 13 minutes.
Just recently you might have read in the paper that we had a
substantially larger brushfire out in the same relative area; 2,800 plus
acres. We lost one residence. Again, thankfully no serious injuries.
Page 49
May 25, 2011
But I would make -- I would make the case that in both cases a
faster response from a closer, better located entity could have had an
impact on the extent of those fires.
Station 71, which is the closest in both areas, is more than six
miles away from Everglades and a 13- minute response time is
evidenced by its response time in 2008.
I'm going to refer you to the handout in just a moment. But
residences that are located further than five miles from any fire station
generally pay higher insurance premiums, if they can get that
insurance at all. And many people who live out in the Everglades and
Desoto area are having a difficult time finding any insurance for their
properties as a result of this.
And this so called rule, if you will, is basically an ISO standard
that the insurance companies look at. Anything outside of five miles
makes it very difficult.
More importantly, excessively long response times contribute to
bad fire outcomes and even worse, medical outcomes. I don't think
anybody would dispute the idea that if someone has stopped breathing
or their heart has stopped beating, waiting longer to get help is not a
good thing. If we have to wait 10 minutes or more, it's almost the
same thing as not showing up. Our outcomes are not going to be good
in those kinds of situations.
So our position is that we need a fire station in the Eastern
Golden Gate Estates. And we propose co- locating that station on the
grounds of Palmetto Elementary School, via a lease agreement of
some kind. That location is almost ideally placed, and it provides an
opportunity to maximize the synergy that we would create through
multiple agency participation. Hence the concept of the Rapid
Response Center.
Now, if I could draw your attention to the handouts that I just
passed out, the one on the top in green shows the current location of
the four fire stations operated by the Golden Gate Fire District,
Page 50
May 25, 2011
Stations 70 through 73. Those are marked on the map.
And what the green represents is the five mile driving distance
over surface roads where properties located within that green are
within the five miles, properties located outside it are not. And those
are the ones that would have a difficult time getting insurance.
The second handout, which is predominantly blue, and I
apologize for the appearance on that, shows the addition of coverage
within a five mile drive area if we located a station on the grounds of
Palmetto Elementary.
And it's very difficult to see, but within that blue toward the
right -hand side you'll see a designation for Station 74.
Now, that additional five miles in blue also equates to a much
faster response time into those areas covered by a proposed station
there on Everglades. And it would impact the folks who live on
Desoto as well. The impact would be more greatly enhanced if in fact
we built some additional bridges over the canal that's located between
Everglades and DeSoto.
So appropriately placing a station in that situation would be very
advantageous to the citizens. It would also be advantageous to the
school, but we'll get to that in a second.
The third page on your handout is essentially the schematic of the
grounds of Palmetto Elementary School. And if I can orient you,
across the top of the page is Tenth Avenue Southeast. To the very
right -hand side is Everglades Boulevard. And at the bottom of the
page is 12th Avenue Southeast.
What I would like to draw your attention to on that, is an area
called the out - parcel that's located on the school property. That is the
area that we are proposing the school consider leasing to us so we can
locate a fire station and any other emergency public provider that
chooses to locate with us out there in a Rapid Response Center. A
Rapid Response Center can include virtually any emergency
responders, but from my perspective I believe that if we can maximize
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May 25, 2011
tax dollars that are already paid for any general purpose, we're
benefiting the community at large.
Now, Commissioner Coletta hit it on the head earlier when he
said the problem isn't a lack of -- the problem is a lack of money.
Everybody's got a lack of money. And we're no different. If we could
fund this right now, we would move forward with it, because we
recognize the need.
Why are we presenting this now? Well, partly because the
memory of this 2,800 -acre fire is fresh in the minds of a lot of people.
But the fact is that there are and have been government grants
provided for fire station construction where the project is essentially
shovel ready. But to qualify for these highly competitive grants, you
have to be good to go. You have to have a piece of property set aside,
all the preliminary work done to properly zone it, properly get all the
plans together, get the details together that Commissioner Hiller
referred to regarding cost, design, all the preparation work. So that all
we need is the go -ahead from somebody willing to fund it and we can
get the project out of the ground the next day, shovel ready.
