--------- Department budget briefing workshop and agenda review workshop meeting. Uh can we get a roll call please? >> Commissioner Davis >> here. >> Commissioner Dles >> here. >> Commissioner Birdong >> here. >> Mayor Prom Mercer >> here. And Mayor Yates >> here.
>> See manager. Thank you Mr. Mayor. start off this evening by extending appreciation to the fine men and women of our water department who've come out this evening um to offer any technical advice that may be needed within the uh budget presentation. We're going to tag
team this this evening between myself and assistant director of the water department, Mr. Mark Bombard. Also like to recognize we have a special guest in the very back of the room, future legislator, I'm sure, and one Brady Yates. So, welcome. Um, so this is a
continuation of the budget presentation I did for you in mid July. All of the information that's contained in this presentation this evening was part of that in its total. This is simply to give you a
little further breakdown and some of the insights into the water department specifically. And I say that because you may recall that when we looked at the total budget for the city as proposed
for fiscal year 27, that budget totaled roughly $372 million. And of that, just over $194 million lives within the water and sewer fund. So it is by far your largest fund. And
all of the numbers that we're going to share with you this evening and the projects are reflected in that 194,267,910 budget that was part of the original presentation. Um,
of that $194 million budget, I'll start off by saying 140 almost $141 million of it is in capital improvements. I've said this a few times now.
This commission has the fortunate or unfortunate role of being seated at the time that legacy decisions for capital infrastructure have to be advanced. Um not too dissimilar to the commission
that would have been sat in the n early 1970s. Contrary to popular belief, Commissioner Birdong was not on the commission at that time. He was a few years out from being elected, but they had a similar situation as they brought on uh
wastewater treatment plant three. Over the years, we've added some water treatment facilities. Uh but we're at that point where now it's the next wave of large investments. So, I'm going to start off if I can get my clicker to work. There
we go. Um a couple things that I just want to highlight that are within the budget. So again major focus is on capital investment. This includes the new water resource facility in one water complex at pard road. So that is the existing wastewater treatment plant
three that is being rehabilitated and expanded to account for new growth to account for advancements and much needed uh repairs for the longevity of the facility and also to receive the flows
that are presently going to plant too. Uh Pard Road uh I'm sorry water production and treatment facilities. We have two of those that are slated to move forward this year. One is at Pard Road adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant or water resource
facility. Uh that is expected to be a 6 MGD facility. It will also be the receiving facility for the water that comes to us from the Pulk Regional Water Cooperative. So, Commissioner Birdong sits on that. PRWC is actually the chair
of it at present time and as they work to finalize the construction on the Southeast Wellfield project, uh that water will come to Winter Haven and come into that facility, not only what comes to us, but some of the water that will or actually all the water that will go
to some of the other cities to include Auburnale, I believe Lake Alfred as well, >> correct? >> Will get wheeled out of that site. So we will be it's shorter to get the transmission to us and then through interconnect projects we have with those agencies we will wheel that water or
transfer it to them via that that process. Also uh replacing the Cypresswood water production and treatment facility that is a 1MGD facility um that again replaces an outofdate uh facility. the new water
administration campus. That is the admin and operational center for all of water that will be constructed on the uplands of the Bradco Farms project off of Buckeye Loop Road. The Bradco aquifer recharge and wetland
restoration project. This is advancement of the 370 some odd acres that were purchased in 2023 plus adding additional [clears throat] acreage to that through uh land transactions with adjacent properties.
We actually hope to be able to add about 100 acres to that project when it's all said and done. So we talk about a aquifer recharge and alternative water source site. um the nature park component of that that we envision to be
a smaller version of a circle B type facility. We're hoping that these additional acres will be able to add will further enhance it. And then a project that I understand is very near and dear to Mr. Bombard is a direct
potable reuse mobile demonstration pilot project that is actually on your agenda for us to get a liaison to it. And this is a uh well I I'll save the description of that. I'll let Mark do that when we get to that point. The budget
anticipates new debt issuance of approximately $76 million to advance these projects. Um the timing of that is yet to be decided. Certainly we'll look at, you know, where the interest rates are and working with our our bond
council and advisors to position the city uh for the the best options there when that comes to be. Could be later this calendar year or early next. We are also in the midst of uh moving
forward with an update to our utility user rates and our connection fees. Unlike years past where we did this on a five-year horizon, this will now be done on a 10-year horizon and contemplates the removal or the allowance that
municipalities have had for many, many years to do the automatic search charge uh to customers that are within our water system but outside our city limits. So, we're having to to balance that back in. and then repair and replacement activities.
And um we'll close here on this slide just highlighting that the operations are with 139 employees. 135 of those are full-time employees and that includes four new employees that we discussed previously.
Next slide, please. So when we talk about the revenues, you can see at the top um approximately $76 million is anticipated to come in in the form of new debt issuance. Uh that is what guides those projects. If for
some reason that gets delayed or pushed out farther, then that delays the advancement of those related capital projects that would fall within that that debt issuance. Connection charge reserves. uh as you know we collect collection or connection
fees when new development comes in that is a restricted revenue. It can only go towards the expansion of the system. So where we have capital projects that allow that contemplate expansion of our services we can use those dollars and because of some of the projects that we
are undertaking we're able to use about 47.5 million of those reserves. The next uh two biggest categories are obviously the what comes from user fees. So that's your water sales and your sewer charges, grants that we're slated to receive in
the form of about $12 million. And we continue to pursue grants at every opportunity. Again, new connection fees, and then some of the smaller amounts that come in thereafter for a total of 194.267 million.
In terms of expenditures, capital Capital. Capital. That's the best I can do in describing what happens within water in the coming year. $140.8 million just towards capital. Uh operating services make up about 12% of the
utility or the water sewer funds expenses. Personal services about 6%. If you go to the second to the last line there, you see a contribution to the general fund of $6.5 million. That is in line with the commission's
policy that was adopted in 2017 that uh restricted that transfer amount to 12% of the uh the earning the revenues from the year prior. So we had to work to get that number down to 12%.
It it escalated significantly during the great recession. And one of the um some of the guidance that we had received was to get that number down. We reduced it by I want to say $300,000 each year until we got to that 12% and we have
been operating at that for I believe the last four or five years we've been able to um get it down and hold it at that level. Next slide. In the within the fund um the main takeaway here this is showing the
current year's budget for 20 fc year 26 to next year's proposed budget for 27. And you can see um total expenditures just up from the bottom reflects an increase in total expenditures of just over a hundred million.
The capital increases year-over-year or about $99.5 million of that. So what that means is that within personal services and operating expenses um it is a relatively flat amount. So
operations aren't going up in crazy amounts. In fact, they're coming down. The personal services that you see increasing there. There are four new positions that are added, but that also speaks to the proposed 3% cost of living adjustment in the continuation of our
STEP program. One thing I want to point out and I I do this in in full transparency. If you look at the very bottom of the ending cash fund balance. So [clears throat] for many years I think we've looked at
that fund balance at the end and if you just look at fiscal year 26 you see it's at $44.7 million. A significant amount of that is actually in restricted revenues. It is not available to put towards anything that may come across. It's restricted
revenues tied to connection fees. And you can see in in fiscal year 27, the second line from the bottom, we're proposing to expend 47.5 million of those connection fees towards the expansion projects. That's what it is
intended for. That's what it needs to be used for. So, it leaves a fund balance of $5.7 million. That seems like a relatively low number. Um, but in comparison to what the operating to everything
that's not capital, if you back the capital out of it, you end up with um about 53.4 million is the budget, absent capital. That current fund balance represents
about 11% of the of the uh total non-C capital cost for the water and sewer fund. My recommendation and this really came from earlier discussions with uh with Mark and and our CFO Mr. reader and
other staff was we should work to mirror that uh in alignment with what we do in the general fund of a minimum threshold of 17% and a target goal of 30%. So that we build that fund balance up going forward.
