February 16, 1993February 16, 1993
Mr. John Drago
City Administrator
55 SE 3rd Avenue
Okeechobee, FL 34973
Dear Mr. Drago:
During their February 11, 1993 meeting, the Board of County
Commissioners discussed the appraisal process currently underway in
regard to the City's water /wastewater system. Based on the
comments of the three consulting firms working with the City, the
length of time involved in the process to date, and the deviation
from the original agreement between the Mayor and the Chairman as
to how the process would work, the Board of County Commissioners
has directed me to advise you that the County's offer to fund the
appraisal has been withdrawn.
When the Mayor and the Chairman first discussed this process, it
was agreed that an appraisal firm would be selected that would have
no connection to the City or the County and would thus have the
ability conduct an independent objective appraisal. The recent
comments by the three firms working with the city (PMG Associates,
Inc., Knepper and Willard, Inc., and Reese -Macon and Associates)
indicated that an appraisal based solely on established appraisal
techniques without local modification of the scope is no longer
possible.
The County remains desirous of providing for a water /wastewater
authority for the community of Okeechobee, but the existing
appraisal process does not seem to be accomplishing the agreed upon
mission.
I would like to schedule a meeting with you to discuss how we can
get back on track with this critical infrastructure development.
Please advise me as soon as you can free your schedule for this
meeting.
S i
ely,
J iv
ount
id ra
Acting y Administrator
304 N.W. 2nd Street, Room 106
OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA 34972
(813) 763 -6441
Fax 0 763 -9529
Susan B. Hughes Tommy Close Clif Betts, Jr. Stephen Porter Charles W. Harvey
District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 County Administrator