Punta Gorda City Council will seek a nonprofit organization to take over leadership of New Operation Cooper Street following the death of recreation center president Dr. David Klein in late August.
Current New Operation Cooper Street Board President Jaha Cummings, a local businessman and former councilman, wasn’t in attendance at the Wednesday meeting. He expressed surprise about the decision, arguing the recreation center was being run efficiently with no need to replace the board or have a nonprofit run the organization.
Council raised issues with transparency and whether the recreation center at 650 Mary St., which has provided child care, after-school activities, mentoring programs for high school graduates and senior services, was serving the entire community.
Vice Mayor Melissa Lockhart said she wasn’t seeing definitive leadership since the death of Klein.
When contacted after the meeting, Cummings cited the various programs and said the recreation center is open to the entire community. It also partnered with Florida Gulf Coast University to offer business counseling to residents of all ages.
Prior to Klein’s death, City Manager Greg Murray sent a letter to Klein requesting several financial documents, including audited financial statements, an income and expenditure statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and financial statement notes for the city’s lease analysis.
The deadline for submission was Sept. 1, but Klein died Aug. 27.
While Council claims it only communicated with Klein, Cummings said he provided financial information asked of him by the city after Klein’s death.
Councilwoman Donna Peterson, who serves on the city’s YMCA board, said the Y was paying $560 per month to rent the rec center for the child care program it runs.
Murray said the city owns the building and New Operation Cooper Street rents it annually for $1. The structure was built in 1961 and underwent several name changes until 1992 when it settled on New Operation Cooper Street.
The current lease runs until 2025, but the board has asked Murray to draw up a new lease. City Attorney David Levin said the current lease’s wording might not meet the definition of public purpose.
In the meantime, the Y will be asked to run the facility. “If they’re not interested, ask the Boys and Girls Club [of Charlotte County],” Mayor Lynne Matthews said.
Lockhart said the new lease should be finished and new leadership in place at the rec center by Dec. 1.
