Two Community Development District 8 supervisors made it clear Friday that they have very different views on the future of the Project Wide Advisory Committee.
The Sumter Landing Community Development District Board of Supervisors on Thursday approved an updated agreement that would allow Community Development District 12 and Community Development District 13 to break away and form PWAC II south of State Road 44. The SLCDD board is the parent board of the original PWAC, which allows CDDs to pool resources for infrastructure improvements and upkeep south of County Road 466.
You can read the agreement approved by the SLCDD board at this link: Fourth_Amended_and_Restated_IGA_20210527_v3
Now all of the PWAC member boards, CDD 5 through 12, will have to sign on the dotted line to form PWAC II.
CDD 8 Supervisors Sal Torname and Duane Johnson made it clear during Friday’s board meeting they don’t see eye to eye when it comes to signing off on the new PWAC deal. If any CDD fails to approve it, the deal is off.
Torname has echoed the sentiments of Community Development District 7 Supervisor Jerry Vicenti in calling for the word “advisory” to be removed from PWAC’s mission and instead make it the key decision maker. Right now, SLCDD supervisors have that power, with regard to both infrastructure and amenities. The rub is that the SLCDD supervisors have deep ties to the Developer and will carry out his agenda.
Torname is also asking for a fairer method of funding PWAC. Right now, residents fund 92 percent of the PWAC budget, while the Sumter Landing and Brownwood commercial districts pay only a sliver. The funding formula is based on assessable acreage and houses cover far more land than commercial entities.
“Change the allocation methodology of expenses from assessable taxable acreage to total acreage, including parking and undeveloped land,” Torname said.
The Village of St. James resident said he could not vote in favor of the agreement approved earlier this week by the SLCDD board.
“I am looking for a two-way conversation with the Sumter Landing board,” Torname said.
Johnson, who serves as CDD 8’s alternate representative on PWAC, also staked out his position.
“I think we are talking bluster. We have an agreement. A solid agreement,” the Village of St. Charles resident said.
He also had a message for CDD 7, which has hired independent legal counsel, and appears to be ready to play spoiler when it comes to PWAC II.
“I will not be hijacked by District 7,” Johnson said.
He added that he would “welcome” CDDs 12 and 13 to stay in PWAC. CDD 13 does not currently have representation on the PWAC board, but would be phased in if the parties fall back on the previous agreement.
Decision day for the CDDs will come next month.
“We will have a full blown conversation in July,” said Supervisor Dennis Hayes, CDD 8’s primary representative on PWAC.