Oakland selects new auditor

An audit selection committee formed in August to determine the town of Oakland’s next auditor has selected Purvis Gray from the four proposals received.

The committee, comprising Mayor Shane Taylor, Ken Bresnahan, Scott Gordon and Steve Stanford, met three times in September to review the proposals and rank them based on firm qualifications and experience, management and staff experience, methodology, and pricing. After choosing their top three firms, committee members determined the top two firms were tied for first.

Both firms appeared before the committee Sept. 30 for 30-minute presentations followed by a question-and-answer segment.

The selected firm, Purvis Gray, had rankings in the high 90s, and selection committee members said they were extremely impressed by the in-person proposal.

PREPARING FOR MILTON

The commission ratified a proclamation declaring a state of local emergency ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. At the time of the meeting, the hurricane was more than 24 hours away from Oakland, and, already, the town had distributed more than 2,800 sandbags in 48 hours. Linemen were staging in The Villages in preparation for the storm.

Town staff remained busy last week, securing sandbags, making sure there was enough sand available, and preparing the parks and town properties for the hurricane.

“As long as there is power, there will be water,” Taylor said. “If we lose power, there’s a backup generator.”

He requested residents turn off their irrigation systems for this and any future hurricanes to avoid stress on the generator.

“This is our time to show everyone how Oakland really is down in our spirit,” Commissioner Sal Ramos said. “Trees might not be down on your property, but they might be down on your neighbor’s.”

IN OTHER NEWS

• In a memo to the Oakland Town Commission, finance director Gaby Leon outlined the water rate increase for Fiscal Year 2024-25. The rates are based on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers. The minimum bill for residential water will increase by 61 cents, from $20.40 to $21.01. The city of Clermont, which handles Oakland’s wastewater, had not sent notification of the rate increase amount by the time of the meeting. The minimum bill for residential wastewater will increase by 95 cents from $19 to $19.95; residential wastewater usage of 1,000 gallons and above will increase from $7.25 to $7.73.

• Commissioners proclaimed Oct. 21 through 27 Florida City Government Week.

• The commission accepted the consent agenda, which included giving approval for assignments identified as out-of-field at Oakland Avenue Charter School. Fourteen teachers currently hold Florida certification in core academics, such as elementary education, and can be placed in assignments outside core academics if course work is completed within required periods. A few teachers are completing coursework for English Speakers of Other Languages to complete in-field requirements and/or gifted.

• Assistant Town Manager Elise Hui said the town has scheduled the installation of a new audiovisual system in Oakland Meeting Hall, and it should be operational by the Nov. 12 Town Commission meeting.

• Registration has begun for the annual Trees of the Season, an annual holiday event in which residents and businesses are invited to decorate a Christmas tree in hopes of winning prizes and bragging rights. It will be held in the Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center, 136 W. Petris Ave. The grand opening is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 16 with seasonal crafts, arctic cocoa, cookies, Elf on the Shelf and more.

• The commission discussed holding a golf cart parade through town following the Santa’s Lane event Saturday, Dec. 7. Updates will be provided as plans are solidified.