[00:00:02]
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY MEETING TO ORDER.[Call to Order]
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRAYER AND THEN STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.>> I DOESN'T APPEAR WE WILL HAVE A PRAYER TODAY.
>> WE WILL START WITH THE PLEDGE, THEN.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I WANT TO ADD ONE EXTRA ITEM TO SECTION G "NEW BUSINESS." I WANT ADD AN
[A. SET THE AGENDA]
ITEM TO OPEN THE HEARING TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS CONCERNING THE RATE ADJUSTMENT FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATIONS.DOES ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER WANT TO ADJUST THE AGENDA ACCORDINGLY OR ADD ANYTHING ELSE?
I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
[B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:]
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISH TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS?>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
IF YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE CONCERNING RATES, WE WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO WAIT
[C. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:]
UNTIL THE PRESENTATIONS ARE CONCLUDED.WHEN I OPEN FOR COMMENTS PLEASE COME UP.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS.
THEN WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON IT AND MOVE ON.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ISSUES OR ITEMS UNRELATED TO THE FUTURE RATE ADJUSTMENT DISCUSSION THIS AFTERNOON? IF SO PLEASE COME FORWARD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MR. CHAIRMAN.
I REPRESENT PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
I WENT TO THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU LAST NIGHT'S MEETING THE CITY COMMISSION MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WAS MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO PASS WHATEVER RATE INCREASE YOU ASK FOR.
SO YOU HAVE CONTINUED THE MOMENTUM.
THE GOOD NEWS AND THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES AND WE THINK THAT MAYBE IN OUR LIFETIMES AFTER 20 YEARS OF DELAY WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET THAT PLANT OFF THE CURRENT LOCATION.
I DO NOT REPRESENT EQUALIA, A DEVELOPER OR THE FPUA.
JUST A LITTLE TINY ORGANIZATION.
AS THE PERSON FOR ME OUTSIDE YOU CAN HAVE A VIEW ON SIMILAR THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU FACTUALLY I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU NEED A CAR REALLY BAD, AND YOU GO BUY THE CAR SOMETIMES YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST PRICE TO BUY THE CAR.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE HERE.
YOU ARE FACED WITH A POSITION OF WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM AND NOT HAVE THE THING HAPPEN AT ALL WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL.
YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THAT CHOICE AFTER A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIME DELAYING IS NOW HURRY UP AND WAIT.
AND YOU HAVE A VERY BIG DECISION TO MAKE.
I WILL SAY THAT YOU ARE NOT OPERATING ON COMPLETELY ACCURATE INFORMATION.
UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE RULES ARE YOU ARE PREVENTED FROM GIVING COMPLETELY ACCURATE INFORMATION.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE HAVING AN ARGUMENT WITH YOUR SPOUSE YOU GET TO TALK FOR THREE MINUTES AND THEY TALK FOR THREE HOURS.
THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FACED WITH.
BECAUSE THE STAFF CONTROLS THE ENTIRE OPERATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME LAST NIGHT THEY SAID THE PERSON THEY HAD
[00:05:03]
GIVEN THE FIRST BID TO -- THERE'S THREE BIDS; NOT ONE -- THEY HAD DONE 51 PROJECTS FOR THE UTILITY AUTHORITY.MY QUESTION TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE BID PROCESS, HOW DOES ONE WIN 51 BIDS IN A ROW?
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[D. CONSENT AGENDA:]
ARE ANY ITEMS NEEDED TO BE PULLED? IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA?>> I HAD ONE QUESTION THAT I BROUGHT UP TO MR. CISNEROS EARLIER ABOUT THE PAPER STATEMENT FOR -- THE PAPER STATEMENTS AND THE PRICES GOING UP WITH THAT.
OBVIOUSLY THE WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW, THAT'S FINE.
I WAS SAYING MAYBE WE NEEDED TO HAVE A PAPER STATEMENT FEE OR EITHER OFFER A DISCOUNT TO SOMEONE THAT SIGNS UP FOR AUTO PAY OR HAVING THEIR STATEMENTS E-MAILED TO THEM.
EITHER INCENTIVIZE OR CREATE A WAY TO HELP GET IT COVERED.
THIS IS ALMOST GOING UP DOUBLE.
THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING I DISCUSSED WITH HIM EARLIER.
>> WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OPTIONS IN THE FUTURE TO HELP REDUCE THE COST.
YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS INCREASING.
AND THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN USE TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
PAPERLESS IS A GREAT SOLUTION FOR THAT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR PERCENTAGE NUMBERS ARE FOR PAPERLESS.
IT'S PROBABLY -- IT COULD BE HIGHER FOR SURE.
>> OTHER THAN THAT, I MOVE APPROVAL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
[G1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Utility Work Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for supplemental funding in the amount of $847,830.00 increasing the reimbursable total from $500,000.00 to $1,347,830.00 and approving the associated project budget transfer of $847,830.00.]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.THE FIRST ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS THE APPROVAL FOR AMENDMENT UTILITY WORK AGREEMENT WITH FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A1A NORTH BRIDGE PROJECT.
STAFF ENGINEER WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE NORTH CAUSEWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT REIMBURSEMENT SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE.
ON JUNE 24TH, 2021, THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY ENTERED INTO A UTILITY WORK AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH CAUSEWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
PER THE AGREEMENT, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL REIMBURSE FPUA FOR RELOCATION ADJUSTMENT OF THE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY CONTAINED WITHIN THE EASEMENTS ON THE FPUA THAT WERE SUBORDINATED TO FACILITY THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT.
AS PART OF THE REQUIRED UTILITY RELOCATIONS FPUA HAS TO RELOCATE THE SEWER MAIN UNDER THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILROAD.
THIS CROSSING IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WAS INITIATIVE ESTIMATED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE BEYOND FPUA'S CONTROL.
1 WILL ALLOW THE FDOT TO REIMBURSE FPUA FOR THIS ADDITIONAL COST.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE AND THE SUBSEQUENT BUDGET TRANSFERS TO ALLOW COMPLETION OF THE SEWER MAIN UNDER THE RAILROAD.
WITH THAT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD?
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT YOU SAID THIS IS ALL TOTALLY REIMBURSABLE?
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT ITEM IS INFORMATION PRESENTATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATE ON THE WASTEWATER PLANT RELOCATION PROJECT.
[G2. Ft. Pierce WRF Relocation – The Journey and Plan]
AND THE PROPOSED PATH MOVING FORWARD.STAFF REVIEWED THIS PRESENTATION WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS INDIVIDUALLY OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
STAFF ALSO PRESENTED THIS ITEM LAST NIGHT AT THE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
[00:10:03]
BILL HUTCHINSON AND RACHEL TENET SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM MANAGER, WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.>> BEFORE YOU START YOUR PRESENTATION, I WAS AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I THINK STAFF DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO SIMPLIFY A VERY COMPLEX PLAN FOR THE BOARD AND THE CITIZENS.
I KNOW WE GOT INUNDATED WITH A FEW QUESTIONS THAT PERHAPS WE WEREN'T EXPECTING.
NOW WE KNOW WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS AND SUPPLY THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THOSE BOARD COMMISSIONERS THAT NEED TO KNOW ITEMS CONCERNING THE GRANTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
OVERALL THE PRESENTATION WAS VERY WELL DONE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SEEING IT A THIRD TIME.
[LAUGHTER] >> IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO ABSORB.
THE MORE OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU, I THINK IT BECOMES MORE CLEAR.
MADAM, MAYOR, CHAIRMAN FEE, BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT TO PRESENT THIS WRF RELOCATION JOURNEY PLAN.
WE DID PRESENT IT LAST NIGHT AND LOOK FORWARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU, AGAIN, TODAY.
THE PLAN HERE IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE RELOCATION PAST AND PRESENT WITH A LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE.
THIS IS THE LARGEST PROJECT IN FPUA'S 50-YEAR HISTORY.
AND WE ARE PROUD AND GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU TODAY.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ORIENT US INTO TODAY'S GROWTH AND MOMENTUM.
ST. LUCIE COUNT IS THE FIFTH FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN FLORIDA.
IT'S EXPANSION FOR GROWING CITY.
IT MEANS TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES.
THINGS LIKE AUTOMATED MEETING INFRASTRUCTURE OR AMI WHICH IS COMMON PRACTICE IN UTILITIES AND SOMETHING AS YOU ALL KNOW WE'RE WORKING TOWARD BRINGING INTO OURS.
IT ALSO MEANS WORKING AT INTERNET.
SOMETHING THAT IS A PUBLIC GOOD OR A PUBLIC NEED RATHER THAN A PRIVATE COMMODITY.
AND TRYING TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH INTERNET ACCESS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A WASTEWATER PLANT THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED OFF OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
IT NEEDS TO BE MOVED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS.
A WATERFRONT UTILITY LIKE OUR RISKS THINGS, FLOODS, FROM SEA-LEVEL RISE AND NATURAL DISASTERS THINGS LIKE HURRICANES AND FLATS THAT COME FROM BIG RAIN EVENTS.
THERE'S ALSO REGULATORY PRESSURE ON US.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAS PLACED US -- OUR WASTEWATER PLANT ON TEN PLANTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO UPGRADE.
FOR US THAT'S A MINIMUM OF 16 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO A PLANT THAT WE KNOW WE WANT TO MOVE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ALSO REQUIRED US TO GIVE A PLAN FOR RELOCATION, WHICH COULD BE A POSSIBLE PRECURSOR TO MANDATING THE RELOCATION.
AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S RENEWED INTEREST IN THE WATERFRONT PROPERTY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN FT.
THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL FOCUS ON THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY OR WASTEWATER PLANT.
WE'LL START WITH THE HISTORY OF THE RELOCATION PROCESS AND THE CONVERSATION SO FAR AND THE INVESTMENT.
UPDATE SINCE THE 2021 RECOMMITMENT TO MOVE THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
AFTER THAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OUR RESEARCH WITH YOU.
THROUGH A SERIES OF COMPARISON SLIDES MR. HUTCHINSON WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE CONSIDERED FOR MOVING THE PLANT.
INCLUDING COST, TREATMENT DESIGNS.
TIME LINE ALTERNATIVES, AND SOME OF THE INTANGIBLES IMPORTANT FOR OUR LOCAL GROWING COMMUNITY LIKE OURS.
FROM THERE, WE WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF TIME LINE AND OVERVIEW OF THE BREADTH OF OUR COMMUNICATION WITH UQALIA AND PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS.
THIS IS IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD THAT FPUA HAD NOT BEEN AND COMMUNIQUETIVE WITH THE TWO ENTITYINGS PARTICULARLY EQUALIA.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE SAME INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAYS WE'VE BEEN OPEN AND COMMUNICATING WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS OVER TIME.
AFTER THAT WE CONCLUDE WITH A DISCUSSION OF WHY THE PUBLIC MODEL IS THE BEST MODEL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT COMES UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MOVING THE WASTEWATER PLANT IS WHETHER WE WILL DO IT.
[00:15:01]
WE'VE BEEN TALKING AND PREPARING FOR IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.IT STARTS IN 2004, HISTORIC GROWTH IN THE CITY OF FT.
PIERCE LED THE FDEP NECESSITY TO MOVE THE WEST WATER PLANT OFF OF THE ISLAND.
IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO DO BECAUSE WE WERE GROWING SO QUICKLY.
IN 2006, WE HAD A WASTEWATER PLANT DESCRIBE USING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WERE THE BEST AT THAT TIME.
IN 2008, THE RECESSION ALSO HAPPENED.
RESULTING IN US TAPERING THE PLAN.
JUST FOR INFORMATION INTEREST RATES IN DECEMBER OF 2008 WERE 6%.
IN 2024 THERE WAS FPUA RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR MOVING THE WRF AGAIN AND IN 2016, AGAIN, THE PERCEIVED HIGH COST AND A POOR RATE STRATEGY FOR HOW TO FUND IT RESULTED IN AGAIN TABLING THE PLAN.
IN 2017, STAFF BEGAN DEVELOPING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY FOR REGIONAL PLAN HOPING THAT COULD HELP CURB THE COST.
IN 2020, HISTORIC LOW INTEREST RATES AND 2021, FPUA BOND DEBT BEGAN TO MATURE ALLOWING FOR NEW BOND ISSUANCE LEADING US TO JOINT MEETING IN 2021 WHERE THE BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION CHARGED STAFF WITH RELOCATING THE WRF.
THERE ARE TWO RED ASTERISKS ON THE SLIDE.
