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F' JAN 7 10n BOOK 88 PAGE 487 the down -drift and he can empathize with both sides. He pointed out that he was speaking unofficially as a Sebastian Inlet Taxing District Commissioner and that the rest of the commissioners and the executive director had no knowledge about his appearance before the Board. He pledged his role as a commissioner to be liaison for the discussions and the input that the County is trying to gather to make a proper decision. He personally felt that prior to the inlet being modified, it had caused no problems. Judging from the records, the photographs and talking with folks like Mr. Tippin, he acknowledged the.beach was significantly larger years ago, and that the inlet is a part of the cause as well as part of the recreational benefit. We have to look at both together and to that end he pledged his support in any type of liaison need for sharing information to get a proper solution for all interests involved. Dr. Fallon also stated that the Sebastian Inlet Commission has a 25 -year approved management plan. Chairman Bird asked about_ the current and future plans for sand transfer and pumping at the Sebastian Inlet. Dr. Fallon reported that a dredge was leaving Jacksonville that very night and he expected the process to be totally mobilized in 7 to 10 days. They have a March 1 deadline to finish because the dredge is committed to another location at that time. Dr. Fallon explained that sand is trapped within the inlet and the trapped sand is pumped across on an easement to the beach. At this stage it will not be pumped to any greater southerly location than it was 3 years ago. However, the Sebastian Inlet Taxing District Commission is considering an attempt to move the sand a little bit further down the beach to see what effect that might have. Michael Walther, resident of City of Vero Beach and consultant to the Sebastian Inlet Taxing District, reported that available study data indicates that the impact of the inlet clearly extends approximately 5 miles south of the inlet. Independent studies indicate that with an infinite passage of time, the influence of the inlet would impact the beach infinitely down the shoreline. Discussion ensued regarding various inlets and their influence, as well as lawsuits concerning the effect of inlets on down drift areas. Mr. Walther summarized that a lawsuit involving Port Canaveral dealt with mitigation of damages from all historical impact. The management plan at Sebastian Inlet seeks mitigation from today forward, and that program has been adopted successfully by the Sebastian Inlet Taxing District. Discussion ensued regarding dredging the Sebastian Inlet. 10