FELLSMERE — The Fellsmere City Council will join the newly created Indian River County Lagoon Coalition it decided Thursday night. How much that will cost the City to participate depends on how many other municipalities sign on.
Sebastian has approved the inter-local agreement between it, Fellsmere, Vero Beach and Indian River Shores. Vero Beach, too, has approved the agreement. Indian River Shores was to take the matter up Thursday afternoon and only briefly discussed it. No action was taken.
If the four municipalities join the local coalition and are allowed a seat on the regional Indian River Lagoon Council, the cost would be $12,500 per municipality. If the Shores ultimately chooses not to join the coalition, the cities will pay nearly $16,700.
The Lagoon Council consists of the St. John’s River Water Management District, the South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the counties of Volusia, St. Lucie, Martin, and Brevard.
Indian River County was invited to join the Council but declined, which is why the municipalities have formed their own coalition to seek a single seat on the Council.
Buy-in from the counties is $50,000 – so the Indian River County municipalities are prepared to split the cost equally among the participating cities to cover the buy-in.
The water management districts had a buy-in of $500,000 and the FDEP bought-in at $250,000.
Fellsmere City Manager Jason Nunemaker told the Council that even if the Shores doesn’t join the coalition, he fully expects the City to recoup the annual membership fee through awarded grants.
He added that there would be no cost unless and until the Indian River Lagoon Council accepts the coalition’s membership.
The Fellsmere City Council unanimously approved the inter-local agreement, becoming the third municipality to join. The Council appointed Mayor Susan Adams to represent Fellsmere on the coalition and Vice Mayor Joel Tyson to serve as an alternate.
The coalition will start with Sebastian Mayor Richard Gillmor as its chairman, making him the representative of the coalition on the Lagoon Council if membership is approved.
Vero Beach appointed Mayor Dick Winger to be its representative on the coalition.
