INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — In response to the Board of County Commissioners’ July 1 discussion about potentially hiring an “Intergovernmental Relations and Grants Coordinator” position, County Attorney Dylan Reingold presented the Board with three options during Tuesday’s meeting.
The option Reingold recommended the Board approve, is what he termed a “work smart” option. His recommended option suggests the three existing attorney’s at the County Attorney’s Office to share lobbying responsibilities. One attorney would “serve as the point person with one or more lobbying firms during session and other critical times during the year,” according to background information provided by Reingold.
Reingold specified his recommendation was very similar to how the County Attorney’s Office functioned last year. He noted the County was successful in “preserving funding for beach re-nourshment and authorizing funding for an audit of the Florida Municipal Power Agency.”
As proposed, Reingold’s recommendation would require no additional funding as the expenses are already included within the proposed budget for next year.
Another option Reingold spelled out was the option to create and fund a “coordinator” position. The coordinator would serve as the County’s “presence in Tallahassee during session and the other critical times during the year” according to Reingold’s outline. He or she would not replace the need to hire a lobbyist, but work with a lobbying firm to protect the County’s interest.
According to Reingold, a going salary for a coordinator ranges from $50,000 to $80,000 and will cost up to $12,000 annually in travel expenses. Additionally, the County would need to hire a separate lobbying firm.
Still another option Reingold outlined was an idea to allow an attorney at the County Attorney’s Office to serve as the coordinator when needed. In this option, the County would be looking at an additional $11,000-$12,000 in annual cost. Reingold’s reluctance to support this option stemmed from the fact it could cause the County Attorney’s Office to be short staffed when one attorney re-directed their full attention to lobbying efforts.
During extensive discussion among the Board, Commissioner Peter O’Bryan advocated for more constant representation in Tallahassee as outlined in Reingold’s scenario of hiring a coordinator.
Commissioner Davis said he wanted the best representation possible, but within the realm of what the County could afford.
The Board approved Reingold’s recommendation 4-1 to enact the “work smart” option and added $6,000 in travel expenses to the budget. Commissioner O’Bryan voted in opposition.