The public is invited to today's meeting of the committee reviewing complaints of dark, smelly water.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published September 10, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - With issues regarding the committee's membership finally resolved, the Aloha Utilities ad hoc panel will hold its first public meeting this afternoon. The County Commission appointed the eight-member panel earlier this summer to investigate Aloha customers' complaints of dark, smelly water. The committee includes two customers, two independent experts, a county commissioner, the Health Department director and two Aloha representatives.
The original Aloha representatives - utility president Steve Watford and consulting engineer David Porter - resigned from the panel last month after discovering that, as committee members, they would have been subject to the state's Sunshine Law. That law would have prohibited them from discussing business with each other outside the public meetings.
The pair also could have been affected by an ethics code that prevents committee members from voting on issues in which they have a financial stake.
To resolve those concerns, the County Commission this week appointed Porter and Maggie Nestor, an Aloha conservation manager. Neither works directly with the other outside the committee meetings, so there would be no Sunshine Law concern.
For this panel, commissioners also agreed to waive the ban on committee members' having a financial stake in the issues before them. Such a conflict is inevitable, as the committee's purpose is to evaluate Aloha Utilities with comment from the company, Assistant County Attorney Joe Richards said.
"Under statute, (the County Commission) can waive (the conflict of interest ban) for advisory boards," Richards said. "This committee can't do anything other than make recommendations to the County Commission."
At the meeting today, the committee will outline its procedure for reviewing customers' complaints. It also will consider working with an outside consultant to evaluate the utility, which serves about 15,000 customers in Seven Springs, Trinity and elsewhere in southwest Pasco.
The meeting is open to the public.
It starts at 1:30 p.m. at the West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road in New Port Richey.
- Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is hall@sptimes.com
