Tim Murphy’s “Joint Stakeholder Workshop on Utilities” Passed Into History: with tens of millions on the line, taxpayers need to pay attention
May 28, 2025 8:55 pm | 10 min read
FGC video screen grab. Columbia County Observer graphic
In a rush: read the one minute version here.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Tim Murphy’s “Joint Stakeholder Workshop on Utilities” passed into history Thursday afternoon (May 22). Various agencies, along with Columbia and Suwannee Counties and Lake City and Live Oak, attended for what was billed as ‘a meaningful opportunity to present updates on major projects, utility infrastructure, and large capital projects.’
As the meeting got underway, former Florida Gateway College number two, Mike McKee, who was billed as the present-day Phil Donahue for this meeting, turned the meeting over to Commissioner Murphy, who called the meeting to order.
Commissioner Murphy thanked the attendees for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend, telling the gathering, “Hopefully, coming out of this meeting, us here in North Florida will be able to come to a consensus on how we continue to carry North Florida in a positive manner into the future.”
Mr. McKee added, “We want to try to get as much information as possible out to the general public. And it's also an opportunity to share information about what each individual organization is doing about utilities and water resources and things like that.”
Mr. McKee failed to mention that it was only a last-minute change that allowed the meeting to be broadcast and recorded.
Forida’s Sunshine Law: An Impediment?
Commissioner Murphy: “Everybody in this room has got issues that we're dealing with, and unfortunately, us as elected officials and governments, we've got to operate in the sunshine. So, when I say that, unfortunately, we can't get -- we just can't go and talk this thing out.”
Staz Guntek, Columbia County's legislative liaison and registered lobbyist, addressed the key legislative themes impacting utilities and regional planning.
Mr. Guntek’s first theme was financial uncertainty and self-sufficiency.
He explained that property tax reforms and revenue replacement strategies remain unresolved in the legislature, creating uncertainty for local governments. He said that while utilities have been traditionally funded as enterprise funds, they must now prioritize self-sufficiency amid potential budget shortfalls and avoid reliance on general revenue. He added that future projects should account for fiscal unpredictability.
Mr. Guntek’s second theme was regionalization and long-term planning. He said that collaboration across counties is critical for scaling infrastructure efficiently, explaining that state funding increasingly prioritizes regional impact over isolated county/town projects.
Mr. Guntek pointed out that population growth in the region underscores the urgency for scalable, fiscally responsible infrastructure. Regional approaches to water recharge projects and grants will be essential to manage growth sustainably.
In short, the region's utilities must balance adaptability in revenue strategies with regional cooperation to address future demands amid the area’s growth.
Toting the company line and the undercurrent of Mr. Murphy's meeting to promote the recently formed impotent North Florida Water Utilities Authority was also included in Mr. Guntek's presentation.
Suwannee County
Shannon Roberts of Suwannee County presented a list of Suwannee County's ongoing and future projects related to potable and non-potable water, sewer services, and stormwater management.
Suwannee County's Franklin White is a major political
player in Suwannee County. (screenshot)
He emphasizes the pressure to support economic expansion and the challenges of resource constraints.
Suwannee County Commissioner Franklin White discussed the goal of attracting more businesses to Suwannee County with the hope of eventually lowering the tax burdens on county residents.
Commissioner White, who is also the Vice-Chair of the North Florida Water Utilities Authority, said, “You can walk for a lot, but you got to be able to accomplish it at the same time. And we've got our hands full. That's, that's kind of where Suwannee County is at."
Live Oak
City Manager Larry Sessions reported on recently completed work using ARPA funds to convert septic to sewer and replace water lines on some streets, looping lines to end dead-ends to eliminate brown water.
City Manager Sessions also reported a second septic-to-sewer conversion is 65% complete and being done in conjunction with the Water Management District and DEP.
Mr. Sessions announced he was also launching a comprehensive annexation plan for areas up to 2 miles outside city limits so utilities and annexation occur together, avoiding piecemeal disputes.
The City of Live Oak, facing the aging infrastructure of clay and cast-iron underground pipes, is working to modernize to reduce and prevent the ongoing significant daily water loss.
Live Oak is working on a downtown flood mitigation project through a hazard mitigation grant that is expected to cover roughly half the cost.
Mr. Sessions emphasized Live Oak’s urgent infrastructure needs.
Mr. Sessions concluded his presentation by mentioning he had thoughts on “desalination and coastal communities, what they can do to help us.” However, he was saving those explanations for another day.
Suwannee River Water Management District
Hugh Thomas, the executive director of the Water Management District (WMD), and Warren Zwanka, the District's chief hydrogeologist, explained what is going on in the District. However, neither mentioned any specific programs.
