SURFSIDE, Fla. – A new sewer line is causing a big stink between Surfside and its ultra-wealthy neighboring village.
The plan is for a 4-inch pipe to run straight up Surfside’s 91st Street to Collins Avenue.
Indian Creek Village Manager Guillermo Olmedillo describes it as a simple, standard procedure — “something that everyone does downstream.”
The project would allow Indian Creek Village, home to some of the country’s wealthiest residents, to transition off septic tanks and connect to the sewer system through Bay Harbor Islands’ main pipe, through Miami Beach, and out to Miami-Dade County’s Virginia Key treatment plant.
“It’s the health of the bay,” Olmedillo said. “Also, it’s state and county policy to make the conversion from septic to sewer.”
Local 10 has learned that in the 10 months since Surfside left a right-of-way permit for Indian Creek Village unsigned, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett made behind-the-scenes requests for $10 million to do so.
The requests were confirmed to Local 10 by three people; one state-level official described it as “extortion.”
A Surfside commissioner brought up the Indian Creek sewer line request at the town’s February commission meeting.
“The idea that you’re just going to come along and sort of tap into it without a contribution is, I think, the issue everyone on the dais has an issue with,” Burkett said at the meeting.
On Thursday, the mayor responded to Local 10′s questions via text, saying the commission directed him to speak with Indian Creek and, after doing so, he updated them on the progress.
However, sources tell Local 10 News that the mayor told Indian Creek officials that without $10 million, there would be no permit.
Surfside Interim City Manager Mark Blumstein, who takes direction from the mayor and commission, said he will sign the permit when directed.
“We will determine its impact on the health, safety, and welfare and apply the code appropriately,” Blumstein said.
Burkett did not acknowledge the $10 million figure in his text messages.
Indian Creek leaders said they will explore other options for their sewer line rather than pay Surfside $10 million.
The issue is likely to be discussed at the next Surfside Town Commission meeting in March.
