School damages: $150 million

Oct 27, 2022 By MEGHAN BRADBURY 6 min read

School District of Lee County staff put its estimated loss from Hurricane Ian at $150 million Monday a very preliminary number

“This probably will change. It’s a very early preliminary estimate from our insurance company. We still have lots more work going on,” Chief Finance Officer Dr. Amy Desamours told the Lee County School Board.

The damage estimate has to be submitted by Nov. 1.

She said there has been $11,831,824 in purchase orders created as of Oct. 23 for remediation and short-term recovery to open schools again for students and staff.

The total documented losses to date include at least five schools with significant damage and at least 19 schools that are being evaluated for a permanent repair scope and cost estimates.

Desamours said although they will see reimbursements in both property and flood insurance it may not cover the entire cost, and will not be seen in the near future. In addition, they may also receive reimbursement from FEMA and potential reimbursement from Lee County for shelter costs.

A comparison was provided during the Tuesday afternoon school board meeting of the impact Hurricane Irma had on the district. Those documented losses were $31 million. The total recovery was $21,557,573, which included $8,397,030 from insurance; $4,827,152 from the Restart Grant, $118,568 from the Lee County Board of County Commissioners and $8,214,823 from FEMA.

Desamours said it has been five years since Hurricane Irma and the district is still looking to try and recover dollars from FEMA.

“It’s a real possibility that some funds won’t be recovered depending on what the ruling is from FEMA. Some of the funds this time will be spent and will not be recovered,” Desamours said.

The district has a 16-layer approach with 14 insurance companies. There is a $100 million limit for fire and other perils; $75 million limit for windstorm; $50 million limit for flood specific to location, building and school and a 5 percent hurricane deductible of the values per structure.

“We have to work with insurance, so they determine damage caused by wind, or flood,” Desamours said, so the district can maximize on all of their reimbursements.

The presentation provided a capital funds breakdown, which concluded $98,401,977 for recovery efforts.

“The funds being used for recovery may mean that the five-year capital plan must be revised if more funds than above need to be used before FEMA funds are recovered. Utilization of sales tax funds, or short-term borrowing options may be necessary. We want to try to use that as a last resort,”Desamours said of using sales tax funds. “Those funds are sitting there now as a reserve. Much of it is intended to be used in five to 10 years.”

Desamours also dove into short term financial impacts, as property taxes — which supports the district’s capital and general funds — will be impacted. She said some people may be able to take abatements, as the property is no longer livable after the hurricane, therefore not paying their property taxes this year.

“That could potentially affect our collection and the amount of money coming into the general and capital funds,” Desamours said, as they see substantial amounts of money, 86 percent collected in November and December. “If we don’t receive that in November, then we have to plan for that because it’s a major impact to cash flow.”

The Wednesday afternoon meeting also included a Hurricane Ian update from Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier.

As of Wednesday, 716 students have officially withdrawn from the School District of Lee County and there are currently 528 “no show” students. There have also been 112 new enrollments.

There was a breakdown of attendance for students and TALC and SPALC represented employees.

For student attendance there was 82 percent on Oct. 17; 90.9 percent on Oct. 18; 87.3 percent on Oct. 19; 87.3 percent on Oct. 10; 86.5 percent on Oct. 24 and 86.9 percent on Oct. 25.

Those numbers rose for TALC-represented employees from 92.57 percent on Oct. 17 to 93.41 percent on Oct. 25. Those numbers remain high for SPALC with 90.93 percent on Oct. 17 in attendance to 93.54 percent on Oct. 25.

Bernier said they are hearing amazing stories of personal conditions and heroism of helping families from their staff. He said they continue to support and be available to teachers and staff.

The district is currently working with the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools in terms of the $500,000 provided by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week for the Hurricane Ian Relief Fund.

Although all students have returned to academic instruction, dialogues have begun with communities of schools that were more heavily impacted.

Bernier said Tuesday morning that the district held community engagement opportunities for Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and The Sanibel School. On Thursday a similar meeting took place with Hector A. Cafferata Elementary School. These engagements will happen on a weekly basis, Bernier said.

An update was given about The Sanibel School. The school passed the engineering test, meaning the building is structurally sound.

Bernier said The Sanibel School is being cleaned and dried out.

“The building itself is sound. Instead of Sanibel being a rebuild, it will be a renovation. We will not have to tear it down,” he said.

The major impact from the hurricane was on the older buildings, as the new construction of the middle school classrooms were higher in elevation. Those middle school classrooms had less damage from water than the original buildings built at a lower level, Bernier said.

Bernier said they were very explicit with the Beach community that all options are on the table.

“For the very foreseeable future, San Carlos Elementary is their home,” he said of permanent temporary housing.

A possibility was shared regarding Hector Cafferata.

Bernier said although they do not want to have a portable campus in the millions of dollars, he would recommend it because if they need to give Hector Cafferata what it needs to heal and come back as a learning community.

“There is a potential that FEMA could cover, and also would not,” Bernier said, adding that they would have a more definite answer before making that type of recommendation.

The district has begun the procurement process for portable sites as a temporary campus with information coming before the board as early as next week.

As far as Diplomat Middle School and Lexington Middle School, the projects still appear to be on schedule with people in the buildings on Oct. 31.

“Best-case scenario those will include students,” Bernier said, adding that the students have already had their reunification day. “Monday potentially could be teachers only to get settled into the building, (students) start on Nov. 1.”

To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com