The adult satellite classes hosted by Miami-Dade Public Schools have been a part of Miami Lakes since 2003.
But the program, which includes Tai Chi, Yoga, painting and arts and crafts, was placed on the state’s chopping block and left school and town officials scrambling for funding to resume the classes that have become popular among area senior citizens and people with disabilities.
After the state’s Adults with Disabilities and Senior Citizens with Disabilities Grant funding was acutely cut from the budget, Miami Lakes is seeking private funding to keep the Hialeah Adult Education Center community classes operating through July, while town and school officials seek a permanent solution to underwrite the program when it returns from the break in September.
At a July 6 special meeting at Town Hall, Council members approved Mayor Michael Pizzi’s recommendation to seek private dollars to help run the program for the month of July, or he would write a personal check to cover the expenses if Miami Lakes can’t find any suitable donors.
It would cost $2,500 to fund the classes for July according to the Town Manager, Alex Rey. Rey confirmed the classes were restarted on Monday, July 13.
Pizzi said the classes keep senior citizens mentally and physically in shape and helps bring the community together.
“Camaraderie is something special for this town,” he said. “I can’t imagine programs for the seniors were cut from the state budget. It’s sad that we got blindsided by this, on such short notice the classes were canceled.”
The mayor said School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman and Schools Superintended Alberto M. Carvalho are exploring a long-term solution for funding, while Miami Lakes looks for the money in the town’s budget for next year.
Among the 188 participants in the classes at the Mary Collins Community Center, 15151 Montrose Road, about 60 percent of them are Miami Lakes residents, Rey said.
He said the outside residents are from Hialeah and nearby unincorporated communities.
Lawmakers said it’s unfair that town tax dollars pay for non-residents to take the classes and requested they should pay for the courses themselves.
Rey said as part of the agreement with the School Board, the money used to fund the classes pay for all residents living in Miami-Dade, but Miami Lakes can charge people living in Broward County.
“We can talk to Hialeah and the county and ask them to subsidize their residents,” Rey said.
Rey said the $2,500 covers the instructors’ fees for a certain number of hours per week and miscellaneous costs on a monthly basis.
The Adults with Disabilities program with the Department of Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation was appropriated $750,000 for next year by the Florida Legislature, down from the annual amount of $10 million that was included in Governor Rick Scott’s recommended budget.
The severe cut in funding left the adult community classes throughout the state of Florida in jeopardy.
With far less money, Hialeah Adult Education Center principal Manny Gonzalez told Miami Lakes the classes were canceled starting July 6.
Councilmember Tony Lama said the program seems to be targeted each year for no apparent reason.
“Each year, someone is trying to chip away at the classes little by little by cutting the funding for a program which is important to everyone,” he said. “It’s not only for seniors but adults with disabilities.”
Vice Mayor Manny Cid said, “We want to make sure our seniors are taking care of, especially our disabled population.”