Um it's really there to to be your rainy day fund in the event that you have some type of catastrophic event that you need to draw on. However, the most likely catastrophic events you face within a
water sewer fund are going to be natural disasters, aka a hurricane that comes through. And our pursuit of how would you recover from that is through our insurance providers with FMIT uh in their programs to help supplement
whatever those costs would be. if you had a a major wall blowout at the one of your um your tanks at a wastewater treatment plant. That's why we have those programs in place with FMIT to help you through those. you hope you never have those and you do everything
you can to protect against it. But I think as we look at our rate study uh that Rafelis is embarking on now, one of our objectives is to raise that amount to a a minimum 17% ideally of 30%. So it
mirrors what we have within the general fund. Looking at the divisions, so these are the how the water sewer fund is broken out. Water treatment, obviously that's our plants that are uh producing the water and treating it prior to being
distributed. The wastewater plants are where everything is going back to for treatment. Um you can see that of the $194 million, about $98 million lives within those two operations. Again, the vast majority of
that expense is tied to the capital investments that are going to be made there. engineering at $41 million, 41.6. That includes the investments that we're making in the Bradco Farms project as well as the new water administration
campus. So, those top three have a significant amount of the capital that will be uh advanced in the coming year. Next slide. This does a year-over-year comparison
between the three primary uh classifications of expenses. So personnel, that's all the the employees operating, those are the day-to-day ongoing expenses. And then the capital or your one-time investments. You can
see that personnel services increase by about 688,000. Operations actually go down by about 1.9 million. That's because there are certain M projects, operation and maintenance projects that are really one-time expenses but live within an
operating account and the biggest increase is solely within the capital investments mentioned new positions. So um this is one of those special uh operations that we have that operates
like a business. I love being able to tell people when they say, "Why don't you operate more like a business?" I say, "We do where we can, where it makes sense to operate as a business." And the water sewer fund is certainly one of those. So, in operating like a business, one of the positions that we've added
for next year or recommending be added as a business analyst. Um, as we do more and more grants, as regulations for water and sewer change, both at the federal and state level, a compliance officer to make sure that
we're staying on top of grant compliance and regulatory compliance. And then as the system expands, the addition of two assistant superintendent within utility service maintenance and then lift stations and wastewater maintenance. Uh
the long-term goal is some right sizing within that that department to make sure that we've got, you know, single superintendent over very specified areas and then they're supplemented by assistant superintendents who are
helping those crews in the field navigate uh the challenges that come up and streamline the work processes. And at this point, I'm going to turn it over to Mark to go through what's within our uh significant items and some of the
capital that is outlined for next year. Some of these projects you've seen, particularly when we get to the bigger capital because we've had agenda items on them in recent months. But Mark, if you would take it from here, please. Good evening, mayor and commissioners. Um, so this is our operating budget. Um
T highlighted it earlier that these are these are projects that happen just normal maintenance. You do them from one year and there's different ones every year. Ones coming up for this coming year. Um some of the larger ones are our water plant ground storage tanks. Um
hold all of our our water before it goes out to distribution. Um wastewater treatment plant uh two uh solids handling. That's that's our sludge handling process that we have to do. in some need of some repairs. Uh wastewater
plant tree generator maintenance. The we got to make sure that that uh plant stays in operation through the through the um the development of the new new system. Uh there lead and copper replacement. We bring that to you every year. That's a
continuing thing. Uh hopefully we'll have uh we have made significant uh progress through that and I would expect for the next couple years it'll still be um on our onm gate valve replacement um kind of throughout the whole system as
we learn more about our system uh we we realize that our uh we cannot separate our system well enough if we have a break. So by adding some some strategic areas where gate valves we can isolate sections so less of the our customers
are without water if we do have a disruption lift lift station rehabilitation um these are thing these are inhouse uh on&m things we we buy this is a material purchase and our staff uh does the
upgrades to these in our um capital projects we we have it also listed there but that's actual replacement projects where we do big projects, but this is one that we do. >> Mark, how many lift stations do we presently have? >> Sewer slip lining. Um, we budget for
this every year. Um, it helps some of our deteriorating pipe um by lining the inside of it. It uh it it extends the life of it significantly and it's a lot cheaper and less disruptive uh to do this method. Reclaim distribution improvements. Um, so that's our reuse
system. We're trying to complete a loop around uh around the city so we can supply irrigation and um wetland augmentation to anywhere throughout our service area and advanced metering infrastructure or AMI towers. We should
complete that this year uh with all of our towers uh which we're hoping to get a goal to be between 95 and 100% this year of uh use AMIs. our capital improvement program. Um like
everybody said it's it's really heavy this year. You can see our water plants um are the big u big cost this year between the uh pard plant and the cypresswood plant. Our engineering projects they have contain the two projects. The Bradco project uh which we
have an agenda item coming up later on. Um and also our admin complex wastewater treatment plant 3, the water protection facility. Um that's an ongoing project. You'll see that ramping up over the year. We're getting very close to having early out packages in a GMP where
construction will will probably begin I would say after the first of the year on some items lift station maintenance um and wastewater maintenance. Um that's uh the the item I said before where it's
uh where we sub out or bid out uh lift station replacements. Uh reuse distribution again that is the the u capital portion of new structure for our AWS transmission utility replacement and repair. Those are those are some of the smaller
projects uh we have that are uh we're working with DOT. We're doing some work out on Havenale. um any any project that DOT identifies that we have uh infrastructure that needs to be relocated. Wastewater treatment plant number two,
that's a small project we have separated out um for a disc filter in that area. Um utility maintenance and water distribution. These are normal extensions that uh are capitalized u for water main extensions in areas that we
do not currently have service. Meter services um those are our AMI um um meter boxes and meter assemblies. Um and administration. [clears throat] Sorry, I got to ask Candace. You know
what? Right. And then customer service the same way as capital depletion. >> Let me um I'm going to kind of cruise through the the CIP. We gave you a copy of this and I think it's important that you see what the five-year CIP looks
like. And this is broken out by cost center. So you'll see at the top for example in this one water treatment plants uh in cost center 301. We just want to highlight a couple things within here. really the top three uh the treatment plants the design permitting
in wells at 5.5 million the cypress wood uh same thing design permitting and wells at 2.9 and then the third line is the actual construction of those at 43 million but if you look out to the far right you'll see what the total cost of
those will be over that fiveyear window that we'll spend uh on the construction of those about 93 million dollar to bring those facilities fully online and operational. Um, go to the next slide if you would. In engineering, again, the aquifer
recharge and wetler wetland restoration project. This is the Bradco Farms project. $22 million to be spent in this coming fiscal year with a total five-year window of just over 68 million. The administration facility is
about 12 million this year for a total buildout over five years of 24 million. A little further down, plant three, this is the the the elephant in the room, uh the water resource facility there, you can see it's a $31.4 million investment
this coming year and that increases significantly to build it out to the full capacity. uh to just under $500 million is what we'll end up spending on that long term uh through all the improvements. The next slide,
septic to sewer. Uh these are ongoing projects slated to spend about 1.8 million in 27 long term over the five years just shy of $10 million will go into our septic sewer investments.
And then under the reclaimed water about the third one down, the direct potable reuse mobile unit is the big expense for this coming year at 2.8 million. Under repair and replacement, a project
that we've been pursuing for a number of years in collaboration with our congressional members is the North Lake Ship Drive project. We talk about improving that roadway uh which is so so needed. Um that's I think out for design
right now if I'm not mistaken. Britney is shaking her head. Yes. Uh these are the utility aspects that go with that that total out about $3.1 million with about $1.1 million invested in fiscal year 27. Um the number at the bottom
there 131.6 6 million expended in fiscal year 27. That does not include capital depletion. So we fund every year the replacement of vehicles. We put put so much aside based upon the life cycle of that vehicle. um land acquisition as we
look to acquire additional parcels of land either to add to the Bradco project or other parcels that are strategic in our delivery of services um as well as new vehicles that we may purchase. And so Mark, if you'll take on the uh
the major capital projects here. >> Yep. So this is um this is this year's biggest biggest project with the biggest expense um goes for our water treatment plants. Um, two new water production treatment facilities. Um, we're going to
we've decided to use the uh lower Floridaian aquifer um for our wells. We've drilled four today, two at each of the sites. Um, they are both producing quality water um
with two more additional wells for redundancy coming up in the future. Uh the pil road water production treatment facility is scheduled for 6 million gallons. It will serve the PRWC receiving facility. Um we'll be wheeling water to Abundale and Lake Alfred for a
total amount of 2.44 MGD a day to start with. As our demands go up, obviously we'll be wheeling more. water treatment plant uh at Pard Road needs to be operational by the fall of
2028 per the PRWC receiving facility to be coming online. Cypress Wood is a is replacing our original facility that we bought during the G Garden Grove acquisition um and is just well past its replacement period. Um, it's going to
replace that plant with a 1 MGD at a new location to the further to the south of the existing plant. Water resource facility. This is the big elephant in the room. Um, the system of reclaim and water wastewater facilities current include wastewater plant number
two is permitted at 1.7 million gallons a day and wastewater plant 3 is 7.5. The facilities were uh commissioned in 1970, so they're pushing 50 60 years old um and in desperate need of upgrades. Uh the new water resource facility will
combine two plants into one. Um at the current location, we we're going to plan on reusing some of the existing facility at wastewater plant 3 and be building some green field structures to the east of the existing facility on vacant land that we own. Currently, wastewater
treatment plant wastewater will be redirected to the master lift station through a new force main um coming down through the Willowbrook area down through to Dundy Road and then down through the Cypresswood area and
ultimately ending up um at wastewater plant 3. The new oop sorry new lift station equipped uh to manage the flows. So we have we in 2019 we we commissioned the
master lift station at the at the at the >> chain >> chain lakes complex. Um then two years ago we commissioned the one at Harmony lift state Harmony. this. We plan a new master lift station located on Dundy Road to help support the move moving the
flow from that eastern half of our service area and the flow from wastewater plant 2 down to the new plant. Um the progressive design build contract was awarded to Warden Smith in January 2025.
Um we are working towards uh 60% plans and start the design process and hopefully we'll have some early packages coming in early next year, January, February, where early construction packages can start. Um, in in
conjunction with that, the city will plan on doing direct purchase of major items for the cost savings of uh tax taxes. Um and the new facility will handle uh current and projected flows through 200 245
of 12 MGD preparing for expansion to 24 when the need is required. Um the Bradco recharge wetland restoration project. We've seen this quite a bit. Um it's one of our signature projects that we're doing for
one water. The project envisions adding approximately 100 more acres to the north uh to expand it to about 470 acres. Um in February of 25 we awarded the contract to RES HGS LLC better known
as RES. Um 60% design and permit package is anticipated this coming October with wetland construction to begin in the fall of 27. recharge well permit has been received from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in October 24.
