This Commission Meeting was conducted utilizing Communications Media Technology. Some Staff members were present in the Commission Chambers while others were present via the Zoom application.

 

ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT IN CHAMBERS:

Dan West, Mayor

Brian Williams, Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Ward 3

Tamara Cornwell, Commissioner-at-Large 2

Sunshine Joiner, Commissioner Ward 2

Harold Smith, Commissioner Ward 1/CRA Vice-Chair

Scott Whitaker, Commissioner-at-Large 1/CRA Chair

 

 

STAFF PRESENT IN CHAMBERS:

Jim Freeman, City Clerk

Marisa Powers, City Attorney

Mohammed Rayan, Public Works Director

Scott Tyler, Chief of Police

Rowena Young-Gopie, CRA Director

Cassi Bailey, Assistant City Clerk

 

 

STAFF PRESENT ELECTRONICALLY:

Todd Williams, Information Technology (IT) Consultant

 

 

   Mayor West opened the meeting at 4:30 pm.

 

 

 

1.               VEOLIA OPERATORS’ REPORT (M.RAYAN)

 

Mr. Rayan introduced the item, which was previously discussed at the Workshop on January 27, 2025. After the meeting, they determined some short-term goals for the plant. They are going to perform smoke testing to identify any areas where there are leaks in the lines. They are also going to work to solve problems with some of the flow issues during the peak seasons.

 

Representatives from Veolia and Wade Trim were present to discuss and answer any questions the Commissioners had regarding the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

 

 Commissioner Williams thought there was going to be a presentation from Veolia on their thoughts on the Wastewater Treatment Plant, WWTP, expansion. Mr. Rayan said he can forward the answers to the listed questions to the Commissioners. Todd Petrie and Devin Bloome, Veolia, had a productive meeting last week with Wade Trim. Veolia, along with City Staff and the Engineers are moving forward with the overall action plan for the WWTP expansion. The timeframe for being out of the Bay would be by January 1, 2032. The injection well would take the place of the Bay for discharged water. The prepared answers to these questions were shown to the Commissioners. They were made part of the minutes.

City Commission/CRA Workshop

March 24, 2025

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 Commissioner Cornwell didn’t think we were placing much water in the Bay. That’s not how the state looks at it. Mr. Petrie further explained the different places the discharged water goes. Commissioner Cornwell stated that she has not seen reports of such. Mr. Bloome answered that they have permitted means of disposal. The other alternatives don’t meet the levels of minimum requirements for disposal. When was the last time we put water in the bay? Within the last 6 years, only during significant weather events.   How does the state look at it? Travis Parsons further explained. The tank and the pond are storage. There are 3 locations: reclaimed to the customers, ASR (2.4 MGD), and the Bay (1.4 MGD). If the 1.4 MGD goes away, which the state is saying needs to go away, a new disposal system needs to be created. The state wants you to have more than reclaimed disposal and ASR. There must be a third method of disposal. In order for our plant to be permitted at 2.4 MGD, we have to have a multiplier on the 2.4 MGD for additional discharge.    

 

 Commissioner Williams asked if the ASR volume that we can put into it could be increased. Pete Larken stated that it is based on treatment. They can put more down the well, but it is not a disposal well. We need to increase reclaim water in general. It could be permitted for larger quantities, but it would have to have a different formation quality for our pump station.

 

 Mr. Freeman clarified that the ASR well, whatever it is permitted for, can’t fully be utilized due to disinfection rates and the inflow during wet seasons. They talked about looking at a different disinfection method so we can utilize the maximum capacity of the ASR well. A short-term solution would be to change the disinfection method. The above ground tank is a disposal method and the bay. Short term, the chloramine addition helps with disinfection. For the UV system, they must get it to drinking water standards before it goes into the well.   Travis Parsons answered how much the state would require them to have if they don’t increase the plant today and how much we are going to have to deal with that design. They have to separate the disposal requirements with the storage requirements. The plant size dictates what the disposal capacity must be. The population dictates the plant size.

