Wildwood plans to spend $1.65 million to take over water and sewer plants at the Continental Country Club, located south of State Road 44 just west of Morse Boulevard and County Road 468.
The city commission voted Monday night to send a proposal to Continental Utilities Inc., which operates the plants.
Mayor Ed Wolf said the acquisition would make it easier to provide sewer and water services near the new proposed Florida Turnpike interchange along County Road 468.
“The most important thing for us is the 468 corridor,” he said. “Should a developer chose to develop in that area, we would have to provide services.”
Major developments have been proposed for the area. They include Landstone, which would include 8,000 homes on 4,000 acres near County Road 470, and Wildwood Springs, where 3,000 homes are planned on 1,046 acres near county roads 468 and 501. Both projects were proposed in 2008 and have been on hold since then.
The Continental sewer and water plants would operate as standalone facilities for now with eventual connection to Wildwood’s system when needed, said assistant city manager Jason McHugh, who has been working on the deal.
He said the plants serve 940 area residents and generate $454,000 in annual revenue. Wildwood’s minimum monthly charge would be $9.41 for water and $16.74 for sewer plus usage fees.
“We’re really confident that the net revenue we receive from the additional customers would more than pay for the cost,” McHugh said.
Under the proposed deal, Wildwood would pay off a $500,000 note on the plants and finance about $1.1 million in improvements including structural changes for the treatment plant, repainting the water tower and converting the chlorination system from gas to liquid. The improvements would be financed with bonds or a loan.
No additional employees would be needed to operate the plants, said utilities director Dave Watson.
In other business, the commission reluctantly accepted a city population estimate of 7,473 from the state. City officials believe Wildwood’s population actually is 8,510. The estimate is based on electric meters.
“We know there’s a section of the city that’s not being counted,” Wolf said.
Melanie Peavy, development services director, said in a memo that there isn’t time to challenge the state figure this year.
