Cooper City, Optimist Club to negotiate new facility-use agreement after noncompliance letters; background checks, registration systems and field scheduling top

Cooper City officials and volunteers with the Cooper City Optimist Club spent a workshop reviewing a 2012 facility-use resolution and planning a new agreement to address residency targets, state-mandated background checks, registration technology and field scheduling and maintenance.

City staff said they want a new facility-use agreement finalized for Commission review by March and said they expect to complete initial drafting within about 45 days based on the direction given at the meeting. “We are trying to get back to the commission by the March meeting. We said 45 days to to get this done,” the city manager said.

Why it matters: The dispute touches several practical issues for families and volunteers — who gets field time, how registration and resident discounts are handled, who pays for and maintains equipment, how coach background checks are verified, and how the club’s finances and rosters are inspected for compliance.

Discussion and compliance history

Deputy City Manager Jennifer McMahon told the group the city’s 2012 resolution (referred to repeatedly in the meeting as Resolution 12‑75) requires proof of nonprofit incorporation, insurance, contact information, league-approved rosters and criminal‑background screening for managers and coaches. McMahon said the city has issued two letters of noncompliance: one in November related to the city’s residency percentage requirement and a second, certified letter on Jan. 3 citing Section 943.0438 of the Florida Statutes and the requirement to complete Level 2 background screenings by Jan. 1.

City staff and multiple commissioners said the residency rule — commonly described in the workshop as a 70% resident / 30% nonresident split…