Residents press commission on bioethanol permitting and ask for Florida‑experienced manager

During the public‑comment period residents raised two focal concerns: whether the city will follow an outside legal opinion that characterizes bioethanol as a manufactured chemical prohibited by the land‑development code, and whether finalists without Florida public‑sector experience can adequately handle state‑specific policy and cost pressures.

Ronnie Burris, business manager for the Public Employees Union, told the commission he was concerned that candidates who come from states without public‑employee collective‑bargaining traditions would be unfamiliar with Florida’s arrangements and the costs associated with recent wastewater rules such as Senate Bill 64. “The only two that really will know anything about Senate Bill 64… are gonna be the two people from Florida,” Burris said. Several residents said the ethanol legal opinion is the community’s top concern and asked whether a newly appointed manager would honor that opinion when issuing permits. Commissioners did not adopt a policy during the meeting; staff and legal counsel were asked to remind the commission of conflict‑of‑interest and voting rules and to follow up on substantive legal questions outside the hiring vote.