The Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority met Wednesday for the first time in 2025.
Public comment consumed the start of the meeting, specifically on the termination of a Solar Power Purchase agreement, which was to be passed with the other consent agenda items.
A Solar Power Purchase agreement is a financial agreement where a developer arranges for the design, permitting, financing and installation of a solar energy system on a customer's property at little to no cost, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
The agreement, originally entered in July of 2020, was between the GRU and FL Solar 6, LLC, a limited liability company created by Origis Energy. According to the GRU agenda, the agreement was terminated because “...inflation, rising interest rates and escalating material costs caused project costs to increase substantially” since the initial agreement was signed.
Business owners and students voiced their disagreement with the GRU’s decision to terminate the Solar PPA during public comment on the consent agenda.
Janice Garry, the president of the League of Women Voters of Alachua County, argued the decision for the termination was decided without public transparency.
Garry said GRU customers deserved to know the plan and provide input about the decision and future reliable energy discussions.
“The decisions made in this room are out of step with the city of Gainesville and most GRU customers and voters,” she said.
Gainesville resident Chuck Ross said the benefit of the Solar PPA termination was not made clear to the public. He also brought up the pending court opinion on who will control the GRU authority following the passage of the Public Utilities Ordinance in November.
“I'm going to ask that you pull that and table it, because at this point, this board shouldn't be making any decisions,” he said. “While the item is pending as to whether or not you're going to be the authority further in the future.”
Melanie Schepman, the Gainesville Regional Lead for GenCLEO action, an organization dedicated to youth action for climate change, said these PPAs could help make solar energy more affordable for every household and contribute to an overall reduction of carbon emissions.
Sustainability is a long game, Schepman said, but by terminating the contract the authority is ending the progress toward renewable energy sources.
“GRU has to decide if they work for their rate payers or if they work for fossil fuel companies,” she said.
Despite opposition, the GRU Authority chose to pass the consent agenda. The authority affirmed the termination of the current PPA doesn’t preclude GRU from entering future agreements and the authority will continue to explore renewable energy sources.
During general public comment later in the meeting, community members clashed on whether or not the authority should address issues of fluoride in drinking water.
Fluoride has been permitted in drinking water since 1962 and is currently in the drinking water of three out of four Americans, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s estimated that 70% of Floridians on community water systems receive fluoridated water, based on self-reported data from 2023.
Gainesville resident Chris Russell said the additional fluoride in water is not necessary. The added fluoride needs to be cut down not only to improve public health and safety but also to save money, he said.
“Florida Administrative Code only requires the addition of one chemical to water for treatment,” he said. “That's chlorine…the additional fluoride…It's not necessary.”
Raemi Eagle-Glenn, a Gainesville resident, said fluoride is a drug that should not be forced upon citizens’ water supply. If toothpaste and mouthwash are required to say they contain fluoride, she argued the same message should be required on GRU pipes.
“Why are all GRU customers being medicated for decades by city officials without our consent?” she said. “The CDC and ADA, both very powerful lobbies, will maintain the latest findings on fluoride and neurotoxicity are preliminary…to the CDC and the ADA, I say this: we are not your lab rats.”
However, GRU ratepayer Bobby Mermer said the authority shouldn’t consider removing the fluoride. Mermer said his history with root canals is partially due to his childhood growing up on well water without added fluoride.
“I know it's fashionable right now to not fluoridate water, but please be the adults in the room. Leave this issue alone,” he said.
Bertram Hughs, a Gainesville dentist, said fluoride in water is not harmful.
“Fluoride is safe,” he said. “We have studied this at the CDC level, the ADA level, and peer reviewed studies all show this.”
The next GRU meeting is scheduled for Feb 5.
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!