What's New at Bonita Springs Utilities

Six candidates are campaigning for three BSU board seats

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2010) – Six candidates, including three incumbents, are running for three seats on the board of directors of Bonita Springs Utilities Inc. The candidates are Robert (Bob) Bachman, who has served on the board since November 2000 and is owner/president of WBG SW Florida; Adam A. Botana, a lifelong Bonita Springs resident and owner/manager of Bay Water Boat Club & Rentals and R.I.C. Concessions; Henry (Hank) Hochstetler, retired real estate broker and community volunteer who has served on the board since 1990; James W. Lawson, a professional engineer and adjunct professor with Barry University and Florida Institute of Technology; Kathy McGrath, a licensed pilot, retired flight attendant and community volunteer; and Robert H. Sharkey, a retired State of Florida Department of Corrections lieutenant who was elected to the board in 2009.

BSU member-customers elect three fellow members each year for a three-year term on the utility’s nine-member board of directors. Ballots are being mailed to BSU member-customers and must be postmarked by March 9 to be counted. Election results will be announced during the utility’s annual meeting Tuesday, March 16. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the BSU office at 11860 East Terry Street.

Other board members are Paul Attwood, Frank Liles Jr., John Mathes, Dave McKee, Steve McIntosh and Jim Strecansky. The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In addition, each board member serves on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting from 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

Bonita Springs Utilities, Inc. – 2010 Candidates for Board of Directors

Robert (Bob) Bachman has served on the board since November 2000, including three years as president and two as VP. A Bonita Springs resident since 1986, he is owner/president of WBG SW Florida, operating as a general contractor and Realtor since 1994. A graduate of Iowa State University and Leadership Lee County, he is a two-decade-long member of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on the board, as treasurer and on the 2006 accreditation task force; managing the building expansion; and earning honors as Director of the Year. Bob considers BSU board membership an important form of community service and wants to continue BSU’s tradition as a well run, progressive utility. His priorities are a focus on providing quality services as economically as possible while protecting the environment and best utilizing BSU’s assets.

Adam A. Botana, a lifetime resident of Bonita Springs, is the owner/manager of Bay Water Boat Club & Rentals and R.I.C. Concessions. His experience in operating, managing and budgeting a family business will help him contribute to the future of Bonita Springs and the utility. A graduate of Barron Collier High School, he is secretary and president-elect of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon and chairs the annual Christmas boat parade. He also works in cooperation with FGCU’s Vester Marine Lab. Adam is interested in working on behalf of BSU employees, the residents of Bonita Springs and the future of the utility; contributing to the community; and representing the next generation of BSU board members.

Henry (Hank) Hochstetler was elected to the BSU board in 1990, after chairing the utility’s Wastewater Feasibility Study Committee. His prior experience with water systems in Indiana helped him serve effectively as BSU board president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. A Bonita Springs resident since 1979, Hank retired as president of Hochstetler Realty. He is past president of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and Board of Realtors, and was honored as the chamber’s Citizen of the Year in 1995. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs and is actively involved with the Bonita Springs YMCA as a board member, Hope Hospice and Bonita Springs Moose Club. Hank’s priorities as a board member are to use his experience and knowledge of utility operations to keep water and sewer costs as low as possible and to expand sewer service where it is practical.

James W. Lawson is a professional engineer with a bachelor’s degree from The University of Michigan, master’s degrees from The George Washington University and Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College and a Doctor of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. An adjunct professor with Barry University and Florida Institute of Technology, he was a principal in a residential construction business, professor of management and marketing, and technical director with the Department of the Navy. He is a member/past commander of the Naples Sail and Power Squadron, member/past officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and past president of a homeowner’s association. He feels sound water management is a must and anticipates new challenges to BSU once growth returns. His board focus would be innovative ideas for capital and operational improvements to support high customer satisfaction and excellent management practice to avoid rate increases.

