13-002393 Department Of Children And Families vs. Amanda's Childcare And Preschool Inc., D/B/A Amanda's Childcare And Preschool
 Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Tuesday, October 15, 2013.


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Summary: The Department failed to prove that Respondent violated child care licensing standards.

1STATE OF FLORIDA

4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

8DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND

12FAMILI ES ,

14Petitioner ,

15Case No s . 13 - 2377

22vs. 13 - 2393

26AMANDAÓS CHILD CARE AND

30PRESCHOOL INC., d/b/a , AMANDAÓS

34CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL,

38Respondent .

40/

41RECOMMENDED ORDER

43A n administrative hearing was conducted in this case on

53September 4, 2013 , in Deland , Florida, before James H. Peterson,

63III, Administrative Law Judge with the Division of

71Administrative Hearings.

73APPEARANCES

74For Petitioner: Jane Almy - Loewinger , Esquire

81Department of Children

84and Famil ies

87210 North Palmetto Avenue, Suite 447

93Daytona Beach , Florida 32114

97For Respondent: Joseph Corneck, pro se

103AmandaÓs Child care and Preschool

108123 West Rhode Island Avenue

113Orange City, Florida 32763

117STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE

121W hether AmandaÓs Child care and Preschool is subject to a

132civil penalty and licensure action for failing to comply with

142staff - to - student ratios and for having tools on the daycare

155playground, in violation of Florida Administrative Code Rule s

16465C - 22.001(4) and 65C - 22.002(1)(a) , and chapter 402, Florida

175Statutes .

177PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

179Following a routine inspection of AmandaÓ s Child care and

189Preschool (Respondent) conducted on January 28, 2013, the

197Department of Children and Famil ies ( Department ) issued an d

209served an Administrative Complaint upon Respondent by certified

217mail on February 13, 2013, seeking civil penalt ies against

227Respondent . The Administrative Complaint alleged that

234Respondent violated r ule 65C - 22. 001(4) by having only one staff

247person for 21 children when one staff person for every 20

258children is required , and also alleged that Respondent violated

267r ule 65C - 22.002(1)( a) by having lumber and electrical cutting

279tools within reach of children on a playground. The

288Administrative Complaint ad vised Respondent that it had 21 days

298from receipt within which to request a hearing.

306Respondent, through its owner, Joseph Corneck , timely filed

314a written request for a h earing on the Administrative Complaint .

326T he Department referred the case to the Division of

336Administrative Hearings (DOAH) , apparently twice, resulting in

343assignment of two cases with two separate case numbe rs, DOAH

354Case N umber 13 - 2377 and DOAH Case N umber 12 - 2393. Thereafter,

369the two cases were consolidated by an o rder of c onsolidation

381dated July 5, 2013.

385At the administrative hearing in t his matter, the

394Department presented the testimony of Department family services

402counselor Kalyn Yeager and Department family counselor

409supervisor , Jennifer Adams . The Department offered two exhibits

418that were received into evidence as E xhibits P - 1 and P - 2 , with

434the caveat that statements therein could not be relied up on for

446the truth of matter s asserted unless corroborative of competent

456e vidence. (Transcript, p. 76) . Mr. Corneck te stified on behalf

468of Respondent, but did not offer any exhibits. The parties were

479given 10 days from the filing of the transcript within which to

491file proposed recommended orders. A one - volume T ranscript of

502the proceedings was filed on September 13, 2013 . The Department

513timely filed a Proposed Recommended O rder which has been taken

524into consideration in preparing this Recommended Order.

531Respondent did not file a proposed recommended order.

539FINDINGS OF FACT

5421. Respondent is licensed by th e Department to operate a

553facility known as AmandaÓs Child care & Preschool located at 123

564W est Rhode Island Avenue, Orange City, Florida 32763.

5732. Respondent is owned by Joseph Corneck.

5803. During the morning of January 28, 2013, Mr. Corneck was

591working on the construction of a climbing apparatus in a

601playground at RespondentÓs daycare facility .

6074. There were no children playing on th e playground at the

619time of Mr. Corneck Ós construction activities.

6265. Rather, there were 20 kindergarten - aged children inside

636an adjacent classroom while Mr. Corneck was outside working.

6456. Near lunchtime, Ms. Carolyn, a staff member who was

655supervising the classr oom , lined the children up so that they

666could use the two available bathrooms and wash up for lunch.

