COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
As I entered City Hall this morning, I noticed Charlie Wilson, Brian Heady and Joseph Guffanti huddled in the foyer, awaiting their turn on the stage of the local political theatre of the absurd that has become public comment time during City Council meetings. Wilson, Heady and Guffanti are among a number of regular performers, many of whom are ratcheting up their rancor with each passing day. This will be another comic tragedy, I thought, as I entered the Council chambers.
I was right. When Vero Beach resident, Eleanor Moulton, addressed the City Council, she was soon interrupted by Councilwoman Pilar Turner. Turner’s argumentativeness was reminiscent of the days when Tracy Carroll so often turned public comment time into verbal jousting matches.
Moulton said the one other time she brought concerns before the Council former Councilwoman Tracy Carroll treated her so poorly that she was reticent about coming forward today.
Questioning what she believes are exaggerated benefits of the sale of Vero Electric to Florida Power & Light, and troubled by increasing rancor during Council meetings, Moulton spoke this morning, despite her misgivings about how she would be received.
But poor treatment before the Council wasn’t the only unpleasant surprise for Moulton. During a break, she was challenged by utility activist, Glenn Heran and others who essentially told her she needs better sources of information, presumably theirs.
Heran reminded Moulton that he is a CPA, but he did not bother to mention that the now defund accounting firm of Arthur Anderson was run by CPA’s.
As Moulton stepped out of the crowded foyer and onto the front steps of City Hall, an ardent pro-sale advocate, who is not known for her command of the social graces, walked up to Moulton and stuck a finger in her face.
“I need to get out of here,” Moulton said, as she walked away.
I thanked Moulton for having the courage to speak her mind in public. As she walked away, it occurred to me that the more grandstanders like Charlie Wilson, Brian Heady and Joseph Guffanti are allowed to poison public discourse with their acrimony and bitterness, the less likely it will be that responsible, concerned citizens like Eleanor Moulton will fell comfortable redressing government with their concerns.
Indian River Guardian 
I just want to make sure that Glenn Heran did not give Mrs Moulton the $625.00 that he promised every citizen of Vero Beach would receive along with the $156,5,00,000 from the sale of the electric company. I find that when you are loosing your grip on your side of a dispute raising the anger and volume in your voice does not make a terrible argument a good argument.
There is no doubt that we have seen reduced civility from our elective officials and community activists over the last several years. Watching the televised meetings in the safey of my home makes me all the more grateful that I do not have to deal with the people who operate based only on their private agenda.
Scientist Neill DeGrasse Tyson offered a wonderful program trying to example science at the layman level recently. He was roundedly criticized by those with their own agenda. His response said it all “You are entitled to your own opinion, You are not entitled to your own facts.”
So, if we decide to venture out to a City Council meeting, we should come prepared with a body guard and witnesses with cameras? Somebody better get control of those clowns…..and any Council person who mouths off to a person at the podium is just as guilty as the Herans, Headys, Guffantis, or Wilsons.
Keep in mind it was Glenn Heran CPA that flat out misrepresented the financials to the City Council on his rate sufficiency test in March of 2011, do you ever wonder why he does not do spreadsheets anymore? He purposely diminished the financial position of the City to encourage the City Council to sell to the County for debt only. Further he gave the same presentation to Indian River Shores possibly interfering in contractual negotiations with the Shores. I am tired of the City of Vero Beach residents being treated like second class citizens in their own town!!
I watched the entire council meeting and what I saw “turned my stomach”. The same characters spewing their venom upon our city council once again. The worst was Charlie Wilson, who put on a performance that should have resulted in his being escorted off of his soapbox. He went on his usual venomous verbal rampage which has now become all too common. Yes, this is the same Charlie Wilson who was removed from the council by a judge. The same Wilson who has run for so many public offices, and lost, that we have lost count. Yes, the same Wilson who left St Lucie County with many questions that persist to this day. His rants at public meetings are a public disgrace.
I feel this online magazine is unfriendly to those in favor of a sale, which is the vast majority of people in the city and all of the county rate payers less those working or benefiting from it financially. The deal before us gives Vero Beach $205 million dollars for the utility. Did anyone expect that the FMPA would want to extract $52 million dollars from one of its founding members. Vero Beach has been paying into this wasteful, mismanaged association for thirty years and has no equity? Give me a break, that in itself is criminal. There does not seem to be much in the way of questioning that by the readers of this magazine. The motto is keep the electric utility no matter how much more we pay for electricity than we would with FPL, (now at $24 million a year), as long as we can put $5.5 million in the coffers to offset property taxes. Taxes that are one of the lowest in the State of Florida, paid by rate payers with the least ability to pay them.
