BROOKSVILLE — The city needs $40 million to expand its wastewater treatment plant, and the City Council on May 18 heard a pitch on how to borrow it.
Rodney Walton of the Florida League of Cities presented the Florida Municipal Loan Council program, which connects municipalities to a bond process to finance capital projects. Other Florida cities are facing similar pressure to expand water and wastewater facilities, Walton said, and the league’s program offers flexible financing structures, including bank loans and bond issuance, tailored to local governments.
The loan council, created through an interlocal agreement, provides access to nationally recognized bond counsel, registered municipal advisors, disclosure counsel, trustees and consultants. Financing fees could be paid from bond proceeds.
Council members responded favorably.
“I say we move ahead,” Council Member Louis Hallal said, adding that the city needs to keep the wastewater project moving.
Council Member Betty Erhard sought clarification that the action before the council was a letter of intent directing the league to return with specific numbers.
The motion to move forward passed 5-0.
The presentation is available at https://tinyurl.com/5dyfunyp.
Annexation fee waiver
The council voted 4-1, with Erhard dissenting, on the first reading of an ordinance establishing a 12-month waiver of certain city-imposed application fees for voluntary annexations and related small-scale comprehensive plan amendments and standard district rezonings.
The city will waive about $3,000 in fees per annexation application package and cover advertising costs.
Storm debris site
The council voted 5-0 to designate Tom Varn Park as a temporary debris repository following a qualifying storm or disaster, allowing crews to clear roadways more quickly.