County commissioners proposed broader public access to school athletic fields, tracks and pools and discussed public‑private partnerships to fund shared recreational facilities. School district officials said existing use‑of‑facility fee schedules and interlocal agreements allow rentals, but they warned that modern security rules and staffing constraints limit unsupervised public access to campuses.

Commissioner Alaco began the discussion noting that school properties are public assets and asking whether weekends and evenings could be opened to the public for walking tracks and other recreation. County counsel described examples in Collier County and Marco Island where joint‑use agreements permit public access when schools are not in session. School staff and legal counsel said such agreements are possible but generally limit access to times when students are not on campus and require liability insurance, signed agreements, staffing or gated access.

Practical barriers cited by school leaders included new state safety rules requiring locked gates and monitored access while students are on campus, the cost of extra staff to secure entrances and staffing budget reductions tied to rising pension (FRS) costs. Superintendent representatives said the district has a use‑of‑facility fee schedule for organized groups and that many rental uses already occur through scheduled arrangements; what commissioners and residents sought was more open, park‑like access when facilities are not reserved.

Commissioners suggested alternate approaches: (1) build a shared off‑campus recreation complex (commissioner Champion suggested Anderson Snow as a location) through a public‑private partnership or joint county‑school investment, or (2) pilot case‑by‑case joint‑use agreements for specific schools with vetted users, reservations and liability coverage. Several commissioners urged exploring sponsorships and grant funding for a regional aquatic facility; district staff said some local pools (including a Boy Scout Reservation pool) are shallow and not configured for competitive starting‑block training.

Ending: School counsel said he would share sample joint‑use agreements from other counties; staff and commissioners asked legal and operational teams to explore pilot agreements and public‑private recreation center options. No binding agreement or funding commitment was made at the meeting.