By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Bronson Mayor Robert Partin announced Monday that the Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative has officially been established as a corporation with himself as the chairman of the board of directors.

            The board, which also includes Cedar Key Water and Sewer District board member Joe Hand as vice chairman and Cedar Key City Councilman Zim Padgett as secretary-treasurer, has applied for $110 million in startup money.

            “We have three board members now. We hope that will expand,” Partin said.

            The plan is for the cooperative to run a water line and a sewer line from the Bronson area through Otter Creek and west to Cedar Key. The lines will run past the unincorporated communities of Sumner and Rosewood. It isn’t clear at this point if Sumner and Rosewood will be served by the cooperative’s water and sewer lines.

            Bronson Councilman Franklin Schuler asked if there would be a board of directors and if Bronson would have equal representation to Otter Creek and Cedar Key.

            Partin said there is a board of directors and Bronson would have equal representation to the other cities, but said he and Bronson Town Attorney Steven Warm had to ward off a challenge from Cedar Key on that issue.

            “We’ve had a couple of situations where we said we can’t have two representatives from Cedar Key and one from Bronson. We’ve already crossed that part,” Partin said.

            The reason for equal representation is that each city will have a shared financial interest in the cooperative and no one city can have more political power than the other municipalities in decision-making.

            Padgett is a newcomer to politics. He was elected this year to the Otter Creek City Council. He has a number of past criminal arrests but was never convicted of a felony.

            Many of the financial aspects surrounding the cooperative aren’t well understood by the public. Partin said he doesn’t have all the answers either. When asked how much grant money the cooperative was applying for, he responded, “a bunch.”

            “What’s a bunch?” a reporter asked.

            Town Manager Susan Beaudet responded, “officially $110 million, but then we’re going to be applying for lots of other grants as well.”

            Partin said the cooperative has involvement from all levels of government.

            “Every government office from here to Washington is involved in this thing. We have an endorsement letter from both U.S. Senators, our own (Congresswoman) Kat Cammack, and the governor’s office is on board. Everyone says it’s a go,” Partin said. “Any time I looked up there, they’re finding more money for me. It’s amazing. It’s scary to be perfectly honest with you. I have told them that Mr. Warm has been right with me.”

            Partin said he has asked for a public workshop to make sure everyone in the community understands what’s going on with the cooperative.

            “It’s beyond my ability to tell it to you because I don’t have all the answers to all the questions like where the money’s coming from. They have grants they’re applying for. There will be some activity in town starting here soon for allocation for buying property. It’s something that’s going to benefit all of us. I’ve made a point this will be a zero-cost factor for us.”

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting July 24, 2023; Posted July 25, 2023