Reservoir repairs: consultant hired

TAMPA - A consultant will be paid as much as $908,500 to help find the "best fix at the best price" for the leaky Bill Young Reservoir.

A $125 million patch job is necessary for sprawling $140 million reservoir, once touted as a pioneering solution for the area's endless water woes.

Nowadays, it's more widely regarded as a money pit.

Tampa Bay Water, which manages reservoir, only narrowly hired consulting firm KPMG on Monday. The governing board, made up of elected officials from cities and counties, cast a 5 to 4 vote.

"It's oh my gosh, sticker shock," said Pasco Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, who ultimately supported the measure. Hildebrand and others said that the outside opinion, although expensive, is necessary because it is likely to prevent additional expenses and delays once the repair work commences.

"I think we absolutely, positively have to get it right," said board member Jamie Bennett, a St. Petersburg City Councilman. "We're trying to be overly cautious. And I think that's a good thing."

Critics noted that some expenses seemed high.

Tampa City Councilman Charlie Miranda said one part of KPMG's proposal includes charges of $125 an hour for an administrative assistant. Miranda voted against hiring the firm.

"When you compare a million to a billion or a trillion it's insignificant. But I'm not comparing it to that," Miranda said.

Some board members pressured Tampa Bay Water to explain why its own employees can't develop for the solution, thinking that route would be the least expensive.

"I just wonder if we would be better off having the internal staff do this job for us?" asked Pinellas County Commissioner Karen Seel.

Tampa Bay Water said its engineering and finance employees lack specific technical expertise to undertake such a large operation. A manpower issue also arose.

"While we have very qualified folks on our staff, we don't have that many," said Tampa Bay Water Executive Director Gerald Seeber.

Seeber said the contract cost could be reduced if fewer services are required of KPMG. He also pointed out that the $908,500 is less than one percent of the overall project cost, estimated at $125 million.

Tampa Bay Water will pay for the repair project by increasing water rates that eventually trickle down to home and business owners.