To maintain the status quo, and keep robbing the economy, businesses, and struggling families of theVero Beach area community, is in itself criminal.
Jay,
How much do you think this Utility is worth? An offer is on the table for $205 million dollars now, do you think a plant that is considered junk by the industry and employee benefit liabilities are worth anything? There is no partial sale that will ever lower rates to anything close to FPL. The plant cannot generate electricity because it would cost more than the outrageous price we pay now.
You have no alternative except to kill this sale an keep feeding money from the pockets of families and businesses into the pockets of FMPA and OUC. That is your answer. What you support is worse than the contracts the past council got us into with FMPA and OUC. Future generations will scorn your name if this sale does not go through.
The deal is now worth $205,000,000.00 million dollars, not $156,500,000.00. It would help if you gave the true facts. That is $15,700 for every rate payer in the city of Vero Beach.
FPL’s original offer, valued at $179.5 million, included a $30 million premium to be paid to the OUC for the 3 years of power FPL was to buy from the OUC. Thirty million dollars is the premium FPL said it would cost them to buy the power from the OUC, over and above what it would have cost to generate 38 megawatts of power at one of their own plants.
The proposal now is for FPL to pay $26 million, with Vero Electric’s customers contributing another $26 million, to the FMPA to absorb for three years the power FPL was to buy from the OUC. In fact, the value of FPL’s offer is now $4 million less, or $175.5 million. Dan, you can’t add the $26 million without subtracting the $30 million. You can’t have it both ways.
Finally, the $150 million to which John is referring the the amount of CASH the public was led to believe the city would net from the sale. Investment incomes on the sale proceeds, they were told, would eliminate the iininrxrneed for any increase in taxes or cuts in services.czj
Again, Daniel, your $205 million number is off by at least $30 million. Further, though there may be an “offer” on the table – one now valued at closer to $175 million – there is no “deal.”
Indian River Shores Vice Mayor Gerry Weick was wrong yesterday when he said FMPA leaders changed their minds about $52 million offer. Anyone who has ever bought or sold real estate understands the difference between and offer and a counter offer. FMPA initially offered to absorb Vero Beach’s Stanton I and II power entitlements for three years for $52 million. After spending two months giving the FMPA offer “careful consideration,” FPL countered with a number of contingencies which the FMPA has said are “unworkable and unacceptable.”
Think of it this way: if you offer to buy a home for a certain price and the seller accepts, but only on the condition you also give them your retirement account, car, wife and first born child, then you would hardly be reneging on the deal by walking away from the negotiating table.
By standing before the Vero Beach City Council and accusing the FMPA from backing out of a deal, Weick is contributing to the birth of yet another local urban legend. What he said yesterday is simply not true, and you can rest assured the fine folks at FPL know it is not true.
Any blame for were the deal stands today – stuck in the mud – rests solely with FPL and the city’s transactional attorneys.
I think you are flat wrong. What they “did” believe and what they “did” want was a “good” contract to sell the electric system. AND that has yet to be drawn up. I believe the people respect people who stand up and tell the truth. And many of us see now that we have been led down a trail that goes no where. What people agreed to and voted on was fabricated by (???? someone).
So, THANK YOU SO MUCH MARK for bring so much truth and clarity to this deal. I know people have stated many times that you are not against the sell. What is wanted is a fair contract. Let’s hope that something good can come out of this for all involved.
Daniel,
You may FEEL that this “online magazine” is unfriendly to those in favor of a sale, but if you’re going to address this issue responsibly, it would be wise to provide facts with your comments.
Several times on the few threads you’ve posted on concerning the sale to FPL, you’re using numbers that do not exist to support a claim that also does not exist based on information from people that aren’t even credible in the field they claim they’re “professionals” in. And I am basing my facts on the numbers presented by the City Council, not some token activist with an agenda.
As much as a sale should be encouraged, it’s always best to bring facts to the table when presenting your arguments, otherwise you’ll become the laughingstock that Heran, Wilson and Stradley have become.
And I am certain you value your integrity and credibility.