[00:00:09]
AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU AND WE ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE ARE BORED WITH YOUR WISDOM IN OUR DECISIONS. PLEASE HELP THE GOVERNMENT BE FAIR TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO THE FOR PEACE UTILITY AUTHORITY. IN JESUS '
NAME WE PRAY, 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. >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> CONFIRM WE HAVE ACHIEVED A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S MEETING. WE HAVE FIVE VOTING THAT MEMBERS PRESENT PER CHARTER AND ONE
[A. SET THE AGENDA]
OTHER MEMBER PRESENT. >> HAVE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THE AGENDA AND ARE SATISFIED AND MAY
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC TODAY? IF SO, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE PODIUM. NOT SEEING ANY MOVEMENT, WE WILL
[C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE AMOTION TO APPROVE? >> I MOVE APPROVAL TO APPROVE
THE MINUTES . >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[D. CONSENT AGENDA]
CONSENT AGENDA. IT'S A VERY SHORT CONSENT AGENDA, WHEN I DON'T. WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE?[E.1. Approval of Assignment of $28,061,358 DEP grant for WRF Relocation Conveyance projects from City to FPUA]
>> NOW WE ARE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA NEXT. ¿ THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THE FIRST ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF ASSIGNMENT FOR A $28 MILLION DEP GRANT FOR WRF RELOCATION CONVEYANCE RELATED TO THE WASTEWATER PLANT. RACHEL 10 IT WILL PRESENT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHAIRMAN FEE, MAYOR HUDSON, THANK YOU, MR. CISNEROS. I AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE HERE TO PRESENT UPDATES ON THE WRF RELOCATION CONVEYANCE GRANTS.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SIGNATURE OF ASSIGNMENT FOR ONE OF THE GRANTS, BUT , IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLE QUESTIONS, WE ARE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE AND KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THIS IS WORKING. AND SO, WITH THAT, I WILL BEGIN WHAT IS TITLED HERE THE WRF RELOCATION GRANTS UPDATE. THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS OVER THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES , REALLY, TRYING TO GET THE FOCUS ON GRANTS. MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE . OKAY. SO, THE W RF GRANTS, AT A GLANCE INTRO, JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER TO THE PUBLIC AND ANYONE WHO IS NOT SURE, THE WRF RELOCATION RELOCATION IS A MAJOR GRANT EFFORT FOR FPUA WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO SUPPLEMENT MAJOR BONDS THAT WE RECEIVED IN 2022 WITH GRANT FUNDING TO HELP US RELOCATE THE GRANT OFF THE INDIAN LAGOON. WE ESTABLISHED A GRANTS DEPARTMENT IN MAY 2022 .
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE SUBMITTED MANY GRANT PROPOSALS, TOTALLY JUST ABOUT $193.5 MILLION WORTH OF REQUESTS. UM, AS ANYONE WHO DOES WORK WITH GRANTS NOSE, YOU WON'T GET EVERYTHING YOU ASKED FOR. SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE WITH ALL OF OUR REQUESTS AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE WITH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE GRANTORS. WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED, UM, JUST UNDER $74.5 MILLION OF THE FUNDS WE HAVE REQUESTED SO FAR. ABOUT 34 MILLION OF THAT AMOUNT IS CONTRACTS THAT ARE IN DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE ASSIGNMENT THAT IS BEFORE YOU
[00:05:04]
TODAY, WHICH IS ABOUT $28 MILLION , IT'S WITHIN THAT 34.OF THE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXECUTED AND THE GRANTS WE HAVE ALREADY MANAGED, WE HAVE RECEIVED JUST ABOUT $26.4 MILLION WORTH OF REIMBURSEMENTS. UM, THE GRANTS ARE ALL OPERATED ON THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS. WE HAVE TO SPEND THE FUNDS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WERE SPENT ON APPROVED COSTS FOR THE PROJECT WE WERE REQUESTING, IN THIS CASE, THE TREATMENT PLANT. AND THEN WE CAN REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. THERE IS ABOUT $12.8 MILLION OF REIMBURSEMENT IN PROGRESS AT THIS TIME. SO, JUST TO HONE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE PROJECT, IN GENERAL, UM, AND OUR APPROACH HERE. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW. THE PROJECT COST ESTIMATES ARE BROKEN ACROSS IN CONSTRUCTING THE TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH WAS THE FIRST, AND I WOULD SAY, EASIER PART TO PURSUE BECAUSE IT'S MUCH SIMPLER TO DESCRIBE CONSTRUCTION OF A TREATMENT PLANT TO FUNDERS THAN IT IS TO DESCRIBE THIS CONVEYANCE SYSTEM OF REDIRECTION. THAT IS TRUE, NOT ONLY WITH THE FUNDERS, BUT JUST IN GENERAL IN DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS. SO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TREATMENT PLANT ITSELF ON ENERGY LANE, AFTER THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AND THE DESIGN CONTRACTS, WE WERE AT ABOUT A $139.5 MILLION COST. THIS IS A STATE-OF-THE-ART TREATMENT PLANT THAT IS BEING BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO THE ENERGY SERVICE, RIGHT NEXT TO THE TREASURE COAST ENERGY CENTER POWER PLANTS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED AND SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN DECEMBER 2025.
THEN, THERE IS, UM, PHASE 2, OR ANOTHER PHASE, WE HAVE PHASES IN A FEW DIFFERENT PLACES, WHICH IS THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM IS A SERIES OF PROJECTS, SMALLER PROJECTS, THAT ARE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT OUR WASTEWATER SERVICE TERRITORY, WHERE WE NEED TO EITHER PUT IN DIFFERENT SIZE PIPES, PUT IN BOOSTER STATIONS TO HELP INCREASE THE PRESSURE TO MOVE THE WASTEWATER FROM EAST TO WEST AND/OR DO WORK ON EXISTING LIFT STATIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM ABLE TO OPERATE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AND THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM IS NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED IN PHASES. THERE ARE FOUR PHASES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MASTER DESIGN. HOWEVER, THOSE PHASES ARE GOING TO BE COMPLETED AND THEN PAUSED, COMPLETE AND THEN PAUSE. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF THE CONVEYANCE PROJECT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE REALLY JUST LOOKING AT PHASE 1 A AND 1B. OR PHASE 1 AND TWO. THESE TWO PHASES ARE THE ONES WE MORE OR LESS KNOW WE WILL BE DOING.