We don't have that. The last time that this kind of grant was
offered, we applied for it and we were summarily dismissed in the first
round because we didn't have a shovel -ready project. We had a need
but no project, because we had no property.
What we're looking for is an arrangement with the School Board
where we can locate on that section of property. We're prepared to
lease it for oh, a dollar a year. We're really looking for a cooperative
arrangement here.
But the benefits -- the benefits are truly worth the investment by
the school. It will provide us rapid response to any student
emergencies, resident emergencies in that area, and I'm assuming that
the School Board pays insurance on their buildings, maybe they don't,
but if they do, my belief is that this potentially lowers the property
insurance that they would pay specific to that property and anything
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May 25, 2011
else within that five mile driving distance.
Added benefits to the School District include: security to the
grounds, opportunities for student mentoring and role modeling, just
among others. Benefits to the emergency services include: an
improved opportunity for us to meet our public service expectations.
What we're asking for is your support of this project by taking up
this idea to allow us to lease this property. And if you can see your
way clear to that, what it does is it opens up additional doors to
gradually make this project a reality.
Everybody's short of funds. If we're trying to just put together a
lot of extremely scarce funds to make this happen, I believe that it will
take longer than if we pursue this, at least in part from a grant
opportunity. But we have to get to that threshold, and that threshold is
the establishment of a parcel that we've secured and prepared and is
ready to move forward.
On that, I will open up the floor for questions.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah, Chief, if I could, I think
you got the right direction on this. I like where you're going. What I
would like to do is -- when are we going to be meeting again, this joint
School Board/County Commission Meeting?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: 2014.
(Laughter.)
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Well, when we meet again in
two more weeks -- just kidding -- I think what we ought to do is, is
you seem like you're going the right direction.
I guess the question would be to the county. Does the county
have any interest at this time for a new EMS station, or is this
something that would be off in the future? It seems like the school --
like the fire department is ready to move now. And if they could build
a fire department with the idea that the ancillary issues could be
brought forward and added to the structure, it might get us where we
need to be. Or are we ready to be able to do something now?
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May 25, 2011
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: No, sir, I don't believe we're
ready at the current time to do that. But we'll be happy to meet with
the Chief and explore all the options.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I talked to Sheriff Kevin
Rambosk, and even though he expressed an interest in the site, he said
his needs are met for quite a few years now with his site that he has
now on Oil Well Road -- is that where it is?
COUNTY MANAGER OCHS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And he really wouldn't be
interested at this time. He said he would be in the future.
So I think you're going in the right direction in working with the
School Board. But somehow we've got to be able to keep the --
everybody informed what's taking place. We have to have some sort
of feedback of information.
If it starts to be nothing more than a discussion between the
administrative people within the fire department and the School
Board, I got a feeling it's just going to get bogged down in
meaningless talk that we're never going to see anything happen. And
I'd like to see some mechanism where we get a report back. And I'm
not too sure how to do that. Because sometimes it's a year or better
before a joint meeting of the School Board and the Collier County
Commission.
Maybe what you could do is have a joint meeting of the School
Board and the Fire Commission in about six months' time where you
two can sit together and work out the issue and take it to the next step
and keep it in the public domain.
If you know it's coming back, then I think there's going to be a
likelihood that something positive will happen as you move towards
that date possibly six months out.
I don't know, how does that idea fit within your particular
direction that you would like to go?
CHIEF METZGER: Well, if I can respond to that. The original
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May 25, 2011
intent of the Fire District was to work with School Board
administration on this project. And we felt that the cost associated
with just securing the property, while we understand that they own the
property, was just going to make it extremely prohibitive for us to
participate.
We also felt that there were genuine benefits for the School
District to work with us on this project.
So our initial bent was to first approach the administration, and if
that didn't work, to approach the School Board to ask the School
Board to set policy on this and discuss this with administration to see
if there is benefit in partnering on this project. And that was really the
initial first blush on this.
