GRU (Gainesville Regional Utilities)

A circuit judge ruled on Wednesday that a referendum on the November 2024 ballot that passed with overwhelming support to return control of Gainesville Regional Utilities to the City of Gainesville was null due to unclear language on the ballot summary.

Data from the CDC shows 31 utilities in Florida had annual average fluoride levels that were approximately half the CDC’s recommended level or less for at least a year. Experts say these levels are so low, it’s likely the utilities weren’t adding any additional fluoride to meet the CDC’s recommendation, leaving communities with sub-optimal levels of fluoride to fight tooth decay and cavities.

The GRU Authority held a meeting Wednesday night, discussing cost-saving measures, federal funding for infrastructure upgrades, urgent repairs and the recent ballot referendum.

The Gainesville Regional Utilities ballot referendum, which would return control of the utility company to the Gainesville City Commission, passed overwhelmingly, with nearly 73% of the vote on Tuesday night.

A judge ruled Wednesday that the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board cannot be dissolved until the outcome of its lawsuit against the city, even if voters approve the referendum on the November ballot.

The Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority unanimously passed three resolutions Wednesday that will allow it to hire its own attorney, request to exempt itself from right-of-way regulations and permit fees, and ask the city to remove the referendum from the November ballot asking city voters whether to return control of the utility to the city.

That comes after months of pushback and a lawsuit from Gainesville residents questioning the governor’s ability to appoint board members who don’t live within the city.

A variety of scenarios relying on solar power and batteries are now under consideration for future power generation by the Gainesville Regional Utilities board.

The Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority board postponed a decision Wednesday on whether its government services contribution fund would be cut in half or eliminated altogether.

Grocery stores continue to open in West Gainesville while store options in East Gainesville remain sparse. Parts of East Gainesville qualify as a food desert, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture.