Company Information - Fort Pierce Utilities Authority

PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE GUIDE
Human Resources Department
500 Boston Avenue
PO Box 3191
Fort Pierce, FL 34948-3191
http://www.fpua.com
Thank you for considering
Fort Pierce Utilities Authority
in your job search.
We hope this information about FPUA will be helpful to you.
If you would like additional information, please contact the Human Resources Department:
Call
(772) 466-1600 x 3267
Visit
500 Boston Avenue in Fort Pierce
Fax
(772) 429-2035
Write
PO Box 3191
Fort Pierce, Florida 34948-3191
E-mail
hr@fpua.com
Applicaton
On-line applications can be completed at http://www.fpua.com
Office Hours
Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
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Fort Pierce Utilities Authority mission is to provide our
customers with economical, reliable and friendly service in a
continuous effort to enhance the quality of life in our com-
FPUA’s service area includes both the area within the corporate limits of the City
of Fort Pierce and portions of unincorporated St. Lucie County. Approximately
80% of the system revenues are derived from services provided within the City of
Fort Pierce, and 20% from services provided in unincorporated St. Lucie County
and St. Lucie Village.
FPUA has been providing electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater services to
Fort Pierce and portions of St. Lucie County since 1972. Although the City of Fort
Pierce operated its own utility as the Fort Pierce Utilities Commission, it wasn’t
until 1972 that a formal Utilities Authority was formed to operate as a separate
legal entity of the City. FPUA serves over 27,000 electric, 3,800 natural gas,
19,000 water and 14,000 wastewater customers, and employs approximately 270
people.
The FPUA Board consists of five members, one of whom is the MayorCommissioner of the City who serves on the FPUA Board as long as he or she
holds office. The other four members are appointed by the City Commission for
four year overlapping terms. At the discretion of the City Commission, the City
Manager, whose term is set by the City Commission, may serve as an ex‑officio
member of the FPUA Board without voting rights. No member of the FPUA
Board may serve more than two consecutive four-year terms.
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FPUA BOARD
ATTORNEY
DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS /
COMMUNICATIONS
ELECTRIC & GAS
SAFETY
WATER/
WASTEWATER
SHARED SERVICES
FINANCE
Transmission
Water Resources
Human Resources
Utility Rates
Distribution
Water Reclamation Facility
Training & Development
Financial Reporting
Engineering
Engineering
Benefits
Statistical Reporting
Electric Sales
Water Sales
Employee Litigation & Records
Regulatory Reporting
Dispatch
Lift Stations
Rules & Regulations
Performance Reporting
Field Services
Water Distribution
Information Technology
Services
Cash Management
Meter Reading
Wastewater Collection
Debt Management
FPUAnet Communications
Gas Sales & Operations
Industrial Pretreatment
Purchasing
Facilities
Treasure Coast Energy Center
Contract Management
Materials Management
Budget
Fleet Maintenance
Manatee Observation &
Education Center
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Your Hometown Utility
Electric System
General - The Electric System services the City and immediately surrounding area,
encompassing approximately 35 square miles. The Electric System started operations in Fort Pierce with the City’s purchase of a private system in 1911.
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) serves the area surrounding FPUA’s service
area. FPUA and FPL have a territorial agreement, which has been approved by the
Florida Public Service Commission, and which establishes FPUA’s Electric System
service area.
All-Requirements Project - As of December 12, 1997, FPUA began participating in
the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) All-Requirements Power Supply Project
(ARP). As a member of ARP, FPUA has assigned its contractual entitlement to certain purchased power and fuel supplies to ARP and has agreed to purchase its total
electric power requirements from ARP. FPUA’s resources, which were assigned to
ARP, include contracts with FMPA related to the output of the Orlando Utilities
Commission Stanton Unit No. 1 and Stanton Unit No. 2. FPUA’s contracts with
FMPA related to the output of the FPL St. Lucie Nuclear Project have not been assigned to ARP.
Transmission Facilities - FPUA currently has 28 miles of transmission lines and
eight substations operating at 69kV and 138kV. FPUA jointly owns a 138kV transmission line directly interconnecting with both FPL and the City of Vero Beach’s municipal electric system. FPUA also has an interconnection substation with FPL at Fort
Pierce.
Distribution Facilities - There are approximately 441 miles of distribution main
feeders in FPUA’s service area.
Treasure Coast Energy Center - FPUA personnel operate and maintain this 300
MW modern combined cycle natural gas-fired power generation facility 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week under a contract with its owner, FMPA.
