COMMENTARY

MILT THOMAS

Late in the County Commission meeting of October 22, Commissioner Tim Zorc proposed a way to take advantage of any grants regarding lagoon cleanup that might require local match money. He suggested establishing a fund, “something in the $20 million range,” that would be approved by voter referendum to help fund lagoon projects in the future.

Commissioner Solari stated that currently the county had $20 million in the general fund available over and above reserves and supported investigating the idea further. Commissioner Davis also supported the idea, but didn’t want that kind of money, for lack of a better word, to be hijacked and that any application of public funds would have to be “scientifically based and not government by applause meter.”

Support for the idea, however hit a brick wall when Zorc suggested establishing a committee or subcommittee to oversee use of the funds. Last summer Zorc announced the formation of a private working group on lagoon issues that he wanted to operate out of the sunshine so members who were also public officials would not have to worry about sunshine violations. He also formed a corporation, Save the Indian River Lagoon Estuary Now, Inc. with Scott Stradley as the registered agent.

Commissioner O’Bryan said a clear plan of action would have to be established first before any recommendation could be considered.  A motion to continue discussing Zorc’s idea without any financial commitment was approved though by a 5-0 vote.

At that point, only two spectators sat in the audience, Mrs. Laura Zorc and Mr. Charlie Wilson.