Civility, Integrity and Tolerance

COMMENTARY

Editor’s Note: Much like “Lexington,” an anonymous commentator for The Economist magazine, “Lex et Veritas” will be offering commentary for readers of InsideVero.com. “Lux et Veritas” addresses local politics, lagoon contamination, quality of education, Libertarian and Liberal excesses, media reporting and agendas, wealth disparity and more.

Lux et Veritas

With the spate of political campaigning preceding the upcoming election, accompanied by media reporting and commentary, public interest forums and debates, myriad endorsements, lawn signage, ads, and mailings, four central issues emerge:

Completing the Electric sale and transactions
Providing for the long-term the financial viability of the City
Visioning the Future
Restoring civility and tolerance on the City Council

SALE and TRANSACTIONS

With overwhelming community support, the City and Florida Power and Light have a signed agreement. Both are committed to continued good faith bargaining. There is no “opt out” provision for either party; Federal approval has been granted and Florida Public Service Commission recognition is being pursued, mutually endorsed by the signatories.

Negotiations are in progress regarding other aspects of the transaction between FPL and Florida Municipal Power Agency. Any delays do not involve dealings between the buyer and seller, namely FPL and the City of Vero Beach.

All candidates are supporting the sale, four unequivocally.

FINANCIAL VIABILITY

The City need not wait for the sale to streamline its operations, processes and effect efficiencies. Some initiatives which can be addressed are:

Consolidating functions and facilities
Restructuring management and staff
Monetizing property and vacant buildings – some of which have been surplus since the 1980s.
Selected cost effective outsourcing non-mission critical and non- core competencies.
Part timing, trimming services of certain operations during the off season.
Market competitive rates and fees for the Cemetery, Recreation, facility usage, code enforcement.
Union negotiations on Personnel costs

Further rightsizing will occur post sale. The General Fund currently charges the Electric Utility $1.7M annually for administration services. Post sale, the General Fund shortfall is projected to be $3M which includes a $1.5M loss in Recreation. Proceeds and retained funds are estimated in the $33M range which could potentially pay down a portion of the $5M annual pension expense. A 6 percent franchise fee is proposed and new leases will bring in over $200,000. The need for tax increases does not seem to be formidable.

Finances will be challenging but manageable. There is no Fiscal cliff.

VISION

Moving beyond Vero Electric, are the priorities of services, amenities, property usage, and development that the residents and taxpayers expect and are willing to pay for; including parks, services, recreation, building codes, traffic calming, and public safety. At issue as well is maintaining and retaining City assets: Crestlawn Cemetery, the Marina, Airport, and Utilities.

CONDUCT and DEMEANOR

One need not concur with the positions of our elected officials and candidates, but clearly, demand and trust they have unimpeachable integrity, comport themselves civilly, are tolerant, non discriminatory, respond to the public and have allegiance to the City of Vero Beach.

Each City Council is transitory empowered to preserve our heritage, prepare our future, and endeavor to pass on a better and more secure City to their successors.

Character is more important than charisma.

Principle is more critical than politics.

Tolerance is more decent than tyranny.

Reflection is more effective than reaction.

Civility is more respected than calumny.

Integrity is paramount.

8 comments

This is the kind of commentary we need more of. Thanks Mr. Veritas

A well written post, however another issue should be included in my opinion. The issue deals with weekly/daily rentals and its impact on every Vero resident. No matter who provides my electricity , what matters most to me is my quality of life. If these rentals are allowed in residential neighborhoods ,thanks to Tracy Carroll,we will all feel the negative effects from time to time with some more than others .This to me ,is this election’s most important issue. Frankly, I believe these rentals will down grade our family oriented neighborhoods.

There is an additional revenue source that the COVB “leaders” have failed to address. There is no excuse for the continued non-payment of the lease for the former plant on Old Dixie Hwy. If Croom Construction agreed to pay the city to develop the property, then the agreed upon monthly payment structure should be enforced.

A well functioning City Council should also work in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce to bring into the community the clean business entities that can add substantially to the tax base and provide employment of our citizens with wages that can support a family.

The circuit court is deciding the short term rental issue, don’t confuse things by saying its the biggest issue. If the circuit court overturns the ruling, thereby upholding the city’s interpretation, the council could still vote to fall back to the state guidelines,allowing short term rentals. However, if the circuit upholds the decision, the city can not then vote to enact a restriction. That door has closed for all cities. If a decision hasn’t been handed down before the election, i will be surprised.

A well written commentary. I just have one little correction. The airport is self sufficient and doen’t contribute or take from the general fund. However if something happened that it could not support itself the city would have to contribute. The airport is very well run. The marinas make money every year and are also well run.

To some the impending sale of the Vero electric system is the biggest issue facing the voters in November. Others , like myself, see the weekly/ daily rental issue as the number one concern in their lives. Tracy Carroll has potentually caused our city great harm that will last for ever should weeky/daily rentals be allowed . Unfortunately it will cost the taxpayers of this city thousands of dollars in defense of our ordinances, which thru the years have been interpreted to mean no weekly/daily rentals in residential zones.Tracy Carroll has put her own needs before the public good.

Trust me, I am as against short term rentals as you, Frank, but do you really think our little piece of paradise would cease to exist if short term rentals were allowed. It is not an easy buisness to be in and generally is not lucrative unless you have a super modern mini-mansion that people are willing to spend stupid money on, in an effort to have a “lifestyles of the rich and famous” weekly vacation. The ruling will not entice that many others to do it, if its upheld. I hope it is not.