CAPE CORAL WATCHDOGS
Information of Interest
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The following is from CCWDs e-mail group 7/1/06:
Subject: Why assessments are so high?
As I see it, the assessment per home is based on the estimated cost of the entire project. Assume that to be $200 million. If we divide the $200 million by half as many lots, the cost per lot would be double the cost per two lot site so you would wind up paying the same amount of money. The only way to drive the cost down is to reduce the total cost of the project or to include more property owners who will be able to connect into the expanded system at some later date by paying a betterment fee as allowed by Ordinance 17-93. Those Betterment Fee dollars are generally about 70% less per square foot and the city has a record of "forgetting" to collect some of that money. Betterment Fees get billed at a future date and the money collected is not thrown into the pot thereby reducing what all others inside the assessment area are paying. If you want to see the total project cost come down, the city must repeal Ordinance 17-93 and also cancel the contract it has with KBR thereby saving the 4.5% cut they are getting. That is in addition to the 7.67% Fee collected by MWH for managing the project. In addition the city has a 10% Contingency fee set aside until the project is finished. That money should also be returned to those who paid the assessment.
Sal Grosso
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The following is from CCWDs e-mail group 7/1/06:
Subject: Southwest 4
Mayor and City Council,
The public has repeatedly been told that MWH is the CM@Risk manager of the Sewer and Water expansion project. Indeed, the attached Exhibit 2 (city document) shows MWH as receiving a fee of 7.67% or $3.74 million for that service in addition to $1.87 million for design work associated with SW4. I also see Avalon Engineering being paid for design work as a subcontractor and wonder why their services are needed.
Can any of you tell me why we are also paying KBR an additional Fee of 4.5% as a sub contractor Handling Fee? Just what is it that they do? There is also a 5% Construction Contingency Fee and a 10% City Contingency Fee. Are you all aware of these fees and should no contingencies arise, will all of this money be returned to the people who were assessed for this particular project?
Perhaps you can get the City Manager to explain and justify all of these fees.
Sal Grosso
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The following is from CCWDs e-mail group 7/1/06:
Subject: Why assessments are so high?
The City has never used one lot to assess. It has always used Square Footage of the total property as far back as 1989. But in 1993, it passed Ordinance 17-93 which created two new conditions. They were that any land outside of the assessment boundary lines (land which was not assessed), could connect to any utility system and if sized more than 2 acres, receive up to a 70% discount if and when it was billed a "Contribution in aid of Construction" otherwise known as a Betterment Fee. The Ordinance also said no money was due until a structure was erected on the property and a certificate of occupancy issued. This created a bookkeeping nightmare as evidenced by the audit findings. There is also lots of evidence that some were never billed and others which were billed were never collected.
Sal Grosso
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The following is from CCWDs e-mail group 7/2/06:
(updated per request for this posting)
Subject: Aren't We Lucky !
While digging around in Charlotte County it is come to my attention just how wasteful our city government is. I can't imagine how our friends at City Hall manage to invent so many different ways to waste our money. We're being charged impact fees that are almost double the amount being paid in other communities just a few miles from here.
I have to wonder if the school buildings in The Cape are built with better bricks than the school buildings in Charlotte County. Our roads must be better than the roads in Charlotte County. They must be flatter and straighter than the roads in Charlotte County. Our Fire Trucks must be more shinny than the Fire Trucks in Charlotte County. Not to mention that we have a Sewer System that will be paved in Gold here in Cape Coral. Doesn't that make you feel sorry for our poor friends in Charlotte County ?
How do other towns manage to install water and sewer at a fraction of the cost ? The other towns appear to be able to build out their sewer and water projects without impact fees. So we pay more to build a home because of impact fees and when we build our Golden Water and Sewer projects guess what, we are the proud owner of More Impact Fees.
I don't know how The City of Cape Coral can even attempt to justify this.
These are the facts:
Cape Coral Impact fees 13,659.00
A couple of the complaints expressed by affected Cape Coral property owners:
The following is from the CCWDs e-mail group 6/27/06:
Following is the content of my complaint submitted to the Office of the Attorney General today:
The actions of the Cape Coral City Council in the June 12th approvals of the water, sewage and irrigation utilities expansion projects (SW-4), was an example of how "politicians" totally ignore the interests of those whom elected them and are supposed to "represent". Instead, they voted clearly for the interests of those that would exploit the public -residents and government- for their own profits, but not, however, without the complicity of a "generous" City Council.
