WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Governor Scott vetoed a bill today that would have established a new, independent governing body to manage and operate Gainesville Regional Utilities.
The utility service, owned by the city of Gainesville, is currently managed by the city commission.
House Bill 1355 would have handed over the commission’s authority to an independent five-person board, to be nominated by the commission.
The board would have been made up of two residents and three experts whose specialties would range from economics to engineering.
The bill was approved by the Florida House and Senate, but Scott found fault in the salaries board members would earn – about $18,000 annually.
In a letter to Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, Scott argued that hundreds of appointees serve on governing boards across Florida without being paid for it, and they do a good enough job.
