HOLT, Fla., Sept. 26, 2019—New board members and an overview of last year were the topics of this year’s annual water board meeting Thursday.

During the meeting, three seats on the board of directors were up for election.

Two board members, Mark Christiansen and Bo Miller, were voted to serve another three-year term.

Christiansen was unanimously voted to continue as board president.

The third board position was vacated by retiring board member Wilford Reed. Holt resident and business owner Jennifer Oliver was unanimously voted onto the board and will begin serving a three-year term.

Chris Palm and Donna Ash were also voted to continue to serve as vice president and secretary/treasurer, respectively.

“Thanks to all the board members who worked so hard all year,” Christiansen said after voting was completed.

Last year

A recap of last year’s activities included the addition of 12 new meters. Holt Water currently bills for 893 meters overall, according to Christiansen.

In addition, two new water hydrants were installed and three were replaced due to vehicle accidents, according to Patrick Broxon, Holt Water operations manager. A fourth is waiting to be repaired due to a vehicle accident Tuesday.

Maintenance during last fiscal year included lowering 800 feet of a 6-inch water line on Hiawatha Street due to road erosion, as well as another 400 feet on Marten Lane for the same reason.

A water line project to loop Southside Drive from Summertime Drive back to the water tower tank on Schoolhouse Lane is nearing completion.

New well project

Holt Water is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division to apply for a grant/loan to install a new well on the utility’s acre of land on Galliver Cutoff.

The new well will provide additional pressure needed in that area, as well as become a backup system in the event the well at Holt’s industrial park should fail.

Holt’s oldest and smallest well is below the iconic water tower located near the school building. According to Christiansen, this well will not supply the needed water pressure for the entire system during summer months.

As part of the USDA Rural Development project, Holt Water received engineering proposals this week from two construction companies who bid on the new well project.

A selection board chose Municipal Engineering Services Inc. from Navarre for the project.

Should the grant/loan funding be approved, Municipal Engineering has a completion date of no later than January 2022.

New building

Holt Water is also exploring ways to fund and build a new office building.

The current office is part of the community center building used by Holt Volunteer Fire District given to Holt by the local chapter of the Ruritan Club 10-to-15 years ago.

The building is deteriorating to the point it can no longer be repaired. It’s also infested with rats.

Holt Fire is in the process of securing funds for a new fire station at the new park and a substation on its property on Wilkerson Bluff Road.

Holt Water’s board of directors would like to vacate the current office before or at the same time as Holt Fire.

Stephanie Holcombe