The City of Winter Springs is currently seeking qualified consultants to design a 1.5 MGD or larger domestic wastewater treatment facilities.
This company will have experience in the design of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) domestic wastewater treatment techniques , experience with permitting Water Reclamation Facilities (WRF), WRF disposal, and collection and transmission systems within the Central District of FDEP
The East wastewater plant was constructed in the mid 1970’s, and is comprised of two separate package treatment plants (circular field erected steel tanks) originally designed to use an activated sludge process, either as conventional treatment or contact stabilization.
The facility is permitted for a flow of 2.012 MGD average annual daily flow (AADF) but currently experiences flows of approximately half this capacity.
The City wants to replace this facility and design and build a treatment plant that is “right-sized” at 1.5 MGD BNR facility.
The West Wastewater plant was constructed in the late 1980’s, and is comprised of two separate package treatment plants (circular field erected steel tanks) originally designed to use an activated sludge process, either as convention treatment or contact stabilization.
The facility is permitted for a flow of 2.07 MGD AADF but currently experiences flows approximately half this capacity.
The City wants to replace this facility and design and build a treatment plant that is “right-sized” at 1.5 MGD BNR Facility.
Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a free tree! The City of Winter Springs is giving away one free tree per incorporated Winter Springs household. Registration will be open from February 13, 2023, until March 20, 2023.
Their team will provide you with care instructions for your tree.
Winter Springs Parks and Recreation team will deliver each tree to your home this year!
View the list of available trees below
Live Oak
Magnolia
Red Maple
Slash Pine
Tuscarora Crape Myrtle
Tea Olive (Shrub)
Thank you to Budget Tree Service for sponsoring the annual tree giveaway program.
Benefits of Planting Trees
Trees help lower CO2 emissions and purify the air quality.
Office workers with a view of trees report significantly less stress and more satisfaction.
One large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people.
Trees provide vital wildlife habitat.
Trees help clean our drinking water.
Roadside trees reduce nearby indoor air pollution by more than 50%.
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (Committee) has received a request from Senator Jason Brodeur to have the Committee direct the Auditor General to conduct an operational audit of the City of Winter Springs.
To help celebrate Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight someone for her work in wetland mitigation for Florida: Victoria Colangelo! Her company, The Mitigation Banking Group, generates conservation credits for wetland mitigation, helping to environmental efforts to reduce impacts for the past five years.
We wanted to know more about Victoria, so we asked her a few questions:
How did you get into the field of mitigation and conservation?
I started in the Mitigation Banking industry in 2004. I was a Senior at UCF studying Business Administration with a specialty in Service Marketing. I received a job as an Intern working 10-15 hours a week, filing and stuffing envelopes with mailers. Fast forward 12 years, I started my own company selling wetland & conservation credits throughout the State of Florida in 2016.
Can you discuss how you assist in the mitigation process?
I assist the environmental consultants with finding mitigation options for adverse and unavoidable impacts to the environment, such as wetlands and species mitigation for their clients.
What can you tell us about your most challenging project?
Every project is fun and different, from a driveway to the FDOT. I treat each project the same and provide quick and educated responses to assist in the permitting process of obtaining wetland mitigation credits or species conservation credits.
Who is the inspiration/role model for your work?
I am my own role model, and I continue to get better every day.
What do you hope to accomplish most in your career?
I hope to accomplish being active in public service and environmental policy.
Learn more about Victoria Colangelo and what she does by visiting her website!
Homeowners that experienced flooding of their homes during Hurricane Ian (September 2022) are encouraged to contact us about possible funding from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for flood mitigation projects that include either:
Elevation of flood Prone Homes (New finish floor is lifted 1.5ft above Base Flood Elevation (BFE)). Homeowners with elevated homes will need FEMA-sponsored Flood Insurance for the remaining of the structure’s life. However, flood insurance is not required to apply for the grant.
Acquisition and demolition of flood-prone homes The affected homes will be purchased by the City and will be demolished soon thereafter. No new structures will ever be allowed to be constructed on those parcels.
Please note that this opportunity is completely voluntary. If eligible to submit to FEMA, the City will submit a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program(HMGP) application to the Florida Division of Emergency Management for funding consideration under the Hurricane Ian disaster to include the properties of interested homeowners under the elevation and acquisition/demolition categories.
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Community Workshop
Homeowners that experienced flooding of their homes during Hurricane Ian (September 2022) are encouraged to contact us about possible funding from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for flood mitigation projects.
An informational Community Workshop will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at the Winter Springs Senior Center (400 N. Edgemon Avenue), beginning at 6 PM.
The following options are available to homeowners with a past flooding history:
Elevation of flood Prone Homes (New finish floor is lifted 1.5ft above Base Flood Elevation (BFE)).