Kathy McGrath seeks to carry on the legacy of her late husband, Bob, who was a BSU board member for 23 years. During that time, Kathy attended board meetings and took part in utility functions. A licensed private pilot and retired Pan American World Airways flight attendant, she has lived in Bonita Springs since 1983 and is a charter member of the utility. She is a founding member and secretary/treasurer of Imperial River Conservancy, vice chair of the Lee County Waterways Advisory Committee, member of the Street Lighting Committee and board member/secretary of Friends of Nature Place. As a board member, she would help prioritize proposed capital projects, work to provide the highest quality service at the lowest possible cost, and support expanding fertilizer pellet production and the use of solar energy, if funding is not a burden on member-customers.

Robert H. Sharkey was elected to the BSU board in 2009. A Bonita Springs resident since 1986, he retired as a lieutenant with more than two decades of experience with the State of Florida Department of Corrections. He attended Lake City Community College, is a graduate of the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy and is a state-certified hostage negotiator with memberships in the Florida Police Benevolent Association and Florida Association of Hostage Negotiators. His civic involvement includes the Bonita/Estero B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge, Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Bonita Beach Improvement Association and YMCA. He brings experience in negotiating labor, tax and benefits issues to the board. His priorities as a board member are maintaining low rates and fees, fair and equitable representation for all BSU members, delivering efficient and clean service, security with regard to our water assets and providing a safe work environment.

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BONITA SPRINGS UTILITIES AND FGCU CREATE SOLAR POWER INTERNSHIPS

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (Dec. 10, 2009) – Four Florida Gulf Coast University students will have the opportunity to make a difference in the way Bonita Springs Utilities operates while they help protect the environment.

“The utility owns more than 400 acres in the DRGR. We have Florida sun. We had to ask ourselves: Why aren’t we considering solar energy as a power source?” said Fred Partin, BSU’s executive director. “Our board has discussed solar power, and while the idea seems logical, there are numbers of issues to be addressed – funding, zoning, permitting, preserving the natural environment and protecting the fresh water aquifers, to name a few.”

BSU board members Robert Bachman and Steve McIntosh developed an internship program to help the utility study the solar power question.

“When I was an undergraduate,” said Bachman, “I had an internship that allowed me to provide a service to my employer, gain a great deal of practical experience and earn enough to pay for part of my education.”

McIntosh is a natural bridge between the utility and the university in his positions as vice president of the BSU board and chair of the FGCU Foundation board.

“We intended to select students from three majors for the solar internship team – environmental engineering, environmental studies and finance,” said McIntosh. “The candidates we interviewed were so strong that the board agreed to add a fourth student to the project.”

By the end of the spring semester, the interns will present a report to the BSU board outlining the pros and cons of building and operating a solar field.

“Their conclusion will either be ‘Yes, and here’s how’ or ‘No, and here’s why not,’” said Partin. “This is a wonderful learning opportunity for the students and for us.”

“We believe this will be a model for us. If it works as well as we think it will, we will certainly consider other internship projects,” said Partin.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

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DEC. 31 IS DEADLINE FOR BSU BOARD CANDIDATES

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (Dec. 4, 2009) – Those wishing to run for a seat on the Bonita Springs Utilities Inc. board of directors must file applications by the end of the year. Member-customers of the not-for-profit water and wastewater utility will elect three representatives for a three-year term this spring. Any BSU member who is a full-time resident of the area served by BSU is eligible to run. Candidates cannot be related, as defined by the BSU bylaws, to members of the board. Those interested in applying for candidacy may pick up application forms at the BSU office at 11860 East Terry Street. Completed applications must be received at the BSU office before 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009.

Ballots will be mailed to BSU members in mid-February, and the results of the election will be announced at the annual meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Bonita Springs attorney James Kerr, whose office has supervised the election process for the past nine years, will serve as election monitor for 2010.

The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In addition, each of the nine board members serves on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting from 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff. Board members receive monthly stipends and optional health insurance coverage.