But the whole point is if we don't take that first step, this project,
the fire station or a Rapid Response Center, none of that will become a
reality in any time in the near future.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We have a public speaker. We're going
to have to get to the public speaker very quickly.
Can we ask Mr. Billington to come up and take his 30 seconds
and then we'll discuss this.
MR. BILLINGTON: I'll be as quick as I can.
For the record, Duane Billington.
The parcel in question had an asking price in the past of
$300,000. That price was established during the artificial real estate
bubble. The actual market price on that property right now is between
60 and $80,000.
I'm sure Ms. Carroll, who is well acquainted with values and
whose husband is also up to date on this thing would probably concur
with those numbers. But they need to be checked on.
And whether this is initially a joint project or not a joint project,
the potential is there. The need is, from maybe those other agencies, a
future need. But the benefit to the school system is immediate. All
those items that the Chief mentioned, those are immediate benefits.
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May 25, 2011
There's also the benefit of having medical care that closely available if
a student's injured. It would be a tragedy if a student got injured and it
took 10 minutes for response and because of response time that
student died.
We don't really need those other agencies right now for this to
work and be beneficial to both the School Board and the Fire District.
The benefits are real, if you looked at a proper cost analysis, what
you're going to save on insurance, what is going to be there as far as
ancillary benefits.
And please, when you think about this, consider the fact that the
Estates, through their land trust, has provided benefit to the School
Board on many occasions. In one case there is $103,000 for
playground equipment. We've donated well over six acres of land to
the school system. And, you know, I think we just should all get
together and do the right thing, and I think the right thing is for the
Board to offer a lease to the Fire District, whether or not those other
agencies are involved. Make it reasonable so we can go forward. And
then if those other agencies choose to join in at a later date, that would
be great for everybody. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I have a couple of questions, Chief
Metzger.
When you were talking about those grants, the first question I
have is do the grants allow for ground leases?
CHIEF METZGER: The grants assume that you have property
ready to go. They're not specific to whether you own it or not.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I think that fact would have to be
verified. Because if a lease was not permitted then that would be a
problem.
The second issue is you indicated -- well, actually, let me ask this
first, do the grants require you to prove a need? Do you have to
support that there is a need for the facility that you're building?
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May 25, 2011
CHIEF METZGER: Yes. The grants require that you document
the reason why you have to have that in some fashion.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And you've established there's an
immediate need for this?
CHIEF METZGER: Well, just on first blush with the
information we provided to you all, that's the basis for it. In terms of
quantifying it based on run data and such, we haven't assembled that.
Intuitively we know that this is the case.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, because again, you know, if
you're relying on grants to fund construction and the grants are going
to require you to provide data to establish the need, then it goes back
to the comment that Commissioner Coletta made that if we allow staff
to analyze this, they're going to come back and say there's no need.
And so I'm concerned about that. Because if staff comes back
with empirical data that says there's no need, then you won't qualify
for grant funding.
CHIEF METZGER: Well, actually, I didn't quite take away that
interpretation from what he said. To my belief is that from a fire
response perspective, which is what the fire station construction grant
is all about, we can document it. We have not sat down and quantified
all of that.
But we know for a fact based on all of our response times out
there, there's absolutely a need.
So is there a need for sheriffs? I don't know. I think it's an
interesting idea. Is there a need for EMS? I believe there probably is,
but I have not sat down with Chief Page and discussed his specific
needs.
The reason why the Rapid Response Center concept is being
presented to you is as a potential capability of this site moving
forward. But the whole purpose behind this is if we can't secure a site,
we won't even be able to entertain this conversation about a grant.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Chief, if I could interrupt just a moment,
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May 25, 2011
Commissioner McMahon indicates that he might have an answer to
one of Commissioner Hiller's questions. But we'll have to get you on
the mic up here.
CHIEF McMAHON: There is a need. And there's been a need
for years. We had a -- as a matter of fact, a lot of these drawings that
you have were done by Chuck Mohlke several years ago where we did
a comprehensive study of our needs five years ago, and the need was
there then and the need is still there.
I can't speak for EMS, but I could speak for my friends that live
out there and come to me and say, you know, you guys and EMS, it
takes you forever to get out here.
