Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority
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Agency Organization

Statement of Agency Organization and Operation
This statement is issued and maintained under the authority of Section 120.54, Florida Statutes (F.S.) and Chapter 28-101, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).
1.  Agency Description
  1. The Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) is an independent special district authorized by section 373.1962, F.S., as subsequently reenacted in section 373.713, F.S., and created by an interlocal agreement executed pursuant to section 163.01 F.S., in 1977 and amended in 1984.
  2. The Board of Directors (Board) of the Authority consists of Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter Counties and a municipal representative from each member county. Each representative is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governing bodies of the parties. Members of the Board serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in Section 112.016, F.S. The Board’s officers consist of a chairman, vice-chairman and treasurer, each of whom shall serve for a term of a year, or until their respective successor is elected and qualified. The Board is vested with all of the powers of the Authority.
  3. The Board Chairman serves as the Agency Head. The duties of the Agency Head are to sign documents when required and otherwise act in the official Agency Head capacity when required under Florida law or Authority policies. The Chairman is selected by vote of the Board and is elected to a one-year term. The Chairman shall preside at all Board meetings and may call special meetings or cancel meetings as deemed appropriate and necessary. The Chair shall co-sign all checks. The Chair, with the assistance of the Executive Director, establishes Board meeting agendas. The Chair shall sign, as authorized by the Authority, any contracts or other instruments which are deemed to be in the best interest of the Authority and shall perform such other duties incident to the office as may be prescribed by the Authority.
  4. The Vice-Chairman shall serve in the capacity of Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. The Vice-Chairman shall perform such other functions as the Authority may from time to time assign.
  5. The Treasurer shall serve in the capacity of Vice-Chairman in the absence of the Vice-Chairman. The Treasurer shall perform such other functions as the Authority may from time to time assign.
  6. In the absence of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer, the Board member with the greatest seniority present at a duly noticed Board meeting may serve as Chair for that meeting.
  7. The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the Authority and serves at the pleasure of the Board. The Executive Director serves as the Secretary to the Board and administers the Authority, organizes staff efforts and employs necessary staff and consultants with Board approval.
  8. The General Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Authority and serves at the pleasure of the Board. The General Counsel provides legal advice and support to the Board and the Executive Director.
2.  Boundaries
The boundaries of the Authority shall consist of all of Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter counties.
3.  Administrative Office Location, Hours and Website
  1. The administrative office of the Authority is located at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 228, Lecanto, Florida 34461.
  2. The Authority’s administrative office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each weekday, except holidays. Due to the small number of consulting staff of the Authority, the office is not always staffed during all office hours. Persons wishing to visit the office are advised to call in advance (352-527-5795) to ensure staff will be present.
  3. The Authority’s official website address is http://www.wrwsa.org. The website contains a variety of information regarding the Authority, its programs, budget, Board members, Board meeting agendas, meeting materials and minutes, project-specific information, procurement postings, as well as other public information.
4.  Statutes and Rules Affecting Agency Operations
Pursuant to section 373.713, F.S., and section 163.01, F.S., the Authority has responsibility for developing, storing and supplying water for public and private local water distribution systems in such a manner as will give priority to reducing adverse environmental effects of excessive or improper withdrawals from concentrated areas. In carrying out this responsibility, the Authority is specially affected by chapters 373 and 403, F.S., and chapters 40D, 40C and 62, F.A.C. In addition, the Interlocal Agreement Creating the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority executed in 1977 and subsequently amended by Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter counties grants the Authority rulemaking pursuant to section 163.01, F.S. The Authority has been granted rulemaking power necessary to perform the intended functions of the Authority. The Authority also has the authority to adopt and enforce rules pertaining to the use, acquisition, maintenance, development, operation or disposal of any of the Authority's services, facilities or projects.
5.  Delegation of Authority by the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors, as head of the Authority, has delegated authority as follows:
  1. To the Executive Director to hire or terminate the employment of any employee or contractor; to secure services, labor or materials; to prepare proposed budgets; to advise the Board on budget matters; to keep correct minutes and records of Board meetings; to prepare agendas; and to represent the Authority at public meetings.
  2. It is recognized that in making the foregoing delegations of authority, that the Board shall continue to retain and exercise general supervisory authority over the matters stated therein.
6.  General Description of Agency Operation
The Authority is staffed by contracted services, including its Executive Director, administrative support, legislative coordination, website support services, accounting and auditing services, and legal staff. The Authority-owned Charles A. Black wellfield in Citrus County is operated and maintained by Citrus County pursuant to an agreement between the County and Authority. Scientific, technical and planning studies are undertaken by the Authority through contracted services on an as-needed basis.
7.  Designation of Agency Clerk and Official Reporter
The Authority Administrative Assistant, LuAnne Stout, serves as the Authority’s Agency Clerk. A person may contact the Authority Clerk at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 228, Lecanto, Florida 34461, telephonically at 352-527-5795, or by email at lstout@wrwsa.org. The Agency Clerk has responsibility for records management, the maintenance of official files of record and for assisting in providing public access to Authority records.
