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Bill Becker, Chairman of the Finance Committee for the City of Vero Beach, felt this was a <br />"bad deal" and was opposed to the County spending millions of dollars to preserve someone's <br />private enterprise. He wanted the County to buy the land from the Sextons, use the matching funds <br />from the State to buy more land, and benefit from the purchase. <br />Joe Clark, residing on AlA, N. Hutchinson Island, disagreed with Mr. Becker. He wanted to <br />see the land preserved for agricultural use and to let the Sexton's maintain the property. <br />Joseph Paladin, 6454 Tropical Way, thought it was important to keep the Sexton family in <br />ranching, but he had a problem with using taxpayer's money when the taxpayers would not have <br />access to that property. He did not want the developer's rights extinguished. He discussed an idea <br />where the County could name a third party beneficiary, such as the Audubon Society or another <br />agency and set up a mitigation bank where they could store the development rights. His idea <br />included capping agricultural planned developments. Indirectly, they would be using development <br />funds to pay for the cost of development rights instead of using the fifty million dollars of bond <br />money, <br />Joseph DiFanti, 441 Holly Road, opposed this request and asked the Board to think about <br />what value was going to be afforded to the general population with this purchase. <br />Brian Heady, Vero Beach, suggested the Board reverse what they are doing by giving the <br />Sexton's the $12,000,000.00, and give the County title to the property; lease the property back to <br />them for the current taxes; and let them farm it but the County would own it. <br />The Board heard input from Sharon Sexton, wife of Sean Sexton, who told everyone that as <br />long as they have the property they intend to share it with the people of the Community. <br />January 16, 2007 11 <br />