The Effluent from FGUA is getting deeper
The Effluent from FGUA is getting deeper
An Op-Ed by Jim Fleming
I don't know which is worse, the treated effluent that is being dumped into Lehigh's canals, or the other "treated effluent" that is emanating from Florida Government Utilities Authority's public relations department, but they both stink.
Last week FGUA's systems manager, Robert Sheets, released a repetitive and flowery deodorizer that was disguised as an editorial in the News-Press and the local newspapers.
In his cover-up, Mr. Sheets focused the readers' attention on two themes that I would like to vigorously refute:
1. "A small group of people have tried to advance the idea that FGUA has created and plans to impose new fees and charges for water and sewer services in Lehigh Acres."
The "small group" that Mr. Sheets is referring to consists of myself, Mike Welch, Robert Anderson, Frank LaRosa, Frank Lohlein, David Adams, the local media, the entire board of the East County Water Control District, the entire board of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corporation (with the exception of FGUA Board designee, Charlie DeFelice), and the vast majority of the informed citizens of Lehigh Acres.
With clever misdirection, and half truths, what Mr. Sheets really said was that FGUA isn't planning to raise rates for the existing, unfortunate FGUA customers who are already paying the highest water and sewer rates in the state of Florida.
No, we are apparently being spared at the expense of all the other property owners in Lehigh Acres. To Mr. Sheets and the FGUA spin doctors, the planned $17,500 assessments for Lehigh Acres residents who are not current customers are not "fees," so we shouldn't keep calling them that. Shame on us. And shame on you Mr. Sheets, a fee, by any other name, is still a fee.
2. "New growth should pay for itself,"
Allow me to again interpret what Mr. Sheets is really saying. FGUA wants property owners who are not hooked up to their system to pay huge assessments whether they like it or not, or whether they need it or not. When he answered the question of why FGUA was doing this, his terse reply was: "Because we can."
Growth paying for growth is a noble sounding ideal, and you've heard me say that myself hundreds of times in forums and my editorials. But that's not what Mr. Sheets means.
Even if you've owned your home or your vacant homesite in Lehigh Acres for over 40 years, and even if you don't want the service, you'll pay for it, or FGUA will slap a lien on your property.
Mr. Sheets, how does assessing a home that has been here for decades fall under your definition of "New growth paying for itself?"
The fact is FGUA is targeting areas for expansion where the population and the homes are among the oldest and most established in Lehigh Acres.
These aren't newcomers Mr. Sheets, and you know it. Many of these people are on fixed incomes and simply cannot afford your oppressive and expensive expansion plans.
What is disturbing about your organization, Mr. Sheets, is that you are not leveling with us. That's why government and the citizens of Citrus County are ready to run you out of town on a rail, and that same sentiment is building here.
Here in Lee County you keep certifying that you have the plant capacity for all these new residential subdivisions that the county is approving. But the fact is you're so far over capacity that you're dumping effluent into our canals.
You are part of the problem in Lehigh Acres, Mr. Sheets, not part of the solution.
Armed with FGUA's phony assurances about having enough water and sewer capacity, the county government is rezoning more of our precious open land for high density residential developments, and you're helping them do it.
What the Lee County planners don't know, or won't admit, is that your 2.5 million gallon a day facility in Lehigh is actually trying to process 3.5 million gallons of wastewater a day in the summer months, largely because of massive overdevelopment and rainwater infiltration. That's right, my wife and I, and your other customers are paying you outrageous rates to treat rainwater!
Your answer to the problem is to obfuscate the issues and dump the excess treated effluent into our canals without telling us. That illegal dumping is prohibited, of course, and you're about to be fined heavily for it. The trouble is, you'll just pass those fines along to us in the form of more "fees."
Yes, Mr. Sheets, "Community support has to be based on the facts." Try giving us the real facts for a change.
And if you were really trying to gain community support, why did you allow a broken potable waterline in Lehigh to run for 10 weeks without fixing it? Why did you send a water and sewer bill of $235 to a widow, who lives in a one bedroom apartment without checking it? And why do you keep insisting that there are only a few malcontents in Lehigh Acres who are stirring up all the trouble?
Trust me, Mr. Sheets, just like the people in other communities that you "serve," the citizens of this community speak with one voice when we tell you that we have no faith in you, your company, your promises or your assurances. And we will not be forced to swallow your "fees" or "assessments," or whatever you choose to call them, without a fight.
