[MEETING TO ORDER] [00:00:23] THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON , IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO READ SCRIPTURE JAMES CHAPTER 1 VERSE 17 PICKETS AS EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE COMING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS IN WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHADOW DUE TO CHANGE. SO LORD I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME OF THANKFULNESS, FOR ALL THE AMAZING BLESSINGS YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE HERITAGE IN THE HISTORY OF FORT PIERCE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE STRENGTH THAT FORT PIERCE HAS TOWARD DIVERSITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TREMENDOUS ACCESS SUCH AS BRIDGE ACCESS TO THE ISLAND DOWNTOWN, A DEEPWATER SEAPORT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ACCESS TO KEY HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES . I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STRONG LEADERS THAT HAVE VISION. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR 1ST RESPONDERS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THE COMMUNITY AND ITS WELL-BEING . LORD, I ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND ENLARGES TERRITORY. I ASKED THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO BLESS FPUA AND IN JESUS NAME WE CALL IN ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS TO FULLY FUND THE WASTEWAER PLANT RELOCATION. WE PRAY IN JESUS NAME FOR THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO RELEASE STRATEGIES TO EDUCATE THE CHILDREN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE. WE PRAY IN JESUS NAME THAT YOU WOULD PUT A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND FIRST RESPONDERS AND GIVE THEM STRATEGIES AND INSIGHTS TO KEEP THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IN THE COUNTY SAFE. WE PRAY THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WOULD RISE UP AND SHINE , FOR IT IS THE SUNRISE CITY. WE PRAY ALL OF THIS IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE 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. >> MADAME CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL . >> MS. BENNETT. >> PRESENT. >> MR. FEE. >> PRESENT. >> MISSES COX. >> PRESENT. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED A FORM FOR TODAY'S MEETING. WE HAVE FIVE VOTING [A. SET THE AGENDA] MEMBERS PRESENT, WHICH MEETS THE REQUIRED THREE MEMBERS AS PER OUR CHARTER AND ONE EX OFFICIO MEMBER PRESENT. >> THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS SETTING THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> [B. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC] IS PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK , YOU MAY DO SO NOW. PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. >> HELLO AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE . MY NAME IS JOCK CHESTER, 968 AND CREEK DRIVE, FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I CAME IN TO DISCUSS EILEEN -- A LIEN THAT FPUA HAD IN PLACE WITH SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT I'M WORKING WITHIN THE CITY. I WANT TO, JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH ME. COPIER, YOU AND YOUR TEAM DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. MS. LEVINE, MR. RUTHERFORD. THEY HELP VERY MUCH CALLED ME THE VERY NEXT DAY WHEN THEY WERE AVAILABLE AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT. IT WAS IN A SMALL LIEN. I BELIEVE WE PAID OFF $29,700 IN LIENS FPUA, AND THAT IS WITH THE HELP OF THE STAFF. I APPRECIATE YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC AND WORKING WITH ME THROUGH THIS PROBLEM. YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> THANK YOU , MR. CHESTER. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE [D. CONSENT AGENDA] ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NO ONE, I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY ITEM THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA OR DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS IS? >> SOME OOMPH. >> SECOND. >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL . >> MISSES BENNETT. >> S. >> MR. FEE. >> MS. GIBBONS. >> YES. >> HUDSON. >> YES. [C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] >> MR. LAMMERS. >> S. IT LOOKS LIKE WE SKIPPED OVER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND WE WILL GO TO THAT NEXT. AS EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING, IF THERE ARE ANY PAGES HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, AND IF NOT WE HAVE A MOVE FOR APPROVAL? [00:05:02] >> I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN. WE UPDATED THE ABSENCE OF THE MERITS EXCUSED. THEY DID NOT HAVE IT LABELED CORRECTLY. WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, THAT IT WAS SHOWN IS EXCUSED. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> [E.1. Bill Comparison for the Month of September 2024] >> OKAY NOW I BELIEVE WE ARE MOVING ONTO THE REGULAR AGENDA. >> AN EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT, THERE IS ONLY ONE AGENDA ITEM FOR TODAY AND IT IS THE PRESENTATION , IT IS AN INFORMATION ITEM ONLY PRESENTATION FOR THE BILL COMPARISON FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2024, AND ANDREA SLOAN THE UTILITY ACCOUNTANT WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. IT IS THE ANDREA SHOW TODAY. >> THANK YOU , MAYOR HUDSON, CHAIRMAN, AND BOARD MEMBERS. I WILL BE PRESENTING THE COMPARISON OF FLORIDA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC COMPANIES ELECTRIC RATES AND THE LOCAL TREASURE COAST UTILITY BILLS FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. THIS GRAPH DEPICTS FPUA'S RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES FOR 1000 KILOWATT HOURS OF CONSUMPTION IN RELATION TO THE OTHER 12 REQUIREMENTS PROJECT MEMBERS. AT LEAST MUNICIPALITIES BY RING FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST IN TERMS OF THEIR BASE BILL AMOUNT. FPUA'S POSITION IS INDICATED BY THE YELLOW BAR , AND FOR SEPTEMBER WE WERE AT $120.37. WE SHIFTED ONE SPOT TO THE RIGHT SINCE JULY , AND OUR POSITION IS DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE WHEN COMPARED TO THE OTHER AARP MEMBERS, SIX OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE LOWER THAN WE ARE AND SIX OF THEM ARE HIGHER. THIS GRAPH DISPLAYS COMPARISON FOR THAT SAME LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION, BUT INCLUDES ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE . AGAIN, FPUA IS REPRESENTED BY THE YELLOW BAR AT $120.37 PER 1000 KILOWATT HOURS OF FOR CONSUMPTION. OUR TOTAL RATE FOR 1000 KILOWATT HOURS OF CONSUMPTION REMAIN THE SAME AS IN JULY AS THERE WAS NO PCA OR RATE CHANGES. IN OUR POSITION SHIFTED ONE SPOT TO THE RIGHT. CURRENTLY WE RANK 17TH WHICH IS SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE 32 MUNICIPAL UTILITIES . FIVE OF THE UTILITIES SHOWN IMPLEMENTED INCREASES IN SEPTEMBER, EIGHT HAD DECREASES IN 19 REMAINED UNCHANGED. WHEN WE COMPARE OURS TO THE MUNICIPAL AVERAGES, FPUA'S RATE IS BELOW AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE MUNICIPAL. THIS GRAPH PRESENTS A COMPARISON BETWEEN ALL MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC PROVIDERS BUT FOR AN INCREASE CONSUMPTION LEVEL 2500 KILOWATT HOURS. FPUA HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW HAS A SEPTEMBER BILL AMOUNT OF $304.11. OUR POSITION IS ALMOST THE SAME HERE AS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, BUT WE ARE RANKED 18TH, WHICH IS A SHIFT OF THREE TO THE RIGHT. THAT PLACES US SLIGHTLY IN THE UPPER HALF OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES AT THIS LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION, FPUA'S BASE RATE IS LOWER THAN IOU BUT HIGHER THAN THE ARP AND MUNICIPAL AVERAGES. THIS SLIDE DISPLAYS THE COMPARISON OF AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL UTILITY BILLS ON THE TREASURE COAST FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. THE COLUMN HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE SHOWS FPUA'S UTILITY BILL, INCLUDING TAXES AND FEES , AND THIS IS FOR INSIDE CITY LIMIT CUSTOMERS. THE OTHER COLUMNS REPRESENTING NEIGHBORING CITIES HAVE ELECTRIC SERVICE PROVIDED BY F P&L AND WATER AND WASTEWATER BY THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY. THE COMPARISON UTILIZES STANDARD CONSUMPTION RATES OF 1000 YOU KILOWATT HOURS FOR ELECTRIC AND 6000 KILOGRAMS FOR WATER. THE SMALLER TABLE BELOW INDICATES CUSTOMER PRICING USING AVERAGES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER RATHER THAN THE STANDARD CONSUMPTION RATES . THOSE AVERAGES WERE 1133 KILOWATT HOURS FOR ELECTRIC AND 5140 GALLONS FOR WATER. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PRESENTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY AND REQUIRES NO ACTION. HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT JUST MAY BE A COMMENT. I THINK IT IS PRETTY AMAZING THAT WE HAVE BECOME EMILY ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE COST COMPETITIVE ALL AT THE SAME TIME TACKLING SOME VERY SIZABLE -- WHAT WOULD YOU CALL IT? CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE ARE TACKLING THE REALLY LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS WHILE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE COST COMPETITIVE. KUDOS TO YOU AND ALL OF THE STAFF FOR DOING A GREAT JOB IN THAT MANNER. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. I WENT TO WENT MENTION ONE THING. I JUST READ IT, BUT OFFICIALLY, F P&L DID APPROVE THEIR $12 TO -- $12.02 ADJUSTMENT THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY. THAT IS RELATED DIRECTED TO COST RECOVERY FOR HURRICANE DEBBIE, EILEEN, AND MILTON. THEY WILL BE DOING THAT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING [00:10:04] THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. IT IS AN INCREASE TO THEIR BILL. >> RIGHT NOW WE SEEM TO BE, I LOOK AT THE BOARD MATERIAL -- >> WE ARE LOWER THAN THEM. >> $25 LOWER RIGHT NOW? >> IT'S ABOUT $24. >> YES , AND WE JUST GOT OCTOBERS IN AN EMAIL TODAY AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS NO, NO CHANGES. WE ARE BASICALLY, WE WILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT NEXT MONTH THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW. SO. >> GOOD NEWS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES THE REGULAR AGENDA. THANK YOU. ARE [F. DIRECTOR COMMENTS] THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE DIRECTOR? >> JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS. NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE AT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO OUR LOCAL STATE OFFICIALS ABOUT THE WASTEWATER PLANT , SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE REROUTING OF THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. WE TRY TO DAY VERY CONNECTED WITH THEM, THE NEXT WEEK, WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR THE LAST 3 TO 4 YEARS OR SO. IT WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE THEM AN UPDATE AND KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP. I KNOW, I THINK LINDA IS DOING, HER TEAM IS DOING SOME PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF, OF THE UTILITY, UTILITY DISSIPATION TO THE CITY, SO THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK AS WELL. >> ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> I DID HAVE ONE MORE THING . LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST I WANT TO IN DAN AND JODI FOR AGAIN STEPPING IN AND HELPING US AS SPECIAL COUNSEL, YOU KNOW , THEY, THEY OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE ON THE ELECTRIC SIDE, BUT THEY DEFINITELY MAKE THEIR SUPPORT FOR US LOOK EASY WITH THE UTILITY ORGANIZATION, SO THANK YOU TO DAN AND JODI VERY MUCH, ESPECIALLY HAVING TO DRIVE TODAY FOR ONE AGENDA ITEM. I DID CALL THEM EARLY. >> JUST , JUST ANOTHER HOP, SKIP, AND A JUMP. [H. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS] >> THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THE BOARD TODAY. >> THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> I HAVE A QUICK SOMETHING. MS. MADAME MAYOR WAS REAPPOINTED, OR , SWORN IN YESTERDAY, AND I WAS ABLE TO COME INTO CHEER HER ON. AND ALSO , COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND TAYLOR . SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT ANOTHER FOUR YEARS COMING OF MADAME MAYOR BEING ON OUR BOARD, BUT ALSO HELPING TAKE THE CHARGE FOR FORT PIERCE WHICH IS PRETTY EXCITING. SO CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO, I JUST NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD, TO HAVE SERVED WITH ALL OF YOU , MOST IMPORTANTLY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I NEED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE STEPPING DOWN FROM THE BOARD AS OF JANUARY. I BELIEVE I WILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING OR TWO. I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH MR. CISNEROS ABOUT FINDING MY REPLACEMENT. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE VALUE OF THE UAC . OBVIOUSLY THAT IS UP TO THE COMMISSION TO DETERMINE THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU WELL FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION THE UTILITY IS HEADING IN, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO DO. THANK YOU. >> SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT. >> YOU WILL BE MISSED. >> IT HAS ABSOLUTELY BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU. >> YOUR EXPERTISE WAS GREAT FOR US. >> IT REALLY WAS. IT IS A HARD LOSS. IT WILL BE A TOUGH SEAT TO FILL . IT REALLY WELL. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> WE WILL GET TO CALL YOU FOR SOME INSIGHT IF NEEDED, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. I DON'T HAVE TO AVOID YOU GUYS LIKE THE PLAGUE WHEN I SEE YOU WALKING DOWN THE STREET. I CAN WALK ON THE SAME SIDEWALK AS YOU. >> YES. WHEN I WALK AROUND THE CORNER, I CAN SAY HI. >> EXACTLY. >> AGAIN I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ALONG WITH YOU ALL . ANY OTHER COMMENTS? * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.