HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 1979-14 Intention of Council to take necessary steps to Protect the Cosuming Public for Water & Sewer ServicesRESOLUTION NO. 14-79
A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF NORTH PALM BEACH,
FLORIDA, EXPRESSING THE INTENTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL TO TAKE
ALL REASONABLE AND NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT THE CONSUMING PUBLIC
FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICES IN THE VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH AN1)
NEIGIIBORING COMMUNITIES AND SETTING FORTH CONSIDERATIONS ON ACQUISITION
OF THE UTILITY BY ONE OR MORE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WHERE WATER AND
SEWER SERVICE IS BEING PROVIDED.
WHEREAS, water and sewer service to residents and other
consumers in the corporate limits of the Village of North Palm Beach
are provided by a privately owned utility; and
WHEREAS, this utility, Seacoast Utilities, Inc., also
provides service simultaneously to similar entities in the Town of
Lake Park, the City of Palm Beach Gardens, and the unincorporated
area in Palm Beach County; and
WHEREAS, the cost of water and sewer service has rapidly
escalated in the past few years and a petition is presently pending
to further dramatically increase the cost of said water and sewer
service; and
WHEREAS, service complaints have been rampant throughout
the area for the past few years concerning water and sewer service
both as to its quality, quanity and responsiveness to the needs of
the consumer; and
WHEREAS, acquisition of the privately owned water and
sewer utility by local government may result in better service at
lower cost to the consumer.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF
NORTH PALM BEACH, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, as follows:
Section 1. The Village of North Palm Beach hereby expresses
its intention to take all necessary and reasonable steps to in-
vestigate the acquisition of Seacoast Utilities, Inc. in an effort to
protect the consuming public from extraordinary rate increases and to
provide the consuming public with responsible service.
Section 2. The Village of North Palm Beach expresses its
intention hereby to cooperatively seek to acquire the water and sewer
assets of Seacoast Utilities, Inc. in conjunction with the City of
Palm Beach Gardens and/or the Town of Lake Park through inter -local
agreements permitted by Chapter 163 Florida Statutes by creation of
an inter -governmental entity which will proceed with acquisition, or
by seeking acquisition itself combined with guarantees and assurances
that the other two governmental entities and the consumers located
within would receive equal treatment with the consumers in the
corporate limits of the Village of North Palm Beach. It is the in-
tention to cooperate with other municipalities served by Seacoast
Utilities, Inc. and seeks their cooperation in effectively solving
the water and sewer utility problems in the area.
Section 3. The Village Council of North Palm Beach
requests hereby a response from the Town of Lake Park and the City
of Palm Beach Gardens whether they are interested in considering the
acquisition of Seacoast Utilities, Inc. assets located within their
municipal boundaries for collection and distribution with treatment
plants being acquired separately, or whether they are interested in
one municipality purchasing the entire system with binding agreements
between the three municipalities guaranteeing that the operation of
the utility by one city would inure equally to the benefit of the
three municipalities and the consumers therein.
Section 4. The Village Clerk is hereby directed to furnish
copies of this Resolution to the Mayors and Managers of the Town of
Lake Park and the City of Palm Beach Gardens.
Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately
upon passage.
PASSEL) AND ADOPTED THIS 8TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1979.
/s/ Al Moore
MAYOR
ATTEST:
/s/ Dolores R. Walker
Village Clerk