[9. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS Any person who wishes to comment on an agenda item which is not under Public Hearings on the Agenda may be heard at this time and must sign up to speak in advance. Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes or less, as directed by the Mayor, as this section of the Agenda is limited to thirty minutes. The City Commission will not be able to take any official actions under Comments from the Public. Speakers will address the Mayor, Commissioners, and the Public with respect. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.]

>> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS.

>> YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES MISS COX WILL GIVE YOU A -- MISS COX WILL GIVE YOU ALY SECOND WARNING.

>> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU APPROACH THE MICROPHONE. FIRST SPEAKER IS EVA ARNEZ.

I THINK I PRONOUNCED THAT WRONG IT'S AVA.

SORRY. I SHOW KNOW BETTER.

>> MY NAME IS AVA. WHILE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. MAINLY MY WHAT I WANTED TO COMMENT I ALREADY MENTIONED IN THE MEETINGS.

WE ALREADY OFFER SEVERAL OPTIONS TO THE CITY IN OUR PROPOSAL WE INCLUDED THE FULL PACKET AND WE SIGNED CONSTRUCTION FINALS WITH THE PLANT FOR THE CITY.

BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE TO ONLY HAVE PART -- NOT THE COMPLETE PACKAGE. MAYBE IN THE FINALS.

WE CANNOT FINISH CONSTRUCTION [INAUDIBLE] WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE IT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAYS TO THE CITY FOLLOWING ANOTHER PLAN THAT HAS BEEN

[00:25:05]

PRESENTED. PART OF THE TEAM THEY ARE ACCEPTING US. WITH THE FLEXIBLE FINANCE WE WILL CONSIDER THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE RATES WHICH I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S HOW I THINK WE CAN RECENTLY I EVEN SAW IN ESTIMATES THAT I WOULD LOVE IF WE I WOULD LOVE TO SIT WITH THE STAFF AND WORK THROUGH THE NUMBERS AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET TO MORE FINE-TUNING NUMBERS FOR THE CITY.

THAT'S ALL. WE ARE HERE TO HELP.

HOPEFULLY WITH ALL THE INFORMATION HAS GIVEN THE POSITION AND I'M SURE THIS DECISION WILL BE BEST FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ME HERE AND LETTING ME SPEAK.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> CHARLES WILSON. >> GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS CHARLES WILSON POST OFFICE BOX 651154 VERO BEACH, FLORIDA. WE ARE A REGISTERED NONPROFIT CORPORATION CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF OUR WATERWAYS IN AND AROUND THE FORT PIERCE INLET. I DO NOT REPRESENT FPUA OR ANY DEVELOPER. WE HAVE MET WITH ALL THE PLAYERS AND REQUESTED INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE IF IT IS NECESSARY TO PLACE THIS ISSUE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR A REFERENDUM OF THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE TO STOP THE DELAY ON MOVING THE WASTE WATER PLANT. TONIGHT'S AGENDA GIVES COMMISSIONERS ANOTHER CHANCE TO HEAR ONE SIDE OF THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

THE STAFF HAS INDICATED THAT IT HAS ENOUGH VOTES ON THE COMMISSION TO PASS THE ISSUE SO THEY DON'T REALLY NEED TO TALK TO ANYBODY ELSE. IT IS NOT MY JOB NOR AM I QUALIFY TO MAKE A DECISION OF WHO TO MOVE THE PLANT JUST THAT IT SHOULD BE MOVED. THE FACILITY SHOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE NEAR OUR PRECIOUS INLET WATERWAYS.

IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE THREE CHOWS.

TO VOTE YES ON THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE AND ACCEPT THE STAFF LAND. TWO, TO VOTE NO ON THE RATE INCREASE AND PROCEED TO CONSIDER A VERSION OF THE EQUALITY. THREE, RETURN TO INACTION AND DO NOTHING. IF YOU CHOOSE NUMBER THREE, AND RETURN TO DO NOTHING THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO GET ON THE REFERENDUM. ONE IS BY A VOTE OF THIS COMMISSION ONE IS BY SIGNATURE.

BOTH OF WHICH WILL THEN GO TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR DECISION. A WORD OF CAUTION.

A GREAT DEAL OF SPECULATION, INACCURATE INFORMATION AND MORE THAN A LITTLE BIT OF LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO GOVERNING BOARDS AS FACT.

BUT IN THE END, IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED, NEED NOT CONSIDER ANY OTHER SOURCE, IF YOU FEEL THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN COMPLETELY INFORMED, IF YOU FEEL THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT, AND IS PRESENTING WHAT IS BEST FOR RATEPAYERS, THEN FINE MOVE ON VOTE YES.

IF NOT, WE STILL HAVE TWO WEEKS TO MAKE IT BETTER BEFORE A FINAL VOTE ON MAY 16TH.

CHANGING THE PROCESS MAY TAKE MORE TIME AND PERHAPS A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY. PERHAPS IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY UGLY.

BUT THE DECISION ON THE PLANT IS NOBODY DISAGREES WITH. THAT FACILITY MUST BE MOVED.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> SHARON SIMONINGTON.

IS THERE A SHARON SIMONINGTON.

YOU CERTAINLY CAN. ALL RIGHTY.

[a. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority update on the Wastewater Reclamation Facility Relocation]

THAT'S IT. >> SO, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY UPDATE ON THE WASTE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY

RELOCATION. >> WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU MS. COX, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH THE CITY COMMISSION TODAY.

TODAY I'M HERE WITH THE FPUA TEAM.

I HAVE BARBARA MICAH OUR DIRECTOR OF AND MR. DANIEL RUTHERFORD, MR. BO HUTCHINSON, AND TENET OUR SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER. WE FIRST WE HAVE GLOBAL TECH. WE ALSO HAVE HASKELL

[00:30:02]

PRESENTED BY JOE CANTOR AND TERRY WILLIAMS WE ALSO HAVE HAZEN PRESENTED BY JOE FRANCO AND SHARON SAMINGTON WHO IS OUR GRANT PROGRAM LEAD FOR THIS PROJECT SO SHE PLAYS A PRETTY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE RELOCATION ROLE OF THE WASTE WATER PLANT. ALSO I NOTICED STAFF WAS HERE TODAY SO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL.

TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE AND CONNIFIES -- CONCISE PRESENTATION FOR THE NEW MAINLAND WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT TO REPLACE THE CURRENT ISLAND WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO JUNE OF 2021.

A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO THE BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION DIRECTED STAFF TO MOVE THE PLANT WITH SPEED BEING THE TOP PRIORITY. TO DATE WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MAJOR MILESTONES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.

FIRST IS COMPLETION OF THE 30% DESIGN FOR THE NEW PLANT. MAN CLEARING OF THE SITE, SOIL BORINGS AND MUCH MORE. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH BIWEEKLY AND OFTEN WEEKLY PROGRESS MEETINGS AT THE END OF EVERY WEEK MEETING MR. HUTCHINSON WOULD WRAP UP WITH A SELECTION OF THE TREATMENT PROCESS OR OPERATIONAL PROCESS BUT ALWAYS LEFT THE MEETING WITH A SOLUTION AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

WE ARE MOVING TO THE NEXT PHASE AND FPUA HAS A WORKABLE CONTRACT TO ACCOMPLISH 60% DESIGN PLANS AND BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN EARLY OF 2023.

THIS PRESENTATION IS INFORMATION ITEM ONLY.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE YOU AND YOUR RATEPAYERS WITH THE LATEST UPDATE WITH THE STATUS OF THIS HISTORIC PROJECT. I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. HUTCHINSON AND RACHEL TENET.

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FPUA BOARD IS HERE TOO IN THE AUDIENCE.

MR. HUTCHINSON. >> OKAY.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YOU ARE RACHEL TENET. >> FOR THE RECORD.

>> I AM THE FPUA SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM MANAGER WORKING WITH THE TEAM HERE TO GET THIS WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT OFF THE ISLAND.

SO AS MR. CYSTIC FIBROSIS SAID WE ARE HERE TO TO PROVIDE A OVERVIEW OF THE LOCATION PAST AND PRESENT WITH A LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

THIS IS THE LARGEST PROJECT IN FPUA'S 50-YEAR HISTORY AND WE ARE PROUD AND GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ORIENT OURSELVES IN TODAY'S GROWTH AND MOMENTUM.

TODAY ST. LUCIE COUNTY IS THE FIFTH FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN FLORIDA. SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR FPUA IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SYSTEM EXPANSION TO GROW THE CITY, THINGS LIKE ANNEXATION, FPUA UTILITY EXPANSIONS, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES LIKE AMI TECHNOLOGIES WHICH ARE COMMON PRACTICES IN UTILITIES AND SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING TO BRING TO OUR UTILITIES TODAY AS WELL AND JUST LOOKING AT FIBER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNET AS A PUBLIC UTILITY AND NOT AS A PRIVATE COMMODITY. LOOKING AT BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND BRINGING INTERNET ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A WASTE WATER PLANT THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED OFF OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON. IT NEEDS TO BE MOVED OFF FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES. A WATERFRONT UTILITY LIKE OURS RISKS FLOOD FROM SEA LEVEL RISE AND NATURAL DISASTERS. WE'RE ALSO HEARING MORE REGULATORY PRESSURE FROM AGENCIES LIKE THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

THEY PUT OUR WASTE WATER PLANT ON A LIST OF 10 PLANTS THAT NEED TO BE UPGRADED WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. IN OUR CASE, THAT IS A MINIMUM OF $16 MILLION PROJECT JUST TO UPGRADE.

THEY'VE ALSO ASKED US FOR A PLAN TO RELOCATE OUR PLANT, WHICH COULD BE A PREDECESSOR TO MANDATING THAT WE MOVE OUR PLANT OFF OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

AND THERE IS ALSO GENERALLY RENEWED INTEREST IN THE WATERFRONT PROPERTY FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL FOCUS ON THE W.R.F.. WE'LL START WITH A HISTORY OF THE W.R.F. RELOCATION PROCESS AND THE INVESTMENT SO FAR AND THEN GET AN UPDATE FROM SINCE THE 2021 RECOMMITMENT FROM THE FPUA BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION CHARGING STAFF WITH MOVING THE WASTE WATER PLANT. FROM, THERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OUR RESEARCH WITH YOU. THROUGH A CITY OF COMPARISON SLIDES WILL HUTCHINSON WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS WE CONSIDERED FOR MOVING THE PLANT. INCLUDING COST MODELS, TREATMENT DESIGNS, TIMELINE ALTERNATIVES, AND SOME OF THE INTANGIBLES THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR A LOCAL

[00:35:01]

GROWING COMMUNITY LIKE OURS. AFTER THAT, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE PROVIDE A BRIEF AND HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW TIMELINE OF THE BRG OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH -- OF THE BREADTH OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE WATERWAY THAT MAY BE FP, A WAS NOT COMMUNICATEIVE MAYBE WE CLOSED THE DOOR TO POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS WE JUST WANT EVERYONE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE WAYS WE HAVE COMMUNICATED SO FAR AND THE WAYS THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH BOTH OF THESE ENTITIES.

WE CONCLUDE WITH -- TIMELINE ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT COMES UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MOVING THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS WHETHER WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND PREPARING FOR IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT EARLY HISTORY IN 2004, HISTORIC GROWTH LED US TO NEED TO MOVE THE WRF OFF OF THE ISLAND.

IN 2006 WE HAD A WASTE WATER PLANT DESIGN COMPLETED BUT CITY GROWTH HALTED AND IN 2008, A RECESSION RESULTED IN US TABLING THIS PLAN. INTEREST RATES WERE AT 6% AT THAT POINT IN DECEMBER, 2008.

IN 2014, THERE AN FPUA RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR MOVE THE WRF AGAIN.

BUT IN 2016, THE PERCEIVED HIGH COST AND POOR RATE STRATEGY RESULTED US IN TABLING THE PLAN AGAIN.

IN 2017, STAFF BEGAN DEVELOPING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY FOR A POSSIBLE REGIONAL PLANT WHICH WE THOUGHT MIGHT HELP CURB SOME OF THE COSTS. BUT IN 2020, THERE ARE HISTORIC LOW INTEREST RATES, AND 2021 FPUA'S BOND DEBT MATURES WHICH ALLOWS FOR EVEN NEW LOW BOND -- LOW INTEREST BOND ISSUANCE THIS IN 2021 THE JOINT MEETING CHARGED STAFF WITH THE WRF RELOCATION AGAIN.

LEADING US HERE. THE RED ASTERISK THAT YOU SEE AT 2008 AND 2016 WHERE WE TABLED THE PLAN ARE JUST TO NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH WE DID TABLE THE PLAN STAFF KEPT MOVING FORWARD WITH AN EYE TOWARD MOVING THE WRF OFF OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON TO THE SITE WHERE WE'RE PLANNING TO MOVE IT NOW. TOWARD THAT END CONTINUED TO INVEST IN THAT NEW LOCATION BY PUTTING IN BIDIRECTIONAL PIPES. SO WE'VE BEEN INVESTING IN THIS THROUGHOUT. NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS MOVE FOR A LONG TIME BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN INVESTING IN IT. WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE INVESTED $26.3 MILLION IN RELOCATING THE PLANT SO FAR.

WHICH INCLUDES THE 30% PLANT DESIGN THAT COVERS MAJOR TREATMENT ELEMENTS, THE SITE LAYOUT AND THE CORE AND DETAILS OF HOW OUR NEW PLANT WILL WORK.

THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE INVESTMENT IN THE BIDIRECTIONAL PIPES THAT WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING OVER TIME. THIS LEADS US TO THE JUAN, 2021 UPDATE. -- TO THE JUNE, 2021 UPDATE.

AT THIS MEETING AS MR. CISNEROS MENTIONED THE FPUA BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION REMITTED TO MOVING THE PLANT WITH A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON SPEED.

SPEED BEING A PRIMARY PRIORITY FOR US TO MOVE THE PLANT OFF OF THE ISLAND AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY COULD, PREFERABLY BECAUSE OF HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. OF COURSE, ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE COST AND RELIABILITY.

THE NEXT SLIDE WILL HUTCHINSON WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW AND COMPARISON OF THE DIFFERENT COSTS, TREATMENTS, TIMELINE AND INTANGIBLES OPTIONS THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED FOR RELOCATING THE PLANT SO FAR.

>> GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

VERY NICE TO HAVE US HERE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS I HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT RELOCATING THAT PLANT THAT DID NOT START WITH HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST, AND DID NOT END WITH HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

I BELIEVE TODAY'S DISCUSSION WILL PROBABLY NOT BE MUCH DIFFERENT. STARTING WITH THE VERY FIRST OPTION THAT STAFF LOOKED AT WAS PRIVATE LOANS.

PRIVATE LOANS AS WE ALL KNOW ARE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PUBLIC LOANS. HOWEVER, AT THE TIME, MID-SUMMER OF LAST YEAR, THE INTEREST RATES WERE LOWER THAN WHAT THEY'RE SHOWING HERE.

