River Ridge CDD elects officers and approves traffic-calming equipment, landscaping and irrigation contracts

Bob Schultz, chair of the River Ridge Community Development District, presided over a Nov. 19, 2024 meeting in Estero where the board elected officers and approved a series of operational contracts and repairs affecting roads, lakes, landscaping and traffic-calming measures.

The board adopted Resolution 2025‑02 to elect its officers after Terry Mountford nominated a slate that kept Bob Schultz as chair and named Mountford vice chair; the measure passed unanimously. Clemency on contracts followed: the board approved traffic‑calming equipment from AV‑Tech LLC, an irrigation change order, the termination of Laz’s Lawn Service and engagement of GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services, and a temporary fix for a lake aeration relocation.

Why it matters: the meeting authorized near-term spending that will affect neighborhood appearance, stormwater/drainage work and how speeding is monitored and enforced in Pelican Sound. The traffic signs and cloud services approved by the board represent a one-time outlay plus ongoing cloud fees that could be shifted to the homeowner association; the landscaping decision increases recurring contract costs above the current budgeted amount.

Traffic signs and enforcement: Operations staff presented AV‑Tech Estimates 24150 and 24151 for three permanent 15" solar-powered digital radar signs and one mobile unit, cameras and messaging, and an annual cloud subscription at $1,500 per device. Eric Long, PSGRC general manager, reported that an existing unit logged about 800 speeding violations over a three-week period and suggested moving one unit 20–30 yards to improve effectiveness; the board approved the combined AV‑Tech package for $105,000 (motion by Bob Schultz; second by Kurt Blumenthal), with the vote unanimous.

Lake aeration and the 'zombie box': Staff revisited a proposal to relocate an aeration system in Lake E1‑C and presented a revised Bentley Electric proposal that would add about 125 feet of electrical work and an alternative $10,755 relocation. The board instead approved installing a temporary 'zombie box' at the existing location for $3,098 to defer full relocation work to future budget discussions. The motion (mover: Bob Schultz; second: Robert Twombly) passed 3–2, with Schultz, Twombly and Keith Merrill voting in favor and Terry Mountford and Kurt Blumenthal opposed.

Irrigation and drainage work: District engineer Charlie Krebs presented a revised Seaside & Master Drainage Project scope and additional costs from Irrigation Concepts—$4,002.50 to repair damaged wiring and roughly $1,300 each to raise seven to eight irrigation heads. The board approved an Irrigation Concepts change order in a not‑to‑exceed amount of $15,000 (motion by Kurt Blumenthal; second by Bob Schultz), vote unanimous. Staff said the drainage work is expected to begin in the next two to three weeks.

Landscaping contract change: Citing poor performance by Laz’s Lawn Service, staff recommended terminating that contract and engaging GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services. Krebs and staff noted GulfScapes submitted a proposal for $58,500—$13,000 above the $45,000 budgeted amount—and that GreenScapes had refused to execute the CDD contract. The board approved terminating Laz’s Lawn and engaging GulfScapes (motion by Kurt Blumenthal; second by Bob Schultz), with all in favor. Staff indicated withheld payments to Laz’s Lawn could be used to offset some replacement costs.

Finance and governance notes: Cleo Adams, district manager, presented unaudited financial statements as of Oct. 31, 2024 and reported the Series 2022A note will be closed with funds used to prepay bond debt. Kurt Blumenthal asked why the Oct. 1 annual insurance payment did not appear in the check register; Adams said she would investigate and report back. The board also approved corrected minutes from the Oct. 22 meeting.

Corkscrew Road ownership and public outreach: District counsel Tony Pires said his legal view on ownership of Corkscrew Road (west of U.S. 41) remained unchanged after reviewing documents. Bob Schultz noted the Village of Estero engaged Johnson Engineering to inspect streets; Neil Collins, PSGRC president, updated the board on Town Hall discussions focusing on the U.S. 41/Corkscrew intersection. Staff confirmed the engineering study will include the west side of Corkscrew.

Next steps: staff will present a sidewalk inspection report and repair estimates at the January meeting; the board set its next meeting for Dec. 10, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned on a unanimous motion; the minutes record slightly different adjournment times in two places (see timeline).