[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6266735,"mediaKeyId","3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c","parentId",3086737,"title","Utilities director previews $280 million water-plant project, rate adjustments and maintenance costs","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3048000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c&start=3048&end=3048","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c/thumbnail_3048000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6266735/Delray-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Utilities-director-previews-280-million-water-plant-project-rate-adjustments-and-maintenance-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266735-5ac5ab74ff18c6acc201c12ad6bbe5d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178869&Signature=KT0I5Mo~UmqvzJoOPaRBvn3azSvYWZi7kOPmdz1OLipOJiM8WZE2T3xur8bfq0n6SMQfh0NrgiZwqzofjwqavnksajXsX0DN41eUhYuDNlCkl7iL-Ivp~aMBxPrRi4ffns~zcn5u-jCDQ1aFNq-ptaKbW-4wRA9lTZSEzqvk02Ia2ArYEuvY6OJW82PEk92vwkif8TyiEPxVONH7qGg7fNcJAdUoMtX2yun78tbRAZBeGKVQe69jQlFP0u1BM~hj3RHAaXy07vBe7kTNBE2vM7XGzfd~QJbhJGUQnZM9qQwDGQdhyK2aFGna6ijnS~gI0dMruYKohPusg2pJhrlCpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Delray Beach, FL","date","2025-04-22T15:23:46Z","article","Hassan Hajimeiri, director of Utilities, gave the City Commission an overview of the utilities department's operating and capital outlook at the April 22 budget workshop, emphasizing the scale of planned capital work and the need to align rates and bond financing.

Hajimeiri said utilities serve about 17 square miles and nearly 70,000 residents with roughly 21,217 customer accounts. He said the system produces about 15,000,000 gallons per day of drinking water, transfers about 8,000,000 gallons per day of wastewater to the South Central Regional Wastewater Plant and provides about 2,300,000 gallons per day of reclaimed water for irrigation.

The director reported the utility produced about 5.2 billion gallons of drinking water last year, completed the Environmental Protection Agency–required service-line inventory for lead and copper (visiting nearly 14,000 homes), conducted about 33,000 water-quality analyses, and had no water-quality violations in the past five years.

Hajimeiri presented staffing and budget figures: the utility has nine divisions and 146 full-time employees. He said the FY2026 combined personnel and operating estimate is about $51.94 million, a 7.8% increase over the current year, driven in part by a class-and-compensation study, ratified collective-bargaining adjustments affecting SEIU staff, retention bonuses for water-treatment-plant operators and higher chemical and maintenance costs at the existing plant.

On capital, Hajimeiri listed an FY2026 capital-improvement program total near $17.9 million for work already in process and highlighted the proposed new water-treatment plant with an estimated total cost of about $280 million. He said $15 million has already been committed for design and that the city is planning for revenue bonds to finance construction. \"We are coming before you on May 6 for another rate adjustment in order to fund the new water treatment plant,\" Hajimeiri said.

The CIP list also includes replacement of major wastewater pump station equipment (Pump Station 50), generator upgrades, variable-frequency-drive replacements, and a multi-million-dollar Tropic Isle pipeline and stormwater-related project that Hajimeiri said utilities has committed $7.5 million toward while seeking additional grant funding.

Hajimeiri noted nearly $14 million in annual transfers and administrative charges calculated by the Department of Finance that are part of utility operating expense and highlighted the need to maintain operations of the existing water-treatment plant while preparing for the new facility.

Commissioners and staff thanked Hajimeiri for the detail; the city manager's office said it will present preliminary budget recommendations at a June 10 workshop and a formal recommended budget in July.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Workshop Meeting 04-22-2025 3:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Utilities Director Hassan Hajimeiri told commissioners the department serves nearly 70,000 residents, operates a 15-million-gallon-a-day water system, and expects to seek revenue increases and revenue-bond financing to help pay for a new $280 million water-treatment plant and other capital projects.","taxTitle","Delray Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",5598,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6266740,"Public Works forecasts higher parking revenue, stormwater planning and requests for added maintenance spending",925,1633000,2558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c&start=1633&end=2558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c/thumbnail_1633000.jpg","/articles/6266740/Delray-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Public-Works-forecasts-higher-parking-revenue-stormwater-planning-and-requests-for-added-maintenance-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266740-5ca3c0fa790a17315305ae4ecd056192/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178869&Signature=CDKlk1z~vWpccVNQowSOivmaH~ANt4JwFaZWUx1iGTTfjnJTLXa886Me5FUkfeWFMEqVmPVlpb9I9-dV-Utqv3BictpEYStpTUxqEknayCBtz1DUUKAGk-nZrtq90G-pupWxo0h-5qkWm1TMm4hi-YPkLzg5~SaS1Vbwjbud7mQiT5FpGn374I4TDXP~iqha4qeSWOOidL~cyAOvzohj~4mtlquFNDAKaIMK51q6-YlkNAzFDF-0FXdOqqLA1QfFd9HcefvxguYaMzI8mfwPLYUlmPZfdFI7BR7NekPSbWKOGmJXGBowdcFQYDIl76Hi59GdnADiV1uKYufYJYww8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Missy Barletta, director of Public Works, presented the department's FY2026 operating budget at the April 22 Delray Beach City Commission workshop and outlined revenue projections, maintenance responsibilities and several level-of-service requests.

Barletta said the department has eight divisions with 71 full-time and three part-time employees; its responsibilities include engineering, fleet, parking operations, building maintenance, streets and traffic, and stormwater maintenance. She said the city manages 758 fleet assets.

On parking, Barletta projected about $6.5 million in general-fund parking revenue for the year — a 27.4% increase from the prior year — covering meter fees, citations and other parking charges. She said additional revenue streams such as grants, CRA contributions and federal appropriations are not yet reflected in the early budget scenario.

Barletta presented two operating scenarios: a status-quo request of about $13.6 million (a 6.5% increase from the amended FY2025 figure) and a higher level-of-service scenario of $15.65 million, which would be a 22.6% increase. A major component of the higher scenario is moving the roadway restoration and preservation program from the infrastructure surtax fund into maintenance and operations at an estimated $1.5 million per year.

Street-lighting costs, Barletta said, are rising as the city improves neighborhood lighting; she said lighting expenditures are expected to increase about 21%, roughly $275,000. Barletta said the city partners with Florida Power & Light on engineering and installation; FPL sometimes fronts installations and recovers costs over time on the city's power bill.

On stormwater, Barletta said the stormwater utility assessment projects just under $4.1 million in revenue for FY2026, a 7.5% decrease from the prior year tied to exemptions the commission asked staff to include. Barletta said the no-level-of-service stormwater operating scenario shows only a 2% increase in operations; with level-of-service requests, the stormwater request would grow to about $4.34 million (a 12.6% increase). Among stormwater requests is a $175,000 wheeled excavator intended to reduce recurring rental costs for swale restoration.

Barletta listed other operational items: no capital outlay in the general-fund operating budget under the status-quo scenario; a $80,000 request for electric-panel replacements in the street-lighting fund; and a proposed citywide valet program and potential metering of downtown lots as upcoming commission items tied to the parking and curbside management plan.

Commissioners asked staff for consolidated comparative charts showing current budgets, level-of-service requests and projected totals so the commission can better evaluate ad valorem tax implications. City staff indicated a June 10 workshop will offer a preliminary consideration from the city manager's office and help frame formal budget recommendations proceeding to a July proposed budget.

