I submitted a public records to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA). Last Thursday I asked for the Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR’s) for July, September and August for the Big Coppitt Wastewater Treatment Facility. I was astounded to see them in my inbox this morning. The FKAA is non-responsive more often than not. I’ll go on record as saying I’m very pleased. Hopefully, their performance will be just as good going forward. Continue reading
Nickels and Dimes
It all adds up.
Single family home-owners in Key Largo will pay an assessment that ranges from $335.08 to $372.04 this year. If the property is served by a grinder pump, the assessment will be $681.09.
Here’s a link to the wastewater assessment resolution that was discussed at the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting on September 3, 2015. The assessments for a single family home this year will range from $207.73 to $330.92. Continue reading
Keys Stewardship Act
Here’s an article about the Keys Stewardship Act from the Blue Paper. Let’s hope this legislation ensures financial relief where it is desperately needed. And let’s hope that going forward taxpayer money is used in a way that is responsible and fair.
Sadly, the players at the county level are the same ones who’ve made an awful mess of things so far. Hopefully we’ll see big changes in November 2016.
Cudjoe Connection “Crisis”
From KeysNews: Cudjoe residents question FKAA at meeting. Snerk. I won’t lie. I sort of enjoy watching the FKAA live in the hell they have created for themselves. They and their partner, Monroe County, fed the money creature, now they get to deal with it. Forever. Bwahahaha.
When it comes to operating costs, it’s much harder to scam the taxpayers to make up for a lack of financial responsibility. I won’t say it’s impossible, because nothing’s impossible. But pretty close to it. It doesn’t mean they won’t try. I’m sure there will be talk of the county using taxpayer money to somehow subsidize rates for the Cudjoe Regional area. That would most definitely be legally questionable, but if there’s a way the county will find it. I base that statement on past performance. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kolhage or Carruthers raised this issue at the next Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. I’ll be watching for it. Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Bubba System, Cudjoe Regional, FKAA, Wastewater
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Fractal Wrongness
Have you ever heard the term “fractal wrongness”? From RationalWiki:
The term “fractal wrongness” may also be used to refer to someone who is consistently wrong on nearly everything they predict or claim. Repeatedly failing predictions is one of the best ways of revealing fractal wrongness, because while an idiotic worldview may work in someone’s head, it can be seen failing when actually put to the test. Hilariously, people who are consistently wrong tend to be quite confident in their position while championing it.
We all know someone who is fractally wrong – the conspiracy theorist uncle, the friend who’s into New Age woo. We’ve probably all been fractally wrong at some point in our lives. Fractally wrong people are usually coming from a good place, and it’s usually pretty harmless. Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Bubba System, General Stupidity, Monroe County, Wastewater
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BOCC on the Record – Neugent
Comm. George Neugent is by far the most interesting character on the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). If you’re crazy enough to go back and watch some of the BOCC meetings, you can see how his position has evolved over time to accommodate new information. He is also unusual in that he tends to take a Keys-wide perspective.
Neugent actually voted against several spending increases in Cudjoe Regional. He faced two challengers in the 2014 election. His stand for fairness and financial sanity undoubtedly had something to do with that. Fortunately, Neugent won that election and the Keys gets to keep him until 2018. Or until he decides he’s had quite enough. Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Wastewater
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BOCC on the Record – Rice
I call David Rice “the quiet one”. He doesn’t say much, but when he does there’s often some sense in it. Good thing, too. He ran unopposed in 2014 so he’ll be around until 2018.
Comm. Rice’s track record on Cudjoe Regional isn’t stellar by any means, but at some point he seems to have developed an awareness that spending was spiraling out of control – unlike Kolhage and Carruthers. He voted against one of the grinder-to-gravity conversions proposed in January 2014 (Item D2) – thus killing it. That undoubtedly saved the taxpayers millions. At that same meeting he did vote for another conversion. Like I said, his record on this is far from perfect. He’s as guilty as any of them of feeding the money creature. Continue reading
District Issues – Citizen Weighs In
I know sewer is boring for most people. But in the Keys, at least, it is a major pocketbook issue. Definitely for some much more than others. It’s one of those things that you just have to pay attention to or it’s going to cost you. So I’m always really happy when I see citizens weighing in on the issue. Continue reading
District Drama Makes Me Sad
There was an article in the Free Press this morning that gave me a headache. Hopefully it will show up later at KeysNews.com. Then I can provide a permanent link to it.
Anyhow, Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District board member Andy Tobin walked out of the District’s meeting last night. Tobin has always been prone to theatrics. (He’s an attorney, isn’t he?) But his walking out really is a symptom of a deteriorating situation. The District is experiencing a “brain drain” that could compromise future performance if not addressed. Continue reading
BOCC on the Record – Murphy
Update: Since this post was written, I’ve been forced to revise my opinion. See here and here. In fact, when I read some of what I wrote here it makes me gag a little. How could I have been so naive?
District 5 Commissioner, Sylvia Murphy, deserves a lot of credit. She is typically a voice of reason when it comes to financial sanity – even when she has to go it alone. At the October 2013 BOCC meeting, she was the only commissioner to vote “no” on the $20 million change order for Cudjoe Regional. At that same meeting, she did raise the disparity issue. Neugent and Rice took it up as well. But they were all steamrolled by Kolhage and Carruthers who were chomping at the bit to spend away. Continue reading
The Real Poop 