MARK SCHUMANN

According to records provided by the Town of Indian River Shores Clerk’s Office, the barrier island community spend another $74,451 during January and February on outside attorneys and consultants. Invoices for work done in March are not yet available.

Through the end of February, the Shores has spend some $800,000 on a lawsuit, and now a petition to the Florida Public Service Commission, seeking to force Vero Beach to stop serving its Shores electric customers later this year.

Eighty percent of the Town’s residents are served by Vero Electric. The remainder receive their electric power from Florida Power & Light. Vero Electric’s rates are approximately 16 percent higher than FPL’s. Appearing before the PSC last month, Shores Mayor Brian Barefoot said the rate differential between Vero Electric and FPL creates in untenable situation for the Town, with some residents paying higher rates than others.

FPL is seeking a $1.337 billion rate increase that, if approved by the PSC, will all but eliminate any rate disparity between Vero Electric and FPL. According the Barefoot, who has yet to publicly acknowledge FPL’s planed rate hike, the Town Council is determined to continue its legal challenge.