Barletta closed by noting some expense reductions from a vehicle capital lease program and that the garage fund request shows about a 1% increase overall with targeted equipment replacements and a key-management system request.","Director of Public Works Missy Barletta presented a FY2026 operating budget request that includes projected increases in parking revenue, anticipated higher street-lighting costs, a proposal to move roadway preservation into maintenance, and stormwater fund projections and level-of-service requests.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6266745,"Development Services director outlines permit workload, electronic review gains and building-fund funding shifts",1056,563000,1619000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c&start=563&end=1619","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3086737-2d4eff8c98ee8d5df3a6876ec0a9b84c/thumbnail_563000.jpg","/articles/6266745/Delray-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Development-Services-director-outlines-permit-workload-electronic-review-gains-and-building-fund-funding-shifts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266745-d68ccfef779f939302a23d7e14e6c390/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178869&Signature=RuAbl~VRKLy2CWJCVUGp5Z0p1lsaOtllcEAIafLlY1HMXLWGD2lh26ZQkxxnYkyG-JDA1-CDpS~RejQAj42gvoUzg6b8puifXeCTsUEuNPg-ESC2skw1Eh5aKobituge7FTvCsPx9ZBJm41Kr8oDEM8s1mQ9ncnPKqcwP8-thMWYCLzSeG3SYCMcV4ykpL8UyZZJ~x8aRGPbibj9xWk81nN7E7YYLktzfu662KSEjHPXYE7qzx7XvITaPt9NvB0aLhqbkVaApc0YSZOYFXMX~6Y4rEhirL6iMxuJp1HBYv~YdP~z5Egh~M2hjVZNcqgdZAlMLunpAMxXvFd76Az8Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anthea Gignotis, director of Development Services, told the Delray Beach City Commission at a budget workshop April 22 that her department performed thousands of permit reviews and inspections last year and has completed a transition to fully electronic building-permit submissions.

Gignotis said the department issues roughly 6,500 permits annually that generate about 10,500 reviews and more than 25,000 on-site inspections. She said permit valuation totals currently show nearly $29 million in industrial and commercial permit value and over $190 million in residential permit value.

The move to an electronic application system, Gignotis said, produced measurable review-time improvements: \"the city...achieved over 97% compliance with a 10 day review target. And in fact, the average review period is less than 2 days,\" she said. She added that one remaining paper submission was received in December but that the department is now handling building permits fully online.

Gignotis described Development Services as four divisions—building, planning and zoning, historic preservation and what she called business services—that together handle plan review, inspections, code and historic reviews, business licensing and public records requests related to development. She said planning and zoning prepares about 175 staff reports and roughly 120 commission items annually and issues about 500 zoning certificates of use per year.

On funding, Gignotis said the building fund is projected to bring in roughly $7.5 million in permit-related revenue in the coming year, with a rollover surplus of about $4 million from prior years. She said roughly $1 million in non-Florida-building-code permit fees are collected through business services and another roughly $500,000 is collected through planning-and-zoning fees. Gignotis said a fee study is underway and that the department is conservative in revenue forecasting.

Gignotis also told commissioners that the city plans to shift the funding of some positions in Public Works, Utilities and Fire that participate in Florida building-code reviews so those roles are partially or fully paid from the building fund rather than the general fund. \"Some of the positions in public works, utility, fire and code enforcement...will actually be able to be funded by the building fund,\" she said, adding the change could lower the general fund burden and, over time, allow fee adjustments.

Gignotis said the fire department currently has a single fire plan reviewer and that she and Chief Martin have discussed adding a second reviewer; she said the increase in that service would be borne by the building fund. She also noted Development Services has been participating in the configuration of new permitting software, and she estimated that programming and testing that system has consumed about 20% of staff time this year.

The commission thanked Gignotis for the presentation and asked staff to continue to provide granular level-of-service information as the budget process continues.

Gignotis closed by noting the department allows staff to scan paper applications for residents who cannot submit online.","Director of Development Services Anthea Gignotis told the Delray Beach City Commission that the department handled thousands of permits and inspections last year, has moved to fully electronic building-permit submissions, and expects to shift some positions in Public Works, Utilities and Fire to be at least partially funded by the building fund.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Utilities director previews $280 million water-plant project, rate adjustments and maintenance costs

Public Works forecasts higher parking revenue, stormwater planning and requests for added maintenance spending

Development Services director outlines permit workload, electronic review gains and building-fund funding shifts