COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
In a scene from the classic 1980 movie “The Shining,” the demented and crazed character played by Jack Nicholson, ax raised above his head, says in a sinister voice, “I’m back.”
Well, “I’m back” will likely be the message of the city’s transactional attorneys when they next come before the City Council, perhaps as soon as Sept. 3, to seek authorization for additional funding to cover their $500-per-hour legal fees.
The city’s high-priced attorneys have to date burned through nearly $1.4 million and must come back, not only to report on how the negotiations are finally progressing under FPL’s direction and direct intervention, but also to ask for more money.
Councilman Jay Kramer has never had confidence in John Igoe and his colleagues, and Councilman Richard Winger has expressed doubts about their several failed strategies, which have so far led down “one rabbit hole after another,” as Winger put it.
The vote to let the legal meter keep running beyond $1.4 million will likely be 3-2, possibly 4-1, if Winger can convince himself further funding for the transactional attorneys will not amount to throwing good money after bad.
Another important decision regarding legal expenses will have to be made by the Council at its Sept. 3 meeting, when it considers whether to appeal the Code Enforcement Board’s 3-2 decision opening the door to unlimited short-term rentals.
Kramer and Winger have already expressed an inclination to appeal the CEB’s decision. Because the case involves Councilwoman Tracy Carroll and her husband, John, the Vice Mayor will have to recuse herself, which leaves Mayor Craig Fletcher and Councilwoman Pilar Turner as the deciding votes.
Given Fletcher’s and Turner’s willingness to all but throw money at the transactional attorneys, it will be interesting to see what arguments they may make against spending money to appeal the CEB’s split decision.
Many in the community, including the executive board of the Indian River Neighborhood Association, believe appealing the CEB’s decision is vital to preserving the quality and character of the community’s neighborhoods.
If Fletcher and Turner take the position the city cannot afford to appeal the CEB’s decision to the circuit courts, one place they could find at least $20,000, would be for the only two Council members receiving health insurance coverage (Fletcher and Turner) to forgo taking that benefit in the coming fiscal year.
Indian River Guardian 
LOVED that last paragraph. Non-permanent part-time councilmembers just should NOT receive benefits that hard-working permanent part-time employees cannot enjoy. It’s just not right.
I Know The Truth is absolutely correct. There is absolutely no exuse for elected officials like Flecther and Carroll to not be responsible for their paying for their own health care benefits.
No council member qualifies for health coverage paid for by the taxpayers. Where is the tea party and the taxpayers association ?
Why is Glenn Heran silent ?
More importantly, at least in terms of costs to taxpayers, where is the Tea Party/Taxpayers Association when it comes to questioning the wisdom of making millions of dollars in public investment for the County to take over water and sewer service to the residents on the south barrier island?
Because the city has already agreed to match county rates, there will be no economic benefit to the residents served. Millions will be spend for county will gain 3,000 customers, but none of its customers will benefit.
What Glenn Heran and the Taxpayers Association is really about is running the City of Vero Beach into bankruptcy, or forcing the city into a position where it has no choice but to be absorbed by the County.
In their crusade to implement their vision of “limited government,” The Tea Party and Taxpayers Association would like to see one less level of local government. Though they will deny this with their last breath, there is not other way to understand their hostility toward the city.
So very true. Turner, Carroll and Solari, the true Troika, have apparentky been trying to have the county subsume the city for years. Be on your guard.