Mr. Thomas discussed the importance of a regional approach to water management in North Florida, highlighting ongoing water supply planning and challenges related to both water availability and wastewater management. He emphasized the need to address water quality issues, particularly concerning nitrate pollution from various sources, including septic tanks. He also mentioned the WMD has been collaborating with local communities on infrastructure improvements and regional solutions for water supply and wastewater.
Mr. Zwanka presented strategies for maximizing aquifer recharge. He outlined the geography of the area, noting the challenges posed by the local aquifer system and the need for effective water management practices, particularly during flooding periods. Mr. Zwanka emphasized the significance of understanding groundwater flow and positioning projects strategically away from contamination sources to enhance water resource sustainability.
Not mentioned were the ongoing discussions with the St. Johns Water Management District and the big water transfer from St. Johns to Suwannee River WMD territory. This monumental project would affect the District and may cost in the ten-of-millions.
Executive Director Thomas' key message was that regional collaboration and strategic planning are essential for addressing future water supply and quality challenges.
Looking at the recent performance of the WMD in Columbia County, Mr. Thomas' message is: do as we say, not as we do.
Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford: spoke the most; blurted out the most; interrupted the most; didn’t share his microphone; was an unabashed shill for the North Florida Water Utility Authority
Commissioner Rocky Ford makes a point. (screenshot)
Rocky Ford is a Columbia County commissioner and chairs the North Florida Water Utility Authority. The Authority is about to hire its first director and, in Mr. Ford's view, should lead long-term water-and-sewer planning for Columbia, Suwannee, and neighboring counties.
Mr. Ford spoke about the challenges he saw faced by local utilities, like operational costs, customer base needs, recharge permits, and funding. He noted that many areas are playing catch-up with their utilities.
Mr. Ford stressed the importance of strategic planning and getting the best value for money.
These were interesting comments from Commissioner Ford.
The North Florida Water Utilities Authority he chairs does not have a business plan, has neither short-term nor long-term strategic plans, failed to hire an executive director in the allotted time, and is contemplating a hire who is not qualified, an authority that can’t keep up-to-date minutes for reference; refuses (at the behest of Suwannee County manager Gregg Scott) to broadcast its meetings to enhance transparency; has a substandard website that is not kept up-to-date, and has hired a firm to do a rate study that has been nowhere in sight.
Mr. Ford suggested building a centralized sewage treatment plant in Fort White that could serve multiple areas, including Three Rivers, Ellisville, and others. He is not the first one to mention this regional approach. However, Columbia County has barely any utility customers, and Suwannee County has even fewer. Columbia County funds its utility losses on the backs of the taxpayers. Suwannee County is grant-funded, although that can't last forever. Mr. Ford's pie-in-the-sky suggestion to run sewage from Ellisville through a pipe to Fort White is not financially practical and has not been investigated.
Mr. Ford bundled Columbia County, Lake City, and Suwannee County together, claiming they are in "catch-up mode" due to fragmented planning and funding. While this is true for Columbia, it is partially true for Suwannee. Lake City is a different animal. Its utility makes money (it has over 8,500 customers). For decades, it has funneled money into the city's general fund to support other governmental services rather than having a plan to reinvest in its infrastructure. Questionable utility building practices (read: waste-fraud-and-abuse) have been ignored for decades and never investigated.
Mr. Ford is promoting shared costs across county lines and city limits. While this might work on certain projects, on others, it is suspect due to past neglect and geography, making Authority funding unfair for taxpayers who have nothing to do with other counties and their city’s utility incompetence, waste, and ignorance.
Mr. Ford’s comments conclude that regionalism is critical for future infrastructure resilience. He urged stakeholders to collaborate for cost savings, environmental protection, and efficient service delivery.
Mr. Ford's conclusion that the North Florida Water Utilities Authority is the way to get there is unsubstantiated based on facts, and facts can be an issue for Mr. Ford.
Commissioner Ford: getting his facts right?
During one of Mr. Ford’s afternoon presentations, he mentioned the Toho Water Authority. He said, “The key to keeping the cost down is the customer base and the size of the utility. I just saw a bill from Toho Water - those customers down by Orlando. She pays $7 a month for water. But when I checked into it, they have over 6 million customers.
Commissioner Rocky Ford:
Trouble getting his facts straight.
The facts: the Toho Water Authority is the largest provider of water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services in Osceola County. Toho currently serves 160,000 customers in St. Cloud, Kissimmee, Poinciana, and unincorporated areas of Osceola, Polk, and Orange counties. Water/wastewater and irrigation water are two separate charges from Toho.
If one used no water for irrigation, the charge would be $7.21. If you didn't use any water for drinking or flushing toilets, the minimum charge would be $25.13.
Suwannee County has stated it has 16 utility customers. Columbia County is different, as it is not clear who it is counting as customers.
Columbia County may have 30 customers in Ellisville, a few in small water utilities it runs in the county, and it is contracted to run Fort White's utility, which it contracts out and counts those customers as its own, which are around 300.
