CALLAWAY –— The Callaway Commission voted to hold an Advanced Wastewater Treatment meeting in mid- July, depending on when Webster Environmental Associates Engineer Buz Rush would be available, about the Cherry Street lift station.
Mayor Thomas Abbott said he thought the interlocal agreement between Bay County, Parker, Springfield and Callaway gave the operator the sole ability to call a meeting.
“It doesn’t speculate who can call a meeting,” City Attorney Kevin Obos said. “There’s nothing wrong with us calling an AWT meeting.”
Commissioner Melba Covey said she had talked with Rush and that negotiations between Webster and Carollo Engineering had fallen apart.
Obos thought the two sides still were talking, but that the city was choosing to move ahead. He said even if county representatives do not attend a meeting planned to be at 500 Callaway Parkway, if representatives from Parker and Springfield appear then there would be a quorum.
“It’s a joint meeting of cities and county,” Obos said. “There’s no such thing as an AWT meeting.”
Covey said she had contacted representatives from Parker and Springfield and that both were interested in a meeting.
“I wouldn’t be asking for it if I wasn’t posing the question,” Covey said, referring to Parker and Springfield.
Callaway will send invitations to Bay County commissioners as well.
“What if they don’t show up?” Commissioner Bob Pelletier asked.
“They don’t show up,” Covey responded.
Representatives from Bay County, Parker and Springfield could not be reached for comment.
In other action, the commission:
•Approved a $5 flat stormwater fee for commercial properties. Abbott said the city will conduct a rate inspection and that the commission could raise the fee at a later date.
•Instructed Interim City Manager Michael Fuller and Code Enforcement Officer Bill Frye to compile a code enforcement plan, specifically a standard time for violations to be enforced.