County to meet in February to talk about FGUA purchase (Citrus County)
By Terry Witt
Citrus County commissioners moved a cautious step closer Tuesday to deciding whether they want to purchase the water and sewer utilities owned by the Florida Government Utility Authority.
The board voted unanimously to postpone discussion of the purchase until a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Feb. 7 in the board’s chambers.
Much is at stake.
Some of Citrus County’s largest communities — Pine Ridge, Sugarmill Woods and Citrus Springs — are served by FGUA multi-million system. FGUA purchased the systems in November 2003 and agreed to warehouse and operate the utilities until the county was ready buy them.
The timetable to purchase the utilities was moved forward when complaints surfaced about FGUA’s lack of accountability to customers and its early claims that neither the county nor the state had the right to regulate its rates. Under county commission pressure, FGUA relented and said the county could review its rates.
The county then hired the law firm of Rose, Sundstrom & Bentley to study FGUA and advise commissioners on whether it would be in the best interests of FGUA’s customers if the county owned its 11 water and five sewer systems in Citrus County.
However, the law firm’s $75,000 contract doesn’t require it to perform on-site inspections of the water and sewer systems to determine the physical condition of the systems. The contract also does not require the firm to determine whether FGUA has made all the improvements it claims it made during the past two years.
That became an issue at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“We just have to be sure we didn’t buy a pig in the poke, and we won’t know until we look at all these lines and all these lift stations,” said Commissioner Jim Fowler.
The issue was not resolved. Commissioners will get an update from staff at their Jan. 24 meeting that may help them decide whether an independent engineering study is warranted to gauge the condition of the utilities.
Independent of the consultant’s work, Assistant County Administrator Tom Dick said county staff would take a brief look at the condition of systems. He said county staff also is evaluating the improvements FGUA made to the system and doing a comparison of how much it would cost the county to operate and maintain the systems verses hiring Severn Trent, the current operator, to continue in its current role.
In other business:
* Commission Chairman Gary Bartell, on behalf of the board, presented certificates of recognition to Eagle Scouts Sean Hamilton, Greg Wheeler and Kristopher Guthridge for attaining the highest rank in scouting.
* The board adopted a proclamation declaring January as Volunteer Blood Donor Month.
* Commissioners also approved an exchange of land with Christ Way Fellowship Church of God Inc. for the future widening of Independence Avenue.
Citrus County commissioners moved a cautious step closer Tuesday to deciding whether they want to purchase the water and sewer utilities owned by the Florida Government Utility Authority.
The board voted unanimously to postpone discussion of the purchase until a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Feb. 7 in the board’s chambers.
Much is at stake.
Some of Citrus County’s largest communities — Pine Ridge, Sugarmill Woods and Citrus Springs — are served by FGUA multi-million system. FGUA purchased the systems in November 2003 and agreed to warehouse and operate the utilities until the county was ready buy them.
The timetable to purchase the utilities was moved forward when complaints surfaced about FGUA’s lack of accountability to customers and its early claims that neither the county nor the state had the right to regulate its rates. Under county commission pressure, FGUA relented and said the county could review its rates.
The county then hired the law firm of Rose, Sundstrom & Bentley to study FGUA and advise commissioners on whether it would be in the best interests of FGUA’s customers if the county owned its 11 water and five sewer systems in Citrus County.
However, the law firm’s $75,000 contract doesn’t require it to perform on-site inspections of the water and sewer systems to determine the physical condition of the systems. The contract also does not require the firm to determine whether FGUA has made all the improvements it claims it made during the past two years.
That became an issue at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“We just have to be sure we didn’t buy a pig in the poke, and we won’t know until we look at all these lines and all these lift stations,” said Commissioner Jim Fowler.
The issue was not resolved. Commissioners will get an update from staff at their Jan. 24 meeting that may help them decide whether an independent engineering study is warranted to gauge the condition of the utilities.
Independent of the consultant’s work, Assistant County Administrator Tom Dick said county staff would take a brief look at the condition of systems. He said county staff also is evaluating the improvements FGUA made to the system and doing a comparison of how much it would cost the county to operate and maintain the systems verses hiring Severn Trent, the current operator, to continue in its current role.
In other business:
* Commission Chairman Gary Bartell, on behalf of the board, presented certificates of recognition to Eagle Scouts Sean Hamilton, Greg Wheeler and Kristopher Guthridge for attaining the highest rank in scouting.
* The board adopted a proclamation declaring January as Volunteer Blood Donor Month.
* Commissioners also approved an exchange of land with Christ Way Fellowship Church of God Inc. for the future widening of Independence Avenue.
posted by Editor Facts & Myths @ 3:42 PM
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