Latest news with #DerekPerry
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
GRU sends city of Gainesville letter, opposes vote for special election
Gainesville Regional Utilities on June 4 sent a letter to the city of Gainesville's attorney asking that city officials reconsider voting June 5 in favor of a referendum that would take place during a special election later this year. GRU attorney Derek Perry wrote to city attorney Daniel Lee that a proposed ballot initiative by city officials on who should control the city-owned utility violates a section of the Florida Constitution and its limitations on municipal power, and that he doesn't see a reason for a special election as both sides wait for a ruling by the First District Court of Appeals. "It makes little sense for the City Commission to reengage in a process that is already proceedingthrough the courts," Perry wrote. "The City adopts the ordinance; the Authority challenges; the City is enjoined;and both parties end right back where they are now, albeit having squandered taxpayer/customerdollars and precious judicial, legislative, and local government resources." Local news: Florida higher ed board stuns UF, blocks Santa Ono from becoming president Judge George M. Wright of the Eighth Judicial Circuit ruled in April to nullify a ballot initiative that passed overwhelmingly in November 2024 to delete the article of the city's charter that created the authority due to "misleading language." He also ruled, however, that the city of Gainesville has the right to amend its charter to regain control of the utility. Wright cited Florida Statue 116.031, which states "a municipality may amend its charter pursuant to this section notwithstanding any charter provisions to the contrary." "I don't know how I can get around that," Wright said. The City Commission's planned June 5 vote on the ballot initiative will be the first of two before a special election can be called. Mayor Harvey Ward in a text message to The Sun wrote that the GRU Authority's decision to appeal the judge's ruling is in contradiction to the will of the people. "I believe we should listen to the voters and I guess that puts me at odds with the GRUA's misunderstanding of Florida law, I'm ok with that," Ward wrote. City Commissioner Bryan Eastman in an email to The Sun wrote that the circuit court has already rejected GRUA's arguments and hopes the board will take a breath and choose reason over reflex. "The people have spoken, the courts have spoken, and more litigation will only waste additional GRU resources instead of helping ratepayers," Eastman said. "Working with our local community — rather than against it — is the best path forward for both the utility and the people it serves.' This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: GRU sends city of Gainesville letter, opposes special election
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Taunton park-and-ride hours extended after council vote
Opening hours at a park-and-ride in Taunton are to be extended to try and tackle town-centre traffic and help hospital Gateway, near the village of Ruishton, is open six days a week from 06:20 to 20:15 GMT, with buses taking passengers into town and Musgrove Park Council, which owns the facility, has now unanimously approved plans for services to run every 20 minutes until 23:15 GMT six days a Caroline Ellis, said the decision was a "no brainer". Taunton Gateway, on the A358 near junction 25 of the M5, has enough space for 850 cars, according to the Local Democracy Reporting are capped at £1 per journey from both of the town's park and rides, funded by a grant from the Department for Transport (DfT).The council says it hopes the extended hours will help ease town congestion and help staff at Musgrove Park Hospital, which is facing parking issues due to a new multi-story carpark being put on edge-of-town developments, including 150 new homes within walking distance of the Gateway park and ride, are also expected to increase demand. Councillor Derek Perry said he could see no reason whatsoever to refuse the proposals."I can't imagine that any of us here see anything controversial in this," he said."The fact that now, with this application, nobody local has objected, underlines that people have come to accept this site as part of the local area."
