Michael David Harper
Published 7-14-24
BUDGET
The City of Cape Coral has an enormous budget. How should priorities be set? Where could spending be reduced? What investments are needed? Is compensation adequate for the Council, Police, Fire/EMS, and other staff? Is staffing adequate, inadequate, overstaffed? Is baseline budgeting appropriate or should zero based budgeting be employed? Your take on tax assessments related to millage and rollback considerations. State and explain your position on the Stipend controversy.
Setting budget priorities in Cape Coral requires a balanced approach that addresses immediate needs and prepares for future growth. Here are my detailed responses to the various aspects of the budget question:
Priorities should be set with the citizens safety & quality of life taken into account.
Public Safety, Infrastructure
Police and Fire/EMS: Ensuring these departments are fully funded is crucial for maintaining public safety, especially with the city's rapid growth. Investment in training, equipment, and personnel is a top priority.
Infrastructure: Major investments are needed in roads, water, and sewer systems to keep pace with the growing population. This includes extending utility services to underserved areas and improving road capacity to reduce congestion.
Spending Reduction
Overtime Budgets:
By increasing staffing levels, we can reduce the reliance on overtime, which often results in higher costs. This approach cuts expenses and helps address workload issues, ensuring more efficient service delivery.
Efficiency Audits:
Conducting regular efficiency audits across all departments can identify areas of waste and potential savings. Streamlining processes and eliminating redundant expenditures will help reduce overall costs.
Investments
Infrastructure:
Continued investment in infrastructure is critical. This includes expanding water and sewer services, road improvements, and stormwater management systems. Prioritizing these investments will support the city’s growth and improve residents’ quality of life.
Technology:
Investing in technology can improve efficiency across city operations. For example, upgrading IT systems, implementing smart city initiatives, and automating processes can lead to long-term savings and better service delivery.
Compensation
Wage Analysis:
Conducting a comprehensive wage analysis comparing Cape Coral to similar cities in terms of population and area is essential. This analysis should focus on the 75th percentile to ensure competitive compensation packages.
Engaging with local union leaders and department heads to understand retention issues and reasons behind employees leaving can provide valuable insights for adjusting compensation and benefits to improve retention.
Staffing Levels
Addressing Understaffing:
Many departments currently need to increase their staffing levels. For example, the fire department has only one Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) to service 40 apparatus and 3 boats. This is not sustainable.
Departments should not be limited to requesting a minimal number of new employees each year. Instead, staffing requests should be based on a thorough analysis of workload and city growth.
Budgeting Approach
Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB):
For new projects and significant initiatives, ZBB can ensure that every dollar spent is justified. This approach helps allocate resources efficiently and eliminates unnecessary expenditures.
Applying ZBB to significant infrastructure projects can ensure that each project is necessary and cost-effective.
Baseline Budgeting:
For ongoing operations, baseline budgeting provides stability and predictability. It’s less time-consuming and allows for straightforward adjustments based on known variables like inflation and contractual obligations.
Tax Assessments
Millage and Rollback:
Evaluating the millage rate annually is essential to balance the need for revenue with the tax burden on residents. The rollback rate should be considered to prevent unjustified tax increases.
Exploring grants and bonds can help fund major projects, reducing the need for higher taxes.
Stipend Controversy
The stipend controversy is an emotional one.As a citizen, I’m not so concerned about the ½ penny a day it is costing me; it’s the way it was done. How it was done was underhanded & unethical, and it is a bad look for themselves as well the city. If elected, I would freeze the stipend until a comprehensive wage analysis has been done comparing city council pay to other similar cities in terms of population and area size. The study should focus on the 75% percentile to ensure competitive compensation; I believe the compensation for council members should reflect that of other similar cities in Florida. The city is a business and should be run as such. In order to attract more qualified candidates, the compensation needs to reflect that of the position being held. Think of it this way: you’re a business owner and need another employee. When you post the job on an employment site, will compensation be in the lower percentile, or will you pay the going rate for said position? If you want to attract more qualified people to apply for the position, you need to make sure that the wages are competitive.
WATER/SEWER
How should the approach to municipal water and sewer hookups in the North Cape be managed and costs assessed to provide and complete current and future infrastructure needs? Include thoughts on resident and city cost, disruption, water quality, ground water impact and community growth.