Incumbents Robert Bachman, Henry Hochstetler and Robert Sharkey are eligible to run for re-election. Other board members are Paul Attwood, David McKee, Frank Liles Jr., John Mathes, Stephen McIntosh and James Strecansky.

Bonita Springs Utilities serves nearly 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. Its mission is to provide safe, reliable potable water and wastewater treatment, emphasizing responsible protection of our resources at the most effective cost to all members. To learn more, log onto www.BSU.us.

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BSU CALLS FOR STUDENT ARTWORK FOR 2010 WATER CONSERVATION CALENDAR

More than 800 drawings were submitted for the Bonita Springs Utilities 2009 Water Conservation calendar. The calendar featured artwork by (front row, left to right) Sophia Evans, Bonita Springs Charter School; Adam Sadaty, Art League of Bonita Springs; Gavin Horoszewski, Pinewoods Elementary; and Naida Gonzalez and River Curth, both of Bonita Springs Elementary; as well as (back row) Katy Guzman, Jieli Chen and Arley Guzman, all of Spring Creek Elementary; Rebecca Szilagyi, Bonita Springs Elementary; and Vinnie Blasucci, Bonita Springs Charter School. Also included were illustrations by Domenica Alban, Pinewoods Elementary; Adriana Van Linder, Bonita Springs Charter School; and Karina Mendez, Spring Creek Elementary.

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (May 14, 2009) – Bonita Springs Utilities invites Bonita Springs elementary school students to help illustrate its 2010 Water Conservation Calendar with drawings that show the importance of water and suggest ways to use it wisely. Students whose drawings are selected for the ninth edition of the calendar will win movie tickets and recognition during a BSU board meeting.

The contest is open to Bonita Springs students who are in kindergarten through fifth grade during the 2008-2009 school year. Entry forms are available on the utility’s Web site at www.BSU.us or at the BSU office on East Terry Street. The deadline for submitting illustrations is June 26.

The not-for-profit utility has published the calendar annually since 2002 as a way to remind its member-customers of the importance of smart water use throughout the year. More than 800 drawings were submitted for the 2009 calendar.

“BSU’s mission includes the protection of our water resources,” said BSU Executive Director Fred Partin. “Our member-customers appreciate the calendars, which provide water-conservation ideas and continual reminders to be conscious of water use.”

The water-conservation calendar concept was the result of a 2001 brainstorming session among a group of the utility’s member-customers who now select the illustrations for the calendars.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

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BSU CHANGING TAP WATER TREATMENT DURING MAY

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (April 29, 2009) – Bonita Springs Utilities customers may notice a slightly different smell or taste in their tap water, but the change is temporary and harmless. Each May, BSU changes its water-treatment process as a routine, preventative-maintenance measure.

“The change prevents the possible start of algae growth in our water distribution lines. The water may have a slight chlorine taste or smell but is safe to drink and causes no problems with laundry or other household uses,” said Director of Operations Mel Fisher. The change continues through May 30.

While the tap water is safe to drink, additional filtering may be needed for kidney dialysis and aquariums. The utility suggests that those who use at-home kidney dialysis machines contact their equipment suppliers, so the proper filtering equipment may be installed. Tropical fish or aquatic animal owners should check with tropical fish stores to learn how to pretreat tap water before adding to tanks.

“The technical explanation is that we’re temporarily converting our water disinfectant process from chloramines, a combination of chlorine and a small amount of ammonia, to free chlorine residual, a different form of the chlorine we already use,” said Fisher. “This is a routine, precautionary measure to ensure our member-customers of continual clean, safe potable water.”

Bonita Springs residents also may notice fire hydrants being flushed more often than usual throughout the month. Member-customers who have questions about the process can call BSU weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 239-992-0711.

