2024 May 16
The Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Board of Commissioners met on Monday, May 13, at 5 pm, at the Third Street office. Present were Chair Mike Borelli, Secretary Leslie Sturmer, Commissioners Joe Hand, Jonathan Ferguson, and Steve Rosenthal, and General Manager John Rittenhouse.
ANNUAL REORGANIZATION
As this was the first meeting after the annual election, oaths of office were read allowed and avowed by reseated commissioners Leslie Sturmer, Joe Hand, and Jonathan Furgeson.
Chair Borreli and Secretary Sturmer were reelected to their posts unanimously.
Jonathan Feguson was unanimously elected as the CKWSD’s W3C Alternate, supporting Joe Hand.
W3C UPDATE
Commissioner and Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative designee Joe Hand reported on the April 17, 2024, meeting, in Otter Creek, noting that theW3C:
• advertised for an engineering firm to write a full facility plan for the pipeline project;
• requested a second $50,000 from the Suwannee River Water Management District in startup funds; and
• remained stalled regarding board expansion.
W3C BOARD EXPANSION
For well over a year of its two-year existence, W3C commissioners continued the conversation about expanding the W3C board to include a representative from the Levy County Commission and the Levy County School Board. Every lawyer has weighed into the issue, largely opining negatively regarding the School Board’s inclusion.
In its last Levy County Board of County Commission meeting, the board voted three to two to negate joining the W3C, eliminating the county consideration.
The CKWSD board again discussed the addition of the School Board this evening and ultimately voted against adding the School Board to the cooperative. Joe Hand will report that to the W3C bboard, who will make the ultimate decision.
GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT
Among the many items/actions on General Manager John Rittenhouse’s monthly report were:
• lift station rehabilitation bids are forthcoming;
• interviews for the job opening for a technician proceed, though unsuccessfully thus far;
• grant funding is being investigated;
• work with FEMA continues regarding damage assessment and grant getting.
GENERAL MANAGER THANKS, REQUESTS FUNDS WITH SUPPORT LETTERS
General Manager John Rittenhouse rethanked and requested additional funding from the State of Florida with support letters from the following Cedar Key organizations: Chamber of Commerce, Cedar Keys Audubon, Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges , Cedar Key Arts Center, City of Cedar Key, Cedar Key Community Garden, and the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association.
HURRICANE IDALIA ENGINEERING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DISCUSSION /SECTION
Six proposals came to the CKWSD: Mittauer and Associates Engineering, SHE, Baskerville-Donovan, Inc., DRMP, North Florida Regional Palming Services, and Matthews DCCM. Each company included and addressed: an executive summary, its personnel’s abilities, its experience, its current and projected workload, and its subcontractors.
Commissioners ranked the six on a precise, detailed scoring sheet and ultimately decided to interview the top three proposals: DRMP, Mittauer, and Baskerville-Donavan. Interviews / presentations will occur on Tuesday, May 28, at 5 pm in the Third Street office.
IN ATTENDANCE
Among those in attendance were: James McCain, Greg Lang, Patty Jett, Doris Hellerman, Mac Cox, Sue Colson, and Mandy and Frank Offerle.
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