THREE DAYS A WEEK POST COMMENTS AT CAPE-CORAL-DAILY-BREEZE.COM CAPE CORAL Court time Baker hosts city rivals for preseason volleyball BREEZE —SPORTS MID-WEEK EDITION WEATHER: Scattered Storms • Tonight: Partly Cloudy • Friday: Scattered Storms — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 50, No. 102 Thursday, August 25, 2011 50 cents Cape Coral utility rates going up 5.5 percent Increase for water, sewer less than was projected ... stronger cent. years, but Chulakes-Leetz praised bond rating ... Cape’s By DREW WINCHESTER means lower [email protected] A “decrease in the increase” is city staff and the city manager, rates not out what Councilmember Chris who worked to lower the projec- rates and of line with The Cape Coral City Council greater raised water and sewer rates by Chulakes-Leetz called it, after he tions. comparable 5.5 percent Monday night, an said the sitting council in 2009 “Any increase can’t be called a savings.... cities... increase some on council say is approved a five-year rate increase success but it’s a darn sight better Councilman plan that totaled 92 percent. than previous councils had Mayor John Pete Brandt much better than a previously Sullivan scheduled increase that would A 15 percent increase has have seen rates rise by 15 per- been scheduled the next three See RATES, 14A Residents get reprieve on re-zoning proposal Land use compatibility at issue By DREW WINCHESTER “We’re just concerned about [email protected] our neighborhood,” Parsons said Residents along Southwest 15 Tuesday. “There is no reason for Place are ecstatic after City this to be zoned commercial.” Council decided Monday to hold Parsons was one of roughly off on zoning changes that would 40 people who wanted their have impacted their neighbor- homes left alone. hood. City Council approved a host Council was considering turn- of land use changes throughout ing a residential zoning designa- the city last year and the zoning tion to commercial, a move that reclassification was the final had people like Donald Parsons component of those efforts. pleading their case before council For a city, whose tax base is Monday. See RE-ZONING, 14A Cape’s convention DREW WINCHESTER center dream gaining Candidates for Cape Coral City Council respond to a nay-or-yeah question during a candidate’s forum hosted by the Cape Coral Civic Association Tuesday night. popular traction By DREW WINCHESTER Civic forum draws packed house [email protected] Councilmember Chris By DREW WINCHESTER don’t think we should run to the Chulakes-Leetz is helping to [email protected] More forums media before we take care of it … Chris champion a convention and Chulakes Despite a torrential downpour, See page 14A I think we should investigate it entertainment center project he hundreds of people filled the Cape fully.” -Leetz those seeking council seats, but hopes will be built on the Coral Yacht Club ballroom to get District 7 incumbent Academic Village property in a look at this year’s candidates for she also wants candidates to Candidate Derrick Donnell said approach council meetings in a north Cape Coral, a one-time site City Council, a packed field that council’s role was to set policy of the highly controversial swim includes incumbents, lawyers, professional manner, if elected. and act as a liaison for the citizens. “The conduct and rhetoric center. public safety personnel, former Donnell also said that while That project spun its wheels the project, Chulakes-Leetz teachers and retirees, to name a among council members, and each of his opponents are formi- with the public, are a disservice to in the city amid intense scrutiny added, is that it would be a citi- few. dable, his biggest hurdle is being from the public and elected offi- zen initiative that would voted Yet, regardless of their past or the citizens,” Longo said. “The an incumbent. Donnell reminded meetings have become a disserv- cials, including Chulakes-Leetz, on through referendum. The city present lives, many of those who the audience to check his voting but is now being eyed for City of would bond the project and build attended the forum, hosted by the ice to the community.” record before making their deci- Sixteen of the 18 candidates Palms Park. it, he said, but it would be man- Cape Coral Civic Association, sion, as he was with a council This new project would aged by private company with wanted new leadership for the running for office fielded ques- minority on issues including tions from moderator and former include a swim component, the city holding ownership of the city, with some in the audience selection of the city manager, his Chulakes-Leetz