WE DO EXPECT THAT PHASE 1B ESTIMATED COSTS WILL CHANGE AS WE COMPLETE PHASE 1 A. BECAUSE, AS WE COMPLETE PHASE 1A, WE WILL BE ABLE TO STOP AND LISTEN TO THE WORK AND RESPOND TO THE PROJECT IN PHASE 1A AND DETERMINE IF THE PHASE PROJECTS IN 1B NEED TO BE AS LARGE AS EXPECTED TO BE. BUT JUST FOR EASE OF COMMUNICATION, WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE ESTIMATES AS THEY WERE PUT FORWARD IN THE MASTER DESIGN. THAT PROJECT, WITHOUT CONTEXT, IS ABOUT $67.4 MILLION. THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM THROUGH THE FIRST TWO PHASES. FUNDRAISING IS ONGOING.
COMPLETION WILL BE DONE IN A PHASED APPROACH AND PROJECT BY PROJECT. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE CONVEYANCE PROJECTS ON JENKINS ROAD HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR A WHILE. I THINK THAT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE THAT WILL BE COMPLETE. I THINK THAT IS CIP 2.1. THE SECOND PROJECT WAS JUST APPROVED HERE RECENTLY. THAT WILL BE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, LIFT STATION A PIPING WORK. THAT IS STARTING NOW-ISH AND WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. UM, AS THOSE ARE BEING DONE, WE ARE ALSO MOVING FORWARD IN THE OTHER TWO SMALLER PROJECTS OF PHASE 1B, DESIGN. AS THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE, WE WILL START WITH THE NEXT. I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY THE CONVEYANCE
[00:10:10]
PROJECT IS KIND OF A LIVING BEING AND AS WE ARE SUBMITTING OUR PROPOSALS, AS WE ARE RAISING THE FUNDS FOR IT, WE ARE ON THE GRANT SIDE, KEEPING A CLOSER WATCH ON IT AND ITS PROGRESS, SO WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO OUR GRANTORS AND ENSURE PROPER GRANT MANAGEMENT. IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS GRANT FUNDED THAT YOU COMPLETE AND MOVE FORWARD. IT IS ANOTHER THING TO HAVE MULTIPLE GRANT AGREEMENTS IN PLACE FOR MULTIPLE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT REPRESENT ONE BIGGER PROJECT.AND SO, IT HAS BEEN QUITE FUN. SO, HERE IS THE FUNDRAISING APPROACH. SO, THE W RF CONSTRUCTION, THE TOTAL GMP WAS ABOUT 139 MILLION. WE STARTED OUT WITH THE ORIGINAL BOND , WHICH ENDED UP INCLUDING BOND FUNDS AND INTEREST, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE, AS YOU KNOW, TO INVEST SOME OF THOSE FUNDS WHILE WE WERE WAITING TO SPEND IT. WE RAISED ABOUT $25.4 MILLION THROUGH THE RESILIENT FLORIDA PROGRAM. WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST COHORTS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WHICH MADE IT INTERESTING, AS WELL, WHEN YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES, AS WE ARE WITH A FEW OF THEM, IT MEANS WE ARE FIGURING OUT THE RULES WITH THEM. UM, THE SECOND ONE IS A $10 MILLION WATER QUALITY GRANT, WHICH WE JUST RECEIVED AND ASSIGNED TO THE GRANT AGREEMENT HERE RECENTLY. WE HAD ALREADY SPENT FUNDS AND COULD BE REIMBURSED RIGHT AWAY, SO WE GOT THE GRANT AGREEMENT SIGNED AND I THINK A WEEK LATER TURNED IN OUR FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT AND A REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FOR THE FULL $10 MILLION. THAT IS PENDING. THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM, UM, WE HAVE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, WHICH IS THE ASSIGNMENT FOR THE $28 MILLION GRANT THROUGH RESILIENT FLORIDA. THIS IS A DIFFERENT GRANT FROM THE ORIGINAL RESILIENT FLORIDA AND THE DEP IS LOOKING AT US AS PHASE 1 AS THE TREATMENT PLANT AND PHASE 2 AS CONVEYANCE, WHICH IS HELPFUL. THIS IS PHASE 2 WITH RESILIENT FLORIDA. WE ALSO HAVE STATE APPROPRIATIONS, ONE WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO IN 2022. THE STATE APPROPRIATIONS COME FROM THE SUPPORT OF A SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY SUPPORTING US ON PAPER WILL WE SUBMIT THE BUT ALSO WE ARE IN TALLAHASSEE AND WHEN WE ARE NOT THERE. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE STATE BUDGET THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY STRONG ADVOCATES FOR US AND, AGAIN, THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE STATE APPROPRIATIONS TWO WAS THE ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THIS PROJECT. THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATION OF 1 MILLION IS THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. THIS WAS APPROVED THE FIRST YEAR OF OUR FUNDRAISING, BUT BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL, HAS HAD, WE ACTUALLY NEEDED TO SUBMIT ANOTHER PROPOSAL AFTER WE WERE APPROVED, A FEDERAL PROPOSAL. ANYWAY, THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF WORK THERE. I THINK THE EPA IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING SOME STUFF AND SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A HOLDING PATTERN WAITING BUT WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REALLY REGIONAL PERSON WHO IS OUR CONTACT. WE TRIED TO KEEP IN TOUCH AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND HOPE THAT SOON WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THAT AGREEMENT FINALIZED SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATION WILL GO TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT WE PULLED OUT FROM PHASE 1B BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL FUNDING. IT WOULD OTHERWISE INFLUENCE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ON THE ENTIRE PROJECT. SO, THAT'S THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. THE BOND , UM, INTEREST OR A LINE OF CREDIT IS ALL IN DEVELOPMENT NOW. WE WILL ALSO, OF COURSE, CONTINUE SUBMITTING GRANT REQUESTS, AS NEEDED. BUT, ADMITTEDLY, THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM, BECAUSE IT IS COMPOSED OF SMALLER PROJECTS AS PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT, WE HAVE DESIGN AND DESIGN FINALIZE THEM BEFORE WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION, IT IS A LITTLE BIT SLOWER GOING. ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE ASSIGNED HERE, WE ARE SEEING THE SPENDING PICKING UP VERY QUICKLY AND THE COMPLETION OF THOSE PROJECTS. SO IT'S REALLY JUST THE DESIGN THAT IS TAKING SOME TIME. THAT'S OKAY. WE HAVE TIME ON THE GRANT AND WE WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE A WELL DESIGNED PROJECT THAT IS COST EFFICIENT AND MINDFUL OF WHAT WE ARE DOING THEN HURRY UP AND CONSTRUCT AND IT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE, AS WELL. SO, WITH THAT, WHAT IS BEFORE YOU IS THE RESILIENT FLORIDA ASSIGNMENT OF THE GRANT AGREEMENT OF 28 SRP 12, WHICH IS THROUGH THE RESILIENT FLORIDA