8.  E-Mail Filing
  1. The following list of documents may be filed by email with the Authority Clerk at lstout@wrwsa.org. If not filed by email, these documents shall be filed by facsimile at 352-527-5797.
    1. Requests for Extension of Time to File Petition for Administrative Hearing and responses thereto
    2. Petitions for Administrative Hearing
    3. Motions to Dismiss or Strike Petition for Administrative Hearing and responses thereto
    4. Exceptions and other documents filed by parties to an administrative proceeding after issuance of a Recommended Order but prior to rendering of the Final Order
    5. Notices of Protest (or Formal Protest) of Procurement Solicitation or Award
  1. The documents identified in section 8(1) which are filed with the Authority Clerk by email, are subject to the following conditions:
    1. A party who filed a document by email is thereby representing that the original physically signed document will be retained by that party for the duration of the proceeding and any subsequent appeal or other proceeding in that cause, and that the party will produce it upon the request of any other party.
    2. A party who elects to file a document by email is responsible for any delay, disruption or interruption of the electronic signals and readability of the document, and accepts the full risk that the document may not be properly filed with the Authority Clerk as a result. In addition, a party who files a document by email accepts the full risk that the Authority’s email filters may prevent their email from being received. A party may contact the Authority Clerk at 352-527-5795 to verify that the Authority has received an email document. Additionally, a party may send a written request to the Authority Clerk at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 228, Lecanto, Florida 34461, to add their email address to the Authority's list of "safe senders" before emailing a document.
    3. The filing date for a document filed by email shall be the date the Authority Clerk receives the complete document. A document filed by email will not be considered complete until it is received by the Authority in a manner capable of being stored and printed by the Authority. Emailed documents received after regular business hours will be deemed received the next regular business day.
    4. Emailed documents must be in the form of a PDF file.
    5. If a document filed by email is required by rule to be accompanied by one or more copies, copies of the original filing must be filed by hand delivery or US mail within five (5) days after the filing date of the email.
    6. Email filing procedures do not vary bond filing requirements. For example, if a bond must be filed along with a Formal Procurement Protest and the procurement protest document is filed electronically, the protest bond must be physically filed with the Authority Clerk within the time period for filing a formal procurement protest as required by chapters 120 and 287, F.S., Chapter 28, F.A.C.
  1. The Authority currently does not have any rules except for obsolete organizational rules. At this time the Authority does not have any rules requiring variances from or waivers of Authority rules.
9.  Public Information and Inspection of Records
  1. Publications, documents, forms and all other Authority records that are public records within the meaning of Chapter 119, F.S., and not otherwise exempt from inspection and copying by law, may be inspected or copied at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions. Any member of the public wishing to inspect and copy most Authority records should contact the Authority Clerk at 352-527-5795. Generally, inspection and copying of Authority records must be done at the Authority’s Administrative Office. However, if the records are available at another location, the Authority Clerk may make arrangements for the inspection and copying of the records there.
  2. A person who requests public records via email accepts full risk that the Authority’s email filters may prevent his or her request from being received by the Authority. A person may contact the Authority Clerk at 352-527-5795 to verify that the Authority has received an emailed request. Additionally, a person may send a written request to the Authority Clerk at the Authority's Administrative Office to add his or her email address to the Authority's list of "safe senders" before emailing a public records request.
  3. Charges for copies of public records are made at the rates prescribed in Chapter 119, F.S., as subsequently amended, or as provided in an Authority policy, and must be paid in advance of the Authority making the copies.
  4. At the option of the Authority to utilize outside reproduction services and/or when the nature or volume of records is such as to require extensive clerical or supervisory assistance by the Authority personnel, extensive use of information technology resources, or review for documents that are exempt from disclosure, the Authority may, pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., as may be amended, charge, in addition to the cost of duplication, a special service charge based on the cost incurred by the Authority in providing the service. The special service charge must be paid in advance to the Authority Clerk gathering the requested information and shall be at the rate as allowed by Chapter 119, F.S., or as provided in an Authority Policy.
10.  Board Meetings
Board meetings are typically held at the Authority’s headquarters located at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, Florida 34461. Meetings are typically scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month, and start at 3:30 p.m. The Authority Board typically approves an annual calendar of meetings at its September meeting and this calendar is published in the Florida Administrative Review, newspapers of general circulation within the Authority’s territory and on the Authority’s web site. Meetings dates, times and locations may be changed by the Board and such changes will be published. A quorum of Board members is present when a majority of the county membership is present or represented. County commission members and municipal members shall represent their respective county for purposes of establishing the county membership quorum.
11.  Amendments to Statement of Organization and Operation
This Statement of Organization and Operation may be amended from time to time as needed by formal action of the Board.