River Ridge CDD elects officers and approves traffic-calming signs, irrigation repairs and a new landscaping contractor

Chair Bob Schultz presided over the River Ridge Community Development District’s regular meeting on Nov. 19, 2024, at the River Club Conference Center in Estero and by Zoom. The board administered the Oath of Office to newly elected supervisors Kurt Blumenthal (Seat 3), Terry Mountford (Seat 4) and Robert Twombly (Seat 5) and reviewed required ethics training and disclosure deadlines.

The board adopted Resolution 2025-02 electing district officers as nominated: Bob Schultz, chair; Terry Mountford, vice chair; Kurt Blumenthal, Robert Twombly and Keith Merrill, assistant secretaries. The minutes record prior staff appointments remaining in place, including Chesley “Chuck” Adams as secretary.

Operations staff presented several maintenance and capital items. The board agreed to install a ‘zombie box’ at the existing aerator location in Lake E1‑C rather than relocate the aerator at this time; the motion to install the zombie box for $3,098 passed 3–2, with Chair Schultz, Mr. Twombly and Mr. Merrill voting yes and Messrs. Mountford and Blumenthal dissenting. Staff noted a separate relocation proposal totaling about $10,755 would be revisited in the proposed FY2026 budget discussions.

The board approved AV‑Tech LLC estimates to wire and install three permanent 15" solar-powered digital speed radar signs with cameras and one mobile unit, along with $1,500 per year for each cloud traffic device, for a combined total of $105,000. The board discussed that moving an existing unit recorded roughly 800 speeding violations over a three‑week period and that poles would be purchased for about $1,200 each.

Charlie Krebs, district engineer, presented a revised scope for the Seaside & Master Drainage Project and additional irrigation work from Irrigation Concepts: $4,002.50 to repair damaged wiring and roughly $1,300 each to raise about seven to eight irrigation heads. On motion by Mr. Blumenthal and seconded by Mr. Schultz, the board approved the change order in a not‑to‑exceed amount of $15,000.

The board authorized terminating the landscape service agreement with Laz’s Lawn Service, Inc. for performance issues and engaging GulfScapes Landscape Maintenance Services. GulfScapes’ proposal was $58,500—about $13,000 over the $45,000 budget—so the board discussed using unassigned funds and withholding payments from the prior contractor to offset plant replacement costs; the motion to engage GulfScapes was approved unanimously.

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

District counsel Tony Pires and engineer Charlie Krebs reviewed differing County and Village positions on ownership and maintenance responsibilities for portions of Corkscrew Road west of U.S. 41; Johnson Engineering will inspect streets and walkways and the study will include both sides of Corkscrew Road. The board agreed to participate in Pelican Sound’s Community Safeguard Panel on disaster mitigation and street‑safety objectives, with Mr. Merrill and Mr. Twombly representing the district on specific panel objectives.

The board approved the Oct. 22, 2024 meeting minutes as amended. The minutes record an adjournment motion (on motion by Mr. Blumenthal, seconded by Mr. Schultz) and show two recorded adjournment times: an entry that the meeting adjourned at 3:07 p.m. and a later motion entry recording adjournment at 2:51 p.m.; the minutes include the on‑motion adjournment as the final procedural record.

Votes at a glance

• Resolution 2025‑02 (electing officers): adopted (unanimous).

• Install zombie box at Lake E1‑C: approved $3,098; vote 3–2 (Schultz, Twombly, Merrill yes; Mountford, Blumenthal no).

• AV‑Tech LLC speed radar signs and mobile unit: approved $105,000 (unanimous).

• Irrigation Concepts change order (repair wiring, raise heads): approved, not‑to‑exceed $15,000 (unanimous).

• Terminate Laz’s Lawn Service, Inc. and engage GulfScapes: approved (unanimous).

What’s next

Staff will revisit the aerator relocation proposal in the FY2026 budget process, provide follow‑up on the missing October insurance payment in the register, present finalized gatehouse and monument agreements after billing‑rate review, and present sidewalk inspection results and repair estimates at the January meeting. The board’s next meeting was set for Dec. 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.