[00:15:15]
PROGRAM. IT WAS SUBMITTED AS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BECAUSE AT THE TIME, AND WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST COHORTS GOING THROUGH, IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHETHER FPUA WAS ELIGIBLE TO BE A DIRECT RECIPIENT OF THE RESILIENT FLORIDA FUNDING SO FOR THAT REASON, WE WERE ADVISED IT WAS BEST TO APPLY AS THE CITY SO WE DID. THE FIRST GRANT WAS APPROVED AND ASSIGNED WHILE WE HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED THE SECOND ONE. OTHERWISE, WE WOULD HAVE SUBMITTED THE SECOND ONE AS FPUA. THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE CITY COMMISSION REVIEWED AND SIGNED BOTH THE GRANT AGREEMENT AND THE ASSIGNMENT AT YESTERDAY'S CITY COMMISSION MEETING. THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND SO FOR THAT, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. ALSO, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT OF COURSE, THEY TRUST US TO ASSIGN THIS TO MANAGE THIS DIRECTLY. THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE FOR THE CITY TO MAINTAIN THE CONTRACT AND THEN WE WOULD BE REPORTING TO THE CITY, WHO WOULD THEN BE REPORTING TO FPUA RESILIENT FLORIDA AND THAT WOULD LAST FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT. THIS IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND I THINK MORE LIKELY TO LEAD IN SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. UM, MOVING FORWARD, THERE WILL BE A RIBBON-CUTTING FOR THE TREATMENT PLANT IN DECEMBER-ISH . WE HAVEN'T SET ANY SORT OF DATE OR SCHEDULING YET BECAUSE WEATHER, IT'S IN DECEMBER, DEPENDS ON THE TIMING OF COMPLETION OF THE CONVEYANCE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ENOUGH FLOW WITH THE NEW TREATMENT PLANT IN ORDER TO TURN IT ON. WE WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT ON EITHER AT OR BEFORE THE RIBBON-CUTTING. UM, DECEMBER-ISH , THAT IS PENDING.I KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN FPUA WASTEWATER ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS BUT JUST TO GET IT ON YOUR RADAR. YOU WILL ALSO CONTINUE WITH CONSTRUCTION ON CONVEYANCE PROJECTS THROUGH THE WASTEWATER CREWS AND THE GRANTS TEAM WILL CONTINUE THE MANAGEMENT OF RELATED EXPENDITURES. WE WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH ENGINEERING CREWS AND THE WASTEWATER TEAM AND ALSO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE AND TRACKING THE SAME COMPLETION OF THESE PROJECTS. THE WASTEWATER ENGINEERING TEAMS ARE ALSO PUTTING IN A LOT OF EFFORT TO CARRY OUT ONGOING COST SAVINGS AND OTHER APPROACHES TO TURN FLOW TOWARD THE NEW TREATMENT PLANT WITHOUT MAJOR CONSTRUCTION NEEDED. AND I AM NOT THE EXPERT IN THAT, SO I WILL LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE TO DESCRIBE ANOTHER TIME, BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT, AS WELL THE GRANTORS AND THE FOLKS IN TALLAHASSEE, REALLY LIKE TO SEE AND REALLY LIKE TO HEAR IT WHEN WE EXPLAINED WE DIDN'T JUST HIRE A CONTRACTOR AND MOVE ON. WE ARE STILL VERY LOYAL AND STILL LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO GOOD AND DO BETTER. WE WILL CONTINUE THE PURSUIT OF GRANT FUNDING OR APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING, AS NEEDED ONLY. WE ARE REACHING A POINT WHERE, UM, WE MAY NEED TO HOLD AND COMPLETE SOME MORE THE PROJECT OR PROJECTS BEFORE WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR MORE.
I'M NOT SURE YET. THIS IS SOMETHING WE, AGAIN, CONTINUE TO TRACK AND WILL, UM, PROCEED AS RESPONSIBLY AS POSSIBLE. AND WITH THAT, I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DO WE HAVE TO PURCHASE ANY LAND IN THE
CONVEYANCE PROCESS? >> THERE WERE AT LEAST ONE PURCHASE THAT I KNOW OF. BUT THEY ARE SMALLER AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN NOT INCLUDING THOSE AS PART OF THE GRANT REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE IT DOES COMPLICATE THINGS WHEN YOU START BRINGING IN REAL PROPERTY AND THEN WE WOULD NEED DEP APPROVAL OF ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT IF WE KEEP THEM WE ARE BETTER OFF .
>> YOU SAID THEY ARE SMALLER. MOSTLY, WE HAVE USED OUR EASEMENTS, IS THAT RIGHT? MOSTLY?
>> YES. >> OKAY. WHEN YOU ARE SCHEDULING THE RIBBON-CUTTING, I KNOW YOU WILL THINK OF THIS, BUT I WILL JUST SAY IT SO WE ALL , I THINK WE OUGHT TO CHECK THE SCHEDULES OF THE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE SENATOR, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
[00:20:07]
THEY BE THERE. I AGREE WITH YOU, THEY HAVE DONE HUGE, HUGE WORK FOR US. I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE THERE.>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> I WENT TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS WE ARE ANTICIPATING. ARE YOU SINGING WE APPROVED A GRANT IN 2022? SOMEWHERES ABOUT THEN? SO IS THEY WERE VERY LOW THRESHOLD BASED ON THE LEGAL LANGUAGE THAT IT COULD BE RESCINDED? OR CAN WE EVIDENCE THAT IT HAS BEEN USED? WE ARE SUBJECT TO REIMBURSEMENT.
>> WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MONEY. WE ARE DOING PREAWARD WORK NOW, WHICH IS DESIGNED, THE GOVERNMENT, THAT GRANT WASN'T GOING TO PAY FOR DESIGN ANYWAY. SO WE ARE DOING DESIGN AND HOPING TO GET THE PLANT IN PLACE PRIOR TO DESIGN COMPLETION. THEN WHEN IT IS READY FOR THE CONVEYANCE PROCESS, AS FAR AS PROBABILITY OF BEING RESCINDED, IT'S NOT REALLY, UM, A TYPICAL SCENARIO . WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS DUE TO MAJOR CHANGING FEDERAL PRIORITIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
IT IS VERY HARD TO PREEMPT. THE ONE THING I AM HOPEFUL ABOUT THAT WE DO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL GRANTS MANAGER SO WE ARE DEATHLY GOING TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT BUT WE WON'T SPEND GRANT FUNDS UNTIL WE HAVE IT.
