[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502127,"mediaKeyId","5563739-24a6fc47f2de022c05df3ba407f82ac6","parentId",5563739,"title","Local schools and colleges press delegation for workforce‑education funding and facility support","audioSeconds",132,"startMs",437000,"endMs",569000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563739-24a6fc47f2de022c05df3ba407f82ac6&start=437&end=569","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563739-24a6fc47f2de022c05df3ba407f82ac6/thumbnail_437000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6502127/Charlotte-County/Florida/Local-schools-and-colleges-press-delegation-for-workforceeducation-funding-and-facility-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502127-f61b8fe86b0c369c54abeb10c8d89b07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142915&Signature=Al7uk6iVzO3cYYigHj5HPu4rSwZh3i~HC3JfJ6kCvdU1DeImZvtBb9bEE5WQVOzHafQb-Y2J6ArN51im6Bp-MaTdVqmo1FHWspUExUbsboG8wEeU3Fox6KfqqztBEI1NGqW9XcxpqO0FQQpamcdYVjBGTF37DkOGonaMmoh8sqj1UDNL7Bi0FaNEJNyhHPAOhPfJbjt~cSnURwjelb1gSbVqB-DFsmePTQijKGHDaIDs0EZ-vl37vtPe0Zv~mUn01XZQs5Tc4r7FGhyFm~zbJfS1aDWdTDkC3jJXN9NGrgQvIfelzhX41lrv0h4sf5GfOmoAc5GqHB-FQa9TYjTL5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Charlotte County","date","2025-08-11T09:00:00Z","article","Representatives of Charlotte County Schools and regional colleges told the legislative delegation they want continued state support for career and technical education and college expansions that officials say supply local employers with skilled workers.

Kim Amontre, a member of the Charlotte County School Board, thanked the delegation for prior allocations that helped open an Aviation Academy at Charlotte High School and an Advanced Manufacturing Academy at Port Charlotte High School. “These programs are building a workforce pipeline that benefits students, employers, and our entire community,” Amontre said, and she noted classroom openings at both the high‑school and college level.

Student testimony illustrated the local impact. John McDonald, identified as a senior at Charlotte High School and an Aviation Academy participant, said the program turned his interest into a career plan and that he had applied to Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University. “I fell in love with aviation,” McDonald said, and he thanked legislators for funding the programs.

Florida Gulf Coast University President (as introduced) outlined a request for about $24 million in recurring operational support to expand employer‑driven credentials and cited strong nursing pass rates and expanded employer partnerships, including a new Academic Building planned in Babcock Ranch.

Florida SouthWestern State College President Jeff Allbritton (as introduced) said enrollment at the Charlotte campus has risen and described “Project Charlotte,” a set of new programs in advanced medical assisting, supply chain logistics and physical therapy assistant fields. He also described a proposed rural initiative to support ag‑tech, drones, AI and robotics in Southwest Florida’s agricultural areas.

Speakers asked the delegation to consider recurring funding to sustain the new programs and capital support for planned facilities; no appropriation requests were voted on during the meeting.

The school board said the aviation hangar classrooms at the airport and Charlotte High School are planned to open in February 2026 and the advanced manufacturing facility in January 2027; the delegation and Senate leadership attended parts of the presentations and acknowledged the workforce emphasis.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Charlotte County - Charlotte County Legislative Delegation Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Charlotte County school and higher‑education leaders thanked legislators for prior investments and asked for continued appropriations for aviation and advanced manufacturing academies, FGCU operational funding and Florida SouthWestern State College program expansion.","taxTitle","Charlotte County, Florida","taxId",12752,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502132,"Charlotte County lays out infrastructure, public‑safety and resilience funding requests to delegation",253,189000,442000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563739-24a6fc47f2de022c05df3ba407f82ac6&start=189&end=442","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563739-24a6fc47f2de022c05df3ba407f82ac6/thumbnail_189000.jpg","/articles/6502132/Charlotte-County/Florida/Charlotte-County-lays-out-infrastructure-publicsafety-and-resilience-funding-requests-to-delegation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502132-814bcfff4110272d88da30321039d873/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142915&Signature=SM3LNnkLCr3pzYpSP-5Ft-HPtxXWJ3ILYvPmOg7uFxabmogxiIa-3QP2wmJJu5IHWF4mT8jPcnNqgYh6nM81OyYybvl691g~3xhTPEYvS95an8QcYzF7FS1c2KT-M5NqylMeWXVsRak~DzO7fCXsXeZRdtx0osYONcKBznhVjc7w4PJERwc0bH05Zlp2mdTto1cls0a4-OYNkVXi3qWj4E01-39PMlJ0lmeSX-PbYU7xmKiGyb1i212YWe61d-pplMi~V00PzeOgmsOBVJSPZqLaEZ8v12B1jk5ZPmWEg044zjgU1BxT-J62PVItgWX4WqO7zb8jbLtQ7qahRec4aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Joseph DeSao of the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners asked the county’s legislative delegation on Thursday to support a package of infrastructure and public‑safety appropriations, including septic‑to‑sewer work, traffic‑signal resiliency, a sheriff’s warehouse and a replacement fire training tower.

DeSao framed the requests as measures to protect Charlotte Harbor and local residents during storms and to preserve county assets. “Charlotte County believes that state and local governments are partners in the promotion and protection of the health and welfare of the community,” DeSao told the delegation during his three‑minute presentation.

The priorities DeSao listed included funding requests and policy concerns:

- Septic‑to‑sewer at Lakeview Midway to reduce pollution in Charlotte Harbor, the Peace River and the Myakka River (project specifics and total ask were not specified in the presentation).
- $800,000 to add UPS battery backups to traffic‑signal cabinets to maintain signal operation during outages.
- $2,000,000 for a sheriff’s warehouse to provide protected storage for equipment used in disasters and daily operations.
- $2,000,000 to replace a fire training tower damaged by recent hurricanes; DeSao said the current tower “no longer meets the demands of modern, firefighting training.”

DeSao also urged the delegation to help clarify state language in Senate Bill 180, which he said “currently prevents us from updating our land development regulations and comprehensive plan.” He said the bill’s restrictions, in place since 2022, have limited the county’s ability to prepare for future storms and will remain through 2027 unless revised.

Representative Danny Nicks, who opened the meeting, and Representative Vanessa Oliver were present when DeSao delivered the county’s requests. DeSao concluded by saying the Board of County Commissioners will provide further details once its legislative agenda is finalized.

No formal actions or votes were taken at the delegation meeting on the county requests; DeSao said the board will “share additional details on these priorities along with our complete legislative agenda once fully finalized by the board.”

Looking ahead, the county is seeking state partners to move the projects through the legislative process and asked the delegation to consider the funding requests during the upcoming 2026 session.","Charlotte County officials asked the county's legislative delegation to back funding for septic‑to‑sewer work, traffic signal backups, a sheriff's warehouse and a new fire training tower, and asked for clarification of SB 180 language they say limits local land‑use updates.","actionData","errors"]

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Local schools and colleges press delegation for workforce‑education funding and facility support

Charlotte County lays out infrastructure, public‑safety and resilience funding requests to delegation