Board approves $400 million borrowing that includes funding for East High School 'NNN'; site debate persists

The Lee County School Board voted 6-0 on June 3 to authorize issuance of Certificates of Participation (series 2025A) in an amount not to exceed $400,000,000 to finance construction and related costs for three projects: the new East High School (referred to in board materials as NNN), a rebuild of Cypress Lake Middle and a rebuild of Hector Caffaretta Junior K‑8.

Superintendent Christina Carlin and district staff framed the motion as primarily a financing action. Doctor Nesmore (district staff) told the board that the $400 million authorization is “neutral to the site” but that, if the district intends to market the borrowing in July, “the location at that point would need to be locked in” because bond documents must describe the financed facilities.

Board members and dozens of public speakers urged the board to reconsider the planned NNN site in Alva and to relocate the high school to a district‑owned, shovel‑ready site in Lehigh Acres. Speakers raised a range of objections: traffic and safety on rural roads, lack of existing water and sewer infrastructure at the proposed Alva site, environmental concerns for wetlands and wildlife corridors, and claims that a ready Lehigh site would serve the projected majority of future students and be less costly to develop.

Holly Schwartz, an Alva resident, said permitting and mitigation for the Tuckahoe/Alva site will add expense and complexity, including wildlife mitigation and additional water‑management permit requirements. “Eliminating this important function will take additional significant engineering and mitigation to address the huge volumes of water that flow into adjacent impaired water bodies,” Schwartz told the board.

Opponents pointed to a ready 46.5‑acre site on David Avenue in Lehigh Acres and a petition submitted by Denise Eberly (Severely in the record) claiming about 600 signatures against the Alva site, many from Lehigh residents. Denise Eberly told the board that “70% of Lehigh is minority” and argued the Alva site plan could raise civil‑rights concerns by siting a school far from the community it would primarily serve.

District planning staff and financial advisers warned of timing and cost risks if the board delayed the borrowing or removed NNN from the current financing. Will Reed of Ford & Associates told the board that borrowing all funds now and then failing to spend proceeds on a described project can create tax‑exempt bond “spend down” and arbitrage issues and could increase borrowing costs. He said setting aside proceeds in escrow while seeking a different site could create negative carry and other financial penalties.

Board members debated tradeoffs: some said the East zone needs capacity immediately and that delays would further strain overcrowded schools; others said they wanted additional public workshops and one‑on‑one briefings so newer board members and community members could evaluate site alternatives. Several board members requested prompt follow‑up briefings and a possible special meeting before the planned July borrowing date.

John Persons moved the resolution to approve the series 2025A borrowing and was seconded by Miss Jordan. The roll‑call vote was recorded as six yes votes and no no votes; the chair announced the motion carried 6‑0.

In parallel, the Lee County School Board Leasing Corporation — the board’s leasing vehicle for the certificates — also met and approved the same financing resolution by the same margin. The board also approved a separate refunding authorization (series 2025B) of up to $75,000,000 to refinance outstanding 2014 certificates.

Staff said that if the board seeks to remove NNN from the July financing package or to change the site, those choices could increase costs, risk delay of the new high school by up to several years, and require additional permitting and design time. Several board members asked staff to provide individual briefings and to schedule a public workshop to allow more community input before any final site decision was locked into finance documents.