Sincerely,
Jim Fleming,
Vice Chairman of the East County Water Control District
Founding Chairman of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corporation
Founding Co-Chairman of the Lehigh Acres Community Redevelopment Agency
Lehigh Acres, Florida
An Op-Ed by Jim Fleming
I don't know which is worse, the treated effluent that is being dumped into Lehigh's canals, or the other "treated effluent" that is emanating from Florida Government Utilities Authority's public relations department, but they both stink.
Last week FGUA's systems manager, Robert Sheets, released a repetitive and flowery deodorizer that was disguised as an editorial in the News-Press and the local newspapers.
In his cover-up, Mr. Sheets focused the readers' attention on two themes that I would like to vigorously refute:
1. "A small group of people have tried to advance the idea that FGUA has created and plans to impose new fees and charges for water and sewer services in Lehigh Acres."
The "small group" that Mr. Sheets is referring to consists of myself, Mike Welch, Robert Anderson, Frank LaRosa, Frank Lohlein, David Adams, the local media, the entire board of the East County Water Control District, the entire board of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corporation (with the exception of FGUA Board designee, Charlie DeFelice), and the vast majority of the informed citizens of Lehigh Acres.
With clever misdirection, and half truths, what Mr. Sheets really said was that FGUA isn't planning to raise rates for the existing, unfortunate FGUA customers who are already paying the highest water and sewer rates in the state of Florida.
No, we are apparently being spared at the expense of all the other property owners in Lehigh Acres. To Mr. Sheets and the FGUA spin doctors, the planned $17,500 assessments for Lehigh Acres residents who are not current customers are not "fees," so we shouldn't keep calling them that. Shame on us. And shame on you Mr. Sheets, a fee, by any other name, is still a fee.
2. "New growth should pay for itself,"
Allow me to again interpret what Mr. Sheets is really saying. FGUA wants property owners who are not hooked up to their system to pay huge assessments whether they like it or not, or whether they need it or not. When he answered the question of why FGUA was doing this, his terse reply was: "Because we can."
Growth paying for growth is a noble sounding ideal, and you've heard me say that myself hundreds of times in forums and my editorials. But that's not what Mr. Sheets means.
Even if you've owned your home or your vacant homesite in Lehigh Acres for over 40 years, and even if you don't want the service, you'll pay for it, or FGUA will slap a lien on your property.
Mr. Sheets, how does assessing a home that has been here for decades fall under your definition of "New growth paying for itself?"
The fact is FGUA is targeting areas for expansion where the population and the homes are among the oldest and most established in Lehigh Acres.
These aren't newcomers Mr. Sheets, and you know it. Many of these people are on fixed incomes and simply cannot afford your oppressive and expensive expansion plans.
What is disturbing about your organization, Mr. Sheets, is that you are not leveling with us. That's why government and the citizens of Citrus County are ready to run you out of town on a rail, and that same sentiment is building here.
Here in Lee County you keep certifying that you have the plant capacity for all these new residential subdivisions that the county is approving. But the fact is you're so far over capacity that you're dumping effluent into our canals.
You are part of the problem in Lehigh Acres, Mr. Sheets, not part of the solution.
Armed with FGUA's phony assurances about having enough water and sewer capacity, the county government is rezoning more of our precious open land for high density residential developments, and you're helping them do it.
What the Lee County planners don't know, or won't admit, is that your 2.5 million gallon a day facility in Lehigh is actually trying to process 3.5 million gallons of wastewater a day in the summer months, largely because of massive overdevelopment and rainwater infiltration. That's right, my wife and I, and your other customers are paying you outrageous rates to treat rainwater!
Your answer to the problem is to obfuscate the issues and dump the excess treated effluent into our canals without telling us. That illegal dumping is prohibited, of course, and you're about to be fined heavily for it. The trouble is, you'll just pass those fines along to us in the form of more "fees."
Yes, Mr. Sheets, "Community support has to be based on the facts." Try giving us the real facts for a change.
And if you were really trying to gain community support, why did you allow a broken potable waterline in Lehigh to run for 10 weeks without fixing it? Why did you send a water and sewer bill of $235 to a widow, who lives in a one bedroom apartment without checking it? And why do you keep insisting that there are only a few malcontents in Lehigh Acres who are stirring up all the trouble?
Trust me, Mr. Sheets, just like the people in other communities that you "serve," the citizens of this community speak with one voice when we tell you that we have no faith in you, your company, your promises or your assurances. And we will not be forced to swallow your "fees" or "assessments," or whatever you choose to call them, without a fight.
Sincerely,
Jim Fleming,
Vice Chairman of the East County Water Control District
Founding Chairman of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corporation
Founding Co-Chairman of the Lehigh Acres Community Redevelopment Agency
Lehigh Acres, Florida
posted by Editor Facts & Myths at 4:49 PM
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