 

 Commissioner Whitaker asked about the wet season and how many gallons of water are going through the plant that aren’t truly sewage. During the dry season, 1.2-1.4 million GPD. During the wet season, 2 million GPD. I&I would be causing those fluctuations. They have conducted smoke testing in the past and are discussing doing it again. They are also going to revisit flow monitoring. The I&I maintenance is ongoing, but this will only help with the City owned side of the lines. They will need to create an ordinance or a plan to address the residents’ side of the lines as well.

 

 Mr. Larken explained that the way SWFWMD looks at it, is if they show a 10% benefit to the most affected areas, they can use that credit. Further offsets were discussed.

 

 Commissioner Cornwell discussed the calculations of reuse and drinking water and the cloudiness of the water. Mark McNeal with ASRS, answered that they use turbidity. He continued to discuss ASR wells and their positive benefits.   Commissioner Cornwell continued to discuss storing this water and being able to use this water in the future. She wants to use that water and be able to store as much as possible. Discussions continued regarding these potential resources.   Devin Bloome discussed transmissivity vs turbidity issues.

 

 Commissioner Williams’ problem with this whole plan is that we have had a capacity of 2.4 MGD for a long time. Our population hasn’t increased. Can we identify the “must do’s”, rather than looking at just the whole big plant expansion? Commissioner Williams wants to see the smoke reports. What do we “have” to have to expand for another 20-30 years?  Mr. Parsons answered that the City has increased by approx. 40 % of the population

City Commission/CRA Workshop

March 24, 2025

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from approx. 10,000-14,000 residents. The load to the plant has increased. Even though the flow hasn’t necessarily changed. Flow rate vs. load rate were compared. Phasing would be part of an implementation plan. If they were to completely fix the I&I issue would that extend the need to expand the plant? No, that wouldn’t affect the load issue. The Bardenpho system was proposed. A technical memorandum was referenced; a copy was given to each Commissioner. It was made part of the minutes.

 

 Mr. Rayan said he doesn’t have answers to every question regarding the future. They need to look at the data they have and make the best decisions possible.

 

 Commissioner Williams asked Mr. Freeman where the City would get the money from for the plant expansion. Mr. Freeman answered that they would look to prioritize projects, grant options, loans, impact fees, funding with the county and state appropriations. Mr. Rayan noted that we need to expand the discussions with the county.

 

 Mr. Freeman continued to discuss the flow vs load rates. Only two points on the data were at 2 million MGD over 48 data points. For 96% of the time, we are at 60% capacity. Two points we were at 83% capacity. That’s the way the DEP looks at it. On a flow basis, he is right. The people in Tallahassee don’t care, and don’t see it that way. The load is looked at differently. If we were permitted on an annual basis rather than a 3-month average, that would change the calculations.

 

 Commissioner Williams reiterated that they don’t want to get rid of water. Mr. Rayan said the engineers are telling them that. His opinion is to spend that money to eliminate the chlorine and inject it all into the ASR.  Mr. Parsons emphasized that the recharge well is NOT a disposal well. Commissioner Williams is also concerned with the newness of this system.

 

 Commissioner Cornwell opined that in Florida our weather is completely different. She is also concerned about the odors with the heat of Florida. She questioned Snead Island and how we put a cost to that. These discussions need to be continued with the Commission. She doesn’t want the City of Palmetto to pay for Snead Islands’ use. They are planning to tour an AGS system in Alabama at the end of April if any of the Commissioners want to attend.

 

 Commissioner Joiner asked that they please email them the answers to the questions which were discussed.

 

  Mr. Rayan reiterated that they have the re-charge well permit application to go to SWFWMD. It will take a year. It is not a commitment to drill the well tomorrow. It is a 5-year permit.

 

2.            ORDINANCE 2025-03: COASTAL HIGH HAZARD AREA DISCUSSION (ATTORNEY/J.BIBLER)

 

This item will be discussed at a future Workshop, as time did not allow.

 

Mayor West adjourned the meeting at 6:02 pm.