Project Wide Advisory Committee officials are concerned about the rising prices of fuel, lumber and other commodities and the potential impact on budgeting.
PWAC, which oversees infrastructure and amenities south of County Road 466 in The Villages, is entering the budget season for 2021-22.
PWAC officials have recognized what is taking place across the nation with regard to shortages of parts and materials.
“We are seeing more and more shortages. In some areas, the price of lumber has quadrupled,” Budget Director Barbara Kays told PWAC members at their meeting Monday morning at Savannah Center.
There have also been labor shortages and pressure on wages.
“Some landscapers are paying over minimum wage,” said Kays, who noted that landscaping contracts make up a major part of the PWAC budget.
You can see the preliminary budgets reviewed Monday by PWAC at these links:
District Manager Richard Baier said shortages are being seen in “everything from ketchup packages to computer chips for vehicles.”
PWAC member Jerry Vicenti, who serves as chairman of the Community Development District 7 Board of Supervisors, recalled the scary times of sky-high inflation in the 1970s.
“Inflation would go up so much it was putting people out of business,” he said.
PWAC was able to lock in a $517,000 bid from Landirr, Inc. for the renovation of greens at the Sweetgum and Sandhill executive golf courses. The original budget for the Sweetgum and Sandhill renovations was $500,000.