Um we are constructing the managed aquifer recharge well on the site uh right now. We anticipate the the well will be completed and testing will begin in this coming September. Um, like I said, the total 470 acres uh site will
include wetland restoration, future nature park, flood mitigation potential, upper floor recharge wells, and interconnected trail system. The water administration campus located on Buckeye Loop Road. This is a 10acre
parcel that is a um next adjacent to the Bradco property that is Uplands. It's about a one mile north of Dundy Road and next and like I said next to the recharge wetland restoration
project. The project will include owner representative to oversee the construction of the facility by a design build construction manager. Construction is anticipated to begin in January 27 and expected to take approximately one year to complete. The facility will
include 36,750 square foot of administration building which will be administrative office, customer service and water education center. Also included in there is about a 24,700 square foot warehouse facility, inventory warehouse and operations
center. And the last project I have, like T mentioned, this is kind of near and dear to my heart. Um the direct potable reuse um pilot mobile pilot is a pro um
is a process that takes reclaimed water and highly retreated treated waste water to drinking water standards. In 2025, in partnership with SwiftMUD, we completed the DPR's feasibility study. As a leader in the One Water efforts, utilizing aic
approach to the future of DPR, the city is pursuing a one-of-a-kind DPR unit. The unit will provide basic bench scale testing for the future DPR for the facility at the One Water Complex at Per Road. the production of five gallons per minute of drinking
water that meets primary and secondary drinking water regulations. We'll be using it for public education to improve the perception of DPR at water festivals, schools, community events, water conferences, and we hope to have it take delivery of it by in
about a year in October 27. >> It's kind of an interesting project. Um, we talk about DPR and I think the we're still a little ways out of erasing the stigma of DPR, direct potable reuse. It
is not a foreign concept. In fact, Pulk County in recent years did a their own pilot project with DPR, not to distribute the water back into the system, but to demonstrate how it could be achieved. This is a similar component
that basically takes your reuse and gets it treated to a a drinkable standard. Um, and is the country, not just here in Central Florida, but throughout the entire United States, uh, addresses water challenges, shortages tied to
droughts, and other things, uh, development pressures. This is kind of an early approach to what does that look like and trying to educate people on it and refine the processes associated with DPR treatments.
The last piece uh for this evening is just to kind of highlight some of the major initiatives that are being undertaken or proposed to be undertaken in fiscal year 27 via the water and sewer operations. uh continue advancement of our AMI or
automated metering infrastructure. So we that's where your your water meters are being read through uh a communication system versus having to put a person out in the field to go and and read those. We're at about 85% now. Um efforts
underway to get to that 95 plus percent. Some of those will never get fully on AMI just because of unique circumstances with a handful of them, but that is the long-term goal. That also ties directly back in about the fourth bullet down. We
talk about smart energy water technologies. When you have AMI, our ability to monitor what's happening with somebody's meter at their home. If they've got a leak, we can see that and we get alerts to tell us, hey, you've had a continuous flow for x number of days. you may have
a leak in your system. Um, that is a a wonderful service to be able to provide so that people aren't going 30 days until they get their next bill only to realize that they had, you know, a leaky faucet or something that was on outside of their house or a busted pipe that ran
their water bill up significantly. The water meter replacement program, water meters don't last forever and they need to be changed out to maintain the integrity of the system. Uh so our goal is to replace 10,000 meters per year. We
that was a goal that director Gary Hubard had set. We're currently in year three of that five-year program of getting that done. The lead and copper revisions, we are I think ahead of schedule and uh the the timing for
completion of this by EPA is in mid 2030s. I want to say 2037 rings a bell for me for some reason. Uh we expect to be there probably around 2030 or shortly thereafter if not sooner. Um you can see
we completed over over a thousand um of our verifications. We exceeded our goal by August 1st of 2026 and continue to pursue that and we'll we'll continuously provide you updates on those efforts. I
mentioned the smart energy water technology. Um revenue sources of exploring again, you know, the updated utility user rates and connection fees study. Hopefully that will be coming back to you sometime later this fall as that work has now
been awarded out to Rafelis to to do so and will align directly with our revenue bond issuance. And then continued repair and replacement of aging infrastructure. Asbestous cement water manes continue to be an issue. Those are very frail
systems and a lot of that exists within some of the older portions of the community or within the Garden Grove water system that was acquired in the 90s. Um then when you see, you know, continuous water line breaks, a lot of that ties back to that AC pipe and uh so
strategizing to do significant water main replacements throughout the community and then the ongoing rehabilitation of our lift stations. Um that is a snapshot of what your water sewer budget looks like. I I I pulled
this out separately the past few years because I think it's important to know this is a major business operation of the city. It is something that touches every resident and every business in one form or another. Um it is a extremely
valuable asset and uh something we need to make sure we are giving full attention to and as I said the investments that have to be made at present time for the the long-term capital um integrity and sustainability
of the assets are very unique. Uh hence the the significant amount that's going into this. When we look at where our citizens um express the most concerns, we talk
about infrastructure. That's one of the biggest areas. Uh this, I think, speaks to the the commission's recognition of that and continued uh efforts to invest in improving those. A lot of times the residents are speaking more so on the um
on the transportation and traffic side when they mention infrastructure and that's because when they turn their water faucets on in the morning, water comes out or when they flush a toilet or take a shower, water goes away. But if you don't make those investments, those things don't happen and that creates an
even bigger problem. So with that, we will certainly stand for any questions you may have. As I said, these numbers are fully reflected in the overall budget that was presented to you in July and that we base the uh tenative millage recommendation to you on although again
millillage does not impact this. This is all fees and charges >> commissioners. >> Yes, >> you can go ahead. >> Somehow I knew commissioner Mercy. Um you had said something about a member
on the uh on a committee um in Clear Water. We happened to do a replenishment project which was taking uh reclaimed water and um cleaning it up enough to put it below the floor upper Florida and
aquifer and have it percolate back up. We ran for a year a small scale model of that. Actually, we had DP and SwiftMUD on site almost every week. Um, looking at the data, looking at the quality of
the water, things like that. So, I'd be interested in seeing how this differs from from something like that. And that's I think Mark the intent is with the managed aquifer recharge uh wells at at at Brad Cove being able to take reuse
that's treated to a quality and reintroduce that to the aquifer is a means to achieve credits for your water use permit withdrawals. Um our certainly our water uh our reuse water is treated to a level that allows for its use back
within the system. But that's the intent is that when you have that reuse, if you're just pushing it out into the Peace Creek to flow down to Charlotte Harbor, it's basically a valuable commodity that you're just throwing away. If there's a way to to recharge with that, either through a um a
recharge well or even through rehydration of historic wetlands and hydraologic areas and let that perk back in and mother nature do her thing. There's a there's a benefit to it. Um, like I said, we were um looking at that when I left. All they had to do was
build it. So, um, but they waited about five years before they started on it. So, um, but it it is like ours. Ours ours was a replenishment. I've seen the samples the from the testing of the water and how clean it was. Some of them
had negative values which made it highly corrosive and which you have to add back. We had 41 acres at our northeast plant. So we were going to have like three, four wells to recharge and replenish. Ours was clean water. We
putting perfectly treated, clean, drinkable water down into the Florida aquifer. >> Mr. Bon, uh, I have a couple questions. U the first one is that uh as far as a uh a fund balance in the
utility fund. Uh all the years that I've been around here, I don't recall a strategic initiative to uh generate or have a certain level.
Um, and it's just amazing that over the years that that fund balance, it it just grew, grew, grew, grew. And so my my question at at this at this point is
given the climate that exists and what we're what we're doing are we going to actually be able to grow that fund balance and will that come out in
the Ratillis study where they will it will you address that. >> So, one of the things that that they'll do within the rate study, and I'm going to ask Mr. Reer and Mr. Bombard to to weigh in as well, is they are looking at
what do you need to be what what are your what's your operation costs that you have your your personnel and on&m? What is your capital improvement program look like? and what are the revenues that you need to generate to be able to
advance those is is designed here. Um so as you're you set a rate and you're going to have dollars that are coming in that you're putting into reserve to fund those projects as they come online. I think when you when you do that,
you're building up a reserve for that's intended to be used for future capital. Um, and I think that it is completely feasible to suggest within that you want to achieve a fund balance reserve within
there to have um some resiliency should you need it. And I think again commission years ago set that at 17% for the general fund. um given the fact that you have other means to address
emergency situations and I wouldn't rely solely upon those in the form of insurance and and the like but to um to have it set aside that you you build that up the amounts that I calculated based on the current
um budget as proposed [clears throat] 17% would be about $9 million and so you're at about 5.7 now. So being able to build that up uh to you know another three plus million dollars I
think is realistic within the the the rate setting. >> Okay. I I have one more similar question a tag on question to that. the amount that we transfer out >> of the utility fund,
how is that factored in to this whole process? Because uh we're we don't we have a I think we said we had a
targeted amount that we were going to get to >> 12%. >> Yeah. Um, but that 12% is a 12% that we're that we're going to need. I mean, we're going to need that money. And so, I'm
just saying is all of the things we doing is is that incorporated? >> It is. It is factored into this full budget. It shows up as an expense of the utility fund. Um, it's six, you know,
for this coming year. $6.5 million. Uh you can see it about fourth or fifth line from the bottom. >> So one of the thing and we have to keep in mind that municipalities such as Winter Haven
don't operate in individual silos that while we're we have individual funds, everything kind of works together at the end of the day. And as you look at other means to uh offset potential revenue
losses as we're going to talk about this evening and and looking at fire fees and the like um that can reduce perhaps some dependency on other revenues and could ultimately bring this number down. The other thing is the state legislature for
four years now has pushed to eliminate utility fund transfers to your general fund. If that should come to be, then you really don't have a choice. You got to find an alternative revenue or cut some other service within the general fund because of that loss. And these
dollars would stay within the utility fund. So, I've got some thoughts that I'm not prepared to share this evening on how we may be able to address that to some degree that I be happy to share at a later date. >> Okay. I have one more question. the the
deep wells that uh that we are digging. Will that water uh increase our permitted consumption or
>> um No, it's it's it's a um pulling water from the upper end of the lower aquifer. It's a more of a lesser regulated water. I'm not going to say it's free water. Um, but it will not impact our our water use permit.
