River Ridge CDD elects officers, approves $105,000 in solar speed-radar signs and a new landscape contractor

The River Ridge Community Development District Board of Supervisors elected its officers and approved a series of maintenance and safety contracts at a Nov. 19, 2024 regular meeting in Estero.

Cleo Adams, the district’s notary and district manager representative at the meeting, 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 confirm the officer slate: Bob Schultz as Chair and Terry Mountford as Vice Chair, with Kurt Blumenthal, Robert Twombly and Keith Merrill named assistant secretaries. The resolution was adopted on a motion by Terry Mountford, seconded by Kurt Blumenthal, with all supervisors recorded as voting in favor.

The board considered several operations and capital items that staff said affect community safety and upkeep. Shane Willis, operations manager, presented a revised Bentley Electric proposal and Premier Lakes one-time work order related to relocating an aeration system in Lake E1‑C. After discussing budgetary impacts, the board approved installing a temporary electrical “zombie box” at the existing aeration location for $3,098 and deferred consideration of relocation proposals (about $10,755 in estimates) to the Fiscal Year 2026 budget discussions. The motion to install the zombie box passed 3–2; Chair Bob Schultz, Robert Twombly and Keith Merrill voted in favor, and Terry Mountford and Kurt Blumenthal dissented.

On traffic-calming, Operations and PSGRC staff presented AV-Tech LLC proposals to install three permanent and one mobile 15‑inch solar-powered digital speed signs with cameras and messaging, and to subscribe cloud devices at $1,500 per device per year. Eric Long, PSGRC general manager, reported that moving an existing unit roughly 20–30 yards could be warranted after it recorded about 800 varied speeding violations over a three-week period. The board approved AV‑Tech Estimates 24150 and 24151 for a combined total of $105,000 on a motion by Bob Schultz, seconded by Kurt Blumenthal; the vote was recorded as unanimous.

District Engineer Charlie Krebs presented a revised scope for the Seaside & Master Drainage Project and said MRI expects work to begin in two to three weeks. Krebs also presented change-order costs from Irrigation Concepts — $4,002.50 to repair damaged wiring and roughly $1,300 each to raise seven to eight irrigation heads — and the board approved an Irrigation Concepts change order not to exceed $15,000 on a motion by Kurt Blumenthal, seconded by Bob Schultz, recorded as unanimous.

The board addressed landscape services after staff recommended terminating the district’s agreement with Laz’s Lawn Service, Inc. because of poor performance and engaging GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services in its place. GulfScapes’ proposal totaled $58,500, about $13,000 above the $45,000 line in the current budget. The board discussed offsetting the additional cost with withheld payments from Laz’s Lawn and other unassigned funds; on a motion by Kurt Blumenthal and seconded by Bob Schultz the board authorized termination of the Laz’s Lawn contract and engaged GulfScapes effective immediately (vote recorded as unanimous).

Mrs. Adams presented the unaudited financial statements as of Oct. 31, 2024, and noted the Series 2022A note will be closed and funds applied to prepay bond debt. Supervisor Kurt Blumenthal asked why an Oct. 1 annual insurance payment did not appear in the check register; Mrs. Adams said she would investigate and report back.

Several procedural and status items were handled: the board approved amendments and adopted the Oct. 22, 2024 meeting minutes; active action items (streetlight replacement, sign repairs, pending budget amendment) were updated; and Counsel Tony Pires summarized his continued opinion regarding ownership issues for portions of Corkscrew Road west of U.S. 41. Chair Schultz designated Supervisors Keith Merrill and Robert Twombly as River Ridge representatives to two Pelican Sound Safeguard Panel objectives: natural-disaster safeguarding (Objective 2) and street safety (Objective 4). Staff said a sidewalk inspection report and repair estimates will be presented at the January meeting.

The meeting was recorded as adjourned after a motion by Kurt Blumenthal and seconded by Bob Schultz. The minutes contain inconsistent adjournment times (SEG 173 records 3:07 p.m.; SEG 176 records 2:51 p.m.), which staff indicated will be clarified in final minutes.

Votes at a glance: On Resolution 2025-02 (elect officers) — adopted unanimously; zombie box installation ($3,098) — approved 3–2 (Schultz, Twombly, Merrill yes; Mountford, Blumenthal no); AV‑Tech Estimates 24150 & 24151 (speed-radar signs/mobile unit and cloud devices) — approved unanimously, $105,000; Irrigation Concepts change order — approved unanimously, not to exceed $15,000; terminate Laz’s Lawn / engage GulfScapes — approved unanimously, GulfScapes proposal $58,500; approval of Oct. 22, 2024 minutes — approved unanimously.

The board scheduled the next regular meeting for Dec. 10, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.