COMMENTARY

MILT THOMAS

At Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, everyone stood for the invocation, then sat down and ignored it.

Unitarian Minister, Reverend Scott Alexander, delivered a thoughtful and provocative plea to God, asking: “Help us to bring the right ‘tone and tenor’ to our proceedings. May all who speak or act here this morning be unerringly courteous and kind – treating all other persons (commissioners, citizens, media and staff alike) with dignity and respect they deserve… May courtesy be the law of our hearts and the master of our tongues…” And he concluded with: “Dear God, help us to make courtesy, respect and kindness the FIRST business of this day…May we always remember that HOW we do democracy is as important as WHAT we do with democracy. Amen”

From there it went downhill.

First, a 30-year county employee was recognized by the County Commission for his service and received a plaque in front of his family. He thanked the Commissioners from a prepared speech that ended with him saying the past two and a half years had been the most miserable of his life because of several people he had to work with. Too  bad Reverend Alexander had already left the building or he could have run back up and re-read his invocation.

Then, County Attorney Dylan Reingold reminded commissioners that the next two speakers regarding the Oslo Road boat ramp were involved in a legal matter to be judged in an administrative hearing and they were not to engage with them in discussion, questions or comment on anything they say.

Then Susan Boyd of the Pelican Island Audubon Society, gave a somewhat sarcastically-colored perspective (directed at Commission Chairman Peter O’Bryan) on the ramp project. She was followed by Dr. Richard Baker, president of the Pelican Island Audubon Society, who gave a detailed and effective explanation of why this project will cause severe damage to the wetlands and sea grasses around it, except he was denigrating Commissioner O’Bryan point-by-point in a letter he sent to clear up misinformation being spread about the project. Baker ended his dissection of the letter, saying it was O’Bryan who misinformed the public about this project and that he “refused to even attempt” to negotiate in good faith about it.

As soon as he finished, Deputy County Attorney, Bill DeBraal, rushed up to the podium, saying, “Dr. Baker, that is not true. I have repeatedly tried to negotiate in good faith through your attorney. It’s YOUR attorney and YOU who have refused to negotiate! Don’t waste my time with that sort of argument at this late hour!”

Then, after another speaker, Jeff Mead, came to the podium on a different subject and began to talk, Dr. Baker shouted to DeBraal from the back of the room and had to be verbally restrained by County Attorney Dylan Reingold.

Later in the meeting, DeBraal came back to the podium and said, “I should have paid more attention to the invocation this morning…” Then went on to apologize to Baker for his harsh words and harsh tone, that he should have been more civil.

So, Reverend Alexander, you should be pleased to know that in spite of what happened after your invocation, the meeting ended with the civility and respect you had called for at the beginning.

Now, as to the Vero Beach City Council meeting…