FGUA Board Backs Down and Delays Decision on Lehigh Expansion

FGUA Board Backs Down and Delays Decision on Lehigh Expansion.
Vote Expected at the Board Meeting in Lehigh on Friday, November 4th.
By: Jim Fleming & Robert Anderson

Orlando, Florida:
On Thursday, October 27th, the Board of the Florida Government Utility Authority, (FGUA), the entity that controls the water and sewer system in Lehigh Acres, voted to delay a decision on two important issues affecting the planned expansion of water and sewer service in the community.

After pressure from Robert Anderson, president of Lehigh Acres Watchdog, Inc., the three member Board (with the Lee County representative absent), voted to suspend the meeting and reconvene in Lehigh Acres on November 4, 2005. The rescheduled meeting will be held at the East County Regional Library beginning at 10:00 AM. All residents are strongly urged to attend this meeting which will affect thousands of Lehigh Acres property owners.

Concerned Lehigh Acres citizens who defied a Lee County curfew to attend the meeting in Orlando, also included civic activists, Jim Fleming and Bill and Bonnie Bracken. "We have to keep chasing this FGUA Board all over Florida to make sure they don't impose five figure assessments on our Lehigh Acres neighbors without us being involved or knowing about it," Fleming said.

Anderson scolded the Board for canceling the previous meeting in Lehigh. Anderson reminded the board that "Decisions that could have such a great impact on Lehigh need to made right there in our community so more residents can speak and have their voices heard." Anderson added that Hurricane Wilma made it even more difficult for residents of Lehigh to attend the Orlando meeting, "Jim Fleming, Mr. and Mrs Bracken and I will be breaking curfew by driving back tonight."

Noticeably absent at the Board meeting was newly appointed member, Jim Lavendar, the Lee County Public Works director. He is expected to be in attendance at the Lehigh Acres meeting on November 4th.

Items affecting Lehigh Acres that were approved at the Board meeting included:

* The acceptance of Lee County as a fourth member of the FGUA Board, and the ratification of the interlocal agreement, which had already been signed by Lee County. This agreement allows Lee County to purchase the Lehigh system in the future.

* The replacement of a force main on Joel Boulevard.

* The expansion at of the well field at the Mirror Lakes Water Treatment Plant

* A contract extension with Severn Trent until February 1st 2006 to ease the transition to newly approved subcontractor, US Water/Wade Trim.

At the delayed Lehigh meeting on November 4th, the FGUA Board is expected to vote on:

* A $25 million bond issue to help pay some of the cost of the planned $56.3 million Phase One expansion plan of the Lehigh system.

* All bonding resolutions affecting FGUA's operations and expansion plans in Lehigh Acres and Golden Gate.

* All operations contracts with US Water/Wade Trim, despite what Anderson has repeatedly called inherent "conflicts of interests with FGUA's system managers.

At the urging of concerned citizens in Lehigh and other communities served by FGUA, the board is also looking into alternative financing methods including using lines of credit instead of bonds to fund their expansion plans.

Jim Fleming has asked FGUA to delay incurring any further debt that the Lehigh Acres taxpayers would have to inherit if the county buys what he calls, "The dilapidated and over capacity Lehigh system." At a previous FGUA board meeting Fleming reminded the members that the Lehigh sewerage treatment plant was so far over capacity that it was caught dumping millions of gallons of treated effluent into the Able Canal.

"Why are you continuing to issue letters of capacity to residential developers in Lehigh Acres, when you know that you can't possibly service them at current levels?" Fleming questioned.