INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Four municipalities in Indian River County are a step closer to having a seat on the Indian River Lagoon Council now that the Sebastian City Council approved a draft agreement.
That interlocal agreement – between Sebastian, Fellsmere, Vero Beach, and Indian River Shores – was created to prevent Indian River County from losing a seat, and a voice, on the Indian River Lagoon Council. The Indian River County Board of Commissioners opted out of the Council.
The agreement will officially form the Indian River County Lagoon Coalition, which will then request a shared seat on the Lagoon Council.
The Council was created last year in order to expand protection efforts and lead the work of rehabilitation of the endangered Indian River Lagoon and the myriad species that call it home. Going forward, the Council will make decisions vital to the lagoon concerning: maintaining water quality and a healthy ecosystem; protecting the lagoon’s endangered species; increasing public awareness; coordinating interagency lagoon management; and identifying and developing long-term funding sources.
Initially funded through a 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, the entire effort operates under the auspices of 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, but the refusal of Indian River County to participate left the county without a voice on the decision-making body.
In February, calling the lack of representation “unconscionable,” the Sebastian City Council stepped up, declaring itself willing to put up the $50,000 cost of a Lagoon Council seat, either alone or in partnership with the other county municipalities, in hopes that the Lagoon Council would see its way clear to permit the city or cities to represent Indian River County.
Fellsmere, followed by Vero Beach and Indian River Shores, quickly came on board.
Sebastian City Manager Joe Griffin, who penned the interlocal document, will bring it back to his fellow municipal administrators and their city attorneys for final tweaking, and to discuss how best to share the cost of the seat and how the seat itself will be shared.
Once that is accomplished, the newly minted coalition will be in a position to petition the Council for membership.
Sebastian Mayor Richard Gillmor has attended Lagoon Council meetings and spoken with Council Chairman Martin County Commissioner Ed Fielding and others and said he feels relatively optimistic about the Coalition’s chances of obtaining a seat.
In support of the request, the Treasure Coast Regional League of Cities has passed a resolution urging the Lagoon Council to create a seat to represent Indian River County, and other entities are expected to follow suit.