(Editor`s note: the following was included in a memo sent to the Cedar Key City Commission by local resident Jeff Dwyer.)
Feasibility Study to Evaluate a Merger of the Cedar Key Water & Sewer District into the City of Cedar Key
During the planning process for updating the City`s Comprehensive Plan and customizing the initial generic CRA documents so the two documents would meet the future needs of Cedar Key, the consultants from Civic Design Associates recommended that long range planning for the community should include the eventual merger of the Water District into the City - possibly as part of the City`s Public Works department. Because the District`s service area has been reduced and now closely overlays the City boundaries, many taxpayers and voters feel that it is wise to explore the pros and cons of a merger. We feel that a feasibility study should be done to determine if the merger should occur and if so, how it would be accomplished.
Next week, I`m asking the CK Water & Sewer District Commissions to initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the feasibility study. The Water District`s general manager, Jack Hotaling asked me to approach the City Commission to determine the Commissioner`s opinions and begin a discussion. Because the Water District`s financial resources are severely restricted because of a number of infrastructure improvements. I`d like to take Jack`s request a bit further. I`d like the City Commission to support the feasibility study and offer to pay the cost of it using CRA funds.
Assuming that such as feasibility study concluded that it would be in the best interests of the taxpayers and the customers of the Water District to merge the District into the City, Florida laws regulating "Special Districts" governs this transaction. In order to dissolve a "special district," a unanimous vote of all members of the CKWSD Board of Directors would be required before the State legislature could act upon a dissolution request. To dissolve the CKWSD, transfer its assets and liabilities to the City and hire its employees as part of a new City Public Works department would require an affirmative vote from all five Water Board Commissioners and an affirmative vote from a majority of the Cedar Key City Commissioners.
The feasibility study may conclude that it isn`t wise to eliminate the Water District even though presently, there exists a duplication of many expenses that could be eliminated by merging the District into the City. Because the City`s and the District`s taxpayers have seen a large increase in their property taxes, many of us believe that the Commissioners from both governmental bodies should investigate every opportunity to reduce the cost of operating and thus reduce the. property taxes and water and sewer rates for the taxpayers. These are but a few issues a feasibility study would investigate. Then the findings could be presented to the voters for discussion and debate.
Please consider this request as a positive attempt to streamline the costs and operations of the Water District and the City`s existing public works department and allow the implementation of critical infrastructure to occur as economically as possible. Please vote to support an RFP. Then in conjunction with the Water Board Commissioners, evaluated the proposals, select one, and use CRA funds to pay the cost of the feasibility study. Such an action would continue a critical part of the long range planning that was recommended to us in 2003. | 