…also files bill to bring FMPA under PSC regulation
MARK SCHUMANN
State. Rep. Debbie Mayfield (R-Vero Beach) yesterday filed HB 873, a bill seeking an end to the state’s regional planning councils.
Locally, Indian River County Commissioner Bob Solari has called for the County Commission to withdraw from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. Solari lead the move to withdraw from the Seven-50 regional planning effort.
Solari was also recently successful in persuading his fellow County Commissioners not to participate in the new Indian River Lagoon Council. In the wake of the void left by the County Commission, leaders in the cities of Fellsmere, Sebastian and Vero Beach are planning to seek a seat on what is to be a coordinateed five-county effort to save the Lagoon.
Next to Solari, one of the most vocal and strident opponents to regional planning is Vero Beach resident, Phyllis Frey. In an email sent yesterday to Mayfield, Frey, referring to the companion Senate Bill (SB484), wrote: “As a resident of Indian River County, we have openly discussed a number of times our reasons for wanting to put an end to the RPC’s. Chief among them is the need to protect our right to local decision-making in the future development of our counties.”
Frey also sent a broadcast email urging fellow opponents of regional planning to contact Sen. Joe Negron (R-Juno Beach) to support Mayfield’s bill. Frey wrote, “Now is the time to ‘pull the trigger’ and contact Senator Negron. Everyone can write to him but I will also compose a letter on behalf of AC4PR as well. Please spread the word. It is important that each of us participate. Together we can get this done!”
Proposes PSC regulation of the Florida Municipal Power Agency
Mayfield this week also filed a bill that would place the Florida Municipal Power Agency and any municipal utility supplying power to member cities under regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission.
Mayfield contends the FMPA needs state oversight, and she is supported by a lobbying effort funded by the Indian River County Commission. Despite the urgings of City Councilwoman Pilar Turner, the Vero Beach City Council has declined to join the County in its lobbying efforts, or in its plans to carry out a statewide campaign to “call awareness” to what Mayfield and County Commissioners say are shortcoming in the FMPA’s management and board oversight.
In a statement released earlier this week FMPA officials said, “HB 773 will raise electric bills in our community and for 245,000 homes and businesses across Florida. The bill also expands unnecessary bureaucracy and regulation in Tallahassee while giving no benefit…Electric bills would rise because it would force our community to pay significantly higher costs for unnecessary and growing PSC regulation in Tallahassee. It would lower our credit rating, which would raise our borrowing costs, and it would force us to hire more staff in order to respond to new requests from the PSC. Our electric rates are already regulated locally by our governing board, which understands our community’s needs and sets rates at cost.”
Indian River Guardian 
Isolating ourselves from our neighbors also does not sound like a great thing to do. Together, we may have the power to make a difference – separately, we are just a little fish in a big pond. Either we are strong enough as an entity to retain and maintain our local governance or we’re not. Whether we are united with other governing bodies should not be a problem. It would seem that control – in the negative sense – is the real issue.
It is important to understand that RPC’s have an agenda. Attend the SEFRPC, the SFRPC and/or the TCRPC for two years as I have. Practice due diligence and complete the research before making an uninformed opinion. Read the actual contracts that cities and counties are expected to sign. It clearly states that power and authority will be given to the Regional Boards. The Regionalists have an agenda called Transit Oriented Development. When the three counties of the Treasure Coast voted NO to the regional TOD plan known as Seven 50 (control of seven counties within 50 years), the decision was made by locally elected officials from the Treasure coast cites and counties who do attend the regional council meetings and understood that usurpation of local decision-making in the future development of one’s own community, giving the RPC’s the right to decide your planning and zoning laws, your housing and transportation locales, how and where you live and how and when you travel. They become your deciders. The agenda is for high density population growth and upward sprawl. This could well be the choice for Miami, but not for Martin, Indian River or St. Lucie counties, as reflected in the overwhelming response from the taxpayers and voters of the TC counties, as well as the majority of the publicly elected officials who represent their constituents and voted NO. If you are really interested in becoming educated on the subject, attend the RPC meetings the last Friday of every month. Google the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council website for time and location.
Phyllis, Rather than joining Bob Solari in fighting the imaginary threat of One World Government, why not invest your time doing something positive, like serving at soup kitchen or mentoring a child?
all that? really how long have you lived here? did you know if I could post the images of St. Lucie county you would see what is now called us1 as far back as 1936, though its not called that. old Dixie hasn’t changed much, barely even widened and Oslo road was a two lane until this last decade and some of It was still a dirt road in the 60’s past 82nd ave. I’m not for over control by regional councils but we do have to work with other counties and cities. it wasn’t all that long ago when Vero was part of Brevard county and Titusville was the county seat. Besides, big $$$$ not the people decides what is done with roads. if you doubt, then look at a1a and what is done with that in indian river shores. Beachcomber Lane may never be the same.
before, uhm the fact agenda 21 was even around ine 60s those regional planning facilities were around. Beachcomber lane was being told a new business was going in to the protest of the locals who live on that lane. irshores decided against the will of the those that lived there at night. yup them local boards do care don’t they?
http://www.sfrpc.com/council/counmemb.htm
that one oddly has county commissioners and mayors of the areas it serves, odd.
http://www.tcrpc.org/
odd, only we in irc don’t have any representation. yet martin county has some and a lot from the other two counties.
that is our own foolishness then. our right but since we are signatory to it and it doesn’t affect us what is the worry?
beachcomber lane, which I brought up, was mentioned because ir shores did allow construction against the will of the people. a building will go up and cause a problem for that lane. never mind the extra traffic at that light, fred teurk drive and a1a. If I lived there and that was going on I might protest as well.
One World Government? Where do people come up with these ideas? Isn’t cooperation something we all learned in kindergarten – as a good idea?
Being opposed to the common sense need for regional planning is the equivalent of advocating for the return of the horse drawn carriage. The paranoid views that a small minority have about the Seven 50 plan are needless. Our elected officials voted “no” only because they were too cowardly to discuss the issues when faced by a large crowd of ill-informed people. This is the 21 century and we should not be governed by mob rule.