Council to discuss city health clinic, Four Corners
The Cape Coral City Council will have a relatively light agenda during Monday’s regular meeting at City Hall starting at 4:30 p.m. But some very important business is going to be decided upon, both of which have been in the chute for months.
City Council will decide on an ordinance that will direct City Manager John Szerlag to enter into a ground lease for a health care facility on city property on 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. for employees, retirees and dependents.
The city is expected to start negotiations with clinic vendor My Health Onsite
The facility, which is expected to open by the beginning of 2020, has drawn rave reviews from members of council, particularly Dave Stokes, who participates in a similar plan as an employee in Charlotte County.
“Charlotte has had this for many years and it has saved the county millions. It’s good for the employees and it will save taxpayers money. I’m looking forward to it,” Stokes said.
It is estimated the city could save close to $4 million in claims over a three-year period, and $8.8 million over five years. First-year costs ranged between $700,000 and $1.6 million.
This could be done by shifting costs and utilization away from the Florida Blue health plan to a lower cost clinic model, engaging those eligible with preventive visits and wellness opportunities, offering $0 co-pays for visits and generic meds and reducing high-dollar claims long term, according to a staff presentation expected to be heard Monday.
Also, council will hold its second and final public hearing on a change in the city’s zoning map for a plot of land on the southwest corner of Agualinda Boulevard and Beach Parkway from Marketplace Residential to Residential Multi-Family Low (RML) and Commercial (C) zones.
The goal, according to Russ Whitney, one of the owners of the property, is to have the potential of a mixed-use development that goes with the neighborhood with many single-family homes, with quality commercial such as bistros and even a Starbucks, and not a dollar store or gas station.
The other three corners of that intersection will be RML, with the maximum 16 units per acre.
Cape Coral has a deficiency in multi-family residential housing; 1,500 units/year are needed annually for the next five years in order for the city to catch up.
During the first hearing on July 29, resident Randy Landers said the proposed plan is “the best we’re going to get for that area.”
“I think the proposal is something we should consider. I would rather see a boutique restaurant we can ride or bikes to than a Family Dollar,” Landers said.
Monday’s council meeting is expected to also feature the return of Jessica Cosden to the dais. Cosden missed the first two meetings after hiatus for the birth of her child.
Last week, she participated in the regular meeting and the joint budget workshop via Skype.