Homeowners with elevated homes will need FEMA-sponsored Flood Insurance for the remaining of the structure’s life.
However, flood insurance is not required to apply for the grant.
2. Acquisition and demolition of flood-prone homes The affected homes will be purchased by the City and will be demolished soon thereafter.
No new structures will ever be allowed to be constructed on those parcels.
The HMGP assists States, territories, federally-recognized tribes, and local communities by:
Significantly reducing or permanently eliminating future risk to lives and property from natural hazards.
Providing funds to implement projects in accordance with priorities identified in State, tribal, or local hazard mitigation plans
Enabling mitigation measures to be implemented during the recovery following a major disaster declaration.
Typically projects are funded by a combination of Federal and non-Federal funds. HMGP funds may be used to pay up to 75% of the eligible costs.
Please note this opportunity is completely voluntary. If eligible to submit to FEMA, the City will submit a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program(HMGP) application to the Florida Division of Emergency Management for funding consideration under the Hurricane Ian disaster to include the properties of interested homeowners under the elevation.
I have proposed at the Commission Meeting on January 8, 2023; that we should consider implementing a Video Live streaming meeting. On behalf of the residents, I believe this is important because it provides transparency and accessibility to the public. By live streaming, citizens can stay informed about the actions and decisions being made by their elected officials and can easily access this information from the comfort of their own homes. This also ensures accountability and open communication between the government and its constituents, allowing for greater civic engagement and a more democratic society.
A LIVE STREAM OF THE WINTER SPRINGS COMMISSION MEETINGS will increase participation:
People with disabilities will have even greater access to meetings.
The ability to “zoom in” from virtually anywhere minutes before a meeting alleviates the need to make the long drive home from work.
Citizens with children can now participate more effectively from home, instead of having to find childcare in order to physically attend a public meeting.
Meetings are running 4-5 hours long.
This is not fair to our community members, who are just there for that one item.
Avoid making residents wait for hours to speak.
Respecting Time is a form of Respect.
Most Important Issues are at the End of the Meetings
Creates more Transparency.
Our neighboring cities are using VISUAL Video for their city commission meetings.
At the urging of state Sen. Jason Brodeur, Florida lawmakers ordered an audit of Winter Springs after residents have long raised concerns about the operation of the city’s water and wastewater systems, a massive sewage spill into a neighborhood pond and allegations of public documents being withheld.
But recently elected Mayor Kevin McCann called the allegations a political witch hunt and blasted members of the state Legislature’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee for not alerting city leaders of the probe.
“These are paid political operatives that are putting this stuff forward,” McCann said last week during the committee hearing in Tallahassee. “We’re financially sound, and they won’t find anything here. … This is a pure weaponizing of this committee.”
Brodeur, who grew up in Winter Springs, said nearly all the complaints he receives from residents in his district pertain to Winter Springs’ operations in City Hall. An operational audit conducted by the state’s auditor general over the next several months, Brodeur said, would take a hard look at the Seminole County city.
“With a city of 38,000 people, clearly everything is personal,” said Brodeur, a Republican from Sanford. “Everyone knows everyone. So all I would like … is to have a third party, independent audit, say: ‘What are they doing? Are the contracts kosher?’ … I just want to get to the bottom of it. If some of this stuff is untrue, I want to say that an independent, third party came in and we looked at it, and it’s not true. So go pound sand. But if it is true, we want a corrective action plan.”
Before voting unanimously for the audit, committee members said the probe could take up to 18 months to complete.
Irritated, McCann pointed out that the audit’s completion would be timed as the city’s 2024 election season begins to heat up, giving political fuel to his opponents.
State Sen. Jason Pizzo, the committee’s chair, shot back at McCann during the contentious hearing, saying he aims to have the audit completed quickly and it is not political.
“If somebody is screwing with you, and this is a vendetta, we’re going to find out,” said Pizzo, a Democrat from North Miami Beach. “If somebody is out to get you, I’ll get ‘em. You understand what I’m saying? If you have larceny in your heart, you’re going to hate me. If you don’t, you’re going to love me. … I’m really a fair person.”
The audit would take a look at Winter Springs’ contract with Veolia Water North America for its water and wastewater operations, and whether the city is complying with its state-issued water consumptive use permit.
It also would examine the city’s policies on public records requests, and whether officials are complying with Florida’s Sunshine Law.
The audit also would evaluate the city’s ethics and fraud policies and Winter Springs’ code of conduct.
The auditor general does not have enforcement authority, Pizzo said. Rather, it can refer its findings to the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or the state’s ethics committee.
In 2011, Winter Springs launched construction of a reclaimed water plant for $3.5 million. Two years later, it approved $6.3 million in upgrades to its potable water system. The city is currently replacing its aging wastewater plants at a cost of over $70 million.
