COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

Civic activists and perennial candidates for public office Brian Heady and Charlie Wilson act as if the business agenda of the Vero Beach City Council is subordinate to the “primary” purpose of the televised meetings — giving the public an opportunity to hear from them on a wide range of issues about which they are often wrong but seldom in doubt.

Wilson and Heady both regularly plow headlong through their allotted five minutes of public comment time; and both have put the Council on notice that when they come to the podium to filch more than their share of face time, they will take as long as they darn well please to pontificate about whatever happens to be on their minds.

Tuesday evening, Wilson went before the Council for twelve minutes urging a legal fight with the Florida Municipal Power Agency.

Wilson, the most vocal and visible pro-sale fundamentalist, was in no way dissuaded by City Attorney Wayne Coment’s explanation that the Florida Supreme Court has already validated the City’s contracts with the FMPA.

“What are you willing to do for a Klondike Bar? In other words what are you willing to do for a sale? Are you willing to legally challenge the FMPA,” Wilson asked.

Vice Mayor Kay Kramer interjected, “If I may, Wayne, would you explain what a validated contract is?”

Coment responded, “Of course, I wasn’t there when those contracts and the original bonding was approved, but all these projects are financed through the sale of public bonds. Part of that process is the validation process where the circuit court validates what you’re doing. Part of this process with FMPA, I am told, included validation of the legality of the contracts. In fact, it was taken a step further to the Florida Supreme Court, which is basically where it ends. If in fact, that is the case, it means “res judicata” (a matter already judged) comes into play, which means you can’t challenge the contracts.”

Twelve minutes after Wilson came to the podium, he finally sat down after Mayor Winger told him the subject he wanted to address, possible legal action against the FMPA, was not the agenda item under discussion.  The Council was considering a subject Wilson seems to prefer to avoid – ways of lowering electric rates now.  Having concluded the only way to arrest the gradual decline of Western Civilization is for Florida Power & Light to take over the state’s municipal electric utilities, Wilson doesn’t want to hear anything about how the City might lower rates on its own.

With the rates reductions approved last night, the City Council has this year lowered electric rates $6.93 on the average bill of $128 per 1000 kWh.    Some believe a careful review of the 18 points for prospective reductions proposed by the Finance Commission could easily result in another $5 reduction per 1000 kWh.  At $117 per kWh, the Vero Beach would be just 10.4 percent above FPL.  More importantly, Vero Electric’s customers would be paying well below the statewide average.

Laboring under the same illusion apparently embraced by Pilar Turner and County Commissioner Tim Zorc, Wilson believes the way to force the sale of Vero Electric to FPL it to engage the FMPA in what will surely be a long and monumentally expensive legal battle. Wilson, who has already picked up papers to be filed should he make another run for a seat on the City Council, will almost surely be back before the Council at its June 2 meeting spoiling for a fight.