said, but would building. wearing T-shirts carrying an anti- councilwoman Alex LePera. contract, and the appointment of Some of the questions leaned be more of an all-encompassing A video Chulakes-Leetz had incumbent message. Erick Kuehn to the District 5 seat. entertainment center with a made and was featured in during Jane Longo, a Civic member, toward smaller, hypothetical “I want to break that cycle issues, while others tackled some 17,000-seat arena. the swim center’s tenure showed said she was impressed with the where voters just want to vote “The swim center was him traversing the Academic slate of candidates, many of of the larger problems the city is everyone out,” he said. facing, including long-term debt focused on swimming, this is Village Property and asking the whom she said have grown LePera asked whether the city focused on all aspects of the public what they wanted done stronger as public speakers since and the UEP. was fostering a sense of isolation- When asked how he would entertainment business. That with the property. their first forum appearance in ism with Lee County and if Cape could mean sports, or anything This current project was the July. handle the discovery of a register Coral was becoming an island that was missing money, District that one could imagine indoors answer, he said. Longo wanted to hear more or out,” he said. 7 candidate Dave Stokes said, “I See FORUM, page 14A solutions and less platitudes from The most important part of See CENTER, page School district shaves another $22 million from next year’s budget Capital projects honed; reserves to supplement revenues By MEGHAN McCOY tal projects with $53,575,985 less than [email protected] the earlier proposal. The budget that the school board will be asked to approve on Sept. 13 The School Board of Lee County Budget Director Dr. Ami Desamours at 5:05 p.m. is $1,381,457,668, which is less than the tentative budget will now consider a budget for next year said they used strategic cuts that they previously approved of $1,403,713,660. that is $22,255,922 less than previously thought was feasible and thoughtful. She projected. said they will continue to use reserves to The budget that the school board will cushion the blow of the loss of stimulus be asked to approve on Sept. 13 at 5:05 dollars and state budget cuts. p.m. is $1,381,457,668, which is less Desamours said that several of the than the tentative budget previously expenses in capital projects that were best structure is in the next five years. .748, which would raise $41,282,133 approved of $1,403,713,660. posted in 2011 decreased the fund budg- The special revenue portion of the and capital outlay of 1.500, which The differences included an increase et that was expected to roll into the 2012 budget went from $44,786,330 to would raise $82,785,027. The total in the general fund of $2,275,511; spe- budget. $67,939,241 because of an increase in millage levy is 7.854, which would raise cial revenue of $23,152,911; internal “That doesn’t change the budget pic- federal grants the district received. $433,462,400. service of $5,467,757 and food service ture in 2012 for capital,” she said. The tax rates to be approved in For taxpayers, one mill is equal to $1 of $455,537. The portions of the budget She said they have a five-year plan September includes a required local for every $1,000 of taxable property val- that experienced a decrease included that will be discussed during the next effort of 5.606 mills, which would raise debt service with $31,723 less and capi- committee meeting to address what the $309,395,240; basic discretionary of See BUDGET, page 2A ATAGLANCE NEWS OF NOTE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE School officials Cape artist to host walk Annie’s Mailbox ....9A Education ..........7A ‘Meet and Greet’ today and talk at the alliance The paintings of Cape Coral artist Ernie Business ............8A Horoscopes........9A CASH 3: A “Meet and Greet” Welcome Settani are featured in the members gallery Cape Fare..........5B Obituaries ..........2A 6-9-1 / 3-2-6 Reception will be held for the newly of the Lee County Alliance of the Arts. The PLAY 4: Classifieds........1-3B Police Blotter ....2A appointed Lee County School exhibit, running in conjunction with a larg- 5-8-1-5 / 1-8-5-6 Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Burke, and er show in the main gallery, opened last Fantasy 5 Comics ............10A Sports ........12-13A 4-11-18-33-34 famed Author Dr. Martha Bireda today, Friday and runs through Sept. 3. Crossword........10A That’s Racing ....4B Lotto Aug. 25, at the Dr. Carrie Robinson This Friday, Aug.