Editor’s note: During Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting, Vero Beach resident, Honey Minuse, thanked and congratulated the Council for negotiating and approving revisions to the City’s wholesale power agreement with the Orlando Utilities Commission. Minuse had special thanks for utility counsel, Schef Wright.  

With out naming names, Minuse also sharply rebuked the person who so harshly criticized Wright when he was hired last year to represent the City.  “I expect Schef learned…the hate that individual was spewing was not what we are all about here in Vero Beach,” Minuse said.

Following is the full text of Minuse’s remarks.

I’m not representing anyone. My comments are my own, as someone who lives here and loves my city.

I would like to congratulate you on the revised contract with OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission). It is going to bring lower rates to all the electric customers. I’ve been watching the Finance and Utilities Commission meeting on television, as they work through all these details. And, of course, I watched yesterday as it culminated with your vote to accept those revisions. It has taken us a long time to get here, and a lot of work by many people. And I really give my congratulations, with thanks and appreciation, for your persistent effort.

It hasn’t been easy to get here to lower these rates. In the beginning, we knew we were always bound by those FMPA (Florida Municipal Power Agency) contracts. They were legal. They were upheld by the Florida Supreme Court. We couldn’t get out of them, and it prevented the sale of the utility to FPL (Florida Power & Light).

Then you worked with the OUC to see what cold be done. And the fact that you were able to renegotiate the terms of our contract with them is really remarkable.  I would particularly like to thank Schef Wright for his work on our behalf. He has been particularly challenged in what he was doing. Revising contracts and renegotiating terms is not something that is done every day, especially in the energy field.

When this all started, I recall Schef sitting here in the front row at a Council meeting. I don’t think he was under contract at the time, or he may have just been starting. Anyway, he was a relatively new face sitting here during a Council meeting.  At that meeting he was viciously and verbally attacked from this very spot where I am standing, and by an individual who is known for spewing that kind of venom.

And I remember Schef turning around and looking at everyone who was seated here in the chambers, and he had a questioning look on his face. The attack went on and on and on. Perhaps you all remember this. The speaker was saying awful things about Schef’s abilities and about his credentials. I remember very clearly, Schef raised his arms to his side. He held his hands out and upwards, and he was shaking his head, looking at everybody who was seated here. His face began to register a look of complete disbelief, like, “Where did this come from and what’s going on here.”

That public display of that very despicable behavior was a new low for us to reach at that time. I wanted to apologize for that person’s behavior, his hateful words, but you can’t apologize for another person’s misdeeds. I bring back that unfortunate episode because it is worthy of mention now. Schef weathered that personal attack on himself, and over time he worked professionally with everybody, literally everybody, to get us where we are at this point in time. I know he worked with FPL. He worked with FMPA, OUC, and on and on.

And I expect Schef learned during that process that the hate that individual was spewing was not what we are all about here in Vero Beach. There are good, decent, hardworking people living here. That includes you, our elected officials. It includes our city manager, our staff, and the many who volunteer their services, such as we have on our Finance and Utilities Commissions, who all have worked very hard.

With Schef’s diligent work, you were all able to bring forward together a negotiated revision to our existing OUC contract. It benefits every single customer of Vero Electric no matter where they live, because it is going to lower rates. Granted, not FPL rates, but lower rates.

Importantly, we are advised that this amended contract providing for these lower rates will in no way interfere with or prohibit a sale to FPL, if a way is found to go forward.

So, thank you everyone. You know who you are, for you hard work and your dedication to this city and every customer of Vero Electric.

Thank you.