THE POINT IS SHOWEN WHEN WE TABLED THE PLAN, STAFF CONTINUED TO WORK AN EYE TOWARD MOVING THE WEST WATER PLANT OFF OF THE ISLAND AND ON TO ENERGY LANE THE LOCATION WHERE WE PLAN TO PLACE IT.
AND DOING THAT, WE -- WHEN WE REPLACED THE PIPES AND THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM WE REPLACED THEM WITH BI-DREXEL PIPES.
WHICH MEANS WE COULD GO TO EAST OR WEST.
NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT WE'VE BEEN INVESTING IN IT.
WITHOUT THE DETAILS WE'VE INVESTED 26.3 MILLION DOLLARS IN RELOCATING THE PLAN SO FAR.
WHICH INCLUDES THE MOST RECENT EXPENSE THE 30% PLANTED DESIGN.
THIS DESIGN COVERS MAJOR TREATMENT ELEMENTS THE SITE LAYOUT AND THE CORE AND DETAILS OF HOW OUR NEW PLANT WILL WORK.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EXPENSE OF THE BI-DIRECTIONAL PIPES THAT WE BEEN DOING ALL ALONG.
THIS LEADS US TO THE JUNE 2021 UPDATE.
THE JOINT MEETING BETWEEN FPUA BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION RED THE STAFF WAS RECOMMITTED TO MOVING THE PLANT OFF OF THE ISLAND WITH AN EMPHASIS ON HEAVY EMPHASIS ON SPEED.
MOVING THE WASTEWATER PLANT OFF THE ISLAND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
NEXT MR. HUTCHINSON WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW AND A COMPARISON OF THE DIFFERENT COSTS, TREATMENT AND TIME LINE AND INTANGIBLES OPTIONS THAT WE CONSIDERED.
GOOD AFTERNOON MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
EVERY CONVERSATION THAT HAS HAD STARTS WITH HOW MUCH WILL IT COST AND IT ENDS WITH HOW WE WILL MOVE IT.
THIS CONVERSATION WILL NOT BE ANY DIFFERENT.
THE FIRST PATH THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS PRIVATE LENDING.
WE UNDERSTOOD AT THE TIME IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE PUBLIC OPTIONS HOWEVER, SPEED WAS OF THE ESSENCE AND THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY ROLL THATTOR INTO PUBLIC FUNDING AT THE LATER DATE TO REDUCE THE INTEREST RATE.
WHEN WE ROLL THE CLOCK BACK A YEAR OR SO.
THEY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EXPENSIVEN ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF OBSTACLES WE WERE BUMPING INTO THERE.
THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT ITEMS IN THE CHARTER THAT WOULD PRECLUDE IT FROM ANY KIND OF LONG-TERM PRIVATE BORROWING.
BUT ALSO, IF YOU -- IF YOU HAVE PRIVATE LOANS AND YOU ALSO HAVE PUBLIC LOANS IF THERE'S A DEFAULT SITUATION, THEN THE PRIVATE LOANS TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THE PUBLIC AND THAT LEADS TO MORE RISK FOR THE PUBLIC LOANS, IE, MORE HIGHER INTEREST RATES IN THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT POTENTIALLY DEFERRING THE COST -- DEFERRING THE INTEREST AND THE PAYMENTS ON THE LOANS INITIALLY TO GIVE MORE TIME TO GET THE RATE STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT WE NEED.
WITHOUT A STEEP RATE INCREASE.
HOWEVER THERE'S A COST TO THAT.
IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, WHEN YOU AWED THIS UP.
THAT'S 168 MILLION TO THAT PARTICULAR MEDDODOLOGY.
ACTUALLY IT WAS MR. CISNEROS HAD SAID, HEY, LET'S TALK ABOUT ADDING THIS TO THE OTHER BONDING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
HE MADE A FEW CALLS TALKED TO RATE CONSULTANT AND OUR BOND COUNCIL.
[00:20:06]
AND HERE WE ARE TODAY.WHEN WE WERE AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT.
WE WERE STILL LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY DEFERRING THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST OUT TO THE END OF THE LOAN TO GIVE US TIME TO RAMP THE RATES UP SLOWLY.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, EVEN WITH THE LOWER INTEREST RATE THERE'S STILL A COST TO THAT.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IT'S ABOUT 25 MILLION.
WHEN YOU SPREAD THAT OVER THE COURSE OF 30-YEAR BOND.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE RATES.
YOU RAISE THE RATES HIGHER THAN YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU RAISED THE RATES EARLIER AND THEY STAY HIGHER FOR THE CONTINUUM FOREVER, BASICALLY.
THAT LEADS US TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDTATION WHICH IS TO BOND ALL OF THE MONEY THAT WE NEED UP FRONT.
THIS PROTECTS OUR DUE CHER BOND RATING AND PROTECTS OUR FUTURE BORROWING CAPABILITY AND OF COURSE GIVES US THE LOWEST COST.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT SLIDE IS ALL ABOUT THE BONDING AND THE BORROWING OPTION FOR THIS.
WE ARE ALSO PROCEEDING WITH -- ON A PARALLEL PATH SEEKING GRANTS TO HELP US WITH THIS COST AS WELL.
RESILIENT FLORIDA IS A VERY GOOD ONE.
IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PROJECT THEY DO.
THEY HAVE INCREASED FUNDING TO $500 MILLION FROM $100 MILLION.
WE HAVE GOOD CHANCE TO GET SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS TO HELP OFF SET ANY FUTURERATES.
ALSO APPROPRIATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL DELEGATES.
WE'LL BE IN THERE OFFICES MOST LIKELY STARTING NEXT MONTH GO THROUGH THE PROCESS GETTING THEN UPDATED ON EVERYTHING WE ARE DOING AND START FORMULATING TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT THAT WE ARE EXPLORING AT THIS TIME.
IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE WILL BRING BACK PRESENTATION WITH JUST THE GENERAL UPDATE HAVING TO DO WITH THE TIME FRAME FOR THE THANK THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PLANT.
AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO GET THE GRANTS.
OUR DESIGN TEAM EVALUATED TEN DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES TO START WITH.
WE WERE ABLE TO SHORT LIST IT DOWN TO THREE.
THE ONE ACTUALLY SPLIT INTO TWO.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH.
ULTIMATELY A STATE IS LOCATED THE AQUANORIDA PROCESS.
THIS IS THE SAME THAT EQUALIA WAS PROPOSING AS WELL.
OUR DESIGN TEAM IS WORKING WITH THEM AS WELL.
WE EFFECTIVELY CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN.
THIS GIVES US THE LOWEST UP FRONT COST.
THE LOWESTEST CAPITAL COST FOR THE FIRST STAGE.
ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT IS YOUR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COST ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER GOING FORWARD.
GIVES YOU THE LOWEST LIFE CYCLE COST FOR THE PLANT.
THIS MODEL IS ONLY 20 YEARS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UTILITY; YOUR MINIMUM WANTINGS NEEDS TO BE 50 YEARS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE UPGRADES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, 15 OR 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT IN YOUR PLANNING WINDOW AND NOT NARROW THE WINDOW DOWN TOO MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IN THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS PUBLIC.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS HEARD THIS.
THESE COST THAT YOU ARE SEEING HERE.
THIS IS JUST FOR THAT PRIMARY TREATMENT.
THAT'S JUST FOR THE CORE OF THE PLANT.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPONENTS THAT SURROUND THE CORE OF THIS PLANT THAT WILL, OF COURSE, ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THIS.
THIS WAS JUST FOR JUST FOR COMPARISON TAKE.
AS MISS TENET POINTED OUT, THIS WAS A VERY BIG FACTOR IN THE DIRECTIVE TO STAFF TO GET THIS MOVING AS FAST AS WE POSSIBLY COULD.
AND OUR CURRENT PATH GETS US THERE.
IT'S THE ABSOLUTE FASTEST PATH TO THE RELOCATION OF THAT PLANT.
WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH HASCAL AND GLOBAL TECH.
IT'S BASICALLY STRUCTURED TO BE SEAMLESS FROM THE ONE PHASE GOING FROM 30% TO 60% AND THE 60% TO ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S AS FAST AS WE CAN DO IT.
INTEREST RATES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THAT AS EARLY AS THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
HOWEVER, I WILL POINT OUT THAT MANY WORK ACTIVITIES HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.
IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY CLEARED ACCEPT WE GOT RAINED OUT.
WE WILL BE THERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE FINISH THAT UP AS WELL.
[00:25:03]
THERE'S A SURVEY THAT'S COMPLETE.NOT JUST A BOUNDARY BUT ALSO THE TOPPO WHICH IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SOILS WHEN YOU PUT HEAVY CONCRETE BUILDING AN CONCERN ABOUT THE WATER TABLE WHEN YOU BUILD A PLANT LIKE THIS.
THE ELEVATION OF ALL OF YOUR STRUCTURINGS HAS TO BE DETERMINED EARLY ON TO REALLY GET SOME KIND OF A COST.
OTHERWISE YOU ARE JUST GUESSING AT IT.
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONAS AN EARLY WORK PACKAGE WE LOOK FOR A CONSULTANT TO HANDLE THAT FORCE AS WELL.
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE PRIOR TO CREATING THE POND THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE WATER TO DO THE TESTING ON THE DEEP INJECTION WELLS.
OUR DEEP INJECTION WELL NUMBER 2 IS CURRENTLY IS VERY SOON TO BE GOING THROUGH MECHANICAL INTEGRITY TEST PRIOR TO THE FLOW TESTING OF THE WELL.
THERE'S A ZONING CHANGE NEEDED FOR THE PROPERTY THAT WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY ON AS WELL.
WE WILL TRY TO PUSH THAT FORWARD AS FAR AS WE CAN AS WELL.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INTEREST RATES, WE ARE LITERALLY IN A RACE AGAINST TIME HERE.
A VERY SMALL NUMBER UP ON YOUR SCREEN BUT IS ACTUALLY VERY LARGE NUMBER IS 0.2 OF PERCENT PER WEEK.
THAT'S $200,000 PER YEAR ON PAYMENT HAPPENING PER WEEK.
THAT MAKES THE MAY 24TH DATE WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY LOCK IN OUR INTEREST RATE WITH THE BOND IT MAKES THAT VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
FOR COMPARISON SAKE WHEN WE GO BACK TO 2008 THE FIRST TIME THAT NEW PLANT CONSTRUCTION WAS TABLED, THE INTEREST RATES WERE 6%.
THERE WERE ALSO OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED WHICH IS TRUE AS WELL.
BUT THAT WAS DEFINITELY PART OF THE DECISION MATRIX TO TABLE IT AT THAT TIME.
TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT INTEREST RATE AROUND 31/2 PERCENT.
IT'S CLIMBING BUT THAT'S OUR TARGET RATE FOR 2024.
THERE ARE OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEYOND JUST COST.
ON OUR CURRENT PATH, THIS PATH PROVIDES THE FPUA BOARD AND THE RATE PAYERS AND THE CITIZENS OF FT.
PIERCE THE MOST ACCOUNTABLE AND CONTROL OVER THE PROJECT ITSELF.
THE ASSAY WOULD BE OWNED BY FPUA.
WE WOULD HAVE OUR LOCAL HIRING GOALS APPLIED TO THAT PROJECT TRY TO GET MANY LOCAL VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS INVOLVED THERE AS WELL.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
WE WOULD KEEP OUR SKILLED OPERATOR FROM THE WASTEWATER PLANT THAT WE HAVE NOW.
THEY WERE SUPER EXCITING ABOUT HAVING STATE OF THE ART PLANT INSTEAD OF ONE BUILT BACK IN LATE 40S.
TIMING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
STAFF PATH WILL GET TO GOAL LINE AS FAST AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
FUTURE BORROWING POSITION IS NOT IMPACTED AND OF COURSE FPUA IS NONPROFIT.
SO ANY VALUE THAT FPUA HAS STAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ANYTIME THAT YOU INSTALL A -- ANY KIND OF PRIVATE ENTITY IN THERE, YOU HAVE TO ADD IN THE PRIVATE SHAREHOLDERS IN THE ACCOUNTABLE AND CONTROL MATRIX THERE.
THAT'S JUST ALL THERE IS TO IT.
THERE'S OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS AS WELL.
QUALITY CONTROL IS PARAMOUNT ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
YOUR STAFF WILL BUILD YOU A WASTEWATER PLANT THAT WILL SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS.
CORNERS CAN BE CUT ON MATERIALS.
COMPONENTS CAN BE SELECTED BASED ON THE LOWEST UP FRONT COST.
PROCESSES THAT PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT COULD BE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED.
THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE HERE TO TOUCH ON THE STRENGTH OF OUR TEAM THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
FIRST OFF GLOBAL TECH THEY ARE HEADQUARTERS IN FT.