So there is a need. I mean, that's neither here nor there. Again, I
just think that we look at it, we work as leaders of the community, we
put together a Rapid Response Center in that area is what's best for the
community, and it helps to bring about, you know, working together
within our entities. So --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Ms. Berry?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Chuck, I'm sorry, I've
got my back to you.
CHIEF McMAHON: That's all right, Barb.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: But anyway, Chuck
and I have spoken about this, and we don't necessarily agree on how
we're going to go about trying to achieve this.
Number one, it's the government entities that are involved in this
whole structure. I have spoken with the Sheriff and I did not speak
with EMS, but it's as Mr. Coletta did present, that right now there isn't
an urgent need on behalf of the Sheriff and the EMS, but particularly
the Sheriff. There is not a current we- need - this -now.
The concept of the response -- the first responders is not a bad
concept. But the fact remains that you have Collier County
government and you have an independent Fire District. And this is
where the issues get a little muddy.
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May 25, 2011
The idea that we all work together, that's not a bad idea. I mean,
who can fault that? But each of us, County Commissioners, School
Board and the independent Fire District, all have a responsible entity
that they're dealing with. I have to be responsible to the taxpayers in
Collier County. Not just a certain group, but all of them in the entire
county. So before I give away any property, I have to think about this
very seriously. And I think this is something that has to be
considered.
It's one thing to build the building, okay. You have to have the
land. The second thing, you build the building. What about sewer
and water systems? You're in a rural area out there. Now, frankly, the
school system has a sewer system. But we put that in. The property
as it stands on the tax rolls today is considered improved property and
has a value of $11,129,000. Now, if you just look at land alone,
you're looking at land value at $196,000. But when you're going to
build a building out there, they're going to have -- it's not just building
the building, what are they going to do about the other utility issues
that are certainly -- that's part of the project.
So I think it is something I think that can certainly be talked
about, but I think we also need to consider the legal aspects of this.
What happens if you have a lease, you lease this property and the
lease runs out? Then what happens to the facility? We can't foresee --
my concern is as a school system, as a School District, we can project
out a number of years. And there are ways to do this, and they do it
pretty accurately. But to project out 20 years or so is very difficult.
And who knows that in the future out there -- many of us won't
be around to see this, but who knows in the future that that land may
not have a use to the school system. So before I give up an asset of
the Collier County School District of which I am a trustee of, then I
need to be able to know that there is absolutely no future need in the
use of that property. And this has nothing to do with this issue, but it's
my role in terms of being a member of the School Board.
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May 25, 2011
So these are things that I think need to be considered before we
get all happy and decide that we're going to lock arms and walk to the
water together. We have to get practical here and look at what are our
legal aspects and what are our duties in each government entity.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I understand that. And I believe
this is another one of those issues where the Board of County
Commissioners really only has a minor role and that is in the EMS
function. And it really is a decision to be made by the School Board.
But you did indicate a willingness to sit down and talk about
those things and try to forecast what your requirements would be.
If we could bring this to resolution on that level, other members
might think about whether or not that's acceptable to you.
But Commissioner Henning would like to make a comment.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yeah, more questions. On our
agenda is about a fire station. Now we've got a rapid response system.
Chief, what was the guidance from your board? Was it a fire
station at this site or was it other constitutional officer responsibilities?
CHIEF METZGER: Well, the Board directed pursuit of a fire
station on this site.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Period?
CHIEF METZGER: Period.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Period, okay.
CHIEF METZGER: When I say period, I don't think there was
an exclusion to other participation, because the Board expressed a
sentiment that it makes good sense to allow -- to house, co- locate
different emergency providers. But the direction was a fire station
because we're a fire department.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The last time I recall when the
Board had a discussion about a substation in Golden Gate Estates was
in the Orangetree area. The board is responsible for building facilities
for our Constitutional Officers. And I'm sure the County Manager is
kind of looking around his budget where he's going to get extra
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May 25, 2011
millions to build a rapid response system facility out there.
