FL S1568

Repeals the charter provision establishing a general manager for Gainesville Regional Utilities and creates a new Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority as the governing board of GRU.

Establishes a five-member authority appointed by the City Commission, with one residential customer member, one large commercial customer member (consuming at least 10,000 kilowatt-hours monthly), and three members with expertise in law, economics, accounting, engineering, finance, or energy.

Authority members must reside within GRU's electric service territory, be GRU electric customers, be qualified electors of the city (with one member required from outside city boundaries), and cannot have felony convictions; current/former elected officials of the city or county cannot serve until January 1, 2022.

Grants the authority broad powers to manage utilities operations, set rates and fees, acquire property, issue revenue bonds, hire/fire a chief executive officer/general manager, and prepare annual budgets, while remaining independent from the City Commission except as otherwise provided.

Referendum required in March 2018 for voter approval of the charter amendment; initial authority members take office October 1, 2018, with initial terms staggered from one to four years.