>> SO THE GRANT MANAGER YOU HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH, HAS SHE OR HE DISCUSSED ANYTHING SURROUNDING ANY POSSIBILITIES OF ANYTHING INTERRUPTING THE PRIOR COMMITMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION
OR ANY CONCERN ABOUT EPA? >> NO. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NONE OF THE FEDERAL GRANTORS THAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH ARE REALLY ABLE TO SAY MUCH, EITHER BECAUSE THEY ARE TOLD NOT TO OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW, EITHER.
>> THANK YOU. >> MR. CHAIRMAN?
>> YES. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT, BY THE WAY. STILL, IT IS AMAZING TO ME WHERE WE ARE GETTING GRANTS. THE ONE THING, I JUST, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE HAVE ABOUT 32 MILLION THAT WE ARE GOING TO STILL NEED FOR 1B IN THE WASTEWATER PLANT,
IS THAT CORRECT? >> NOT THE WASTEWATER PLANT ITSELF. THAT IS FUNDED. THE LITTLE BIT THAT THE WASTEWATER PLANTS, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO AUGMENT WITH INTEREST FROM INVESTING THE BOND AND I THINK INTO RECATEGORIZE SOME OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD USE FOR EXPANSION OVER TO CONVEYANCE TO HELP US, BUT THERE IS A NEED FOR THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. I KNOW THAT, AT THE RECENT BUDGET WORKSHOP WE HAD ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH FINANCE, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EITHER ANOTHER BOND, A LINE OF CREDIT, OPTIONS AND THAT IS A
NEED. >> I COULDN'T REMEMBER, WAS THIS THE 20 MILLION TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP ? OKAY. I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS OR NOT. THAT'S FINE. OKAY.
AND THEN, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT IS WATCHING THIS, WHEN WE SAY IN DECEMBER THE WASTEWATER PLANT WILL BE ON, IT IS BASICALLY THAT 1A WILL BE ON, WHICH MEANS THE BEACH WILL NOT BE ON YET, RIGHT? THAT'S JUST MAINLY IN WATER
THAT WILL BE GOING? >> THAT'S CORRECT. THE BEACH WILL BE A PROJECT, I THINK IT'S IN PHASE 1B, OR A STANDALONE PROJECT, BUT TO TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND IS GOING TO BE A PROJECT WE HAVEN'T STARTED YET. SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE WHILE. ONE OR TWO OR SO YEARS WHERE BOTH WATER TREATMENT PLANTS WILL BE RUNNING. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THAT IS, WE HAVE A SAFETY. WHEN WE TURNED THE NEW TREATMENT PLANT ON, WE HAVE TO TUNE IT TO MAKE SURE IT IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WE NEED TO GET ENOUGH FLOW IN ORDER TO TURN IT ON. BUT AS THINGS CHANGE, AS THINGS EMERGE, WE WILL STILL HAVE OUR ISLAND PLANT TO TAKE FLOW, AS WELL . ALSO DURING STORMS WE HAVE MAJOR INFLUX THROUGH THE SYSTEM OF STORM WATER, WE WILL
[00:25:08]
NEED THE ISLAND PLANT TO HELP WITH THAT.>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY THAT IS WATCHING MIGHT BE THINKING, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE READY IN DECEMBER. JUST NOT QUITE, THERE IS A PHASE YET.
>> WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE GOING TO THE NEW PLANT WITHIN THREE TO FIVE YEARS?
>> I THINK THREE TO FIVE YEARS IS A SAFE ESTIMATE. I KNOW THIS IS A SERIES OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AND SO, I'VE BEEN, I'VE LEARNED NOT TO BE, I'VE LEARNED TO BE FLEXIBLE . WHEN WE STARTED OUT, WE HAD A HARD DATE THAT WE WOULD BE DONE BY DECEMBER BUT I THINK THREE TO FIVE YEARS IS REASONABLE, YES.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WE'VE JUST GOT TO APPROVE, ASK FOR THE APPROVAL OF ASSIGNMENT?
>> MOVE APPROVAL. >> WHO DOESN'T WANT THE $28
MILLION? >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[E.2. Presentation of the 2025 FPUA Youth Career Event to be held on September 3, 2025]
WILL TACKLE THE NEXT ITEM AS RACHEL IS ALSO PRESENTING THIS.THE NEXT ITEM IS PRESENTATION ON THE UPCOMING 2025 YOUTH CAREER EVENT HOSTED BY FPUA. OUR UTILITY GRANTS SPECIALIST.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CISNEROS, AS SORT OF A TRANSITION INTO THE NEXT PRESENTATION, I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE, UM, A SORT OF VERBAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT MOSEY MARTINEZ IS ONE OF OUR TWO UTILITY GRANTS SPECIALISTS. SHE IS THE UTILITY GRANTS SPECIALIST THAT MANAGES ALL OF OUR W RF GRANTS. ANYTIME WE SUBMIT REPORTS, REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS, THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS MANAGING THEM. RECENTLY AN OPPORTUNITY CAME UP FOR US TO SUBMIT OUR W RF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AWARD AND WE ARE A SMALL TEAM WORKING ON A LOT OF GRANT PROPOSALS AND THINGS, NOT JUST THE TREATMENT PLANT, BUT OTHERS. SO I ASKED A COUPLE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, WE WEREN'T SURE IF IT WOULD BE WORTH THE EFFORT AND THEY SAID, YES, I WILL DO IT. SHE DEVELOPED SOME INFORMATION FOR US FOR SOMETHING CALLED THE UTILITY OF THE FUTURE TODAY PROGRAM. THAT IS THROUGH THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION.
THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO REACH DEEPLY INTO THE WATER SECTOR TO FORM AND MOTIVATE A COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED WATER UTILITIES ENGAGED IN RESOURCE, EFFICIENCY AND RECOVERY, DEVELOPING PROACTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND ESTABLISHING RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES. IT'S A NATIONAL COMPETITION. I THINK THERE IS ONLY ABOUT 200 IN THE NATION OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANTS IN THE NATION THAT HAVE RECEIVED IT. WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL EARLIER THIS WEEK OR LATE LAST WEEK THAT ANNOUNCED WE HAVE BEEN SELECTED. YEAH. SO THAT IS THANKS TO THEM AND VERY EXCITING. WE WILL GET TO ANNOUNCE THAT, AS WELL, AT
OUR NEXT MEETING. >> THANKS FOR GOING THE EXTRA
MILE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, DO WE GET TO SEE YOUR SUBMISSION? IT'S A LOT OF WORDS.
>> ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN SHARE IT. WE DID HAVE TO SELECT A CATEGORY. WE ARE SELECTED FOR REUSE BECAUSE OF OUR LINK NEXT TO THE TREASURE COAST ENERGY CENTER AND HOW WE WILL BE PRODUCING WASTEWATER FOR REUSE. WE WILL ABSOLUTELY SHARE IT WITH
YOU. >> RATE. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK
YOU. >> OKAY. WITH THAT ¿ NEXT UP, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE FPUA YOUTH CAREER EVENT WITH THE TAGLINE OF POWER UP YOUR FUTURE. THIS WILL BE PRIMARILY PRESENTED BY ONE OF THE GRANTS ASSOCIATES AND ALSO SHE IS OUR POINT PERSON WITH THE UAC WORKING WITH DISTRICT PLANNING GROUP TO MAKE SURE EACH MONTH THE UAC HAS EVERYTHING THEY NEED AND ALSO TO HELP FACILITATE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. SO, WITH THAT, WE WILL BEGIN. AS A QUICK REMINDER, THE UTILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS A CITIZEN LEG COMMITTEE, A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, THAT WAS
[00:30:01]
ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION BETWEEN FPUA AND THE CITY COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER 2021. THE PURPOSE OF THE UAC IS TO FOSTER OPEN DIALOGUE, DISCUSS UTILITY TOPICS, ADDRESS BUSINESS CONCERNS AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A PUBLIC FORUM.LAST YEAR, AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL WORK PLAN, THE UAC COMMITTED TO CREATING A MISSION STATEMENT FOR THEMSELVES. THAT MISSION STATEMENT IS HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND BUILD TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITY BY FOSTERING TRANSPARENCY THROUGH DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS AND FACILITATING DIALOGUE ABOUT OUR UTILITY SERVICES TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF THE FPUA. SO I THINK THE INTENT HERE IS TO DEMONSTRATE THERE REALLY IS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON TRANSPARENCY, DIALOGUE AND INTEGRATING THOSE CONVERSATIONS INTO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF THE FPUA. IN THAT SAME WORKPLAN, THE UAC IDENTIFIED A NEED TO BETTER CONNECT FORT PIERCE AND ST. LUCIE COUNTY YOUTH WITH THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST AT FPUA. SOME OF THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS THEY RECEIVED FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS, LIKE CUSTOMER SERVICE, I.T., FINANCE, ENGINEERING , WASTEWATER, ELECTRIC, ET CETERA. AND SO, UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD OUR FIRST EVENT. THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT, AGAIN, WAS TO INTRODUCE YOKEL LOSE ¿ LOCAL YOUTH TO OPEN DIALOGUE, DISCUSS UTILITY TOPICS, ADDRESS BUSINESS CONCERNS AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A PUBLIC FORUM. THE GOAL WAS REALLY TO START YOUNG, TO GIVE OUR YOUTHS SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARD SO THEY KNOW THERE ARE JOBS RIGHT HERE AT HOME. UM, THIS MATTERS BECAUSE IT HELPS OUR STUDENTS DISCOVER STABLE, REWARDING AND GROWTH ORIENTED CAREERS RIGHT HERE IN FORT PIERCE. IT ENCOURAGES LONG-TERM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS STRONG AT FPUA. IT STRENGTHENS FPUA'S RELATIONSHIPS IN COMMUNITY AND REINFORCES OUR ROLE AS A FORWARD THINKING AND COMMUNITY CENTERED UTILITY. WITH THAT CONTEXT, I WILL NOW PASS IT OVER TO TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
EVENT. >> THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION, RACHEL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THANK YOU AGAIN TO PRESENT AND TALK ABOUT THE YOUTH CAREER EVENT OF 2025. FURTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO START MY PRESENTATION BY TALKING ABOUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE LAST YEAR 'S EVENT. THE 2024 EVENT DREW OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS AND ALSO COMMUNITY LEADERS. IT ALSO FEATURED PARTICIPATION FROM IRC AND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THEY TALK ABOUT SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WERE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE STUDENTS, IN GENERAL. ALSO, IT ALSO INCLUDED MOST OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS , INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT FPUA. WE ALSO PRTNER WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF ST. LUCIA COUNTY . THEY BROUGHT ABOUT 30 STUDENTS FROM THEIR WORKFORCE PROGRAM TO THE YOUTH CAREER EVENT AND IT WAS ALSO VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM. WE HAVE RECEIVED VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED.
WE WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. ALSO, OUR EVENT WAS FEATURED ON A NEWS CHANNEL, WHICH HELPED US AMPLIFY OUR MESSAGE TO GET TO A WIDER COMMUNITY. WE ALSO HAD A DEDICATED FACEBOOK PAGE THAT ALSO HELPED ATTRACT AND HELP US GET THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES THAT
WE COULD EXPECT. >> FOR 2025, WE HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. LAST YEAR, THE FIRST ONE, LAST YEAR, OUR EVENT WAS ONLY WHERE WE HAD THE PROJECT MEETINGS AND THE UAC BOARD MEETS. WE NOTICED THERE WAS A
[00:35:02]
LOT OF TRAFFIC AND IT WAS KIND OF DIFFICULT TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH A LIMITED SPACE. THIS YEAR WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND TO THE ESC LOBBY TO ENABLE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE A BIGGER SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO DISPLAY WHATEVER THEY WANT TO SHOW TO THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO BEGAN TO RECRUIT EARLIER WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. LAST YEAR, MOST OF OUR PARTICIPANTS CAME FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. OF COURSE, WE WANT TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, MORE STUDENTS, SO THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS GREAT EVENT. ALSO, TO MAKE THIS EVENT MORE PERSONAL, WE ARE CREATING A POWERPOINT THAT WILL FEATURE EMPLOYEE PHOTOS AND TESTIMONIES TO HIGHLIGHT FPUA CAREERS AND OPPORTUNITIES , THEIR STORIES OF SUCCESS OF EMPLOYEES. WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE PRINTOUTS OF CURRENT JOB OPENINGS TO INTERESTED ATTENDEES. LAST YEAR, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR A JOB AT FPUA, BUT THIS IS NOT A HIRING EVENT. WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF THEY ARE INTERESTED . WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE THEM THAT AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE WEBSITE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO APPLY.ALSO, WE WILL ADD MORE INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES. LAST YEAR WE HAD A COUPLE OF ACTIVITIES THAT THE STUDENTS REALLY ENJOYED. WE HAD A SPINNING WHEEL, WE WE WOULD ASK THE STUDENTS A QUESTION. IF THEY GOT IT RIGHT, THEY GOT THE CHANCE TO SPIN THE WHEEL FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE. THIS YEAR, WE WANT THE STUDENTS TO REALLY INTERACT WITH STAFF, SO WE CREATED THE UTILITY PASSPORT. EVERY TIME A STUDENT GOES AND ASKS A QUESTION OR TALKS TO STAFF, THEY WILL GET A STAMP.