6777. Because of crowding by the number of children lining up

688for only two bathrooms, Ms. Carolyn asked seven boys in the

699group to line up outside the classroom along the exterior wall

710near the door adjacent to the playground.

7178. Ms. Caroly n asked Mr. Corneck to assist in watching the

729boys while they were in line.

7359. Mr. Corneck left the apparatus that he was working on,

746which was approximately 30 fe et away, and came over to the boys

759to watch over them while they were in the line.

76910. Mr. Corneck left the tools that he was working with ,

780consisting of a hammer and a cordless drill gun , back on a

792platform of the app aratus. The platform where he left the tools

804was approximately four to six feet high. He also left the

815materials he was working with and a ladder near the apparatus.

82611. While Mr. Corneck was watching the boys, Department

835family services counselor Kalyn Yeager stopped by for a routine

845in spection. She noticed the boys outside the classroom and

855apparently concluded that they had access to the tools and

865materials.

86612. Mr. Corneck , however, did not allow the boys to play

877on the playground that day . There is no evidence that the

889children were allowed access to the tools or playground

898apparatus, and there is insufficient evidence to suggest that

907the children otherwise had access to those tools or materials,

917or that they were ever in danger or potential danger because of

929hi s construction act ivities.

93413. After the inspection, Ms. Yea ger had a conversation

944with Mr. Corneck in which he advised that he had shown some of

957the day care students how to use tools. Mr. Corneck , however,

968never told Ms. Yeager that he had given a demonstration to the

980k indergarten - aged children who were present on the day of the

993inspection . Rather, his reference to a tool demonstration was

1003about another occasion or occasion s whe n he had demonstrated the

1015use of tools to some of the older boys in RespondentÓs after -

1028school care.

103014. At the final hearing, Ms. Yeager could not recall the

1041number of children who were there the day of her inspection .

1053The evidence is otherwise inadequate to show that Respondent

1062violated any applicable staff - to - child ratio standards.

107215. In sum, the Department failed to prove the alleged

1082violations set forth in the Administrative Complaint .

1090CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

109316. The Division of Administrative Hearings has

1100jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter of this

1109proceeding. See §§ 120.569 and 120.57(1 ) Fla. Stat . 1/

112017. The Department, as t he party asserting the affirmative

1130in this proceeding, has the burden of proof. See , e.g. , Balino

1141v. DepÓt of Health & Rehab. Svc s . , 348 So. 2d 349 (Fla. 1st DCA

11571977). Because the Department is seeking to prove violations of

1167a statute or rule and impose administrative fines or other

1177penalties , it has the burden to prove the allegations in the

1188complaint by clear and convincing evidence. Dep Ót of B anking &

1200Fin. , Div. of Sec s . & Investor Prot. v. Osborne S tern & Co. ,

1215670 So. 2d 932 (Fla. 1996); Ferris v. Turlington , 510 So. 2d 292

1228(Fla. 1987).

123018. As th e licensing authority for child care facilities,

1240the Department has the authority to investigate and take action

1250to enforce lice nsing standards for child care facilities found

1260in s ections 402.301 th rough 402.319, Florida Statutes, and in

1271rules developed by the Department pursuant the statutory

1279authority set forth in s ection 402.305 .

128719. As a licensed child care f acility, Responden t is

1298subject to rules 65C - 22.001(4) and 65C - 22.002 . 2/

131020. Rule 65C - 22.001(4), under which the staff ratio

1320allegation is based, provides:

1324(4) Ratios.

1326(a) The staff - to - child ratio, as

1335established in Section 402.305(4), F.S., is

1341based on primary responsibility for the

1347direct supervision of children, and applies

1353at all times while children are in care.

1361(b) Mixed Age Groups.

13651. In groups of mixed age ranges, where

1373children under one year of age are included,

1381one staff member shall be responsible f or no

1390more than four children of any age group, at

1399all times.

14012. In groups of mixed age ranges, where

1409children one year of age but under two years

1418of age are included, one staff member shall

1426be responsible for no more than six children

1434of any age group, a t all times.

1442(c) For every 20 children, a facility must

1450have one credentialed staff member pursuant

1456to Section 402.305(3), F.S.

146021. Rule 65C - 22.002(1)(a), cited by the Department in the

1471portion of the Administrative Complaint regarding tools and

1479materi als on the playground, provides:

1485Physical Environment.

1487(1) General Requirements.