I would like to see the city apply for any grants and low-interest bonds that may be available through the state. I believe that at this time the city should concentrate on getting city water to the North part of the Cape and leave the sewer for a future date. With how the economy is going and the cost to the homeowners for the water & sewer assessment, along with adding a monthly water bill, I believe the additional 300-400 a month it would cost the homeowners would put too much stress on their monthly budget.
By doing water only, we should be able to speed up the completion timeline, which would help ease the strain on the aquifers during the dry season and give the homeowners a financial break. I also think that by doing the water only that it would help with the growth in that part of the city. As for the water quality & ground water impact, I would defer those questions to the professionals in that field and see what their opinions would be on it.
TRAFFIC
What traffic priorities should the city emphasize to reduce driving times and improve safety? Include thoughts on side street speed limits, traffic light optimization, freeway connectivity, road maintenance, lane capacity, sidewalks, and bike paths. What to do about the “Land of the 4Ways” (NE and NW 4 way stop intersections).
There are several things the city can do to help reduce the driving times in the city. The first thing that needs to be done is to get the lights timed up/ coordinated correctly. There also needs to be extra time (15 seconds or so) added to the high-traffic area turn lanes (Del Prado & Pine Island as an example).
The speed limits in the Cape are not the issue; it's the overcrowding on the roads. With the increase in residents, we have yet to be able to keep up with the needed infrastructure to handle the number of cars on the road. Part of that problem is that we need to be forward-thinking in these times. We should not wait until the roads are so congested to realize that we need an expansive increase to the major roadways in the city. Veterans' Parkway was the city being forward-thinking. Could you imagine what traffic would be like now if the previous city leaders disapproved of that project?
Because of all the necessary interior infrastructure, I would hold off on the freeway connectivity and bike lanes for now. The roads are overcrowded, and adding bikes would only cause more safety issues. Bicycle lanes can be added at the time of road expansion. The land of the four ways is a simple fix: put in roundabouts, like the one on Plantation & Crystal in Ft. Myers. We should be doing this now, as there are little to no obstructions at the four-way stops, which should make it a more cost-effective option.
PARKS
Parks have been a big focus in our city and the GO Bond was a voter approved effort to upgrade our parks. How should budget overruns be managed for these park projects? Should projects outside the GO Bond like Jaycee Park and The Yacht Club be considered and how should they be funded and approved? Specific to Jaycee Park, how should citizen feedback regarding waterfront trees, bandshell, restaurant/bar, docks and operating hours be reconciled?
Budget overruns are a common challenge in most projects. We need to be proactive and, if an overrun is anticipated, assess the remaining items left on the project to try and identify any potential cost-saving measures.Jaycee Park deserves an upgrade, but the current city proposal may need to be revised. As for the Yacht Club, it's a project that should move forward. It has the potential to attract more visitors to our area, such as residents from Fort Myers. Funding for the Yacht Club could be managed through a bond, which could be repaid over time through revenue generated from renting the hall for events like weddings and birthday parties. Many similar-sized cities in the United States have successfully invested substantial amounts to attract people, often resulting in significant benefits.
Regarding Jaycee Park:
Planned Bistro (bar): I do not support this idea, as it poses a safety risk. Intoxicated individuals
speeding through the neighborhood could endanger residents.
2. Amphitheater for Concerts: I do not support this either, primarily due to safety concerns and
potential parking issues. While an amphitheater is a great concept, Jaycee Park is not the ideal
location. A better alternative would be Yellow Fever Creek Park in the north part of Cape Coral,
which lacks such amenities and is not situated in a residential area on prime waterfront
property.
3. Food Trucks (6): I like this idea but believe it should be scaled down. In my gated community
(Bella Vida), we have one or two food trucks come to the community on a monthly basis. This model
could be applied here, with fewer trucks on a periodic basis.
4. Floating Boat Dock: This is a hard no. Without the aforementioned elements, the dock is
unnecessary, and funds could be better allocated elsewhere (the Yacht Club will have boating
slips).
5. Australian Pines: These trees should remain as they are, though a general cleanup along the
waterline is necessary.