THEY HAVE BEEN GOING UP RAPIDLY AS WE ALL KNOW.

THIS MODEL IS BASED ON THE MOST ACCURATE PERCENTAGE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE DIFFERENT MODELS.

AS WELL AS JUST THE INCREASED COST FOR THE PRIVATE LENDING THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER ISSUES WITH THAT. NUMBER ONE, WAS, OUR BOND RATINGS FOR FUTURE BONDS WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THAT.

WHEN YOU HAVE PRIVATE LOANS AND ALSO HAVE PUBLIC LOANS

[00:40:03]

THE PRIVATE LOANS TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THE PUBLIC LOANS AND THEN THAT LEADS YOU INTO HIGHER INTEREST RATES BECAUSE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE RISK ON THE PUBLIC SIDE AS WELL. WE HAD ALSO LOOKED AT POTENTIALLY DEFERRING INTEREST THE AND THE PAYMENTS ON THOSE LOANS IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT TO GIVE US, YOU KNOW A COUPLE YEARS TO BUILD THE PLANT WITHOUT MAKING ANY PAYMENTS ON IT OR ANY RATE INCREASES OR RESTRUCTURING AT THAT TIME AND THAT WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO RAMP THE RATES UP SLOWLY.

DURING THAT TIME THERE'S ACTUALLY MR. CISNEROS WAS LOOKING AT OUR BONDS THAT WE ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO REFINANCE AND THE OTHER EXPANSIONS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND SAID HEY, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT JUST BONDING ALL THE MONEY. SO WE WERE OFF AND RUNNING.

WE MENTIONED THAT TO OUR BOND COUNCIL WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA AS WELL. WHO SAID YEAH, ABSOLUTELY THIS WILL BE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK HERE.

SO WE MOVED ON TO THAT OPTION.

THAT MIDDLE OPTION IN THE COLUMN.

NOW WE WERE STILL LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFERRING THE PAYMENTS AND INTEREST OUT A COUPLE YEARS, AGAIN TO ALLOW TO US RAMP THE RATES UP SLOWLY.

HOWEVER, YOU CAN SEE EVEN WITH THAT OPTION IT ADDS AN EXTRA $25 MILLION TO THE OVERALL COST OF THE PROJECT.

SO THAT'S EFFECTIVELY PUTTING MORE OF THAT FUNDING ON THE NEXT GENERATIONS. SO OUR CURRENT PATH IS TO IS TO BOND THE MONEY ALL UP FRONT AND DO THE RATE RESTRUCTURING UP FRONT TO KEEP THE RATES AS LOW AS THEY CAN DURING THE DURATION OF THE 30 YEAR LOW.

IT WILL NOT AFFECT OUR FUTURE BOND RATING AND FUTURE BORROWING CAPABILITY AND OF COURSE IT GIVES US THE LOWEST COST FOR THE PROJECT.

NOW I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ALTOGETHER THE FUNDING HAVING TO DO WITH THE FINANCING BUT IN A PARALLEL PATH WE ARE ALSO SEEKING GRANTS ACTIVELY. THERE ARE FEW THAT WE HAVE NARROWED IN ON THAT WE'LL HIT REALLY HARD.

NUMBER ONE THE RESILIENT FLORIDA GRANT FUND.

THAT IS UP TO $500 MILLION THIS YEAR FROM $100 MILLION LAST YEAR. THAT'S FANTASTIC THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THERE.

AND ALSO APPROPRIATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL GEL DATES AS WELL.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF -- LOCAL DELEGATIONS AS WELL.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST THERE.

ALSO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITH SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. SO, OUR DESIGN TEAM LOOKED AT TELEPHONE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR -- AT 10 DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE CORE TECHNOLOGY OF THE PLANT. WE WERE THEN ABLE TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE WHICH SPLIT INTO FOUR.

STAFF HAS SELECTED THE PROCESS WHICH IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT THEY HAD SELECTED FOR GOOD REASON.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART THE UP FRONT CAPITAL COSTS ARE THE LEAST BUT MORE IMPORTANT IN MY MIND IS THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE LOWER OVER TIME.

GIVING YOU THE BEST LIFE CYCLE COST ON THAT AS WELL.

NOW EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SELECTING THE SAME TECHNOLOGY WE ARE ABLE TO GO TO REED DIRECTLY TO EFFECTIVELY CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN WE CAN GO RIGHT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

NOW I DO WANTED TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE COSTS YOU ARE LOOKING AT HERE FOR COMPARISON ONLY.

THIS IS JUST THE CORE PROCESS OF THE PLANT.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER PROCESSES THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE AND AFTER THIS SO THAT'S NOT THE ALL IN NUMBER THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. SPEED AGAIN IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES. THIS IS THE MAIN FACTOR THAT WAS GIVEN TO STAFF WAS TO GET THIS DONE AS FAST AS WE POSSIBLY COULD AND WITH GOOD REASON.

THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

THE CONTRACT BASIS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WILL ALLOW TO US GO SEAMLESSLY FROM THE 30% TO 60% TO THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION PHASE VERY, VERY RAPIDLY.

AND THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN JANUARY 2023, AS WAS ALREADY POINTED OUT THERE'S WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. SURVEY IS COMPLETE.

SOILS ARE DONE WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN THIS VERY HEAVY CONCRETE BUILDING. WITH REACTIVELY LOOKING FOR A -- REJECTION DOING THE INTEGRITY TEST ON OUR SECOND DEEP INJECTION WELL OUT THERE AS WELL PRIOR TO THAT TESTING. AND THERE'S ALSO A ZONING CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO MORE APPROPRIATE UTILITY USE AS WELL.

SO, WE MIGHT NEED A LITTLE HELP AT THAT AT SOME POINT

[00:45:05]

IN THE FUTURE. WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT INTEREST RATES WE ARE LITERALLY IN A RACE AGAINST TIME WITH THIS WITH THE INTEREST RATES.

VERY SMALL NUMBER ON THE SCREEN THERE IS .2 OF A PERCENT THAT'S HOW THE INTEREST RATE IS PROGRESSING BY THE WEEK. SO EVERY DAY IS VERY PRECIOUS IN THIS PROCESS. FOR COMPARISON, BACK IN 2008, WHEN THIS WAS TABLED THE FIRST TIME THE INTEREST RATES WERE AT 6%. NOW OF COURSE THAT WAS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR THAT STOPPED IT.

THE GROWTH STOPPED SO THERE WAS NO NEED AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO PUSH TO HANDLE THE GROWTH THAT WAS HAPPENING. TODAY THE INTEREST RATES WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT AROUND 3.50% AND THE CRITICAL DATE WILL IS MAY 24TH. THAT'S THE DAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOCK IN OUR INTEREST RATES.

VERY CRITICAL, VERY CRITICAL POINT.

SO THERE ARE OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS HERE MORE INTANGIBLES THAN JUST THE COST OF THE PLANT.

NUMBER ONE, IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTROL.

STAFF'S CURRENT PLAN LEAVES ALL ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTROL WITH THE CITY COMMISSION, THE FPUA BOARD AND THE STAFF. ASSET OWNERSHIP WOULD REMAIN WITH FPUA WE WOULD HAVE OUR LOCAL HIRING GOALS AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE PLANT. WE WOULD MAINTAIN OUR FPUA EMPLOYEES TO OPERATE THE PLANT.

WE HAVE SAID BEFORE IT GIVES US THE FASTEST PATH TO COMPLETION AND IT WILL NOT IMPACT OUR FUTURE BORROWING POSITION. FPUA IS ALSO A NONPROFIT.

SO ANY FUNDS THAT COME IN OUR DOOR GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE SERVE THROUGH THE TRANSFER TO THE CITY AND ALSO IN ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DO ANDURE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE MAIN THING TO SEE ON AN ALTERNATE PATH HERE IS WHEN YOU INSERT ANY PRIVATE ENTITY INTO THAT THEY BECOME YOUR PRIMARY SHAREHOLDER. IN FRONT OF THE FPUA BOARD AND THE RATEPAYERS EVERYTHING ELSE BEING EQUAL.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR DESIGN TEAM.

MR. CISNEROS WAS INTRODUCING A FEW OF THEM A FEW MINUTES AGO BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE WOULD HAVE PUT THIS ON THE SLIDE BUT RACHEL WOULDN'T LET ME ADD TO HER SLIDES TO THIS PRESENTATION. I'LL START WITH GLOBAL DEATH PENALTY TECH WHICH IS HEADQUARTERED HERE IN -- FLORIDA. THEY HAVE EARNED OUR TRUST THEY HAVE EARNED OUR COMMUNITY'S TRUST.

THEY'RE ALSO ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE REGULATORY AUTHORITIES TO NAME A FEW SO WHEN WE ARE PUSHING THE FAST TRACK THIS PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFULFUL MOVING ON TO HAZEN WHICH IS OFFERING ENGINEERING SUPPORT TO OUR GROUP. HAZEN HAS DESIGNED OVER 250 WATER AND WASTE WATER PLANTS IN FLORIDA IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. SO THAT IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE. THEY ALSO HAVE A VERY STRONG GRANT TEAM THAT HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.

WE HAVE A LOT HANGING ON THEM FOR SURE.

MOVING ONTO HASKELL. HASKELL HAS 24 TOTAL OFFS 19 OF WHICH ARE IN THE UNITED STATES AND FIVE ABROAD.

THEY HAVE 74 REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ON THEIR STAFF ALONE. THEY HAVE COMPLETED OVER 5500 PROJECTS, 2,500 OF WHICH MORE THAN 2,500 WERE USING THE COLLABORATIVE DELIVERY METHODS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT WE WHERE USING NOW.

IN MANY CASES EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE USING NOW.

80% OF THE BUSINESS FROM HASKELL IS FROM REPEAT CUSTOMERS. AND I THINK THAT THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE REPUTATION OF THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR.

WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO A BUSINESS MODEL THAT IS THAT LARGE THE REPUTATION IS, IT BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROFITS IN ALL REALITY. IF YOU GOOGLE A COMPANY THE VERY FIRST THING THAT HOPS UP IS ANYTHING THAT'S NEGATIVE. SO I WOULD INVITE YOU TO GOOGLE ALL OF THESE COMPANIES AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON THEM. ALMOST 1400 DOMESTIC SUBCONTRACTORS AND VENDORS ARE ON THEIR VENDOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. SO THIS IS GOING TO BECOME VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE KICK OFF THIS PLANT BECAUSE IN OUR CURRENT STATE OF THE ECONOMY QUESTION ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH CHALLENGES WITH PROCUREMENT THERE'S JUST NO OTHER WAY AROUND IT.

SOME THINGS ARE TAKE LONGER SOME THINGS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE. WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A BROAD BREADTH OF CONTRACTORS TO DEATH WITH AND SUPPLIERS IT

[00:50:04]

GIVES YOU A MUCH BETTER SO THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ECONOMYFUL MOVING FORWARD WHEN WE ROLL INTO THE 30% TO 60% DESIGN WE WILL ALSO BE INCLUDING SOME OF THE OTHER WORK PACKAGES THAT WILL BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THAT STRENGTH AND POTENTIALLY PURCHASING SOME OF THE LONG LEAD TIME ITEMS UP FRONT WAY OUT IN FRONT, ACTUALLY. WE ARE ALSO DISCUSSING OTHER OPTIONS TO KEEP COSTS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE WITH MANY DIRECT PURCHASES THAT WOULD BE TAX EXEMPT.

THOSE WILL ALL BE WORKED OUT WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE CONTRACTING THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD AND

THE CITY COMMISSION. >> OKAY.

>> SO AS A REMINDER THE FOLLOWING TWO SLIDES ARE FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. OUR HOPE HERE IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE WAY WE HAVE CARRIED OUT THIS PROCESS SO FAR. AS IT PERTAINS TO COMMUNICATING WITH QP EQUALIA AND PROTECT OUR

WATERWAYS. >> ON MARCH 1ST WE PROVIDED EQUALIA A TOUR OF THE WASTE WATER PLANT AND DISCUSSED P-3 MODELS WITH THEM. ON MARCH 17TH, UPON AN FPUA REMINDER THAT THEY HAD CAUGHT INFORMATION EQUALIA REACHED OUT. THINGS LIKE THE LOCATION OF THE NEW SITE, PRELIMINARY SKETCHES, PROTOCOLS, DIE MENTIONS OF WELLS, AND ALL OF THE DISH DIMENSIONS OF WELLS AND FPUA PROVIDED ALL OF THIS INTERESTED INFORMATION. ON ONTH 15TH EQUALIA -- TWO DAYS LATER FPUA PROVIDED ALL OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION. MOVING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, AUGUST 29TH, 2019, FPUA STAFF MET WITH THE EQUALIA REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TIME TO DISCUSS THE PATH FORWARD AND -- PROGRESS SO FAR. ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, OF 2020, ONE YEAR LATER, EQUALIA SUBMITTED THEIR FIRST UNSOLICITED BID. THIS IS A VERY BROAD REVIEW OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS TYPICALLY IN A POWER POINT FORMAT. ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, IN RESPONSE TO THE UNSOLICITED BID, FPUA INVITED EQUALIA TO MEET AND REQUESTED AN ACTUAL PROPOSAL WITH DETAILED INFORMATION. ON OCTOBER 9TH, EQUALIA SENT AN UPDATED UNSOLICITED BID. THIS IS STILL A RELATIVELY BROAD REVIEW OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS WITH ADDITIONAL 3-D RENDERS OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING -- RENDERINGS OF THE ARCTURE OF THE BUILDING.

SOMETHING WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER A PROPOSAL.

ON MARCH 23RD, EQUALIA REQUESTED DETAILED INFORMATION THIS TIME SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION INCLUDING ALL DESIGNS AS YET CONDUCTED BY FPUA AND CONTRACTORS OF THE NEW WRF.

FPUA PROVIDED ALL OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION.

THIS PARTICULAR RESPONSE WAS DONE IN TWO PARTS BECAUSE OF HOW DETAILED THE REQUEST WAS.

ON MAY 7TH, SHORTLY AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE INFORMATION THEY SUBMITTED ANOTHER UNSOLICITED BID THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS UNSOLICITED BIDS WITH SOME ADDED DETAILS. ON JUNE 15TH, OF 2021, FPUA STAFF PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE P-3 OVERVIEW AND OPTIONS PRESENTATION TO FPUA BOARD.

ON JUNE 22ND, AT THE JOINT FPUA CITY COMMISSION MEETING CAME TOGETHER TO SOLELY TO DISCUSS EQUALIA'S UNSOLICITED BID THAT WAS SUBMITTED ON MAY 7TH .

THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST AT THE TIME IN THE UNSOLICITED BID THAT EQUALIA PROVIDED ON MAY 7ING SO THE GROUP CAME TOGETHER SPECIFICALLY AND ONLY TO DISCUSS THIS PROPOSAL. ON JULY 31ST, AND AUGUST 2ND OF 2021, FPUA PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED TO THIS PROJECT TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS ON THE WEBSITE AND THE NEWSPAPER FOR PUBLIC RESPONSE. EQUALIA DID NOT RESPOND.

ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2021, FPUA AGAIN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THE PROJECT WITH AMENDMENTS TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS ON THE WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC RESPONSE. EQUALIA DID NOT RESPOND.

ON MARCH 17TH OF 2022, FPUA STAFF MET WITH CHARLIE WILSON OF PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HE EXISTING FRW -- WRF SITE. FPUA STAFF, MR. CISNEROS AND BO HUTCHINSON MET WITH EQUALIA.

ON APRIL 20TH OF 2022, WE RECEIVED OUR THIRD PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST THIS TIME FROM CHARLIE WILSON OF PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS REQUESTING SUBSTANTIAL

[00:55:01]

DETAILED INFORMATION INCLUDING ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO OR FROM KEY FPUA STAFF MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THAT MENTION, AMONG OTHER THINGS, EQUALIA, UNSOLICITED BID, AND ANYTHING RELATED TO THE WRF RELOCATION WHICH WOULD INCLUDE DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS.

AGAIN ONLY REASON WE ARE PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU IS IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND WE WANT TO BE VERY OPEN AND CLEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.

THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE KEY DATES, THERE IS A LARGER TIMELINE WITH ALL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN US AS WELL. TO CONCLUDE, WE JUST LIKE TO REVIEW THE BENEFITS OF THE PUBLIC MODEL FOR THE WRF.

LOCAL CHOICE LEAVING LEAVING THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT IN THE HANDS OF YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT GIVES PEOPLE, COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

UTILITIES OWNED BY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE ARE DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THOSE PEOPLE. ACCOUNTABILITY IS ENSURED AT THE BALLOT BOX. BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED TRANSPARENTLY IN THE OPEN AND SUBJECT TO LOCAL SCRUTINY MUCH LIKE THESE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO YOU NOW. THE PUBLIC MODEL IS ALSO THE NOT FOR PROFIT MODEL. NOT FOR PROFIT MODELS SERVE CUSTOMERS BEST AND REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES NOT THE SHAREHOLDERS. THE VALUE FROM OUR UTILITY STAYS IN OUR UTILITY. THE REVENUE STAY IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE INVESTED IN SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND UTILITY RESERVES. SHARED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR RETURNED TO THE CUSTOMER IN THE FORM OF LOWER RATES. OUR HOPE AND GOAL FOR THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO CONFIDENTLY CONSIDER THE RATE SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS AND VOTE THAT COME BEFORE YOU LATER THIS MONTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ANYTHING TO ADD

MR. CISNEROS. >> A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THE PRESENTATION OR UPDATE THAT WE HAVE FOR WRF ONCE WE PRESENT IT WITH THE BOARD WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH CITY COMMISSION TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

IT IS LIKE RACHEL AND BO MENTIONED THE BIGGEST PROJECT IN FPUA HISTORY. WE WILL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT

MOVING FORWARD. >> ARE YOU READY FOR

QUESTIONS NOW? >> YES, MA'AM.

>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. OUR BOND RATE FPUAS'S ARE

REWAITED BY FITCH. >> WHAT IS THAT RATING?

>> A+ AND AN A. >> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO

US? >> THAT MEANS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BORROW MONEY AT A LOWER INTEREST RATE AND THAT'S EFFECTIVELY IT'S OUR BORROWING CAPABILITIES AND

CAPACITY. >> ECO THANK YOU.

ONE -- OKAY. THANK YOU.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID MR. HUTCHINSON I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE RATE STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE PROPOSED IS GOING, WE HOPE, IS GOING TO BE THE CONSERVATIVE RATE STRUCTURE BECAUSE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT SO THAT -- AND ALSO, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT IS WE CAN'T GET THE GRANT UNTIL WE HAVE THE RATE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, IF I REMEMBER RIGHTLY?

IS THAT RIGHT? >> NOT THE GRANTS IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING THE BOND. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RATE STRUCTURE IN PLACE TO GET THE BONDS.

>> THE FURTHER WE ARE IN THE PROCESS THE HIGHER WE ARE ON THE GRANT STRUCTURE. AS MUCH WORK WE HAVE ALREADY PUT INTO THIS YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO FUND PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO GET COMPLETED AND THE FURTHER ALONG YOU ARE THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE IN THAT PROCESS.

>> BUT THAT, IF, WE ARE SUCCESSFUL THAT COULD REDUCE THE PROJECTED RATE STRUCTURE, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> IT -- EXCUSE ME, ELIMINATE THE RATE INCREASES THAT WE HAVE NOW IT COULD HELP REDUCE THOSE, THAT'S

RIGHT. >> YOU ALMOST HAVE TO DO THAT BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE A WAY TO REDUCE IT.

>> RIGHT. >> THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT.

>> I THINK WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET TO THE RATE INCREASES HAVE TO BE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO

BORROW THE MONEY. >> THAT IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO. THANK YOU.

>> YOU CAN'T BORROW THE MONEY WITHOUT ANY FUTURE PROMISES OF RATE INCREASES. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WATCH I YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO BORROW THE

MONEY. >> RIGHT.

RIGHT. OKAY.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO START. >> I WANT TO STAY ON THE GRANT PROCESS. LIKE PER TOPIC.

>> SURE. >> I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH ON IT TWICE. EARLIER YOU MENTIONED THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS RECOGNIZED RESILIENT FLORIDA AND ALSO THOMAS WAS IN HERE TALKING ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.

THEY BUMPED THE NUMBER FROM $100 MILLION TO WHAT WAS IT?

[01:00:03]

>> $500 MILLION. >> $500 MILLION.

>> SO WE AS A STATE HAVE RECOGNIZED WE HAVE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS AND MOVING THIS PLANT IS PART OF

RESILIENCY, RIGHT? >> 100%.

THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT WE'LL FUND.

>> WHAT DOES A GRANT PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR A PUBLIC ENTITY VERSUS PRIVATE. WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WHAT HAVE YOUR CONSULTANTS TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT?

>> SO BASICALLY, IT'S ALL GRANTS ARE ON A SCORING BASIS. THE MORE PUBLIC INTERACTION YOU HAVE THE MORE PUBLIC YOU ARE, AGAIN, US BEING A NONPROFIT WE WOULD SCORE HIGHER TYPICALLY ON THOSE GRANT APPLICATIONS THAN WE WOULD IF THERE WAS PERHAPS A PRIVATE ENTITY INVOLVED AS WELL.

THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE PRIVATE ENTITY FROM GETTING THE GRANTS EITHER IT'S JUST A SCORING MATRIX.

>> DOESN'T THE PUBLIC ENTITY USUALLY HAVE TO ACQUIRE SOME OF THOSE GRANTS? ISN'T THAT -- I KNOW UP HERE THIS COMMISSION WE USUALLY HAVE TO BE APART OF THAT

GRANT PROCESS. >> YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO BE

THE APPLICANT. >> THE APPLICANT AND ACCEPTING SOME OF THOSE GRANTS?

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE RESILIENT FLORIDA PROGRAM THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE TO BE THE ACTUAL GRANT APPLICANT.

OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD HANDLE ALL THE LEGWORK.

BUT WE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY TO

APPLY FOR THE GRANT. >> THAT'S ALL HE FOR GRANTS,

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER PERONA.

>> ARE YOU STILL ON THE GRANTS.

>> STAY ON THE GRANT. >> CAN WE STAY ON THE

GRANTS. >> SO A COUPLE THINGS I HEARD THERE. WE CAN GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2016 WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DELAYING PROCESS AT THAT POINT. WE GOT TO A CERTAIN POINT, 6% SLOW GROWING, WE DECIDED TO PULL BACK AND NOT DO IT.

I GUESS I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF DISCONNECT THERE BECAUSE AT THAT POINT IT WAS STATED IN A PRESENTATION ENVIRONMENTALALLY WE WERE ON THE RADAR WE WERE BEING NOTE VIED. TO ME, THE GRANT PROCESS IS ONE WHERE YOU WOULD INITIATE THIS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME THINGS TO BEGIN TO PULL THIS IN.

SO AGAIN, TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? THEN I ALSO UNDERSTAND, IT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COME UP NOW I'M NOT SURE, YOU MENTION A COMPANY THAT YOU BROUGHT ON BOARD TO HELP WITH THIS PROCESS OF GRANTS. WE HAVE RECENTLY GONE THROUGH SOME THINGS HERE IN THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE APPLIED FOR GRANTS AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG WAIT PERIOD.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE GRANTS ARE VERY TECHNICAL.

I'M CONCERNED WITH THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE TARGETING.

THERE'S A LOT OF HOPE AND A LOT OF WHAT IFS BUT WE NEED TO BE VERY SPECIFIC PARTICULARLY WHILE DEALING

WITH THE PUBLIC. >> SO IF I CAN I THINK YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS GOING TO PUT YOU ON A LIST TO RELOCATE THE PLANT OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE ON THE LIST THEY HELP US RELOCATE. THAT'S THE FIRST THING.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TACKLE. NEXT WE DO HAVE OUR GRANT CONSULT NOT HERE. I DON'T DEAL WITH GRANTS RACHEL MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT PROCESS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT GRANT PROCESS WORKS.

>> GENERALLY? >> SO WE JUST LEARN ADMIN AGO THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO BE APART OF THAT PROCESS, RIGHT. AT THAT POINT THAT WOULD SEEM THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE TALKING WITH OUR STAFF, ETC., HAS THAT STAFF STARTED WHERE ARE WE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE.

>> I THINK THE GRANT OPENS UP LATER THIS YEAR.

>> THAT'S THE TYPE OF INFORMATION I'M TRYING TO' CERTAIN WHAT ARE WE GOING AFTER HERE -- TRYING TO ASCERTAIN HERE WHAT ARE WE GOING AFTER HERE.

>> THERE ARE DIFFERENT GRANTS WILL HAVE DIFFERENT TIMELINES, DIFFERENT PROCESSES, DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT ARE NECESSARY. SOME GRANTS WILL REQUIRE THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE TO BE THE APPLICANT ON PAPER, SOME GRANTS WILL NOT REQUIRE THAT.

ON TOP OF, THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE UTILITY IS BUILDING OUR GRANTS TEAM. THAT INCLUDES INTERNALLY, STAFF. SO TAKING THIS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON GRANTS FOR SOMETHING LIKE 12 YEARS.

SO WE'RE TAKING THAT AND BRINGING THAT INTO THE UTILITY CORE. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR OWN FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS ORGANIZED IN PREPARATION FOR SOME OF THESE MORE TECHNICAL GRANTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WE DO ALSO HAVE THE CONTRACTORS.

BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BASICALLY IT'S A MATTER OF FIGURING OUT THE SPECIFIC GRANTOR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE AND AND GUIDING IT. IF WE HAVE A CORE OF INDIVIDUALS WE CAN GUIDE THE QUESTIONS TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERING THEM AND WE CAN MANAGE MANAGE

[01:05:04]

THOSE AS WELL. THIS IS A VERY MANAGED PROCESS AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A TEAM LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE STAFF FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO CONTRACTORS. DOES THIS HELP?

>> IT'S STARTING TO GET THERE.

I THINK AGAIN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE COORDINATION, AND BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE ASKING STAFF TO PARTICIPATE, I DON'T KNOW MR. MINIMUMS WORK LOAD WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S A CONCERN. I WOULD THINK IN WE'RE ON A PRETTY FAST MOVING BOAT HERE.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE COMING AND ASKING FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION ON A RATE.

BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE GRANT POTENTIALS OUT THERE. I'VE HAD ORGANIZATIONS COME BEFORE THEY'VE LISTED WE ARE GOING AFTER THIS THIS GRANT, THIS GRANT, THIS GRANT, THIS GRANT.

HERE'S OUR TIMELINE, HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE TO SUBMIT.

THIS IS WHO WITH NEED AS PARTNERS.

THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WILL BE HELPFUL TO ME AND IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING US AND ASKING ME TO LOOK AT THAT FROM A FAITH PERSPECTIVE IF AND WHEN THESE GRANTS COME

IN -- >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE AROUND $8 MILLION IN GRANTS.

>> OKAY, THAT HELPS. >> SO WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AT ACQUIRING GRANTS.

THAT SAME MODEL WE WOULD TRY TO PURSUE A MUCH LARGER GRANT TO BE ABLE TO OFFSET THESE COSTS.

WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS HOPEFULLY INTRODUCE SHARON HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IF THAT'S OKAY.

>> SHE'S PART OF YOUR TEAM, SHE'S WELCOME.

>> THE HAZEN TEAM. >> I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP

SOME OF THE -- >> WOULD YOU STATE YOUR

NAME. >> SORRY, SHARON SIMONINGTON

I'M FROM HAZEN & SAWYER. >> A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND I HAVE SPENT THE PAST 15 YEARS OR SOING INING JUST GRANTS AND JUST LOANS FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OUTSIDE NATIONWIDE. I'M RECENTLY NEW TO HAZEN&SAWYER BUT BEFORE THAT MY QUARTER PARTS SETH ROBERTSON AS WELL AS RUBY WELLS HAVE PUT TOGETHER A FUNDING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY INITIALLY SOME KEY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU WILL SEE THEM HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION AND YOU KNOW A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, CRITERIA THAT WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WE WEIGH THE OPTIONS. LOOKING AT THE WASTE WATER GRANT PROGRAM, CLEAN WATER SRF, THE BRICK PROGRAM THROUGH FEMA. WE KIND OF ARE ABLE TO ANNIVERSARY ARE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

SO LIKE I SAID, -- USING THE THREE CRITERIA THERE AT THE TOP. THE TIMING, FUNDING THRESHOLDS AND ELIGIBLITIES WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROJECT, MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE THREE PIECES OF CRITICAL INFORMATION IS ALL ANSWERED.

THEN WE MOVE INTO THE COMPARISON.

WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS.

YOUR CASH FLOW, YOUR RISKS AND YOUR BENEFITS.

THEN WE COMPILE EVERYTHING INTO A PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION ON HOW WE, YOU KNOW, SUGGEST THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO THE GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. LIKE I SAID WE DEVELOP THAT PLAN FOR YOU. SO, LIKE BO SAID EARLIER, THESE ARE THE THREE FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT. THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS, NOT ONLY HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA BUT ALSO FEDERAL. LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS THROUGH E.P.A. AND THE -- EPA AND THE STAG PROGRAM AND THEN ALSO THERE IS THE RESILIENT GRANT PROGRAM.

NOW, WE TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT UPON THAT EARLIER.

SO THE RESILIENT GRANT PROGRAM IS NEW THE LAST FUNDING CYCLE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT $100 MILLION HAS NOW BEEN ESCALATED TO $500 MILLION BECAUSE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE PROVIDED GRANT APPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SO IT DID SEE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION THIS PAST FUNDING CYCLE. SO THIS FUNDING CYCLE COMING

[01:10:03]

UP YES, WE ANTICIPATE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE BUT WE ARE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION IN TERMS OF LIKE ALSO IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE SAW BACK IN 2009, YOU KNOW, SHOVEL READY.

