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- Attorney Vitunac advised that the County is not a city or <br />chartered county so there is no legal way for this Board to bind <br />future county commissioners by ordinance. It cannot be done. We <br />could have a straw ballot proposal, but it cannot be the subject of <br />a referendum. It would have to be combined with something else. <br />A straw ballot does not bind the Board but rather is an impediment <br />to quick action on an issue. An ordinance is an expression of <br />policy at that given moment and can be repealed at the very next <br />meeting. In other words, the very next week the Board can change <br />its mind and would not be fettered by an ordinance except for <br />having to go through the process of repealing it. It really causes <br />an expense of taxpayers' money without really binding the Board <br />irrevocably as Mr. Zorc is requesting. <br />Mr. Zorc asked for confirmation that the same situation is <br />applicable to the proposed ordinance, and Attorney Vitunac <br />confirmed that it would only be a straw ballot. <br />Mr. Zorc argued that while it may be a straw ballot, it would <br />have the meaningful effect of letting the Board know the feelings <br />of the general public. <br />Commissioner Eggert was not in favor of adopting an ordinance <br />requiring a referendum because it would bind a future commission <br />years from now to take a straw ballot on something the nature of <br />which we do not know. <br />Commissioner Adams felt the requested ordinance would be <br />discriminatory by singling out one project. She has a strong <br />commitment to do what the majority of the public wants to do on any <br />public works project, but stressed that we must be consistent. <br />This type of project would call for large amounts of money which <br />could not be appropriated without public input. <br />Commissioner Macht questioned the timeliness of the request <br />because we are at the very beginning of delving into the aspects of <br />the project and we need more information on the economic impact of <br />the project. Commissioner Adams will be heading a committee to <br />study the details and when that report is available, Commissioner <br />Macht felt we will be in a better position to deal with the facts. <br />Anything else is premature. <br />Commissioner Adams confirmed that the committee will receive <br />input from other agencies and groups and will view the problems and <br />work on the whole project rather than bits and pieces. Then the <br />general public will have a better idea of the issues. <br />Berman Cook, resident of the City of Vero Beach, thought Mr. <br />Zorc made his request because the group called Save our Shores was <br />attempting to get the County to take the project back -so that the <br />County could turn the project into a taxing district for the <br />7 <br />JAN 71993 <br />