>> Okay. Commissioners, >> along those same lines, so if we're if we've got to take I can't remember 6 million or 3 million gallons from the PRWC, we're not we're going to decrease what
we pump out of the ground, right? because we don't necessarily need to take that six, but we've got to take the six. >> That that that's correct. Yeah, initially it probably will offset because we're we're obligated to take that um take that I think 1.2.
>> Yeah, it's not six. It's like it's like 1.25 >> to start with and there's >> I thought I saw six in there somewhere, but I could be wrong. >> Um yeah, so that will actually because we we we're obligated to to to purchase that water and use that water. So our
consumption still stands at uh 10.5 to to to 11. So, and that's pumpage wells. So, that's going to go down because we're going to have that other uh >> and they wouldn't come back and say, "Okay, well, now you got this other source, so we're going to lower your permitted amount." Or could they do
that? >> Oh, yes. Yeah, they're think >> already said in fact uh everyone of the municipalities we we're wondering that uh whether or not they're
going to do what they threatened us with and that's that's what they did. I mean that's that's a >> that's that's a fact. They threatened that they were not going to allow us. They were going to uh we weren't going
to get any additional permitted capacity. It was going to be frozen. >> It uh I think it was the uh 2025 levels. >> That's correct. Yeah. We we may restricted to our 20 25 demonstration.
>> So even though we that's that's what was but we couldn't fight it. >> [clears throat] >> is if you're not if you were not at your level your permitted capacity in 2025, whatever level you were at, that's
that's that's what you're going to be permitted in and >> rest of it. >> There's probably going to be some lawsuits. >> Yeah. That was the >> But it but I guess what? So I hear [snorts] frozen, but if as we continue
to pump more and more through the PRWC, will that frozen number potentially decrease further? >> It could, but it's not >> that's not on the agenda at present. >> So it is what your demonstrated demand
was at 2025. So, let's just say you had 12 MGD water use permit, but you were only pumping 10 is your demand in 2025. You're stuck at 10. That's the maximum that you're going to be able to take. Any additional water would be through
alternative water sources, PRWC, and they're lower Florida. And as Mr. Hubard has shared um the water use permit that we have is tied to your upper Florida aquifer withdrawals. The water plants
that we're doing at Cypress Wood and Pard are the upper level of the lower Florida and so they are outside of that permit >> considered an alternate water supply. >> Yeah, it's still considered an alternate water supply. And then also through the
recharge efforts of what we're working to do at Bradco, it will not be a oneto one gallon recharge gallon withdrawal, but if you're able to demonstrate you're putting so much recharge back in some
calculation of a credit towards that. Um, and in our case, like we said, I think it's we're at 1.25 25 uh is or 1.5 is the is the total amount we expect to receive from PRWC and I
think initially it's like half of that based upon how their their wells come online. It's not at full capacity when it first opens up. >> Um and of course then we'll be taking additional water from them that is assigned to Lake Alfred and Aenddale to
wheel to them. So water still remains an issue. Uh it's you know where it's going to come from in the future. I think we we have a pretty good sense of that. The costs associated with it though are going to be very eye opening >> and we've still got interlocal
agreements that are set up but we're still not selling any water to other municipalities at this point. >> We just on an emergency I mean how often is that utilized? Um uh two months ago um Eagle Lake um had to
do a shutdown. Um they're doing some plan expansions there. So they took water for two days. Um and then Lake Alfred did the same thing I think last month. Um >> so on an emergency basis only an emergency basis that I don't want to get to the point where we're selling off our
water so that they can grow and expand and >> yeah more houses and those agreements have been structured. Um we we never got to to finalization with the one on Hay City, but it was structured as such that you know while we have the capacity to
do it, but when we need it, we keep it. So you can't you can't grow and grow and grow as an adjacent municipality based upon water that we have available and have an entitlement to that till the end of days. It's while we have it and we
can provide to you that's great but when we need it we don't have it to give to you. >> My last question is from page 12 line 316. So on the 493,857,000 uh total budget for that project. Is that based
upon today's dollars or are you factoring in today's dollars with a a increase year-over-year to account for rising costs to complete the plan? So, I asked Wharton Smith that same question and they told me that they have contingency monies built in there for
escalation for primarily cost materials. >> Do you think that Do you think that those contingencies are enough? >> I believe it's enough. It seems well enough. We we we believe that the plan when you comes down if we could just go and build the thing right now, we could
probably do it for under four, probably in the 350 range. So I think there's contingency built in there enough to do to to get that done. Then hopefully funds we won't have to use. >> That was my next question. So if we don't use the funds from the whiffy
alone, we don't have to take those, >> right? >> Do they recast that note at that point? If you So like, so if you sign a note for $400 million, you take $350 million, your payment is going to be structured
at $400 million. But if you take $50 million less, will they recast what your payment is over the wife of the loan? >> So if we're talking specifically with you, it's a it's a loan. So if we're approved for $200 million and we we go to them and say okay, we need 100
million and then we come back say now we need another 25 million. We only borrow what you need, right? >> So it's not it's not that we'll be having forgiveness of the money back. We're only going to be um assessed for the money that we actually request from them.
>> Yeah. The reason why I asked the question is because that if we if we just use round numbers for a second. Okay. If we have a payment that's set up to be $500,000 a month and you take $50 million less and now your payment's
$400,000 a month, then the increases that go that are being added to the study over time don't necessarily need to be as high. So number one, I was asking for the point of will that payment be adjusted down if we don't
take the full amount of funds and then at that point I would assume we would do a new rate study or come back and do the new calculation to determine if we can lower water rates at that time. Not to get into the weeds, but I mean
it's sorry I've got the financial side of it. So >> So when you In WIFIA, you're getting a loan for 49% maximum, >> correct, >> of your total project cost.
Um, what you take from them, you won't start paying on for, I believe it's five years until completion of the project. And I can't remember off the top of my head, mayor, what their their repayment of that loan is, but it's going to be
based on how much you actually take for your project. That's going to be a a locked in number. Um, you can and and once you sign into that, you're it doesn't, you know, it's not it doesn't
start until you take the money. and ask Commissioner Bird sung to away on this. I believe the way PRWC did theirs was that they did a supplementary kind of pre uh loan from a financial institution because they could do a one-time reset
on the loan interest rate with WIFIA. >> Yeah. the whole uh thing with with you. You you actually uh there's a window once you start taking it and so >> it's locked
>> basically it locks you in. So what the PRWC did is we got a uh even though we got approval from Whitier, we got a uh almost a >> loan from actually it was I think it was
from Truist. Yes. >> Like a bridge loan. >> Yeah, bridge loan of over fact I signed paperwork. It was like $300 million or something like that. So >> you had to personally guarantee it. >> I personally guaranteed it. They were
happy with it. >> Yeah. Right. >> But yes, that that's the way it works is is that uh and then once once you start you finish your project and you borrow the the percentage that you
can borrow, then you have so long to start paying it back. It's probably wishful thinking, but just I think it, you know, something that we should keep in the back of our minds that if we can come in under budget, maybe maybe that
puts it easier on our citizens down the road. So, >> I think we got to take the the most practical approach, you know, what's what's feasible, fees, everything. Um, and in looking [snorts] at WHIFY, you know, we've had that WIFFIA opportunity on on the table for a number of years
now, and those interest rates compared to what you can borrow with may not be enough incentive to pursue the WIFIA pathway because with that also comes a
tremendous amount of regulatory compliance and reporting that can be overwhelming at the same time. Um, So I think those are those are all things that are in the back of our mind as we approach this of how best to
>> commissioners. Any other questions? >> I have one on page four. Um when you look at the uh contribution to the general fund, it's 3.37% and it is of that total budget. But the
12% that you were talking about, >> it's 12%. It's 12% of the audited revenues from the year prior. >> Okay, >> is what it comes down to. It's It's only 3.3%
of the total. >> All right, I think we're good. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh we'll take a brief recess and maybe five minutes and then we can circle back into agenda review. >> Wonderful. Thank you. >> Thank you. Part: 2
All right. Uh so when Monday night we'll have uh the invocation, we'll have a pledge and then we've got three presentations. Uh let's see. Are any of them tonight? Yep. One of them's tonight. So we'll go ahead. You want to tackle that one now or >> uh we can do that at the end because I think it's a good highlight to end the
meeting on. >> All right. Uh did you want to speak to the other? >> Uh just 5B. That is a presentation that you typically receive from um Hart for Winter Haven during the summer months that gives you updates on what they're doing in their housing initiative. So,
Mr. will be here to do that um as well as present a new project that they're working on. So, >> Okay. Well, we have Q&A with him on that project as you want. >> Okay. >> All right. Um no developments of note uh
minutes and uh we'll do all the normal stuff there. Looks like we've got one second reading. >> Correct. That is the um the industrial pre-treatment that we've had uh we had before you the last meeting. Um again,
this is addressing the um call it high test wastewater that comes to us from our industrial indivies that are permitted under IP. Um certainly answer any questions. We've
had quite a bit of dialogue on that one. >> Commissioners, any questions? I think we're good. We'll move forward to consent agenda. >> So item 10A, this is a complete street project, not too dissimilar to what we've done in other parts of the
community. This one is over on 8th Street Northwest and Avenue L Northwest. Britney Hart, our public works director, will speak on this. Just as a point of reference, this is coming from Lake Howard just past Beamer Church up towards the backside of the Northgate
Public Shopping Center and then also the east west corridor of Avenue L that goes back towards US7. >> Good evening, mayor, commissioners. So, in January of 2023, the commission adopted multiple resolutions taking
grant um applications to the transport the PK County TPO and the FDOT. One of which was 8th Street Northwest and Avenue L Northwest, which will be from, as T. Michael said, Lake Howard all the way up to Avenue L and then from Avenue
L um towards Sixth Street in US 17. These projects will include adding pedestrian infrastructure where none exists today. Filling in some sidewalk gaps within those city limits, one of our our goals, as well as doing intersection improvements at 8th Street Northwest and Howard Terrace as and 8th
Street Northwest and Avenue L. We'll also be exploring traffic calming. There's currently speed bumps installed on that roadway. So, we'll be exploring traffic calming methods in that area and making minor drainage improvements as required by the design. awarded a grant to us for the
construction of the project in the amount of $1,256,720 that we can use again for the construction of the project and they anticipate us being ready for construction in their fiscal year 2028. The city would be required to fund any additional costs for construction over
that amount. So, in order to get this project to construction, staff reached out to Kimley Horn and Associates, which is a a firm under the city's professional services contract and requested that they prepare a scope for the design. They will during that process also prepare a estimate for the
construction. So, their design will include survey work, geotechnical work, progress meetings, permitting, and then the preparation of multiple phases of designs, 30, 60, 90, and 100%. and they anticipate to have final plans in our hands by fall of 2027.