6. Additional Parking: Although removing some planned features may reduce immediate parking
needs, the parking upgrades will likely attract more visitors. With Cape Corals growing
population, planning for additional parking now is prudent to prevent future issues. We also need to pave the crushed shell
pathways as this is a safety issue for our handicap citizens.
7. Adding a few more pavilions around the park would be beneficial, as well as a way to help generate some additional income to help offset the maintenance cost of the park.
Suggestions for Jaycee Park Over Time:
1. Dog Park: Considering the size of our city, we only have Rotary Park in the South Cape. Adding
dog park to every city park would require minimal infrastructure and would be a valuable
addition to the parks.
2. Splash Pad/Playground Area: A splash pad/playground area like the one at Cape Christian
Church on Chiquita would be a great addition. I believe every park in the city should have this set up.
PLANNING
How should the city address planning and growth and what should be the priorities? Include impact on neighborhoods, traffic, infrastructure, jobs, city revenue and Cape Coral culture.
To effectively address planning and growth, we must learn from cities that have faced challenges like ours (Sarasota). By reaching out to these cities, we can identify strategies that have worked and avoid those that haven't.
Zoning and Neighborhood Impact:
Revisiting and updating our zoning regulations is essential to ensure they function as intended. The current practice of allowing commercial buildings next to single-family homes needs reevaluation to protect the character and quality of our neighborhoods.
Attracting Larger Corporations:
The city should enhance its efforts to attract larger corporations. This would expand our tax base and create higher-paying jobs, boosting city revenue and improving the standard of living for our residents.
Proactive Planning:
We as City leaders need to focus on proactive forecasting rather than reactive measures. Anticipating future needs and challenges will help us manage growth and maintain our infrastructure.
CORE PROCESSES
How might the city improve core processes like permits, inspections, and code enforcement? What additional processes should be evaluated?
I spoke with a few builders that I know and while they would not give me specifics, they did say there were some issues within those departments. I think sitting down with the department heads and a few of the local builders to discuss how Cape Coral's permitting process is different from other cities' permitting process. I also feel the input of the employees would be beneficial as well. I also think having an outside source familiar with these types of processes come in and evaluate & advise of ways we could improve the permitting process. As for the other processes, I am unfamiliar with those and would need time to research those if elected.
CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
How should citizen input be solicited? Should Citizen Advisory Committees be reintroduced? Should the hurdles for citizen ballot initiatives be lowered, increased, left the same?
To try and solicit more citizen input, I believe each council member should hold a monthly meeting with the residents in their district or be the chairperson for a specific community advisory group. These meetings would provide a regular platform for addressing concerns, sharing updates, allowing open communication between the city council and the community.
Reintroducing Citizen Advisory Committees:
I support reintroducing Citizen Advisory Committees, provided the members have expertise or experience in the relevant areas. These committees can offer valuable insights and recommendations, ensuring community voices are heard and considered in city decisions.
Citizen Ballot Initiatives:
I do not know enough about the hurdles that are currently in place on the initiatives, so I would want to leave them as is until I have time to do a deeper dive into them once elected.
SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS
How should the city measure progress and success of its endeavors? Should audit information be made public? Is an inspector general required? Should public feedback on employees be sought and considered? Should project reviews and budgets be disclosed?
Disclosing project reviews and budgets to the public is crucial for transparency. This includes publishing project plans, timelines, budgets, and progress reports. Regular updates on major projects should be made available through the city’s website. By publishing the information above, we are able to show the public if said project was on time, over/under budget and ultimately the citizens will decide if it was a successful project or not.
Implementing a system for collecting public feedback on city employees, such as surveys and a public comment section on the city website, can be valuable. Regularly reviewing this feedback for performance evaluations and policy adjustments can improve service delivery and accountability, as well as possible financial incentives to the employees.
While an inspector general (IG) would provide independent oversight by conducting audits, investigations, and reviews of city operations and finances, I am not sure one is needed at this time. Should there come a time where we think one is needed, then yes that should be on the table.
I think we should make audit information public as I believe it is essential for fostering transparency and accountability. This includes publishing audit results on the city’s website and through public forums, allowing residents to see how funds are being utilized and ensuring any irregularities are addressed promptly.