There are some demographics out there. I understand the need of
the fire departments. I understand, you know, circular five mile
radius. But we do things a little differently. And I'm not sure how the
Sheriff decides where he puts his substations. And I definitely don't
want to speak for the Sheriff.
Then the other issue, when you talk about a facility that big, does
it fit our Growth Management Plan. I could understand an ancillary
use to the school system out there, but I think we're going beyond that.
The concept is great. I think it's great. Is it appropriate at this
location? I don't know. That's something that has to be analyzed by
the Sheriffs Department and the County Manager.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Terry?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Just to follow up on
that. I think that Ms. Berry certainly made some good points.
I think all of us definitely can understand a need in a certain area.
I think the recent brushfire out there certainly shows that possibly if
we responded quicker we'd have had a better result in that situation.
We've also got some problems out in the Estates area now with
the Immokalee Fire District and some of the problems that they're
having financially. And so I see that there is a need, there is a desire
by the people in that community to have somebody meet their needs,
especially when they're paying high insurance rates or having slow
reaction time to emergency services.
I agree with Ms. Hiller, I think that possibly we ought to involve
all the entities in coming up with a plan.
Right now we see a need, we have a concept, but we don't have
any details in terms of exactly what we're backing or where we want
to go. It's been five or six years since the Fire District met with the
Collier County School Board -- or the representatives from the
administration.
And so I would certainly suggest that we follow Ms. Hiller's
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suggestion and that we get groups up and talking with each other and
starting to come up with a plan, so the next time that we come to this
type of situation we can answer the questions that we all have
concerning how this is going to be financed.
For example, I know of a person, a friend of mine was going to
lease property to put a barn on. And of course they couldn't get a loan
from the bank because the bank wouldn't loan them the money to put
the item on a leased piece of property. So, you know, all those
questions need to be answered.
Is the grant going to be able to be used on leased property? I
don't know that we definitely have the answer to that. And so there
are answers that need to be gotten before we move forward on this.
I don't think there's anybody here that wouldn't support this type
of a rapid response situation. I know I would, living out in the Estates.
I think it's very important that we provide those types of services for
the people that live in the Estates area.
But I think we really need to get this committee going with the
representatives of the four or five different groups, come up with a
plan and then come back with a little more substantial detail in terms
of exactly what we want out there.
I'm convinced that Chief Metzger's done a good job in terms of
his situation with the fire house, but it seems to be up in the air about
some of the other entities and whether they're willing to come along at
this point in time. And I think we need to have answers to all those
questions before we exercise what we want to do with the district's
money and county money at this point in time.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Could I ask at least the Board of County
Commission members, if you would have objections to having a
representative from EMS participate in those discussions? Even
though we don't have current need planning out 15, 20 years, it's not
really such a bad idea. We do that in roads, we may as well do it as
well for emergency services.
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May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: No objection.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there any objection to doing that?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No, in fact that is --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's a smart thing to do.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: If I may, that is part of my motion.
I think that is absolutely necessary.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Now, the motion is to encourage
all of the governmental agencies involved in this issue, the Fire
District, the School Board, the Sheriffs agency and Collier County
Government, to work together to analyze requirements, determine the
need and try to make some recommendations.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Here, here.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is that a --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. And it would be staff. But
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Staff.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, absolutely. And come back
with options.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: But please understand, the staff can't do
it unless the governmental agency boards direct them to do it.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Exactly.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And so that's what I think has been the
crux of this issue. If the School Board is willing to do that, if the
Board of County Commissioners is willing to do it and the Sheriffs
Agency, then let's direct our staff to do it and then we'll proceed.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: And I think Mrs.
Hiller's point is well taken. Let's take what staff has done to this point
and ensure that that's part of this discussion, not that it's just elected
officials --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: -- or the
constitutional entities coming together, but the information that staff
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May 25, 2011
that has done previously, because I know there's been some work done
at the School District on this matter, that they be involved in this
analysis.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Could we -- would we
want to establish one of those groups as a point person to -- rather than
just leave it out there that these four groups are going to get together,
maybe the Fire District should be on the point and that each of the
other agencies should provide a representative to meet, but it's their
responsibility to bring them all together.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's a great idea.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, that's a good point. And
Bill --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'll consider that as a motion. And Mr.
