COMMENTARY

“Turner’s knowledge of the transcript raises the question of what is being communicated between her and elected members of a governing body that is currently suing Vero Beach.”

MARK SCHUMANN

City Councilwoman, Pilar Turner, had so much to say during yesterday’s Council meeting it seems all but certain she will soon file to run for re-election. Among Turner’s many comments was an inquiry of City Attorney, Wayne Coment, in which she requested a transcript of the mediation session held last week between the Town of Indian River Shores and the City.

The Shores is suing Vero Beach to force the City to either match Florida Power & Light rates, or to remove its utility infrastructure from within the Town and abandon its customers there when the franchise agreement between the two governments expires next year.  At a previous City Council meeting, Turner objected to a public records request made of the Shores by Vero Beach’s outside counsel.  (See: Turner concerned with offending the very parties that have taken legal action against the City)

Yesterday, Turner said: “I understand there is a copy or a transcript of the mediation. Could we get a copy to the Council members.”

Coment responded, “Well, it’s just a recording. We don’t have a transcript.”

To which Turner replied, “A transcript was delivered to an Indian River Shores Council member. So I believe one does exist.”

Turner’s knowledge of the transcript raises the question of what is being communicated between her and elected members of a governing body that is currently suing Vero Beach.   According to City Clerk Tammy Vock, Turner said she learned of the transcript while attending the Aug. 29 meeting of the Indian River Shores Town Council.

Today, Indian River Shores Town Clerk, Laura Aldrich, provided the transcripts to which Turner was referring.  As it turns out, the transcript was only of a brief exchange between Shores outside counsel, Bruce May, and Vero Beach outside counsel, Schef Wright.

Mr. May: Primarily one of the key issues is that 20% of the Town has FPL rates, and 80% of the Town has City rates, and there is such a gap between those rates that it’s a real problem within the community. So just to manage expectations, from our perspective, we’re looking for reasonable rates. We’re looking for rates comparable to FPL’s rates. Is that something you think is doable from the City’s standpoint? Can you get your cost structure in line where you can be competitive with the FPL rate? Mr.

Mr. Wright: Bruce, off the top of my head, I don’t think we can get to rate parity with FPL’s rates where they are today. I think we can close the cap substantially. Exactly what that means, I really can’t say today because it involves several potential internal rate reduction measures we may be able to take, and it also involves some yet to be had negotiations with OUC. Now do I think we can get to rate parity with FPL? No. Do I think we can close the gap substantially? Yes. The FPL rates today per 1000 kilowatt hour residential cost is $99 and change, ours is $123 and change. That’s, say $24 difference. I’m optimistic that we can close that gap by more than half.

Much has been made of Wright’s acknowledgement that Vero Electric is not likely to be able to offer the lowest electric rates in the state, but there has been little reporting on the fact the City is taking steps that could reduce the rate differential between Vero Electric and FPL to approximately 10 percent.