Dive summary:
- Florida Public Utilities purchased 8-acres of land from the city to be used for a centralized service center but instead found a forgotten landfill.
- The landfill is up to 10 feet deep and contains household trash and auto parts.
- Florida Public Utilities is holding the city responsible for cleanup of the site, which they estimate to cost at least $400,000.
From the article:
Project director Ron Flick told the City Commission Tuesday that Florida Public Utilities is holding the city responsible for a cleanup the company estimates will be at least $400,000. The discovery is in an area designated for storage. Construction work on the service center building is ongoing.
The city, already facing budget issues, hasn’t offered to pay a cent for the cleanup until more research determines the source of the trash and what legal responsibility both sides bear. The city and the company said they hope to avoid a lawsuit, but Flick said case law would prevent the city from successfully defending itself using Florida’s buyer-beware doctrine. City Attorney Tammi Bach said it’s uncertain if that’s true. ...
