07/12/2001 Special/JointMINUTES
OF THE MONROE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS/
FLORIDA KEYS AQUEDUCT AUTHORITY
2001/199
Joint/Special Meeting
Board of County Commissioners/FKAA
Thursday, July 12, 2001
Marathon, Florida
A Special Meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners and the
Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority convened at 1:00 P.M., on the above date at the Marathon
Government Center. Present and answering to roll call were Commissioner Charles "Sonny"
McCoy, Commissioner Murray Nelson, Commissioner Dixie Spehar, Commissioner Nora
Williams, and Mayor George Neugent. Present for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority were
Chairman John M. Koenig, Sr.; Albert O. Appell, Vice Chairman (Audit Committee); Mary L.
Rice, Secretary -Treasurer; and Harry E. Cronin. Also present were James Roberts, County
Administrator; James T. Hendrick, County Attorney; Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk; County Staff,
FKAA Staff, members of the press and radio; and the general public.
INTRODUCTIONS AND OPENING COMMENTS
Introductions were made by each member of the BOCC, the Board of Directors for the
FKAA, Roger Braun, Executive Director; and Bob Feldman, General Counsel. Mayor Neugent
and FKAA Chairman Koenig made opening comments.
Mr. Braun made a presentation on Wastewater Initiatives; the Plan, the Partnership, and
Procedure.
WASTEWATER INITIATIVE(S) OVERVIEW
Mr. Braun disseminated to the Boards charts identifying wastewater expenditures to date;
wastewater funding sources to date; comparison of expenditures and funding general and Key
Largo; and components of Key Largo costs requested from Monroe County.
BOCC WASTEWATER UPDATE
Commissioner Williams, as the BOCC Wastewater Liaison, disseminated to the Boards
information on the work plan of the Monroe County Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner
Williams also discussed program mandates and State/Federal funding for wastewater projects.
SPECIFIC DISCUSSION ITEMS
Mr. Braun discussed commitment of upfront local government funding (grant/loan) for
07/12/01
2001/199A
securing plant sites and vacuum station sites; funding of FKAA's Wastewater Master Plan
initiatives (current/future); required wastewater actions by BOCC a) Mandatory ordinances b)
Little Venice feasibility; concept of cost reasonableness to wastewater customer base (connection
fee and monthly service fee) as to different areas in unincorporated Monroe County.
Mr. Braun reviewed with the Boards status of Key Largo Initiative a) Concept of
implementation of Key Largo WW District by County b) Legal methodology c) Timeline
requirements d) Current plant site initiative e) FEMA funds.
Mr. Feldman and State Representative Ken Sorenson addressed the Board. After
discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Spehar to adopt a Resolution requesting State
Representative for Monroe County, Ken Sorenson, to initiate legislation for the 2002 session to
return the sewer authority to the BOCC for all unincorporated Monroe County. At any time after
passing this Resolution, the BOCC may rescind this Legislative request. If, at any time, this
resolution is deemed to adversely affect the pending Circuit Court appeal of Judge Taylor's ruling
on the Sunshine matter, the decision of which has terminated the Key Largo central sewer
contract for violations of Florida's Sunshine Law, the BOCC may cancel this Resolution and the
request to its State Representative. Motion died for lack of a second. Mr. Hendrick, Mr. Braun,
Joe Harris, and Adam Koslofsky addressed the Board.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk
and ex-officio Clerk to the Board
of County Commissioners
Monroe County, Florida
.Q.-W c
Isabel C. DeSantis, Deputy Clerk