2021-05-10 OUA Meeting Minutes
OKEECHOBEE UTILITY AUTHORITY
MEETING MINUTES
Monday, May 10, 2021 10:00 A.M.
Okeechobee Utility Authority
100 SW 5th Avenue
Okeechobee, Florida
Chairperson Creasman called the meeting to order at 9:59 A.M. with the following members
and alternates present:
Board Members: Alternates: Absent:
Tommy Clay* Jeff Fadley Melanie Anderson*
John Creasman* Harry Moldenhauer** Tabitha Trent*
Steve Nelson* Glenn Sneider
*Voting Board Members
**Voting Melanie Anderson’s Absence
OUA Members:
John Hayford Tom Conely
George Gall Michelle Willoughby
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chairperson Creasman.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 2 ‘Meeting Minutes from April 12, 2021.
Motion by Tommy Clay to approve the Meeting Minutes from April 12, 2021. Second by Steve
Nelson. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 3 ‘Employee Recognition’ Chairperson
Creasman recognized Robert (Clint) Mehrer, who was not present, for HIS 20 years of service to the
OUA.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 4 ‘Consent Agenda’ Motion by Steve
Nelson to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:
Consent Agenda Item No. 5 ‘Finance Report for the period ending April 30, 2021
Consent Agenda Item No. 6 ‘Invoice from Raftelis in the amount of $6,468.75’
Consent Agenda Item No. 7 ‘Invoice from OneWater, Inc. – Lakeview Estates WWTP in
the amounts of $59,240.00’
Consent Agenda Item No. 8 ‘Invoice from MacVicar in the amount of $250.00’
Consent Agenda Item No. 9 ‘Invoice from Thorn Run Partners in the amount of $5,250.00’
Consent Agenda Item No. 10 ‘Accounts to be Written Off’
Second by Tommy Clay. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
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Meeting Minutes
May 10, 2021
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Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 11 ‘Customer Account’ Executive Director
Hayford advised that Mr. Alan Krietman of A&B Family Properties, LLC has requested to speak to
the Board concerning an outstanding balance that was transferred from the previous owner. Mr.
Krietman addressed the Board and explained that he foreclosed on this property. He explained that
he believed the previous owners were malicious in their actions in regards to water usage. He asked
the Board for either partial or total credit of the unpaid balance. The Board advised that OUA cannot
allow free service due to bonding constraints applied to the OUA; however they could waive the
penalties in the amount of $2,045.74. Mr. Krietman thanked the Board for their time.. Motion by
Tommy Clay to waive $2,045.74 penalties. Second by Harry Moldenhauer. Vote unanimous (4-
0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 12 ‘Allocation of FY20 Operating Surplus’
Executive Director Hayford discussed the unallocated operating surplus from FY20 in the amount of
$209,577.00. He presented scenarios for allocating the operating surplus for board consideration.
Motion by Tommy Clay to move the $209,577.00 surplus to Capital Improvement Project
Fund. Second by Steve Nelson. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 13 ‘Oak Lake Estates PRP Pay
Application No. 1’ Executive Director Hayford presented the Board with Pay Application No 1
from PRP Construction Group, LLC. in the amount of $197,223.71. Of that total, $19,903.03 will be
applied towards the wastewater work items while $177,320.68 is to be applied against stormwater
work items. The OUA will pay the entire pay request and then seek reimbursement from
Okeechobee County for the stormwater pay item. Motion by Tommy Clay to approve Payment
Application No. 1 in the amount of $197.223.71 to PRP Construction Group, LLC. Second by
Steve Nelson Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 14 ‘Oak Lake Estates AACE Invoice No.