Kimley Horn's lump sum fee for their design service will be $390,584. There is $285,000 that is budgeted and detailed within the fiscical year 25 and 26 uh transportation fund budget and the remaining $15,584
would be funded through available cost savings that we've had within other projects throughout the few years. And so we are going to be recommending that the commission authorize the approval of this scope of work and allow the issuance of a purchase order so that we can move forward with the design and be ready for construction by FD's fiscal
year 2028. >> Are we trying to do anything crazy on this like roundabouts or anything like that? >> I'm not going to say no that we don't anticipate a roundabout. that was thrown into the uh the scope when we submitted
the grant application. However, I don't I don't believe that's going to be the result of this project >> like or or any changes to that south entrance and exit off of Lake Howard to reconfigure that at all or >> they're going to look and see if there
there needs to be any changes there, but we don't anticipate there being any intersection improvements at that intersection specifically. >> Okay, Mr. Mayor, I think is it Howard Terrace the next road that's terrace is that's probably the more tricky of those. It's a pretty wide intersection and and kind of a a Y
intersection um with that just probably needs some geometric reconfiguring in there. But that's that's what the design professionals are expert in. Let them come back with best solutions at the best cost for us.
>> What's the speed limit on that? the speed limit off the top of my head. I would I would >> legal or average? >> You indicated there's Are there currently speed bumps on that road? >> There are. >> There are. >> Yes, sir. >> How many are there?
>> Not from from actual record, but from memory, I believe there are three. >> So, you were proposing to put more? >> No, sir. So, when we go through the design to reconstruct the roadway, they're going to evaluate traffic calming mechanisms. And so that might be chicane where we jog the roadway a
little bit and then jog it back. So we naturally can calm the traffic without those those speed bumps. And so we would be looking to remove them if we can can input some other traffic caling methods. >> Okay, think we're good. >> Thank you.
Next item uh for your consideration on Monday is some additional work at the Bradco aquifer recharge and wetland restoration project site. These are consulting uh design services. So city
entered into an agreement uh with REZ for this project in 2025. Um, and most of that was for site reconnaissance and site assessment evaluation. We have issued out six different task
orders which are listed in your fact sheet between February of 2025 and June of this year. Additional work under previously approved task orders 3, four, and six is now required to continue environmental permitting, engineering,
and property acquisition activities. So, more specifically, may recall in task order three, we were doing some environmental assessments. One of the things that needs to be done is a survey, an acoustic survey for bonneted bats. Uh that is tied to task order
three at a cost of $25,000. Um task order four, this is the Aqua Recharge well installation support. So, wellhead design of the interim system at 50,583
in electrical design for the interim system at 15,000. And then task order six, the additional work is for boundary surveys and phase one environmental assessments for uh land acquisition as part of the northern lobe. I mentioned we're trying to add
more land to that project. So we've been in negotiations on two parcels. One is with the Muny property. Uh, another is for an easement on the King property and those are $5,84,300 respectively. The total cost for these
additional items for all uh associated with all those task orders is $200,683. We do have a number of grants associated with this project to include uh 1.8 8 million in preconstruction activities,
grants of 5.58 million for wetland construction, and 1.5 million for future land acquisition. So, the water department in proceeding with these uh tasks will seek reimbursement from D for the qualifying activities that are in
those grant work programs. >> Okay, it >> we're good. >> Yep. Next item is the a scope of work with Raph Telis financial consultants and tag team this this evening with the city
attorney. So in um in July during a budget present or a not a budget presentation but a workshop that we did specific to amendment three and the potential for property tax reform. The commission had requested uh for us to
bring back a scope of work for consideration tied to a fire assessment. So we have reached out to Rafelis consultants uh to prepare the requested scope of work uh that is in your packet.
Their scope of work is consists of two phases. Um the first phase uh is to do a methodology development, preliminary assessment calculations and prepare a draft report for the city's commission's
consideration. And then the second phase would be to update that analysis. This would likely happen in the May June time frame of 2027. uh prepare an ordinance if necessary or any resolutions uh in concert with
special counsel uh that we've also secured and then supporting notices of the to residents if you choose to proceed the adoption hearings and the final assessment roles. The cost associated with the first phase
is $27,35. Uh, and if you choose to move forward with implementing your fire assessment fee based upon what what their report shows, $32,500 at that time for a total cost of
$59,535. I'm going to talk a little bit more about this uh separate from the fact sheet just to give a little clarification. So city in 2015 looked at a fire assessor
um and got all the way to uh up to the point of holding the public hearings to actually implement a fire assessment. The intent at that time was not in
response so much to property tax reform, but the impacts that were felt throughout most of the communities dating back to the great recession. you still hadn't recovered at that time. We had a number of uh needs within the fire department tied to equipment replacements and the permanent
construction of a of a station three. So they we worked with Raph Telus at that time to do the study. Um they brought it back and it it got to uh meetings were scheduled for those hearings and then subsequently the commission voted to go
ahead and cancel that and not move forward with it. But there were certain things that were done at that time that laid the groundwork for where you are today. For example, the uh the city's code was updated or amended at that time
to include section 17-171 through 17 um see what the final number is here. 189 um to put into play the guidance for the
city commission uh then or in future commissions to implement a fire assessment if you so choose. So all of the uh procedural elements are already codified. what you would need to do if you to
pursue a fire assessment fee. The first thing is you do a study that shows it really looks at what are your recoverable costs. What are the allowable expenses that can be accounted for through a fire assessment fee and in
a nutshell that is those things that are not tied to advanced life support. Um, we estimate that there preliminarily that's probably about $16 million of the proposed 18 plus million dollar budget
for fire for 28 is recoverable through fire assessment fees. Um, the other thing that happens in that initial phase in beyond identifying what is recoverable is what is the kind of the parcel makeup of your community? What
are what's the methodology to be used that is um allowable and how would that be aortioned out based upon costs for service, costs of operations and parcel identifications to
establish kind of a baseline. Here's what you could recover. Here's what those rates would look like and here's your study prior to moving forward with an implementation once the fiscal year 28
budget is preliminarily established and presented to you in June of 28. That study would be kind of >> I'm sorry of 27 the 28 budget and 27 you would with the assistance of the
consultant use that budget any changes in properties that occurred between when the initial study was done and the tax rules that come out from the property appraiser in June of 27 to determine and what your amount you're seeking to
recover. to establish what those rates would be. And then there's a series of steps that happen after that to establish public hearings, notice of the uh to the tax collector and property appraiser because it's that's how these
are collected at the end of the day. Um, a lot of the work has been done, you know, in Winter Haven's case back from 2015 to establish the guidance and procedures. It's now a matter of what do the numbers show? What's recoverable?
