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 and several unincorporated communities. Committee members said the proposed changes are intended to reduce vacancies on the OUA board and to provide a consistent, modest stipend for directors who must attend lengthy meetings or miss paid work to serve.

Committee discussion and key details

Commissioner Tim Stanley of the Glades County Commission urged the committee to preserve a voice for Glades County on the OUA board, noting the history of the authority’s formation and recent development pressures in Buckhead Ridge. "OUA was formed by Beach Association and the city and the county," Stanley said, and he asked that Glades County retain at least one designated voice or receive preference when local applicants are considered.

John Hayford, executive director of the Okeechobee Utility Authority, described the compensation proposal as a modest meeting stipend intended to cover time spent attending the regular schedule of meetings. "The compensation was for board members to attend the regularly scheduled meetings, in full," Hayford said. "And, it would just be a stipend for that that meeting. Small, for the 12 regular meetings for the year." Hayford also confirmed there had been periods when the OUA lacked a quorum and could not hold meetings because alternate positions were vacant.

Steve Nelson, chairman of the Okeechobee Utility Authority board, said some board members have asked to be paid and that a stipend could help recruit and retain volunteers. "I do feel that with our particular board, with that amount of $100 you will attract some good quality," Nelson said when discussing higher figures that were floated during the meeting; the committee ultimately settled on the lower $35 figure.

India Bridal, identified as finance director for the City of Okeechobee, noted the city’s planning and zoning board receives $35 per meeting while its chair receives $50, and that the council has previously weighed compensation against duties and time commitments.

Appointment preferences and process

Committee members discussed a choice between requiring a Glades County resident for one of the seats and adopting a "service area" approach that would allow the city to appoint residents who live anywhere in the OUA service area. The committee agreed to ask the attorney to prepare language that would give first consideration or preference to Glades County applicants for that seat, but would permit appointments from the broader service area if no qualified Glades County applicant is available.

Those preferences would be implemented through the OUA board’s application and interview process. As several committee members noted, the four voting members of the OUA board conduct interviews and make selections for the fifth member and the alternate.

Next steps and administrative direction

Committee members asked staff and the attorney to draft the proposed amendment language for review. The draft amendment will be returned to the interlocal committee and then forwarded to the City Council and County Commission for formal approval or rejection.

No formal vote was recorded during the workshop; the committee recorded a consensus to prepare the amendment and to return the final language to the respective governing bodies for action.

Ending

Committee members also took a moment to thank OUA board members for their service; several speakers noted the authority’s role in keeping water and sewer service operating across the service area. The workshop adjourned after the committee directed staff to draft and circulate amendment language for formal consideration.