FUNDING GRANT PROGRAMS THEY WANT TO FUND THAT PROJECT THAT IS AT LEAST 60% DESIGN AND MOVE THAT FORWARD INTO CONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY CAN EXTEND THE FUNDS AND KEEP THE MONEY FLOWING.

SO LAST YEAR IN 2021, WITH ALL OF THE GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THE PROCESS DID TAKE LONGER ONLY BECAUSE -- WELL, BECAUSE A COUPLE FACTORS. ONE OF WHICH WAS THE STATE WAS REVIEWING APPLICATIONS WITHOUT HAVING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS SET IN PLACE. SO THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THE RULE MAKING PROCESS AS THEY ARE REVIEWING THE GRANT APPLICATIONS. SO THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF LAG TIME THERE. NOW THAT WE DO HAVE THOSE RULES IN PLACE WE ARE BETTER ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE ANTICIPATE MAYBE SIX MONTHS TURNAROUND TIME FROM THE APPLICATION PERIOD WHICH STARTS IN JULY AND THEN SOUTH FLORIDA IS IN DECEMBER.

BUT YOU KNOW WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A BOND SITUATION WE KEEP THE TWO ACCOUNTS SEPARATE SO WE HAVE GRANT ACCOUNT WE HAVE BOND ACCOUNT.

YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BONDS AS WE APPLY FOR THE GRANTS. THEN AS WE APPLY FOR THE GRANTS WE DRAW THOSE DOWN THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH

THE BOND AMOUNT. >> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. MR. CISNEROS MY CONCERN STILL LIES WITH I'VE SEEN A VERY EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE DELIVERED HERE.

HAVE YOU GIVEN US SOME ESTIMATES ON THINGS AND COST. I APPRECIATE WHAT'S BEEN SHARED AND WHAT THE PLAN IS. BUT MY EXPECTATION IS THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE -- YOU MENTIONED SOME MILESTONES, SOME DATES. I NEED TO HAVE THAT IN MY HEAD TO KIND OF PROCESS THAT.

I THINK THAT'S ONLY FAIR THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO TALK TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE ABOUT.

THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE IN THIS AREA SPECIFICALLY ON GRANTS. IS HOW DO WE GET MORE GRANTS IN HERE TO HELP US WITH THIS BECAUSE I CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ASK IS AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND THE HELP FOR THE CITIZENS OF FORT PIERCE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. SO, THAT'S MY CONCERN WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. AND HOPE REPLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND THIS LIST BEGINS TO BUILD AND I CAN BEGIN TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BECAUSE THOSE ARE QUESTIONS

THAT I NEED TO ANSWER. >> DEFINITELY I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALWAYS OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT IN THE LEGISLATURE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF THE INFORMATION ALL OF THE FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

WE DO HAVE, LIKE I SAID, THE FUNDING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY. WE CAN HAVE THAT UPDATED THEN PRESENTED BACK TO YOU ALL IN THE CURRENT STATUS AND PROJECTOR FOR THE FUTURE.

IF YOU ARE AMENABLE TO THAT WE CAN PUT SOMETHING

TOGETHER LIKE THAT FOR YOU. >> HERE'S WHAT I ALSO KNOW ABOUT THE CITIZENS OFFORD PIERCE WE HAVE DELEGATIONS AND CONSTITUENTS. THEY LISTEN TO VOTERS AS WELL. IF THESE THINGS ARE MADE PRIORITY AND THEY'RE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE NEED THE ASSISTANCE THEN WE NEED THE CITIZENS TO HELP BY REACHING OUT TO DELEGATIONS AS WELL. THEY REACH OUT TO ME I THINK WE SHOULD ASK THEM TO REACH OUT TO THEM.

SO THIS IS -- ELECTED OFFICIALS.

>> THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. >> EXACTLY.

SO I NEED THAT TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND I THINK THAT'S ONLY FAIR THAT WE GET THAT IN FRONT OF US SO THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, THAT CAN MAKE THESE PHONE CALLS TO MOVE THINGS UP ON THE PRIORITY LIST WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE. WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO DO IT

IN MY OPINION AGAIN HERE. >> THAT WOULD BE FEDERAL AND

STATE. >> FEDERAL, STATE, REGIONAL NEAH BAY WILL LISTEN IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO TALK PRICE.

>> ANYBODY'S THAT GOT MONEY. >>

[LAUGHTER] >> ANYBODY THAT'S GOT MONEY.

ABSOLUTELY. >> MR. PERONA WOULD YOU LIKE

TO TALK. >> I'M DONE WITH GRANTS.

>> I DON'T KNOW. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> I WANT TO THANK SHARON FOR COMING UP ON THE SPOT THERE.

SO FOR THE NONENGINEERS IN THE GROUP WHAT IS 30% DESIGN

[01:15:03]

BUILD LOOK LIKE? >> SO A 30% BASICALLY IT SELECTS OBVIOUSLY YOUR CORE PROCESS YOU START LOOKING AT ALL ANOTHER PROCESSES AROUND THAT.

THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRIT REMOVAL.

I'M GOING ACCIDENTALLY GET TOO TECHNICAL.

YOU STAY UP HERE. >> THESE ARE TASKS THAT HAVE TO BE PERFORMED. THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS AND MULTIPLE TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS LITERALLY TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE.

IN YOUR 30% DESIGN YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO PICK YOUR CORE PROCESS. BUT THEN AROUND THAT YOU NEED TO START SELECTING EACH OF YOUR DIFFERENT PROCESS COMPONENTS. RIGHT, THAT'S THE POINT YOU GET TO. SO YOU DO YOUR HEAD WORKS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE VERY BACK SIDE WHERE WE HAVE INJECTION FUEL PUMPS. YOU START SELECTING THAT METHODOLOGY. THEN FROM THERE HEY I NEED A PICKUP TRUCK. LET'S KEEP IT SIMPLE I NEED A PICKUP TRUCK HERE. AT THAT POINT MOVING FORWARD YOU WOULD START SHOPPING FOR I DO WANT A FORD OR A CHEVY OR A DODGE. YOU START LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT PLUSES AND MINUSES OF EACH OF THOSE.

30% DESIGN ALSO GETS YOU TO A DECENT COST ESTIMATE.

PER OUR CONTRACT WE HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE 15% I THINK WE'LL ABLE TO GET TIGHTER THAN THAT AS WELL.

THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO GET TO THAT POINT. YOU HAVE TO START LOOKING AT YOUR ELEVATIONS. WE NEED TO DO A SURVEY AND TOPO OUR PARTICULAR SITE IS LOW IT WILL NEED A

PARTICULAR SITE OFLE. >> WHERE IS THAT SITE TELL

EVERYBODY WHERE IT IS? >> ENERGY LANE.

>> IT'S OFF OF SALVAGE ROAD. IT WILL BE ADJOINING THE TREASURE COAST ENERGY CENTER.

>> AND I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THIS LOCATION BEING ON ENERGY LANE THAT IT IS FAR AWAY FROM NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.

IT'S IN AN INDUSTRIALLY ZONED AREA.

>> SO IF WE TAKE THAT FROM THE -- 30, YOU SAID 60 I GUESS IS THE NEXT WRUNG IS THAT WHERE WE GET INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT ACTUALLY DESIGNING THE BUILDINGS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING FORWARD? WHAT'S THE 60 LOOK LIKE?

>> THAT WOULD TUNE UP THE DESIGN.

AS OF NOW WE HAVE THE PROPOSED FOOTPRINTS FOR THE BUILDINGS. WE HAVE THE GENERAL LAYOUT OF THE PLANT AS WELL AND WE PRELIMINARILY LOOKED AT THE DRAINAGE WOMEN BASICALLY LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE SITE AT THE FIRST VIEW. THIS IS HOW WE WANT IT TO LOOK. GOING FROM THE 32 TO 60 YOU WILL START LOOKING AT ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.

DO YOU WANT A SOLID POURED CONCRETE ROOF OR DO YOU WANT A METAL ROOF. THIS TYPE OF THING.

YOU START TO GET INTO THOSE DETAILS.

YOU WILL GET KEEPER IN THE WEEDS ON THE ACTUAL -- DEEPER IN THE WEEDS ON THE ACTUAL COMPONENTS, AND ACTUAL BRANDS OF THE COMPONENTS AND START MOVING INTO THOSE NEGOTIATION PHASE WITH THOSE DIFFERENT

VENDORS. >> SO WE'RE WORKING OFF THE TIMELINE I THINK WHEN MR. CISNEROS GOT INVOLVED HERE. WE LOST FIVE YEARS OFF THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT I THINK WAS TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS BECAUSE I'M OUT THERE AT 2028, OR 2030 BY THE TIME THIS THING GETS BUILD.

YOU GET THE JOB YOU CUT FIVE YEARS OFF OF IT AND EVERYBODY GOES LET'S BUILD THAT.

I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT I THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE THIS COMMISSION GAVE YOU. WE'RE AT A POINT IN TIME RIGHT NOW THE REASONING TO HAVE A WASTE WATER PLANT ON SOUTH HUTCHINSON ISLAND IS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER. WE'RE FAR FROM THE DAYS OF RELEASING THE FLOWS OUT INTO THE STREAM AT CERTAIN TIDE LEVELS WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE YET HERE IT IS.

I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT. SO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BORROWING IN OUR STRUCTURING WAS AT $80 MILLION? WHAT'S THE NUMBER.

>> $IT'S $100 MILLION IS THE INITIAL.

>> IN ANTICIPATION OF NOT HAVING TO USE ALL THAT THAT'S WHERE I GET THE $80 MILLION FROM $MAYBE $20

MILLION FROM BONDS. >> POSSIBLY.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, TOO, COMMISSIONER THAT THERE'S A LARGER PROJECT HERE AS WELL THERE.

IS THE PLANTED ITSELF. BUT THERE'S ALSO VERY SIGNIFICANT CONVEYANCE SYSTEM THAT HAS TO BE REDIRECTED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

SO WE ARE ALSO ENGAGING POTENTIALLY A DESIGN FIRM TO HELP WITH US THAT AS WELL TO START TO LAY THAT OUT TO GET ALL THE COSTS TOGETHER. PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES

WERE $15 MILLION. >> YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON

[01:20:04]

THAT FOR YEARS. I KNOW WHEN I ON THE UTILITY BOARD WE WERE DOING STUFF BACK THEN.

IN FACT I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR TIMELINE FROM 2004 I WAS ON THE UTILITY BOARD. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR 20 YEARS. REALLY WE HAVE.

GOING THROUGH ALL THE STUDIES, GOING THROUGH ALL THE MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY, PORT ST. LUCIE WE'VE DONE THIS WE'VE DRAGGED THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I'M JUST HAPPY WE'RE AT THAT POINT IN TIME GOING FORWARD.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT MAYBE ENTERTAINING OTHER OPTIONS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF DOING THAT?

>> I THINK RACHEL HIT ON THEM PRETTY WELL.

BO AND RACHEL HIT ON THEM PRETTY WELL.

RISK OPTIONS ARE IF WE ENTERTAIN RATHER THAN OWNING AND OPERATING OR FUNDING OURSELVES WE REDUCE OUR BORROWING CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT FPUA WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A 50 TO 75 YEAR WINDOW TWO. TO THREE, TO FIVE YEAR WINDOW IT'S TOO SMALL FOR WINDOW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT 50, 75 YEAR WINDOW. THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR THE UTILITY. WE BORROW MONEY ABOUT EVERY 10 TO 12 YEARS TO EXPAND THE SYSTEM.

I MEAN THAT'S REAL WE DO THAT OFTEN.

THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT ANSWER YOUR

QUESTION. >> I'M INTERESTED ON THE RATE INCREASE AS IT'S GOING UP AS YOU SAID .2 OF A

PERCENT EVERY WEEK. >> RATES, YEAH.

>> I KEEP THINKING IRONICALLY, I THINK I'M SITTING IN THE CLOSING MANAGER'S OFFICE BUYING A NEW CAR AND THE GUY SAYS IF YOU BUY IT TODAY WE'LL MAKE THE DEAL. I MEAN WE'VE ALTOGETHER BEEN THERE. BUT I KNOW FOR REALISM THAT THE MARKET IS CHANGING AND IT IS.

SO IF THERE'S A POINT IN TIME WHERE WHERE THE INTEREST RATE IS GOING TO BE DETERRENT IN THIS I WOULD IMAGINE. 3.4, 3.5 WHEN DOES IT GET TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WON'T ENTERTAIN.

>> THE NUMBER WE PROVIDED WAS AT 4%.

THE NUMBER THAT YOU GOT LAST WEEK WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER.

BUT IF WE ARE ABLE TO APPROVE THE RATES ON MARCH 16TH BEFORE THE FED RAISES THE RATES MAY 24TH IS A BIG DAY FOR US. I WISH I COULD ANSWER THAT, YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE.

>> SO IT'S 4 OR UNDER. >> YEAH, IT'S 4 OR UNDER AT

LEAST I HOPE SO. >> AS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT OUR LINE IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN I DON'T THINK

WE KNOW. >> WE DON'T KNOW.

>> WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION RIGHT NOW. WE WOULD LIKE TO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE GET LOCKED IN SO THAT WE DON'T KEEP GOING THAT WAY. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PERCENTAGE WOINT WHERE WE WOULD SAY NO.

>> WE WOULD HAVE TO GET OUR FINANCIAL CONSULTANT AND

RATE CONSULTANT TO BE ABLE. >> IT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE

IMPACT ON RATES. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

YOU MAKE A VERY GOOD POINT. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES YOU WANT TO GO NEXT. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ASK OR LET JEREMIAH ASK HIS QUESTIONS.

I THINK HE'S GOT MORE. >> FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER PERONA LINE OF QUESTIONING FOR THE NONTECHNICAL PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. 30% I SAW THE SLIDE OR I THINK IT WAS 12/4, 12 -- 2004, 2008 WHERE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS. WE ARE IN 2022 AND I'M HEARING ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS I'M HEARING ABOUT PICKING CHEVIES OR FORDS, I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS KIND OF STUFF. I KNOW WE STOPPED, WE STARTED, WE STOPPED WE STARTED BUT AT NO TIME I DON'T THINK DID ANYONE ON BOTH OF THESE BOARDS I WASN'T HERE IN 2004, YOU WERE HERE SOME 2004?

[LAUGHTER] >> I WAS ON THE UTILITY

BOARD. >> I WAS PAYING TAXES.

>> [LAUGHTER]

>> BUT I DON'T THINK ANYONE SAID THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE THIS PROPOSAL. SO MY FIRST CONCERN IS WHY ARE WE JUST AT 30% NO ONE SAT BACK ASK TRIED TO DRAW A STRUCTURE, TRIED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF IDEAS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT WHEN THEY'RE READY TO GO WHEN THE BOARD IS READY TO GO WE HAVE A PRELIMINARY DESIGN BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT'S WHY I END TO LAW SCHOOL -- 18 YEARS 18 YEARS I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING TO ALL THIS AND WHAT I'M THINKING IS WITH ALL THE PUZZLE BOX, WE

[01:25:02]

OPEN THE PUZZLE WE STARTED PUTTING THE FRAME OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER THEN WE STOPPED.

