COMMENTARY

ED TAYLOR

During the past few years, I have tried to stay informed on the proposed sale of the Vero Beach electric system to Florida Power and Light (FPL) but due to a full-time job and family obligations, I was unable to do so to a level where I believed I became an informed citizen. This has always been an issue of concern to me since I am a customer of the Vero Beach system and this same proposed sale was the hot topic of conversation and news back when I was a news director for a local radio station in the mid-1970s.

These observations are based upon my recollection of observations as a citizen rather than research. I did try to watch as many city council meetings as possible and also tried to keep up with the proceedings through the media.

Initially I remember people telling our government that the city would realize a profit of $156 million after the sale. There were numerous presentations before the council that appeared to be the work of FPL claiming a substantial profit for the city and almost giveaway utility prices for the electrical consumer. A very rosy picture was painted. It almost seemed like FPL would be sending us a check for using their electricity!

Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows

I remember the phrase “due diligence”. A firm was hired, whose expertise is the valuation of utility systems; to give the city an expert appraisal of the value of the utility system. I was surprised that the city council was in the dark on the value of this asset. The dream began to shatter when supposed advocates of the people of Vero Beach (with no apparent expertise in this area)  were claiming that the experts estimation appraisal of the Vero Beach system was inflated. I asked who are these people working for? I would think as a potential seller they would want to obtain the highest price possible for their constituency. The appearance given was the opposite. This was disheartening as I began to question the definition of “constituency”.

To add to my concern, citizens with legitimate questions concerning the sale were treated like dirt by certain members of the council while those who were obvious proponents and spokesmen for FPL were treated like royalty. Why? Who has what to gain here? The numbers kept changing. The council kept spending. High-priced transactional attorneys were hired. Council members were suggesting hiring more attorneys to monitor the attorneys already hired. Numbers had changed yet again. I recall hearing a profit of $3 million to the city. What happened to the $156 million? It seemed, the way things were going, we would soon be paying FPL to take over our power plant!

Looking back, it appears that a junior high school student council would have done a better job in attempting to negotiate this deal. Obvious roadblocks known to the council (or should have been known to a council that was somewhat competent), but apparently ignored, have now surfaced causing indeterminate delays to a possible sale.  In spite of all this, a highly publicized contract was signed selling the electric system to FPL.  The numbers are still a tad hazy.

The continual changing numbers by the FPL talking heads does not inspire confidence and causes me concern as to why the council would continue to give them credibility. Why does the council tolerate the obvious schmoozing of five-minute past council member Charlie Wilson, who lauds anything FPL and then go out of their way to offend past legitimate council members, Ken Daige and Caroline Ginn?

Why does Tracy Carroll look to the skies in awe as if awaiting the appearance of an angelic choir when mentioning “the sale”?

I believe that everyone wants lower electric rates. I don’t believe that we have to sell our  collective souls and our dignity to achieve those results. Tracy Carroll is basing her campaign on lower electric bills yet just in the past few weeks voted to raise electric rates for every electric customer in the City of Vero Beach (hurts the customer . . . helps FPL).

This is perhaps the first time a city council member has obtained an open and notorious corporate sponsor. I am not against the sale of our electric system to FPL but I certainly dislike the smell that is coming from City Hall.  Since a binding contract has been executed, the issue is now out of the hands of the city council.  Could this have possibly been handled in a less competent fashion?

There had to be a better way to do this.