THEY'VE BEEN ON OUR CONTINUING SERVICE CONTRACT FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS.
THEY HAVE DONE 56 DESIGN BUILD PROJECTS FOR US OVER THAT TIME FRAME.
THEY HAVE DEFINITELY EARNED OUR TRUST AS WELL.
THEY ARE ON THE FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE DEP AND SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT REGULATION DISTRICT WHICH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE GET INTO THE PERMITTING PHASE OF THIS AND WE TRY TO FAST TRACK THAT.
WE'RE TRYING TO FAST TRACK EVERYTHING.
HAZEN THEY ARE OFFERING ENGINEERING SUPPORT.
HAZEN HAS OVER 250 WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANT ENGINEERING DESIGNS IN FLORIDA OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS ALONE.
THERE'S A VAST AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE THAT IS HELD IN THAT DESIGN GROUP.
THEY ALSO HAVE A CENTER STRONG GRANT MANAGEMENT TEAM.
[00:30:01]
THEY A HAVE PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR HELPING MUNICIPALITIES LIKE OUR HANDLE FINANCIAL ISSUES LIKE WE HAVE HERE TODAY.WE HAVE LOT OF CONFIDENCE WE WILL GET THE GRANTS TO KEEP THE RATES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
WHEN WE MOVE ON TO HASCAL, HASCAL HAS 24 TOTAL OFFICES.
THEY HAVE 19 IN THE UNITED STATES AND FIVE ABROAD.
THEY HAVE 70 FLORIDA REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ON THEIR STAFF ALONE.
CLOSE TO 5500 PROJECTS COMPLETED.
OVER 2500 WERE COLLABORATIVE DELIVERY PROJECT SIMILAR TO PROGRESSY DESIGN BUILD THAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
THAT TOTAL OVER 13 BILLION WORTH OF WORK.
80% OF THEIR BUSINESS IS FROM REPEAT CLIENTS.
NO THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES FOR A SERVICE COMPANY SUCH AS THIS.
WHEN THE BUSINESS MODEL IS AS LARGE AS HASCAL IS, THE REPUTATION BECOMES AS IMPORTANT AS PROFITS.
YOU KNOW IF YOU GOOGLE A COMPANY, THE FIRST THING THAT POPS UP ARE THE NEGATIVES AND OF COURSE ON A LARGE COMPANY LIKE THAT, THAT'S MASSIVE.
THEY WON'T EVEN LOOK DOWN TO SEE ALL THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER SUCCESSFUL -- OH, LIKE, THERE'S A MARK ON REPUTATION.
THEY TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND ACTUALLY ALL OF THE CONTRACTORS IN THIS LIST HAVE A VERY IMPECCABLE REPUTATION AS WELL.
ALMOST 14,000 DOMESTIC CONTRACTORS VENDORS AND IN VENDOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THIS IS GOING TO BECOME VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH THE PROCUREMENT ISSUES.
IT'S A SIMPLE FACT IN TODAY'S AGE AT THE STATE OF THE UNION RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE GOING TO BE PHASING THOSE.
BY HAVING SUCH A VAST LIST OF VENDORS THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE AND SUCH, THAT JUST ALLOWS US TO OPEN THE NET UP MORE AND POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO YOU KNOW GET SOME SHARPEN CIVILS IN AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THIS.
AND POSSIBLY GET BUMPED TO THE FRONT OF THE LIST WHEN WE TRY TO PROCURE MATERIALS.
WE PLAN TO USE OTHER MEDAL METHODOLOGIES AS WELL TO TRY TO COMBAT THE PROCUREMENT PROBLEMS. SOME WOULD BE DURING THE 60% DESIGN PHASE.
WE WOULD TRY TO AUTHORIZE SOME WHO THEY CALL EARLY WORK PACKAGES THAT MIGHT BE SOME EARLY PROCUREMENT OF SOMETHING THAT'S A LONG LEAD TIME ITEM.
THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD.
>> AS REMINDER THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ARE TIME LINE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN FPUA, EQUALIA AND PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS.
SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD HEARD ABOUT FPUA BEING UNWILLING TO COMMUNICATE OR WORK WITH THESE OUTSIDE ENTITIES.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION AND BE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE WAYS WE'VE COMMUNICATED OVER TIME.
THE TIME LINE HERE ONLY COVERS SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVEL ITEMS. THERE ARE MORE COMMUNICATION THAT HAPPEN BETWEEN THE ENTITIES.
WE JUST PULLED OUT SOME OF THE MORE BIGGER ONES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRESENTATION.
IT BEGINS ON MARCH 1 12, 2017.
FPUA STAFF, MR. HUTCHINSON GAVE ENGINEERS A TOUR OF THE EXISTING WASTEWATER PLANT AND DISCUSSED P-3 MODELS.
ON MARCH 17TH, UPON AN FPUA REMINDER.
EQUALIA REQUESTED DETAILED INFORMATION AS THE FOLLOW UP FROM THAT TOUR.
THE INFORMATION INCLUDED LOCATION OF THE NEW SITE, PRELIMINARY SKETCHES, FLOWS, PROTOCOLS DIMENSION OF THE WELLS AND ALL O&M INFORMATION FOR THE EXISTING PLAN.
FPUA PROVIDED ALL OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION.
EQUALIA REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
FPUA PROVIDED ALL THE INFORMATION TWO DAYS LATER.
FPUA STAFF MET WITH EQUALIA REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TIME RICHARD PEN CITY TO DISCUSS THE PATH FORWARD AND PROGRESS SO FAR.
EQUALIA SUBMITTED FIRST UNSOLICITED BID.
ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRST UNSOLICITED BID FPUA INVITED EQUALIA TO MEET AND REQUESTED PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITIES MOVING FORWARD.
ON OCTOBER 9TH, EQUALIA SENT UNSOLICITED BID BUT VERY BROAD REVIEW OF
[00:35:03]
QUALIFICATIONS PLUS SOME 3-D RENDERING OF THE ARCHITECTURE POSSIBLE WASTEWATER BUILDINGS.ON MARCH 23RD, 2021, A STEP FORWARD AGAIN, EQUALIA REQUESTED, AGAIN DETAILED INFORMATION.
THIS TIME IT WAS SUBSTANTIAL REQUEST AND REQUIRED TWO RESPONSES FROM FPUA INCLUDING ALL DESIGN AS YET CONDUCTED BY FPUA AND THE CONTRACTORS OF THE KNEW WRF.
FPUA PROVIDED ALL INFORMATION.
ON MAY 7TH AFTER RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION, EQUALIA SUBMITTED UNSOLICITED BID SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS BID WITH ADDED DETAILS.
STILL IN A SIMILAR POWERPOINT FORMAT.
ON JUNE 15TH, 2021, FPUA STAFF MR. HUTCHINSON PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE P-3 OVERVIEW AND OPTION PRESENTATION TO THE FPUA BOARD.
THE FPUA BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION WERE VERY ININDUSTRYINGED BY THE SUBMISSION FROM MAY 7TH.
ON JUNE 22ND THERE WAS A JOINT MEETING SOLELY TO DISCUSS EQUALIA UNSOLICITED BID.
>> ON JULY 31ST, AND AUGUST 2ND, 2021, FPUA PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THE PROJECT TO ACCEPT PROPOSAL ON THE WEB SITE AND NEWSPAPER FOR PUBLIC RESPONSE.
ACCEPT PROPOSALS ON THE WEB SITE FOR PUBLIC RESPONSE.
ON MARCH 17TH, 2022, FPUA STAFF MR. HUTCHINSON AND MYSELF MET WITH CHARLIE WILSON OF PROTECT OUR WATER WAVES INC WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING WRF SITE.
ON MARCH 31, 2022 FPUA STAFF MR. CISNEROS AND MR. HUTCHINSON MET WITH AVA ARNEZ FROM EQUALIA.
CHARLIE WILSON OF PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS REQUESTED SUBSTANTIAL DETAILED INFORMATION INCLUDING ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO OR FROM KEY FPUA AND CITY STAFF MEMBERS, BOARDMENS, COMMISSIONERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THAT MENTION AMONG OTHER EQUALIA.
UNSOLICIT BID AND ANYTHING RELATED TO THE RFW RELOCATION.
THIS INFORMATION IS ONLY PROVIDED TO YOU SO WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION THAT HAS OCCURRED BETWEEN THE FPUA AND THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
TO CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC MODEL GIVES US LOCAL CHOICE.
THAT GIVES PEOPLE COMMUNITIES AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INCLUDING OUR BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION CRIMINAL.
UTILTITIES LIKE OURS THAT ARE 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 TRANSPARENCELY AND IN TOP MUCH LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE BRING TO YOU TODAY AND THIS MONTH.
AND SUBJECT TO LOCAL SCRUTINY.
THE PUBLIC MODEL IS ALSO THE NOT FOR PROFIT MODEL.
NONPROFIT SERVE CUSTOMERS BEST AND REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT IN SHAREHOLDERS.
>>THE VALUE FROM OUR UTILITY STAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
REVENUES STAY IN THE COMMUNITY AND INVESTED IN SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT AND UTILITY RESERVES SHARED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR RETURNING TO CUSTOMER IN THE FORNLT OF LOWER RATE.
I HOPE AND GOAL FOR THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE YOU CAN ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO CONFIDENTLY CONSIDERED THE RATE SURFSY RECOMMENDATION AND VOTE THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU AND I THINK WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS NOW.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD?
THAT JOINT SESSION MEETING BETWEEN FPUA BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION THAT HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD.
CAN EVEN FEEL WHAT THE CONSENSUS OPINION WAS OF EQUALIA ROLE AFTER THAT MEETING TOOK PLACE?
THERE WAS NO CLEAR CONSENSUS AS TO WHAT EQUALIA'S ROLE WAS IN THE PROJECT.
WE WERE ABLE TO NARROW DOWN A FEW DIFFERENT ITEMS.
[00:40:04]
AND BASICALLY >> AND MAYBE THIS QUESTION IS MORE TO THE BOARD.
IF THAT IT WAS MAIN ADVANTAGE FOR EQUALIA BUT NOW WE'RE IN THE POSITION WHERE THEY DIDN'T SUBMIT ANYTHING FOR THE DESIGN BUILT; CORRECT?
>> AND THEY ARE THEY ARE THERE PROPOSAL THEY WANTED TO SUBMIT WAS NOT DESIGN BUILD BUT DESIGN BUILD OPERATE MAINTAIN AND POSSIBLY FINANCE AS WELL.
IF WE WANT TO GO BACK AND CONSIDER THAT, AND THAT'S THEIR MAIN ADVANTAGE, WE'RE SLOWING DOWN THE PROCESS TO CONSIDER THEM.
THAT'S KIND OF MY PERSPECTIVE NOW.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> PLEASE CONTINUE IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
IF THEIR MAIN ADVANTAGE IS SPEED, THEN YOU KNOW WE GO TO THE ENGINEERING PROJECT TRIANGLE.
THEIR MAIN ADVANTAGE IS SPEED.
THEY MAY HAVE ARGUABLY LOST THAT ADVANTAGE AT THIS POINT.
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SUBMIT THE DESIGN BUILD.
THEN FROM A COST AND QUALITY STANDPOINT, WHAT ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES MIGHT THERE BE THERE?
>> WELL, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
SPEED IS BASICALLY OFF THE TABLE AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE SO FAR ADVANCED OF BASICALLY GOING OUT FOR AN RFQ AND RFP PROCESS AGAIN TO YOU KNOW TO START FROM SCRATCH, SPEED IS RIGHT OFF THE TABLE.
STAFF'S PLAN IS DEFINITELY THE FASTEST.
COST YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT DEVELOPED A FULL SCOPE OF OUR COST AS OF YET.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPARE THAT AND THE NUMBERS THAT EQUALIA ITS VERBAL.
THERE'S NO REAL EXPLANATION ON WHAT'S INCLUDED.
IS THAT THE CORE PLANT COST? OR DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL THE SOFT COST THAT GOES WITH IT.
THAT'S TYPICALLY 20% ON TOP OF IT.
WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT QUALITY, THE PRELIMINARY PLAN WHICH WAS MORE OF AN AERIAL.
THERE'S CERTAIN COMPONENTS THAT ARE NOT ON THE PLAN.
FOR ONE SPECIFICALLY IS DEEP INJECTION WELL PLANTS.
THERE'S ASSUMPTION WAS THAT ALL OF THE AFFLUENT WOULD BE CONVERTED TO REUSE AND THEY WOULD BE SOLD.
WE HAVE A CUSTOMER FOR ABOUT THE MILLION AND A HALF GALLONS PER DAY RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
THAT'S THE TREASURE COAST ENERGY CENTER.
