For the past several months, Mayor Joe Kilsheimer and the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District have created an odd sort of pen pal relationship. Kilsheimer first wrote a scathing letter to them dated February 8th and asked, “What is the continuing purpose of the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD)?”
The LANGD agenda item seemed to surprise Bankson (right), while Becker searched for alternative options to fill the vacancies.
LANGD shot back with a letter on February 22nd defending their purpose and inviting him to a Board meeting “to have an open discussion in a workshop atmosphere.”
Shortly thereafter the two traded another poison-penned correspondence.
On February 25th, Kilsheimer responded again with skepticism to their benefit to the customers of Apopka, and on March 29th, the LANGD again defended themselves and requested his presence at a Board meeting to discuss his allegations.
Be careful what you ask for LANGD…
As is sometimes the case pen pals take that next step, and if Kilsheimer has it his way, his relationship with LANGD will be getting more intimate in the very near future.
Kilsheimer slipped in an agenda item on The Mayor’s Report last Wednesday at The City Council meeting to replace Commissioners Bill Arrowsmith and Billie Dean from the LANGD Board. It was explained that their two-year terms were completed, and Kilsheimer had recommendations on who he thought might replace them.
“I would like to serve, because I have interest in what’s taking place at LANGD,” he said. “And I would like to recommend that Commissioner (Diane) Velazquez serve as well.”
The agenda item seemed to catch Commissioner Doug Bankson and City Attorney Cliff Shepard off guard.
“May I ask?…I haven’t seen these last two items,” said Bankson. “Have they been added?”
“The absolute truth is I’ve raised some issues, as everyone kind of knows. Because of my professional background, I have a great deal of experience in utility issues, and so I feel like I have the expertise. And I also have specific knowledge on how The Lake Apopka Natural Gas District operates. And I also have specific input from businesses in Northwest Orange County, and not just nurseries, who are concerned at how LANGD conducts its business and how that affects their business."
-Mayor Joe Kilsheimer
“Well, we’re bringing them up under the Mayor’s Report,” said Kilsheimer. “Because it’s important that we address this issue. In the City of Winter Garden, the mayor simply appointed the most recent member of LANGD. When we did this two years ago, The City Council voted. So I’m not sure if this can just be a mayoral appointment or if we have a vote. That’s a procedural question.”
“I wish I had known a procedural question was going to come up tonight,” said Shepard. “The typical thing you would have done in the past you would do now.”
“The most recent precedent we have is a vote,” said Kilsheimer.
“That would be the safest way to go if you’re going to do it today,” said Shepard. “If you want me to research it before the next meeting I can do that too.”
“What’s the pleasure of the Council?” Kilsheimer asked.
I’d feel more comfortable having it discussed,” said Bankson.
Commissioner Kyle Becker seemed to be interested in exploring other options.
Could Commissioner Diane Velazquez (center) land on the LANGD Board?
“Are there any other mayors on LANGD?” Becker asked.
Mayor Reece of Winter Garden is the only other mayor that’s on it,” said Kilsheimer. “And Mayor Land served on the Board since its inception.”
“I remember the last City Council meeting he did,” said Velazquez in reference to Land. “He appointed Commissioner Arrowsmith.”
“He recommended his approval, and the Council took a vote,” added Kilsheimer.
“And you were on the Council also,” said Velazquez.
I was on the Council,” Kilsheimer acknowledged. “That was my final meeting as a Commissioner.”
Becker returned the subject to nominee options.
“And they have to be a commissioner, correct?” Becker asked.
“Elected officials,” Kilsheimer answered. “The makeup of the LANGD Board today is a resident of the city of Clermont, The Mayor of The City of Winter Garden, a resident of the city of Winter Garden who happens to be the former General Manager of LANGD, and then two from Apopka that were elected officials. And the requirement is they must reside within the city of Apopka.”
“So what are the options on the table that we’re discussing?” Becker asked. “Do we want to entertain the idea of having that position filled by a non-elected official on their Board?”
“We could certainly entertain that idea,” said Kilsheimer. “The absolute truth is I’ve raised some issues, as everyone kind of knows. Because of my professional background, I have a great deal of experience in utility issues, and so I feel like I have the expertise. And I also have specific knowledge on how LANGD operates. And I also have specific input from businesses in Northwest Orange County, and not just nurseries, who are concerned at how LANGD conducts its business and how that affects their business. But if the council wants, we can put this question back on (City Attorney) Cliff (Shepard) and ask him to research it and we’ll bring it up at the next meeting.”
“I would prefer that,” said Bankson.
“No problem,” said Shepard. “I didn’t see it on the agenda or I would have already had an answer for you.”
“Okay we’ll put it off until the next meeting,” said Kilsheimer.
