Open Letter to the Council: Tom Shadrach's Perspective on the Strategic Plan

Council,

I offer my perspective on our City:

Since 2020 - through 2025  Cape Coral Population has increased by 23%, Median Age has increased by 1 year to 47.

Children population has increased at the same rate of the population, so it is not expanding.

City Employees 2020 - 1,578 Subtract outsourcing  (61) Sunsplash,  Coral Oaks (32) and Yacht Club (3) = 1,482

City Employees budgeted in FY 26 = 2,059 produced a 39% increase in staff, so staff increased significantly more than the population rate of increase

Questions and comments:

1. 58% of our population is over 65 years old.  Is this expected to change?  I don’t think so.

   1. Majority of our growth is middle age or retired moving here

   2. Little commercial growth to attract younger people

   3. No college to keep students (higher earners) in Cape

   4. Academic Village has not happened

2. Is our strategic plan geared to our older population?

   1. Older Population wants:

      1. Fine Dining

      2. Culture - theatre, music, sports events

      3. Safety 

      4. Health Care

      5. Ocean Beach - not the river

3. With our plotted community we are at 8% commercial, we need to accept that this will not change and plan accordingly.

   1. Still promote commercial just to keep it at 8%, promote new hospital and rehab facilities

   2. Our biggest industry is Home Builders - at build out we will still add 75,000 to 100,000 homes

      1. Residential will continue to exceed commercial growth

   3. So why are we subsidizing commercial growth - it will come naturally if more people come?

4. Capital Projects Needed

   1. Finish Festival Park with a functioning Amphitheater

   2. Partner for Lake Meade (Olympic Size Swimming Pool)

   3. Remodel Coral Oaks Golf Shop to add community center

   4. Down scope the Yacht Club to my plan for opening by end of 2027

   5. Fleet Maintenance building

   6. New fire stations funded when impact fees are received - growth pay for growth

5. How do we reduce cost to pay for these projects:

   1. Freeze hiring

   2. Reduce heads as staff retires

   3. Sell unused land

6. Add 2 volunteer committees before July

   1. Budget Review Committee

   2. Utilities Review Committee

7. Infrastructure

   1. Flyover of Santa Barbara and Veterans

   2. Finish Burnt Store Rd to 4 lanes

   3. Widen lanes on North-South Roads north of Cape Coral Parkway by reducing median width

Tom Shadrach