What would that look like? What's the maximum amount you could recover? And then based upon where you land, what would you want to do if amendment three were to pass or if you wanted to pursue a fire assessment fee to account for other changes, whether that's a future
millage reduction or something else to be accounted for within the general fund. Um, Mr. Murphy, would you like to add anything to that? >> Uh, I think you've been very complete at this level. U for that. I would mention that in conjunction with the Rafellis
uh study uh or the the what's being proposed um we would be engaging um an attorney Susan Shetley uh Dash Gum who worked with us in 2015 as well. She's a um an attorney in the Sarasota area and
specializes in in assessment matters, special assessment matters. She's worked with Winter Haven before, is familiar with that, has often worked with Rafelis on the legal side of things and facilitates the city attorneys um working the legal side and preparing the
appropriate legal documents. Um and so uh she has also provided an engagement letter which we have um at about total of about $10,700 for her services. Um so I think that's uh that that's part of
the part of what it is we would be proceeding with and that's helpful. She worked with us as I said back in 2015. So she's essentially the one who drafted the code that's in our that city manager referenced right now. um section 17
within article Roman numeral five of our code. So um I think that's going to be helpful. The other thing that we will do or probably need to do is we did this in 2014 at the very end of 2014 in December. We adopted a
resolution that provided the or demonstrated the notice of intent to use the nonabandalorum assessment rule process. Section 197.3632 of the Florida statutes requires certain things to be done if a governmental
entity like the city wants to use the nonabloom assessment role process to collect a fire or any type of special assessment but in this case a uh a fire protection assessment. And so we did that and it requires advertising
uh a notice for once once a week for four weeks with a map of the city and then a legal description for the city. Um and then you do that either before the end of the calendar year prior to the year that you wish to use the the
role. So, or if you can get the property appraiser and the tax collector to agree, you can do it no later than March 1st of 27 in this case. And I understand that the city of Lakeland has already
requested and I think likely will get agreement with Joe Tedar and with Neil Comi and the Lakeland City Commission to allow it to be March 1 rather than December 31st of 26. So, we may want to look at that ourselves. We we did it in
2014, but the city has grown since then. Um, we we've annexed properties and we've had whole new subdivisions come on board. So probably as a as a an appropriate and and making sure that our um process is as legally defensible as
possible and as accurate as possible, we would probably want to do another notice of intent again to uh to make sure that we include, you know, so so we so as to have included all of the properties that have come into the city since 2014. Um,
but yeah, I think it's it's a it it's suggested here to be a two-phase process. Um, and we're I think it's appropriate to start now so that you all understand there are offramps by doing a
notice of intent resolution by even having adopted this into our code and even adopting an initial rate assessment doesn't mean that you can't as a political body decide, you know what, we're not going to do this. But at least you have the options and
there's flexibility there. And as the manager noted, uh even depending on what happens in November, even if property tax reform doesn't take effect, you may still want the option uh to address these matters and couple it with a reduction in millillage. Um so who
knows, but it gives you options. Um and I think that's probably something that's worthwhile. I would note that when we did resolution 1446 in December of 2014, that established the legal description of the city and factored in all the annexations that had happened leading up
to that point. One of the key points within that resolution, it states that adoption of this resolution does not require that the city commission approve or impose special assessments. It simply establishes what that legal description is and gives notice of intent, but it
doesn't Yes, you have to do this. And and so much so that when the commission went through it in 2015, um had gotten to a point where they ultimately agreed or or voted in favor of not moving forward with a special assessment at
that time. So >> I think it is a complicated process. you know, there's a lot of moving parts to it, but I think that the fact that Raph Telis and um Michel have done this this process with us in the past and have done this with a number of other cities,
there's a very it's a very clear path with specific steps that we know what needs to be done, when they need to be done. You just can't miss any of those steps along the way. Did you say the you said what the intent was the reason they
actually engaged in the process in the first place? >> Yeah. 20 in 2015 2014. >> Yes. What was the what was the reason >> was as I recall commissioner it was we're coming we were coming out of a time when um you're still feeling the effects of
the great recession and and your advorum revenues had not recovered. your your total taxable value still had not gotten back to where they were pre-recession. There was a number of needs within the fire department specifically tied to the replacement of engines and at that time
we were operating fire station 3 was a uh a double wide mobile home that had been set up initially in one location then moved to another location and was not in the best of shape and to be able to uh for what that replacement would
be. It was a means to accomplish some of those long-term strategies. Uh since that time, certainly within fire, we we've put into play uh more realistic capital replacement programs for our engines and um we've been able to build
those stations off of uh bonds and debts that have been issued over that, you know, since that time. But that was the intent. And also the process, how long was that process then? >> The same. We started um so we did the the initial notice resolution in
December of 2014 and then the commission >> we adopted the ordinance in May of 2015. >> Yeah. So it was about the same time when it was finally decided to not move forward would have been um >> July 27th.
>> Yeah. I'm looking at meeting minutes and it would was it July 27th >> or >> no it was on August August 24th they ultimately decided to not move forward with it but it was around the July time
frame that they they voted in favor of um setting a date for public hearing and everything and before that public hearing ever came to be they they came back uh under a motion from one of the commissioners to not move forward
Commissioners, any comments? I'll take a stab at it. So, um, the level two or phase two, excuse me. I just want to be sure that we're not going to be handed a box and say, "Here's your box. This is the here's the
numbers." I want to make sure that the information data that they collect and give back to us can be is is nimble and can be adjusted like well if you if you do this then it can raise this and if you don't do that much then you can you
know is this a is this a workable equation once we get this data back. So the methodology is pretty much set of how you're going to you know what is assigned to in the case of how we did it in 2015 the parcel type. So residential
properties there were two tiers based upon um square footage then so much for and that was a a flat kind of u residential rate total amount industrial and commercial square footage was how
the rate was calculated. um vacant land or agriculture land was based upon acreage. So based upon what your recoverable costs are and what the methodology is, this is what your rates would be based upon in that at that time was calls for service over the past five
years. Figure out what is that benefit that was um that was made available to those properties. that gave you the total maximum amount that you could recover based upon the rates of that methodology.
If you choose if you chose to, okay, we're not going to charge uh an assessment on nonprofits, you don't get to take that nonprofit collection revenue that you would have gotten and assign that to somebody else. It just goes away. They're just not factored in.
Okay? It's a benefit. >> It's a benefit specific to that group. So, if you're not if you're not charging them for it, somebody else doesn't pick up the cost for it. Everybody just kind of you just you move that piece of pie out of the that slice out of the overall pie.
you what you'll end up with my my understanding of it is here is the maximum allow you know maximum that you could recover and then you have the ability to establish how much do you actually want to recover based upon percentage and you set your rates to
that >> because you may not want to if it's a $16 million maximum that you could recover you may not want to recover 16 million you may want to recover eight 10 four, whatever. And that will be what
sets those rates for you. >> Because I I think, and I've I've said this in the past, you know, I mean, I I really feel like um you certainly would wouldn't want to go after $16 million. And the only way that
I would be supportive of this at all um being put into place is if it was alongside a combination of other things that we're looking at, i.e. cuts, you know, taking reducing expenditures,
reducing these things, you know, that because I don't think, again, this isn't a a a one um one solution, one one tool to fix everything. Um it's it's an it's an equation where it's going to take two or three or or possibly even four
different uh metrics that we can kind of move uh and and play with. And so when I say that, I I want to be able to play with this data to determine what is the best course to move forward and what is
the most fair course to move forward um in this discussion. And if amendment three doesn't pass, I still think that this is good information, good data to have. And hopefully we can then start to
get to work from maybe we can figure out okay well if we do this and cut here and change that we can reduce our millage rate you know to X and and those are much later discussions but I think you
know that's where I I envision having this information and I just want to be sure that we're able to to move it um you know to Well, if we're if we're what is the number? Is it 10 million that we're trying or when are we when do we
decide that number to give to them? >> In November, in uh this late spring of 2027 is >> I mean Rafillis. >> Yeah. I think what what you're looking >> we wouldn't give that to them now. >> I think no, you're going to see what the
what the maximum allowable recovery is. That that's a baseline. that basically sets your ceiling and then you work backwards from that. >> And then are we giving them the information that we would want to include nonprofits, we would want to
include, you know, p one example is the nursing homes, right? So, the nursing homes are some of the highest utilizers of our fire services on a daily basis, but many of them are nonprofits.
And so, therefore, they're not paying property taxes and they're not paying and and so I want to be sure that we're including those in the discussion because if you're utilizing the service, you should be pay it's only fair for everybody that everybody pays pays their
fair share in my mind. Right. >> I'm not disagreeing with anything you're saying. >> Okay. >> The I I guess that's I'm just trying to get clarity on what we're giving them when we're giving it to them. >> So what you're saying >> so that we don't get back this box that we can't use.
>> Right. Right. So let me I want to go back to to one point that the catalyst for this discussion is amendment three but it is not the only it's not it's not the only lion to be
slayed through some alternative revenue producing endeavor such as a fire assessment. I mentioned earlier we could come out of a future legislative session with the inability
to transfer anything into a general fund from utility fund. So that's $6 million hit. So that comes back to same question. Do you do less with less or do you try and find an alternative revenue source? And that may be the means by which you you go about slaying that
drag, right? Um, it could be that you want to see some future reduction in a military and you use this as the offset for that. It could be that you want to expand your fire uh services beyond what you have
today, but can't do that based upon revenues you realize today. So, it may there's a number of reasons that you may want to look at at implementing fire assessment fee. Just happens to be that the catalyst for this discussion is Amendment three knocking at the door.
But I think you have when it comes to get you get through the baseline study and then when it comes back to you in the spring once you know what your fiscal year 28 budget is and what your tax roles look like at that time and how much you seek to recover through a fire
assessment fee, you start plugging all that in at that time. Then Joe Williams will be here Monday evening and certainly is much more um expert in this than than I think we are
at this point that can can weigh in and answer a lot of those questions for you. >> So, commissioners, this is this is in the consent agenda. Would you like this out of the consent agenda and have it as a specific item to have discussed or do
you want to have the opportunity for this individual to speak and keep it in the consent agenda? We just would have to call it out. So, I guess what >> we can move it to new business if you like. >> What would the commission's desire be? >> I would prefer that.