BSU produced more than 2.7 billion gallons of water during 2008, using two water-production processes. The utility blends water produced through the traditional lime-softening process with water from its reverse osmosis facility for optimum taste and quality.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

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BSU BOARD RE-ELECTS OFFICERS

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (April 17, 2009) – The Bonita Springs Utilities Inc. board of directors re-elected its current officers for the 2009-10 term. Dave McKee remains president of the nine-member board. Other officers re-elected for a one-year term were Steve McIntosh, vice president, Frank Liles, treasurer, and Paul Attwood, secretary. The utility is governed by board members elected by BSU member-customers.

McKee is a licensed professional engineer with a background in utilities design and land development. He has served on the board since 2002 and was vice president for one term before being elected president. McIntosh was elected to the board in 2006. He is president of Tartan Consulting and holds a Ph.D. in business administration. Liles, retired after nearly four decades with Sprint, has been on the board since 1986. He has served several terms as vice president, treasurer and secretary. Attwood, a board member since 2001, is assistant district coordinator for the oil and gas section of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. He has served two terms as board secretary.

Other board members include Bob Bachman, Hank Hochstetler, John Mathes, Robert Sharkey and Jim Strecansky. The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In addition, each board member serves on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting from 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

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FOUR INCUMBENTS RETURNED TO BSU BOARD; ONE NEW MEMBER ELECTED

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (March 25, 2009) – Bonita Springs Utilities member-customers have re-elected four incumbents and added one new member to its board of directors. Incumbents Steve McIntosh, David McKee and Jim Strecansky return for a three-year term on the board. Incumbent Hank Hochstetler and new member Robert Sharkey were elected for a one-year term.

McIntosh, president of Tartan Consulting, has served on the board since 2006 and is board vice president. McKee, a licensed professional engineer with a background in utilities design and land development, has been a BSU board member since June 2002 and serves as president. Strecansky, who was appointed to the BSU board in 2008, retired as division vice president of a Fortune 500 company, and has lived in Bonita Springs since 2000. Hochstetler, a retired real estate broker and community volunteer, has served on the board since 1990. Sharkey is a retired Florida Department of Corrections lieutenant and has been a Bonita Springs resident since 1986.

Other board members are Paul Attwood, Bob Bachman, Frank Liles and John Mathes.

Bonita Springs attorney Jim Kerr, whose firm monitored the election for the ninth time, announced the results during BSU’s annual meeting. He reported that nearly 21,000 ballots were mailed, and 4,023 valid ballots were counted by the League of Women Voters of Lee County.

BSU member-customers typically elect three fellow members each year for a three-year term on the utility’s nine-member board of directors. This year, two additional directors were elected to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of one member and the passing of another.

The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the BSU offices on East Terry Street. Board members also serve on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

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SIX CANDIDATES RUN FOR FIVE SEATS ON BSU BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2009) – Six candidates, including four incumbents, are running for five seats on the board of directors of Bonita Springs Utilities Inc. The candidates are Adam A. Botana, a life-long Bonita Springs resident and manager of Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club & Rentals; Henry Hochstetler, a retired real estate broker and community volunteer who has served on the board since 1990; Stephen S. McIntosh, PhD, president of Tartan Consulting, board member since 2006 and current board vice president; David McKee, a licensed professional engineer with a background in utilities design and land development who has been a BSU board member since June 2002 and currently serves as president and; Robert H. Sharkey, a retired State of Florida Department of Corrections lieutenant and Bonita Springs resident since 1986; and James F. Strecansky, who was appointed to the BSU board in 2008, retired as division vice president of a Fortune 500 company, and has lived in Bonita Springs since 2000.

BSU member-customers typically elect three fellow members each year for a three-year term on the utility’s nine-member board of directors. This year, two additional directors will be elected to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of Mark Ciaffone and the passing of Robert McGrath. Since candidates do not run for specific board seats, the three candidates who receive the greatest number of votes will be elected for three-year terms. The fourth- and fifth-place candidates will be elected for a one-year term.

Ballots will be mailed to BSU member-customers in mid-February, and election results will be announced during the utility’s annual meeting Tuesday, March 17. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the BSU office at 11860 East Terry Street.

