HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-07 Special City Commission Meeting Agenda Packet
AGENDA
DANIA BEACH CITY COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2024 - 4:00 PM
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CHAMBER SHALL DO SO QUIETLY. (RESOLUTION #2020-032)
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
2. DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED CLOSING OF OLSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
1. RESOLUTION NO. 2024-______
Agenda – Dania Beach City Commission
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - 4:00 PM
Page 2 of 2
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH,
FLORIDA, ISSUED TO THE BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT (BCSD),
IN OPPOSITION TO THE BCSD’S PROPOSED CLOSURE OF OLSEN MIDDLE
SCHOOL AND, ALTERNATIVELY, SUPORTING A BCSD DECISION TO TURN
OLSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL INTO A K-8 OR A 6-12 SCHOOL; PROVIDING FOR
CONFLICTS; FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
3. ADJOURNMENT
City of Dania Beach
City Manager Memorandum
DATE:5/7/2024
TO:Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Ana M. Garcia, ICMA-CM, City Manager
SUBJECT:Resolution in Opposition of the Proposed Closing of Olsen Middle School
Request:
To approve the resolution in opposition of the proposed closing of Olsen Middle School.
Background:
The City of Dania Beach, Broward’s 1st City, is celebrating 120 years of a rich tradition
embodied in a pioneering spirit, excellence in municipal services, and passion and pride in our
Community! Dania Beach is experiencing a true “renaissance” with unprecedented growth, along
with historic investments in infrastructure, parks and public safety! Within a period of six (6)
years, we have approved in excess of 10,400 new housing units! Dania Beach is not just a
destination, it’s the “epicenter” of South Florida! We are a City with a “vision”, a very stable
administration, we are financially sound, and this April of 2024, Spirit Airlines cut the ribbon on
its corporate headquarters at Dania Pointe here in Dania Beach!
We work very closely with our local schools and have established an outstanding relationship
with all of them! We are investing approximately $30 million dollars in total in our local parks
all adjacent to our schools. Recently our City Commission unanimously approved a project
investing $5 million dollars on seven (7) acres on the campus of Olsen Middle School to add a
multitude of recreational amenities including a track for track and field, multipurpose fields for
sports, playgrounds, basketball courts and much more! The City would also be interested in
entering into a separate interlocal agreement that would authorize the City to use the Olsen
gymnasium, band room, and office spaces and multipurpose rooms, including providing for
maintenance of these areas in the City’s annual budget.
To our surprise and disappointment, it has come to our attention that “Awesome Olsen” is being
considered as a school to be closed. Hence, we have called for a special meeting of our City
Commission on Tuesday, May 7th to discuss a plan of action to advocate for Olsen Middle
School and for the school to stay open and be given the opportunity to continue to thrive under
the leadership of Principal Janet Giancarli and her team! Principal Giancarli has increased
enrollment by 99 students in seven (7) months since October, 2023 to present. We have
partnered with her on the very successful REACH (Respect, Endurance, Ambition, Community
and Honor) program and we, the City of Dania Beach, have seen the great work and certainly the
potential at Olsen! While Olsen Middle has increased enrollment from 558 to 657 students
combined, Attucks and Pines gained only 34 new students and McNicol had a loss of 6 students.
Our taxpayers pay annually in excess of $46 million dollars for our three (3) public schools, so to
eliminate 1/3 of our schools is simply unacceptable, particularly in light of the aforementioned,
our growing population and our monetary investment in Olsen Middle School!
We have many successful Olsen Alumni impacting our community, particularly former
Mayor and current Commissioner and local business owner Marco Salvino, as well as former
two-time Mayor, current City Commissioner and Broward County and University of Miami Hall
of Fame inductee, Tamara James, who along with our entire City Commission and
Administration strongly oppose the closing of our beloved "Awesome Olsen"!
Please allow the underlying resolution to serve as the voice for all the current students at Olsen
Middle School, our Mayor and City Commission and all the incoming residents that are moving
into our City at a record pace, so you may reconsider closing a school that is thriving and on a
proven trajectory of growth and excellence!
Recommendation
To approve the resolution in opposition of the proposed closing of Olsen Middle School.
