MARK SCHUMANN
General public comment, arguably an entertaining yet often disruption portion of Vero Beach City Council meetings, may be moved from front and center to later in the agenda, if the Council approves an ordinance changing the order of business for its regular meetings. A vote on the proposed change set for Tuesday evening.
An ordinance allowing for the Utilities Commission to be weighted with non-city residents is also up for a Council vote this week. Proposed by Councilwoman Pilar Turner, the ordinance will allow county residents whose homes are not serviced by Vero Electric or by Vero Beach’s water and sewer utility to sit on the Utilities Commission. Turner proposed the change in City Code soon after current Utilities Commission Chairman, Scott Stradley, moved outside the service territory of Vero Electric.
The Council is also set to receive recommendations from the Recreation and Marine Commissions on how to proceed with planing for development of three city-owned properties located at the intersection of Indian River Boulevard and Seventeenth Street. The best future use of the power plant and waste water treatment plant sites, and the postal annex site was the focus of three public workshops held by the Recreation and Marine Commissions. In a joint meeting held Feb. 9, the two commissions unanimously approved a recommendation calling for the Council to engage a land design team, possibly the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.
The Commissions advised that a time-line be established and that the planning process include consideration of input received in public workshops, as well as recommendations made by a task forced organized by Indian River Chamber of Commerce.
Indian River Guardian 
Pilar Turner defies logic with her proposal to allow non Vero Electric users to sit on the Utility Commission.Where will this end ?
John, under Turner’s proposal Utilities Commission membership will be open to persons who are commercial customers of the city’s utilities, but who are not residential customers. Turner is a master of double standards, and her proposal is clearly politically motivated. This proposed changed in precipitated by nothing more than Scott Stradley’s recent move. Harry Howle will likely support Turner on this, but I cannot imagine where the third vote will come from to pass this proposed change in City Code. Mayor Jay Kramer, who is running for the County Commission, is walking fine line these days, but I don’t see him supporting Turner’s attempt to change City Code on a whim and for political purposes.
So Mark it is then possible for a commercial customer of Vero Electric who resides in another state or country is eligible to sit on the Utilities Commission. This seems to me to be political pandering at its worst.
John, As Turner has written her proposed change to City Code, members of the Vero Beach Utilities Commission would have to reside within Indian River County, but they would not necessarily need to live within the city limits of Vero Beach, or within the service territory of Vero Electric and/or the City’s water and sewer utility. If Turner prevails on this proposed change to City Code, neither the current vice chairman or chairman of the Utilities Commission will be residents of the City of Vero Beach. Turner’s proposal could lead to a significant compromise in representation of city residents on their own Utilities Commission. Further, it is important to note the the Utilities Commission is responsible for advising the city council on issues of exclusive interest and financial consequence to city residents, such as implementation of the STEP system and operation of the solid waste utility.