NOW WE'RE TRYING TO COMPLETE THE FRAME AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.

I'M TRYING TO JUST FIGURE OUT WHERE DID IT STOP WHERE WE COULDN'T ALREADY HAVE MOST OF THIS PUZZLE TOGETHER? EVEN IF IT'S JUST DRAWINGS OR WHATEVER I'M NOT AN ENGINEER PERSON AND I KNOW, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER PERSON BUT I KNOW SOMEONE HAD TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF DRAWING OR SOME TYPE OF DESIGN TO SAY HEY, SOONER OR LATER WE'RE GOING GET A COMMISSION THAT SAYS GO. SOONER OR LATERLY GET A COMMISSION THAT SAYS GO. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD SOME TYPE OF DESIGNS PICTURES TO SAY HEY THIS IS WHAT WE HAD BACK IN 2016, THIS IS WHAT IT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BUT NOW WE'RE REGULATIONS OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS HERE WE MAKE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS HERE BASED ON WHATEVER. SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHY ARE WE JUST AT 30%? I UNDERSTAND THE MONEY, WE COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF MONEY.

THAT MEANS YOU COULDN'T BUILD IT BECAUSE OF MONEY I UNDERSTAND BUT GETTING A TEAM TOGETHER.

GETTING A TEAM TOGETHER I'M JUST SAYING THAT I WAS HOPING TO SEE SOMETHING THAT SAY HEY, WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS GAVE US THE GREEN LIGHT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. BUT IT'S LIKE WE'RE STILL PUTTING IT'SES TOGETHER TO GET TO WHERE WIRE GOING.

I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY ARE WE JUST AT THIS PART NOW?

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

IN 2008, I THINK IT WAS OR 2006 WHEN WE DID THE PLANT DESIGN THAT WAS USING OLDER TECHNOLOGY.

I THINK YOU HIT IT ON A VERY GOOD POINT.

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

HERE WE ARE 14 YEARS LATER, 16 YEARS LATER, WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. SO AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO DESIGN CLOSER WHEN YOU WILL BE REGULATING BECAUSE OF THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. YOU LOOKED AT 10 DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR TECHNOLOGY. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE NONE OF THOSE WERE FROM 2006, I DON'T THINK, CORRECT?

>> THE TECHNOLOGIES ARE STILL THERE FROM 2006 THEY'VE DONE SOME SIGNIFICANT TUNE-UPS EVEN ON THE OLDER TECHNOLOGIES SINCE THEN.

>> I UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY AND I KNOW TECHNOLOGY CHANGES. IN YOUR VISIT THAT YOU TOOK

ME ON. >> YES, SIR.

>> THERE'S STILL CERTAIN TYPE OF BUILDINGS.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE FROM THOSE TYPE OF BUILDINGS.

I MEAN YOU CAN DO THE TECHNOLOGY I'M STILL OVERBLOWN BY THAT GENERATOR THAT YOU SHOWED ME.

BUT THE GENERATOR IS A GENERATOR JUST A BIG GENERATOR BUT A GENERATOR. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO HOUSE THAT BIG GENERATOR.

WE SHOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF DESIGN SAYING WE KNOW WE WANT THIS GENERATOR BECAUSE YOU WERE PART OF THAT

GENERATOR. >> I AM.

>> YOU TOLD ME THAT MANY ATIMES.

[LAUGHTER] IF ANYTHING ELSE I WOULD HAVE SEEN SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PUT YOUR GENERATOR JUST RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE 30%.

I'M JUST A LITTLE I'M READY TO MOVE IT.

I'M READY TO GO AND I'M JUST CURIOUS TO WHY WE'RE NOT WE HAVE MORE IN FRONT OF US TO DO?

>> YOU KNOW AS THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES YOU HAVE TO UPDATE YOUR DESIGNS. A LOT OF EVERYTHING YOU SAID THERE MAKES SERVE SENSE -- MAKES PERFECT SENSE A BUILDING IS A BUILDING. BUT WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES THE LAYOUT OF THE BUILDINGS AND THE LAYOUT OF THE WHOLE PROCESS CHANGES AS WELL.

SO NOT ALL OF THAT IS APPLICABLE ANYMORE FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 2006.

AND YOU HAVE TO THINK, TOO, THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT COST TO DO A DESIGN LIKE THIS.

YOU'RE LOOKING YOU KNOW TO GET TO A FULL DESIGN LIKE THIS YOU ARE OVER $5 MILLION.

SO WITHOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO FORWARD TO ASK THE RATEPAYERS TO ASK $5 MILLION FOR A DESIGN THAT WE HAVE NO WAY OF FUNDING OR DON'T HAVE A PLAN TO FUND A WORKABLE PLAN PERSONALLY I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE

ASKING FOR IT. >> THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING FOR IT. NOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS. YOU WANT ME TO TURN AROUND TO SELL THIS TO THE RESIDENTS AND I'M TRYING TO GET SOMETHING TO SELL TO THE RESIDENTS TO SAY HEY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE 2004, 2008 AND WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO GO ON THE COMMISSIONER WHAT HE SAID I DON'T -- GOING BACK TO THE GROONTS.

[01:30:01]

IT'S ALMOST THE SAME THING. IT'S LIKE HEY, GUYS TRUST ME THEY'RE GOING TO GET GRANTS. BUT I DON'T SEE ANY INFORMATION OR ANY DOCUMENTATION IN FRONT OF ME TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM GRANTS.

YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING IT'S A HARD SELL.

I'M TRYING TO SELL IT BECAUSE EVERYONE UP HERE THINKS AND EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND EVERYBODY IN FORT PIERCE 99.9% WANT THAT PLANT MOVED FROM THE WATERWAY. YOU WILL GET NO OPPOSITION FROM THEM. BUT WE GOT TO BE SMART ABOUT IT. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT I'M COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY WHERE HERE'S THE DESIGN, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

IF THIS IS 30% THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING GET FOR MY 30%.

60% COMMISSIONER PERONA THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

MAYOR I WAS WRONG AND MY EXPECTATION WAS WRONG.

NEXT TIME JUST -- >> I THINK YOU'RE REALLY TOUCHING ON SOMETHING THIS CAME UP IN MULTIPLE OF OUR MEETINGS WAS THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF A GOOD ENOUGH JOB COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMISSION. I THINK OUR BOARD IS UP TO SPEED ON ALL OF THIS. WHEN WE START GOING THROUGH 30% DESIGN AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT A 60% DESIGN.

THERE ARE ITEMS IN THERE THAT ARE PRESENTED TO BOARD SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR.

THAT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS AS WELL. IT SEEMS TODAY I THINK THE IMPRESSION THAT I'M READING FROM THE COMMISSION IS THAT THIS LOOKS VERY PRELIMINARY FROM WHERE WE ARE WITH GRANTS BUT WE ARE MOVING ON THAT PATH AS OF RIGHT NOW.

WE WILL BE MOVING ON THAT. WE HAVE OUR TIME FRAMES THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE FOR EACH OF THESE GRANTS ALSO THE APPROPRIATIONS WHICH WILL BE MEETING WITH THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES HERE PROBABLY VERY EARLY PART OF SUMMER. SO THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING. THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED THAT WITH YOU GOOD ENOUGH.

I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD WHEN WE DO THAT THAT'S GOING -- THAT'S GOING TO INSPIRE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN WHAT

WE'RE DOING. >> I MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT WE'RE KIND OF NOW IN A PERFECT STORM BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS LONG BEFORE I WAS MAYOR, THERE WAS NO CLEAR PATH TO GET THE SCMNL DO IT.

THE PLANT WAS OPERATING EFFICIENTLY.

IT HAS MUCH MORE CAPACITY, RIGHT.

SO AS THE TIME WENT ON WHAT HAPPENED IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS BECAME VERY -- THE PRESSURE BEGAN WHICH WASN'T THERE IN 2004, AND IT HAS INCREASED.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT HAS ALSO MADE THE COMMISSION MUCH MORE EMPATHIC WILL IT. MADE OUR BOARD MUCH MORE AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE MET WITH BECAUSE MR. HUTCHINSON IS RIGHT THE FPUA BOARD HAS HAD THIS STEP BY STEP BY STEP. WHAT I'M REALIZING TONIGHT IS THE STEP BY STEP BY STEP HASN'T BEEN HERE AT THIS COMMISSION. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE COME TOGETHER.

WE SEE A WAY THROUGH TO FINANCE IT.

WE KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T DO IT THE STATE IS GOING TO MAKE US DO IT. THEN ONCE THE STATE MAKES US DO IT THEN THE COST IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

SO THAT'S MY THINKING ABOUT WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE

TODAY. >> YEAH, MAYOR I THINK YOU MAKE A VERY GOOD POINT. WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO BORROW THE MONEY AT A LOW INTEREST RATE AND DO THIS PROJECT ON OUR TERMS NOT THE STATE'S TERMS. IF IT'S ON THEIR TERMS IT'S ON THEIR TIMELINE. WHATEVER THE FINANCIAL COSTS ARE AT THE TIME IT'S BASED ON WHATEVER TIMELINE THEY GIVE US. I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD

POINT. >> MADAM MAYOR.

SO, ENVIRONMENTALLY YES WE GET THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF CONCERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS AN ENTITY THAT CAUSED THOSE. I THINK THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. THOSE THINGS ORGANIZATIONS, CITIES DON'T RECOVER FROM WITHOUT A LOT OF A LOT OF UNNECESSARY AND PAINFUL EXPERIENCES.

I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT.

SO WHAT YOU WILL HEAR, YES, THERE'S A STRONG MOMENTUM WANTING TO MOVE THIS OFF OF THE ISLAND.

I THINK THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS THOUGH HAVE TO BE HAD THEY HAVE TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE SO THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THEM.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS HE GOING BACK TO THE PERCENTAGES RIGHT. SO AS I UNDERSTOOD THIS I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED NOW FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS ON THIS WHEN

[01:35:02]

WE FIRST MET, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A 60% COULD GIVE US CLOSER TO PRETTY MUCH ESTIMATE OF WHAT

THE COSTS WOULD BE, RIGHT. >> YES, SIR.

>> AND SO WHEN ARE WE EXPECTING TO BE AT 60%?

>> SO ASSUMING THAT THE RATE STRUCTURE IS APPROVED, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THE BONDING IN PLACE.

THE 30% DESIGN WILL CLOSE HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. WE'LL HAVE THE FINALIZED 30% DESIGN. WE'LL ALSO HAVE OUR COST ESTIMATE WITHIN 15% FROM THERE.

FROM THERE, THE PLAN IS TO GO RIGHT INTO JUNE WITH THE NEXT PHASE OF THE REST OF THE DESIGN TO GO TO 60%.

THAT WILL TAKE UNTIL ABOUT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

I WILL SAY AGAIN THERE WILL BE OTHER WORK PACKAGES THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO TO KEEP UP THIS PACE THAT WE'RE ON RIGHT THERE. SO YOU'RE LOOKING PROBABLY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR BEFORE WE GET A VERY TIGHT NUMBER ON WHAT THE PLANT WILL COST. NOW I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER STATEMENT ON THAT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN STRUCTURE ONE OF THESE CONTRACTS.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROCURE MANY WHICH IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. THE MARKET, THE COMMODITIES MARKETS ARE UP AND DOWN. YOU CAN PUT ALL OF THE RISK ON THE CONTRACT. YEAH, I CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT BUT THEN YOU'RE TAKING THE RISK THAT YOU ARE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE IF IT DOESN'T COST THAT MUCH. THE OTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN DO IT YOU CAN FALL ALL THE WAY TO ANOTHER SIDE AND ALL OF THE RISK FOR THE COMMODITIES CAN FALLEN ON THE THE UTILITY IN WHICH CASE THAT GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE WILL BE LESS BECAUSE THERE'S MORE OF THE RISK ON THE COMMODITIES. THEN THERE'S WHENEVER YOU START DOING THE RUSK MATRIX ON THE PROJECTS LIKE THIS YOU START LOOKING AT ALL THE INDIVIDUAL RISKS AND YOU DELEGATE THEM. OKAY CONTRACTOR GLAB, GLAB MARKET IS CHANGING A LITTLE BIT BUT HAVE YOU GOOD STATISTICS ON. THAT STEEL MAYBE THAT'S ON US WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS LINE ITEM THAT WILL BE A MASSIVE SPREADSHEET WE'LL BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE RISK BETWEEN THE PUBLIC OR THE CONTRACT.

>> SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND CONTRACTS ARE AT RICK WE ARE RECENTLY GOING THROUGH THESE EXAMINERSES ANOTHER ANOTHER BOARD I SIT ON AND I HAVE UP TO SPEED ON THAT REAL FAST. THE 30% WE'LL BE GETTING TO WHEN YOU MAY MAYBE IN ANOTHER COUPLE WEEKS OR SO WE'LL HAVE THAT. THE ESTIMATE THAT YOU ARE GIVING US RIGHT NOW I HAVE HEARD A PRICE OF $100 MILLION IS THAT WHAT YOU ESTIMATELY% OR IS THAT 60%? WHAT ARE WE GOING AT SOME FIGURES HAVE BEEN LOOSELY TOSSED ABOUT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

>> THE ORIGINAL $100 MILLION ASK FOR THE LOANS THAT WAS BASED ON PRELIMINARY STICKS THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER BY OUR RAY SKULL NOT A AND ALSO PAISLEY, MORE OF 50,000 FOOT VIEW. I WILL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THOSE COSTS WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS.

>> I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT TIME TABLE.

THAT'S WHAT'S TICKING IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD.

I KNOW ON THE 24TH OF THIS MONTH YOU NEED ANG ANSWER TO LOCK IN RATES. YOU ARE GOING COME TO ME AND ASK THIS COMMISSION, COME TO US AND ASK US FOR A WEIGHT TO LOCK AMOUNT OF MONEY WHATEVER THE RATEPAYER WILL

PAY. >> WE'RING CAN FOR RATE INCREASE ON 16TH AND LOCK IN THAT RATE ON 24TH FOR THE

LOAN. >> BUT MY CONCERN TO UNDERSTAND THIS THERE'S ANOTHER LINGERING 30% THAT WILL COME AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS WHAT THAT MAY BE. THE RULE RIGHT NOW IS SHOWING US THAT WE ALL DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE PRICES ARE ALL OUT OF CONTROL EVERYWHERE.

MY FEAR IS WE GET HERE WE LET THAT -- WE GET THAT LOCKED IN. THEN WE HAVE A SHORTFALL.

THAT'S MY CONCERN COMMISSIONERS.

SO I JUST WANT US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT.

ALL I KNOW IS WE GOT A TIME CERTAIN DATE IN THE NEXT TWO MEETINGS ABOUT THE RATE. THEY'LL ASK US TO LOOK AT RATE. THAT'S ALL.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S UNDERSTAND.

