The Board of County Commissioners of Brevard County, Florida, met in special session on August 21, 1996, at 5:30 p.m. in Palm Bay City Hall, 120 Malabar Road, S.E., Palm Bay, Florida. Present were: Chairman Mark Cook, Commissioners Truman Scarborough, Nancy Higgs and Scott Ellis, Assistant County Manager Stephen Peffer, and County Attorney Scott Knox. Absent was: Commissioner Randy O?Brien who was in Washington, D.C.

Commissioner Higgs led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.

STATEMENT OF PROPOSED RATES, RE: MELBOURNE-TILLMAN WATER CONTROL DISTRICT, FY 1997

Gary Garrison, District Manager for Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District, advised the proposed rate for residential is $15.28, an annual increase of 73 cents; the proposed agricultural rate is $5.35, an annual increase of 26 cents; and the proposed commercial rate is $29.70, an annual increase of $1.42. He advised the 5% increase is divided into two parts; the first is a 2% increase to allow the District to break even with last year?s dollars; and the reason it is looking at an increase is that the billing units change from year to year, and this year it has less billing units. Mr. Garrison noted there is approximately a 1,000 billing unit decrease in residential, 813 billing unit decrease in agricultural, and 20 billing unit decrease in commercial; the Property Appraiser controls that; and an example is in Palm Bay where a lot of people are taking two lots and combining them into one lot to avoid the per lot charges. He stated land use charges by the Property Appraiser also affect that; the District has very little control over it; and it has asked the Property Appraiser to give it a better breakdown of the fluctuation. He advised the 2% will get the District to a break even point with a small increase of approximately $6,000 overall.

Mr. Garrison introduced the District?s Board members, including Veronica Autrey, Ken Carah, Michael Horne, Sam Simonian, Jack Maney, Keith Mills, and Beth Glover-Williams; and stated the additional 3% was requested by the District Board to fund the debt on capital equipment. He stated he provided a brief summary to the Commissioners regarding the Western Diversion project; the document was presented by the St. Johns River Water Management District staff, including a five-year projected cost of $2.3 million of commitment; and that is predominantly for land acquisition. He advised there is one change in the Western Diversion Plan; and gave a presentation of the Plan to the Board. He noted the District has gone from a north application to a south application; the shaded areas are naturally flowing areas; and the contour lines are the elevations. He stated the District was considering an excavation operation as a way to raise revenue; it got to the point of the geo-tech work, but the material is not marketable; and the cost of excavation would be $2.00 or $3.00 a cubic yard for 10 to 20 million cubic yards of dirt. Mr. Garrison advised the District plans to go into a joint venture with St. Johns River Water Management District; it is detailed in the handout provided to the Commissioners; they are looking at purchasing approximately $6 million worth of land; and it is a 50/50 cost share with the Water Management District. He stated the other change is a pass-through structure, allowing water to pass through into the Water Management area and be pumped into the St. Johns River. He stated the District has 400 maintenance miles; it has one dump truck, one front end loader, one bulldozer, and one drag line for all that work; and every year, the District puts at least five to seven miles into shape. Mr. Garrison stated this year, the District has worked with Palm Bay Road North; there are approximately six miles completed; and the District has been in existence for approximately 70 years, but only in the last 10 years has it been putting the canals in shape. He showed before and after pictures of the C-1 Canal.

Commissioner Ellis inquired will the District be able to address the June Park area and get the right-of-way agreed upon and squared away on Pittsburgh to Colorado in this coming fiscal year; with Mr. Garrison responding yes, it is very workable. Commissioner Ellis noted part of the area between Miami and Indiana Streets was reviewed also; with Mr. Garrison responding the District will be widening out to the north and south roads using the existing right-of-way and the embankment. Commissioner Ellis stated he wants to ensure the District will take care of the June Park area next year; with Mr. Garrison responding he sees no problem with it.

TENTATIVE APPROVAL, RE: RATE INCREASE FOR MELBOURNE-TILLMAN WATER CONTROL DISTRICT FOR FY 1997

Chairman Cook inquired does the 2% net the District approximately $6,618 and is it the break even point; with Mr. Garrison responding the 2% will break even with last year?s budget and give it approximately $6,000 more.

Motion by Commissioner Ellis, seconded by Commissioner Higgs, to grant tentative approval of a 2% rate increase for Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District for FY 1997. Motion carried and ordered unanimously.

Upon motion and vote, the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

MARK COOK, CHAIRMAN
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA

ATTEST:
SANDY CRAWFORD, CLERK
(S E A L)