Districts partner for water solution

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Supervisors on the Lakewood Ranch Community Development District 2 and 6 boards will work together to see if turning over their potable water systems is cost feasible.

At CDD meetings held Nov. 20 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, supervisors agreed CDD 2’s Jerry Twiggs and CDD 6’s Henry Hofeler will join Town Hall Operations Director Ryan Heise and the district’s soon-to-be-appointed engineer on a committee to vet the idea.

“It has to all be evaluated financially, but the team is forming to move the whole matter forward,” said CDD 6 Supervisor James Hill, who suggested the partnership.

Heise said the group will meet to discuss the situation and look through turnover documents from District 5.

“Really, the next step will be to request for the county to do an inspection of the system,” Heise said, adding it will note deficiencies. “They’ll create a punch list. Then, we can begin discussions on what needs to be fixed, how much it costs and where the county may be flexible in working with the districts and overcoming some of the standards that would be cost prohibitive for the districts to meet.”

For example, a county requirement to attach tracer wires to underground pipes may be circumvented by allowing the districts to dig in sections to prove the pipes’ location, Heise said.

CDD 6 officials had previously considered turning over potable water infrastructure, but backed off the idea after learning the costs of adding the tracer requirement on the pipeline.

Lakewood Ranch officials hope that investing in upgrades to their potable water system and turning them over to Manatee County will one day shift maintenance costs away from residents.

CDD 6 residents paid about $43,000 for a minor potable waterline break repair this summer, prompting discussions of turning the system to Manatee.

The county won’t take over systems until deficiencies are brought to current standards.

CDD 5, also part of the Lakewood Ranch Country Club with districts 2 and 6, turned over its potable water system in 2010. CDD 2 has turned over some of its sanitary systems, but not all of them.

CDD 6 officials said they expect the turnover process, if feasible, to take at least a year.

Kurt Schultheis contributed to this report.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

IN OTHER CDD NEWS:
CDD 1:
• Supervisors will explore potential uses for the Summerfield Information Center, should the property become available for purchase. Following a community meeting on the topic, the board is working to assemble an ad hoc committee chaired by Supervisor Bob Swiatek.

“We feel this is an opportunity that will not come along again and we need to pursue it,” Chairwoman June Stroup said.

Stroup asked for representatives of the other CDDs to join the committee.

• Supervisors selected officers: Stroup, chairwoman; Gary Berns, vice chairman; Bob Swiatek, treasurer; Gil Pearce, secretary; and Alan Roth, assistant secretary.

CDD 2:
• Supervisors selected officers: Pete Bokach, chairman; Tom Green, vice chairman; Jerry Twiggs, treasurer; Michael Finney, secretary; and Richard Moran, assistant secretary.

CDD 4:
• Supervisors will move forward with the refinancing of bonds. Town Hall Finance Director Steve Zielinksi said the new bond amount with Hancock Bank will be for $2.15 million compared with the existing bond of $2.16 million. The refinance will produce savings of between $22 and $156 for some Greenbrook residents, primarily those in Greenbrook East. Only 923 of District 4’s 1,688 units are impacted by the refinance.

• Supervisors designated officers: Michael Griffin, chairman; Keith Davey, vice chairman; Joe Sidiski, treasurer; Stacy White, secretary; and Nancy Johnson, assistant secretary.

CDD 5:
• Supervisors designated officers as: Marty Cohn, chairman; Tom Leavey, vice chairman; Alan Silverglat, treasurer; Tom Bishop, secretary; and Dave Emison, assistant secretary.

CDD 6:
• Resident Angela Johnson complained about petunia plantings, instead of geraniums, at the Balmoral Woods Boulevard entrance. Town Hall Operations Director Ryan Heise said the contractor recommended petunias because geraniums were eaten by deer and wildlife last year.