COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
Sounding as if he knows something the State Auditor General does not know about the scope of an audit soon to be conducted of the Florida Municipal Power Agency, County Commissioner Tim Zorc told his fellow commissioners today the FMPA is in for a surprise. Specifically, Zorc said the audit will be much more thorough than the FMPA is expecting.
Assuming the tone of a propagandist for pro-sale activists, Vero Beach 32963 reporter, Lisa Zahner, wrote that the Indian River County Commission is asking the State Auditor General to scrutinize, not only the FMPA, but also the Florida Municipal Electric Association, a trade association of the state’s municipally owned electric utilities.
Lacing her opinion with selectively chosen “facts,” Zahner described the FMEA as a “shadow lobbying group.”
Speaking of what’s in the shadows, the island weekly has yet to publish a list of its “donors” One has to suspect the agenda of a news organization – such as Vero Beach 32963 – that solicits and accepts unreported donations.
What Zahner and her editors have not reported on, though, is the influence pro-sale activist Glenn Heran had in persuading the Indian River County Commission to approve up to $100,000 to hire a lobbying group that also works for Florida Power & Light.
Zahner is careful not to remind her readers of Heran’s close association with FPL. Hearn has run no less than two local political campaigns funded with more than $100,000 in FPL money.
Zahner also never mentions to her readers that she can often be seen sitting with Heran at government meeting. Heran and Zahner appear so chummy it is as if they- and Vero Beach 32963 — are all carrying water for FPL.
In a June 18 letter to FMPA General Manager Nicholas Guarriello, State Auditor General Marilyn Rosetti explained in detail what the audit will cover and how the review will be conducted. (See below)
Assuming Rosetti was forthcoming in her letter to Guariello, the audit, lobbied for by Florida Power & Light and the Indian River County Commission, will essential review FMPA operations. An independent financial audit of the FMPA is already conducted annually.
Having failed to pass four utility bills intended to put the squeeze on the FMPA and on the City of Vero Beach’s utility operations, the County Commission was at least successful in persuading the legislature to spend $200,000 on an audit the FMPA.
In a sense, the County Commission doubled its money, for it spent $100,000 to hire the Balland Group, a Tallahassee lobbying firm that also represents FPL. Internal documents reveal the Ballard Group was recommended to the County Commission by Glenn Heran, a utility activist who has run at least two local political campaigns largely funded by FPL.
For their part, FMPA leaders have said they will cooperate fully with the audit. The agency made no effort to seek the governor’s veto of the $200,000 expenditure, even though the wording of the legislation mandating the audit could apply to a number of utilities, including FPL.
Zorc also told his fellow commissioners he just happened to drop in on a portion of the most recent FMPA board meeting. Zorc, who has attended other FMPA board meetings with Vero Beach City Councilwoman Pilar Turner, said the FMPA board often discusses the FPL/Vero Beach deal, even when the subject is not listed on the meeting agenda. Zorc’s “troubling” report led the Commission to direct County Attorney Dylan Reingold to write the FMPA a letter advising the agency’s leaders on how to run their meetings.
FMPA Assistant General Manager Mark McCain said today the subject of the proposed FPL/Vero Beach sale usually comes up under “General Manager’s Matters” or “Members’ Matters.” McCain said that if and when the FMPA board ever considers the FPL/Vero Beach sale as an action item, the matter will appear separately on the agenda.
Commissioner Bob Solari’s effort to drive the City of Vero Beach into disincorporation by forcing it out of the utility business has failed – utterly. Solari, and his fellow commissioners just do not yet realize the monumental degree to which their predatory plans have crumbled under the weight on contract law.
Spending $100,000 to persuade the Florida Legislature to spend $200,000 to audit the FMPA is yet another example of how the Indian River County Commission is choosing to remain a part of the problem. Today’s decision to send a scolding letter to the FMPA makes the County Commissioner look, not only meddling, incompetent and desperate, but petty, too.
Indian River Guardian 
Some of us Veroites were a little surprised by the discrepancies in Mr. Zorc’s financial report – required when running for office. We were not expecting him to file bankruptcy a while back. Not a lot surprises us anymore – dismays us, yes. Whatever will be, etc. etc.
Based on what I learned in the summer of 2012 about then candidate Zorc’s financial position and business dealings, I am not at all surprised he filed for bankruptcy. At the time, I took that information to editors and reporters at the Press Journal. The Press Journal, of course, endorsed Zorc, and was not interested in informing its readers of the apparent financial insolvency of its chosen candidate for a seat on the County Commission.
Zorc, of course, is a pro-sale fundamentalists, meaning he is in favor of selling the electric system, regardless of how much the terms alter to the disfavor of the City of Vero Beach. It is worth remembering the connection between the Press Journal’s publisher, Bob Brunjes, and FPL Vice President of External Affairs, Amy Brunjes. There is no other way to understand the Press Journal’s refusal to report on the financial issues Zorc was facing, even as he ran for a seat on the County Commission. Well, there are two other explanations – pervasive incompetence and apathy.
I wonder if all the people and businesses that Zorc did not have to pay because of his bankruptcy are as enthusiast about his auditing demands as if he had applied that degree of enthusiasm to pay back these people after the bankruptcy. I know how it feels to have people able to stick it to you and go on with their political life while you work extra hard to make up the money they took from you. You would think this guy would shut up and get out of the lime light. Has he no shame?
Being that I ran against Zorc in the Republican Primary I can vouch for all of this. He has no shame and shame on the Press Journal for endorsing him – especially since they knew of his financial woes at the time of the endorsement. I know because I gave the editorial board his bogus financial paperwork during our joint interview with the editors and Russ Lemmon. What a joke that paper. Thank you Mark Schumann for moving on.