THEN THEY BRING THE PASSPORT BACK TO US AND THEY WILL GET A
PRIZE BACK. >> HOW STAFF IS INVOLVED IN THIS EVENT, OF COURSE, THIS EVENT FOR DEPARTMENTS ARE THE STARS OF THE SHOW. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE THIS EVENT NOT ONLY ABOUT THE STUDENTS BUT IT IS ALSO ABUT THEM. FOR US, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT OUR COMMUNITY IS FAMILIAR WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR PEOPLE AND WHO IS BEHIND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THE COMMUNITY IS DOING. SO I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR THE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR STAFF. WE STARTED WITH EARLY SIGN-UPS TO HELP US WITH PLANNING AND OUTREACH. WE STARTED LAST WEEK. WE SENT AN EXCEL DOCUMENT TO DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEY ARE LISTING ALL OF THEIR INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES. ALSO, WE ARE ENCOURAGING FOR TEAMS TO HAVE INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS AND GIVEAWAYS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, OUR TEAMS BROUGHT SOME INTERESTING DESIGNS . THAT REALLY HELPS THE STUDENTS TO BE ENGAGED BECAUSE THIS, FOR SOME OF THEM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SEEN STUFF LIKE THIS. SO IT REALLY CREATES A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE STAFF AND THE ATTENDEES. AS I SAID BEFORE, ALL TABLES WILL SHARE ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS, INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
>> ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO ALL OF YOU AND ALSO TO SHARE WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US TO MAKE EVENTS EVEN BETTER. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TO ATTEND THE EVENT TO ILLUSTRATE YOUR SUPPORT AND INTERACT WITH ATTENDEES. LAST YEAR WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WELCOMING SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND CITY COMMISSIONERS. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU INTERACT WITH OTHER ATTENDEES. ALSO, HELP DISTRIBUTE THE FLYERS TO SCHOOLS, YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE ALREADY HAVE SOME, WE HAVE ALREADY MADE SOME CONNECTIONS WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS BUT WE WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD HELP US DISTRIBUTE FLYERS AND ALSO TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW THAT MIGHT BENEFIT FROM IT. ALSO, IF YOU GOT TO ATTEND LAST YEAR, PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO ATTEND. WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE PEOPLE. ALSO, UPLIFT
[00:40:17]
THIS INITIATIVE IS PART OF YOUR FPUA'S COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT. LAST YEAR, YOU NOTICE, NOT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH FPUA OR WHAT OUR MISSION IS. SO WE REALLY THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR FUTURE GENERATION , THE FUTURE THAT CAN WORK FOR FPUA. ALSO, AFTER THE EVENT, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK OR COMMENTS. THAT WILL HELP US TO STRENGTHEN FUTURE EVENTS FOR ATTENDEES. AND BEFORE I GO INTO QUESTIONS, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT EVENT. AND ALSO THANK ALL OF OUR FPUA HELPERS WHO MAKE THIS COMPANY GREAT. AT THIS TIME, I WILL TAKE ANYQUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT TIME IS IT?
>> SEPTEMBER 3, 4:00 TO 6:00. >> THANK YOU.
>> THE SIGN UP SHEET FOR THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS, WHERE WE HAVE A QR CODE FOR THEM TO SIGN UP ONLINE, AS WELL?
>> THE SIGN UP SHEET WAS INTERNAL FOR US TO FORWARD TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS SO THEY COULD LIST ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS THEY HAVE. THIS EVENT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN AUDIENCE .
>> OKAY. >> MR. CHAIR, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, I AM SORRY. SO, THE AVERAGE AGE WOULD BE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE? AND THEN, I AM GUESSING, DID WE HIRE ANYBODY
FROM THIS? >> I WILL TACKLE THAT QUESTION.
THE ANSWER WAS NO, WE DON'T THINK SO, WE DON'T THINK WE HIRED ANYBODY. BUT HOPEFULLY, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT FPUA, THE FIRST TIME THEY SEE IT, THEY PROBABLY WON'T REALIZE WHAT DOES THEY DO, IT'S A GREAT CAREER, WHAT DOES ALIGNMENT DO? IT'S A GREAT CAREER. BUT HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME THEY GET TO BE A JUNIOR OR SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY KNOW IT IS A CAREER. HOPEFULLY, IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS WE CAN GET THE SOPHOMORE TO BECOME
AN EMPLOYEE. >> SO IF A STUDENT IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A LINEMAN AND APPROACH YOU I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT EXACTLY, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP YOU WOULD TAKE FOR THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT THAT IS INTERESTED? WOULD THEY FILL OUT AN APPLICATION? THERE ARE CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS YOU HAVE TO GET? DO YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT FPUA WILL PAY THEM? DO YOU GO INTO ANY DETAILS WITH THEM TO TRY TO STIMULATE SOME SORT OF INTEREST ? LIKE SALARY RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL?
>> I DON'T KNOW. DO WE PROVIDE THAT DATA AT THE YOUTH CAREER
EVENT? >> NOT NECESSARILY THE SALARIES.
WE CAN, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ALREADY POSTED. WE CAN SHOW THE SALARY THAT IS POSTED. BUT AS FAR AS WHETHER WE ARE HIRING FOLKS AND WHEN YOU INDICATED AN INTEREST WHAT WE ARE DOING, THIS IS, I THINK, THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH AN AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY BUILT THAT MUCH OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH YET. SO, UM, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THEIR WORKFORCE PROGRAM.
THEY BROUGHT ABOUT 30 YOUTH TO THIS EVENT, BUT PRIOR TO THAT THEY ALSO HAD COME TO FPUA FOR A DEDICATED FIELD TRIP, A WORKFORCE FIELD TRIP, WHERE THEY DID BASICALLY INTRO TO FPUA AND THEY GOT TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. WHAT COMES OF THAT OR WHAT HAS COME OF THAT, THEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB COMES TO SNS, WHAT IS POSSIBLE? WE ARE STILL SORTING THAT OUT.
WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IF WE HAVE YOUTH THAT WANT TO ENGAGE WITH US, WHAT CAN ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE? UM, WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM SET UP YET. WE ARE, OF COURSE, GROWING AS A TEAM, WHICH IS HELPING. THE MAIN THING WE CAN DO WHILE WE ARE STILL FIGURING SOME OF THAT OUT IS TO KEEP THESE RELATIONSHIPS GROWING AND STAY RESPONSIVE AND THAT IS WHAT WE
[00:45:07]
HAVE DONE SO FAR. >> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, SOMEBODY WANTED TO BE A LINEMAN RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. WOULD TAKE THEM FOUR TO FIVE YEARS TO GET TO FULL STATUS. IT'S A VERY VIGOROUS PROGRAM. AS IT SHOULD BE. THERE ARE OTHER POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMPANY THAT DO THAT, AS WELL, SYSTEM OPERATIONS AND METER, SOME OTHER POSITIONS THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR PROGRAM. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT OFFER ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, A YOUNG MAN OR YOUNG LADY WOULD COME IN AND APPLY FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM, IF WE HAD IT OPEN. >> MR. CHAIR?
>> YES. >> UM, SO, THIS IS SOMETHING MR. CISNEROS HAS ALREADY HEARD, IF FPUA HAS A NEIGHBOR PROJECT LEFT AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING TOOL , IT BY YOUR SMILE, MAYBE YOU ARE ALREADY THERE AND THAT IS GREAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AFFECT THOSE YOUTH WITH THE VERY, VERY INTERESTING, THOSE WHO SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS. AND ALSO, THE FACILITY IS NEAR JOHN CARROLL. IS THERE ANY CONNECTION, ANY PROMOTION WITH JOHN CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL?
>> WE'VE JUST RECENTLY GOTTEN SOME STRONGER CONNECTIONS IN THE SCHOOL BOARD THROUGH THAT FEEDBACK FOR HIM WE DID. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH SOMEONE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD. WE CAN TRY.
>> JACK CAROL IS PRIVATE. YOU WOULD HAVE TO NOT BE THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD. THEY ARE VERY NEAR YEAR. IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE EASY , VERY NEAR THE 37TH STREET FACILITY. IF YOU ARE, I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SOURCE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED. I CAN SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU'RE HAVING THIS ONE DAY EVENT THEN THEY COME OUT AND GET INTERESTED AND THEN WHAT? WHAT THE CHAIRMAN WAS SAYING, IS THERE ANY FOLLOW-UP? IS THERE ANY CONNECTION AFTER THAT?
>> OUTSIDE THE FACT, YES. IF YOU HAVE A KID THAT WANTS TO DO SOMETHING OVER THE SUMMER, MAYBE THEY COULD MEET WITH AN ENGINEER. THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO START EDUCATING THEM . MAYBE THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY ON THE SIDE. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE COULD TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND REALLY GIVE THESE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU MIGHT THINK A 17-YEAR-OLD KID, SIX MONTHS, SEVEN MONTHS, THEN YOU GIVE HIM A GUN AND SAY GO DEFEND THE
COUNTRY. >> SOMETIMES THEY NEED TO BE
PUSHED. >> EXACTLY. YOU MAY NOT GET MANY TAKERS BUT SOME OF THESE KIDS MIGHT SAY THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE. I CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND MAYBE I WILL HAVE SOMETHING WHEN I COME BACK, WHO KNOWS? THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY LOOK LIKE AND HOW HARD IS THAT TO IMPLEMENT
WITH THE UA? >> ONE MORE IDEA, YOU KNOW, THE IRS HE HAS A PROMISE PROGRAM. NOW THE EASTMAN CENTER WOULD BE THE HEAD OF THAT CENTER SHOULD KNOW WE ARE HAVING THIS KIND OF THING THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND EARLY COLLEGE PEOPLE BECAUSE IF THEY ARE GOING, THEY MAY JUST GO FOR TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE OR THE THINK THEY WILL BE GETTING SOME KIND OF TRAINING FOR APPRENTICESHIPS LIKE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE PLACES WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE FROM MORE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE
CITY, THOSE MIGHT BE SOME IDEAS. >> NOT EVEN THAT, FLORIDA STATE, UCF , ENGINEERING BACKGROUNDS, EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS NOW REQUIRES THE KIDS TO TAKE A FOUR MONTH INTERNSHIP SOMEWHERE. THE UA SHOULD OPEN DOORS BECAUSE THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO ACQUIRE TALENT. THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS YOU CAN REALLY MAKE THIS TAKEOFF. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO COMMUNICATE
>> YEAH. >> ARE THERE ANY INTERNS FROM
THAT PROGRAM? >> I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THEM BUT THERE IS A BENEFICIARY PART OF
THAT. >> THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE
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DOING. THEY ARE TAKING ON PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY AND PUTTING THEM IN INTERNSHIPS AT DIFFERENT COMPANIES. WHATEVER.>> END. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AT THE MANATEE CENTER.
WE JUST DID A GRANT FOR THEM AND ONE OF THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT WAS, IT MIGHT'VE EVEN BEEN ANITA FISHER. IT WAS TALKING ABOUT THEIR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE THE ENGINEERING, THE ELECTRIC ENGINEERING TEAM, DOES HAVE SUMMER IN TERMS , ONE OR TWO, I THINK. AND WE HAVE HAD INTERNS HERE AND THERE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE A DEDICATED EFFORT TO DEVELOP A TRUE PROGRAM. SOME OF THESE OTHER UTILITIES HAVE MAJOR, BEAUTIFUL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. IT'S JUST GETTING IT ROLLING AND STARTING WITH INTEREST. I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT FIRST STEP AND SOME OF THE OTHER RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WE ARE DOING WITH SCHOOLS AND WORKFORCE GROUPS, LIKE PROJECT LEFT AND THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM AT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, IT'S
JUST TAKING A LITTLE TIME. >> I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT RACHEL SAID. IF YOU HAVE ENGINEERING INTERNS FOR ALMOST EVERY YEAR, I THINK WE RECENTLY HIRED SOME INTERNS AT THE WASTEWATER PLANT. THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT SOON BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE. THEY HAD A LOT GOING ON. I THINK THEY DID HIRE SOMEBODY AND SPECIFICALLY SEND THEM OUT WITH THE INSPECTORS TO GET ON THE GROUND AND GIVE THEM QUITE A BIT OF EXPOSURE TO REAL CONSTRUCTION, HIGH-LEVEL CONSTRUCTION OR SOME OF THE STUFF. WE ACTUALLY GOT THAT CONNECTION THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND ONE OF THE DIRECTORS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD
WAS ABLE TO HIRE THEM. >> AND I THINK THE MANATEE CENTER ALSO PARTICIPATES IN CHART YOUR COURSE. WHICH IS ALSO AN EFFORT TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, JR. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GREEN INDUSTRY CAREERS. IT IS ONE DAY.
