An official warned of the potential of deeper divisions between community development districts in The Villages as a conflict resolution meeting Thursday afternoon turned contentious.

Community Development District 7 Board of Supervisors Chairman Jerry Vicenti, seated next to his board’s independent counsel, repeated a sentiment expressed earlier that he believed a July 1 conflict resolution meeting over formation of a second Project Wide Advisory Committee had been a positive step.

However, since that July 1 meeting, the Sumter Landing Community Development District Board of Supervisors declared that it has no interest in moving forward with a second PWAC, a move which had stalled last year when CDD 7 supervisors refused to sign onto a new interlocal agreement.

Attorney Mark Brionez John Callandro Larry McMurry Smoke Hickman John Miller Don Brozick Jerry Vicenti and attorney Michael Eckert
Attorney Mark Brionez, John Calandro, Larry McMurry, Smoke Hickman, John Miller, Don Brozick, Jerry Vicenti and attorney Michael Eckert, from left, at Thursday’s meeting at Everglades Recreation Center.

Vicenti reiterated that the CDD 7 board is not opposed to the concept of PWAC or the formation of a second PWAC, but remain concerned about language that makes PWAC subservient to the Sumter Landing board, which is made up of supervisors beholden to the Developer.

In addition to Vicenti and CDD 7 counsel Michael Eckert, Thursday’s meeting at Everglades Recreation Center included:

• CDD 6 Board Chairman John Calandro

• CDD 8 Board Chairman Larry McMurry

• CDD 9 Supervisor Smoke Hickman

• CDD 10 Board Chairman John Miller

• CDD 11 Board Chairman Don Brozick, who earlier this week was named PWAC chairman

• District Counsel Mark Brionez

With the exception of Vicenti and his attorney, the other officials were reluctant to move forward with the meeting, indicating that the Sumter Landing board’s recent announcement extinguished any hope of establishing a second PWAC.

“If Sumter Landing has closed the door, we are kind of wasting our time,” Brozick said.

However, Vicenti and Eckert insisted on pushing forward. Eckert had a list of items he wished to discuss with the other CDD supervisors.

“I am prepared to go through the items so you can take the information back to your boards,” Eckert said.  “We are going to keep negotiating for a better deal for the residents.”

Items that CDD 7 would like to see in a future PWAC agreement include:

• Inspections of infrastructure by someone other than the Developer or someone working for the Developer prior to that infrastructure being turned over to the residents.

• A two-year warranty on infrastructure

• An understanding about an assessment on vertical infrastructure such as apartments so homeowners don’t end up paying an unfair burden when it comes to maintenance costs.

CDD 7 has indicated that it wants to be certain that residents of apartments, like the Lofts at Brownwood, are paying their fair share when it comes to shared maintenance.

The meeting, which was attended by several other CDD supervisors, appeared to end on a sour note. No questions were taken from the audience.

Vicenti said it is important for residents to know what has been taking place.

“We want to make sure the public knows that what we want is what will benefit the residents,” he said.

Vicenti added that he feared the result of the entire process could be deeper divisions between the community development districts in The Villages.

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