1’ Executive Director Hayford presented the Board with Invoice No. 1 from Andersen Andre
Consulting Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $9,064.00 which had been certified by the stormwater
engineer. The OUA will pay the entire pay request and then seek reimbursement from Okeechobee
County for the stormwater pay item. Motion by Tommy Clay to the Andersen Andre Consulting
Engineers, Inc. proposal in the amount of $9,064.00. Second by Steve Nelson. Vote unanimous
(4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 15 ‘US HWY 441 WM Adjustments for
FDOT Project 443172-1-52-01’ Executive Director Hayford discusses the FDOT Project. Bids
were publicly opened and read aloud on April 12, 2021 by Holtz Consulting Engineers, Inc. (HCE)
representative. HCE prepared bid tabulation and offered a Recommendation of Award Letter to
Hinterland Group, Inc. Motion by Steve Nelson to approve acceptance of the Recommendation
of Award letter issued by Holtz Consulting Engineers, Inc. Second by Tommy Clay. Vote
unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Motion by Steven Nelson to approve the Notice of Award to be issued to Hinterland Group,
Inc. and approval of the OUA Chair to execute the document. Second by Tommy Clay. Vote
unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
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Motion by Steve Nelson that should Hinterland Group, Inc. fulfill their obligations to supply
the necessary documents (Agreement, bond, insurance, etc.), the OUA Chairman has approval
to execute the Notice To Proceed. Second by Tommy Clay. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion
carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 16 ‘Pine Ridge Park Engineering’
Executive Director Hayford discusses that after review of the length of roadways, surveyed
topographic features and added property gravity sewer will add significant construction cost due to
the added depth. He discussed that the engineer provided a review of an alternate approach using
vacuum sewer. He discussed that there would be a slight delay to the design, added
engineering costs and the purchase of a vacuum station site. All of these added costs are
still less than the expected increase to the gravity sewer cost. Motion Tommy Clay to
approve Eckler Engineering, Inc., Engineering Scope Revision No. 3 in the amount of
$127,326.00. Second by Steve Nelson. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 17 ‘Mini-Excavator Purchase’ Executive
Director Hayford discusses that the Maintenance Department FY21 budget included a line item for
the purchase of a mini-excavator. The line item listed a budget amount of $41,514.00. Ridge
Equipment Company is listed as apparent low bidder on a Kubota Model: U35-4. Maintenance
Department staff conducted onsite demonstrations of both the U35 unit as well as the next largest
unit, KX40. The KX40 unit was determined to be the best fit for the needs of the Maintenance
Department. The KX40 unit requested included an upgrade to the angle dozer blade, a quick coupler
and hydraulic thumb attachment. Ridge Equipment Company provided a quotation of $47,059.00
with a 24” bucket added. After review, Maintenance Dept. can use the 18” bucket that comes
standard and reduce the quote by $1,310.00. Motion by Tommy Clay to approve the Ridge
Equipment Company Quotation of $45,749.00 for a KX40 with aforementioned attachments.
Second by Steve Nelson. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 18 ‘Administrative Vehicle’ Executive
Director Hayford presented three direct quotes from local dealers and supplied two FSA contract
bids. After a brief discussion it was recommended that quotes for larger size vehicle such as a
Chevrolet Tahoe or Ford Expedition be obtained. The new quotes are to be brought back to the
board for further consideration.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 19 ‘SWSA USDA Loan Update’ Executive
Director Hayford discusses that the OUA currently has three loans; two from Truist Bank and
one from SRF. The USDA staff have proposed the possibility of combining the SRF loan
and USDA loan in to one new loan. The consideration of the loan package is for the Project
2 of the Southwest Service Area. After a brief discussion between Board Members and staff the
Board recommended that the loans be kept separate.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 20 ‘Public Comments’ There were none
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Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 21 ‘Items from the Attorney’ There were
none.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 22 ‘Items from the Executive Director’
Executive Director Hayford gave an update on current projects.
Chairperson Creasman addressed Agenda Item No. 23 ‘Items from the Board’ Board Member
Tommy Clay discussed compensation for Board Members. After a brief discussion, Board
Chairperson Creasman indicated he would discuss with City Council and the Board of County
Commissioners the possibility of a change to the Interlocal Agreement.
Board Member Tommy Clay discussed moving the meeting time from 10:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.
There was a brief discussion regarding the time change. Motion by Tommy Clay that beginning
with the June 14, 2021 Board Meeting the meeting will begin at 8:30 A.M. Second by Steve
Nelson. Vote unanimous (4-0), motion carried.
There being no other business, meeting adjourned at 11:23 A.M.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND BE ADVISED that if a person decided to appeal any decision made
by the Okeechobee Utility Authority with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, he/she
may need to ensure that verbatim record of the proceeding is made, which record includes the
testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. A CD recording of this meeting is on
file in the Executive Director’s office.
_________________________________ _______________________________
Chairperson Executive Director (Secretary)