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-______
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA
BEACH, FLORIDA, ISSUED TO THE BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL
DISTRICT (BCSD), IN OPPOSITION TO THE BCSD’S PROPOSED CLOSURE
OF OLSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND, ALTERNATIVELY, SUPORTING A
BCSD DECISION TO TURN OLSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL INTO A K-8 OR A 6-
12 SCHOOL; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Dania Beach, Broward’s 1st City is celebrating 120 years of a
rich tradition embodied in a pioneering spirit, excellence in municipal services, and passion and
pride in our community; and
WHEREAS, Dania Beach is experiencing a true “renaissance” with unprecedented
growth, along with historic investments in infrastructure, parks and public safety; and
WHEREAS, within a period of six (6) years the City has approved in excess of 10,400 new
housing units, many of which are affordable; and
WHEREAS, Dania Beach is not just a destination, it’s the “epicenter” of South Florida;
and
WHEREAS, the City works very closely with our local schools and the City has
established an outstanding relationship with all of them; and
WHEREAS, the City is investing approximately $30 million dollars in improvements
adjacent to all our schools; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission unanimously approved a project investing $5 million
dollars in seven (7) acres on the Campus of Olsen Middle School to add a multitude of recreational
amenities including a track for track and field, multipurpose fields for sports, playgrounds,
basketball courts and other amenities to the site; and
WHEREAS, the gross amount of ad valorem taxes levied by the School Board of Broward
County in fiscal year 2023-24 equals $46,793,681, paid wholly by taxpayers and property owners
in the City of Dania Beach; and
WHEREAS, on January 18, 2023, the School Board of Broward County (SBBC) and the
City entered into a Recreation License Agreement to allow the City to make specific recreational
improvements and utilize portions of SBBC owned land (Site No. 47.1 a/k/a Olsen Middle School)
for recreational and parking purposes; and
2 RESOLUTION #2024-______
WHEREAS, on January 23, 2024, the City Commission unanimously approved the
conceptual design for Olsen Middle School, which included specific amenities and site
improvements exceeding $5 million dollars of total investments for the students at Olsen Middle
School; and
WHEREAS, the City would also be interested in entering into a separate interlocal
agreement that would authorize the City to use the Olsen gymnasium, band room, and office spaces
and multipurpose rooms, including providing for maintenance of these areas in the City’s annual
budget; and
WHEREAS, newly appointed School Superintendent Howard Hepburn, during a Town
Hall meeting at Hollywood Hills High announced on Monday, April 29, 2024, that “Awesome
Olsen” is being considered as a school to be closed; and
WHEREAS, in the short time that Principal Giancarli has been at the helm, she has
increased enrollment at Olsen Middle by 99 students in seven (7) months since October of 2023
to present; and
WHEREAS, the City has partnered with Olsen on the very successful REACH (Respect,
Endurance, Ambition, Community, Honor) program and the City of Dania Beach has seen the
great work and potential of Olsen; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Dania beach advocates to support the
continued operations for Olsen Middle School to stay open and be given the opportunity to
continue to thrive under the leadership of Principal Janet Giancarli and her team; and
WHEREAS, Olsen Middle School administers the following ICAN! Magnet Academy,
which provides unique academies to earn high school credit, with project-based learning, and for
career and college readiness programs: Academy of Business, Media & Music Conservatory,
Education, Hospitality & Tourism, and Robotics and Marine Science; and
WHEREAS, between October 2023 and May 2024, Awesome Olsen has attracted 99 new
students, increasing its student enrollment from 558 to 657, and with its academies and its new
principal, Olsen will continue to grow; and
WHEREAS, Attucks and Pines gained only 34 new students and McNicol has a loss of 6
students; and
3 RESOLUTION #2024-______
WHEREAS, the elimination of one third of our schools is simply unacceptable,
particularly in light of the aforementioned, our growing population and our monetary investment
in Olsen Middle School.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA:
Section 1.That the above “Whereas” clauses are ratified and confirmed, and they are
made a part of and incorporated into this Resolution by this reference.
Section 2.That the City of Dania Beach opposes the Broward County School District
(BCSD), determination to close Olsen Middle School and, alternatively, supporting a BCSD
decision to turn Olsen Middle School into a greater educational opportunity school to include more
grades.
Section 3.That. the City Clerk is directed to distribute copies of this Resolution to the
Broward League of Cities and to all municipalities within Broward County.
Section 4.That all resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict with this Resolution
are repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 5.That this Resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on __________________, 2024.
Motion by __________________________, second by ___________________________.
FINAL VOTE ON ADOPTION: Unanimous ____
Yes No
Commissioner Joyce L. Davis ____ ____
Commissioner Tamara James ____ ____
Commissioner Marco Salvino ____ ____
Vice Mayor Lori Lewellen ____ ____
Mayor Archibald J. Ryan IV ____ ____
ATTEST:
ELORA RIERA, MMC ARCHIBALD J. RYAN IV
4 RESOLUTION #2024-______
CITY CLERK MAYOR
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
EVE A. BOUTSIS
CITY ATTORNEY
