Zorc seems to have “skunk works” in mind

MARK SCHUMANN

Todays’ Press Journal editorial questions a proposal floated recently by Indian River County Commissioner Tim Zorc to form a privately funded group to advise the Commission on Lagoon issues.

County Attorney Alan Polackwich seemed surprised when I asked him about Zorc’s plan to form a privately funded working group to advise the County Commission on Lagoon issues.

Polackwich said Zorc had not consulted him about whether a group to include a representative from each municipal government in the county would be exempt from Florida’s open government laws.

A spokesperson with the Florida Department of State told me a red flag will go up if the group is acting in any way in an advisory capacity to a governmental body. Developing policies to propose to the County Commission, and doing so out of the public eye, certainly seems to be what Zorc has in mind.

Interestingly, Polackwich said Zorc has spoken with him about forming a separate group, apart from the Economic Development Council, to work on economic development initiatives.

The ECD has not embraced all of Zorc’s ideas, (he serves as the County Commission liaison to the EDC), which may be why the Commissioner appears ready to build his own sandbox. Don’t be surprised if there is a job in it for his former business partner, Charlie Wilson.

Tom Peters, in ‘In Search of Excellence,” wrote of “skunk works,” groups working outside the organizational structure. That appears to be what Zorc has in mind, both for developing Lagoon restoration policy and for initiating economic development initiatives. Neither of these ideas is likely to pass the sniff test.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/jun/30/editorial-indian-river-county-commissioner-tim/

One comment

Take a look at the practices of our mosquito control district, compared to other districts. What is different. Take a look at our water management district. What do they do different than others. Check water quality in area where septic tanks are near the lagoon. Look at the Cocoa area, with over 100 dead manatees, any similarities? The last thing we need is a politician forming another committee. What we need is action, not talk.