…and other observations
COMMENTRY
“Though they (Pilar Turner and Harry Howle) were prepared to sell Vero Electric’s Shores customers for $30 million, at least based on their vote today, they appear unwilling to accept $47 million. Theirs is a curious position, indeed.”
“Beware, though, Weick and his wealthy Shores colleagues, with financial assistance from FPL, may now be preparing to stoop to even lower lows in this coming election. Who knows what they will be prepared to do, or how much they will be prepared to spend, to influence the outcome of yet another Vero Beach municipal election. Weick and Barefoot would do well to keep in mind that the people of Vero Beach are smart enough to realize not all neighbors are good neighbors.”
MARK SCHUMANN
As she does at nearly every meeting of the Vero Beach City Council, candidate Laura Moss was before the public and the cameras today to put in her two cents worth. I’ve lost track of how many times Moss has made the point that the Utilities Commission voted in one accord to recommend the City Council accept Florida Power & Light’s offer to buy Vero Electric’s Shores customers for 63 percent of the City’s asking price.
Every time Moss reminds us of the unanimity with which the Commission made its decision, I am reminded of the story of a corporate board meeting at which the members were asked to weigh in on a major strategic decision, one that would commit significant resources and, for better or worse, alter the future of the company. Following a brief discussion, the chairman asked each member in turn to cast their vote. When it became clear everyone was in full agreement on a course of action, the chairman said, “Since we all see this the same way, I suggest we table our decision until we understand it better.”
So much for unanimity. What the chairman wanted was the depth and breath of understanding that comes from and honest airing of competing views. We saw none of that at the most recent Utilities Commission meeting.
Differing opinions were hardly in short supply this morning, though. From FPL executives, to candidates for the Florida House of Representatives, to north county candidates for the Indian River County Commission, to even a candidate for the Florida Senate, it seemed everyone running for public office wanted their free three minutes of television time. Ostensibly, all were there to offer the City Council advice on the proposed partial sale. Panderers one and all, these candidates urged the City Council to accept FPL’s offer, never mind the fact that the City’s consultants have estimated it would take closer to $47 million to protect the City, its taxpayers and remaining electric customers.
On the other side were mostly residents of Vero Beach, persons with real skin in the game. They urged the member of the Council to honor their oath of office and to be mindful of their fiduciary responsibilities.
In the end, Mayor Jay Kramer, Vice Mayor Randy Old and Councilman Richard Winger vote to extend to FPL (and ultimately to the Shores) a counter offer of $47 million, the price at which the consultants have said everyone will “be kept whole.”
Siding with the Shores were Council members Pilar Turner and Harry Howle. Amazingly, Turner and Howle voted against letting FPL know the City would accept an offer of $47 million. Though they were prepared to sell Vero Electric’s Shores customers for $30 million, at least based on their vote today, they appear unwilling to accept $47 million. Theirs is a curious position, indeed.
Essentially, Shores Mayor Brian Barefoot argued that, because he is a neighbor to Vero Beach, because he enjoys eating at Vero Beach’s many fine restaurants, and because his dog likes playing at Vero Beach’s dog park, and because, as an man of privilege, he is accustomed to getting his way, the Council should support having Vero Beach residents and electric customers subsidize lower rates for the Shores.
Barefoot also had advice for the Council on how best to use what he seems to think would be a windfall to the City. The Shores mayor avoided even touching on the fact that he and his fellow Town Councilmen are the ones who dragged their neighbors into court, and at great expense to their own tax payers and to the customers of Vero Electric.
As if he was teaming up with Barefoot to perform a “Frick & Frack” show, Shores Vice Mayor Jerry Weick came forward to contradict Barefoot on how Vero Beach could best use all the money FPL is prepared to hand over. To put it bluntly, Weick came across as a strong man. At one point, well after public comment was appropriate, Weick marched back up to the podium to interject himself in the Council’s deliberations. Apparently it is not enough that Shores leaders consider Turner and Howle as their representatives on the Vero Beach City Council. When it serves their purposed, Weick and company are fully prepared to muscle in on their own.
Following the Council’s vote yesterday, FPL Spokeswoman Pamela Rauch sauntered to the podium and said,”Our offer was final. It does expire on Aug. 25. If you choose not to accept it, we do wish you the best of luck.”
Corporate spokespersons like Rauch are much like politicians, in that what they say, though true, is only true for them at the moment. Tomorrow is another day. If Shores leaders and other outside influences, include FPL, is able to secure a supportive majority on the Vero Beach City Council, it is hard not to believe FPL and the Shores will be back at City Hall before years end, again seeking to shaft the people of Vero Beach for their own gain.