The residents pleaded to hold off any approvals until the several investigations of law violations, possible fraudulent bidding practices, over pricing, and an important City of Cape Coral audit had been completed. This was totally ignored. The City Council was also asked to investigate alternatives to the planned sewage utility that would reduce the pending costs to residents. All of this was "debated" but, again was approved against the pleas of those that would be affected and pay the steep price. The comparative prices of water, sewer, and water and sewer together was significantly lower for Port St. Lucie than those to be imposed on Cape Coral SW-4 residents and, certainly for those areas to follow.
As a relatively new resident of Cape Coral (July 2004), I am submitting this as a complaint against the actions of the City Council and request that an investigation be conducted that would address the serious concerns and issues raised by the residents of SW-4 and potentially those carried over from SW-1, SW-2 and SW-3. There is a great need for the interests of the people to be addressed by those they elected -or would elect in the future- as well as those of big business that, in fact, also depend on those same people in the long run to sustain them.
Larry A Barton
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The following is from the CCWDs e-mail group 6/28/06:
part of post by "juliacgalofre"
I want to express my objection to Resolutions Res.32-06, Res.33-06 and Res.34.06 because affected property owners do not have enough evidence of cost to benefit of the projects of constructing the utility, or any extension thereof as and where proposed.
This project should not continue without having the cost to benefit analysis of the project, bidding process, cost comparison of the bids, and alternatives to the engineering methods to be used. The affected property owners need more information and there is a need for public input in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
There are some irregularities with Utilities Expansion that were found by Florida Auditor General in Report No. 2006-182. While having all those irregularities unsolved it is dangerous to continue moving forward with SW4.
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The following is from CCWDs e-mail group 6/27/06:
Posted by S Porreca
Subject: Sewers
Here is a reply and explanation I received from Council member Alex LePera.
----- Original Message -----
From: Alex LePera
To: porreca4@earthlink.net
Sent: 6/26/2006 1:47:45 PM
Subject: RE: Sewers
Thank you for sending in a suggestion. I have been studying Sarasota County's use of a combination of three different systems and how they are costing it out. There are many different systems being used around the world and I have been studying many of these. Please note that cost is lower in Sarasota County, maybe partly due to the type of systems being installed, partly because they are only discussing sewers and please note that there is a surcharge of $19./month being tacked on to the usage bill for EVERYONE on the system. In this way, the assessment cost is being spread out beyond the assessment area to all users. All users are subsidizing the assessment. Although is says it is for 20 yrs., this is probably to be a "forever" charge and as with most everything else, will be increased over the years. There are also differences in on-going maintenance costs for different systems. It does seem that the gravity system is less expensive to maintain over the years.
Please know that I realize that our local assessments are an Extreme burden on many and I continue to look for a better resolution. If none is found, there is always the consideration of leaving some areas, those whose property values cannot support the high costs, on septic.
These comments are just food for thought. I continue to look for alternatives, even to the SW4 area, which has not been finalized yet by ordinance.
Respectfully,
Alex LePera
-----Original Message-----
From: porreca4@earthlink.net [mailto:porreca4@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 2:20 AM
To: Alex LePera
Subject: Sewers
Dear Mrs. Lepera:
I understand the city already has contracted for Southwest 4 utilities using the gravity system. Sarasota County has determined, based on an extensive evaluation of collection system technologies, that vacuum sewer systems would be most cost effective. Can you and the council please look into this alternative to the gravity system before proceeding to the next section?
Thank you.
Susan Porreca
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The following is from the CCWDs e-mail group 7/5/06
Posted by "JULIA GALOFRE"
Dear City Administrators,
Please see the information coming from the Health Department by e-mail that confirms that THERE IS NOT REAL NEED to have central sewer in Cape Coral for the regular home site lots.
Florida Statute allows up to 4 units per acre to be developed with well and septic systems if they were platted prior to 1972, with a limitation of 3 bedrooms for a 1/4 acre lot served by well and septic.
The only ones that really need to have the Central Sewer are the developers that want to make some profit with higher density and newer plotted lots. But they are NOT obligated to "GROWTH PAYS FOR GROWTH" as regular citizens are.
Big the developers have the allowance of 70% less per square foot by Ordinance 17-93.
Big developers are the ones that really need the Central Sewer, because they buy the big lots and plot them now, (not before 1972 as the rest of the city) and are the ones that want to put more than 4 units per acre.
That Ordinance must be repeal in order to assure that the Mission Statement of the city is accomplish "We, the City of Cape Coral, will meet our community's needs through the efficient and professional delivery of quality services, with pride and integrity, in an open, hones spirit of teamwork, respectin the self-worth of the individual and the environment."
Please review the information coming directly from the Health Department.
