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N1111... <br />Attorney May wanted certainty, and proposed that the Town agree with the abeyance of <br />lawsuit for two months, until Monday, March 2, 2015. He asked the City to pursue all options to <br />reduce electric rates, and provide the Town with an outline of their efforts prior to March 2, <br />2015. <br />Attorney Wright stated the City agreed to no tortious interference and would sign a letter <br />to that effect. <br />Attorney May inquired whether the City could get the agreement in place by January 1, <br />2015. A discussion ensued regarding FMPA and due to the upcoming holiday season the parties <br />agreed to January 8, 2015. <br />A discussion ensued on the status update requested by the Town and it was determined <br />Attorney Wright would get the update to the parties by February 18, 2015; the mediator would <br />call the impasse if no agreement was reached by March 2, 2015. Attorney May agreed to write <br />the draft Interim Mediation Agreement. <br />Mediator Alvarez asked if the County would delay their meeting with the PSC on <br />February 3, 2015, regarding its Petition for Declaratory Statement. <br />Attorney Reingold was not comfortable telling the Indian River County Board of <br />Commissioners there was a deferral of a month of their PSC Petition hearing. He was set to go <br />forward with the February 3, 2015 meeting. <br />Mr. Peter Gorry, a volunteer on the Finance Commission for the City of Vero Beach, <br />spoke on the City's contract in place with FPL until the end of the year 2016, and noted that rates <br />were set by PSC. He touched on dividends, ROI, the difference between rates and bills, and <br />bond ratings. <br />Mr. Charlie Wilson, President of the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce, mentioned the <br />City had been promising its residents lower electric rates than FPL for the last 36 years for a cost <br />of $20 million a year, so the cost of litigation does not even come close to the funds spent on a <br />yearly basis. He mentioned the only means of solving the utility issue was either an agreement <br />from FMPA (of which he felt would never happen), so legislation and litigation have replaced <br />negotiations as the only two means of solving the electric utility issue. <br />Mr. Mark Mucher, City of Vero Beach resident, was concerned about the long-term risk <br />of the City being in the electric business. He referred to the Utility Authority and argued that <br />representation was a "feel good" thing, but would not make a difference in terms of the decisions <br />made or the rates paid. <br />Mediator Alvarez concluded that Attorney Wright would write a letter of Waivers and <br />Consents by the City and FPL, and asked Attorney May to draft an Interim Mediation Agreement <br />by Friday, December 19, 2014. He thanked all parties for handling this difficult situation in a <br />cooperative and collaborative fashion. <br />Town of Indian River Shores - City of Vero Beach - Indian River County <br />Electric Utilities Mediation <br />December 17, 2014 <br />Page 11 <br />