1983 - 11-01-83 Adjour. Special Meeting

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From the beginning of the time that the County Commissioners have been extending water lines into the unincorporated county area, they have been concerned with and interested in operating one water system for all of Lee County. As a result, they have tried to accommodate the City of Sanford by utilizing what funding sources they had other than property taxes to build water line extensions and to turn over ownership of those lines to the City in accordance with its policies. Various grants have been received which have financed the extension of many lines into these areas. Also, because of the farsightedness of the county citizens-who passed an industrial bond referendum, the county has been able to extend additional water services to many of its residents and businesses that otherwise would have to depend on much less stable water supplies to assure themselves of safe, adequate water. As a result, the county in one way or another has provided approximately 5.5 million dollars to improve the system owned by the City of Sanford. Most of the areas eligible for grants that we are aware of are now served with water lines, and the last of the industrial bond money has been committed to match federal funds for the new industrial park. This places us in the position that to extensions are, by necessity, going tD include the use j2f local funding LQ a great extent. The citizens of Sanford and the Board of Aldermen are to be commended for the fine system which they voted in several years ago. Without their help and cooperation it would have been impossible to have extended service to many unincor porated county area residents. The Commissioners' appre- ciation for their assistance is genuine, and they have the utmost respect for the vision and foresight that the City has demonstrated. Various problems have been experienced through the years however, in trying to reconcile water needs in rural areas with City water extension policies. These problems have con- vinced the County Commissioners that the best approach to providing water to the citizens of the county is through a county-wide system with county-wide control. On June 6, 1983, the Lee County Board of Commissioners adopted a policy to extend lines into the unincorporated county area by using local funds as an initial investment and having those funds repaid by the properties benefited through the assessment method. Parkwood was the first community to petition for extension of water lines under this method, and problems soon became evident. Most of the problems encountered were a result of conflicts with current City extension policies.