COMMENTARY
“Working together, Sebastian and Vero Beach leaders will demonstrate that far more good can be accomplished through compromise and collaboration than through divisiveness. The Lagoon is in crisis. There is no time for petty politics.”
MARK SCHUMANN
To more aggressively address the Lagoon crisis, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the St. John’s Water Management District, the South Florida Water Management District and the county commissions of Brevard, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach Counties recently formed the Indian River Lagoon Council. Conspicuously absent from the group is any representation from Indian River County.
Following the advice of Commissioner Bob Solari, the Indian River County Commission chose not to participate in the regional effort to save the Lagoon? Why? Because the Lagoon Council does not reflect Solari’s idealistic vision of “representative government.” How ironic, then, that Solari’s response to not getting his way is to refuse to participate in the Coalition, thus leaving Indian River County without representation and input into how local, state and federal money will be spent in a regional effort to save the Lagoon.
At the Jan. 12 County Commission meeting, Solari gave seven-page presentation to his fellow Commissioners urging them to refuse to participate in and support the Lagoon coalition. Solari’s presentation is more revealing of him than it is of the process by which the Lagoon Coalition was formed. Put simply, Solari does not do well when things do not go his way.
Specifically, Solari and his fellow County Commissioners object to the FDEP and the St. John’s and South Water Management Districts having voting representation on the Lagoon Coalition. Never mind that the two water management districts are contributing $500,000 each and the FDEP another $250,000. Each participating county has agreed to $50,000 as an initial, yearly funding commitment.
Absent participation by the County Commission, the Sebastian City Council is already working to seek representation on the Lagoon Council. Hopefully the members of Vero Beach City Council will join Sebastian in reaching out to the Lagoon Council. With each city contributing $25,000, and with leaders who can find a way to share representation, the interests and concerns of Indian River County can still be a included in the regional deliberations.
Working together, Sebastian and Vero Beach leaders will demonstrate that far more good can be accomplished through compromise and collaboration than through divisiveness. The Lagoon is in crisis. There is no time for petty politics.
Indian River Guardian 
It would make sense if Vero did, as you suggested, join with Sebastian to represent the two municipalities that are touched directly by the Lagoon. And it is good to know the feelings of all members of the County Commission – which doesn’t look at the larger picture apparently. To be isolated might work for some distant kingdom – but we need each other to increase the strength of our voices.
Since Vero and Sebastian are local governments with limited financial resources perhaps they join as a single body and each contribute $25,000. each. It is unbelievable that Mr Solari would take the position he has taken . Does he not see the problem or doesn’t he care?