1490(a) All facilities must be clean, in good

1498repair, free from health and safety hazards

1505and from vermin infestation.

150922 . As noted in the Findings of Fact, above, the

1520Department did not prove by clear and convincing evidence facts

1530sufficient to show that Respondent violated r ule 65C - 22.001(4)

1541or 65C - 22.002(1)(a) as alleged in the Administrative Complaint.

1551RECOMMENDATION

1552Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and C onclusions of

1563Law, it is

1566RECOMMENDED that the Department of Children and Famil ies

1575enter a Final Order dismissing the Administrative Complaint.

1583DONE AND ENTERED 15th day of October , 20 13 , in Tallahassee,

1594Leon County, Florida.

1597S

1598JAMES H. PETERSON, III

1602Administrative Law Judge

1605Division of Administrative Hearings

1609The DeSoto Building

16121230 Apalachee Parkway

1615Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 3060

1620(850) 488 - 9675

1624Fax Filing (850) 921 - 6847

1630www.doah.state.fl.us

1631Filed with the Clerk of the

1637Division of Administrative Hearings

1641t his 15th day of October, 2013 .

1649ENDNOTE S

16511/ Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the Florida

1660Statutes are to the 2012 version.

16662/ References to the Florida Administrative Code are to the

1676versions in effect on January 28, 201 3 .

1685COPIES FURNISHED :

1688Jane Almy - Loewinger, Esquire

1693Department of Children and Families

1698Suite 430

1700210 North Palmetto Avenue

1704Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

1708Joseph Corneck

1710AmandaÓs Childc are and Preschool

1715123 West Rhode Island Avenue

1720Orange City, Florida 32763

1724Gregory D. Venz, Agency Clerk

1729Department of Children and Families

17341317 Winewood Boulevard

1737Tallahassee, Florida 32399

1740Marion Drew Parker, General Counsel

1745Department of Children an d Families

1751Building 2, Room 204

17551317 Winewood Boulevard

1758Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 0700

1763Esther Jacobo, Interim Secretary

1767Department of Children and Families

1772Building 1, Room 202

17761317 Winewood Boulevard

1779Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 0700

1784NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS

1790All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within

180015 days from the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions

1811to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that

1822will issue the Final Order in this case.

Select the PDF icon to view the document.
PDF
Date
Proceedings
PDF:
Date: 02/14/2014
Proceedings: Agency Final Order filed.
PDF:
Date: 02/13/2014
Proceedings: Agency Final Order
PDF:
Date: 10/22/2013
Proceedings: Department of Children and Families' Exceptions to Recommended Order filed.
PDF:
Date: 10/15/2013
Proceedings: Recommended Order
PDF:
Date: 10/15/2013
Proceedings: Recommended Order (hearing held September 4, 2013). CASE CLOSED.
PDF:
Date: 10/15/2013
Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying the hearing record referred to the Agency.
PDF:
Date: 09/17/2013
Proceedings: Department's Proposed Recommended Order filed.
Date: 09/10/2013
Proceedings: Transcript of Proceedings (not available for viewing) filed.
Date: 09/04/2013
Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held.
PDF:
Date: 08/21/2013
Proceedings: Agency's (Proposed) Exhibit List filed.
PDF:
Date: 08/21/2013
Proceedings: Agency's (Proposed) Exhibit List filed.
PDF:
Date: 08/21/2013
Proceedings: Agency's Witness List filed.
PDF:
Date: 07/08/2013
Proceedings: Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
PDF:
Date: 07/08/2013
Proceedings: Notice of Hearing (hearing set for September 4, 2013; 9:30 a.m.; Deland, FL).
PDF:
Date: 07/05/2013
Proceedings: Order of Consolidation (DOAH Case Nos. 13-2377 and 13-2393).
PDF:
Date: 06/26/2013
Proceedings: Initial Order.
PDF:
Date: 06/25/2013
Proceedings: Administrative Complaint filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/25/2013
Proceedings: Request for Administrative Hearing filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/25/2013
Proceedings: Recommended Order to Transfer Case filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/25/2013
Proceedings: Notice (of Agency referral) filed.

Case Information

Judge:
JAMES H. PETERSON, III
Date Filed:
06/25/2013
Date Assignment:
06/25/2013
Last Docket Entry:
02/14/2014
Location:
Deland, Florida
District:
Northern
Agency:
ADOPTED IN PART OR MODIFIED
 

Counsels

Related Florida Statute(s) (4):