THAT OPENS UP TORE GRANTS FROM THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AS WELL.
THERE WERE OTHER PARTS THAT WERE OMITTED AS WELL.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO COMPARE.
THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT EXERCISE BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED.
>> AND TO ME IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG A LITTLE BIT.
THIS ANALYSIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AS PART OF THE PROPOSALS FROM EVERY POTENTIAL VENDOR AND NOT WE HAVE SELECTED A VENDOR, NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER VENDOR COMING IN SAYING WAIT, WHAT ABOUT ME.
I WANT TO HAVE MY OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
AND LISTEN, MY ROLE AS THE BOARD MEMBER IS TO GIVE OUR COMMUNITY THE BEST SERVICE AT THE BEST COST.
I THINK WE'RE ON THE PATH TO DO THAT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THUS FAR TO DISSUADE ME THAT WE AREN'T ON THE RIGHT PATH.
LAST THING, AS FAR AS THIS GOES.
WHEN IT COMES TO SPEED AND RATES AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE HAVE REFRAINED THIS AS NOT FPUA VERSES EQUALIA.
I THINK THAT'S NARRATIVE BEING PUSHED FOR A LITTLE WHILE THERE.
IT'S A SELECTED VENDOR VERSES A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCESS AND METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN MIND.
DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOST OPPORTUNITY COST FOR
[00:45:03]
NOT GETTING THE RATES AS THEY ARE NOW? AND WHAT THEY PROBABLY WILL BE IN ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO?>> ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE INTEREST RATE INCREASE?
WELL IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREND THAT'S HAPPENING NOW THAT WE PRESENTED THERE, IT'S 0.2 OF A PERCENT PER WEEK.
IF I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL THAT COULD PREDICT THAT, I COULD PROBABLY -- I WOULD
PROBABLY BE -- >> I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
>> IT WOULD BE ON THE YACHT SOMEWHERE.
BUT ALL INDICATIONS ARE FROM ALL OF THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE'VE CONSULTED WITH THIS AGAIN ARE BOND CONSULTANTS, MR. HAMILTON, ALL OF THE TRENDING THAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT THEY ARE GOING UP.
YOU LOOK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS.
BACK LAST SUMMER INNED MIDDLE OF LAST SUMMER.
THAT'S WITH EVERYTHING IN OUR ECONOMY.
AND THE FEDS ON KEEPING THE RATES ARTIFICIALLY LOW TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE.
WE'RE, AGAIN, IN A LITTLE BIT OF RACE AGAINST TIME HERE TO GET THAT INTEREST RATE LOCKED IN.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT IT.
BUT FOR ME, PERSONALLY, AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT A DISCUSSION OF SELECTED VENDOR VERSES EQUALIA.
FOR ME IT'S A DISCUSSION OF THIS IS AN INVESTMENT.
IS IT AN INVESTMENT THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH?
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD?
>> I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU MR. HUTCHINSON.
MR. CHARLIE WILSON SPOKE AT THE PODIUM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HEARING TODAY.
HE SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS NOT ALL THE INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO THIS BOARD.
IS THERE ANY INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANY OTHER POTENTIAL BIDDERS OUT THERE THAT WOULD DISSUEDE OUR DECISION TODAY ABOUT RAISING RATES AND STOPPING THE PROCESS? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW?
STAFF HAS BEEN TRANSPARENT WITH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
WE HAVE INVITED THE ENTIRE BOARD TO SIT WITH US ONE ON ONE WHERE WE CAN REALLY GO THROUGH THE NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS OF ALL OF THIS.
ALL OF THE MINUTES FROM ALL THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HAD.
THEY ARE ALL PUBLISHED AS WELL.
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OUT IN THE OPEN.
AND I BELIEVE -- I FEEL THAT STAFF HAS ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION THAT THE BOARD HAS BROUGHT TO US.
THERE WERE THREE OTHER BIDDERS.
NOW, WHY WERE THOSE OTHER BIDS NOT PURSUED? JUST SUMMARIZE FOR US IF YOU COULD.
FIRST OFF THEY WEREN'T BIDDERS.
IT WAS MORE OF QUALIFICATION PROCESS.
WE GOT VERY LITTLE RESPONSE WHICH PERSONALLY I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE A CONTINUING SERS CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE PREQUALIFIED DESIGN BILLED FIRMS. WE SPOKE WITH THREE DIFFERENT FIRMS. WE WENT THROUGH INTERVIEW PROCESS.
WE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR THE CCNA AND THE GLOBAL TECH HASCAL WAS SELECTED ON THAT.
CDM IS DEFINITELY ABLE TO HAND HANDLE A PROJECT LIKE.
THEIR TIME FRAME DIDN'T MEET OUR TIME FRAME AS WELL.
THE OTHER ONE WE TALKED TO WAS -- JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN TLV DIVERSIFIED AND KENNELLY HORN.
THEY ARE VERY ABLE TO DO THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE PLANT UP IN VERO BEACH.
THERE WAS A FEW OTHER FACTORS THERE THAT KIND OF LED US MORE TOWARD THE -- I WILL CALL IT THE STRENGTH OF THE CONTRACTOR ITSELF.
I MENTIONED SOME OF THIS STATISTICS ON HASCAL.
AND KNOWING THE PROCUREMENT ISSUES ALREADY STARTING AT THAT TIME.
THAT WAS REALLY THE VERY CLEAR ADVANTAGE WITH OUR SELECTION.
I THINK WE HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE OTHER QUALIFIED FIRMS THAT YOU WENT THROUGH LINE ITEM AND WHICH ONES YOU LIKE.
THAT WAS A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO.
IF ANOTHER CITIZEN WANTS TO LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S CERTAINLY ON LINE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY TRUTH TO THE FACT THERE'S NO INFORMATION THAT WASN'T PROVIDED US.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU.
>> CAN WE BACK UP AND TALK ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING JUST FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.
THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT I THINK CAME FROM CURTIS JOHNSON COMMISSIONER CURTUS
[00:50:01]
JOHNSON CONCERNING THE TIME, THE 30% BUILD THEN WE GET TO 60%.AND I THINK WE KIND OF STRUGGLED ON WHAT WAS HIS POINT.
IT WAS HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE WAS HEADING WITH IT.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BEEN USING UA FUNDS TO FUND THIS ENDEAVOR ALL THE WAY THROUGH 30% DESIGN BUILD.
>> AND NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE 60% DESIGN BUILD.
AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE, OKAY.
WE CAN RAISE RATES NOW OR WE CAN WAIT UNTIL WHAT THE 60% DESIGN BUILD LOOKS LIKE AND GET A MORE ACCURATE ASSESSMENT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THE RATES TO.
>> I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH THAT.
>> IN A NORMAL ENVIRONMENT IF WE HAD A STABLE INTEREST RATE SITUATION, OR A DECLINING INTEREST RATE, ENVIRONMENT, THEN WE WOULD BE BETTER SUITED TO WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT 60% DESIGN BUILD BEFORE WE RAISE RATES.
THE RISK TO OUR RATE PAYERS IS JUST TOO MUCH.
YOUR 200,000 PER WEEK IS A LOT FOR THE RATE PAYERS, I THINK TO DIGEST.
I THINK WE'RE REALLY MINIMIZING OUR RISK TO RATE PAYERS AND CITIZENS BY LOCKING IN THE VERY RATE NOW.
WHICH NOW COMES TO THE BIG QUESTION.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO LOCK IN THE INTEREST RATE? AFTER TODAY'S MEETING, IF THE RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED FOR THE RATE ADJUSTMENTS, THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THE MAY 16TH, CITY COMMISSION MEETING FOR VOTE TO APPROVE THE RATE ADJUSTMENTS.
>> AFTER THE 16TH, THE 17TH AT THE FPUA BOARD MEETING THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE WOULD ADOPT A BOND RESOLUTION AND THEN THEY WOULD GO OUT AND THE FINANCIAL TEAM WOULD GO OUT AND MARKET OUR BOND SO WE CAN PRICE IN.
THE IDEA TO LOCK IN THE RATE BY THE 24TH.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE RATES IN PLACE WE WON'T QUALIFY FOR THE BOND NOW.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR.
IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT FROM MY MIND IT LIKE, WHY DON'T WE WAIT UNTIL WE GET 60%.
BUT WE WOULD BE LOSING ALL OF THE BENEFIT OF THIS LOW-INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT IF WE WAIT.
THE SPEED IS REALLY BECAUSE THE RATES ARE GOING UP SO QUICKLY.
WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PAUSE AND REALLY LOOK AT THINGS.
THEN WE WILL GET BACK TO 6% IN, BACK IN TO 2008.
THEN WE WILL PAYING 308 MILLION FOR A PLANT THAT COST 100 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT FAIR FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
BY THE TIME WE GET DONE PAYING OFF THE BOND, I WILL BE IN MY LATE 60S.
I DON'T THINK AS WE GET OLDER WE WANT TO BE FACED WITH MORE INCREASES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PRICE THIS THING OUT RIGHT.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE NEXT GENERATION IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY LOWER INTEREST RATES IF WE CAN'T LOWER THEM SOONER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF GRANTS IF THE GRANTS COME IN AT THE VERY, VERY HIGH AMOUNT, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE NEEDED.
I KNOW YOUR GUYS WILL STRIVE FOR THAT.
GET AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT TO THE RATE PAYERS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON TO THAT.
THIS IS UNIQUE -- IF WE WERE DOING THIS A YEAR AGO.
WE WOULDN'T BE IN THAT -- IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
>> BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE TIME.
BUT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF SITUATIONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, WITH THE WAY THE WORLD IS, THAT IS WHY WE ARE IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF WHAT THE RATE PAYER HAS TO PAY.
AND WHAT THE RATE PAYER HAS -- WE ALL HAVE TO PAY IN ADDITION TO THIS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THIS BOARD, I DON'T THINK -- I WILL SPEAK FOR MYSELF WILL TAKE LIGHTLY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE -- WE'RE MOVING THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AFTER THE 18 YEARS.
18 YEARS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE FIRST -- AND I WASN'T AROUND IN TERMS OF BEING MAYOR.
[00:55:01]
PIERCE.IT WAS DISCUSSED AS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO DO.
THIS SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO DO.
THIS IS SOMETHING PROBABLY ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE.
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED, BUT WON'T BE DEVELOPED UNTIL THIS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ECONOMIC BOOM TO THE CITY OF FT.
IT'S A BIG BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF FT.
IT TOOK US THIS LONG AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY BECOME MUCH MORE INTENSE.
BECAUSE OF ALL THE FOCUS ON THE LAGOON.
AND ALSO THE REGULATORY AGENCIES WERE NOW SAYING THEY DON'T WANT -- THEY DON'T WANT THIS KIND OF OPERATION ON THE LAGOON.
AND IF WE DON'T -- IF WE DON'T DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO BE MADE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND ONCE WE'RE MADE TO DO SOMETHING THE CONTROL OF THE COST IS OUT OF OUR HANDS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S BOTH A THREAT AND IT'S A BENEFIT.
BECAUSE IT WILL BE A BENEFIT TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS TO GET THAT OFF THE ISLAND.
BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE -- WE WILL HAVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THERE.
BIG ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WHEN THAT -- WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THAT PLANT WAS FIRST STARTED.
WE THINK IT WAS LIKE WORLD WAR II.
THE ORIGINAL SITE I THINK WAS USED FOR THE AMPHIBIOUS BASE.
AND AT THAT TIME, NO ONE WANTED TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND BECAUSE OF MOSQUITOES, AND BECAUSE OF NOW I KNOW.
NOW IT'S -- THE LAND VALUE IS VERY DESIRABLE.
WE'RE ALSO TALKING -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE THAT WE CENTER TO DO AND WE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF FT.
>> THERE WILL BE A LONG-TERM BENEFIT FOR THE CITY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
>> VULNERABLES TO STORMS. I'M OUT OF ORDER.
>> THE STORMS ARE GETTING WORSE.
>> AT LEAST THE NEWS COVERAGE ARE GETTING WORSE.
BUT I MEAN THE REALITY, IS IF WE HAD A LARGER STORM SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID IN 2004 WHERE WE HAD THIS MASSIVE STORM SURGE, BUT INSTEAD OF IT COMING IN AS CAT 2 IF IT CAME IN CAT 5 WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS AT THAT PLANT.
IF THAT HAPPENS, AND THAT COULD HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
WE'RE FACING HURRICANE SEASON AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE GOT TO GET MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE OR IT IS GOING TO BITE US.
IT'S GOING TO BITE THE BOARD AND THE STAFF AND THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY COMMISSION.
