When the full Board of Directors of the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) meets on March 19 in Lehigh, it is expected to say why it opposes being put under state control when it comes to such things as requests for rate hikes.

A bill to put FGUA under the control of the Florida Public Service Commission got a green light last week from the House Energy and Utilities Committee and if an identical bill in the Florida Senate receives the same committee approval, the bill could be on Gov. Charlie Crist’s desk and signed into law and become effective on July 1.

Prior to two bills being introduced in this year’s Legislature, rate increases can be approved by FGUA’s board of directors. There has been no oversight by state authorities and those who are hooked up to the utility system have been unhappy that FGUA governs itself when it comes to rate hikes. Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, is the sponsor of the House Bill.

The FGUA board meeting will be at 10 a.m. on March 19 at Majestic Golf Club on Homestead Rd. The meeting is open to the public. Several people will be forced to hook up to a sewer line that runs by their properties may show up at the meeting. State law requires that hookups to sewer lines be made and FGUA has said it will move forward to begin hooking up as many as 130 properties or more in Lehigh Acres. Homeowners can have the cost of the hook up, which could cost around $6,000, put on their bill as installment payments for several years.

FGUA manager Robert Sheets told a reporter the board is against the bill because of its costs which include paying 4.5 percent of its gross revenues to the PSC.