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Commissioner Bird questioned whether this would be a Utilities expense or a Public Works expense or a combination of both. If it is approved, he felt it should be left up to Administrator Chandler to do a proper cost allocation among departments. Utilities Director Terry Pinto advised that the permit requirement in order for us to dump into the canal was to go in and clear. Of course, we do whatever the Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD) requires us to do and they asked us to clear that area because they feel the future expansion of 4th Street that borders this would require them to move to the side where our project is to maintain the canal. In other words, the construction of that road would cause the canal to be cleared on the opposite side of our project. The District thought this would be the proper time to do it only because we have contractors in there working on a project and have to secure the area with a fence. When it is necessary to clear the area in the future, it would be difficult for them to come in and do the clearing. In addition, they feel that because the 4th Street expansion would be a road project, the County would be the one to clear it. Director Pinto agreed with the District -- if it is going to be cleared, now is the time to do it. He felt we should work out internally who has to pay for it and when, but if the clearing has to be done, we would rather go in and clear it before we finish our dikes and put up our fence. When we secure the area, we will provide gates and will work with the District to set the fences far enough back so that they can get in to maintain the canal. Chairman Adams had a real problem with IRFWCD making the clearing a part of the requirement for the permit since the two projects are not related. She felt that every time the District comes to us they have this arm -twisting action and we get this wall between us. The IRFWCD is a taxing district just like the County and she didn't believe it was our responsibility to clear their right-of-way when the two projects are not related at all. Director Pinto commented that the County is just responding to the permit requirements, but Chairman Adams felt if that is the case that we need to make an agreement with them that we will do the clearing and bill them for it. Marvin Carter of Carter Associates, engineers for IRFWCD, advised that this particular item goes back to some miscommunication during the permitting stage. This particular permit was only for discharge and to cross the District's right -of - 35 BOOK 97PnE 84 JANUARY 9, 1996