New water line fees on the agenda
New water line fees on the agenda; [STATE Edition]
CATHERINE E. SHOICHET. St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Jul 31, 2005. pg. 3
Abstract (Document Summary)
The FGUA has proposed a line extension fee of $2,082 for residents in Citrus Springs who requested service after June 24. Those owners also can elect to pay the fee as a $268.93 annual tax for 30 years.
The FGUA also has proposed a line maintenance fee for some vacant lot owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
On Friday afternoon, attorneys representing property owners in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs filed a written request with the Water and Wastewater Authority asking it to postpone its review in order to give customers and county officials time to thoroughly pore over the FGUA's complicated proposal.
Full Text (618 words)
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jul 31, 2005
Notices of new water line fees in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge drew harsh criticism from residents and officials earlier this month.
On Monday, a county regulatory board will meet to review the proposed fees.
The five-member Water and Wastewater Authority will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 166 of the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W Sovereign Path.
In the public meeting, the board will consider:
whether line construction proposed by the Florida Governmental Utility Authority is appropriate
whether the estimated costs for the proposed line extensions are supported by sufficient evidence
whether the proposed fees are fair and reasonable
which lots, if any, in Citrus Springs should be assessed for line extensions
which lots, if any, in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs should be assessed for line maintenance fees
Earlier this month, the Florida Governmental Utility Authority presented new line extension and maintenance fees for property owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
The FGUA has proposed a line extension fee of $2,082 for residents in Citrus Springs who requested service after June 24. Those owners also can elect to pay the fee as a $268.93 annual tax for 30 years.
FGUA officials say that money will pay for the construction of about 36.5 miles of water distribution pipes and "make growth pay for itself."
Under the original proposal, Pine Ridge residents would have paid a $6,571 fee, but that was dropped after the FGUA learned from a developer that more than 100 lots didn't need a proposed pipeline.
The FGUA also has proposed a line maintenance fee for some vacant lot owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
The FGUA is an independent government entity that enables some Florida counties, including Citrus, to team resources and provide water and wastewater to residents.
The authority was created in 1999. It acquired the Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge water systems in 2003, pledging to keep water rates stable for five years.
Critics have said the new fees might violate that promise. And the County Commission has asked county staff to look into a buyout of Citrus utilities now under FGUA.
Robert Sheets, systems manager for the FGUA, said the new line construction and fees are fair - and necessary.
"Growth is happening now. It's not happening tomorrow," he said. "So we have to come up with a long-term, permanent solution to deal with it now."
Sheets said he was looking forward to presenting the FGUA's plans at Monday's meeting.
"We'll make sure that the public has plenty of input and just work through the issues one by one," said Michael Smallridge, chairman of the Water and Wastewater Authority.
On Friday afternoon, attorneys representing property owners in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs filed a written request with the Water and Wastewater Authority asking it to postpone its review in order to give customers and county officials time to thoroughly pore over the FGUA's complicated proposal.
"It's not fair to have a $10-million hearing with 10 days notice and no time to prepare," said Tallahassee attorney Mike Twomey, a lawyer who represents the Pine Ridge Property Owners Association.
The Water and Wastewater Authority will consider the postponement request at Monday's meeting.
The board could also meet again at 8:30 Tuesday and Wednesday mornings if additional time to discuss the issue is needed.
The FGUA initially was scheduled to vote on the new fees at a July 15 board meeting. But they postponed that vote after residents and officials criticized the plan at several public meetings.
FGUA's three-member board has scheduled a public hearing and vote on the proposed fees for its next board meeting at 10 a.m. Aug. 19.
CATHERINE E. SHOICHET. St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Jul 31, 2005. pg. 3
Abstract (Document Summary)
The FGUA has proposed a line extension fee of $2,082 for residents in Citrus Springs who requested service after June 24. Those owners also can elect to pay the fee as a $268.93 annual tax for 30 years.
The FGUA also has proposed a line maintenance fee for some vacant lot owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
On Friday afternoon, attorneys representing property owners in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs filed a written request with the Water and Wastewater Authority asking it to postpone its review in order to give customers and county officials time to thoroughly pore over the FGUA's complicated proposal.
Full Text (618 words)
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jul 31, 2005
Notices of new water line fees in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge drew harsh criticism from residents and officials earlier this month.
On Monday, a county regulatory board will meet to review the proposed fees.
The five-member Water and Wastewater Authority will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 166 of the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W Sovereign Path.
In the public meeting, the board will consider:
whether line construction proposed by the Florida Governmental Utility Authority is appropriate
whether the estimated costs for the proposed line extensions are supported by sufficient evidence
whether the proposed fees are fair and reasonable
which lots, if any, in Citrus Springs should be assessed for line extensions
which lots, if any, in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs should be assessed for line maintenance fees
Earlier this month, the Florida Governmental Utility Authority presented new line extension and maintenance fees for property owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
The FGUA has proposed a line extension fee of $2,082 for residents in Citrus Springs who requested service after June 24. Those owners also can elect to pay the fee as a $268.93 annual tax for 30 years.
FGUA officials say that money will pay for the construction of about 36.5 miles of water distribution pipes and "make growth pay for itself."
Under the original proposal, Pine Ridge residents would have paid a $6,571 fee, but that was dropped after the FGUA learned from a developer that more than 100 lots didn't need a proposed pipeline.
The FGUA also has proposed a line maintenance fee for some vacant lot owners in Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge.
The FGUA is an independent government entity that enables some Florida counties, including Citrus, to team resources and provide water and wastewater to residents.
The authority was created in 1999. It acquired the Citrus Springs and Pine Ridge water systems in 2003, pledging to keep water rates stable for five years.
Critics have said the new fees might violate that promise. And the County Commission has asked county staff to look into a buyout of Citrus utilities now under FGUA.
Robert Sheets, systems manager for the FGUA, said the new line construction and fees are fair - and necessary.
"Growth is happening now. It's not happening tomorrow," he said. "So we have to come up with a long-term, permanent solution to deal with it now."
Sheets said he was looking forward to presenting the FGUA's plans at Monday's meeting.
"We'll make sure that the public has plenty of input and just work through the issues one by one," said Michael Smallridge, chairman of the Water and Wastewater Authority.
On Friday afternoon, attorneys representing property owners in Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs filed a written request with the Water and Wastewater Authority asking it to postpone its review in order to give customers and county officials time to thoroughly pore over the FGUA's complicated proposal.
"It's not fair to have a $10-million hearing with 10 days notice and no time to prepare," said Tallahassee attorney Mike Twomey, a lawyer who represents the Pine Ridge Property Owners Association.
The Water and Wastewater Authority will consider the postponement request at Monday's meeting.
The board could also meet again at 8:30 Tuesday and Wednesday mornings if additional time to discuss the issue is needed.
The FGUA initially was scheduled to vote on the new fees at a July 15 board meeting. But they postponed that vote after residents and officials criticized the plan at several public meetings.
FGUA's three-member board has scheduled a public hearing and vote on the proposed fees for its next board meeting at 10 a.m. Aug. 19.
posted by Editor Facts & Myths @ 9:33 AM
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