Utility takeover talks backed in Port St. Lucie

By Teresa Lane (Palm Beach Post Staff Writer)
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
PORT ST. LUCIE — Faced with dozens of pleading St. Lucie West residents, city council members on Monday instructed their city manager to take the first step in what could be a municipal takeover of St. Lucie West's water and sewer plants.

Crippled the past year by a lack of water, management turmoil and a three-month lag in notifying residents of high lead levels, the quasi-governmental St. Lucie West Services District asked city council members to consider managing its utility plants and possibly other services two weeks ago.

With some council members favoring city ownership of the utility plants, others seeking only to run the plants and still another favoring no action, it's unclear how negotiations between City Manager Don Cooper and services district attorney Dan Harrell will end.

Only one thing is certain, Mayor Bob Minsky said. "There's no way we're going to just leave you in the lurch," Minsky told the residents. "You are citizens of our city."

Although two services district board members voted against seeking city management April 4, Councilman Jack Kelly said it's clear the community's utility system has been in trouble since 7,000 faucets went dry a year ago.
"When you turn on the faucet and there's no water, that's like a 2-by-4 in your face," Kelly said. "If we do take control, we have to have complete control of the utility. There has to be one master."

Dozens of St. Lucie West residents attended Monday's meeting, applauding whenever someone walked to the podium to encourage city management. Only district board member Sal Mancuso spoke against negotiations, blaming recent troubles on management company Government Services Group rather than board members who hired the company.

"We have serious concerns about St. Lucie West Services District's lack of leadership and direction," Cascades resident Charles Jordan said. "We pay more for services and seem to be getting less."