SEBASTIAN — Agreeing that it is “a travesty” and “unconscionable” for Indian River County to have no voice in how lagoon-designated funding will be used, and on the heels of the county’s official separation from the newly formed Indian River Lagoon Council earlier in the day, the Sebastian City Council on Feb. 11 agreed to seek a seat on the lagoon body – with or without other local municipalities’ participation.
The Lagoon Council was created through a funding commitment of $500,000 each from the St. John’s River Water Management District and the South Florida Water Management District, plus $250,000 from the FDEP, in order to expand lagoon protection efforts and lead the work, under the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program.
The original concept called for the five impacted counties, Volusia, St. Lucie, Martin, Brevard and Indian River to represent all their citizens on the Council. Martin and Volusia are already in and St. Lucie and Brevard are expected to come on board in the next couple of weeks.
Indian River County’s withdrawal leaves the county without representation, as the Lagoon Council decides how and where to use local, state and, likely, federal lagoon restoration funds.
Sebastian, whose economy and character is inextricably tied to the lagoon, is determined to seek a seat, in spite of Indian River County’s decision.
At its Feb. 11 meeting, the Sebastian Council postponed a vote, but gave consent for staff to find out whether/how it might obtain a seat on the Lagoon body, and seemed willing to commit the necessary funds, currently $50,000 a year – the buy-in for each county.
The Sebastian Council stopped short, however, of designating a specific dollar amount. Mayor Richard Gillmor and Council member Andrea Coy felt that an offer of $25,000 would be reasonable to start, and Council member Bob McPartlan stated that the estimated 8/1 “return on investment” made it reasonable to commit the entire $50,000, if necessary.
At its January meeting, Council had discussed the possibility of splitting the $50,000 buy-in cost with other county municipalities.
“When you talk about money, you’re gonna lose me,” said Council member Jim Hill. “Let’s find out first,” what the Lagoon Council has to say about a city seat. “The citizens of Sebastian deserve a voice.”
Sebastian has already been proactive in taking steps to protect the endangered Indian River Lagoon, spending $50,000 on high-tech, filtering baffle boxes, which have been placed at the Cleveland and Washington Street outflows and are expected to go in at the other five outflows later this year.
The City is also actively pursuing ways to handle its stormwater and sewerage issues.