>> Put it in new business. >> Yeah. Um >> I I think this is because other cities are having the same conversation. this is going to maybe draw some interest and possibly some public comment and the the ability to ask some questions I think would be good and then we can have an
opportunity to speak to this item alone instead of just talking about it in general after the consent agenda has been passed. I I agree with that and um because I doubt anyone's going to stumble upon this conversation we're having tonight >> and I just you know want to you know say
in case they do this is not in any way shape or form intended to be a gotcha hey voters you pass this is what we're going to do. No, this is a this is an educational tool that we're going to utilize to go
forward to try to make the best decisions we can for the whole of city of entirety of city of Winter Haven. So, um if you don't have the information, how can you make any decisions? And that's what we're seeking here. So, >> yeah,
>> I'll just add um in case anyone is listening u that whether or not the um the way been portrayed the amendment three and and how property taxes um have become such a burden. Uh whether or not that's been
portrayed accurately that we are now at a position where we are having this conversation. There is a discussion about just the general philosophy of should we be taxing homeowners to be paying for services for that they may not even be using. and uh moving to this
where it's more of a paytoplay or or those who are actually using the services would also now have to pay some um for the to cover the services. Um I think that is a discussion that the voters will want us to go to whether or not they uh pass amendment three. Um I've had conversations with constituents
in the last week that have asked me about it as well and they actually are very open to this. Um, I think that it's not I wouldn't I wouldn't call this a popular thing, but I think it's a matter of we'd rather it be this way than the property tax structure we currently
have. And this is the conversation we were asking for from the beginning. Like this should be something we're doing that we are discussing and hearing from our own constituents, our own residents, and making a decision that's going to work for us rather than having it imposed upon us by Tallahassee.
>> Anybody else? All right. So, we'll move this under uh new business. >> We'll move it to new business and republish the agenda accordingly. >> Okay. All right. We've got one first reading uh for Monday night. >> Eric, would you present this item, please? >> Yes, sir. Mayor, commissioners, uh this
is an applicant initiated request to uh reszone uh property from C4, heavy commercial to planned unit development. It's about a little over four acres. This is uh commonly known as the marine supply boating center uh and the marina
on Lake May as you see on your screen. Um the petitioner is proposing to renovate the existing full service marina and redevelop the property with additional uses um including parking, a boat club, food trucks, outdoor entertainment and restaurants. So this
PUD is designed to um facilitate the refurbishing of the existing marina and allow for redevelopment of other areas of the property into um additional uses. It provides standards for permitted uses, development standards, marine
structure standards, and parking requirements. Um this was heard by the planning commission. Uh they uh unanimously recommended approval. Um, it's important to note that this request is also consistent with the comp plan and
consistent with elements um, uh, concept elements contained in a 2003 study we did called the 2003 urban lakefront study and it's also consistent with the 2022 downtown CRA plan. Um,
staff would certainly recommend approval of this PD request. Okay. Any questions? >> This is within the CRA. >> It is. Yes, sir. >> So, it would not is it would no longer they're changing the use of it from what
it is currently. >> So, the existing use as a marina will remain. >> Oh, it will >> uh it will um there are additional standards in the PUD to allow for them to refurbish those buildings. They would be considered legal conforming buildings. Um they could refurbish um
basically establish a new uh six foot wide board rock boardwalk along the entirety of the property um as well as new docks and pier structures um out into Lake May. U but then the portions that are not utilized for the marina
operations would then be repurposed um specifically some of the buildings to the south side of that property into restaurant um space, boating club space, that kind those kind of things. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay.
>> All right. New business. >> This is the annual ship report. So Eric, if you would provide an update on this please. >> Yes sir. Annually um we have to submit our uh SHIP program annual report
um to the state and so this annual report is for fiscal year 23 24. Uh it is also the interim report for fiscal years 2425 and 2526. Um the city received a state uh annual
distribution amount in 2324 of uh $626, uh $236. Um in addition, we had some other program income, which would be interest payments received um and carryover
funds. In that year, we served uh 18 Winter Haven residents uh within that fiscal year uh with assistance. There was 13 that we assisted with owner occupied rehabilitations, basically helping them to fix up their homes, and
five down payment assistance uh applicants that we helped. Uh the total expended funds for 2324 was $714, uh $879.91. Um
this this program is it's it's kind of uh neat to note that this program is uh eligible citywide. However, um 18 of the households assisted within this fiscal year. Um there were 18 assisted. There were 14 that were located in the
northeast quadrant uh of the city. Uh one was located in the northwest quadrant and three were located in the southeast quadrant. 15 of those households were in the Florenceville community redevelopment area. Um I think that speaks to our marketing for this
program and how we really ramped up this program. Right about this time, the fiscal year 23 24 time we had Diane Dur on on board. Uh we brought Guardian on board as our consultant. Um and then subsequently we've hired Nancy Pearly
and Cedric Cox who have been involved in this program. Um really went from kind of struggling spend this money um to having a waiting list. We currently have a waiting list of about 20 applicants waiting to receive funds. Um so I'm
proud of the work that they've done in this area. Um just one note for fiscal year 2526, you may recall, which was this state fiscal year that just ended. Uh they go July uh
one to June 30. Um we received $417,085 um for for this previous fiscal year. Um we are projected next fiscal year to receive a little bit more $422,449. So um and we've already like I said we've got a waiting list. Those those
funds are are being encumbered as we speak. Do you know of that 20 how many are rehabs and how many are are potential purchase? >> I don't know. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Looks like about eight or nine
down payment assistants and the rest would be rehabs. >> So about 50%. >> Yeah. >> I I I like the down payment assistance because we're providing home ownership. I get the the purpose of rehab as well, but the more people we can help with
home ownership, I think that's our that should be the ultimate goal in my opinion. >> Think we're good. Okay. The only other thing I have for you this evening, we mentioned this u mobile bench scale direct potable reuse treatment unit.
That's the trailer, the fancy trailer that uh is used for education and and uh kind of testing out DPR efforts. So, we're looking for a community liaison, a commission liaison to sit on that RFP.
Everybody looks in >> everybody. Commissioner Mercer, >> thank you very much. >> And that is uh everything from the agenda. We do have a short presentation for you on pillar update on some pretty
impressive uh projects if you're willing to entertain us for that. >> Yep. >> So this is your infrastructure pillar update. This is the last one of these for uh fiscal year last one for
infrastructure for fiscal year 26. Um talked a lot about water tonight where all those dollars go but also mentioned that what people often think about when we mention infrastructure is roads, roads, roads. So this does include roads, bridges and public transportation. It's all of our sidewalks and multimotal. It is water
and sewer. It's buildings. It's uh broadband fiber. It's community lighting. all those things. We have done some uh we I'm not include myself in this. I'm going to say staff has done some pretty amazing work and we wanted to provide you some updates on four
projects in particular. Um some of them are complete, one is in progress and one is about to begin. So with that, I'm going to turn it over to Todd Gooding, our assistant director of public works to talk about life on the railroad. >> Good evening, mayor and commissioners. Tonight I've got the privilege of
presenting you a newly completed project. It's pretty unique and in front of you you'll see just a map snip to kind of get your bearings of where we're talking about. This is the CSX rail project and it was constructed south of wastewater plant 3 and it goes from the
east ILC area or I'm sorry goes from ILC area along the CSX rail west over to near logistics Parkway. Uh ties in right there at the new Chick-fil-A distribution center. So, this will kind of give you a bearing of where we're talking about. What we're going to present tonight is a video fly over of
that project. And we're traveling east to west heading towards the logistic parks way. Uh behind you would be the ILC. So, some of the project details from this was it was a partnership project with Trap Properties and Chick-fil-A as well. Um it's a very unique project as far as I know and to
the best of my knowledge is the first railroad that Winter Haven has constructed. Um it's approximately one mile of rail and it also has a sidetrack portion. You'll see that here in a minute. But one of the most challenging aspects of this uh project and we're coming up on it as we make this turn to
the right. We had to cross a canal. That canal serves our wastewater 3 treatment plant. That's our discharge canal for our water. So we had to basically build across this canal by putting pipe culverts in there, putting the bedding, the bedrock and the rail on top while
maintaining that flow. So we worked closely with the wastewater treatment plant team and we pumped the water around while construction went on and did not disrupt any service. So there in front of you can kind of see some of the storm water management systems there. That was not part of this project. It
was existing. But there you can see the four pipe culverts that were put across the area. Um, just past those culberts, you'll see kind of a a interesting piece of equipment there. I call that the rail shaker. So, after they skeletonize the rail, which means they put the rail in
with no rock around it, they come through with train train cars and they dump that rock in. This piece of equipment then comes behind that and picks the rail up and actually shakes it up to the proper elevation so they can make adjustments as they're constructing the rail and putting the rock underneath.
