Parents are not happy. $10,000 monthly fee for insurance costs cited
John H. Ruiz, who owns La Ley Sports, the company renting out Homestead’s baseball stadium, said he will have to shut down an after-school care program
By Christina Veiga
cveiga@MiamiHerald.com
Parents met on Wednesday to sign a petition urging Homestead to reinstate an after-school program at the city-owned baseball stadium.
But the city isn’t the entity shutting down the program.
Rather, John H. Ruiz — who runs the company La Ley Sports, which leases the stadium — says he simply can’t afford to offer the service any more.
“The after school program causes a loss for us,” he said.
The culprit, Ruiz said, is the City Council’s refusal to waive a $10,000 monthly insurance premium La Ley is liable for, according to its lease with the city. The insurance requirement has been a contentious issue that has ultimately resulted in two lawsuits against the city.
Ruiz asked Homestead council members three times to waive the insurance requirement at least temporarily, or to drop it all together. But the City Council wouldn’t budge.
“The city didn’t approve the waiver for the insurance, and therefore that causes a substantial impact. So instead of going to the after-school program, that money is going to the insurance,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz’s request to waive the insurance requirement puts the city in a tough spot. Waiving the premiums would mean the city has to find taxpayer money in a tight budget to pay for the insurance.
But parent Maria Lora said the city should work with La Ley because if the company goes out of business, the taxpayers will be stuck footing the bill anyways. She and others say it’s better to have the stadium occupied because it previously sat largely unused since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Lora said the city should waive the premiums “for a period of time until we can build this up, which has been closed since Andrew. And the city, no matter what, we’re still paying for it.”
Jose Vazquez’s three children attend the after school care. He said the program is a benefit for his kids.
“Here, they’re there from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., which is even more time for me to work on my schedule for work. And they finish all of their work. On top of that, my son is on the honor roll. He had never been on that,” Vazquez said.
He singled out Councilwoman Judy Waldman’s vote against waiving the property insurance, but the majority of council members actually voted against the measure. The last time the council took the issue up in May, only Mayor Steve Bateman and Councilman Elvis Maldonado voted for it. Councilman Jimmie Williams III was absent.
“It has nothing to do with me. It’s in the contract. And I’m not the only one who voted,” Waldman said.
The councilwoman said she wants La Ley to be successful at the stadium, and said she would welcome an alternative solution that wouldn’t cost the taxpayers money.
But the city isn’t the entity shutting down the program.
Rather, John H. Ruiz — who runs the company La Ley Sports, which leases the stadium — says he simply can’t afford to offer the service any more.
“The after school program causes a loss for us,” he said.
The culprit, Ruiz said, is the City Council’s refusal to waive a $10,000 monthly insurance premium La Ley is liable for, according to its lease with the city. The insurance requirement has been a contentious issue that has ultimately resulted in two lawsuits against the city.
Ruiz asked Homestead council members three times to waive the insurance requirement at least temporarily, or to drop it all together. But the City Council wouldn’t budge.
“The city didn’t approve the waiver for the insurance, and therefore that causes a substantial impact. So instead of going to the after-school program, that money is going to the insurance,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz’s request to waive the insurance requirement puts the city in a tough spot. Waiving the premiums would mean the city has to find taxpayer money in a tight budget to pay for the insurance.
But parent Maria Lora said the city should work with La Ley because if the company goes out of business, the taxpayers will be stuck footing the bill anyways. She and others say it’s better to have the stadium occupied because it previously sat largely unused since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Lora said the city should waive the premiums “for a period of time until we can build this up, which has been closed since Andrew. And the city, no matter what, we’re still paying for it.”
Jose Vazquez’s three children attend the after school care. He said the program is a benefit for his kids.
“Here, they’re there from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., which is even more time for me to work on my schedule for work. And they finish all of their work. On top of that, my son is on the honor roll. He had never been on that,” Vazquez said.
He singled out Councilwoman Judy Waldman’s vote against waiving the property insurance, but the majority of council members actually voted against the measure. The last time the council took the issue up in May, only Mayor Steve Bateman and Councilman Elvis Maldonado voted for it. Councilman Jimmie Williams III was absent.
“It has nothing to do with me. It’s in the contract. And I’m not the only one who voted,” Waldman said.
The councilwoman said she wants La Ley to be successful at the stadium, and said she would welcome an alternative solution that wouldn’t cost the taxpayers money.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/08/2944742/parents-upset-over-cancelation.html#storylink=cpy
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