GRU Authority requests temporary injunction against ballot measure
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Authority (Authority) has filed an emergency motion for a temporary injunction and an expedited hearing in an effort to stop a referendum that is scheduled for the November 5 ballot. Although more than 20% of GRU’s customers live outside the city limits of Gainesville, the referendum would ask voters who live in the city to decide whether the Authority will continue as the governing body of GRU or control of the utility will revert to the City Commission, with an unspecified Charter Officer managing the utility in addition to that person’s regular duties (the City Commission has indicated that the utility will likely fall under the Office of the City Manager).
The details of the lawsuit can be found here, and the new motion asks Judge George Wright to hold an expedited hearing as soon as possible and issue a temporary injunction enjoining the ballot referendum from being held. If ballots have been printed, the motion asks Judge Wright to enjoin Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton from counting the votes or certifying the results and to enjoin the City of Gainesville from adding the new language to its charter.
Hanrahan ruined our utility implementing foreign policy here trying to stop climate change by going biomass…the GNV CC knows nothing about running a utility. They need to focus on essential services and stay out of trying to control the weather. The utility authority will use best management practices and keep foreign politics out of our utility bills.
State law should require mandatory classes on the actual responsibilities of politicians at the city and county levels. Ours sure don’t know what their job really is.
In the 1980s, when I was a highschool student, an entire semester was focused on government, the US Constitution, FLA Constitution, structure and responsibility of government, etc. It also compared world governments.
I don’t know if students in highschool receive this education today. But that class taught me to appreciate how the Constitution limits our government instead of government limiting our freedom.
GRU is Gainesville’s biggest scam! Taking advantage of being our ONLY option!
Mr. Walker wrote the Supervisor a letter explaining why the GRU referendum was illegal on June 19. The Supervisor never responded. It took the Authority nearly three months to authorize the current suits utilizing five (5) outside attorneys. The suits had been drafted for weeks. After a multi-year sabbatical, Bielarski takes a paid vacation and the Authority stopped meeting once per month as required by Article VII. If suit was timely filed, the referendum would have never gotten on the ballot and there would be no emergency. No curtailment of SLA Losses, IRP, rate relief, better pay for GRU workers or ratepayers has been even suggested.
We cannot allow GRU to be manipulated again like it was with the 2.5 billion dollar wood burner.