From the beginning, Commissioner Ford looked at Fort White as a Columbia County ticket to grant money -- that is not an economy of scale -- that is a hand outstretched for free money.
The Secret Guest & Utility Rock Star: Jeremy Johnston, Clay County Utility Authority (CCUA)
Mike McKee, the meeting's Phil Donohue, introduced Clay County Utility Authority Director Jeremy Johnston. "We have a guest here in the audience. His name is Jeremy Johnson [sic] (Johnston)… You actually have done this before, so how about giving us a little background."
Mr. McKee handed Mr. Johnston the mic, unlike when Columbia County Manager David Kraus spoke, who he just ignored.
Jeremy Johnston, executive director of the Clay County
Utility Authority (screenshot)
Mr. Johnston had previously appeared before the Utility Authority and seems to be a rock star of utilities, spreading knowledge and expertise.
Mr. Johnston explained his background and education: “I have an engineering degree going back to the mid-1990s from the University of Florida. I was an engineering consultant. I possess a professional engineering license in Florida. I consider myself a reformed engineer because the utility sent me to business school. I possess an MBA.”
He continued, “We run the utility like a business. All in all, I have about 28-29 years of total experience, from engineering design to construction operations, and now I am in executive leadership running the utility.”
Mr. Johnston discussed the utility's operations, biosolids management, financial strategies, and regional collaboration.
Operations & Biosolids Processing:
Mr. Johnston explained CCUA operates six regional wastewater facilities with advanced "Class A" biosolids processing via BCR technology, converting waste into commercial fertilizer. This process involves biochemical oxidation and polymer treatments, avoiding Class B biosolids land application.
Commissioner Ford was particularly interested in septic tank waste treatment, as his family business is septic systems, something which he didn’t mention.
Mr. Johnston explained CCUA has a dedicated facility (Miller Street) which handles septage, leveraging large flow volumes (4.99M gallons/day) to dilute contaminants. He said that smaller systems face challenges due to insufficient flow and high capital/operational costs ($6M per facility + ongoing chemical/staffing expenses).
Financial Strategy:
Mr. Johnston continued with his ‘quick course’ in utility management. He said CCUA primarily funds infrastructure through customer rates, supplemented by grants (e.g., a recent $6M grant). Debt financing (e.g., $105M via loans/notes) supports capital projects, with surpluses reinvested to minimize debt.
He said smaller municipalities face "chicken-and-egg" dilemmas: needing upfront grants to build infrastructure but requiring customer revenue to sustain operations. Mr. Johnston emphasized balancing grants with rate structures to cover debt/service costs.
Municipal Payments & Policy:
Mr. Johnston explained revenue sharing with municipalities.
CCUA transfers 4.5% of gross revenue to Clay County as a "payment in lieu of taxes" (PILT) for lost property tax revenue. Similar agreements exist with Keystone Heights.
Legislative debates focus on limiting utility-to-municipality revenue transfers (e.g., Miami Gardens’ 25% transfer criticized for diverting utility funds). CCUA’s 4.5% rate is seen as sustainable compared to proposed 10% caps.
Regional Collaboration:
CCUA participates in regional water projects (e.g., Black Creek recharge) to address environmental impacts of water demand. CCUA collaborates with Cedar Key, Putnam County, and others on wastewater solutions.
The North Florida Water Utilities Authority Undertow
Two years ago, the North Florida Water Utilities Authority began in darkness by North Florida Professional Services (NFPS) Greg Bailey and possibly NFPS business agent and lobbyist Dale Williams (he says he is not a lobbyist). After about a year, it morphed into the NFWUA with Dale Williams at the helm for 90 days at about $62,000. Dale Williams did not complete any of the three tasks he was initially assigned.
This meeting was billed as a Columbia County Commission workshop: Joint Stakeholder Workshop on Utilities. The only mention of the NFWUA on the day's agenda was a presentation by the Authority.
County Attorney Joel Foreman and Mike McKee (Phil Donohue), acting outside of their pay grades, both hawked the Authority.
Epilogue: Is the Columbia-Suwannee County regional utility authority ready for prime time?
It was clear from the meeting that utilities are going to play a large and expensive part in the future of Columbia and Suwannee Counties. Protecting the aquifer, springs, and rivers is a priority of the Governor and many of Florida's legislators.
The NFWUA, the hawking of which seemed the primary reason for the meeting, demonstrated that it is putting the cart before the horse; does not have the expertise to run the Authority; has not found someone who is qualified (a psychology degree and no utility operations experience); has no business plan, strategic plan or any plan; and has not been transparent when it counts and a vice chairman who sees Florida’s Sunshine Law as an impediment.
With a projected minimum of $100 million on the line, is the North Florida Water Utilities Authority ready for prime time?