Friends of Wildlife await city execution of $900,000 grant
Money will be used for burrowing owl habitat
The city of Cape Coral is dotting its I’s and crossing its T’s as it considers how to best deal with a long-awaited preservation grant.
A memorandum of agreement was pulled from the Cape Coral City Council agenda before its Wednesday meeting, as execution of the $900,000 grant for burrowing owl habitat protection is still being worked out.
According to the city’s background documents, the grant funding will be limited to property acquisition costs, “including but not limited to, appraisals, surveys, title costs, and initial maintenance costs.”
The city, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission and Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will coordinate the maintenance, monitoring and reporting of each purchased site.
Judy Mitchell spoke during citizen input stating that the Friends are terribly disappointed the item was pulled from the agenda.
“We have worked really hard for the last three years to finalize this agreement and to provide safe habitat to the city bird, the borrowing owl,” she said.
City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said the item was removed from the agenda Tuesday because he did not receive a phone call from Florida Fish & Wildlife until then.
“We were trying to get this done beforehand. They literally called me yesterday,” he said Wednesday.
Ilczyszyn said there is no risk at all to receiving the grant with this delay.
“The money is still in the foundation, and we will still be awarded,” he said, adding that it’s the execution they have to work out.
The process was discussed with FWC, Ilczyszyn said. He said they have to supply accredited land trust that they will receive and approve, which would amend the agreement.
The FWC Burrowing Owl Habitat Protection Grant program was established by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, due to advocacy from the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife. This grant is the first of its kind for local governments, as well as accredited land conservation trusts to receive state funding for projects of burrowing owl habitat preservation projects.