Resident Elijah Williams questions whether a contractor applied enough asphalt millings to Pine Street, Pine Terrace, and Pine Court to adequately cover the lime rock road.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Bronson Town Council members Monday tentatively approved raising water rates 23 percent over the next two years.

            The base rates for residential customers will rise from $8 per month for 2,000 gallons to $14.19 per month.

            Council members were given two options by Andrew Green of the Florida Rural Water Association for raising rates. One option was to levy the entire 23 percent at one time. The second was to spread the increase over two years.

            Council members opted for the two-year plan.

            Rates would rise by 11.5 percent this year for a total increase of $3.09. An identical increase would occur next year.

            Mayor Beatrice Roberts said the town’s water system is losing money by the bucketful.

            The proposed increase will come back to the board for public hearings after Town Attorney Steven Warm prepares the paperwork for council approval.

            The rate study was conducted free of charge by the Florida Rural Water Association. The study was provided as a benefit of membership.

            Roberts felt the two-year plan was best.

            Councilman Robert Partin asked when the city last raised rates. The consultant, Andrew Green, said in his report he didn’t know what year rates were raised previously.

            Councilman Jason Hunt suggested using option one to impose the full 23 percent increase in the first year of the rate hike.

            “If we do the 23 percent, they’re going to be angry, but if we do it over two years they’re going to be angry twice,” he said.

            The board didn’t agree with his logic and chose the option  to spread the rate hike over two years.

            Town Manager Candidates

            Town Council members will interview four town manager candidates on Friday and Saturday.

            Town manager candidates will be given a tour of Bronson by town employees from 1-3 p.m. Friday.

            Kenan McGill will be interviewed between 3 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. and George Beckhart between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

            On Saturday, Susan Beaudet will be interviewed from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and Rodney Lucas from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

            The Town Council will meet for a discussion of the candidates at 11:30 a.m. They will choose a candidate as the finalist for the town manager position.

            Jim Hanson and George Forbes, retired local government managers volunteered to work with the town council through the Florida League of Cities. The two men worked up advertisements, reviewed candidates, and recommended four qualified people they thought would be a good fit for Bronson.

            The push to hire a town manager came from ousted Town Councilman Berlon Weeks before he left office. Weeks felt there was no central leadership in Town Hall to guide employees, work with the council, and establish goals and projects to help the city grow.

            The town hired one previous town manager but former employees said he lasted about a month or two before leaving the post.

            Hanson and Forbes provided the town with the framework for selecting a town manager they felt could fit the town’s needs, but they said it would be the town council that would ultimately have to decide who should hold the job.

            Mayor Beatrice Roberts said the two candidates with some local ties will be interviewed on Friday.

            Legislative Meeting

            Roberts announced that the annual Levy County Legislative Delegation meeting is to be held Monday, Dec. 14 in the Gerald Heathcoat Community Room at Williston City Hall. The time of the meeting is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The meeting is open to the public.

             Residents and public officials will present their requests for legislation or assistance with issues at the state level. Recently elected Florida State Sen. Jennifer Bradley, District 5, and recently elected District 22 State Rep. Joe Harding will preside over the annual meeting.

            The freshman legislators represent Levy County in the Florida Legislature.

            Purchasing Public Works Truck

            Council members voted to purchase a new double-cab Silverado truck for public works at a price of $26,238 through the Florida Sheriff’s Association. The council will borrow the money at a 2 percent interest rate from Drummond Community Bank.

            Trouble with Millings

            Resident Elijah Williams questioned whether there were problems with the asphalt millings applied to Pine Terrace, Pine Court, and Pine Street. The three streets are connected to form one street.

            Williams said he drove over the street and noticed dust rising behind his vehicle. He wondered if the millings were thick enough to create an adequate surface.

            Councilman Aaron Edmondson told Williams the surface material on the street wasn’t asphalt. It was asphalt millings.

            Partin said the ground-up asphalt millings will gradually bond together after repeated rains and constant use by the public.

            Town Government Exempt

            The council gave final approval to an ordinance that exempts Bronson town government projects from the town’s zoning ordinance. The ordinance was adopted to allow for construction of the town’s new firehouse north of the Levy County Extension Center. The town won’t need to go through a zoning change. It is exempt.

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting December 7, 2020; Posted December 8, 2020