______________________________________________
Ms. Galofre,
Yes you are correct that the Florida Statute allows up to 4 units per acre to be developed with well and septic systems if they were platted prior to 1972. Also for any lot where an Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System, or OSTDS (septic) is utilized, the maximum sewage loading rate is 1500 gallons per day if served by well, or 2500 gallons per day if served by a public water supply. Sewage flows for residential structures are calculated at 100 gallons per day per bedroom, or on the total square footage of the residence, whichever is greater. This is where the limitation of 3 bedrooms for a 1/4 acre lot served by well and septic is calculated. And the limit is 6 bedrooms for 1/4 acre lots served by a public water system.
We do not issue OSTDS (septic) permits in areas of the county where a central sewer system is available to that lot.
There are many minimum standards for OSTDS (septic) systems in the state of Florida, concerning size, elevation, distance to setback features, and construction standards. These are all contained in the OSTDS rule, Chapter 64E-6, F.A.C. http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/ostds/pdfiles/forms/64e6.pdf .
The state bureau maintains a site on research that has been done or is being done specific to areas of Florida at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/ostds/research/researchreports.htm
I hope this information answers your questions. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to call our office at 239-332-9556. You may speak to myself, or you may ask to speak to any one of our Onsite Wastewater supervisors.
Jim Love, REHS
Environmental Administrator
Lee County Health Department
3920 Michigan Avenue
Ft. Myers, FL 33916
Phone: 239-332-9556
FAX: 239-332-9609
Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
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From: Barnaby, Michael P
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 8:20 AM
To: Love, James W
Subject: FW: Septic Vs Central Gravity Sewer.
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From: JULIA GALOFRE [mailto:juliacgalofre@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 9:07 AM
To: Hartner MD, Judith A; Barnaby, Michael P
Subject: Septic Vs Central Gravity Sewer.
I would like to have information regarding minimum standars for septic systems (when having well in the same property) and if you have any study in regard of the risk of cross contamination in septic vs. central sewer (specially if it is by gravity).
I understand that septic systems are very safe is well maintaned and that for a quarter acre lot the maximum number of bedrooms that it can serve safely is like 3.75 bedrooms per each quarter.
And if public water is available it will be safe to have 6.25 bedrooms per each quarter acre. Is that true?
I understand that the Health Department will issue permits for onsite wastewater systems throughout Lee County on quarter acre lots platted and recorded prior to 1972. Is that still valid?
Thank you very much for your help,
Julia Galofre
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The following letter further confirms the above e-mail:
Letter from the former Lee County Health Department Environmental Administrator
Therefore, CENTRAL SEWERS ARE NOT NEEDED OR REQUIRED.
A gentleman at the City Council Meeting (6/12/06) mentioned that he raised 7 children on his septic system & it worked perfectly. He also said that if you treat your septic system good, it will treat you good.
However, with regard to the large tracts of unplatted land, the Health Dept. now requires that each homesite be a minimum of 1/2 acre unless it is serviced by central water & sewer.
Thus the City initiated its utility expansion projects ("big time") to get water & sewer to the large tracts of land (at a 70% discount per ORD. 17-93), so that the developers could "sandwich" as many dwellings on their large tracts as they desired----mostly at the expense of the individual property owners not located within developments. For example, check out Heatherwood Lakes and Sandoval to name just a couple.
What a horrific insidious plan.
DON'T BE TOO ANXIOUS TO DESTROY YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM.
Monday, Oct. 23, 2005 a newscaster on NBC2 News announced from the Lee County Emergency Operations Center that the Cape Coral City Officials are concerned that, with an extended power outage (during the storm), the sewage lift stations can not keep pumping; therefore, the sewage can back up. Would this have been the reason for Cape Coral's first ever mandatory evacuation?
Council member Alex LePera states in her above-referenced e-mail (l/26/2006 1:47PM) found within the post by S Porreca: " Please know that I realize that our local assessments are an Extreme burden on many and I continue to look for a better resolution. If none is found, there is always the consideration of leaving some areas, those whose property values cannot support the high costs, on septic."
So, it appears that central sewers really aren't required here (and the City Officials know it!), but rather will only be required when the CC City Government feels it can get away with "slamming" this huge expense on the individual property owners.
Guard your septic systems--they're much more reliable than central sewer (we know, while living in PA in the 60s', during a storm the central sewer backed up into our home. What a disaster to have the neighborhood sewage in our basement...If that happens in Cape Coral, it would be backing up into the living area ...of course, there are no basements here). And, for sure, the septic systems are much, much more economical, as well. Isn't that an "understatement"???
Joan Rose