County rips into utility
County rips into utility
By Terry Witt
Citrus County commissioners on Tuesday launched a withering verbal assault on a government utility, questioning why the board was not kept better informed of its efforts to tax Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs residents for water line extensions.
Although Florida Governmental Utility Authority officials were profusely apologetic, commissioners said they no longer trusted what the officials were saying, nor did they feel the FGUA had met its obligation to allow a local utility regulatory board to review the FGUA's proposed property assessments to determine if they were justified.
The Citrus County Water and Wastewater Board has insisted for months that it has authority to review the property assessments, but FGUA has resisted, saying the assessments do not fall under the board's regulatory powers.
Commissioner Gary Bartell admonished FGUA officials for their actions, calling the assessments a "huge mistake." He said FGUA's actions "has tarnished the relationship between FGUA and the county for a long time."
"I'm going to say you all failed miserably," Bartell said.
Commission Chairwoman Vicki Phillips said she had never been more angry as an elected official than she was the previous day when FGUA officials admitted in a pre-meeting briefing at the courthouse that they had made mistakes, but had not admitted them until now.
Commissioners instructed staff to tell FGUA that the water and wastewater board has the authority to review any charges or rate increases imposed by the utility, including the proposed assessments, and they instructed staff to investigate the possibility of the county purchasing FGUA's 11 utilities in Citrus County.
Under the interlocal agreement with FGUA, the county can buy the utilities at any time. FGUA's director of operations, Charles Sweat, said FGUA would work with the county if that is what it wants to do.
Early in the meeting, FGUA announced that Pine Ridge had been dropped from the assessment program. FGUA officials said they had worked out a way to eliminate the small number of affected property owners from the program. They will not be hit with the assessments.
Commissioners also reassigned the water and wastewater authority's executive director, Robert Knight, to work under the county attorney's office. The action was intended to remove Knight from under the supervisory control of County Administrator Richard Wesch. They want Knight to be completely independent when he reviews FGUA's rates and charges.
Wesch is one of three directors who operates FGUA and commissioners said he has a conflict as Knight's supervisor.
By Terry Witt
Citrus County commissioners on Tuesday launched a withering verbal assault on a government utility, questioning why the board was not kept better informed of its efforts to tax Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs residents for water line extensions.
Although Florida Governmental Utility Authority officials were profusely apologetic, commissioners said they no longer trusted what the officials were saying, nor did they feel the FGUA had met its obligation to allow a local utility regulatory board to review the FGUA's proposed property assessments to determine if they were justified.
The Citrus County Water and Wastewater Board has insisted for months that it has authority to review the property assessments, but FGUA has resisted, saying the assessments do not fall under the board's regulatory powers.
Commissioner Gary Bartell admonished FGUA officials for their actions, calling the assessments a "huge mistake." He said FGUA's actions "has tarnished the relationship between FGUA and the county for a long time."
"I'm going to say you all failed miserably," Bartell said.
Commission Chairwoman Vicki Phillips said she had never been more angry as an elected official than she was the previous day when FGUA officials admitted in a pre-meeting briefing at the courthouse that they had made mistakes, but had not admitted them until now.
Commissioners instructed staff to tell FGUA that the water and wastewater board has the authority to review any charges or rate increases imposed by the utility, including the proposed assessments, and they instructed staff to investigate the possibility of the county purchasing FGUA's 11 utilities in Citrus County.
Under the interlocal agreement with FGUA, the county can buy the utilities at any time. FGUA's director of operations, Charles Sweat, said FGUA would work with the county if that is what it wants to do.
Early in the meeting, FGUA announced that Pine Ridge had been dropped from the assessment program. FGUA officials said they had worked out a way to eliminate the small number of affected property owners from the program. They will not be hit with the assessments.
Commissioners also reassigned the water and wastewater authority's executive director, Robert Knight, to work under the county attorney's office. The action was intended to remove Knight from under the supervisory control of County Administrator Richard Wesch. They want Knight to be completely independent when he reviews FGUA's rates and charges.
Wesch is one of three directors who operates FGUA and commissioners said he has a conflict as Knight's supervisor.
posted by Editor Facts & Myths @ 2:44 PM
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