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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Technical difficulties derail discussion of $1.23 million Morse bridge project

Technical difficulties on Tuesday afternoon derailed discussion of a $1.23 million project at the Morse Boulevard bridge embankment.

The Coronavirus crisis has made it difficult for governmental bodies to live up to Florida’s Sunshine Laws which set a high bar for public access.

Social distancing forced about a dozen Project Wide Advisory Board members and Villages District officials to phone into Tuesday’s meeting held at the Savannah Center, gaveled into session – in person – by PWAC Chairman Peter Moeller.

The task at hand was a detailed review of the budget for the approaching fiscal year. The budget includes a revetment project at the Morse bridge embankment, a stormwater replacement program and a proposed $260,000 Lake Miona trail project.

Budget Director Barbara Kays, at the podium, presents the propsed budget to PWAC, represented by Chairman Peter Moeller, center at front table.

PWAC includes representation from Community Development Districts 5 through 12, as well as the Brownwood Community Development District.

The proposed $13.957 million budget represents an increase of $814,912 or 6 percent increase over the previous year. The PWAC budget is funded by maintenance assessment fees paid by Villagers in CDDs 5 through 12, soon to be joined by residents of CDD 13.

Budget Director Barbara Kays presented Power Point details at Tuesday’s meeting, but during discussion of the Morse bridge embankment projects, technical difficulties crashed the presentation.

Some PWAC members called in on landlines while others joined the meeting via cell phone. There were echoes, garbled voices and, at one point, a dog barking in the background. The whole process was made more difficult because those speaking into the microphones were wearing masks, which are now mandated at all recreation centers.

“We really can’t have a meeting like this,” said PWAC member Jerry Vicenti, a CDD 7 supervisor.

Several of his fellow PWAC members agreed.

“This is important stuff,” said CDD 8’s PWAC representative Dennis Hayes.

The budget review has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 at Savannah Center. This time, all of the PWAC members will be physically present for the meeting, potentially stretching the limits of social distancing.

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