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Your Hometown Utility
Water System
The Water System serves the City of Fort Pierce and the immediately surrounding area,
encompassing approximately 32 square miles. Water supply is obtained from 36 surficial
aquifer wells (shallow) and 11 Floridan aquifer wells (deep). FPUA currently has a Water
Use Permit (WUP) from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to withdraw a not to exceed daily maximum of 21.13 MGD of ground water. Treatment of the
raw ground water is presently accomplished through a 20 MGD conventional Lime Softening Water Treatment Plant and a 10.33 MGD Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant.
FPUA owns and operates a 13.3 MGD air stripping system which services the lime softening portion of FPUA's Water Treatment Facility. FPUA meets all federal and state drinking water standards. FPUA has 9 MG of storage capacity. The water distribution system
is composed of 377 miles of wa-
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Your Hometown Utility
Wastewater System
The Wastewater System serves the City of Fort Pierce and immediately surrounding area, encompassing approximately 30 square miles. The wastewater collection system
consists of 121 lift stations, 171 miles of gravity sewer lines ranging from 8 to 48 inches
in diameter, and approximately 98 miles of force mains ranging in size from 2½ to 18
inches. The Island Water Reclamation Facility (IWRF) currently has a permitted capacity of 11.5 MGD for Annual Average Daily Flow (AAFD). On March 2, 2007, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued the operating permit, which is anticipated to be adequate through the year 2018. FPUA has a deep injection well at the
plant site. A pumping station injects treated effluent into the 3,300-foot deep injection well. A site for a second facility, the Mainland Water Reclamation Facility (MWRF),
has been purchased in the southwest corner of the service area and the design of the
plant is completed. A deep injection well has been constructed on this site to accommodate the Treasure Coast Energy Center’s wastewater stream.
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Your Hometown Utility
Natural Gas Distribution System
The Natural Gas Distribution System serves the City and immediately surrounding area
encompassing approximately 27 square miles. Natural gas has been available in Fort
Pierce since the early 1960s. FPUA purchases firm gas for resale through the Florida
Gas Utility under a full requirements agreement. The Gas Operations Department is
responsible for the installation and maintenance of all gas mains and service lines. The
department also employs a staff of qualified gas service technicians to maintain and
repair customers’ natural gas appliances.
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Your Hometown Utility
FPUAnet Communication Services
FPUA has been providing communication services to its utility customers and the community as a whole since 2000. The original name, “ispEZ – Internet the easy way!” was
used for dialup Internet access and other traditional services. These original services
were phased out by 2008. Today, state-of-the-art fiber optic communications are provided under the name “FPUAnet Communications.” FPUAnet provides Dedicated Fiber
Internet Access and Optical Fiber Links, such as Dark Fiber and Bandwidth Connections
to businesses and institutions. As a leading member of the Research Coast Broadband
Coalition, FPUAnet Communications seeks to interconnect the five-county region.
FPUAnet’s competitive presence in the marketplace is intended to encourage other local service providers to improve their offerings. Good availability, high quality and low
pricing of modern communication services have been shown to boost economic development. An improved economy benefits the local community as well as FPUA reve-
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Your Hometown Utility
Manatee Observation & Education Center
FPUA operates the Manatee Observation & Education Center (MOEC), which is located
on Moore’s Creek in downtown Fort Pierce. MOEC’s mission is to promote understanding and responsible actions for the protection of the Treasure Coast’s fragile ecosystems and its inhabitants. With the help of over 90 dedicated volunteers, MOEC educates thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. Through hands-on displays and informative exhibits, it promotes manatee awareness and environmental conservation about the Indian River Lagoon and many other Florida habitats. The outdoor
covered walkway and observation tower that overlooks Moore’s Creek provide visitors
a chance to view the endangered the manatee in its natural habitat. MOEC’s Wildlife
Boat Tour offers an opportunity to personally experience the diversity of the Indian Riv-
Administrative
In addition to the operation and distribution aspects of the utility, FPUA relies on a variety of support services. These services are Customer Service, Engineering, Finance,
Information Technology Services, Facilities, Human Resources, Communications, Risk
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FPUA Facility Locations
Fort Pierce Utilities Authority has 10 facilities located in Fort Pierce and
St. Lucie County that house various departments.
Administration Building - 206 S. 6th Street
Houses Director of Utilities, Customer Service, Billing, Information Technology
Services, Director of Shared Services and Communications (public relations).
