Editor’s note: One year ago, the County sent its utility director to the City with a proposal that, if accepted, would have left city residents in the same mess county residents now find themselves. Garbage collection days in the county have been cut from two to one, but worse yet, the transition to Waste Management has gone so poorly literally thousands of county residents are complaining of uncollected garbage.
Meanwhile, the residents of Vero Beach continue to enjoy superior service from the City’s solid waste utility, which now contributes $162,000 to the City’s General Fund to help pay for municipal services.
The County Commission now has a growing list of missteps, from allowing vacation rentals, to refusing to participate in a regional effort to save the Lagoon, to bungling its transition to a supposedly new and better way of handling garbage and recyclables. Those who think the people of Vero Beach would be better off governed by the County Commission might do well think again.
The following story was published in September of 2014, after the County proposed the City shut down its solid waste utility and join the County’s “new and improved” program.
County proposal would lead to closing of Vero Beach’s solid waste utility
MARK SCHUMANN
“If the County is able to offer contract refuse haulers the opportunity to collect within the city, the likely result would be a lower cost for county residents, with no obvious benefit to Vero Beach residents. In fact, according to one City official, Vero Beach residents would have to pick up the costs of laying off employees, as well as making up for some $162,000 in lost revenue to the City’s general fund.”
Addressing the Vero Beach City Council Tuesday, Indian River County Utilities Directory, Vincent Burke, proposed the City join with the County in bidding garbage collection to a contract hauler, such as Waste Management or Treasure Coast Refuse. The County’s franchise agreements with both garbage haulers ends later next year.
Essentially, Burke’s proposal would lead to the City shutting down its solid waste utility, selling off its trucks and equipment and layoff still more employees.
Currently, Vero Beach residents are paying slightly less than residents in the unincorporated areas of Indian River County, and for what some consider better service. “I will tell you without qualification, the City of Vero Beach, with the garbage pickup and the street pickup does a better job. There is a big difference in qualify of service, as far as I am concerned,” Mayor Richard Winger said following Burke’s presentation.
Even though City garbage collection rates are slightly lower than those charge Indian River County residents, the City is able to return some $162,000 a year to the general fund from the operation of its solid waste utility.
One City official observed that Vero Beach is more densely populated than much of the county’s urban service area. As with the City’s water and sewer utility, it is possible to provide garage collection service more efficiently to customers located more closely together. (When it comes to providing electric service, FPL enjoyed the benefit of high density in heavily populated south Florida.)
If the County is able to offer contract refuse haulers the opportunity to collect within the city, the likely result would be a lower cost for county residents, with no obvious benefit to Vero Beach residents. In fact, according to one City official, Vero Beach residents would have to pick up the costs of laying off 23 employees, as well as making up for some $162,000 in lost revenue to the City’s general fund.
Indian River Guardian 
I think we have the best refuse collectors I have seen. Why can we not leave well enough alone?
Because I wrote this as a new story, and not as commentary, I did not offer the observation that this proposal seems like just another attempt by Solari and company to dismantle the City of Vero Beach. Remember, when Solari “served” as a member of the City Council, he did not receive the staff and his fellow council member the deference and respect he believes he deserves. Couple his wounded ego with an extreme Libertarian political philosophy, and you get Solari’s vision for the future – a disincorporated City of Vero Beach. Solari, aided by the local Tea Party and the Taxpayer’s Association, will not rest until the City of Vero Beach ceases to exist an incorporated municipality.
if it aint broke don’t fix it, unless it for fpl
I agree with Mr. Schumann that the County is continuing to peck away at Vero Beach in hopes of finally eliciting the response it wants from the City. No way do I want the County getting our money for picking up trash – household or lawn debris. The workers are fantastic! Don’t change what isn’t broken.
We have a great bunch of people doing the necessary work of refuse collection. Keep what we have ,they are doing just fine. Bob Solari is way off base with his views on many issues; this would be one of them. We don’t need to get rid of our outstanding refuse collectors; we need to get rid of Bob Solari as county commissioner.
Looks like the County, especially Commissioner Solari, is trying to tell us something. Seems like he is saying the county is in need of additional income so let’s steal from one of the enterprise funds of the City of Vero Beach. He keeps preaching smaller gov’t but what he means is make the government smaller in Vero Beach but let us increase the size of the Government in the County.
I personally think he is barking up the wrong tree. The City of Vero Beach does a great job with trash removal so why should they stop doing this for their residents.
Having lived in 5 places in the past 15 years, I believe that the Vero Beach system is superb. We have been amazed at the service at a great price. 10 years ago we paid more for 1/5th of the service to a for-profit company.
The men that collect our refuse are quality family persons. Why would anyone consider putting them out of a job that has been well performed for many years? It just seems that Mr. Solari and his “band of Merry Men” are trying to slash this city to shreds. When will the county help the city with bed taxes, beach restoration, and County Commissioners that care about their constituents? The people that vote them into office are the very same people they are trying to put into food lines. Vote accordingly….
In light of the fact that these responses were made more than a year ago all I want to say now is….it is time to elect new people to the County Commission.