>> COMMISSIONER J.. >> 30% ENGINEER AND ENGINEERING GROUP AND CONTRACTORS YOU'RE RIGHT THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY THERE.

WITH THE METHODOLOGY THAT BO MENTION ADMIN AGO THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE STRUCTURED SYSTEM THERE ARE SOME RISKS AND YOU GET TO PASS OUT THAT RISK, YOU GET TO NEGOTIATE. WE GET TO MARRY THAT LOAD OURSELVES. HERE'S WHAT I DO KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE IS THAT IN LOOKING AT THIS TIME FRAME

[01:40:04]

THAT IF WE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO BUILD THIS PLANT IN 2008 EVEN THOUGH WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF A RECESSION WE WOULD HAVE PAID SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EVEN THOUGH THE INTEREST RATE WAS HIGHER BECAUSE INCOME TELL YOU NOW COST OF DOING BUSINESS TODAY IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AS WE ALL KNOW.

IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN THE LAST 12 MONTH PERIOD THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO. SO WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE EVALUATING AND TO TALK ABOUT THE GRANT PROCESS AND TALK ABOUT THE COST PROCESS AND RATE STRUCTURE OF HOW TO PAY FOR THIS SOME THINGS COME TO MIND. I DON'T WANT TO FULLY RELY ON THE GRANT PROCESS. I WANT TO US MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RATES AND THE REVENUE OVER THE NEXT 20 TO 25, 30 YEARS WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE TO PAY OFF THE BONDS JUST LIKE WE DO WITH EVERY OTHER SYSTEM IN PLACE.

IF WE GET THE BENEFIT OF THE GRANTS OF ANY GRANT THEN IT'S GOING TO OFFSET FUTURE TO I'M LOOKING AT THIS AS AN INVESTMENT PROCESS I'M LOOKING AT IT AS AN INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR MY OWN CHILDREN. MOVING SOMETHING THAT HAS SHIFTED FROM A DESIRE BECAUSE IT JUST LOOKED BAD WE WERE AT FOUR MILLION GALLONS A DAY OUT OF 10 MILLION GALLON PLANT TO NOW IT'S GROWING AND WE HAVE MORE FLOW. ALL OF A SUDDEN, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP SHOULD KICK IN WITHIN US AND SAYS WHAT IF SOMETHING SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN.

WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH STORM EVENTS TO WHERE LARGE RAIN EVENTS AND HURRICANES YOU KNOW WE'RE AT WE ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH EIGHT, NINE MILLION GALLONS A DAY BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS OLD.

WHEN I START LOOKING AT ALL THE PROCESSES AND LOOK AT THE EVALUATION I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD.

TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCY, TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.

WE'RE STILL LEARNING HOW TO CHILL BUILDINGS WITH AIR CONDITIONING. RIGHT THOUSAND WE HAVE MAIN SYSTEM AND THREE AIR CONDITIONERS RUNNING TO COOL THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW. THAT'S ABOUT AS INEFFICIENT YOU CAN GET IT'S AN OLDER BUILDING.

WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH AN OLD PLANT.

MY POINT IS WHEN WE IMPLEMENT THESE TECHNOLOGIES WE WILL PAY SIGNIFICANTLY LESS WITH ELECTRIC BILLS BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY. SO I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT WITH THAT. SO LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE DID I WRITE DOWN HERE. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE CAPITAL COST CHART. THERE WAS A CHART IN THERE THAT I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE QUESTION BUT I REMEMBER

HAVING A QUESTION. >> THAT WAS THE WHAT WE HAD DONE ALREADY MAYBE. THAT ONE?

>> IT WAS CAPITAL MONIES SPENT.

>> THAT ONE? >> YEAH, IT WILL COME TO ME IN A SECOND. EK THAT OKAY.

BUT THE 30% PLANT DESIGN IN THAT INVESTMENT.

TO MOVE FROM 30% TO 60% WHAT DOES THAT NUMBER FOR THAT COMPONENT? WHAT'S THE NEXT LINE ITEM AND BULLET POINT GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

>> IT WILL PROBABLY COME IN SOMEWHERE ABOUT $3.5M.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE AS A STEWARD OF OUR DOLLARS WE MOVE -- AS MUCH AS I THINK THIS TEAM AS MUCH AS I LIKE YOU GUYS AND APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, I DON'T WANT TO PAY YOU JUST TO PAY YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO PAY YOU FOR A PRODUCT THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE.

THAT GOES WITH ANY DESIGN PROFESSIONAL I HAVE SEEN SOME OTHER CONSULTANTS IN THE ROOM.

NOT JUST FOR THIS PROJECT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE MAKE SOME DECISIONS AND WE MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS. WE DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT OR NOT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THE OTHER PART THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT EARLIER, ACTUALLY THERE'S TWO PARTS.

LET ME STAY TECHNICAL FIRST. DDEP PERMITTING HOW IS THAT LOOKING? WHEN DO WE SUBMIT WHAT DOES DEP RESPOND TO YOU AS AND WHAT PERCENTAGE PLANS WHEN

DO WE START TALKING TO THEM? >> WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED TALKING TO THE DEP. I HAD MENTIONED BEFORE TESTING OF THE DEEP INJECTION WELLS.

THAT KIND OF KICKED OFF OUR CONVERSATION WITH THEM ON THIS. YOU KNOW THEY'RE EAGER THEY'RE ALL EARS OF COURSE THERE IS A PROCESS.

YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET A FULL PERMIT AT 30% BUT WE WILL BE AT THE PERMIT PHASE BY THE END OF THE 60%.

WE WILL BE WORKING FOR EXAMPLE ALL THE WAY THROUGH

THAT PROCESS. >> OKAY.

>> WE'RE ON THEIR RADAR. >> ABSOLUTELY.

[01:45:03]

YAM. >> THAT WAS THE OTHER PART

-- YES, MA'AM. >> 15 YEARS AGO WHEN I TALKED TO THOSE FOLKS THEY WERE PRETTY HAPPY WITH WHERE THE PLANT WAS LOCATED BECAUSE REALLY IF THERE WAS A CATASTROPHE YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THEY WANTED THE LAGOON TO GO UPSIDE DOWN, BUT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT HUMAN HEALTH AND HUMAN LIFE THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE WE COULD PROBABLY DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB AT CLEANING UP MAYBE OR ALLOW THE TIDES TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. THAT WAS 15, 20 YEARS AGO.

I'M NOT SAYING I AGREE WITH IT.

>> THAT WOULDN'T BE THE THINKING TODAY.

>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT THE THINKING TODAY.

>> RIGHT. RIGHT.

>> SO, THEN THE LAST YOU KNOW SEVEN YEARS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SEPTIC TO SEWER.

THAT HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA SEPTIC TO SEWER. WE'RE TRYING TO TRANSFORM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT MORE FOLKS WITH PUCK SEWER THAT'S JUST THE -- PUBLIC SEWER.

THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH. THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS DEDICATING FUJDING TO THAT. SO I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S -- FUNDING SO THAT. SO I BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

HOW ABOUT ST. LUCIE COUNTY. LET'S TALK ABOUT ST. LUCIE COUNTY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT BEING A PARTNER OVER MANY YEARS. BO YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME DISCUSSION. WHERE ARE WE WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY AS A PARTNER OR JUST TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS.

DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO STRUCTURE COMPONENTS WITH

OUR COUNTY PARTNER? >> WE ABSOLUTELY DO.

WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ON WHERE IT WOULD BE A JOINT PLANT THEY WOULD OWN A PORTION WE WOULD OWN A PORTION OF IT.

THAT WAY ECOMONIES OF SCALE YOU AREN'T DISLOCATING THE PLANTS THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THAT WE WERE MOVING IN. SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN DIRECTION AS OF NOW IN THE COUNTY BUT THEY'RE ON A PARALLEL PATH.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THIS MILESTONE COMPLETE THAT WE ARE IN AN EXCELLENT POSITION TO OPEN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS BACK UP WITH THE COUNTY AND SEE WHAT KIND OF DEAL WE CAN MAKE TO KEEP ALL OF OURUAL RATES LOW WHETHER BULK OR DIRECT CUSTOMERS WE WILL BE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE HAVE THAT. AND OUR PLANT WE LOOK AT POTENTIALLY DOWNSIZING THE PLANT WITHOUT HAVING THE COUNTY AS A PARTNER. WHEN WE STARTED DOING THE DOLLARS AND CENTS ON IT IT REALLY DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO TAKE IT DOWN TO A 6.50 NGV VERSUS AN 8.

IT'S REAL MONEY BUT IT WASN'T WHAT YOU THINK.

A LOT OF THOSE MAIN CORE COMPONENTS WHERE PRICES DON'T CHANGE VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ALREADY INCLUDED CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE COUNTY AS WELL EVEN WITH OUR EXPANSION. SO IT IS OUR GOAL TO MEET WITH MR. TIPTON AND HIS STAFF AGAIN TO TRY TO COMEPUP WN ARRANGEMENT THERE EVEN IF IT'S A CONTINUED BULK ARRANGEMENT. THE REALITY IS OUR COSTS WILL GO DOWN ON THIS PLANT. WITH THAT BEING SAID THAT TRANSLATES TO RATES TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AS WELL.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE. YOU CAN OPERATE ONE FACILITY LESS EXPENSIVE THAN YOU CAN OPERATE MULTIPLE FACILITIES ACROSS THE BOARD. SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD SELLING POINT WITH KEEPING ST. LUCIE

POINT AS OUR PARTNER. >> THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

BUYING AN IPHONE 32 GIGABYTE FOR $28 YOU CAN HAVE 120 GIGABYTE. I KNOW WHAT IT WAS THE CAPITAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND FOR THE PLANT ITSELF IT WAS JUST GO TO THE CAPITAL SLIDE THAT HAS THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. MAYBE IT WAS THE $50 MILLION SLIDE. YEAH SO MY QUESTION WAS CAPITAL COSTS MOVING IT TO A PHASE 2.

>> THAT'S ADDING TWO. >> SO WE'RE GOING TO A PERMITTED 10 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY FOR THOSE THAT DON'T

KNOW MGD. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

IF I CAN ADD A POINT THERE. OUR PEAKING FACTOR WITH THIS DESIGN IS AT 3-1. ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES AT THE WASTE WATER PLANT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WHEN OUR FLOWS START GETTING ABOVE 17 MILLION WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT CAN BE PUT DOWN THOSE DEEP INJECTION WELLS. THE STAFF DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF MITIGATING THAT BY KEEPING EXTRA BASINS OPEN TO BUY US SOME MORE TIME BUT WHEN WE HAVE 20 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY COMING INTO THAT PLANT, WHICH HAS HAPPENED, AND THE 20 MILLION IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER STOPS. WE REALLY DON'T KNOW.

THIS NEW PLANT WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO HANDLE ALL OF OUR PEAKS. WE WON'T BE CHEWING FINGERNAILS EVERY TIME WE HAVE BIG FLOOD EVENT.

[01:50:01]

I THINK YOU ALSO TOUCHED ON IT TOO THIS IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE THAT FIGHTS US. WE WILL WILL BE HAVING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION IF THAT HATCHES WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT COSTS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR INDIAN RIVER AND GETTING THIS DONE AS FAST AS WE

POSSIBLY CAN. >> RIGHT.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE AND I LIKE THAT YOU'VE MADE THIS SLIDE THE WAY YOU DID. IT GIVES ME A FORECAST.

WHERE ARE WE ON AVERAGE PER DAY RIGHT NOW?

>> WE'RE ABOUT 4.50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.

>> OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO DESIGN AT 8 SO WE'RE HALFWAY THERE WE HAVE GOTTEN A PROPOSED COUPLE MILLION MORE. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AS I THINK AHEAD IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS ENTERING PRIVATE RELATIONSHIP WITH AN PRAYINGOR AND A BUILDER IS WHAT I -- OPERATOR AND BUILD AER IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH BULK WATER AGREEMENTS.

IF WE WERE TO TAKE ON ST. LUCIE COUNTY AND LET'S SAY THAT INJURE -- ROAD BECOMES TRADITION 2.0 IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THERE'S CERTAIN DESIGN STANDARDS WITH I-95 AND THE INTERCHANGE BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

IT'S ALREADY BEING LOOKED AT THERE'S 2700 YOU KNOW PARCELS BEING DEVELOPED POTENTIAL ON THE HORIZON.

MY POINT IS I'M CHALLENGED IN JUST KNOWING THE CONTRACT STATUS THAT WHEN WE NEGOTIATE IF WE WERE TO BRING IN A PRIVATE BUILDER AND THEN A CONTRACT I REALLY LIKE THAT PROCESS, BY THE WAY.

BUT IN THIS CASE IF WE COME IN AND GOING TO BUILD EIGHT MILLION GALLONS WE HAVE A CONTRACT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE KNOW THAT THE -- TAKES OFF IT AND SOARS WE NEED THE EXTRA CAPACITY. NOW I HAVE TO STARTUAL OVER AGAIN WITH THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PRIVATE VENDOR TO ADD CAPACITY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD AN EXPANSION OF THE PLANT WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO SELL AND TALK ABOUT UP FRONT AND THEN IN ROUND NUMBER TWO, LIKE WITH CHANGE ORDERS YOU KNOW YOU KIND OF GET A LITTLE EXTRA THERE.

SOMETIMES THE TAXPAYERS END UP LOSING.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT WOULD HAPPEN I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S MY WORRY. SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESERVATION ABOUT THAT PART NOT BEING IN CONTROL OF OUR OWN DESTINY AS WE HAVE BEEN SINCE THE PLANT WAS HANDED TO US IN 19, WHATEVER, 50S, 60S BECOME WE BECAME THE UA IN '72. I'M A LITTLE HESITANT ON THAT PART. THE GRANT MONEY PROCESS VERSUS THE RATE SYSTEM. WE DIDN'T TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT RATE SUFFICIENCY BUT I WILL MENTION IT BECAUSE IT'S A REAL THING TO TALK ABOUT AND IT'S A REAL WORRY OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE.

YOU HAVE YOUR RATE SUFFICIENCY STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORTH. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MR. CISNEROS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE RATE RATE INCREASES TO MAKE SURE OUR INDEPENDENT UNITS WERE SUSTAINABLE UPON

THEMSELVES IS THAT RIGHT? >> RIGHT.

FIRST PART IS RATE SUFFICIENCY TO INCLUDE JUST INCREASED COSTS AND OUR SYSTEM EXPANSION FOR WATER WASTE WATER FPUA NET AND OUR PROJECT THAT'S INDEPENDENT BUT THEY BOTH HAVE TO BE COMBINED IN ORDER TO BORROW THE FUNDING FOR THE TOTAL PROJECT.

>> SO, ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE OF OUR ANALYSIS.

