IRNA's Position on the Vero Beach sale of it's electric utility
In response to questions that members have asked about the IRNA'S position on the Vero Beach sale of its electric utility and the referendum we refer you to the following statement by John Higgs
I write this to set the record straight.
The Indian River Neighborhood Association has taken no position on the proposed sale of the Vero Beach Electrical System to Florid Power and Light. The rumors to the contrary are false.
Some false rumors seem to persist. As far as I know this one was first started by Charlie Wilson in his 2009 campaign for Vero City Council. At the time I responded by quoting a portion of a letter to the editor that was published more than a year earlier. It stated that the IRNA Board "Called on the [City] Council to address the Electric issue. The electric utility plant on the river is an embarrassing eye sore, is only marginally used and needs tens of millions of dollars to modernize; and the utility rate structure unfairly burdens county residents, has resulted in substantially higher rates being paid by all users as compared to the rates paid by county residents using other utility providers and lacks customary regulatory oversight".
It is gratifying that our 2008 call that the electric issue be examined is finally underway, but we have no position on the sale or how one should vote on the referendum.
It is true that some politically active members of the IRNA who live in Vero believe that a sale should be approved if a proper deal or deals can be made but they are acting as individuals and not spokespersons for the IRNA. As far as I know no members of the IRNA leadership oppose the sale. It is also true that these same Vero Beach members have voiced reservations about the referendum. They believe the referendum is legally flawed and if passed would not meet the Charter requirements that an actual lease must be approved by the voters. This is because no lease exists or will exist at the time of voting. Notwithstanding their view that the referendum is legally flawed, they continue to support a sale at a fair price. My personal view is that it would be good if this legal dispute could be resolved so the vote on the referendum could be a clear up or down vote on whether the negotiations should continue with the understanding that any final deal would be subject to voter approval.
There are members of the IRNA leadership living outside Vero who are forced to buy power from Vero who believe they have suffered too long with high electric rates set designed to subsidize Vero's budget. They believe this is very unfair and is a slightly new twist on the old complaint of "taxation without representation". This happens to be my personal view. For the record, if the proposed sale is not consummated I hope that Indian River Shores can free itself of the existing franchise arrangement that arguably might bind the residents of the Shores to Vero's electric system after the present contact expires. If the sale is not consummated and the efforts to free non City residents from Vero electric are successful, that utility will clearly be less valuable and this is another matter the City of Vero must consider.
The mission of the IRNA is to preserve our wonderful way of life in all parts of Indian River County and to protect us all from poorly planned growth and development. The IRNA has consistently avoided taking positions on non-growth issues in other political contests. Nothing has changed. The IRNA has no position on the sale.
JOHN HIGGS, CHAIRMAN
Indian River Neighborhood Association
