By Marvin G. Cortner
Editor

Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority officials urged local elected officials on Sept. 13 to operate an Osceola County Expressway Authority just like a business: Be responsive to customers and remember that the mission is to build roads.

Osceola County commissioners, Kissimmee commissioners and St. Cloud City Council members – along with top administrative staff from the three government entities – gathered for a joint workshop on the Osceola County Expressway Authority, which the Florida Legislature ap-proved and the governor signed into law this past spring.

The intent of the authority is to provide the county with a way to finance and build major roadways, such as the extension of State Road 417 around the south end of Lake Tohopekaliga or construction of the Poinciana Parkway, which would go from Poinciana north to a point near Interstate 4.

“Roads and transportation infrastructure is a way to improve the economy and generate jobs,” state Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, the sponsor of the bill authorizing the Osceola County agency, said, adding that enabling legislation had been a priority for the Osceola County Commission and the Osceola Legislative Effort for the last five years. “Nobody likes tolls, but most everybody uses toll roads.”

Richard Gallant, special projects coordinator for the Florida Transportation Commission, a state board that oversees seven active expressway authorities and three transit authorities, said the Osceola County authority would have numerous start-up challenges such as no funding to meet statutory and administrative requirements since local government is not required to provide any money. In addition, he said there are “many hoops to jump through,” including adhering to state open meeting laws, ethics requirements, audits, extensive record-keeping, bylaws, policies and staff and board member training, to name just a few.

Mike Snyder, executive director of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, urged any new board overseeing the Osceola County authority to first talk with bond counsel about financing in general and then about financing particular road projects. He also urged that the executive director the authority would have to hire be well versed in finances.

“Good engineering is great and necessary, but if you don’t have any money to build roads, what difference does it make,” Snyder said. “You need to think of yourself as a business; people don’t have to use the toll way.

Snyder’s other suggestions: have accurate toll collection, keep abreast of industry innovation or changes and set long-range goals.

Wayne Rich, bond counsel with the Orlando firm of Broad and Cassel, said new toll roads will not be a quick solution to transportation problems because they take years to plan, finance and then build. His other advice: have well-rounded board members with a background in finance and a broad knowledge of the county; board members should have minimal conflicts of interest; the executive director should have expressway authority experience along with Florida Department of Transportation experience or knowledge; the board should have a good working relationship with the Florida Legislature; and the board must remember the mission is to build roads and be responsive to customers.

Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan, a former Osceola County commissioner involved with building Osceola Parkway, warned that the new county authority, once it is operational and has a project in mind, should not overestimate the volume of traffic expected, which is what occurred with Osceola Parkway. He said the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which financed the roadway, had to refinance its debt for the project based on more realistic traffic counts.

“Do not create unrealistic expectations; it might be 10 to 15 years before we can do anything,” Swan said.

The board overseeing the local expressway authority would be comprised of five Osceola County residents, three of them appointed by the Osceola County Commission and two by the governor. The appointees cannot be elected officials.

County staff said the next step is to make authority board applications available for 50 days, with the county manager then recommending which applicants merited consideration by the county and governor.