As The Shores vice mayor was addressing the Council today, I could not help but remember the dirty trick he, Scott Stradley and Dan Stump played on Kramer in 2014. At the time, all four were members of the Indian River County Republican Executive Committee, an organization to which they had sworn an oath of loyalty. For Weick, Stradley and Stump, their positions on the Republican Executive Committee did not keep them from mailing a political flyer to registered Democrats attacking Kramer for his loyalty to the Republican Party. At the time, I wrote, “Given the hypocrisy of its message, The Committee to Change Vero Electric’s mailing may well be the new low-water mark in local politics.”
Beware, though, Weick and his wealthy Shores colleagues, with financial assistance from FPL, may now be preparing to stoop to even lower lows in this coming election. Who knows what they will be prepared to do, or how much they will be prepared to spend, to influence the outcome of yet another Vero Beach municipal election. Weick and Barefoot would do well to keep in mind that the people of Vero Beach are smart enough to realize not all neighbors are good neighbors.
Indian River Guardian 
Only in Vero Beach is $30,000,000 a better deal than $47,,000,000. Just ask Turner and Howle, they think so. Who do they think they are kidding with their vote today? Finally both of these impostors have played out their assigned duties as shills for FP&L. Barefoot’s meandering ,but well read script, was self serving. I am glad he enjoys our dog park .He played the “we are neighbors card, but forgot to mention his town sued Vero Beach. So much for being a good neighbor. Weick rushed to the podium long after citizens comments were closed and tried to bully the council ,but only made a fool of himself. Howle also made a fool of himself too when he stated “no taxation without representation” on behalf of The Shores. Apparently he doesn’t know the vice chairman of the Utilities Commission resides in Indian River Shores and spoke at length.The county rep on the commission also spoke. So the facts are, both the county and Indian River Shores are represented. Laura Moss speaks and people fall asleep with her mind-numbing, redundant statements .
I didn’t keep track, but it seemed most of the public commenters were given much more than 3 free minutes. In many ways, Indian River Shores gets more from Vero Beach than Vero gets from them. I can’t think of any reason to visit Indian River Shores, except to drive through to some other destination. I hope the FPL team enjoyed their lunch at Bobby’s on the beach. We thought about joining them but figured they needed time to lick their wounds. Jay Kramer may have not made some people happy, but he proved to me that popularity was not his goal. He may lose some votes for County Commissioner but may also gain a lot from those in the county who should realize he sticks to what he believes is right. That goes for Mr. Old and Mr. Winger also. If FPL has made its finally offer of $30 million, then we’ll get some relief from them for a while. I said “no!” from my seat when someone said we voted twice to sell our system to FPL. We voted to allow continuing the conversation–keeping the lines of communication open. Perhaps it will happen someday but now is not the right time.
Cathy, You are absolutely correct that the first referendum what not on a sale, but on allowing for the leasing of public land, IF the Council chose to pursue a sale. FPL’s full page ads published in the Press Journal at the time, and the Press Journal’s editorials, assured voters in the first referendum that they were not deciding on a sale, or even deciding whether or not to sell. Pilar Turner, at the time, assured the public a vote in favor of the fall referendum was not a vote to sell the electric system. Now these folks — FPL, the Press Journal, Turner and others — are simply lying when the claim the public has “twice” voted to sell the electric system. At best, their current claims are a deliberate distortion of the truth.
It is, of course, true that the public once voted to sell, but that referendum was on a specific contract – though one with many blanks yet to be filled and issues yet to be resolved. (As Phillip pointed out yesterday, it also true FPL spent heavily to influence the outcome of that referendum.) Today, everyone involved acknowledges that the sales agreement signed in 2013 cannot be executed. Period! When Laura Moss and others claim it is the will of voters to carve up the electric system piece by piece, they are simply not being honest. There is a monumental difference between selling the full system at one price, or selling 10 percent of the system at a different price, and with a whole different set of potential consequences. Moss, and her Indian River Shores handlers and patrons, need to realize the majority of voters are not ignorant. If they don’t come to this realization soon, let’s hope the truth gets handed to them in full measure come November 8.
I almost fell out of my seat when I heard, Harry Howe say that “Indian River Shores was getting taxed without representation”. He’s on the wrong dais. Electrify is a tax now, and I guess FPL will let you vote. That almost borders on malfeasance.