Item M03
9-07-2001 10:43AM
FROM
P. 1
Request time1:ertain
Board of County Commissioners
~encla Item Summary
Meeting Date: August 19, 2001
Bulk Item: Yes D No .
Division: Board of County Commissioners
Department: George R. Neugent
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Approval from the Board requesting termination of existing agreement with
Department of Community Affairs that disallows use of Big Pine School for
community purposes.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
It IS also my understanding that there will be a joint request: by Big Pi... Key Charter
School Group to request permiaion of use for Summertand Key students. An update by
BPK Charter SdlooIl'elftsent'atiYes.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT OIANGE$:
STAFF RECOMMENDAUONS:
TOTAL C05r:
BUDGETED: YES C NO C
COST TO COUN1Y: $
REVENUE PRODUCNG: YES C NO D AMT PER MONnt: YEAR:
APPROVED BY: COUNlY ATTY [] OMB/puRCHASING C RISK MANAGEMENT C
APPROVAL~~ ~
MAY GEORG NEUGENT
DISTRICT II
DOCUMENTAUON: INCLUDED. TO FOllOW C NOT REQUIRED C
DlsPOsmON:
AGENDA ITEM # ~
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
South Florida Ecological Services Office
1339 20lh Strcct
Vera Beach, Florida 32960
United States Department of the Interior
July 19,2001
RECEIVED
JUL 2 5 Z001
BY:
Mayor George R. Nugent
Monroe County Commissioners
25 Ships Way
Big Pine Key, rlorida :53043
RE: Recreational Facilities at the Big Pine Key Elementary School
Dear Mayor Nugent:
I have received your inquiry into the possibility of developing recreational facilities at the Big Pine
Key Elementary School property. I understand well the various issues surrounding development
on Big Pine Key, and think it invaluable to coordinate potential projects before too much effort
has gone into the final planning.
I visited the Big Pine Key Elementary site on July 18,2001. The property is approximately 900' x
200' in size, is largely devoid of native vegetation, and is encompassed by a fence. Because of the
developed aspect of this property, it is likely that construction of recreational facilities at this site
will have negligible impact to endangered Key deer or other threatened or endangered species.
Your letter referenced the potential modification of the terms of the 1995 Amended Settlement
Agreement between the Monroe County School Board, the Monroe County Commission, and the
Florida Department of Community Affairs. This settlement agreement addressed issues relating to
student attendance, fencing, and development of recreational facilities. The Service was not a
pan] to that agreement, and would not object to the affected parties revisiting that agreement.
The Service has an established process for reviewing development proposals that may effect Key
deer or other threatened or endangered species. I am enclosing a form that we use to review
development projects. Your request should include a site plan and a description of the proposed
project. We do not require engineered construction plans; a simple site plan showing the footprint
of the proposed development is adequate for our review of the project.
Mayor George R. Nugent
Big Pine Key Elementary School
Page 2/2
Once the Monroe County Commission and Monroe County School Board have a specific
development plan for the proposed recreational facility, our office will gladly review the
development proposal and provide our approval and/or recommendations in writing. Turn-
around time for requests for technical assistance is approximately 10 working days.
I look forward to the opportunity to work with you on this important project, and am confident
that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to assist the Monroe County School Board and
Monroe County Commission in the planning of recreational facilities at the Big Pine Key
Elementary site. Thank you for your interest in the protection of wildlife in the Florida Keys.
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Sincerely,
4J.~
Philip A. Frank, Ph.D.
cc: Florida Department of Community Affairs (A TT: Rebecca Jetton)
Andrew M. Tobin, P.A.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vero Beach
Tobinlaw@Terranova.nel
ANDREWM. TOBIN, PA
Attorney at Law
Post Office Box 620
Tavernier, Florida 33070
Land Use & Zoning Law
Environmental Law
Administrative Law
Appellate Practice
Real Estate Closings
Telephone 305-852-3388
June 13, 2001
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JUN 1 ~ ?nn1
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Michael McDaniels, Community Program Administrator
Department of Community Affairs
Division of Community Planning
2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100
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Re: Charter School
Dear Mr. McDaniels:
I assume by now that everyone is aware that the Big Pine Key Neighborhood
Charter School Inc., a nonprofit corporation, is negotiating with the Monroe County
School Board to convert the existing Big Pine Key School to a Charter School.
In keeping with our preliminary negotiations, I have drafted the enclosed
agreement to expand the geographical area from which we can draw students.
