The GRU authority board met on Wednesday, its first meeting since all four members submitted resignation letters following a lawsuit settlement.
Although the current authority board has less than 60 days before its resignation takes effect, one of its primary goals is to ensure a smooth transition until a new board is appointed, Craig Carter, the authority board chair, said.
“We are going to work until we’re not working anymore,” Carter said. “So until the last day, our goal is to still do what’s right for the ratepayers and this utility.”
The board resigned as part of a settlement with Gainesville Residents United Inc., a local citizen group that sued the state because three out of the four board members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis live outside the city limits. The settlement requires that the new board include at least three members who live within the city limits, and one who lives outside.
Gov. DeSantis will appoint a new board at the end of the 60-day period, though the members of the current board are allowed to re-apply. Carter, the only current member who resides in Gainesville, said he was unsure about whether he would choose to re-apply.
“I am seeking counsel from my family, and I’m watching the environment,” Carter said.
The authority board voted on several resolutions during Wednesday's meeting, including to refund outstanding bonds. Another issue discussed was the authority board’s search for legal counsel.
The board said it received recommendations to retain the Gainesville law firm GrayRobinson as its legal representation. Two audience members took issue with the recommendation during the public comment period, stating that GrayRobinson has ties to the Gainesville City Commission. The authority board should find another firm to be its legal representation, Gainesville resident Angela Casteel said.
“I do not agree that they need to be the representation for GRU,” Casteel said. “It is a conflict of interest.”
The authority board voted to table the process for a future meeting. Discussions also became heated over the Gainesville City Commission’s March 21 meeting. Commissioners moved during the meeting to draft a ballot measure that would allow Gainesville residents to vote on the GRU authority board.
Gainesville resident and former city commission candidate Jim Konish spoke against the potential ballot measure, saying that the ordinance was invalid.
“I would ask you…to sue the supervisor of elections to make sure this ridiculous effort is stopped in its tracks,” he said.
The potential measure has no bearing on the authority board’s current actions, Carter said. Given the little time the majority of the board has left before their resignations take effect, he added, the board hasn’t discussed the measure.
“If I start looking at all those distractions and what Mr. Konish was doing, we’ll never be able to run this utility,” Carter said.
For now, the board is focused on its plan to alleviate the company’s nearly $2 billion debt while working to improve GRU’s current programs. By following an aggressive model, GRU hopes to reduce debt by $315 million in the next 10 years, GRU general manager Tony Cunningham said.
However, it’s unclear whether lessening the burden on ratepayers in the meantime is possible, he added. GRU is working on scenarios that would meet future energy needs for customers while still following the debt-reduction plan.
“At the end of the day, how does it impact the customer? How does it impact their bills?” Cunningham said. “As we’re working through that, then we will bring back [recommendations] to the board.”