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Residents raise concerns about Lake Kennedy courts management and police ID checks at public meetings
Summary
Several residents used citizens input to complain about Lake Kennedy courts management changes and an incident at a recent community meeting where people were asked for ID; council and city manager said staff will follow up and a written apology was issued for a miscommunication about one attendee’s license.
Multiple speakers at Citizens Input on Oct. 22 told the council they are losing confidence in Lake Kennedy Community Center management and requested council follow-up, and others raised concerns about an incident at a recent public meeting where attendees were asked to show identification.
Players at Lake Kennedy said new policies are reducing open-play availability, imposing testing fees and creating perceived favoritism in court access. Several speakers, including Wayne Wall, Steven Ballard and other Lake Kennedy members, described a new verification system (referred to in the meeting as a VAR or Vair system) that limits access to "advanced" courts and requires additional fees for testing and annual renewal. "This very system is an extra fee that's being charged to members to play on certain courts during open play," said Wayne Wall. Speakers said the management company is reducing open-play courts during prime time for lessons and charging testing fees for members who previously had open access.
Several speakers urged council intervention. "The courts are doing well, but the management is failing," said one resident. Members of the advisory committee and council said they would investigate: Council Member Steinke said he would take a personal interest and get more detail from staff and committee members; Parks staff present were asked to follow up.
Several citizens also criticized Cape Coral Police Department staff for asking attendees to show identification at a community meeting the previous week. The city manager said he had followed up and learned the request stemmed from a misapplication of the usual ID procedure by an officer at a non-council meeting; he said he has provided a written apology to one attendee who reported the issue. "It was a uniform application misapplication of a rule. It was a mistake in understanding...the officer was following a rule for how we handle just as I thought was the issue," the city manager said. He added that because a complaining resident has an active case, staff limited direct follow-up to avoid interfering with the case, and the police chief recommended not engaging further while the case remains open.
Council and staff committed to follow up with residents and the Lake Kennedy advisory committee to better document complaints and seek administrative remedies. Parks staff and the deputy parks director were identified as the point of contact to work with the court users and the management company.
