Can Customers of FGUA systems trust US Water

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Can Water and Sewer Customers

on the FGUA Systems

trust Gary Deremer

the President of US Water

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US Water is about to sign a 5 year

Multi Million Dollar day to day

operations contract with FGUA

read below to learn about the practices of

US Waters President Mr. Gary Deremer -----

Exert for Tampa Bay's 10 News Story ------

Acting utility director wins contracts from city

ALENE BURKE:“And he said the city told us to not begin the job. So I said who in the city told you not to do the job? He said Gary Deremer, the Utility Director.”

BURKE:“I said probably on three occasions that I am absolutely shocked to see the Utility Director wearing a U.S. Water shirt. My understanding is that gifts like this should not be accepted by public officials.”It turns out Deremer didn’t receive the shirt as a gift from the company, because he is the President of the U.S. Water.

GARY DEREMER:“I’m working on a story about the fact that you work as Acting Utility Director yet your firm or firms you’ve been associated with have received more than a million dollars in the past five years. Does that present any conflict in your mind? Well Mike, really the person you need to speak is the City Manager. Unless I’m directed by the council or the city manager to address any issues I don’t.”

DEREMER:“You’ve indeed received more than a million dollars or the companies you’ve been associated with as you’ve been consulting Utility Director. Isn’t there an ethical problem with that? Again, I’m going to have to direct you to the City Manager."

BURKE:“I think Gary Deremer should be immediately ejected from his seat of utility director.”The companies Deremer has been associated submitted the lowest or only bid on many projects. However, in several instances there have been cost overruns on the projects and they end up costing taxpayers more than the original bid.

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Gary Deremer -- Florida Ethics Troubles ---

http://www.ethics.state.fl.us/ethics/press_releases/Jan05pres.pdf

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Solving mystery of missing city ethics

Letters to the Editor St Pete Times Published March 31, 2004

Editor: My first trip to a Port Richey City Council meeting on March 23 was one of the most surreal experiences that I have ever had. I simply went to find out why the city's sewer and water lines stopped 125 feet from my property line and why so much mystery revolved around this matter.

There was a mystery man demanding that I pay to extend the city's subpar sewer and water work, a mystery video tape that was ordered by a mystery person that had to be reviewed by some other person not identifiable by the city, mystery measurement when the 125 feet suddenly transformed into 220 feet when a bill was sent to me and mystery management not only in the utility department but also in the city manager's office. I was committed to solving these mysteries and debunking the myths that this city has been perpetuating for some time at significant expense to me.

As I stood at the podium, I glanced to the left and was shocked beyond belief to see city Utility Director Gary Deremer blatantly sporting an embroidered U.S. Water shirt at an official meeting. I was so stunned that I verbalized this dismay out loud.

I privately thought, Could this person work for U.S. Water? What is the connection between the city utility director and this company, the same company that was at my home a few days before with a city employee and the same company that stretched the 125 feet to 220 feet? Incidentally, 220 feet from the manhole goes well beyond the furthest limits of my property line. What is the connection between Deremer and the company that presented me with a bill to pay almost $6,000 to get under the city's street and run sewer and water pipes? The next day, I learned that our utility director is the owner of U.S. Water, a company that for some time has done, and continues to do, a significant amount of work for this city at taxpayer expense.
Article II, section 8 of the Florida Constitution states, "a public office (or position) is a public trust." As stewards of the public trust, all city employees must use the powers and resources of the city, entrusted to them by the public, to further the public interest and not for any personal gain or financial benefit." Furthermore, the city of Port Richey ordinances state that "city employees shall not engage in outside employment or financial transactions of any kind with any person, entity, firm, or corporation doing business with the city when such transactions constitute a conflict of interest" and that they should seek guidance, for their own protection, by submitting the details of questionable situations, in writing, to the city manager before engaging in such questionable activity.

Did Deremer seek this guidance from City Manager Vincent Lupo? What guidance did he give? Is the city's use of the utility director/consultant a lame way to avoid the appearance of impropriety and mislead the public? Job titles mean nothing. Deremer performs the role of the utility director and he signs his name as such.

This reasonable observer believes that there is a conflict of interest and that it should be ended immediately. Additionally, why has Lupo allowed this to exist?

I am concerned. So concerned that I have contacted the Florida Commission on Ethics and I encourage everyone else to do the same if they suspect impropriety and misuse of public office.
I am someone who thought I wanted to live in Port Richey after spending over $200,000 to build a home and now am being harassed and forced to pay for city work.

-- Alene Burke, Lutz