River Ridge CDD elects officers, approves $105,000 speed-sign package and landscaping vendor change

The River Ridge Community Development District Board of Supervisors on Nov. 19, 2024, elected its officers and approved several spending items affecting traffic calming, landscaping and stormwater-related work.

At the meeting in the River Club conference center, the board adopted Resolution 2025-02 to elect the following officers as nominated by Supervisor Terry Mountford: Bob Schultz as chair; Terry Mountford as vice chair; Kurt Blumenthal and Robert Twombly as assistant secretaries; and Keith Merrill as assistant secretary. The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Mountford and seconded by Blumenthal and carried unanimously.

On a separate vote tied to a lake aeration equipment relocation proposal, Operations Manager Shane Willis presented Premier Lakes’ work order and a revised Bentley Electric proposal that would add about 125 feet of electrical work. The board instead approved installing a so-called "zombie box" at the existing aerator location, at a cost of $3,098. The motion, made by Chair Bob Schultz and seconded by Robert Twombly, passed 3-2 (Schultz, Twombly and Merrill in favor; Mountford and Blumenthal opposed).

The board also approved a traffic-calming package from AV-Tech LLC to wire and install three permanent and one mobile 15-inch solar-powered digital speed radar signs with cameras and messaging, plus ongoing cloud-device service at $1,500 per device per year. The combined initial cost for the estimates presented was $105,000; the motion was made by Chair Schultz and seconded by Kurt Blumenthal and passed unanimously.

District Engineer Charlie Krebs presented a revised scope for the Seaside & Master Drainage Project, which the minutes say is expected to begin within two to three weeks. Krebs also presented ancillary irrigation repair costs from Irrigation Concepts (repair wiring and raising seven to eight irrigation heads). The board approved the Irrigation Concepts change order in a not-to-exceed amount of $15,000 on a motion by Kurt Blumenthal, seconded by Bob Schultz; the motion carried unanimously.

An added agenda item proposed terminating the landscape service agreement with Laz’s Lawn Service, Inc., for poor performance and engaging GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services. The GulfScapes proposal was $58,500, approximately $13,000 above the budgeted amount; the board discussed using withheld payments and unassigned funds to offset the overage and approved engaging GulfScapes and terminating Laz’s Lawn Service effective immediately (motion by Kurt Blumenthal; seconded by Bob Schultz; all in favor).

Mrs. Cleo Adams, district manager, presented the 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. Board member Kurt Blumenthal asked why the Oct. 1 annual insurance payment was not listed in the check register; Mrs. Adams said she will investigate and report back.

Votes at a glance: On Nov. 19 the board recorded these formal actions — Resolution 2025-02 electing officers (motion: Mountford; second: Blumenthal; outcome: adopted, unanimous); install zombie box for Lake E1-C aerator, $3,098 (motion: Schultz; second: Twombly; outcome: approved, 3-2); AV-Tech speed-signs package, $105,000 (motion: Schultz; second: Blumenthal; outcome: approved, unanimous); Irrigation Concepts change order, NTE $15,000 (motion: Blumenthal; second: Schultz; outcome: approved, unanimous); terminate Laz’s Lawn Service and engage GulfScapes, $58,500 (motion: Blumenthal; second: Schultz; outcome: approved, unanimous); approval of Oct. 22, 2024 meeting minutes as amended (motion: Blumenthal; second: Mountford; outcome: approved, unanimous).

The minutes record discussion by District Counsel Tony Pires and District Engineer Charlie Krebs about ownership and maintenance responsibilities for portions of Corkscrew Road west of U.S. 41; the Village of Estero has engaged Johnson Engineering to inspect streets and walkways, and Town Hall discussions at Pelican Sound have focused on the U.S. 41/Corkscrew Road intersection. The minutes identify Neil Collins as PSGRC president and Eric Long as PSGRC general manager; the minutes do not expand the PSGRC acronym or further define the organization in this text.

The meeting adjournment is recorded in the minutes, though the document contains an internal inconsistency in the recorded adjournment time: one line states the meeting adjourned at 3:07 p.m., while a later motion line records adjournment at 2:51 p.m. The district manager listed the next meeting as Dec. 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.

(Reporting based solely on the Nov. 19, 2024 meeting minutes.)