Konish: The City of Gainesville has not lost control of GRU – yet
Letter to the editor
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Authority Chair Ed Bielarski has endeavored to explain why the City has “lost control” over GRU at Authority meetings and in his book. This unfortunately is presently a myth, and it is also a myth that GRU’s biomass plant is “green.” GRU CEO/GM Tony Cunningham continues to answer to the advice of City Attorney Daniel Nee and Mayor Harvey Ward.
Cunningham failed to bring forth a GRU budget last year that conformed to the dictates of Article VII of the City Charter, except for minor belated tweaks.
The proposed GRU FY25 budget is a continuation budget:
- There is to be no complete assessment of Service Level Agreement (SLA) losses as required by 7.02(6) & (11). GRU is still, “looking at it” one full year from the passage of HB 1645.
- The budget continues full GRU ratepayer funding for a City Attorney’s office that operates as Folds/Walker’s co-counsel and mostly opposing council – an ugly ethical contortion.
Section 7.12 of the GRU Authority Charter Provides:
“7.12 Limitation on utility directives. – The Authority and the CEO/GM, in making all policy and operational decisions over the affairs of the utility system as contemplated under the provisions of this act, shall consider only pecuniary factors and utility industry best practices standards, which do not include consideration of the furtherance of social, political, or ideological interests. Appropriate pecuniary factors and utility industry best practices are those which solely further the fiscal and financial benefit of the utility system and customers. This provision does not prohibit the establishment and application of rate structures based on utility usage.” (Emphasis added)
The main duty that the Authority members have sworn to uphold is to make sure that GRU CEO/GM Cunningham and each member “consider only pecuniary factors and utility best practices.” Mr. Cunningham is to be held accountable by an Authority that, under HB 1645, has usurped nearly all former powers of the Gainesville City Commission and the GRU General Manager in the now-deleted Section 3.06 of the City Charter.
The newly appointed Authority needs to immediately identify all budget items that run afoul of Section 7.12 and eliminate them in the FY25 budget. SLA losses are huge.
The combustion of whole trees is not “green.” Only the GRU ratepayer money that is getting wasted is green.
Jim Konish, Gainesville
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Thanks for putting in print what many have known, “GRU CEO/GM Tony Cunningham continues to answer to the advice of City Attorney Daniel Nee and Mayor Harvey Ward.”
One can’t help but wonder what “backdoor deals” they’ve got worked out between them.
Well Mr. Konish, I think that we need the whole POLITICAL establishment replaced, the current ones sure have not done a good job in the past.
Of course, there’s zero chance of that happening, Gene..sadly. This city (and for the most part, the county is lost.
Your assessment is disingenuous.
1645 went into effect on July 1, 2023. The governor didn’t appoint a board a few days prior to the first meeting. You express a personal view of the highest priority for the board, without recognition that board members have responsibilities as fiduciaries and should never make decisions without the appropriate facts and observations upon which to base an informed decision. Bullying rants demanding immediate action on AC are just that, one (easily dismissible) point of view. Mr. Cunningham and his staff have done an excellent job of preparing the previous board to fulfill their responsibilities and I have no doubt that he will do so for the new board if they are similarly inclined. Keys to success moving forward are an independent attorney (that’s a battle between the City attorney and the Board and their attorney, Not Mr Cunningham) and a board willing to become better informed so they can responsibly fulfill their responsibilities.
Mr. Cunningham has been stripped of all previous Sec. 3.06 powers, and 31 related ordinances granting the former GRU City Charter GM were wiped away. He has not been duly appointed CEO/GM. Instead he is merely grandfathered. The Authority has twice voted to search for alternate candidates for initially $50 thousand then $90 thousand. Mr. Cunningham is complicit is the ongoing hemorrhaging of millions of GRU Ratepayer $ without a shred of legal authorization in clear violation of HB 1645. That is why our duly elected local state representatives seek his resignation or removal.
Jim, regardless of what you may perceive, CEOs have the task of keeping operations moving regardless of the political environment they may find themselves mired in. That is precisely, I believe, what Cunningham is doing and, doing quite well considering the circumstances. Give it time.
“…our duly elected local state representatives.”
Who are they? Sen Perry is elected primarily by voters in Marion and Levy county, Clemons by voters in Gilchrist and Levy county. Neither could win a race for dog catcher among GRU customers. In fact, in their last races, both had even more of Alachua County voters trimmed from their districts, which is how I ended up with my state House representative in McClenny and my state Senator in Orange Park. Obviously neither of them have anything to do with the interests of me and my neighbors, but that’s not the point. Gerrymandering to protect seats and weaken the rightful impact of voters who tend to favor the opposing party is. Formally important in state politics, Alachua County is neutered.
So Jim – cut the crap about “our duly elected local state representatives.” We don’t have any.
100 years ago it was trendy to start public utilities. Since that time, Americans have learned politicians are no more trustworthy than robber barons.
Have you filed any lawsuits regarding your “findings?”
The Gainesville City Commission is UNIQUE.
They are the ONLY city in the ENTIRE state of Florida that has ABUSED the General Fund Transfer of money from their MUNICIPAL utility to their city.
And, they are the only municipal utility in Florida to enter into a multi BILLION dollar biomass/tree burner incinerator plant for power we did NOT need – the WORST utility contract in the country.