Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 10-12-1999 Joint — reading text

check valves, fix it,and all the County is saying is that was their preference, that it would be a County operated system, and whether there is an Interlocal or consortium, and how the details are worked out and the cost for getting the water the Cities need are the details they are trying to work out. The question was posed on how large a capacity the County can afford to build without one or two of the Cities having to help pay for it througb participation from taking some of that water. Mr. Litttell responded at the p-esent stage of the plan,and a$ a I result of the meetings that have been held at the Central Sub-Regional as well as between the managers, the design ca11s for a 24" Jipe. A 24" pipeline will sopp1y the projected 20 year supplemental needs for Okaloosa County, it is designed to replace the 650,000 gallons per day total production for Mary Esther, and it is designed to carry 1.9 million gallons per day for Fort Walton Beach and to do it under gravity flow. He said to completely replace Fort Walton Beach' s production is not in the plan right now, they would either have to step up the size of the pipeline to a 30" pipe instead of a 24" pipe, or pump the water instead of letting it flow gravity. On a 24" pipe they could install pumps later and significantly increase the amount of water they can bring south. He said under the present p- oposal, the draft Interlocal sent to the Cities in July, the County is proposing to finance 100010 of that capacity even though they are including capacity for the Cities and they are proposing to sell them water on a wholesale basis. He mentioned, as far as Okaloosa County staff is concerned, if in the futtue the Cities wanted to put a pipeline of their own in the easement the County is being granted from Eglin,the County would have no objection to that and there is probably enough room in the existing easement, and the County has no fundamental objection to the concept of trying to locate the pipeline within the easement in a location where there is room for another pipeline. Extensive discussion centered around the future water supply concerns, the construction of a 24" or 30" pipeline, the Cities participation in the construction of the pipeline and participation in joint ownership, the Cities purchasing water from the County as the long-term sole water suwIier, the Cities drawing from the pipeline at a time when the water is needed, and the results of the model that would be extremely helpful in determining future water supply needs. There was consensus of all parties to continue discussion on the water issue at another joint workshop meeting on Tuesday, November 2, 1999 at 9:00 a.m.at the Fort Walton Beach Council Chambers d : ~ ':- iII!IiJlffi~~~~.- . f-...~~ Mark Van Hala, Public Works Director, City of Fort Walton Beach, explained the Department of Environmental Protection's DEP) primary concern is there be an Interlocal Agreement in plain figures if anything goes wrong. He noted in the Interlocal Agreement the County will still be responsible for the collection system. The DEPs other concerns were about the flow valves being put in and the capacity on the County system, not the City's system; DEP wanted the parties to know that what the County delivers to the City could cause something to happen. Mr. Littrell mentioned the variability and seasonal flow is important because it makes it more difficult from the County side. Discussion included what the City could guarantee the County on flow rates, the seasonal flow, the areas involved, the term of the agreement for a 20 year period with 10 year renewal options,and the time frame when the agreement could be implemented once negotiations are completed; and what will be done with the funds received from the County, if the County would be receptive to discuss the issue of turning over a portion of their system in the Mooney Road and Kenwood areas with the City purchasing the in: fJastructure the County has paid for in those areas, or if the City could have an opportunity to bid on the solid waste pickup. There was consensus of all parties that the City Manager and County Manager will continue negotiations and continue discussion of the Interlocal Agreement at the joint workshop meeting on November 2nd I The meeting a< ljoumed at 11 :57 a.m. C _ RD:'\ c ~'.,~  Water & Sewer Issues Workshop Meeting October 12, 1999 A and Okaloosa County workshop to discuss water and joint city sewer issues was called to order at 9: 05 a. m. at the Water and Sewer Administration Building in Fort Walton Beach. Members present were Dennis " Nick" Nicholson, Chairman; Paula Riggs, Vice- I Chairman; William A. " Bill" Harrison; Kathleen A. O' Dell; and Ray Sansom. members Mr. Also present of were the press. Chris Holley, County Manager, and