>> I HAD A FEW THINGS TO ADD ON AS WELL.
GOING BACK TO THE UNSOLICITED BID PART OF IT.
I FEEL AS THOUGH IT WASN'T TRANSPARENT AT ALL COMPARED WHAT WE HAVE THE PATH WE'VE GONE DOWN.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE REPEATED NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES SAYING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO LOOK AT THINGS.
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I HAVE AS YOU KNOW HAVE BECOME VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO THIS PROJECT.
AND I FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAVE REALLY TAKEN A HARD LOOK AT THINGS.
THANKFULLY, YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING PEOPLE UNDERNEATH YOU SO YOU COULD HAVE SPENT THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS REALLY FOCUSING ON GATHERING ALL OF THIS DATA.
>> I FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TRIAL AND WE HAVE DOVE INTO THIS VERY DEEPLY.
AND I TRUST WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP.
AND BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOWN THE RIGHT PATH.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RATES.
I KNOW EVERYONE SAYS THAT 0.2%.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD WANT TO WAIT FURTHER AND PAY MORE BOTH WAYS; RIGHT THE COST OF GOODS GOING UP AS WELL AS THE PERCENTAGE RATE.
IT COULD BE ANOTHER TEN YEARS BEFORE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS AND BY THEN I FEEL THE DEP IS REALLY GOING TO BE -- A CLOCK IS TICKING.
I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON ONE THING.
I DID WATCH LAST NIGHTACE WELL.
MY POOR DAUGHTER HAD TO WATCH WITH ME.
THE ONE POINT I WANTED TO BRING UP TO YOU THE FACT THAT THE DEP IS MAKING US
[01:00:07]
DO THAT.THAT DOES OPEN THE DOOR FOR MORE GRANTS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD; RIGHT? THAT -- US SHOWING THAT WE'RE MAKING THE PROGRESS AND PUSHING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION ALSO RAISES A LITTLE EYEBROW FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT US BY HELPING US DO IT.
WHEN THEY MAKE US DO IT, I'M NOT SURE HOW ALL OF THAT OR IF THERE'S THAT 500 MILLION BUCKET OR WHAT WILL BE AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP YOU TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK THAT BY US DOING THIS, AND BY US KEEPING IT IN HOUSE.
WHERE THINGS ARE, MORE TRANSPARENCY AND THAT IT'S LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT'S FEEDING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THAT THEY WILL BE MORE ASPECT TO WANT TO JOIN US AS WELL.
HOPEFULLY, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> MR. KOBLEGARD? MR. CHAIRMAN.
QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE UA MAY HAVE BEEN HOLDING BACK SOMETHING FROM THE BOARD IN RELATION TO EQUALIA.
I CAN SAY FROM MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THE PROCEDURE THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH IN SELECTING IS SET OUT IN FLORIDA STATUTES.
IN THIS CASE I THINK WE'RE A CATEGORY FIVE WHICH MEANS ANYTHING OVER 4 MILLION DOLLARS HAS TO BE ADVERTISED.
IT COULD NOT GO STRAIGHT TO OUR CONTINUING CONTRACTS.
WE SET OUT THE STATUTE IN THE ADVERTISEMENT.
WE TURNED BACK TO CONTINUING CONTRACTS AND WE FOLLOWED PROCEDURE IN THE SECTION IN CHAPTER 255 WHICH IS STATUTE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S A SECTION THAT IS DESIGN BUILD PROJECT.
THERE'S A PROCEDURE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
WE'VE DONE NOTHING OTHER THAN I GUESS I COULD SAY DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WAS GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE MAYOR IS TALKING.
SOME OF THOSE ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO MADAM VICE CHAIR.
WE HAVE ABOUT 60 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO FOR THE EXISTING PLANT.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO POSTPONE THAT WITH DEP.
BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON RELOCATING THE PLANT.
THE 60 MILLION INVESTMENT TO UPGRADE THE PLANT.
WE WOULD RATHER PUT THAT IN THE NEW PLANT.
AFTER WE INVESTED INTO THE EXISTING PLANT, THERE'S WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHEN THEY FORCE US TO MOVE IT.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE RISK.
AND I THINK THAT DIRECTLY RELATES TO COST FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
>> I WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING.
ALL OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE ARE USING I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S -- THERE'S THE RFQ, RFP PROCESS OUT THERE THAT WE'VE LISTED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOR THOSE COMPANIES FOR THOSE FIRMS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THESE TYPES OF DEALS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET AND ALL OF THESE COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE WORKING WITH US HAVE MET THOSE.
THAT'S ONE THING AND I'M NOT SAYING YES OR NO WHO WOULD OR WOULDN'T.
AND IT WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE IT.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THIS PROCESS.
SELECTING THE FIRMS THAT WE HAVE HELPING US DO THIS AS WELL.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, ALSO THE FACT THAT WE ARE AN ENTITY THAT'S COVERED BY SUNSHINE AND THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS TRANSPARENT.
ANYBODY -- ANY COMPANY FROMMED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH US CAN WATCH ANY OF OUR MEETINGS REQUEST IN ANY OF OUR DUTY.
AND SO THAT'S A TRANSPARENT WAY WE HAVE TO DO BUSINESS.
BECAUSE WE WANT OUR RATE PAYERS TO KNOW EVERYTHING WE DO AND THE WAY WE DO IT.
WE DON'T WANT TO HIDE ANYTHING FROM OUR RATE PAYERS.
AND I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS.
[01:05:02]
ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO ADD -- ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP LAST NIGHT IS I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER CURTIS JOHNSON WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THE GRANT PROCESS, ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, OR STATE OFFICIAL, WHATEVER WE CAN DO BECAUSE OF IN -- IN HIS ROLE AND MY ROLE, WE INTERACT WITH LEGISLATORS BECAUSE OF OUR HOME RULE ADVOCACY WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES.AND AND WE WANT TO -- WANT TO KEEP -- WE WANT TO KEEP OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS INFORMED SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT KIND OF HELP WE'RE GOING TO NEED.
THEY CAN BE BIG ALLIES FOR US.
>> THAT WAS A GOOD POINT THAT COMMISSIONER JOHNSON CURTIS JOHNSON MENTIONED LAST NIGHT.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO SALT LAKE CITY TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND THE COMMISSION TO PARTNER WITH US TO GO TO TALK TO OUR LEGISLATIVE FOLKS SO THAT WE CAN ALL CAMPAIGN OR BE CHAMPIONS FOR THE GRANTS.
I THINK THAT WOULD JUST -- STRENGTH IN NUMBERS WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR TO US BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> WE ALL SHOULD BE CHAMPIONS FOR THIS.
>> IT'S A PRETTY BRIG OPPORTUNITY.
THE MORE THEY WILL ADVOCATE FOR US.
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY ARE ALL VERY BIG ADVOCATES FOR PROTECTING THE LAGOON.
MR. RUTHERFORD AND I WANT TO TALLAHASSEE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE FIRST THING THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE WANTED TO KNOW.
THEY WANT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM IN LOOP AND THEN WORK WITH THEM CLOSELY.
>> ALSO WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, TOO, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR ECONOMY AND HOW THINGS ARE ESCALATING WITH THE COST IN FOOD AND WE'RE DEALING WITH UKRAINE AND THIS WAR.
THAT THE RATES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
AND WE DON'T WANT OUR RATE PAYERS TO TAKE THE BULK OF THIS EXPENSE AT THE LATER DATE.
WE NEED TO LOCK IT IN AND GET THINGS GO.
SO WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE PAYING.
THESE RATES WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN JUNE 1ST.
AND IF WE LOSE THAT WINDOW, THEN WE LOST IT AND THEN THE PRICES ARE STUCK.
THEN WE ARE STUCK WITH 300 MILLION WHEN WE COULD HAVE GOT IT FOR 180.
WE'RE DOING DISJUSTICE TO RATE PAYERS.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHO WILL PAY FOR THIS.
AND HOW MUCH ARE THEY GOING TO PAY? I'M A RATE PAYER AS WELL.
I HAVE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY.
I DON'T WANT MY GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT I MADE A MISTAKE ON.
I WANT TO ENSURE HIM WE PROCEED AGGRESSIVELY WITH THE GRANTS.
I DON'T THERE'S A QUESTION THAT WE WOULDN'T.
WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN THROUGH THE PROCESS TO HELP ALL THE CITIZENS.
AND WE'RE PREPARING A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT SO WE CAN ALL OF US CAN SEE WE'RE ALL RAMPING UP.
AND ONE OF THE THERT THINGS I THINK WE KIND OF ALL UNDERSTAND IN ORDER TO REALLY BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THESE GRANTS, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE PLAN WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PLAN.
ANYTHING WE DON'T HAVE THE PLAN PUT TOGETHER, OUR CHANCES OF GETTING THE MONEY.
>> ONE MORE THING MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> ANOTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT HAVING KEEPING THE COMMISSION
[01:10:04]
BETTER INFORMED.THIS IS ALWAYS -- THIS IS WORK IN PROGRESS.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A MUCH CLOSER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION AND BETWEEN THE STAFF THAT'S TWO STAFFS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING AS PARTNERS AND WE SHOULD BE WORKING AS PARTNERS ANYWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING CLOSELY AS PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT.
>> THERE'S NO SUNSHINE VIOLATION IF I WAS TO SPEAK TO ONE COMMISSIONERS; CORRECT?
>> THERE'S TWO SEPARATE BOARDS.
THEY HAVE TWO COMMISSIONERS AND THERE'S ONE OF US THAT COULD BE THERE.
>> I VIE LAILT SUNSHINE IF I TALK TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND IF I TALK TO YOU.
>> THE NEXT ITEM INFORMATION PRESENTATION FOR THE PROPOSED RATE SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS.
[G3. Rate Sufficiency Recommendations]
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED IN GREAT DETAIL AT THE MARCH 22 PRESIDENT JOINT WORKSHOP.BASED ON THE FEEDBACK, WE HAVE PREPARED A PRESENTATION THAT WE BELIEVE PROVIDES YOU CAN HOW THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WIL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND RATE PAYERS.
RACHEL TENANT AND MICHELLE HARRIS WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
STEP ONE THE STORY OF THE PATH OF THE RELOCATION OF OUR WASTEWATER PLANT.
STEP TWO IS A MORE IN DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF PAYING FOR IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE UTILITY THAT OFFERS MULTIPLE UTILITIES SERVICES IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT WILL AFFECT EACH OF US DIFFERENTLY.
IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO HOLD THAT BACK A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT AS CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE DIFFERENT RATE SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE MOMENTUM THAT EXIST EXIST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WE'RE IN A GROWING COMMUNITY.
WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SYSTEM EXPANSION.
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND DIGITAL DIVIDE AND INTERNET ACCESS.
THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO FUND.
WE HAVE A WASTEWATER PLANT THAT NEEDED TO BE FUNDED OFF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
THIS PRESENTATION WILL BEGIN WITH HIGH-LEVEL OF REVIEW OF FPUA'S POSITIVE FISCAL POSITION TODAY.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE Q&A FROM THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.
THEN A REVIEW OF THE FUNDING NEEDS.
THIS IS REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FUND WITH THE SERIES 2022 BOND THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT TODAY.
ALSO A REVIEW OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE ARE PARALLEL PATHS HERE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE SERIES 2022 BOND.
IS ONE THAT REQUIRES THE RATE SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATION.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE CAN PAY BACK A BOND BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN ISSUE IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE PURSUING GRANTS APPROPRIATIONS.
THEN WE WILL LOOK AT THE RATE SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATION IN DETAIL WITH SAMPLE BILLS.
THE SAMPLE BILLS ARE MODELS AFTER OUR BILLS.
THEY WILL LOOK JUST LIKE ONE OF OUR BILLS.
AND WILL TAKE A LOOK AT DOIFRMENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS.
THEY ALL USE THEIR UTILITIES AT DIFFERENT RATES.
>> THEN WE WILL LOOK AT SCHEDULE.
THEN AFTER THIS, MISS BARBARA MIKA WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THE BOND ITSELF.
[01:15:11]
AND I THINK THE BIGGER FINANCIAL IMPACTS HERE.THAT WILL BE DURING THE RESOLUTION TIME.
TODAY'S POSITIVE FISCAL POSITION.
FPUA HAS A VERY STRONG BOND PORTFOLIO TODAY.
WE ARE RATED A-PLUS AND A WITH S&P.
WE HAVE A STRONG AND GROWING GRANT PORTFOLIO.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROCURING GRANTS FOR THIS PROJECT, WE'RE TALK FRINGE A POSITION OF ALREADY MANAGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GRANTS.
