River Ridge CDD elects officers, approves traffic-radar signs, landscape contract and several maintenance orders

Bob Schultz, chair of the River Ridge Community Development District, and the board elected district officers and approved multiple maintenance and traffic-calming contracts at the board’s Nov. 19 regular meeting in the River Club Conference Center in Estero.

Cleo Adams, district manager, administered the oath of office to newly elected supervisors Kurt Blumenthal (Seat 3), Terry Mountford (Seat 4) and Robert Twombly (Seat 5). The board then adopted Resolution 2025-02 to elect officers for the coming term, a motion that passed "with all in favor."

The board approved several vendor agreements and change orders. On a 3–2 vote the board authorized installing an electrical enclosure referred to in the minutes as a "zombie box" to power an aeration unit in Lake E1‑C at a cost of $3,098; supervisors Bob Schultz, Robert Twombly and Keith Merrill voted yes, and Terry Mountford and Kurt Blumenthal dissented. Staff had presented an alternative proposal to relocate the aeration equipment, with a Bentley Electric estimate that would have added roughly $10,755; the board agreed to revisit the relocation proposal in the proposed FY2026 budget discussions.

The board approved AV‑Tech LLC estimates to wire and install three permanent and one mobile 15‑inch solar-powered speed radar signs with cameras and messaging, plus cloud-device support at $1,500 per device per year. The packet lists an AV‑Tech combined total of $105,000 for those items; the motion passed unanimously. Board discussion noted $150,000 budgeted for traffic calming and an estimated $1,200 per pole from Paramount Asphalt should poles be needed.

Charlie Krebs, district engineer, presented a revised scope for the Seaside & Master Drainage Project; MRI (Hole Montes, Inc.) expected to begin work within two to three weeks. The board approved an Irrigation Concepts change order to repair damaged wiring ($4,002.50) and raise roughly seven to eight irrigation heads (about $1,300 each) in a not‑to‑exceed amount of $15,000.

On staff recommendation, and citing 'poor performance' by the incumbent contractor, the board voted unanimously to terminate the landscape service agreement with Laz’s Lawn Service, Inc., and engage GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services under a proposal of $58,500 (about $13,000 over the $45,000 budgeted amount). Management was authorized to terminate the existing agreement and execute the new engagement.

Cleo Adams presented unaudited financial statements as of Oct. 31, 2024; the minutes note that the Series 2022A note will be closed and funds applied to prepay bond debt. The board also approved amended minutes for the Oct. 22, 2024 meeting, as presented and amended, by unanimous vote.

District counsel and staff reported on outstanding items: differing county and village positions on ownership and maintenance responsibilities for portions of Corkscrew Road (counsel and the engineer reviewed historical documents), pending billing‑rate review for gatehouse and monument agreements, and an upcoming sidewalk inspection report and repair estimates to be presented in January. Eric Long, PSGRC general manager, said the Pelican Sound Community Safeguard Panel will include CDD representation on natural‑disaster mitigation and street‑safety objectives; he said he would report on the panel’s first meeting in December.

The board set its next meeting for Dec. 10, 2024, at 1 p.m. The minutes record two different adjournment times: one line states the meeting adjourned at 3:07 p.m., while a separate motion line records adjournment at 2:51 p.m.; the minutes show the motion to adjourn passed 'with all in favor.'