Um the construction of the project began in February 2nd of 2026 and it was completed by June 30th of June 2026. That was a fivemon time window to get this project complete. The crews that worked on this they uh they actually worked 10 and 12 hour days and even some
weekends to complete this in the time schedule and that was with our contractor RW Summers and also with Carter K who worked alongside RK and K for our CI and inspection. Some of the investment aspects of this project is uh it was a $3.3 million overall project
cost. $1.5 million of those dollars were tied to a Department of Commerce grant and that was the constraint to actually get this project by those terms done by June 30th. We met that expectation and those uh dollars have been reimbursed to us. The city had a $100,000 expense to
the project. And then the remainder of that $3.3 million is in escrow with trap and Chick-fil-A, which $1.2 million we have already been reimbursed through our first uh reimbursement request. And then we're going to have one more final pay application request to recuperate the
last of those funds. Again, some of the challenges here where the canal I spoke of, this area that you see on your screen is actually the side track. That's a secondary portion of this project that will allow for future connection and it also allows for them to divert train cars in and out as they need to pull those off the rail to get
the ones that they need to select. Um the grant timeline that was definitely a challenge or constraint on the construction schedule. Um scheduling CSX inspections as simple as that sounds became a pretty tough challenge there. Also coordination with mo multiple stakeholders and teams uh our city
attorney Mr. Murphy and his team were on board for that. Also, Bruce Lions and Eric Lobby provided a lot of support with the stakeholders and the other teams that we work with. And as we come to the end here, you'll see the end of the bedrock. That's the delineation point but at where the city project
stops and Chick-fil-A's private portion continues. Our portion is now complete. Um, but the portion going past that that was just rail, that's the private portion that Chick-fil-A will add on with the same contractor to go up to their distribution system that will open
soon. Um, it also allows for the future use. You can see they have a secondary sidet track for that. And with that, I'll stand for any questions. Just a comment on this. This is a pretty amazing project and Mr. Gooding and the team that worked on this deserve a
tremendous uh just amount of appreciation to get this done. You know, we working with the partners was has its own challenges when you've got a major corporation, you've got a a major
industrial park owner and then the city and the state all kind of trying to get this thing advanced. And it's not like going and building a road. This not many cities build a section of rail. Um, and none of us had ever done that. Todd took
this project on. We had to get this done by June 30th and I think we got our final inspections and clearances >> June 29th. >> June 29th >> in order to get one point. So if you remember the governor came to the vacant
uh spec building to present a check for $1.5 million to the city of Winter Haven. This is that project. And to the best of our knowledge, this is the only one of these that has been completed on time per Florida Commerce of this type
of project. So just tremendous uh work by the team on this. >> My understanding of that from the Department of Commerce was they had five attempts from different agencies that failed or different municipalities and ours was the only one that succeeded. >> Great job. >> Job well done for the team. >> Great job.
>> Any questions? >> When's the next one? starting tomorrow. >> With that, I'll turn it over to Tyler Williams. He's our capital projects and special initiatives manager with the public works team, and he's going to give you some updates on additional projects. >> Good evening, mayor and commissioners.
Happy to be here tonight to share with you some updates on a few road projects that we have going on around the city of Winter Haven. To begin, we have Motorpool Road. Earlier this year, I was here to share with you the status of the improvements to this corridor that were taking place in conjunction with
Whitehead Construction, who was the prime contractor for the project. Uh, as you can see here on your map, this is the road that extends from the intersection of First Street and Avenue Y northeast outwards towards US7 and goes by the Lakeside Memorial Cemetery,
the public works campus, and the wastewater treatment plant 2 facility. The project includes a newly paved road with striping, signage, and drainage enhancements, underground utility upgrades, as well as landscaping improvements, and a pedestrian trail
that provides for a direct connection from the Chain of Lakes Trail to the Lake K9 nature park. That way, visitors to each amenity are able to safely traverse between each one. This road was formerly a private alleyway, but since it has been opened up for public use, there was a need to bring it up to
modern standards. Earlier this summer, this project was completed and despite the heat and also a lot of the rain that we're experiencing recently, we are seeing a lot of pedestrian activity along the trail between Lake Conine Nature Park and the Chain of Lakes Trail. Uh, you know, as you can see,
pedestrians are able to safely traverse between each two. The landscaping along this corridor is also complete and looks absolutely beautiful. We all love coming in to work and seeing how green this area looks with all the new trees and shrubs that they've planted and it just
looks so vibrant and alive compared to what it used to look like. Um Katrina, if you could fast forward to the end of this video, there's one thing I'd like to point out a little bit more, please. Right there. You can pause it. Um in the
top left hand corner, that's the connection right there from the chain of lakes trail to the Lake K9 nature park. Um there's a raised crosswalk right there with some rapid flashing beacons. So that's how visitors are able to traverse between each amenity.
Moving on is the Third Street Northwest project. As I'm sure we're all aware, this is in full swing with Tucker Paving as the prime contractor. This project is being done as well with some funds distributed from the FDO's local agency or LAP pro or lap program, excuse me,
with about 1.7 million in grant funds available for reimbursement to the city. Up to this point, much of the project's concrete curbing has been completed, which helps for you to get an idea as to what the project is going to look like when it is fully complete. Additionally,
I'm happy to say that as of yesterday and early this morning, the red concrete pouring in the roundabouts has been completed. So, there in that southern roundabout between city hall and the annex building, uh they did that concrete pour yesterday. And very early
this morning at 4:00 a.m., there was a crew out there to do the red concrete pour in the roundabout that is a little bit closer to Trail Head Park right there. Some of the next steps include forming the proposed sidewalk system, which is going to ments later this month along
with the first lift of asphalt which is currently slated for the last week of August. The uh the lighting and landscaping work is slated to begin on October. So with this current trajectory, we're anticipating for Third Street to be open by early 2027. We're
really excited about what this finished project is going to look like. between this, the splash pad right there, trail head park, the garden center, the tennis courts, the annex remodel that's going on, this corridor is going to look really beautiful. It's going to make such a great first impression on
visitors to the area and we're just very excited about it. Now, even though construction is proceeding and access to the road is currently closed off, all facilities in this corridor do remain open for public use and hosting events, including the Florida Citrus Building,
which is going to be hosting the Ridge League of Cities dinner next month. Ahead of any events such as this one, we always make sure to provide guests with maps on how to access the facility along with parking information ahead of time to ensure that no disruptions to the events occur. Additionally, for this
dinner, we are planning to create a temporary pedestrian bridge between the west side of the road, between the parking lots here at the city hall and the annex building over to the Florida citrus building so that guests are able to safely access the building. That should be made significantly easier with
the first lift of asphalt that is slated for the end of this month. Comment on this if I can, Katrina, if you would just pause it for me there. I don't know the exact date that this video footage was taken, but I can tell you this project looks completely
different as of today. Um, they're probably where you see there's no curb. They're probably at 90% curving throughout the entire project. As Tyler said, the roundabouts are fully uh curbed in and all of the um the
intermediary red dyed concrete is in there. Um it is it is looking like a true roadway system today, much even more so than it did at this point. This is going to be a phenomenal corridor for
everything that happens in here from city hall all the way down through the skate park and the trail system that connects there. Um really I think a a centerpiece for Winterhaven when it's said and done. So >> just two questions. Did we lose any
parking from this uh at the tennis facility? >> None at the tennis facility, but some in front of city hall here because of how the road narrows. So, you can see where it jogs um right there. You're going to have some parking from that point
forward to Avenue D to the south. And then on the on the eastern side from Avenue D up towards the front of the um current building division, there is a loss of some parking directly in front of Noro Hall and there is a
reconfiguration of parking up by trail head where we had a small divider lane there. But in terms of the the tennis courts themselves, there should be no impact whatsoever. So, I'm guessing it was just probably potentially maybe some spaces were closed off from construction
or something. I I got >> I got a phone call on that. >> The only thing that would be closed off at Tennis would be the spaces that were across the street more adjacent to Trailhead Park. Um, but you can see where the red or the orange construction
fences, that is the parking that is designated, you know, as part of the tennis facility. It was unchanged. There were some interruptions along Avenue F to the south when construction was going on. Um, but I think that the
availability of parking within the uh the lot between the annex and trailhead park u with the new pedestrian crosswalks that are designed to accommodate the roundabouts will make that very attractive for folks as well.
And the for the roundabouts, are those just going to be flat red surfaces? >> They're landscaped in the centers. >> There's going to be landscaping in the centers. Uh for that red concrete, that will be concrete. We had early discussions on whether or not so that
should be red concrete or brick. We had decided to go with red concrete. It's a little bit easier to maintain. >> Has to be a mattable curb there. So, as you have buses or large vehicles that come through, if they go up over that curb, it doesn't damage the vehicle or the infrastructure. I was just I was I
guess I was kind of channeling my inner Brad Dancler and thinking maybe uh some flat murals uh uh some something there to depict that you're in the city of Winter Haven would be kind of cool. >> It's awful liberal of you, sir.
I met, you know, miss old Brad. You know, sometimes >> it is kind of a pinkish hue to the red concrete right now. So, >> chain of lakes map would be kind of cool. Just a thought.
>> That we move on to one last project here, which is the South Lake Howard West project. This is currently in design with Kimley Horn and will connect to last year's completed project that extended from the Lake May Canal down to
15th Street Southwest right there, which is where this project is going to be beginning and is going to reach out towards Avenue C Southwest. This project is going to tie into the newly established pedestrian walkways that are part of the Lake Howard Nature Park
expansion and is also going to feature a refigured road with narrow lanes, a lakeside pedestrian trail, raised intersections at 15th Street Southwest, and a gravity sewer replacement. This project has $750,000 in federal appropriations through
Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant Program or CDBG program. Thanks to Congressman Sodto's efforts, which were distributed to Winter Haven in 2023, those CDBG dollars have an eight-year life cycle, which means that we have to
expend those funds by 2031. We plan to have design complete for this project by spring of next year, and we'll look to bid the project for construction shortly after with a start date of late summer 2027. Katrina, could you go to one more slide
here? >> Just to give you a little snapshot of what this area could look like. Here at the end, you can see those raised intersections there at 15th Street Southwest. Some of the road configurations and that 8oot asphalt trail that is on the lakeside right
there. With that, that concludes the infrastructure agenda for tonight. We looked at the Railspur project, Motorpool Road, Third Street Northwest, and Southwest Lake Howard. With that, we're open to discussion on any of these topics.
>> Commissioners, I >> think we're good. >> Looks good. >> Thank you very much. >> We thank you for that and we will uh do our next update to you in early September with Mr. Lavy and his team on economic sustainability. >> Thank you.
>> All right. With that, we will adjourn.