A LOAN RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 8.2 MILLION DOLLARS IN AWARDED OR ACTIVE GRANTS.
THIS INCLUDE PROJECT FOR SEWER LINING SEPTIC TO SEWER AND SEAGRASS RESTORATION WHICH A LITTLE PLUG IS HOPEFULLY STARTING THIS MONTH.
WE'RE BUILDING GRANT MANAGERS AS WE PROCESS THESE 8.2 MILLION WORTH OF GRANTS WE'RE RUNNING NOW.
WE'RE COMING TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ON MANY MORE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GRANTS TO HELP US PAY FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE PURSUING NOW.
FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR EXISTING UTILITY.
WE LOOK AT HEALTHITY OPERATION AS WELL AS EXPANSION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANSION TO ACCOMMODATE GROWTH BECAUSE AS THE REMINDER ST. LUCIE COUNTY IS IN FLORIDA.
I THINK ALL OF US KNOWS AND FEELS THE IMPACTS OF THIS GROWTH EVERY DAY.
WE ALSO NEED FUNDING TO RELOCATE THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
THERE'S TWO PRIMARY WE ARE IN PARALLEL RIGHT NOW.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE SERIES 2022 BOND.
WHICH HAS A VERY LOW INTEREST RATE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ORIGINALLY AROUND 3.5%.
THE SERIES 2022 BOND INCLUDES THEY BRING UTILITIES A LITTLE BIT MORE UP TO SPEED WITH THE WAY A LOT OF UTILITIES ALREADY OPERATE TODAY.
THESE ARE PART OF THE SERIES 2022 BOND.
WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE WASTEWATER PLANT RELOCATION.
AND PUTTING THE WASTEWATER PLANT RELOCATION EXPENSE IN THE SERIES 2022 BOND.
BECAUSE OF ITS VERY LOW INTEREST RATE.
IN PARALLEL, WE ARE PURSUING GRANTS AND APPROPRIATION OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS POTENTIAL STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS.
THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS THE APPLICATION CYCLE FOR THAT STARTS IN DECEMBER.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT APPROPRIATE PURSUING GRANTS AND APPROPRIATION FOR THE WASTEWATER PLANT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
BUTKY ALSO TELL YOU THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT GRANTS AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR OUR OTHER PROJECTS.
OUR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT WHICH INCLUDE FPUA NET.
AS REMINDER, WE NEED TO RECEIVE THESE RATES IN ORDER TO BE APPROVED FOR THE SERIES 2022 BOND SO WE SHOW THAT WE COULD PAY IT BACK.
TO INCLUDE THE WASTEWATER PLANT IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 5% ON WATER AND WASTEWATER.
THE ELECTRIC BASE AND GAS BASE PERTAINING TO WAY THAT WE BILL FOR ELECTRIC AND
[01:20:01]
GAS.THERE'S A BASE FEE AND THEN WE HAVE THE BCA.
THEY NOT INCLUDED IN 5% INCREASE.
YOU WILL SEE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE CUSTOMER BILLS THAT WHAT IT ENDS UP BEING SOMETHING LIKE 1.5 OR 2% INCREASE ON OUR ACTUAL ELECTRIC SERVICE BILL.
FOR OCTOBER OF 2022 IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 4.53% FOR ELECTRIC BASE AND GAS BASE.
AND ADDITIONAL 10% EACH FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER TO INCLUDE THE WASTEWATER PLANT RELOCATION.
WE WILL LOOK ONE CUSTOMER AVERAGE ALL UTILITY WHO USES 1,000 KILOWATT HOURS OF ELECTRIC, 13CCF OF NATURAL GAS AND 6,000 GALLON OF WASTEWATER.
WE PROVIDE THIS SLIDE LARGELY BECAUSE IT'S THE NUMBER AND THE EXAMPLE CUSTOMER THAT WE'VE BEEN USING ALL ALONG TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO ALSO REMEMBER AFTER THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT THIS CUSTOMER.
AND YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE VARIED USAGES, VARIED SERVICES PROVIDED.
WITH 1,000 KILOWATT HOURS AND 6,000 GALLONS.
THIS WHAT WE BEEN USING ALL ALONG.
FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER, IT'S 5% AND 5%.
WE'VE BROKEN THEM OUT JUST O SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUFFICIENCY AND INCLUDING WRF.
YOU WILL SEE THE RESOLUTION ARE COMBINED.
FOR WATER, 5% RATE SUFFICIENCY, THIS IS EXPANSION PROJECT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE.
AND 180 IN OCTOBER TO INCLUDE THE WEST WATER PLANT.
IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 196 IN JULY AND 244 IN OCTOBER.
ON WASTEWATER, FOR SUFFICIENCY ONLY WHICH IS THE EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IT'S 2.55 IN JULY.
TO INCLUDE THE WASTEWATER PLANT IS AN ADDITIONAL $2.55 ANDIAL AND $3.18 IN OCTOBER.
IN TOTAL, THIS PARTICULAR CUSTOMER WITH THAT PARTICULAR USAGE AND ALL FOUR UTILITIES, WOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF $12.17 IN JULY.
AND $12.96 IN OCTOBER FOR TOTAL OF $25.13.
THE PERCENTAGES FOR THAT RATE SUFFICIENCY ONLY IS THE EXPANSION AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IS 5.82%.
IF WE INCLUDE THE WRF IT'S A 9.74% INCREASE ON THEIR BILL.
I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXAMPLE BILLS.
YOU WILL SEE THOSE PERCENTAGES CHANGED.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ALL FOUR UTILITY SERVICES, THE PERCENTAGES FOR -- IF YOU DON'T HAVE GAS YOU WON'T SEE 5% INCREASE.
YOUR BILL ISN'T EFFECTED BY THAT.
THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS SLIDE ARE EXACTLY WHAT WAS IN THE BILL INSERTS.
THIS MORE BROKEN OUT BETWEEN RATE SUFFICIENCY AND THE MOVING OF THE PLANT.
BUT WHAT ALL THE CUSTOMERS WERE NOTIFIED OF IS $12.17 INCREASE IN JULY AND $12.96 IN OCTOBER.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE HAS HAD THE INFORMATION FOR.
THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT DEEPER DIVE.
THEIR TOTAL WILL IS ABOUT $258.
THE INCREASE JULY IN ORANGE AND OCTOBER IS BLUE.
WITH THE WASTEWATER PLANT, THE ORANGE IN JULY AND THE BLUE IS OCTOBER.
THIS IS JUST TO GIVE SORT OF A VISUAL OF THE IMPACT IN COMPARISON TO THAT PERSON'S ALL UTILITY BILL AT THOSE LEVELS.
THE SAMPLE BILLS, THESE ARE THE FOUR BILLS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'VE GOT MULTIFAMILY BUILDING.
A LITTLE BIT OVER 1600 SQUARE TEETH BUILT IN 1984.
A HOUSE 1662 SQUARE FOOT FROM 1959.
THIS HAS A GAS GENERATOR AND INSTALLED A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES IN THEIR
[01:25:07]
HOMES.WE HAVE 2400 SQUARE FOOT THREE BED, TWO BATH BUILT IN 1972.
AND 1762, THREE BED, TWO BATH, BUILT IN 1962 WITH THE POOL.
THE DIFFERENT HOUSES HAVE DIFFERENT SERVICES.
THESE ARE THE FOUR WE'RE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH.
IF TOP YELLOW LINE IS THE HOME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
1620 SQUARE FOOT MULTIFAMILY BUILDING.
ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE THEIR USAGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR BILL.
THEY ARE IN ELECTRIC AND WATER CUSTOMER ONLY.
THEIR ELECTRIC IMPACT IS $2.59.
AND THEIR IMPACT IS $8.74 OR 7.4%.
THIS HOME HAS ALL FOUR UTILITIES.
ELECTRIC AT 441 KILOWATT HOURS.
AND WATER AND WASTEWATER AT 3,000 GALLONS.
THEIR ELECTRIC IMPACT THE IMPACT THAT I'M READING TO YOU ON THE RIGHT IS THE IMPACT FOR INCLUDING IF WASTEWATER PLANT BETWEEN BOTH JULY AND OCTOBER.
6.15 FOR WATER AND $7.07 FOR WASTEWATER.
WHAT WE TRY TO DO HERE VARIED IMPACT.
WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT UTILITIES SERVICES.
THIS HOME IS ONLY ELECTRIC AND WATER.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL WATER USE.
17,000 GALLONS IS ON THE HIGHER VERY HIGHER END FOR RESIDENTIAL HOME.
THEIR ELECTRIC IMPACT WILL BE 6.95.
WATER IMPACT WILL BE 20.65 FOR CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF $27 POINLT 27.60.
>> IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT WATER USE HERE.
FOURTH HOME 1229 QUILL WAT HOURS.
4 #,000 GALLONS OF WATER AND WASTEWATER.
THEIR ELECTRIC IMPACT WILL BE 5.09.
AND THEIR WASTEWATER IMPACT $8.30.
THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT TO THEIR BILL FOR APPROVING THE RATES TO MOVE THE WASTEWATER PLANT AND RATE SUFFICIENTVILLE WOULD BE $20.44.
THE SCHEDULE FOR THIS PROCESS BEGINS TODAY.
THIS IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR RATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AFFORD GETTING THIS SERIES 2022 BOND FOR RATE SUFFICIENCY AND MOVING THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
PIERCE HEARING FOR RATE RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE THE CITY OF FT.
PIERCE COMMISSIONERS WILL VOTE ON THE RATES AS WELL.
IF THIS APPROVED MAY 3RD AND MAY 16TH.
WE WILL COME BACK TO THE FPUA BOARD ON MAY 17TH TO ADOPT THE BOND RESOLUTION.
MAY 24TH IS MOST IMPORTANT DATE FOR US.
THAT'S WHEN WE CAN LOCK IN THE INTEREST RATE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SERIES 2022 BOND AND MOVING THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
THESE ARE THE RESOLUTION THAT WILL BE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
MISS BARBARA MICAH WILL PRESENT MORE ABOUT THE RESOLUTIONS.
THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD.
I WANT TO SAY ALL THOSE DATES WHEN THAT SLIDE ALL PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[01:30:04]
MAY 3RD AND MAY 16TH.TOWN HALL PROCEEDING, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THEY WILL BE HELD AT MEANS PORT CENTER.
THERE ARE FOR EVERY TIME THIS IS CONSIDERED THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD.
>> I WAS -- I WAS PAST CONCERN.
I WAS KIND OF UPSET TO SEE THAT YOU KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE BOARD LESS THAN A YEAR AND I'M ASKED TO RAISE RATES LIKE THIS.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I JOINED THE BOARD FOR.
I MADE THE COMMENT AT THAT TIME, LOOK, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON TRYING TO MOVE THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
WE HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF UTILITY EXPANSION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE ALREADY THE MAJORITY WAY THROUGH THE AMI IMPLEMENTATION WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT COST THAT AT SOME POINT, I WOULD START ASKING WHERE ARE WE GOING TO CUT IT FROM? CAN WE AFFORD TO DO ALL OF THIS AT THIS TIME?
>> AND MR. RUTHERFORD PULLED ME ASIDE.
HE SAID WE HAVE SPENT HOURS LOOKING AT THE RATE SUFFICIENCY BECAUSE MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS LET'S CUT EXPANSION.
EVEN THOUGH I'M A BIG FAN OF EXPANSION.
THAT WAS MY INITIAL KNEE JERK REACTION.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO, AGAIN, EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME.
HE SAID THAT WAS ONE OF OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS AS WELL.
BUT WHEN YOU ENTER THE NUMBERS, AND YOU TRY TO JUSTIFY TO LENDER THAT YOUR RATES WILL BE ABLE TO COVER THE MONEY YOU WANT TO BORROW, THEN YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS AND IF WE CAN BUILD INTO WHAT WE'RE PROVING TO THE LENDER, AS MORE CUSTOMERS AS GROWTH, THEN THAT POSITIVELY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO BORROW AND WE ACTUALLY BY HAVING AN EXPANSION PROGRAM DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THE RATES AS MUCH BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING THE PRESUMION WE WILL HAVE MORE CUSTOMERS AND WE CAN SHARE THE COST BURDEN AMONGST MORE CUSTOMER WHICH LOWERS THE RATES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT.
ALL THAT TO SAY, THAT THIS IS NOT A DECISION I TAKE LIGHTLY.
BUT I'VE PUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO VERIFYING THIS STAFF HAS DONE THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
IS THE BEST CHANCE WE ARE GIVING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I JUST MIGHT ADD THAT, THAT IS WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS REPEATEDLY TOLD US THEY WANT US TO DO WHICH IS GROW THE UTILITY.