Terry, you seem to second the motion.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I would second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So is there any further discussion --
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- on the motion itself?
Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: This doesn't preclude the fire
department going forward to keep looking at it as a fire station in
itself?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Oh, no, no. As I understand it, whether
it's a stand -alone fire station or long -range plan for adding certain
other things ultimately, that's what we're looking for, right? So if you
can justify a stand -alone fire station immediately, then you should be
discussing what you can do to do that. And all of the other things
would be long term enhancements to the process.
CHIEF McMAHON: Commissioner Coyle, if I may, also from
what I understand from my meetings with the Chief, if everybody is
on board, you know, to work together, it's a little bit easier and more
available grant money if we bring it in as a Rapid Response Center
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May 25, 2011
with all the entities.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I understand. But remember, if you go
ask Leo Ochs about a current urgent need for an EMS, he's going to
say no. And the Sheriff is going to say no. So we have to be careful
about that.
But I understand your point. And there's no reason you shouldn't
wrap that into long -range considerations.
Could we vote on this motion now?
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
Item #8
PUBLIC COMMENT
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, we have done that.
And do we have any public comment on general issues?
MR. MITCHELL: Yes sir we do. Mr. Billington has signed to
speak.
MR. BILLINGTON: For the record, Duane Billington.
I'd just like to thank you all for doing this today, and just make
one comment about the Early Learning Coalition situation. The
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May 25, 2011
School Board had an excellent idea when it came to in -kind. And I
would suggest that the county look at in -kind contributions. There's a
number of options out there. You could be giving passes to our water
park that would qualify for matching. There's enough -- I'll leave it up
to staff and their creativity, but I think we ought to look at in -kind,
because the wine festival two years ago ended up operating in the red.
You don't know how much money they're going to be coming back
for. It's 25,000 this year. It might be 125,000 next year. So I --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: If I may?
MR. BILLINGTON: -- would hope you'd be creative. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'd like to respond.
I agree with you, Duane. That's actually a very good suggestion.
I was thinking about that when Mrs. Berry brought that point up. We
have a great deal of vacant space. We allow our representatives from
the districts and the Federal Government to use our space at basically
zero rent. That would be a good alternative to consider, for example,
allowing them to use office space on our campus to do their business,
where the school doesn't have it.
MR. BILLINGTON: I would think there's almost unlimited
number of alternatives, other than being into general revenue or other
funds. Thank you.
Item #9 — Added
STAFF, SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMISSION GENERAL
COMMUNICATIONS
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thanks, Duane. Appreciate it.
Any comments by members?
Commissioner Henning first.
May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I just --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You've got 30 seconds.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yeah, I just want to tell the
School Board members, you all know that I have a son in the system.
It's been a wonderful experience working with staff in any situation.
It's amazing that you can communicate with a teacher through e -mail
or telephone. I mean, they're -- you're able to contact them. If you
have an issue, you can resolve it real quick. And it's just, every step of
the way it's been absolutely wonderful.
The second thing I want to mention is you know that Arthrex is
considering expanding in Collier County. Talking to the CEO and
staff over at Arthrex, the one thing that they lack is getting qualified
employees into that community --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: It's already being
worked on.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Oh, it is? Okay, with
machinists and --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Oh, that's super. That is
wonderful.
That's all I have.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Yeah, I would just
respond to that, that's a good point. The iTech Center out in
Immokalee is working with Arthrex and other members of the
community to develop that type of detailed work that needs to be done
for the types of things that they produce. So that is happening. And
thank you for your comments.
I would like to thank everybody for their time today for this
meeting. On behalf of the School Board and -- Collier County School
Board, I think it's been very beneficial and it's something that we
really ought to look at doing on a regular basis. And I think the
community likes to see their governmental agencies communicating
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May 25, 2011
with each other, and I think this has been an excellent meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I would also like to thank all the people.
It's been good talking with you. Hopefully we'll get a chance to do this
again.