he met with the Fort Walton Beach City Council Holley reported several months regarding the sewer issue. ago Today' s workshop is being held to continue dialogue between the Board of county Commissioners and the City of Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Holley continued, saying a meeting was held yesterday with DEP ( Department of Environmental Protection) to discuss the transfer of wastewater to the city of Fort Walton Beach for treatment and disposal. Mr. Holley reported there are also a lot of issues to work out with regard to an alternate water supply for the cities of Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther. Mr. Jeff Littrell, Water and Sewer Director, explained that Fort Walton Beach staff, Okaloosa County staff, and the Water and Sewer Department' s consulting engineer met with FDEP in Tallahassee yesterday. The DEP representatives have questions and concerns about the proposed interlocal agreement regarding the diversion of wastewater to the City of Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Littrell expressed the opinion DEP came out of the meeting feeling comfortable. DEP was assured this is a doable project. Some of the various options being looked at in expanding wastewater treatment capacity were discussed with the next DEP. Whenever capacity report is submittedexpectsto be DEP, he reporting to lower flows than what has been reported in the past. Flow meters are in place and he expects to be gfving DEP some revised flows. Mr. Littrell said DEP requires that he have plans and specifications completed by June 2000 regarding wastewater capacity. Mr. Reid Silverboard, Fort Walton Beach city Manager, suggested discussing the water issue first as this is something in which the City of Mary Esther is also involved. Discussion of the draft Interlocal Agreement on alternate water supplY with the cities of Fort Walton Beach and Marv Esther I Mr. Littrell gave a lengthy summary report of the activities for an alternative water supply. He began the report with the March, date in which the county formally presented its proposal to the 1995 Eglin Air Force Base Encroachment Committee to utilize Lightwood Knot Creek as a source of surface water and request for a 55- acre October 12, 1999 - 1- Minute Book 43, Page 276 Board of County Commissioners Meeting site for a water treatment plant. Mr. Littrell ended the summary with today' s meeting which is the second joint workshop to be held between the Board of County Commissioners and the City Councils of Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther. The first joint workshop was held on October 5, 1998. Mr. Littrell reported the first formal draft Interlocal Agreement was sent to the cities of Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther on March 15, 1999. The parties were ultimately unable to reach an agreement on the draft to participate in the alternate water supply project. On July 15 a second draft was submitted which was for a modified take pay type agreement or with no ownership in capacity allowed. In August 1999 the cities of Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther formed the Fort Walton Beach- Mary Esther Regional Water Supply System and applied for a Consumptive Use Permit from the NWFWMD ( Northwest Florida Water Management District) to construct Floridan Aquifer wells along the proposed pipeline. The Water Management District returned the application marked " incomplete." Mr. Littrell advised that staff has received written response from the cities on the draft Interlocal Agreement bringing us up to today. NOTE: The Summary of Activities, Pages 1 through 6, is labeled Attachment A and made a part of these minutes. Mr. Littrell replied to questions from Mr. Nicholson that staff has been discussing requirements for the Consumptive Use Permit with the Northwest Florida Water Management District. The NWFWMD says they aregoing to build a model with 85% of the cost to be funded by the NWFWMD. The model will take 18 months to two years for completion. Upon completion of the model, the entities that are given a Consumptive Use Permit will take those models and do additional mOdeling. There are presently two entities discussing corridor wells to supply the extra water needed. Mr. Littrell advised the corridor well issue will be placed on hold for a while. Mr. Nicholson advised the county has been involved wi th the Northwest Florida Wastewater Management District and the RUA Regional Utility Authority) regarding the need for supplemental water to be accomplished through a pipeline. Mr. Silverboard said there couple of fundamental areas that are a need to be addressed. During past couple of years the cities the have been told that the water produced from the wells is necessary to meet the county' s demands during the next several years. The wells will meet some of the