COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
In the fall of 2009, utility activists Dr. Stephen Faherty and Glenn Heran were trotting around town with a financial model showing how the City would net $156.5 million on the sale of Vero Electric.
As the contracts continue to take shape, long after they have already been approved by voters, it seems likely the City will be fortunate if it does not have to put money into the deal. If there are any proceeds, they will likely be no more than a few million dollars.
Though $3 million is a long way off from $156.5 million, that “slight” miscalculation could pale in comparison to the one Faherty may have been made today when he fired off an extensive public records request to 23 members of the Florida Municipal Power Agency.
Several utilities contacted yesterday who received Faherty’s public records request are livid, and all spoke a common theme, “Why would we make concessions to approve any deal when Florida Power and Light and Vero Beach are orchestrating this attack?”
“I am conducting an analysis/study of Florida municipal electric utilities (munis) and have attached two Public Records Requests under Florida’s Sunshine Act. The first requests demographic data on your municipality and electric utility and the second requests more specific financial date on your municipal electric utility,” Faherty wrote.
For starters, the 23 municipalities Faherty targeted are all members of the FMPA. Rather than being exceedingly curious about the municipal power business, it is far more likely Faherty is attempting to see what progress can be made in the Vero Beach’s negotiations with the FMPA if he holds a hammer over their head.
Ironically, FPL, the largest players in the proposed sale of Vero Electric, the party with the most money, the most customers, the most leverage, and presumably the most to gain, is not subject to Florida’s open records law.
If the shrewd folks at Florida Power & Light put Faherty up to this one, then they are not nearly as bright as they seem to be. If Faherty has gone rogue, and had pulled this stunt on his own, then one has to wonder what he was thinking.
Unable to let the negotiators do their work, too impatient to leave well enough alone, Faherty may have accomplished nothing more today than to gum up the wheels of compromise.
Indian River Guardian 
Regarding Faherty and Heran – WIIFM Just wondering.
What can you say about them when they wer only off by$150 million, but who’s counting .
Sounds like they both went to the Charlie Wilson math class. Didn’t Wilson say the city should sell to FPL because they would make $150 million profit…Hmmm.
Perhaps this means that there is no new deal with FMPA, or they wouldn’t be playing such junior league games. You want to tick off the opponents now, while there is a bargain in the works?? And you can bet that the cities will believe that FPL is behind it, no matter what Faheranty says.