South Florida Water Management District public meetings in 2021

December 2021 Governing Board Meeting

The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will consider a consent agenda with several land acquisitions, exchanges, settlements, contracts, and policy updates. Key items include a $1.6 million workers' compensation settlement, a $75,000 eminent domain settlement, and a land exchange with Lee County. The board will also vote on adopting the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan and approving rulemaking for the Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration Project.

• Approve $1.6M settlement in workers' comp case Susan Lane v. SFWMD (Resolution 2021-1206)
• Approve $75,000 settlement plus land conveyance in eminent domain case for C-111 South Dade Project (Resolution 2021-1205)
• Approve land exchange with Lee County: 20.65 acres for 96.08 acres in CREW Project (Resolution 2021-1202)
• Approve $532,620 SAP consulting contract with Infosys Public Services (Resolution 2021-1211)
• Approve $296,772 research contract with UF-IFAS for Old World Climbing Fern control (Resolution 2021-1204)

The Governing Board unanimously approved a $300 million project agreement with Ecosystem Investment Partners for the Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area, including design, construction, operation, innovative technology, and land acquisition. The board also adopted resolutions reaffirming commitment to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and approving a land exchange with Lee County. All consent agenda items were adopted unanimously, including a $1.6 million settlement in a workers compensation case and a $1.86 million change order for the C-43 Reservoir Project.

• Approved $300M Lower Kissimmee Basin STA project agreement (unanimous)
• Adopted Resolution 2021-1213 reaffirming CERP commitment (unanimous)
• Approved land exchange with Lee County for CREW Project (unanimous)
• Approved $1.6M workers compensation settlement (unanimous)
• Approved $1.86M change order for C-43 Reservoir Project (unanimous)
• Adopted 2022-2027 Strategic Plan (unanimous)
• Approved $532,620 SAP consulting contract with Infosys (unanimous)
• Approved $296,772 research contract with UF-IFAS for invasive fern control (unanimous)

Audit & Finance Committee

The Audit & Finance Committee will review three Inspector General audit reports covering construction change orders, CERP cost share, and fleet utilization, plus a proposed audit plan for FY 2021-2022 and a long-term plan through 2027. They will also consider a revision to the Internal Audit Charter. The meeting includes approval of prior minutes and a summary of investments as of September 30, 2021.

• Audit of Construction Change Orders
• Audit of Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP) Cost Share
• Audit of Fleet Utilization and Replacement
• Proposed Audit Plan for FY 2021-2022 and Long-Term Audit Plan for FY 2023-2027
• Proposed Revision to the Internal Audit Charter

The Audit & Finance Committee unanimously adopted the Inspector General's audit reports on Construction Change Orders, CERP Cost Share, and Fleet Utilization and Replacement, along with the proposed audit plan for FY2021-2022 and long-term plan for FY2023-2027. The committee also directed the Inspector General to conduct CERP Cost Share audits every three years. No other substantive decisions were made; the meeting was otherwise informational.

• Adopted audit report on Construction Change Orders (unanimous)
• Adopted audit report on CERP Cost Share (unanimous)
• Adopted audit report on Fleet Utilization and Replacement (unanimous)
• Directed Inspector General to audit CERP Cost Share every three years
• Adopted proposed audit plan for FY2021-2022 and long-term plan for FY2023-2027 (unanimous)

November 2021 Governing Board Meeting

The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will vote on several contracts and land exchanges, including a $27.5 million refurbishment of S-9 and S-9A pump stations, land swaps with Florida Power & Light for reservoir projects, and land purchases for the Picayune Strand Restoration. The board will also consider updates to water supply plans and management plans, plus routine recognitions and minutes approval.

• Authorize $27,492,651 contract with Harry Pepper & Associates for S-9 and S-9A Trash Rake and Pump Station Refurbishments in Broward County
• Approve land exchange with FPL: convey 10 acres for 4.95 acres for CEPP A2 Reservoir/STA Project in Palm Beach County
• Approve land exchange with FPL: convey 1.58 acres of easements for releases on 10 sections in C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir Project, Hendry County
• Approve land purchases for Fakahatchee Strand: 2.5 acres for $57,500 and 1.25 acres for $42,500 in Collier County
• Authorize 10-year lease extension to Palm Beach County for West Delray Park (313.42 acres) with no rent

The Governing Board approved a $15.89 million final purchase offer and eminent domain proceedings for 1,583.29 acres in St. Lucie County for the Indian River Lagoon - South Project's C-25 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area component. The board also modified its Five-Year (Florida Forever) Work Plan to expand the C-25 project boundary from 904 to 1,583.29 acres. All consent agenda items were adopted unanimously, including contracts for environmental risk assessment services and operations/maintenance engineering.

• Approved $15.89M land purchase offer for C-25 Reservoir/STA (unanimous)
• Modified Five-Year Work Plan to expand C-25 project to 1,583.29 acres (unanimous)
• Adopted consent agenda including $30M environmental services contracts (unanimous)
• Approved $27.49M S-9/S-9A pump station refurbishment contract (unanimous)
• Increased OMRR&R engineering contracts by $125M (unanimous)
• Amended survey/mapping contracts to include 18 firms, $20M cap (unanimous)
• Approved 10-year lease extension for West Delray Park (unanimous)
• Approved CREW General Management Plan update (unanimous, Goss abstained)

October 2021 Governing Board Meeting

The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will consider consent agenda items including canal reservation releases, cattle grazing lease extensions, right-of-way permits, the 2021 Priority Water Body List, the FY2022 Five-Year Work Program, and several software contracts. The most consequential item is a right-of-way permit for a 47-acre lake in the Sunbridge development, requiring a $1.2 million cash bond.

• Approve $1.2M cash bond for 47-acre lake construction in C-30 Canal right of way, Osceola County (Permit No. 15786)
• Authorize $805,036 contract with Rimini Street for Oracle software support (Contract No. 4600004480)
• Authorize $776,500 contract with Saturn Tech for Pega Water Use Module consulting (Contract No. 4600004481)
• Approve five-year cattle grazing lease extensions for Garry Webb (557.2 acres, $10,300/yr) and Prescott Family Ranch (1,403.28 acres, $16,100/yr)
• Authorize submission of 2021 Priority Water Body List and FY2022 Five-Year Work Program to state agencies