In a Tuesday special meeting, the Gainesville City Commission unanimously passed the second version of a GRU authority oversight referendum, which will allow constituents to determine where the power will fall in the November general election.
The ordinance was originally passed through a first and second reading May 16 and May 24, respectively. However, due to the lack of a business impact estimate in the initial proposal, the ordinance was reintroduced, and the new edition passed through a first reading June 6.
Community members spoke on both sides of the issue.
Bobby Mermer, Alachua County Labor Coalition coordinator, was not a stranger to the referendum. He advocated for its approval in previous meetings
“We thank each and every one of you for your previous votes on this issue and look forward to seeing another unanimous yes vote today,” Mermer said.
Susan Bottcher, a former Gainesville city commissioner, said the institution of a governor-appointed authority has brought “disruption and chaos.”
“We have to put [GRU] back into the hands of something stable, like the elected body who are responsive and responsible to the constituents as well as to the organization that is our public utility,” Bottcher said.
However, GRU customer Jim Konish said placing a referendum on the ballot violates the city charter.
“Your municipal powers are limited by any express preemption whatsoever that comes from the state of Florida and in the city charter,” he said. “There is such a preemption that forbids the city from doing anything and conflict with Article Seven, including running to the voters in a feeble attempt to repeal it.”
Konish said he wrote a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis requesting he put a stop to the “rogue City Commission.”
The referendum follows the Gainesville City Commission and GRU authority’s recent debate over the General Funds Transfer, which refers to the revenue the utility returns annually to support city functions.
City Manager Cynthia Curry argued the GFT will play a vital role in the fiscal year 2025 budget, characterizing utility transfers as “a crucial source of funding for its community” in a June 17 news release. However, GRU authority members said Gainesville is “an addict” of the transfer and further accused the city commission of plunging GRU into debt, which totals to $68 million.
During the city’s fiscal year 2025 budget presentation, Curry acknowledged the discourse over the continuation of the GFT.
“As manager, I clearly don't want to be in a position, and I don't feel that I am in a position, where I am going tit for tat with GRU,” she said. “It's simply the fact that … the revenue coming from GRU and the government services contribution represents approximately 10% of our general fund budget.”
Alachua County resident Tyler Foerst quoted Bielarski during public comment, who he said thought “there’s virtually no one who would legitimately argue that the GFT is not a transfer that GRU should make to general government.”
The governor-appointed authority is “dysfunctional” and “harmful,” and he said the referendum is ultimately about who holds power.
In its meeting June 12, the GRU authority voted to fire former GRU General Manager Tony Cunningham. Cunningham, who had been a member of the utility since it was under city commission control, was replaced by Bielarski, former GRU authority chair.
Public commenters characterized Cunningham’s termination as “unjust.”
Following the referendum’s passage Tuesday, Commissioner Casey Willits criticized Bielarski’s recent behavior.
“I know that I, as the governing authority would, never look at employees who are doing their best job…and say they're arrogant,” he said. “Or that they are somehow nefarious or working against the greater good of this city. That's something I will pledge will not be coming out of my mouth, like I heard came out of the mouth of the governing GRU authority.”
The next Gainesville City Commission meeting will take place June 20.
Contact Morgan Vanderlaan at mvanderlaan@alligator.org. Follow her on X @morgvande.
Morgan Vanderlaan is a second year Political Science major and the Fall 2024 Politics Enterprise Reporter. When she's not on the clock she can be found writing, reciting, and watching theatre!