>> RIGHT. >> WE CAN'T PUSH ONE OFF TO HOLD IT SPEAKING OF THE RATE SUFFICIENCY STUDY AND THE INCREASES THERE TO ONLY LOOK AT AND PARCELIZE AND PULL

OUT THE WRA? >> YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR YOURSELF FIRST THEN BUY -- THEN THE SECOND PART IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PAY FOR YOURSELF FIRST THEN YOU CAN DO THE

SECOND PART. >> I WAS WORRIED YOU WERE GOING TO TELL ME THAT BUT I KIND OF KNEW ALREADY.

BUT I'M GLAD YOU TOLD ME THAT INFORMATION.

HERE, AGAIN IS IF YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE TIME YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE TIMELINE SLIDE THERE'S JUST BEEN SO MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW EACH UNIT NEEDS TO OPERATE ON ITS OWN. ACTUALLY BY CHARTER WASTE WATER NEEDS TO OPERATE AND ELECTRIC NEEDS TO OPERATE I KNOW WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THAT BATTLE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AS A COMMUNITY AS A UTILITY.

WE FOUGHT THAT FOR EVEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE 20 YEARS

I HAVE BEEN PAYING RATES. >> IT'S FAYER TO THE RATEPAYER. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO

GET TO. >> AS OF RIGHT NOW I THINK WE ARE PRETTY EVEN OR PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING EVEN FOR

UTILITIES. >> I KNOW IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING HARD AT IT.

SO THE LAST POINT I WANTED TO MAKE THEN I'M DONE, MADAM, MAYOR, IS COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON BROUGHT UP THE GOOD

[01:55:01]

POINT THE WHAT IF SCENARIO. WHAT IF IT IT JUST COMES IN AT A HIGHER RATE WE HAVE ALREADY GONE AFTER OUR BONDS, WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GOING TO GET IN.

THIS IS GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT AND WILL MAKE YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TURN UPSIDE DOWN DO WE WANT HAVE RESERVE MONIES IN CASE WE NEED TO COVER AN EXTRA $5 MILLION OR $10 MILLION THAT WE MAYBE HAVE TO USE IF WE --.

>> WE DO HAVE SOME CASH RESERVES.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD TO BE MAKE SURE WE DON'T FALL BELOW OUR CASH RESERVE REQUIREMENTS BY BOND COVENANT CONTROLS OUR CASH RESERVE.

>> WE HAVE 45 DAY, 60 DAY WE LIKE IT AND 90 DAY WE REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU AND WE'RE ABOVE THE 90 DAY.

>> 45 IS MINIMUM BUT YOU SHOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE CLOSE

TO THAT. >> WE WOULDN'T WANT TO GO UNDER A 60. WE GOT SOME UA BOARD MEMBERS I'M SURE THEY DON'T WANT TO GO UNDER 60.

MR. CHAIR. >> WE WANT TO KEEP OUR

RATING. >> AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR

RATING. >> SO WE HAVE THE LOW

INTEREST RATE. >> THERE WHERE MANY FACTORS THAT REFLECT OUR BOND RATING.

>> I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THAT IN CASE IT HAPPENS.

I SEE THIS AS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ITED A GNAWS EMWE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT AND -- AD NAUSEAM, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE DECIDE NOT TO PAY FOR IT. HERE'S THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

THANK YOU. >> MADAM MAYOR.

>> YES, SIR. >> PUT THE HISTORY UP THERE BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT SO YOU SAID IN 2008, 6% COULD HAVE BUILT IT CHEAPER.

I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE UTILITY AUTHORED.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THAT YEAR WAS LIKE.

WE HAD A $534 POWER COST ADJUSTMENT ON -- $54 POWER COST ADJUSTMENT WHATEVER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL IS YOU ADD ANOTHER $54 FOR FUEL CHARGES.

BECAUSE THE UTILITY AUTHORITY FOR YEARS DID NOT RAISE RATES AND TRIED TO SPUR ON GROWTH AND TRY TO BE HELP TO THE RATEPAYERS WE WERE AT A DESPERATE TIME WHERE WE -- I SAT DOWN THERE TALKING TO FOLKS UP HERE ABOUT HOW WE NEEDED TO RAISE RATES.

IT WAS A TERRIBLE TIME. IT WAS A TERRIBLE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT THAT'S WHAT KILLED ALL THOSE PLANS BACK THEN. BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HISTORICAL RENDITION RIGHT HERE YOU WILL FIND THERE ARE ALWAYS A REASON NOT TO GO FORWARD.

THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON. EITHER THE RATES ARE TOO HIGH, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE NO GROWTH HAPPENING SO YOU CAN'T JUSTIFY IT. YOU'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THOSE THINGS AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY WITH THE RATES, WITH THE GROWTH, WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, THE STARS ARE ALIGNED.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD FROM MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT'S THE EXCITEMENT I GET RIGHT NOW. YES, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT RATES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE AFFORDABLE DOLLARS THAT FOLKS THAT ARE ON SOME TYPE OF REAL RESTRICTIVE INCOMES CAN BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT COMMITMENT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR RATEPAYERS.

BUT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

I CAN GO THROUGH THIS ENTIRE LIST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS AND THERE ALWAYS WAS A REASON TO KILL IT AT THAT TIME.

THE PLANS SAT ON THE SHELF BECAUSE SOMETHING CAME ALONG AND KILLED THE PLANT. THERE'S NOTHING GOING TO KILL THIS PLANT WE HAVE TO DO IT AND AGAIN, ALL THE

STARS ARE ALIGNED. >> MADAM MAYOR.

>> YES, SIR. >> LAST POINT.

>> I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO KILL A PLAN THERE ARE SOME THAT WANT TO EXPLORE ALL THE OPTIONS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING THE BEST DECISIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE'VE HAD.

EARLY THIS EVENING WE HEARD FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN, WE HEARD FROM A GROUP. WE'VE ALL RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION IN THAT MAIL FROM THAT PARTICULAR GROUP.

BASED ON THAT LAST SLIGHT THERE -- SLIDE THERE I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS THE ONE WITH ALL THE RATES.

I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND OPERATING EFFICIENCIES GO BACK TO THE OTHER ONE THAT HAD THE RATE.

I UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW OPERATION EFFICIENCY, NEW PLANT, MORE ENERGY COSTS, MORE TREATMENT I GET THAT PART OF IT. BUT THE PART I THINK THAT YOU MENTION A MINUTE AGO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME TYPE OF RATE INCREASE REGARDLESS OF THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT BECAUSE OF JUST

INEFFICIENCIES. >> DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT?

>> YES, SIR. >> YOU MENTION STUFF LIKE AMI THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SO THAT REQUIRES A

[02:00:05]

RATE. SO THAT'S ONE BUCKET.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF IT IS THAT SO THOSE TWO WOULD BE COMBINED WHEN IT COMES TO WATER AND WASTE WATER.

MY FIRST QUESTION HERE IS YOU MENTIONED YOU WENT OUT AND AUGUSTA HAS THE SAME TREATMENT PROCESS.

SO I GUESS ALL MY SIMPLE QUESTION WAS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING, I'M TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A TREATMENT FACILITY PERIOD. AND I'VE HEARD TONIGHT THAT THAT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $100 MILLION JUST TO BUILD THAT FACILITY NOT THE REST OF THE PIPES THAT COME TO IT OR THE FLOW VALVE JUST THE FACILITY ITSELF IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BETWEEN $90 MILLION TO $100 MILLION IS THAT FAIR.

>> YES, SIR, IT IS. SO I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT AS I LISTEN TO AND HEAR OTHER THINGS THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES OUT THERE SAYING THERE COULD BE LITTLE COST TO BUILD IT. THAT'S THE TECHNICAL STUFF YOU GUYS DO. I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE ALL-YEAR NOTE INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN MAKE A LOGICAL DECISION FOR THE CITIZENS OF FORT PIERCE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT. I KNOW I HAVE RECEIVED SOME PACKETS OF INFORMATION THE COMMISSIONERS, THE MAYOR YOU RECEIVED THOSE SAME THINGS WITH THEIR COST ESTIMATES.

IS IT POSSIBLE, DON'T KNOW, THAT WHEN IT CAME TO BUILDING THE ACTUAL FACILITY PUTTING CONCRETE OUT AND PUTTING UP BARBED WIRE, WHATEVER ARE WE PAST THAT POINT OF RETURN OF BRINGING ANYBODY ELSE ON BOARD.

>> WE ARE IN AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH A DESIGN BUILD VENDOR NOW. THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.

>> OKAY. >> THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.

>> ALL RIGHT. VERY WELL.

>> ALL RIGHTY. CAN WE WIND THIS UP ARE WE ABOUT READY TO WIND UP THIS. ANYBODY ELSE NEED TO SAY

ANYTHING ELSE. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE

THING. >> BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I WOULD LIKE TO COMMAND MR. CISNEROS WHO I MET WITH THERE WILL BE PUBLIC MEETINGS STARTING THIS WEEK TO BEGIN TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC NOT USING ALL THESE BIG TECHNICAL TERMS BUT THE THINGS THEY WILL BE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT. AND SO FPUA HAS GRACIOUSLY MR. CISNEROS I WILL LET YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

I DO WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THEY WILL GET A CHANCE BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR COMMISSION MEETING THAT WILL BE MORE. IN LIGHT OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY WANT THE FPUA WILL PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING.

>> THURSDAY MAY 5TH STARTING AROUND 6:30 WE WILL BE AT THE MEANS COURT INCUBATOR CENTER.

ALSO ON MAY 14TH . SO THAT, I THINK IS AROUND 12:00, IS THAT RIGHT, 12:00? THE IDEA THERE TO HAVE A SESSION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT JUST THE GENERAL PURPOSE BEHIND THE WASTE WATER PLANT THE NEEDS AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RATES AND THAT THAT MEANS TO THE CUSTOMERS.

ALSO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY WE WILL BE BRINGING SOME BILLS TO SHOW HOW THAT IMPACTS AND HOW THE CUSTOMER'S BILLS RIM PACTED BY THOSE RATES SO THEY CAN SEE IT ON THEIR BILL. EVERY CUSTOMER IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, RIGHT. EVERY CUSTOMER SOME CUSTOMERS USE LESS, SOME CUSTOMERS USE MORE.

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE WASTE WATER PLANT IS ONLY FOR THE WATER AND WASTE WATER ELECTRIC AND GAS DON'T PAY FOR THE WASTE WATER PLANT.

WE TALKED ABOUT SELF-SUFFICIENCY EARLIER.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO UNDERSTAND.

>> THAT'S THIS COMING THURSDAY THE FIRST ONE IS AT 6:30 P.M.. NEXT ONE ON THE 14TH THAT'S A SATURDAY IT WILL BE 12:00 TO 3:00.

I THINK SOME REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED BY FPUA.

>> WE ARE DOING REFRESHMENTS ON SATURDAY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A LITTLE BIT OF LUNCH AND

LEARN KIND OF THING. >> I REALLY WANT COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT'S THE KNOW THAT'S THE CHANCE ALONG WHEN WE'RE COMING BEFORE US. THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.

WE HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT THAT MAY TAKE WATER FROM THIS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS ALL MEANS.

WE HAVE USED SOME REALLY BIG FANCY TERMS. BUT I THINK MEETING WILL BE ONE THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY GET THEIR HEAD AROUND OF WHAT WHY, HOW, THIS WILL BE

DONE. >> I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE'LL TRY TO TAKE OUR ENGINEER HAT OFF.

[02:05:01]

>> BOTH OF THESE WILL BE AT MEANS COURT.

I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT IN OUR PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS. I MET WITH THREE ENGINEERS IN A COMMUNICATIONS PERSON. SO, SHE WAS TELLING ME WELCOME TO MY WORLD. BECAUSE ENGINEERS HAVE A TENDENCY TO USE TERMS AND SAY THINGS THAT THE REST OF US -- BECAUSE THEY FALL OFF YOUR LIPS JUST LIKE THAT, ISN'T THAT RIGHT COMMISSIONER J&J JOHNSON.

>> ONE QUESTIONS WHAT'S THE PROCESS IN YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AT YOUR FPUA MEETINGS.

>> TOMORROW. THEY WILL COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON MAY 16TH. WE COULD DO AN BOND RESOLUTION ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY IS A TRANSPARENT ORGANIZATION JUST LIKE THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE COVERED BY PUBLIC RECORDS AND SUNSHINE. SO OUR MEETINGS HAVE BEEN PUBLIC AND ALSO TAPED. SO ANYBODY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK FOLLOW THE WHOLE PROCESS IF YOU REALLY, REALLY CAN'T SLEEP YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS AND SEE HOW WE CAME TO THIS PROCESS.

I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I USUALLY APOLOGIZE TO THE AUDIENCE FOR MAKING THEM SIT THROUGH SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THEM BUT I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE PROBABLY IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM HEARING THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I THINK RACHEL SAYING EARLIER THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE'VE EVER DONE. MANY OF US UP HERE WERE NOT WHOLLY CONFIDENT IT WOULD BE DONE IN OUR LIFETIME.

[LAUGHTER] SO IT'S A LITTLE SCARY TO GET THIS CLOSE TO IT THINKING OH, MY GOODNESS IT'S REALLY ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE I LET THEM GO? YOU'RE FREE AT LAST.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

[11. CONSENT AGENDA]

>>> THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT

AGENDA. >> ANYTHING THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO PULL?

>> I WILL GET BACK ON THE TRACK HERE.

>> I MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>> THERE'S A MOTION AND SEANCHGD COLD THE ROLL PLEASE.

[a. Legislative Hearing - Ordinance 22-012 Amending Section 12-6, Election Districts by amending the election district boundary following the 2020 U.S. Census. SECOND READING ]

SHWE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ORN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AMENDING CHAPTER 12-6 ELECTION DISTRICTS BY AMENDING THE ELECTION ONE AND ELECTION DISTRICT 2 PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND SEVRABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE

DATE THIS IS SECOND READING. >> THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS PORTION PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THE ELECTRIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.

SEEING NO MOVEMENT. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT MADAM MAYOR. MUCH LIKE THE EARLY PROCEDURE SESS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS HERE STARTING STARTING THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO WHEN WE MADE THE COMMITMENT TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL CONSENT DECREE WHICH WHICH WE'RE UNDER AND KNOWING THAT THE CENSUS NUMBERS WERE IN. WHENEVER THAT TRIGGERS US TO LOOK AT OUR ELECTION BOUNDARIES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE. SO WE WERE PRESENTED WITH SOME INFORMATION FROM MR. SPITZER WHICH LOOKED AT OUR NUMBERS HE GAVE US AN UPDATE THAT WE WERE OUTSIDE OF THE VARIANCE PRETTY MUCH THAT'S ACCEPTABLE THAT WOULD CAUSE SOME CHALLENGE TO FUTURE ELECTIONS IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ELECTION RACE COMING UP THIS NOVEMBER.

SO TO RUN A RACE AN ELECTION RACE IN BOUNDARIES THAT WERE

[02:10:04]

OUTSIDE OF THAT COMPLIANCE COULD CAUSE SOME CHALLENGE IF SOMEONE WANTED TO. SO, WE TOOK UPON OURSELVES TO MOVE ON THIS EXERCISE. WE HAVE HAD GREAT INPUT WE'VE HAD SOME WORKSHOPS. WE'VE HAD SOME COMMUNITY INPUT. AND IT'S BEEN WELL WORTH IT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS.

