Board presses staff on permits, RAIs and potential cost risk for proposed high school

The board received the monthly construction change order report and followed with extended questions about permitting and potential cost impacts for the proposed new high school sometimes referred to in materials as NNN.

What the change order report said: Scott Rickenbacher presented the August summary: direct material purchases of approximately $4.2 million with an associated tax‑savings/return of about $243,000; non‑direct material purchase change‑orders totaling roughly $547,000 (returned to the district); and contingency adjustments of roughly $333,000. He listed affected projects (Cypress Middle School, Cypress High School CEP, Bonita Springs Elementary and the Hector Caferrata K–8 project) and said several change orders were returns of unused funds to the district.

Permitting and environmental review discussion: Board members asked for an update on South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) reviews for the site under construction. Staff said because the district did not require an Army Corps permit (No Permit Required was issued), USFWS and SFWMD reviews are being handled directly. Staff reported that site walks, acoustic bat surveys and panther mitigation credit purchases (noting mitigation is often required in range zones) have been completed, and that the district issued a ~$15,000 purchase order for the relocation of three tortoises to a specialized facility in Arcadia. The remaining administrative step, staff said, is an email from the USFWS reviewer that closes the submittal and allows formal SFWMD action and a 30‑day review clock.

Timing and cost risk: District construction staff said the office has strategically delayed formal SFWMD application submission until the USFWS confirmation is received to avoid triggering an early 30‑day review clock that could produce an earlier permit rejection and a subsequent re‑submission delay. Staff warned that contractor GMP pricing guarantees are generally 30–45 days; long lead equipment items can have lead times over 60 weeks, and delays could increase costs if subcontractor bids lapse and must be rebid.

Public comment and community concerns: During public comment, speakers urged the board to pause or relocate the project, citing an absence of a final SFWMD permit, the potential for developer‑funded infrastructure costs to be passed to taxpayers, and alternative site choices with existing utilities. The district posted an FAQ and said construction and permitting materials would be updated as the district receives final agency correspondence.

Attribution: Construction Change Order report and permitting briefing by Scott Rickenbacher and staff; follow‑up Q&A led by Deputy Superintendent Ken Savage. Public comments were delivered by community members Denise Eberly and Christopher Mio.