Then, in 2019, Winter Springs contracted with Veolia to manage the city’s water, wastewater, stormwater and reclaimed water services after several sewage spills into water bodies and high levels of chlorine were detected in the drinking water.
“They tried to ram it through,” Brodeur said of the Veolia contract.
Winter Springs officials said at the time that Veolia is an international company with experience in managing and operating public water systems that would do a better job than the city’s short-staffed public works department.
In January 2021, a faulty valve caused up to 15,000 gallons of partially treated sewage to flow into a stormwater pond, killing hundreds of fish and causing a stink that lasted for weeks, according to the committee’s report.
The spillage led to the state’s Department of Environmental Regulation sending the city a warning letter that threatened Winter Springs with tens of thousands of dollars in fines if it did not comply with repairing its systems.
According to the state committee’s report, residents urging for the audit said city officials are underestimating the costs of replacing the water systems and are not being transparent in providing information.
Brodeur, as an example, noted that a city resident recently made a public records request regarding the costs of replacing the water treatment plant.
“He was told that it would be over $1,000 to answer his public records request,” Brodeur said to the legislative committee. “So somebody knows something, and doesn’t want anyone else to know.”
Brodeur pointed out that over the last three years, Winter Springs has lost a city manager, two police chiefs, a city clerk, two finance directors, two parks directors, two public works directors, three community development directors and two city engineers.
McCann was named mayor by Winter Springs commissioners in April 2021 after Charles Lacey, who served in that role for about a decade, resigned amid policy differences with other commissioners.
McCann was elected in the November general election, defeating candidates Mark Caruso and Brandon Morrisey.
At Thursday’s state committee hearing, McCann called the allegations “overwhelmingly, factually inaccurate” and said his city will comply with the audit.
“I am the new guy, and this is a bit overwhelming,” he said.
Jesse Phillips, president of the Winter Springs Community Association, which asked for the state probe, said in a written statement that his organization welcomed the audit and urged city officials to comply.
“The issues facing our city necessitate an independent review,” he said. “We need to stop the finger pointing and to understand how we got here and to find solutions to fix the problems affecting our health and livelihoods.”
There have recently been questions regarding street parking in Winter Springs. In order to comply with city ordinances governing on-street parking in the City of Winter Springs, this reference guide has been prepared for your use.
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee has approved a request for an operational audit of the City of Winter Springs.
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA, USA, January 27, 2023 / EINPresswire.com / —
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC) unanimously approved a request for an Auditor General to conduct an operational audit of the City of Winter Springs. The Auditor General is a state Constitutional Officer which investigates various local governments and other agencies in order to “promote government accountability and stewardship and improve government operations”, according to its website.
“I am aware of concerns regarding activities of the current Mayor, City Commission and City Manager,” State Senator Jason Brodeur said in a letter requesting an independent audit. “The residents of Winter Springs have compiled extensive material showing rampant mismanagement and even malfeasance which is harming the 38,000+ residents of the City of Winter Springs.”
The scope of the audit includes investigating issues related to wastewater, third-party contracting, Consumptive Use Permits, public records requests, testing documentation, ethics, fraud, and the City’s Code of Conduct.
The request letter from Senator Brodeur for an independent audit included concerns about “rampant mismanagement and even malfeasance”, “[s]uspected violations of state ethics laws”, “a complete lack of transparency and censoring residents”, “taxpayer funded misinformation campaigns”, and “[p]ossible public corruption and profiteering with a commissioner”.
The independent audit will proceed following the unanimous vote of the JLAC. The broad scope of the inquiry could lead to referrals to other state agencies. The letter from Senator Brodeur’s office states if “fraud is suspected, the Auditor General may be required by professional standards to report it to those charged with the City’s governance and also to appropriate law enforcement authorities.”
Jesse Phillips, President of the Winter Springs Community Association, made the following statement: “The issues facing our City necessitate an independent review. We need to stop the finger pointing and to understand how we got here and to find solutions to fix the problems affecting our health and livelihoods. We received hundreds of responses to our annual survey and 9 out of 10 Winter Springs residents support the idea of an independent audit of the City of Winter Springs. We strongly recommend City leaders fully cooperate and allow this independent audit to be conducted in full transparency.”
About Winter Springs Community Association: The Winter Springs Community Association (WSCA) was created to help our community become “One Winter Springs”. We are “Living, Growing and Promoting One Heart, One Pulse, One Community, One Winter Springs.” The WSCA serves Winter Springs residents and business leaders who wish to contribute and propel the most positive Community rebuilding effort ever undertaken in our City. Winter Springs is woefully short on entertainment, dining, medical and other important professional services and our Association seeks to serve you, our neighbors by helping any new business wishing to join our community to enhance your quality of life.
Jesse Phillips Winter Springs Community Association