And by the way, Arthrex has also indicated a willingness to
provide some of their more skilled people, machinists to serve as
instructors if they need to do that. So it's a good program and it will
help them and our entire community. Because there are other
companies here who need skilled machinists, and that is a problem.
And I'll now entertain a motion for adjournment.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Before we --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Hiller?
Item #9E
MOTION TO SCHEDULE TENTATIVE MEETINGS EVERY SIX
MONTHS BETWEEN THE BCC AND SCHOOL BOARD —
APPROVED
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I agree with Mr. Terry, that we
need to have these meetings more often and on a regular basis, be it
every six months or, you know, quarterly as the case may be.
And before we adjourn today, I think we should discuss that and
set up a future agenda that we can all be comfortable with to address
these issues on an ongoing basis. We put out a request for a great deal
of information to be brought back to us and action items that, you
know, we are contemplating for the future. So I think we need to have
a follow -up plan by way of a future schedule.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Our experience in meeting with other
governmental agencies, like say the City of Naples has indicated that
it is more efficient to schedule the meetings when we have things we
need to talk about, rather than trying to pre - schedule them.
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May 25, 2011
Much of what we've asked to be done today is for the staff to
research things and to collect information, that they would properly
bring those back to their respective governmental agencies and brief
them individually on those and give them an opportunity to provide
further direction. And then if there is joint approval necessary, we
could get together and get that done. But it is appropriate that we
meet at any time that there is a very significant issue.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: I think given the
schedules of all involved, that it would probably be a good idea to at
some point agree to let's try a six -month schedule, let's put it on the
calendar so that we're not then reflecting back and saying oh, my
goodness, we have four items that we need to discuss and we need to
do it within the next month. I would rather see us plan out, given the
staff need to be here. It's certainly an obligation for lots of folks, so I
would like to see it scheduled rather than say let's come back when we
have an issue to follow up on.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I would echo that, because our
schedules get so busy, all of our schedules get so busy, and then you
can't carve out the time. But if we put this in advance, every six
months and schedule that meeting, I think that that would be a very
good idea.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'd like to make a motion to that
effect, that we plan on meeting every six months.
And so in light of the information that we've asked to be brought
back to us, even though we will meet individually as boards to assess
the information, that we review it collectively too in six months.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: I would just make one
comment. It's been fun being down here and being with everyone.
I'm not one to have a meeting just to have a meeting. If we have the
issues, then I think that we do that. I'm in favor -- if you want to go
ahead and schedule the six months, I think that's fine to put it as a
tentative meeting --
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May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right, and if we don't need it --
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: -- so everybody knows.
But if we don't have the information that we need or --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: -- it's been --
something's been resolved or whatever, then there's no need for us to
all come down here and --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I agree.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Right.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: -- smile at each other,
so--
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I agree.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Kumbaya.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I absolutely agree with that. And I
was thinking the same. So, you know, I'll add that to my motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, can we ask the staff to work out a
mutually acceptable time, rather than try and determine that now?
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Right.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, we've got a motion to schedule
the meeting sometime within the next six months and we'll reassess, if
it's necessary. And if not, we'll cancel the meeting.
There was a second, I'm sure.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, all in favor, please signify by
saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BERRY: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CURATOLO: Aye.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CARROLL: Aye.
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May 25, 2011
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It passes unanimously.
And someone is going to make a --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Motion to adjourn.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- motion to adjourn.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TERRY: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, we are adjourned.
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May 25, 2011
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the BCC Chair at 11:06 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Fred Coyle, Chairman
ATTEST:
DWIGHT.AWB�ROCK, CLERK
w
These minutes approvO by the Board on 4, 20 I l
as presented or a6,korrected
Transcript prepared on behalf of Gregory Court Reporting,
Incorporated by Cherie' R. Nottingham, CSR.
Page 72
May 25,2011
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the BCC Chair at II.06 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD
Roy !)r err y, Vice-Mirman
These minutes approved by the Board on
:a //// ---
as presented or as corrected
Transcript prepared on behalf of Gregory Court Reporting,
Incorporated by Cherie' R. Nottingham, CSR.