The Indian Trail Board of Supervisors conducted an agenda review meeting Monday in preparation for the board’s regular monthly meeting Wednesday, Dec. 12.
District Administrator Tanya Quickel, who usually meets individually with board members to comply with Florida’s Sunshine Law, called the board together for a group meeting because she was scheduled to be out of town for the rest of the week attending a conference.
There were no questions asked by board members in order to comply with the Sunshine Law. However, Quickel said that if the board wants to continue to have agenda review meetings, she could advertise them so that supervisors could provide input in the future.
“This is just a factual distribution package,” Quickel said. “I’m going to go through each item briefly and tell you about it. If you need to go over it in detail, I will be happy to do that.”
The first item on Dec. 12, requiring a public hearing with a separate agenda, is to receive public comment and consider a resolution implementing a uniform method of collecting the district assessments.
Leading the regular meeting will be the swearing-in of newly elected Supervisor Gary Dunkley and re-elected Supervisor Michelle Damone, followed by the election of officers, appointments to outside organizations, and a resolution of appreciation to be presented to outgoing Supervisor Carlos Enriquez.
Under disbursements is consideration of a request by Supervisor Jennifer Hager for additional clay for the main ring at Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park at a cost of about $13,440 for eight loads, and a request for $16,884 to rebuild one of the pumps at Pump Station 2, which is a budgeted item, Quickel said, explaining that the second pump will also be rebuilt after the first one is done.
The board will also consider the purchase of a new grader. “One of our graders is down,” Quickel said. “The repair estimate is over $30,000. The budget includes replacement of one grader this year.”
In 2005, ITID purchased six graders. Quickel’s goal is to stagger the replacement of those graders to avoid having to buy them all at once. “Replacement of equipment is one of the biggest items that you have to consider,” she said, explaining that the budget includes $200,000 to replace a grader this year.
The most the district would be offered for the grader in operable condition would be $50,000 to $60,000, she said. Caterpillar, the brand the district uses currently, would be willing to offer a $20,000 trade-in for the inoperable grader, she said. John Deere offered a $27,000 trade-in. John Deere wants $186,667 for a new grader, about $2,000 more than Caterpillar at $184,855.
Quickel said ITID’s staff had tested both new brands and preferred the John Deere because the new Caterpillar comes with a “joystick” steering system instead of a steering wheel, which they found harder to use for day-to-day road maintenance.
Volvo has also quoted $215,592 for a grader, but cannot be compared directly with the other brands because of differences in the equipment features, she said.
Quickel said all the district’s graders are exceeding their scheduled hours of use. She said the focus of the decision next week will be whether to move forward with the purchase of a new grader or repair the old one, emphasizing that there are five other 8-year-old graders with similar hours on them that will need to be considered for replacement over the next several years.
Also on the agenda is a request to purchase two new F-250 Ford trucks. One of the trucks to consider for replacement needs a $5,300 repair.
Additionally, a proposal for a revised water utility policy will be presented, which had been requested by supervisors at the last board meeting to cover only quarter-mile increments. There had also been discussion whether to change the criterion for approval from a simple majority to a super majority.
The board will also consider a special permit for the 40-acre Vila & Sons property at 87th Court North for agricultural drainage. Quickel said her staff is awaiting a soil sample report that had been required by the board at their last meeting as a condition for approval, which should be ready in time for next week’s meeting.
The board will also consider bids for an electronic fuel dispensing system to improve fuel monitoring and consumption, which will include two fuel pumps and four tanks with electronic keypad entry and other monitoring equipment. Delta Petroleum and Industrial is the low bidder at $26,000.
Quickel also informed the board that Director of Operations Anthony Las Casas has resigned and will leave by the end of the year.