With your cooperation, this exciting and innovative Charter School will
become a reality and one that we can all be proud of.
cc: Michael Lannon, Superintendent of Monroe County Schools
Dr. Margaret Smith, Deputy Superintendent
John R. Collins, School Board Attorney
David Jordan, Assistant General Counsel
James T. Hendrick, County Attorney
Mayor George Neugent
State Representative Ken Sorenson
Dr. R. Duncan Mathewson
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SECOND AMENDED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into between the Monroe County
School Board (IISchool Boardll), the Department of Community
Affairs (IIDCAII), and the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe
County, Florida (IIMonroe Countyll) .
Whereas the parties entered into an Amended Settlement
Agreement in 1995 that restricted the number of students
attending the school to a maximum of 200, and further restricted
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the attedance of students to pre-kindergaren through second"grade
residing on Big Pine Key, No Name Key and north to the Seven Mile
Bridge; and
Whereas, the School Board is currently negotiating to
convert the school to a Charter School pursuant to Ch. 228,
Florida Statutes; and
Whereas, in order to have a succesful Charter School it is
necessary to expand the geographical area to allow students
residing on Little and Middle Torch, Ramrod and Summerland Key to
attend the school; and
Whereas,
the parties desire to clarify the intent of
Paragraph 4C to allow residents of Big Pine Key to use the school
facilities for meetings and recreational uses.
Now therefore the parties agree as follows:
1. Paragraph 4A is amended to allow students residing on
Little and Middle Torch, Ramrod and Summerland Key, as well as
Big pine Key, No Name Key and north to the Seven Mile Bridge to
attend the school. This amendment shall not be construed to lift
the cap on enrollment, which shall remain at 200, or to allow
grades other than pre-kindergarten through second grade.
2. Paragraph 4C is hereby amended to clarify that it is
not the intent of the original Agreement to prohibit the School
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Board or a Charter School from allowing the school facilities to
be used by the residents of Big Pine Key (children and adults)
for meetings or recreational uses.
3. Except for the amendments set forth herein, the parties
acknowledge that the original Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect.
In Witness Whereof, the parties by and through their
respective undersigned duly authorized representatives have
signed and delivered this Agreement on the dates written below.
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY
SCHOOL BOARD OF MONROE COUNTY
By:
By:
Dated:
, 2001
Dated:
, 2001
Clerk of the Court
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Attest:
Dated:
, 2001
By:
Approved as to legal
sufficiency:
Dated:
, 2001
County Attorney's Office
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Charter School Application
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Big Pine Neighborhood Charter School
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Submitted to
Monroe County School Board
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by
Big Pine Neighborhood Charter School Inc.
15 September 2001-
Corporate Contact: Dr. Duncan Mrithtwson . Chair
Hazel Hartman - Vice-Chair
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t. Family Learning C~nter
Through a school/home/community collaborative prtnership, a special educational
feature associated with the charter school will be the Family Learnina Center program.
This will be developed in the facility (7-9 P.M.) in the evening when school is not in
session.
During the school year, the building will be open for evening classes and meetin9s of
parents, community members and civic associations. Night classes in English adult
literacy in association with the Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) will be held for the
growing numbers of Spanish speakers in the Big Pine area. Parenting classes and
early childhood development training for kids (3 yec:i'rs old to 3rd grade) will be
conducted in association with the Healthy Families service program of Welsey House.
Toddler training programs, family child care classes, CDA workshops, infant/child/adult
CPR and first aid courses and domestic abuse work-shops will be taught.
Bilingual social workers will assist Spanish speaking families to obtain needed adult
and child social services from state and county agencies. A community outreach will
be developed with referrals to Healthy Kids / Kid Care and the Life Lines program of the
Rural Health Network of Monroe County Health Services (RHNMC). Health services
for the undeserved working families will be arranged with the RHNMC Medi-Van on
Thursday at St. Peter's Church.
The evening use of the school facility as a Family Learnina Center and a community
meeting center will provide a valuable synergistic re.source for community education-
health-welfare trainifl.g while making a more complete use of the school facility. These
training programs will be self supporting by the participating organizations and will be
completely separate from charter funding resources.
After School Enrichment
A children's theatre program emphasizing skill build'ing in the performance and tt;reative
arts such as drawing, painting, music, dance and story telling will provide an after-
school enrichment program daily from 2-5:30 P.M.
This high quality "latch key program" will be taught by local Big Pine artists, retired
teachers and senior citizens volunteering from the retirement community. Although
closely linked with the charter school curriculum, it will be funded separately through a
nominal daily fee of $5/student, privately funded contributions, and grants.