Annex Building - 500 Boston Avenue
Houses Human Resources, Risk Management, Finance and FPUAnet
Communications
Manatee Observation and Education Center (MOEC) - 480 N. Indian
River Dr
And the Vanishing Mermaid Gift Shop
MOEC Administrative Offices - 205 AE Backus Avenue
Facilities - 205B AE Backus Avenue
Water Reclamation Facility - 403 Seaway Drive
Houses Water Reclamation & Wastewater Collection
Water Treatment Plant - 715 S. 25th Street
Houses Director of Water/Wastewater Systems, Water Resources
Water Distribution - 715 S. 25th Street (Gate 3)
Energy Services Center (ESC) - 1701 S. 37th Street
Houses Director of Electric & Gas Systems, Gas Operations, Electric T&D,
Electric & Gas Engineering, Water/Wastewater Engineering,
Materials Management
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FPUA Employee Benefit Summary
HOLIDAYS:
11 paid holidays
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King Day
President’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
VACATION:
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day After Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Accrual for Regular Employees:
0 through 5 years - 12 days/year (96 hrs)
11 through 15 years - 17 days/year (136 hrs)
6 through 10 years - 14 days/year (112 hrs)
More than 15 years - 20 days (160 hrs)
Maximum accumulation: 240 hours at the end of each fiscal year (September 30). Any hours accumulated over
240 at the end of each fiscal year will be lost. Vacation may be taken as earned and, with adequate notification, be
used for any reason the employee desires.
SICK:
Accrual for Regular Employees: 3.70 hours/pay period
Maximum accumulation: Unlimited. Eligible after first 30 days of employment. May be eligible to convert sick
leave hours into cash (maximum 6 days annually). Upon leaving FPUA, employees with more than 3 years and less
than 10 years of continuous service will receive pay for ½ of their accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of 45
days. Employees with 10 or more years continuous service will receive pay for all accumulated sick leave up to a
maximum of 90 days.
RETIREMENT PROGRAMS:
City of Fort Pierce Retirement System (Mandatory Participation)
6.16% employee contribution
16.30% contributed by FPUA (May vary annually)
International City Management Association (I.C.M.A.) (Voluntary)
(Deferred Compensation Package)
Maximum – up to $17,500 per year in 2014 (under age 50)
Maximum – up to $23,000 per year in 2014 (over age 50)
Nationwide Retirement Solutions (Formerly P.E.B.S.C.O) (Voluntary)
(Deferred Compensation Package)
Maximum – up to $17,500 per year in 2014 (under age 50)
Maximum – up to $23,000 per year in 2014 (over age 50)
Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP)
A payment option within the mandatory defined benefit retirement plan
that allows an eligible FPUA employee to remain employed but “retire”
with respect to the retirement plan.
HEALTH INSURANCE: Effective for employees and dependents on the first day of the month following completion of 60
days continuous service. FPUA pays 100% of employee premium and 71% of the dependent premium.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
Provides full benefits when using current network, less a $15.00 per office visit co-pay for family practitioners and
$25.00 per office visit co-pay for specialists. If employee goes out of the network, the employee will pay all fees
above reasonable and customary charges after deductible and co-insurance are satisfied.
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DENTAL INSURANCE – Becomes effective for employees and dependents on the first day of
the month following completion of 60 days continuous service. FPUA pays 100% of
employee premium and 60% of the dependent premium.
VISION – Becomes effective for employees and dependents on the first day of the month following completion of 60 days continuous service. FPUA pays 100% of employee premium eye care coverage for employees and a portion for their family members, including
eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, etc.
LIFE INSURANCE – TERM (EMPLOYEES ONLY) – $20,000 life insurance and $20,000 accidental death and dismemberment. Employees may also purchase, on a voluntary basis,
additional life insurance through payroll deduction in $10,000 Increments up to
$100,000.
LONG TERM DISABILITY – Employees out for more than 60 days due to a disabling injury or
illness will receive 50% of monthly wage, up to $2,000. Employees may also purchase
an additional 10% of coverage, up to $3,500 per month.
VOLUNTARY BENEFITS –
CANCER, DREAD DISEASE & PERSONAL ACCIDENT COVERAGE – Designed to provide cash benefits to employees for the treatment of cancer, 30 specified diseases, and
accidents that might occur, in addition to any medical insurance plan employees may
have. Benefits are paid to the employee in cash. Premiums vary based on the level or
plan of benefits purchased.
COMPUTER PURCHASE PLAN – After the successful completion of their 6-month probationary period, employees are eligible to purchase a computer for up to $3,500
through payroll deduction at a “Zero” interest rate.
EDUCATION – FPUA provides employees an incentive to pursue college credits toward
a degree or to obtain professional certifications or licenses of value to FPUA by paying
100% of their educational costs, subject to approval by the Educational Assistance
Committee.
FLEXIBLE BENEFIT PROGRAM – Allows employees to set aside pre-tax earnings once
per year to help pay for expenses not covered by medical insurance and dependent
care services.
PRE-PAID LEGAL SERVICES – Designed to service the legal needs of the member,
spouse, and dependents age 23 or younger. The program provides numerous free and
discounted legal services, as well as low capped hourly rates for all extended legal care,
in or out of court.
WELLNESS PROGRAM – Employees are encouraged to pursue a healthy lifestyle
through information and various incentives
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