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The Lehigh Acres Municipal Services and Improvement District audit shows the district is in good fiscal shape.

Purvis, Gray & Company, an accounting firm out of Ocala, presented the finding of the LA-MSID’s 2020 Fiscal Year Audit at the district May 17 meeting. Certified Public Accountant and partner Ronald Whitesides spoke for the firm.

The auditor’s report shows the Lehigh Municipal District received good assurance on its financial statement, he said.

“We did a deep dive into the district’s grants and how you used those funds and saw no findings there. You met all the requirements set forth within the grants specifications. You have debt payments until 2030. Overall the district is in good financial condition,” Whiteside said.

Following the presentation, board members voted to accept the 2020 fiscal audit.

A collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 79 also was approved by the board of commissioners.

The agreement is reviewed every three years.

According to District Manager David Lindsay, 29 of the district’s employees are eligible to fall under the union category.

“This year’s bargaining agreement included a slight pay change due to the government’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Based on that cost, employees received a 3 percent COLA cap and a general 2 percent raise for this year,” Lindsay said.

Under the General Counsel contract item, the board approved the hire of its new legal counsel, Attorney Seth Behn, with Lewis, Longman and Walker.

Behn will replace previous legal counsel Maggie Mooney.

“We chose this firm because they are one of the leading law firms to provide legal counsel to Special Districts in the State of Florida. They have a long history here with more than 25 years working with governments in the state,” Lindsay explained.

LA-MSID legislative requests were discussed as well as the need to hire a lobbyist firm to help with the long-term project goals of the district.

“We are looking to select a lobbyist later in the year who can work on our behalf during the next legislative session to secure appropriations for two of our projects; C.R.E.S.T. and the design of GS-10,” Lindsay said.

The last agenda item dealt with a Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Executive Order update.

“Given the governor’s recent orders that all of Florida’s COVID-19 restrictions be repealed, we will go back to our regular operations here at the district. That means the public is allowed in and out of our office building, no social distancing requirements, and, starting July 1, our regular meetings will be in-person only, not virtual,” Lindsay said.

The Lehigh Acres Municipal Services and Improvement District will hold its next regular meeting on June 21.

A Zoom link to the virtual/hybrid and directions can be found Virtual / Hybrid Meetings | Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District (myecwcd.net)