Flagler County Fully Acquires Utility Serving Plantation Bay

Flagler County and the city of Bunnell jointly entered into the operation and purchase of the facility from a private developer in 2013. The system is now the sole responsibility of the county.

PALM COAST, FL – September 30, 2015 – Flagler County has fully acquired the utility system that serves Plantation Bay residents.

Flagler County and the city of Bunnell jointly entered into the operation and purchase of the facility from a private developer in 2013. The system is now the sole responsibility of the county.

“This is not a divorce,” Bunnell City Manager Larry Williams said Wednesday during a joint workshop of the city and county commissions. “We joined into this agreement harmoniously and we are transferring out of it harmoniously.”

The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners held a special meeting immediately following the workshop and approved a resolution for the transfer of the utility. The Bunnell City Commission returned to the City Hall for its special meeting after the workshop and also approved the transfer. Both commissions signed resolutions for the interlocal agreement following the meetings.

All but the deed will be transferred on Oct. 1, the first day of the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The deed will be transferred as soon as the Department of Environmental Protection approves the loan reassignment to Flagler County, which is expected before the end of the calendar year. The DEP was awaiting the approval of the interlocal before making the reassignment, said Attorney Brian Armstrong, who is representing the county in this matter.

Several residents attended the workshop to better understand the process.

“The county will be implementing various wastewater improvements to comply with the (DEP) consent order on the wastewater system and improve the overall operations,” County Administrator Craig Coffey said.

Sewer system improvements include a plant master lift station, a second treatment plant for redundancy, a reject tank, and the Hampstead lift station will be rebuilt.

“Various water issues were also discussed with residents, to include some of the steps the county will have to take to improve the water quality,” Coffey said.

The utility is a stand-alone system. The costs to operate are paid solely by the users of the system in and around Plantation Bay. 

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