Other board members are Paul Attwood, Bob Bachman, Frank Liles Jr. and John Mathes. The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In addition, each board member serves on various subcommittees and work groups, devoting from 10 to 60 hours a month working with the utility’s management and staff.

Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility that serves more than 30,000 homes and businesses in a 60-square-mile area. For more information about the utility, visit the BSU Web site at www.BSU.us.

BONITA SPRINGS UTILITIES, INC. – 2009 CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Adam A. Botana, a resident of Bonita Springs since 1984, has managed Bay Water Exclusive Boat Club & Rentals since 2004. He is a lifelong resident of Bonita Springs, a graduate of Barron Collier High School and a member of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon. Adam is interested in giving back to the community and helping Bonita Springs. His priorities as a board member would be to protect the environment, maintain costs and enhance the relationship between the utility and the community.

Henry Hochstetler was elected to the BSU board in 1990, after chairing the utility’s Wastewater Feasibility Study Committee. He has served as board president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. A Bonita Springs resident since 1979, Hank retired as president of Hochstetler Realty, Inc., in 2000. He is past president of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Bonita Springs Board of Realtors and Bonita Springs Main Street, Inc., and was named 1995 Citizen of the Year by the chamber. He is an elder at the First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs, serves on the board of the Bonita Springs YMCA, volunteers with Hope Hospice and is a member of the Bonita Springs Elks and Moose clubs. Hank’s priorities are providing quality water and wastewater services to member-customers at the lowest possible cost, reducing bond debt and finding new ways to control energy costs and increase efficiency.

Stephen S. McIntosh, a BSU board member since 2006, now serves as vice president. A Purdue University graduate with a PhD in business administration, he has 15 years of management experience with a Fortune 500 company. In 1994, he founded Tartan Consulting, which focuses on business strategy, leadership development and psychological assessment. Steve, a graduate of the charter class of Leadership Bonita, helped create BSU’s first strategic business plan in 2004. He is vice chairman of the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation and a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator. He has served on the boards of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Speakers Assembly, Rotary and YMCA and was named both Rotarian of the Year and Chamber Director of the Year. His priorities are resource preservation, environmental protection, cost controls and the highest quality customer service.

David E. McKee joined the BSU board in June 2002, was vice president and has served as president since 2007. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering, is a licensed professional engineer with extensive background in development and utilities, and has been president and principal engineer of Lake Hickory Ventures, Inc. since 2005. He has lived and worked in Bonita Springs since 1990. Dave is president of the Bonita Springs Area Housing Development Corporation, which provides low-income housing, and past president of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon and Bonita Springs Youth Council. He serves on the board of the Bonita Springs Assistance Office. His goals are to control costs during the economic slowdown and find ways to improve service and reliability.

Robert H. Sharkey, a resident of Bonita Springs since 1986, recently retired as a lieutenant after more than a decade with the State of Florida Department of Corrections. He attended Lake City Community College, is a graduate of the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy and is a state-certified hostage negotiator. He is a member of the Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Florida Association of Hostage Negotiators and has experience in negotiating labor, tax and benefits issues. Robert feels his budget-forecasting skills and PBA experience in screening political candidates would help him as a BSU board member. His priorities would be monitoring growth and controlling the budget.

James F. Strecansky was appointed to the BSU board in 2008. He has lived in Bonita Springs since 2000, when he retired as division vice president and general manager with Air Products & Chemicals, the Fortune 500 company he joined in 1962. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Manhattan College and has participated in the advanced management program at Harvard Business School. He serves as a board member and on committees of his neighborhood association at Shadow Wood in The Brooks. His nearly four decades of management experience in the industrial gas, energy and environmental business have developed his skills in setting clear objectives, hiring good people and understanding markets. Jim’s priorities as a board member are to provide reliable and cost-effective service to the community and to insure BSU’s growth and financial stability.

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