Dunedin readies $8m utility capital programme for future debt financing
Dunedin, Florida · Meeting date: October 22, 2026 · Published: October 23, 2026
Dunedin City Commission has unanimously adopted a reimbursement-intent resolution for five water and wastewater projects estimated at just under $8 million. The measure does not authorise borrowing, but allows the utility to reimburse eligible advance costs from future tax-exempt bonds, notes or bank financing.
Key points
- Resolution 26-23 covers an estimated $7.977 million of water, wastewater and utility capital projects.
- The programme includes wastewater treatment plant filter-media and basin rehabilitation, emergency-generator building rehabilitation, a production well facility and the Willowood Village water-main replacement.
- Finance staff said the city expects to finance the works through one or more future tax-exempt debt issues, probably through a bank loan or bank note procured competitively.
- The resolution was approved unanimously and permits reimbursement from Dunedin's Water/Wastewater Enterprise Fund if the city advances project costs before financing closes.
Full report
Dunedin has put in place a financing mechanism for an estimated $7.977 million programme of water, wastewater and utility capital works, as the Florida city prepares to refine project costs and seek future tax-exempt financing.
The City Commission unanimously approved Resolution 26-23 on 22 October, declaring its intent to reimburse construction costs from one or more future tax-exempt bonds or notes. Finance Department representative Les Tyler said the resolution does not commit the city to issuing debt. Instead, it preserves the option to repay eligible project expenditures from financing proceeds after costs have been advanced from the Water/Wastewater Enterprise Fund.
“This resolution does not obligate the city or the enterprise fund for water wastewater to issue debt,” Tyler told commissioners. “It just provides us to have a tool in our tool belt to be able to reimburse ourselves once we do issue the financing.”
The listed programme comprises a RAS/WAS filter feed pump; wastewater treatment plant facility 8 filter-media and basin rehabilitation; water and wastewater treatment plant emergency-generator building rehabilitation; a production well facility; and the Willowood Village water-main replacement project.
The $7.977 million figure is an initial estimate, based on the current budget, and will be refined in the coming months. Tyler said staff anticipated pursuing financing between February and April 2027 and would work with engineering staff to update the required debt amount. The eventual financing could exceed $8 million if revised estimates warrant it.
While the resolution refers to bonds or notes, Tyler said the city would probably use a bank loan or bank note, with banks invited to bid through an RFP process. The city would assess both offered interest rates and the wider financing package before bringing a recommendation back to the commission.
The move comes alongside smaller approved utility works: the commission also approved $164,185 for replacement of four sodium hypochlorite tanks at the water treatment plant and $89,963.51 for repairs to Lift Station No. 8. The larger reimbursement resolution, however, creates the financial pathway for Dunedin’s broader near-term water and wastewater capital programme.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: CITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING - Oct 22, 2026, Dunedin