Representatives of Florida Power and Light’s working to negotiate the company’s planned purchase of Vero Electric will be meeting individually with each of the city’s five Council members next Monday to review the current status of the talks. The speculation is that FPL will be presenting a revised sales agreement.
Councilman Jay Kramer requested his meeting with FPL representatives, set for 4 p.m. Monday at City Hall, not be held behind closed doors. He said he wants to avoid any possibility of committing a Sunshine Law violation. “I want anyone who is interested to be able to hear what is said,” Kramer explained. “My question to FPL will be, “What did the other Council members ask of you, and what was your response?”
Kramer said he is concerned that though the city’s transactional attorney and FPL representatives have continued to draft a sales agreement, there has been little if any progress on issues with the Florida Municipal Power Agency.
If the city is unable to resolve the concerns of the FMPA and its bond counsel regarding tax issues and contingent liabilities, there are questions about whether the deal can be closed. Even if these hurdles can be cleared, the city will still need an exemption from the FMPA board and all 15 members of the FMPA All Requirements Project in order to complete the transaction before Oct. 2016.
Indian River Guardian 
The City Council members need to explain to the public why FP@L is able to meet individually with the decionmakers involved in the sale of the City of Vero Beach utility and such meeting not be considered as a means of circumventing the goals and intent of the Sunshine laws.