The Project Wide Advisory Committee got its first look this week at an infrastructure budget which is expected to rise by 15 percent.
A chunk of the increase is attributable to the fact that 449.55 acres of Community Development District 13 will be included in the budget for the first time. CDD 13 includes the villages of Bradford, Casson Hammock, Chitty Chatty, Citrus Grove, Hawkins, Richmond and St. Johns. Water for irrigation in CDD 13 will cost PWAC an additional $157,086. Additional landscaping maintenance south of State Road 44 will cost $1.03 million in the coming fiscal year.
A major change in the budget calls for the professional services line item to be eliminated from the PWAC budget and passed onto the individual community development districts, which are located south of County Road 466. The management fees for 2022-23 are projected to be $585,737. The money pays for the District Government staffers who prepare budgets, manage finances, oversee purchasing and other duties.
In addition, Budget Director Brandy Cook said the budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year was prepared with the expectation of “significant inflation.”
The budget, which is supported by maintenance assessment fees from residents living south of County Road 466, funds maintenance and upkeep of shared infrastructure.
“A 15 percent increase is going to be a tough pill to swallow,” said PWAC Chairman Don Wiley, who also serves as chairman of the Community Development District 10 Board of Supervisors.
Cook said it is expected that the budget increases in the next few years will be held to 4 percent.
PWAC members will further review the proposed budget when they meet in June.