THEN ALSO YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION. SO I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLEGED MAYBE EVEN SHARED IN SOME FORMS THAT IS NOT QUITE ACCURATE.

I REACHED OUT TO I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY MRS. EARLY BECAUSE MUCH LIKE EVERYONE HERE YOU READ THE NEWSPAPERS EVERY NOW AND THEN.

THE WAY THAT ARTICLE READ IT APPEARED AS THOUGH WE WERE BEING SUED BY THE ACLU AND THAT WAS NEWS TO ME.

SO MRS. EARLY BASED ON, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE OUR ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY HAVE WE BEEN SUED, HAVE WE BEEN ISSUED A

SERVED BY A PROCESS. >> SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN SERVED. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE MICROPHONE WE HAVE NOT BEEN SERVED.

>> SO AT THIS POINT WE HAVEN'T.

I PROMPTED TO LOOK BACK THROUGH THIS ACTUAL LETTER AND READ IT. FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY I WOULD ADVISE THAT YOU CAN GET THIS LETTER AS WELL IT'S ALL PUBLIC RECORD.

BUT IT WAS ADDRESSED TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND IT WAS WRITTEN BY STAFF ATTORNEY FROM THE ACLU ALONG WITH VOTE ARE RIGHT POLICY STRATEGISTS. REALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT DISCREPANCIES AND THE NUMBERS THE INITIAL CENSUS NUMBERS I THINK THOSE HAVE SINCE THEN BEEN ANSWERED WITH THAT SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE. BUT I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE SCOPE HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS BOUND TO COMPLY WITH THE U.S. CONSTITUTION ONE PERSON ONE VOTE MANDATE MEANING DISTRICTS MUST BE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN POPULATION GENERALLY PLUS OR MINUS 5% FROM IDEAL DISTRICT SIZE. THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT ALLOWS SOME DISCRETION FOR THE COMMISSION TO BALANCE OTHER IMPORTANT BUT COMPETING CRITERIA SUCH AS KEEPING NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER AND MAINTAINING THE CORES OF EXISTING DISTRICT.

WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT WE WENT THROUGH TO STILL HAVE DISTRICT 1 AND DISTRICT 2 AND KNOW THE CORE INTEGRITY OF THOSE DISTRICTS ARE STILL INTACT THERE WAS A SLIGHT ADDITION TO DISTRICT 1 BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE POPULATED AND LIVED IN DISTRICT 2.

SO THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE IN TWO SCENARIOS WAS PRESENTED TO US BY THE CONSULTANT.

IF YOU DID THIS THIS WOULD BE THAT.

IF YOU DID THAT THIS WOULD BE THAT.

WHAT I SAW TO BE A CLEAR DELINEATION BY AN ACTUAL ROAD THAT WE ALL TRAVEL DOWN 13TH STREET.

DISSECTED AND CUT OFF BY VIRGINIA.

SO IT MADE FOR REALLY EASY UNDERSTANDING.

ANOTHER PROPOSAL I THINK WAS SHARED BY ONE OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES COMMISSIONERS IT CAME DOWN IN NEIGHBORHOOD.

TO ME IT PRESENTED A LOOK THAT WOULD HAVE ONE NEIGHBOR ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET BEING IN ONE DISTRICT AND ANOTHER IN THAT SAME SUBDIVISION BEING IN ANOTHER DISTRICT TO ME THAT WOULD CAUSE A LITTLE CONFUSION.

SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT AND I LOOKED AT THIS THIS DECISION WAS BASED ON POPULATION ONLY.

NOT TRANSPORTATION OF WHO VOTES WHO DON'T VOTE WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, WHAT ETHNICITIES YOU ARE IT WAS BASED OFTEN NUMBERS PERIOD. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS WHAT I JUST READ IT'S BASED ON POPULOUS OF PEOPLE.

POPULOUS OF PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE TIME TO COMPLETE THEIR CENSUS. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE AND THAT'S THE ONLY COUNT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW THIS. I I WANTED TO AT LEAST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS IS A DECISION THAT IS BASED ON FACT, IT'S BASED ON THE FOUNDATION AND PRINCIPLE OF KEEPING INTACT THE COLEMAN VERSUS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE DECISION THAT WAS RENDERED THAT WAS STILL UNDER THAT CONSENT DECREE AND THE INTEGRITY OF DISTRICT 1 AND DISTRICT 2 LARGELY REMAINS IN AFFECT.

SO I WANT TO STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD.

THANK YOU. >> MADAM MAYOR.

>> COMMISSIONER GOOD JOB. I AGREE WITH YOU 100%.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WERE READING WAS FROM THE LETTER WE GOT FROM THE ACLU,

CORRECT? >> YES.

>> SO YOU WERE READING THE DATA OF HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO EVALUATE IT. IT'S THAT THE HOW-TO MANUAL

THAT THEY PUT IN THE LETTER. >> IT'S WHAT THE CONSULTANT

[02:15:02]

PRESENTED TO US. IN ANY CASE I AGREE WITH YOU 100%. WHOEVER ANALYZES THE NUMBERS I PROMISE YOU I CAN TAKE THE SAME SET OF DATA NUMBERS AND CRITIQUE THEM. IT DOESN'T MATTER.

EVERYONE IN THIS AUDIENCE AND IN THIS ROOM CAN DO THAT. ANY NUMBER CAN CRITIQUE ANY SET OF DATA POINTS CAN BE CONTRACT TEAGUED AND THAT'S OKAY . -- CRITIQUED AND THAT'S OKAY. WE ALSO GOT WHAT OUR CONSULTANT PRESENTED WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

>> ANYTHING ELSE ANYBODY WANTS COMMISSIONER GAINES.

>> JUST TO RECAP BECAUSE LAST MEETING I VOTED NO AND I WAS QUESTIONED AS TO. AGAIN I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD MY NO VOTE WAS SIMPLY BASED ON THE TWO PROPOSALS THAT WERE GIVEN. AND THOSE TWO PROPOSALS ARE THE CRITERIA THAT MR. SPENCER GAVE US AND MY NO VOTE WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE NUMBERS AND THE PERCENTAGES I LIKE THOSE NUMBERS I UNDERSTAND THE LINE 13TH STREET. WE CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT.

SO BUT I'M NOT IT WAS, IT WAS PERCENTAGES AND NUMBERS BASED ON DOCUMENTATION THAT WE WERE RECEIVED.

59, 18, NUMBERWISE IT WAS 101 I THINK IT WAS TO 72.

SO IF I CAN GET 72 PEOPLE DIFFERENT BETWEEN BECAUSE TRYING TO GET THE DISTRICT THAT'S WHY I STAND.

-- I APPRECIATE THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AGAIN THIS DECISION IT SEEMS LIKE THIS MEETING WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN VERY REALLY I WAS MORE CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE ON THE COMMISSION HAD A FATAL ISSUE WITH ANY OF THE ALTERNATIVES I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT AND I TOTALLY RESPECT THAT IN THAT WAY. I THOUGHT I MISSED SOMETHING ACTUALLY WHEN I SAID THAT. BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN OUT OF NOWHERE THERE WAS A NO. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING IT THEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE COME TO I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

I DO APPRECIATE IT. AS LONG AS THERE'S NOT A FATAL ISSUE WITH THE WHOLE THING YOU CAN LIVE WITH ONE.

>> TO GO BACK AND FORTH ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED BY SITTING UP HERE IS IS TO STAND BY WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

LIKE I SAID IT SIMPLY CAME DOWN TO ME THE NUMBERS THE NUMBERS AND THE LINE THAT WAS DRAWN.

IT DOESN'T LOOK -- IT DOESN'T LOOK AS CLEAN AS THE LINE GOING DOWN YOUR 13TH. THE ONLY REASON BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE MADE FROM THE FORMER GOVERNOR THAT'S WHY THE LINE CUT. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, SO I STILL LIKE THAT OPTION BUT THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN US THERE'S NOTHING --

>> THAT'S WHY HE PRESENTED IT.

I'M HAPPY WE GO FROM THERE? >> THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE. WOULD ANYTHING ELSE LIKE TO

-- >> MADAM MAYOR I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. AMENDED SECTION 12.6.

>> SECOND. >> MOTION AND A SECOND.

CALL THE ROLL PLEASE

>> COMMISSIONER GAINS. >> WE HAVE ALREADY VOTED BUT FOR THE RECORD COMMISSIONER JOHNSON I THINK WE NEED TO

[02:20:05]

MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DIDN'T PUT THE OPTION IN WE JUST SAID YOU JUST SAID DISTRICT BOUNDARIES WE DIDN'T SAY WHICH ONES. I KNOW WE DID IT LAST TIME.

>> I -- THE ORDINANCE NUMBER.

>> THE ORDINANCE ONLY PRESENTED ONE OPTION.

>> OK, GOOD. WE ARE CLEAR.

THANK YOU. >> YEAH.

>> WE'RE GOOD. OKAY.

[b. Legislative Hearing - Ordinance 22-013 amending the Community Development District boundary of the Preserve at Savannah Lakes. FIRST READING]

>> NEXT WE HAVE ORDINANCE -- CITY COMMISSION THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA AMENDING 035 ESTABLISHING THE PRESERVE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 190 AMENDING THE EXTERNAL BOUNDARIES FOR THE DISTRICT PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECT DATE. THIS IS THE FIRST READING.

>> MS. EARLY IS THIS YOU? >> MAYOR I DON'T HAVE ANY LEAD-IN PER SE. WE GOT A PETITION TO AMEND -- THE ORDINANCE IF YOU HAD ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING IS THE APPLICANT HERE OR SOMEONE REPRESENTING

THE APPLICANT HERE? >> I WAS LOOKING OVER HERE.

STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.

I HAVE YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN. DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION.

I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS FIRST READING. THEN I LOOKED AT THE MAP THAT WAS PRESENTED BEFORE IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IS SOME OF THE SLIVER OF LANDING WAS NOT INCLUDED THE FIRST TIME YOU PRESENTED THIS IS THAT

CORRECT. >> THAT IS CORRECT.

THE PETITION IS REQUESTING THAT A SEVEN ACRE PARCEL PLUS OR MINUS BE ADDED TO THE DISTRICT'S EXISTING

BOUNDARIES. >> WHY WASN'T IT INCLUDED

BEFORE? >> AT THE TIME IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

>> THE LANDOWNER CONSENT WHICH WE NOW HAVE BEFORE YOU WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME.

>> OKAY. >> ALL RIGHTY.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADD.

BUT PLEASE COME UP HERE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF, SIR.

>> FOR PIERCE THREE OF THE DESIGN ENGINEERS WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPERS FOR THE PROPERTY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS DISTRICT.

>> WHY WASN'T THIS INCLUDED IN THE FIRST TIME AROUND?

>> AT THE TIME WE HAD THE INITIAL PETITIONS GOING THROUGH WE WERE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THAT PIECE AS WE WERE DOING THE MASTER PLANNING WORK IT BECAME VERY APPARENT WE WOULD HAVE SOMING A ISSUES ON THE U.S. ONES THAT WERE GOING TO BE A PROBLEM SO WHAT WE WERE DOING IS WE WERE TRYING TO RECONFIGURE AND REALIGN OUR ENTRIES SO WE CAME INTO THE SIGNAL LIGHT INTERSECTION AT DIXON AND U.S. 1.

NOW ALL THAT WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED AND REBUILT.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW THINGS LINED UP AND FELL INTO PLACE. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER WITH THE PLANT. SOMETIMES SCHEDULES AND THINGS DON'T QUITE MESH. WE HAD TO COME BACK IN.

THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE DISTRICT HAVE THEY FOLLOW THE RIGHT PAPERWORK FOLLOW PROPER AMENDMENTS TO IT THIS IS THE STEPS THAT WE MUST GO THROUGH NOW.

PREVIOUS COMING ATTRACTIONS WE SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL COUPLE MEETINGS WITH THE PUD REVIEWS SO YOU WILL BE SEEING THE PROJECT COMING FORWARD.

>> IF HAVE YOU ANY QUESTIONS.

>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER OF THE LAWYER OR THE

ENGINEERS? >> ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE.

SEE NO ONE ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR DISCUSSION.

MAYOR DE BLASIO I PROVE THAT WE APPROVE.

SECOND THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.

COMMISSIONER GAINES.

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Any person who wishes to comment on any subject may be heard at this time. Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes or less, as directed by the Mayor, as this section of the Agenda is limited to thirty minutes. The City Commission will not be able to take any official actions under Comments from the Public. Speakers will address the Mayor, Commissioners, and the Public with respect. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.]

>> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

OKAY THIS IS THE TIME FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC PLEASE COME FORWARD STATE YOUR NAME EVEN THOUGH HAVE YOU ALREADY DONE IT TONIGHT IT'S FOR THE RECORD STATE

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> MY NAME IS -- I LIVE IN MIAMI. I'M JUST COMING UP HERE AT THE END OF THE MEETING. I WON'T TAKE MUCH TIME IN THE PRESENTATION I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I MEAN I'M

[02:25:03]

HERE TO HELP THE CITY. I KNOW ARE NOT INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH EQUALIA I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY THEY WILL WIN.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET ALL THE INFORMATION. THEY ARE TRULY PROVIDING THAT. SINCE LAST YEAR WE PROVIDED

-- >> WHICH WE HAVE KEEP FOR THE PRICE THIS YEAR. WE PROVIDED COST MAINTENANCE HOW MUCH THE FINANCE IS GOING TO COST THE NUMBERS THEY PRESENTED BEFORE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT INTEREST COST FOR THE PRIVATE OF 6% PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS OF 4.5% RIGHT NOW. SO THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT SO BIG. THEN WHEN THEY WERE MENTIONING TO MAKE A PRINCIPAL COST IT'S MORE THAN $180 MILLION AND I -- I CAN PROVIDE OTHER VALUE ADDED TO THE CITY. WE ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING TOO TYPE OF FACILITIES.

THEY ARE MENTIONED -- OF COURSE WE ARE.

BUT THE DESIGN NUMBER TEAM THEY ARE -- WE JUST WANT TO BE A PROVIDER FOR THEM TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR EFFICIENCY AND THEIR OPERATIONS -- SO WE WOULD BE ANOTHER PROVIDER SAME OR SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT THEY HAVE THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS OF COURSE WE SUPPORT THE PUBLIC EQUALIA ALWAYS WORKS PUBLIC MUNICIPALITIES AND PUBLIC CLIENTS.

WE ONLY, WHAT WE DO IS HELP THEM AND GET BETTER RATE FOR RATEPAYERS. THAT'S WHERE WE APPLY NO HARM TO HELP THEM IMPROVE. THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO CONSIDER IS THEY PUT A BID FOR IT.

I KNOW THERE WAS NO THEY SELECTED WITH ONGOING CONTRACT THEY CAN DO THAT SO.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.