Michael J. Welch was installed as the new supervisor for Seat I on the East County Water Control District Board of Supervisors last week.

The board thanked outgoing Supervisor Damon Shelor for his services. He took the opportunity during a public comment portion at the beginning of the meeting to thank other board members for their help. Incumbent Supervisors Nate Stout and Desmond Barrett were also sworn in for their new terms of office by Mary Viator, the District’s attorney.

After an extended discussion, the Board voted 4 to 1 to proceed with the action plan on a new administration office building on the site of the present trailers which are used as offices. Stout expressed his desire for a smaller and less expensive building and voted against going forward.

By telephone conference call, Supervisor Neal Horrom expressed his doubts about proceeding in what he called difficult economic times.

Welch requested that detailed cost figures be furnished for the next meeting in December. Barrett continued with his concern that the supervisors’ platform, upon which they sit, was designed as a straight elevated long table. He wants it to be redesigned to be a curved table in the new building and allow supervisors to see each other during the meeting.

In other business, the board added to its staff by approving a permanent part-time accounting clerk position. In July, the District hired Kathy O’Brien as the accountant who took an early retirement from the City of Fort Myers with 27 years of experience. A contract in the amount of $1,449,140 was awarded to Armadillo Underground for Phase 1 projects at Harns Marsh.

The firm of Pavese Gardner was hired to locate Leslie Davidson Young of Dry Water Cattle Co. and discover any assets that he might have to satisfy the unpaid judgment of $214,201 owed to the water control district.

The South Florida Water Management District sent a letter of non-compliance to Heinz S. Pfuner on his TownLakes Gassner development located off of Williams Ave. The board will consider a formal resolution rejecting the quick claim deed done with the knowledge of the District at the next meeting.

It was announced too that the ECWCD will hold a nature tour of Harns Marsh on Wednesday, Dec. 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The site is a 578-acre preserve between Sunshine Blvd. and Buckingham Air Park used for storm water storage.

The board will have its December monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 11 at District headquarters on Construction Lane off of Lee Blvd. It is open to the public. The bids for the new office building will be presented, according to the board.