Interlocal committee agrees in principle to amend OUA rules on appointee residency and stipends

An interlocal committee of city and county representatives agreed in concept on Wednesday to draft amendments to the Okeechobee Utility Authority’s interlocal agreement to ease residency requirements for city appointees, set a modest stipend for board members and add a preference process for at least one seat for Glades County residents.

The committee asked the OUA’s attorney to draft language that would let the city appoint a board member who lives anywhere in the authority’s service area — not strictly within city limits — and to add a compensation policy that would make board members eligible to receive $35 per meeting, limited to one meeting per month, with reimbursement for per diem and travel “as provided by Section 112.061.” The draft would require board members to request the stipend annually by Oct. 1.

The changes were presented during a workshop attended by two county commissioners and two city council members that is charged with reviewing OUA issues and forwarding recommendations to the governing boards for approval.

Why it matters: The Okeechobee Utility Authority serves a multi‑jurisdictional service area that includes parts of Okeechobee and Glades counties…