AND BY GROWING THE UTILITY, WE SPREAD OUT -- SPREAD OUT THE ABILITY TO PAY.
>> WOULD YOU BE SO KIND TO PUT THE BILLS BACK UP AND JUST RUN THROUGH JUST TO THE END? I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION HOW SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS, REPLACED THE ROOF.
AC, WINDOWS, AND THEY HAVE GAS WATER HEATER.
YOU CAN SEE THE EFFICIENCIES THEY'VE THAN IN REDUCING THE ELECTRIC BILL.
THAT'S A FAIR SAMPLING OF WHAT WE WILL -- WHAT SOME OF THE MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WILL ENCOUNTER.
BUT IT LOOKING LIKE TO ME THAT WE'VE DONE VERY BEST TRYING TO KEEP THESE UNDER 8 TO 0% OF THE TOTAL BILL.
I'M PRETTY PLEASED SO I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB TO MINIMIZE 7.4, YOU
[01:35:05]
KNOW YOU ONLY HAVE 11.THE ON ONE OF THEM.THAT AGAIN IS NEEDED UPDATING.
THAT IS -- THAT'S -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
IN THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS IS THERE SOME DISCUSSION OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE GET THEIR BILLS UNDER CONTROL.
MAYBE THEY CAN BRING THEIR BILLS WITH THEM.
AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN APPLY FOR THAT PROCESS?
>> TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE MAY 5TH, FROM 6:30 TO 8:30.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY DISCUSS THE WE-OP.
THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK PART OF THAT WHAT WE DO THERE IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO HERE IS TRYING TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER WITH GREAT ENERGY SAVING TIPS.
FMEA THEY DO REALLY GOOD JOB OF ADVERTISING THE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE ON ENERGY.
YOU KNOW LOWERING THE THERMOSTAT.
THAT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT THERE FOR 8 HOURS.
INDIVIDUALLY IT MAY NOT BE A LOT.
IF YOU ADD THEM UP THEY CAN BE QUITE A BIT.
THAT'S PART OF OUR OUTREACH TOO IN ADDITION TO WE-OP.
>> EVEN WATER WASTE AND ALL THAT.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE ADVERTISEMENT PUT OUT THERE.
I FEEL LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE DREDGED UP.
THERE'S ONE ACCOUNT YOU NOTICE IT'S A SMALL BUILDING BUT HAS PROBABLY KIND OF A HIGH CONSUMPTION RATE.
THERE'S PROBABLY A LEAKY TOILET.
THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
THOSE THINGS WE'LL NEVER SEE THEM.
IF THEY WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM.
THEY CAN ADDRESS THE WATER CONSUMPTION AND SAVE ON WASTEWATER.
WITH AMI AND EVERYTHING GETTING PUT IN, WE KNOW LIKE TYPICALLY THE MAX SOMEONE MIGHT USE IS 5 TO 6,000 GALLONS.
IS THERE SOME WAY TO GET AN ALERT TO HELP THE PEOPLE QUICKER.
>> I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY.
I DON'T THINK THAT CUSTOMER HAS AMI METER.
>> ANOTHER REASON WE WANT TO MAKE SURE.
>> AMI PROJECT, THE METER AND THE SOFTWARE WILL ALERT THE CUSTOMER.
THEY CAN PUT YOU KNOW WE CAN BUT THRESHOLDS IN BASED ON THE AVERAGE BILL.
IT WILL NOTIFY STAFF AND IF THE CUSTOMER REGISTERS IT WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMER.
THEY MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE A LEAK.
THE METER IS RUNNING WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE.
>> THAT PERSON MAY NOT KNOW THAT 17,000 GALLONS ISN'T NORMAL.
>> MY GUESS WOULD BE IRRIGATION.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT WILL COME UP THAT BECAUSE THE WAY WE BILL, SO MANY SERVICES ARE ON ONE BILL AND COMBINED.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME AND SAY, WHY ISN'T MY BILL LIKE PORT ST. LUCIES.
I'M COMPARED AND WHAT THEY ARE COMPARING IS THE TOTAL L THAN OURS.
THE NUMBER OF SERVICES TO MAYBE ONE OR TWO SERVICES IN ANOTHER AREA.
YOU GET ONE BILL FOR QUITE A FEW SERVICES.
>> PORT SAINTED ST. LUCIE YOU HAVE THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
HERE FPUA YOU GET ALL THAT IN ONE BILL.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
BUT WE KNOW PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON'T, WHO DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
IN ANY FORM WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT BILLS IT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO LET OUR RATE PAYERS KNOW.
>> WE WILL DO MORE RELATED TO BILLS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
[01:40:02]
WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MUCH BETTER JOB OF COMMUNITY INDICATING WHAT THAT BILL REALLY REPRESENTS.THEIR BILL IS 150 BUT OUR IS 200.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADD SOME MORE BILLS TO THAT.
WE HAVE PROVIDE MORE TO LET YOU KNOW.
I THINK YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT.
>> WE WILL ADD COMMERCIAL BILLS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND ALSO JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT THOSE INCREASES FOR THE MONTH O JULY.
THEY BEGIN IN JULY AND THE SECOND BEGINS IN OCTOBER.
>> ACTUALLY, THAT'S VERY GOOD POINT.
THE FIRST ONE STARTED IN JULY AND CONTINUES UNTIL WE PAY OFF OUR DEBT.
THE SECOND ONE WOULD START IN OCTOBER AND CONTINUE TO PAY OFF DEBT.
OUR ININTENTION TO GET AS MANY GRANTS AS WE CAN TO REDUCE THE COST.
ANY FUTURE COST REDUCE OUR EXPENSES IN THE FUTURE.
>> THE GRANTS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
THE GRANTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 4, WHICH WE ADDED.
[Additional Item ]
I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP THE HEARING FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION, CONCERNING THE RATES SUFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND MAKE A STATEMENT, PLEASE COME TO PODIUM.
STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FAST IN ONE BREATH.
CHAIRMAN, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
RECENT RELUCTANT RESIDENT TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL HISTORICAL CITY OF FT.
SIMPLY ON THE MAYOR PREMISE I HEARD NIGHTMARES AS FAR AS I'M AWARE.
PIERCE WAS CROSSING CORRECTING FROM BROWARD COUNTY TO ALACHUA COUNTY.
I LIVED IN STATE OF FLORIDA MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SUFFICE TO SAY I NEED GUIDANCE AND I NEED DIRECTION AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF SEVERAL HOMEOWNERS FROM A BRAND-NEW DEVELOPMENT AS A RESULT OF GENTRIFICATION.
RIGHT HERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
THERE ARE LESS THAN 22,000 HOMES IN FT.
47% OF THEM ARE OWNER OCCUPIED.
THE OTHER 52% ARE RENTERS WHO ARE GETTING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY.
SUFFICE TO SAY WHEN THE MEDIAN HOME PRICES BETWEEN 2 TO 300,000 AND THE MEDIAN INCOME THE 30 TO 40,000 BUT THE AVERAGE SALARY IS 20,000.
THE AVERAGE RENTER FOR 3 BEDROOM FOUR BATH HOME PAYING 1700 TO 2000 A MONTH.
I REPRESENT A FORTUNE 500 TARGETING THE MEMBERS AT-LARGE.
WE HAVE DONE THE MANAGEMENT THAT 80% OF DEMOGRAPHIC DO NOT HAVE 1,000 DISPOSABLE INCOME TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MEDICATION, THE ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
OR ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER IMPORTANT TO HAVE.
HIGH COSTLYING WITH LOW MINIMUM WAGE.
IT'S UNFATHOMABLE TO KEEP RAISING RATE.
LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN FOR REAL AVERAGE CONSUMER, WE ARE CHARGED 15 FLAT RECONNECTION FEE.
I JUST HAD MY SERVICE TURNED OVER FROM LENNAR.
THEN I NOTICED EVERY SINGLE MONTHS THERE'S A CUSTOMER SERVICE FEE OF $15 JUST TO HAVE ACCESS TO WATER? AND WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THERE'S A BLANKET BASE 3,000 GALLONS THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT TURNED ON MY FAUCET, I'M ARBITRARILY CHARGED FOR EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE'S ANOTHER CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $16.23 FOR WASTEWATER.
YOUR CHARGING ME CUSTOMER SERVICE TO TURN ON MY FAUCET AND TO FLUCH FLUSH MY TOILET.
[01:45:01]
ALL I SEE A FLEET OF VEHICLES.I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE NOVEMBER 2020.
A FLEET OF VEHICLES FOR EVERY MODEL UNDER THE MAKE OR MAKE UNDER THE MODEL.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THERE'S LESS THAN 20,000 HOME ALL SERVICED BY FPUA, WHY IS IT THE SOLE BURDEN OF THE FT.
PIERCE RESIDENTS TO -- >> SORRY.
I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH IT.
I'M SURE WE GET SOME ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
ESPECIALLY HOW LONG FPUA HAS BEEN THERE.
>> MORE IMPORTANTLY THE INCREASE WHEN FUNDS THAT ARE BEING COLLECT READY BEING USED FOR I DON'T KNOW? YOU CHARGE ME FOR WHAT I HAVEN'T USED.
NOW YOU WANT TO CHARGE ME MORE IN JULY AND OCTOBER.
WE WILL CLOSE THE HEARING ON THAT.
DISCUSSION THE RATE SUFFICIENCY.
NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS.
[I1. Approve Resolution No. UA 2022-06 Electric Rate Adjustments]
>> THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS SUMMARY FOR ACTION ITEM.
THESE RECOMMENDATION WILL IMPACT THE CUSTOMER BASED ON CONSUMPTION AND NOT BASED ON FLAT RATE AS RACHEL AND MICHELLE PRESENTED EARLIER.
THIS WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP TOWARD HELPING THE FIND IN 2018 STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
AND FURTHER RELOCATION OF WASTEWATER PLANT.
BARBARA MICAH WILL PRESENT THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU MR. CISNEROS.
BOARD MEMBERS, AND CHAIRMAN FEE; THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING NEED BE HERE.
I AM HERE TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED RATE RESOLUTIONS FOR ELECTRIC, NATURAL GAS, WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS FOR FPUA.
I WILL PREFACE THIS BY PRESENTATION WITH I DON'T WANT -- I -- YOU WILL HEAR SOME INFORMATION YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO DRIVE IT HOME.
WE HAVE FOLLOWED ALL REQUIRED NOTIFICATION FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD TODAY.
REGARDING THE RESOLUTION PROPOSING ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE MONTHLY BILLS FOR THE SERVICES MENTIONED.
A BILL INSERTS IN ONLINE NOTIFICATION WERE OUT IN APRIL.
BUT THE APRIL BILLS, WE HAVE PUT IT OUT ON FPUA WEB SITE.
WE RAN NEWSPAPER ADS FOR THE DISPLAY AD WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN.
AND THE LEGAL SECTION AD ON APRIL 17TH IN THE SAINT LUCY NEWS TRIBUNE.
AND IT WAS ALSO POSTED ON FACE BOOK FOR TODAY'S HEARING.
I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF THE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR RATES.
THE BASIS FOR RATES ON CUSTOMER CHARGES IS -- THE RATE BASIS FOR INCREASES ON USAGE CHARGES FOR ALL SYSTEMS. IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE ELECTRIC AND GAS BASE COST OF -- WHICH IS ADJUSTED THROUGH THE PCA AND PGA.
THE REVENUES RECEIVED ARE USED TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONAL AND CAPITAL NEEDS OF FPUA.
THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM RATES OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS HAVE CULMINATED IN A NET INCREASE OF JUST.6%.
WE HAD TWO RATE INCREASES OF 3 AND 6%.
IN 2011 TO '14 OF THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD WE HAD RATE DECREASES.
THAT WAS PART OF REBALANCING OF THE SYSTEM REVENUES SO THAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CUSTOMER ON THE BILL WAS THERE WAS NO IMPACT AND WHAT LEVELIZED MORE REVENUE INTO THE WATER AND WASTEWATER AND GAS SYSTEM AND LESS INTO ELECTRIC.
[01:50:03]
JUST TO REBALANCE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.THAT'S THREE YEARS FROM 2011 TO 2014.
FOR THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS WE'VE DONE NOTHING AS FAR AS RATES ELECTRIC SINCE 2014.
IT'S THE SYSTEMS NET INCREASES JUST .
NO INCREASES IN ELECTRIC TO DATE CUMULATIVELY.
ON THE WATER, WASTEWATER AND NATURAL GAS SYSTEM RATES.
