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Briefs

Board approves deal on troubled desal plant

By Times Staff
Published December 20, 2005

The board of Tampa Bay Water on Monday approved a deal to resolve a dispute over how much water its troubled desalination plant will produce.

The Apollo Beach plant was designed to produce 25-million gallons of water a day.

When utility officials said recently that they would not run the plant at full capacity, the Southwest Florida Water Management District complained.

The board commonly known as Swiftmud discussed not providing a promised $85-million to help pay for the $140-million plant.

Chairmen of the two boards reached a deal last week, which the utility ratified Monday and Swiftmud will vote on today.

Under the deal, Swiftmud will give Tampa Bay Water a portion of the money each time the plant passes a production milestone. Tampa Bay Water would get all of it after running the plant at top capacity for four months.

The plant, which was to open in 2003, is being repaired and is scheduled to open next fall.

Tampa mayor chooses real estate manager

TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio on Monday chose a real estate manager to replace an official who was forced out two months ago for violating city ethics policies.

Herbert S. Fecker Jr. will supervise 18 people and oversee the buying and selling of city-owned property for the department of business and housing development's real estate division. He will start the $92,000-a-year position Dec. 27.

Fecker replaces Jack Rodriguez, who was forced to resign in October after the St. Petersburg Times reported that he was moonlighting as a real estate broker in Tampa, a violation of the city's ethics code.

[Last modified December 20, 2005, 11:27:19]