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Highlands Today

Private Firm May Run Avon Park Sewer Plant

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By BILL RETTEW JR.

Highlands Today

Published: October 20, 2008

AVON PARK - A private firm may be asked to run the city's sewer treatment plant in light of much-needed infrastructure improvements to the plant and a possible loss of key staffers.

Only preliminary discussions have been held with the company, and the city has taken no action.

City Manager Sarah Adelt said that this is one of many options Avon Park is considering. Selling the plant to a private company or laying off employees is not on the table, she added.

"We need to get the biggest bang for our buck," Adelt said.

Public Works Coordinator Ted Long has applied for the Public Works Director position with the town of Sebring. Another employee, one of three, is scheduled to retire Jan. 1.
Adelt said the state requires licensed operators to run the plant. While one prospective operator is in training, the training period lasts about a year.

"Operators are hard to find," she added.

Councilman Joe Wright said the city needs to spend money to make improvements.

He talked Wednesday about the possible benefits of hiring a private firm to manage the sewer treatment plant.

"We could generate revenue, make some capital improvements and put (money) back into the facility," Wright said. "Private industry could enhance revenue or reduce expenses."

He estimated that the facility will require about $500,000 worth of improvements during the next two to three years.
Adelt said Long can only remember two public rate increases during his quarter century of tenure.

"The money we should have put into it might not have been put into it the way we should have put into it," said Adelt.

The city has asked engineering firm, Chastain-Skillman Inc., of Sebring, to inspect the plant. Florida Rural Water Council, of which the city is a member, has also inspected the facility.
Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA), which could possibly operate the plant, will tour the facility this week.

Bill Rettew Jr. may be reached at 386-5857 or wrettew@highlandstoday.com.

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