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Water Policy Review Commission
MINUTES
Regular meeting
Feb. 14, 2002
Training Rooms (first floor)
Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center
123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand

MEMBERS
Bill Scovell (present)
Fritz Behring (absent)
Randy Brewer (absent)
Richard Fernandez (present)
Ken Hoblick (absent)
Elizabeth Layton (present)
Beth McGee (absent)
Tom McClelland (absent)
Steven Provost (present)

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by Chair Bill Scovell at 6:05 p.m. with the above attendance noted. Also in attendance were Cindy Finney, County Manager’s Office, Dan Eckert, County Attorney, Gloria Marwick, Volusia County Water and Utilities and Tom Carey, Environmental Management.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2002 MEETING
Elizabeth Layton made a motion that the minutes be accepted. Richard Fernandez seconded the motion. The motion was passed 7-0 and the minutes were adopted as written.

GUEST SPEAKER: JACOB VARN, CONSULTANT WITH VOLUSIAN WATER ALLIANCE
Mr. Scovell introduced Jacob Varn, who was hired by the Volusian Water Alliance (VWA) to perform an Implementation Strategy Alternatives Evaluation. Mr. Varn said he and his law partner, Linda Shelley, have been meeting with people to develop a series of options. They still have quite a few people to talk to and will meet with the VWA Technical and Managers Advisory Committees on Feb. 15. He gave the Commissioners copies of a memo sent to VWA Board members (attached) with a series of questions. The questions were phrased as neutrally as possible but with the goal of trying to determine what people's aspirations and ideals are, Mr. Varn said. This process is about what local people want. His job is to listen and facilitate. Three things are necessary: trust - - with 16 local governments there has to be an element of trust or cooperation; funding and leadership - - someone must say this is the right thing to do.

Mr. Varn said he hoped people would come to the meeting and start thinking, relative to water, do you want to develop new sources of water outside of Volusia County. He would like to see goals established. Another fundamental question is if water sources are developed, should the water be available for cost or profit?

Having talked to some local governments, some said they have all the water they need and their community is not growing. His question to them is will it always be that way? Are they sure their current water supply will be there 20-30 years from now? Mr. Varn said his experience has been there are no guarantees. The City of Tampa is an example of this kind of thinking, he said. A discussion ensued on Tampa's problems with water supply.

What needs to be done is to make enough water for everybody, he said. Then you don’t have to argue about the size of the "water pie." It will be large enough for everybody. The real argument is how much water is going to cost. We will be more constructive if we make the "pie" bigger instead of fighting over the size of the pieces.

Mr. Scovell asked about blended rates in Tampa. Mr. Varn said Tampa went though a series of steps to get where it is today. The Legislature gave the city its solution. He said Volusia County is ahead of the curve and can still decide its own fate. Can we weave what people are saying together and set common goals? In Tampa they agreed to have a unitary rate, with everyone charged the same for water. This solved a lot of problems.

Most local governments make money from their water and should be helped to continue to do so, Mr. Varn said.

A discussion ensued on question 3, "If new water sources are developed, to whom will the water be available (local governments, private utilities, private customers)?" A discussion ensued. More water can be obtained out of a total system collectively than by managing it individually, he said. Question 4, "If new water sources are developed, should it be provided raw to its customers or treated?" He suggested groundwater be distributed raw so customers can treat it how they want. River water must be treated.

Question 5, "What is the best way to develop new water sources? Through existing local government or a new entity?" Do we ask the water management district to do it? The answer is no, he said. There is a conflict between people who regulate the water and who are in the supply business.

Question 6, "If a new entity is created, should it develop only new water sources or purchase existing water supply sources?" A unitary rate puts everyone in the same boat and allows the cost to be spread over a bigger base. It is easier financially, he said.

Mr. Scovell asked if there was a possibility the water management district would dedicate part of its tax revenue to this project? Mr. Varn said he hoped it would happen. A discussion ensued.

Tom McClelland said some have resisted attempts by this Commission or its predecessors to move directly to suggesting an authority or something of that nature. Some felt the WVA was moving forward and eventually would evolve into something that could manage all the water in Volusia County. However, now people are backing out of the VWA and there seems a potential for it to fall apart. It makes the task of creating an entity to respond to some of these questions difficult. We will have to go back and rebuild so that we have 16 local governments sitting at the same table, he said

Mr. Varn said he believes sooner or later all parties will be at the same table. He said he intends to identify a series of realistic options that are available for the County. The question is, where do locals want to go with it? Can we fashion something they are comfortable with, something that is not a threat to the way they do business? He said he hoped we can get a common vision of what we want to do. Getting people to unify so they are not competing with each other is a key element to this.

Mr. Varn said he does not have an agenda and will do what the local folks want to do. He said he thinks he may be able to help the community by framing the question. He provided his telephone number and e-mail address and asked Commission members to call him with any input and questions.

NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Scovell presented the Commission with a proposal of an advisory ballot for the November 2002 elections (attached). He said he believed the Commission had reached consensus on the four issues in the proposal. If residents approve of the proposal in an election, then political leaders will have to listen, he said.

ADJOURN/SET NEXT MEETING DATE
There being no further business, the Commission adjourned at 7:47 p.m. The next meeting of the Commission will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2002 in the Training Rooms, Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, DeLand.

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