COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
In a column headlined, “Time to wake up public on Vero FPL deal,” Press Journal columnist Russ Lemmon claimed Vero Beach is not free to sell its electric system.
For what must be the one-thousandth time, Lemmon, a Charlie Wilson groupie and FPL fan, is wrong. Just as the City of Homestead sold its position in Florida Municipal Power Agency projects to the Kissimmee Utility Authority, Vero Beach if free to sell its power entitlement shares in the FMPA’s St. Lucie Two, Stanton I and Stanton II power projects.
The catch is, and here is the point in his story where Lemmon continues to ignore the facts, in order not to violate contracts and their underlying bond covenants, Vero Beach must sell its position in the FMPA power projects to another FMPA member, or to another qualified municipal utility, such as the Jacksonville Utility Authority.
Lemmon continues to insist there is a willing buyer, but that is simply not true. No qualified utility, not even the Orlando Utilities Commission, is willing to take on Vero Beach’s power entitlement shares. Thus, the deal is dead.
Again today, Lemmon suggested $52 million should be enough to entice the FMPA’s board of directors to “let Vero Beach out of its contract obligations.” Like utility activists Glenn Heran and Charlie Wilson, whom he is fond of quoting, Lemmon seems to have no grasp of the concept of fiduciary responsibilities. Guarding the legitimate interests of bondholders, bond counsel and bond trustees have made it clear they will not sign off on the contracts Vero Beach’s transactional attorneys drafted, and almost surely with input, if not direction, from FPL.
For Lemmon, Wilson, Heran, Councilwoman Pilar Turner and others to continue to insist the FMPA board should set aside Vero Beach’s contractual obligations over the objection of bond counsel and bond trustees, shows just how disconnected from reality they have become.
Ever spinning the truth to FPL’s benefit, Lemmon claimed the proposed $52 million payment to the FMPA was an FPL “offer.” In truth, $26 million on the “bribe” was to be extracted from the customers of Vero Electric.
Lemmon went on to claim the FMPA is “playing hardball,” when, in truth, the agency’s leaders are simply protecting the legitimate interests of its members and creditors. If anyone is playing hardball, it is FPL. Lemmon has yet to report on the strong-arming FPL lobbyists did during the recent legislative session trying to pass four utility bills proposed by State Rep. Debbie Mayfield. For all their efforts, they were only able to slip $200,000 into the state budget to pay for an audit of the FMPA.
Though the language of the legislation appropriating the $200,000 is ambiguous, and may well apply to half a dozen utilities and not just the FMPA, FMPA leaders said they will gladly cooperate with the State Auditor General’s office.
Lemmon quoted Heran as saying the sale of power generation assets is not uncommon in the United States. So, what is the point?
The Press Journal’s lead opinion columnist concluded his front page Sunday column claiming he still believes the deal will go through. Sounding like Charlie Wilson’s press agent, Lemmon said the time has come for the County Commission and the Town of Indian River Shores to “start flexing their muscles and ‘free” the city’s customers located outside the city limits.
By continuing to misunderstand and misreport the facts of the power story, Lemmon remains part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.
Indian River Guardian 
Mark, you of anyone should know what happens if you do not promote this sale and you are working for that newspaper “the voice of FPL”. I am sure Russ does not want to get the heave oh and have to move back up north. You know the career of counting auto plates in the middle of Ohio is not the same career as counting plates in Vero Beach.
John, you are correct that Bob Brunjes, the publisher of the newspaper where Russ Lemmon is employed, is the husband of FPL Vice President Amy Brunjes. In December 2012, Brunjes told me to stop reporting on FPL’s efforts to acquire Vero Electric. I resigned, though I could have stayed and written about most anything else. Russ has chosen to remain employed at the Press Journal, but he does not have to write about the power story, and he certainly does not have any obligation to continue to misinform his readers. Rather than serving up painfully simplistic assessments of the story, he could write more columns about the experiencer of dining at Bob Evan’s Restaurant.
Doesn’t Mr. Lemmon’s wife work for the PJ? If so, being threatened with dismissal X two could sure mess up a couple’s budget. I remember a couple who worked for Piper back in the 80’s – both were let go when Piper changed ownership (again) back then. They were financially devastated. However, it would be difficult to write about something one didn’t honestly stand behind. If we hadn’t long ago dropped PJ subscription, I’d do it now for sure.