Seminole County BCC Sells-Out to the OOCEA

On August 10, in a 4-1 vote, the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners (BCC)  approved an Interlocal Agreement ceding all their authority to an outside agency, the Orlando/Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA), concerning all future decisions about the design, operation, tolling and future changes to the beltway proposed to be built through our communities once the final alignment is approved.  Brenda Carey, our District Commissioner, was the only shining light of reason on the BCC, as she voted against the Agreement.  Your HOA Board, along with others associated with the WPCC, actively informed the Commissioners many times, as early as January, and most recently a few days before their vote, about how bad this agreement  would be  for us and their other constituents.

The common concerns for all Seminole County residents about the Interlocal Agreement, center around the fact that our Seminole County Commissioners, who also make up 5 of the 7 seats on the Seminole County Expressway Authority (SCEA), voted to give up their authority and responsibility to the Orlando/Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) to design, develop, maintain, collect, and set tolls on the proposed beltway extension in Seminole County.  The Interlocal Agreement, which was drafted and aggressively pushed by the OOCEA, is overwhelmingly to the advantage of the OOCEA and Orange County, and does not grant any enforceable input by the SC BCC.  The Interlocal Agreement is irrevocable, and  establishes the legal basis for all future work on this beltway proposed to run through our communities.

The reality of having our County elected officials sign an agreement giving away their responsibility and authority to another, mostly unelected (4/5 members are appointed by the Governor) outside organization (the OOCEA), which has no interest in protecting or preserving our rights, way-of-life and home values is a travesty and should be extremely alarming to all Seminole County residents.

Commissioners Dallari, McLean, Henley and Van Der Weide all voted in favor of abdicating their responsibility for reasons which included "this agreement is probably the best we will get" and "I am ready to move forward".  McLean and Henley are running for re-election, and their opponents, John Horan and Win Adams have been interviewed by the WPCC, and they are against this agreement.