IT'S A LITTLE LONGER THAN THIS. THEY HAVE PRESENTATIONS. BUT I KNOW FPUA IS REPRESENTED BY THE MANATEE CENTER.
>> ALSO, WE HAVE, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY LIAISON.
HER NAME IS MS. JACKSON. THAT IS HER JOB TO GO OUT AND GET STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, FAMILIAR WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND DIFFERENT BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM GET A CAREER. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER. SHE IS AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE, MS. JACKSON, TO INTRODUCE THIS EVENT THAT WE ARE HAVING ON THE THIRD SO THAT ALL SCHOOLS WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW ABOUT IT SO THE KIDS CAN BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
>> EXCELLENT. WE WILL, IF WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE HER CONTACT INFORMATION, WE WILL REACH OUT TO GET IT FROM YOU.
>> SURE. >> I AM SO HAPPY. THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE KIND OF EARLY. WE ARE LUCKY WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WE COULD DO EARLY RECRUITING, LAST YEAR WE WERE LATER. THIS IS
GREAT. >> ON THE SLIDE BEFORE, YOU HAD SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WANTED THE BOARD TO HELP WITH. SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL MAKE SURE WE TAKE
AWAY. >> JUST TWO MORE THINGS. I KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LUNCH YESTERDAY. THAT HAD TO BE RESCHEDULED. WE WILL HAVE THAT WITH HIM LATER THIS WEEK. SO WE ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO CONNECT WITH THEM.
>> WHO WAS OUT WITH? >> BOB PROJECT LEFT. TOMORROW, WE ARE MEETING WITH IRSC ABOUT A PROJECT WE ARE WORKING ON SO WE WILL MAKE SURE TO TAKE A FLYER
AND LEAVE IT AT THE OFFICE. >> I KNOW, AS WELL, YOU HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH PROJECT LEFT FOR ATTENDANCE AND WE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE, IF YOU ARE
[E.3. King's Landing Resolution No. UA 2025-11]
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MOVING ONTO ONE OF OUR LAST
ITEMS. >> ACTUALLY, THE LAST ITEM IS TO ADAPT A RESOLUTION FOR THE DRAINAGE FOR KING'S LANDING . I
[00:55:07]
WILL LET YOU TACKLE THIS ONE. >> YES, THIS IS A PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY AND THAT IS WHAT THE DEED SAYS. THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WORK TOGETHER TO CRAFT, THIS IS A 10 FOOT DRAINAGE EASEMENT AT THE VILLAS AT KING'S LANDING . THEY HAVE APPROVED DRAINAGE ON ACTUALLY LIFT STATION A, PARCEL WE UTILIZE DOWNTOWN. THIS IS THE FORMALIZATION OF THAT
>> THIS HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THIS BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION. IT IS THE LAST ITEM THIS BOARD IS APPROVING, AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE FIRST AND THEN WE WILL GO TO THE CITY
COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL. >> ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO HEAR
>> I THINK THEY'RE WAITING ON US.
>> YES, THEY ARE. YES. >> I MOVE APPROVAL.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
>> RESOLUTION , CITY OF FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, READ IT BY THE CITY COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , APPROVING THE CONVEYANCE OF A STORMWATER AND DRAINAGE EASEMENT FOR THE KING'S LANDING PROPERTY PROVIDED FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND.
[F. DIRECTOR COMMENTS]
>> ALL RIGHT, MOVING ONTO DIRECTOR COMMENTS.
>> YES, THREE COMMAS. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE AUGUST 5 IT 4:00. AT THAT MEETING, STEP WILL BE PREPARING THE 2026 BUDGET FOR ADOPTION BY THE BOARD. MICHELLE AND I WILL MAKE SURE TO MEET WITH EACH OF YOU TO REVIEW THE FINAL DOCUMENT, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE BUDGET WORKSHOP AND ALSO SOME OTHER STAFF ADJUSTMENTS WE MADE OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS SINCE THAT BUDGET WORKSHOP. THE LAST THING I HAVE, WE DID HEAR A REQUEST TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS AFTER THE AUTHORITY HAD CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL MAKE SURE TO CONNECT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL AND CLOSE THE LOOP AND MAKE SURE I ADDRESS HIS CONCERNS AND GIVE HIM THE DATE AND TIME FOR THE
NEXT MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
[H. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT, CITY ATTORNEY .>> NO, SIR. >> PERFECT. OKAY, ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> I HAVE COMMENTS. JUST TO TELL YOU KIND OF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS HERE. I HAVE HAD A FEW PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SPEED OF THE WEBSITE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS, IT WAS ALSO VERY SLOW FOR ME. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN CHECK OUT, IF THERE IS SOMETHING FLUSHED IN THE BACK, WHATEVER IT IS CALLED, I DON'T KNOW. BUT THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE . SO THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS WITH THAT. ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME UP WAS NO EXPLANATION ON THE WEBSITE . I DON'T KNOW IF WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT ALL , TOO.
>> WE MAY HAVE. I CAN MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP .
>> I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FABULOUS FLYERS WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR THAT WENT OUT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TRANSLATING AND GETTING ON THE WEBSITE, TOO, TO MAKE SURE IT IS UPDATED. WE HAVE DONE IT AND DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB. SOMETIMES
IT'S HARD. >> I KNOW ONE OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS WE ARE LOOKING AT AS A TEAM IS THE WEBSITE. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS VERY OUTDATED. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE.
>> OKAY. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> I JUST WANTED TO JUST INQUIRE ABOUT ANY FEEDBACK OR ANYTHING WE RECEIVED THAT RELATES TO THE S.N.A.P. FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE
FOR S.N.A.P. RECIPIENTS? >> I DON'T THINK I HAVE RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK. I WILL LET RACHEL KNOW. I DON'T THINK SO. NO, MA'AM. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE HAD ANY FEEDBACK.
>> IT'S A GREAT THING. >> IT SO WONDERFUL I PUT IT ON FACEBOOK. I'M NOT GOOD AT THAT. IT POSTED THREE TIMES BACK TO BACK. A LOT OF INFO SHARING. I KNOW. I WAS HOPING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT BUT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.