2007 TO 2009, WE SET OUR SIGHTS ON MAKING EACH SYSTEM SELF-SUFFICIENT.
WE -- THE WATER WASTE NATURAL GAS HAS INCREASED THAT WERE OFFSET.
AS I MENTIONED THROUGH THE ELECTRIC DECREASES IN THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
IN 2015, WE HAD BECAUSE WE WERE -- WE COULDN'T TAKE MORE FROM ELECTRIC.
THEY WERE YOU KNOW JUST AT THE LEVEL WHERE THEY WERE MAKING MONEY.
2015 AND '16 WE HAD TO MAINTAIN FOR WATER ONLY.
WE HAD INCREASES OF 3% FOR BOTH YEARS.
MOVING FORWARD TO THE 2018 TO LAST YEAR CURRENT, ALL THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE.
NOT ON ELECTRIC WHERE THAT PSC INDEXED AMOUNT.
THE REVENUE PROS -- GROWTH ANTICIPATED IN VARYING LEVELS FOR ALL SYSTEMS. THE ELECTRIC HAS GROWTH PROJECTED AT .
4% PER YEAR OVER THE -- FOR 2002 TO 2027.
BUT WITHOUT TERRITORIAL EXPANSION POSSIBILITIES THE IN-FILL OF CUSTOMERS HAS BEEN PROVIDE SO WE CAN MAKE SOME PROGRESS IN THE TERRITORY THAT EXISTS.
THE WATER EXPANSION PROJECT ON THE CAPITAL PLAN AND ANTICIPATING ANNUAL GROWTH OF ABOUT 1.6 TO 1.8%.
THAT'S PER YEARING ON CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS AND UNIT SALES.
WASTEWATER SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT IS WORKING ON EXPANSION OF SEWER, THROUGH THE LOW PURSUER CONVERGE ENSTAY INSTALLATION.
THIS WILL BRING NEW SERVICES ALONG WITH OTHER EXPANSION PROJECTS AND IS EXPECTED TO BRING ABOUT 1.5% ANNUALLY EACH YEAR TO CUSTOMER AND THE ANTICIPATED SALES.
NATURAL GAS HAS PLANNED A NEW STATION THAT'S NORTH OF TOWN THAT WILL EXPAND THEIR SERVICE TERRITORY.
AND INCREASE CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS BY AN AVERAGE OF 7.9 AND 8% ANNUAL WITH ANNUAL SALES ANTICIPATED AT 2% PER YEAR.
THE RATE STUDY FOCUS ON THE BASE RATE.
THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY AND THE RATES DEVELOPED FOR THE RESOLUTION BEING PRESENTED TODAY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WHICH IS RENEWALS AND REPLACEMENTS THE AMI PROJECT, COMPLETION, EXPANSION AND EXPANSION PROJECT AND THE RELOCATION OF THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY.
THE EXPENDITURES THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING ARE OPERATING EXPENSES WITH A -- WHICH INCLUDES 2.2 INFLATIONARY INCREASE.
OUR DEBT SERVICE CURRENT AND PROPOSED.
THE CITY PAYMENT TO THE CITY FOR THE CITY DISTRIBUTION AND AGAIN OUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.
PROJECTED GROSS REVENUE DEPICTED IN THIS CHART HERE.
THE EXISTING RATE REVENUE SHOWN WITH THE LIGHTER GREEN AND THE INKREMENT.
FISCAL YEAR '24 TO '37 INCLUDE INCREASE AND ESTIMATED PUBLIC SERVICE INDEX FOR THOSE YEARS IF NECESSARY AND IF THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED.
THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
THE INCREASE FOR '22 AND '23 WHAT'S PROPOSED TODAY.
>> TOTAL #-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN INCLUSIVE FOR MORE FUNDING SOURCES TOTAL 242 AND A HALF MILLION.
[01:55:05]
THAT'S INCLUDING 2022 THROUGH 2027.THE PLAN RATE FUNDED PROJECT OF 70.7 MILLION.
ALMOST 71 MILLION ALLOW RATE FUNDED PROJECT OF ALMOST 12 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THOSE SPENDING LEVEL WILL BE DETERMINED AMOUNT OF RATE SUFFICIENCY THAT EACH SYSTEM CAN AFFORD.
IN OTHER WORDS 11.8 MILLION IS AVERAGE.
FOR EACH SYSTEM THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND WHICH WAS PRESENTED THAT WILL KEEP THEM WITHIN THAT RANGE.
THE ADVANCE METERING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ABOUT $6 MILLION.
AND ALSO PROVIDE FOR WATER EXPANSION AND WASTEWATER EXPANSION THAT'S FOR ABOUT $11 MILLION IN THE GAS EXPANSION TO NORTH FT.
PIERCE IS INCLUDED IN THAT FUNDING FOR ABOUT $7 MILLION.
FPUA NET SYSTEM AND RELIABILITY.
2.8 MILLION AND THE RELOCATION OF THE WATER RECLAYMATION IS IN THERE FOR 100,000.
THAT'S ALL INCLUSIVE OF THE 126 MILLION THAT WE'RE SHOWING FOR THE SERIES 2022.
THE FUTURE GRANT FUNDING CAPITAL NEEDS THAT ARE PRESENTED HERE.
THOSE WILL BE PURSUED TO EXTENT AVAILABLE ONCE -- ONCE THE CURRENT PROJECT IS UNDER WAY.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED ON THE PROJECTS TO APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES WILL BE FIRST OBTAINED FIRST FOR THE DEBT OR LOANS ARE NEEDED AT THAT POINT.
WE'RE HOPEFUL THE GRANTS WILL COVER THAT.
THAT'S AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH PROJECT ITSELF.
WHY DO WE NEED THE RATE INCREASES? I'VE SUMMED UP TO A FEW REASONS.
WHY THE RATE ADJUSTMENT ARE NECESSARY.
I MAY NOT SEEM NECESSARY TO EVERYONE.
MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE COMES AT COST THAT'S ON THE RISE.
THE QUALITY AND RELIABILITY AND THE FPUA AND SERVICES WE PROVIDE IS PARAMOUNT.
WE NEED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CASH RESERVES TO ADDRESS THE WORKING CAPITAL NEEDS AND FINALLY WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE OUR RATES SUFFICIENCY TO BOND RATING AGENCIES.
OUR RATES WILL BE DETERMINED -- WILL BE DETERMINED BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME WHEN THE INTEREST RATES ARE DECIDED.
THIS NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THAT PICTURE.
THIS IS WHAT WAS PUT INTO THE BILL INSERT THAT WENT TO CUSTOMERS ALSO PART OF THAT LEGAL DISPLAY AD.
I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THIS IN MANY FASHIONS.
I WANT TO REITERATE THE INCREMENT TO AVERAGE CUSTOMER AGAIN WITH ALL SERVICES AT THOSE STANDARD COB CONSUMPTION AMOUNTS.
CUMULATIVELY ITS LESS THAN 10% INCREASE.
IN CONCLUSION, IT IS -- IT'S FPUA'S MISSION TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ECONOMICAL AND FRIENDLY SERVICE.
PLANS FOR EXPANDING UTILITY SERVICES WILL ENHANCE THE LIVES OF MANY.
RELOCATES THE FACILITY TO MAINLAND WILL AIDE THE HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
ALL THE PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENT INCLUDED IN RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU WERE PRESENTED AT THE JOINT WORKSHOP IN MARCH.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE BOARD CONSIDER THE INDIVIDUAL ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS WHICH WILL BE READ TO YOU ONE AT THE TIME.
FOR THE RESOLUTION FOR THESE SERVICES.
>> THE CHARTS YOU SHOWED WERE NOT PART OF THE PACKET; RIGHT?
[02:00:08]
THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE ATTACHMENT TO THE AGENDA?>> WE CAN MAKE SURE TO ADD THAT TO AGENDA.
>> I WOULD LIKE CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT IN DEPTH.
>> ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN SENT THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
>> ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I THINK WE NEED A READING OF RESOLUTION.
>> OR DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FIRST?
>> LET'S START WITH NUMBER ONE.
RESOLUTION UA202020-06 RESOLUTION AMENDMENTING SUPERSEDING AND RESCINDING THE SCHEDULE OF RATE FOR ELECTRIC SERVICES FURNISHED BY THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, FORT, FIERCE, FLORIDA RESOLUTION UA2020201403 ACCORDANCE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FT.
PIERCE, FLORIDA, ARTICLE 7 PROVIDING FOR A 5% AND THE 4.53 INCREASE CUSTOMER AND USAGE CHARGES BASED ON THE RATE SUFFICIENCY.
AND THE 2022 FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ANNUAL PRICE INDEX AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATES HERE OF.
[I2. Approve Resolution No. UA 2022-07 Gas Rate Adjustments]
THE SCHEDULE OF RATE AND CHARGES FOR NATURAL GAS SERVICES FURNISHED BY FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, FT.PIERCE, FLORIDA IN RESOLUTION 2021-206 INNED A KIDNAPS CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FORT, PIERCE, FLORIDA ARTICLE 7 PROVIDING FOR 5% AND THE 4.53% INCREASE IN THE CUSTOMER AND COMMODITY CHARGES BASED ON THE RATES SUFFICIENCY DEMONSTRATED IN THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY REPORT AND THE 2022 FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ANNUAL PRICE INDEX AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATES HERE OF.
RESOLUTION AMENDING SUPERSEDING AND RESCINDING THE SCHEDULE OF RATES AND
[I3. Approve Resolution No. UA 2022-08 Water Rate Adjustments]
CHARGES FOR WATER SERVICES FURNISHED BY FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, FT.PIERCE, FLORIDA, IN RESOLUTION NUMBER UA-2021-226 IN CITY OF FT.
PIERCE FLORIDA, ARTICLE 7 PROVIDING FOR TWO SEPARATE 10% INCREASES IN THE CUSTOMER AND VOLUME CHARGES BASED ON THE RATES SUFFICIENCY DEMONSTRATED IN THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY REPORT AND THE 2022 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ANNUAL PRICE INDEX AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATES HERE OF.
>> CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
RESCINDING SCHEDULE OF RATE AND CHARGE FOR WASTEWATER CERTAINSES FURNISHED BY FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, FT.
PIERCE, FLORIDA, IN RESOLUTION NUMBER UA-2021 -- 027 IN CONNECTION
[I4. Approve Resolution No. UA 2022-09 Wastewater Rate Adjustments]
WITH FT.PROVIDING FOR TWO SEPARATE 10% INCREASE IN CUSTOMER AND USAGES CHARGES BASED ON THE RATE SUFFICIENCY DEMONSTRATED IN THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY REPORT AND 2022, FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ANNUAL PRICE INDEX.
AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATES HEREOF.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND THE SECOND.
[J. DIRECTOR:]
THE UTILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO MEET THIS THURSDAY MAY 5TH.
WE WILL START WITH LUNCH AND THEN PROVIDE QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. MIMMS FROM THE CITY FOR WORKING WITH US TO USE -- FOR THE USE OF TROLLEY.
[02:05:03]
IT SHOULD BE A FUN DAY.THAT'S THIS THURSDAY AND IT WILL BE SHORTLY BEFORE THE TOWN HALL MEETING.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY.
WE WILL MAKE SURE ANY PRESENTATION FROM MAJOR PROJECT LIKE THE WASTEWATER PLANT WE WILL MAKE SURE WE PRESENT TO CITY COMMISSION.
THE BIG PROJECTS ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN STAFF.
TO IS MY FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BEING ON THE JOB.
IT'S BEEN A ROLLER COASTER TO SAY THE LEAST.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE YOU HAVE IN MY AND STAFF.
THAT'S ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
I DON'T I HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE DIRECTOR?
>> I STARTED JANUARY 3RD OF YEAR.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YEARS.
>> I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT ON.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
[L. COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS:]
>> I WOULD LIKE LET YOU KNOW THAT I GOT A TEXT THAT SAID THAT SHAY WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY THE PRAYER WAS STUCK IN ANOTHER SITUATION THAT HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF AND HE APOLOGIZES TO THE BOARD.
>> I HAVE SOMETHING QUICK TO SAY.
WHEN I TOOK THIS ROLE, NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY.
AND I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE FINE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH.
I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO BE PART OF THIS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMATION.
IT DEFINITELY HAS NOT BEEN EASY.
I WILL SAY THAT IT IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO BE UP HERE WITH ALL OF US IN UNITY.
AND LET'S HOPE THAT WHEN THIS GOES TO THE COMMISSION BOARD THAT THEY FEEL THE SAME.
AND WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE TOGETHER.
BEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OF THE BOARD.
I'M GOING TO DECLARE
THIS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.