Alachua County approves $68,732 short-term loan to help City of Archer keep wastewater project on schedule

The Alachua County Commission on May 27 approved a one‑time, short-term $68,732 general‑fund loan to the City of Archer to pay outstanding engineering invoices tied to a planned regional wastewater project and a smaller water system repair. The loan carries 4.5% interest and must be repaid within six weeks; if Archer cannot repay, the county will apply an equivalent amount of Archer’s infrastructure surtax allocation to satisfy repayment.

The loan was requested by Archer officials to cover unpaid invoices from engineering firm Kimley‑Horn needed to complete permitting materials for the wastewater collection system and to meet a reimbursement schedule with the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD). Archer representatives said several construction and grant agreements are pending, including an interlocal partner project with the City of Newberry and state grants, and engineers will not release final documents until the invoices are paid.

Why it matters: Archer officials said the outstanding fees are…