Members of the Project Wide Advisory Committee on Monday began exploring the potential fallout of a divorce from Community Development District 7.
Last month, CDD 7 supervisors debated the possibility of withholding $1.292 million from the 2020-21 PWAC budget. CDD 7 supervisors are worried about climbing costs and the unbridled growth of The Villages south of State Road 44.
PWAC is in the process of finalizing a $14 million budget for 2020-21, which includes $130,000 in design fees for a revetment project at the Morse Boulevard Bridge. CDD 7 supervisors for years have spoken out against the idea of residents paying to fix the embankment at the bridge over Lake Sumter.
PWAC Vice Chairman Dennis Hayes, a Community Development District 8 supervisor, wondered what would happen if CDD 7 followed through with the threatened divorce and refused to fund its portion of the budget.
“Will other districts have to pick up the balance?” Hayes asked.
PWAC attorney Lewis Stone said that would be a decision up to the other members of PWAC.
“If the budget is not fully funded, it would be incumbent on those funding the budget to decide how to proceed,” Stone said.
The PWAC budget pays for shared infrastructure and is funded by assessment fees paid by residents living south of State Road 44.
CDD 7’s counsel, Mark Brionez, said he has been researching the thorny topic.
CDD 7 is part of an intergovernmental agreement that binds PWAC together.
“There has to be mutual agreement for one party to exit. There is no ‘opt in’ or ‘opt out.’ Once you’re in, you’re in,” said Brionez, who indicatied he is working on a memo on the issue.
CDD 7’s representative on PWAC, Jerry Vicenti, was tight-lipped during Monday’s meeting. He said CDD 7 will be discussing the issue at its meeting later this month.
PWAC member Chuck Wildzunas, a CDD 5 supervisor, called for a timeout.
“I think we are spending too much time on potential hypothetical options,” the Village of Winifred resident said.
