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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final December 13, 2022 assistance through SBA's online application process. She mentioned that the SBA worked hand in hand with the Federal Emergency Management Agency No Action Taken or Required 10.B.2 22-1074 Request to Speak from Mr. Douglas DeMuth re: City of Vero Beach New Wastewater Plant Project Recommended action: No action required Attachments. Public Discussion Request D. DeMuth Douglas DeMuth, South Beach resident, followed up on the City of Vero Beach's (City) new Wastewater Plant Project and the resident's concerns in regard to water and sewer service. He felt the City needed to provide to the public a detailed project cost, its degree of accuracy, and its impact on future rates. He also felt that the City should provide the public with current plant demolition and site remediation costs and questioned when would these costs be added to the rate estimates. He asked that the Board look into the matter and notify the County rate payers of their future rates, and for County staff to revise their previous South Beach connection estimates for the southern wastewater treatment plant, and provide a rate increase projection for that service. He furthered discussed the franchise agreement, franchise fees, and equalization charges. Mr. DeMuth requested the Board form a Blue Ribbon Committee to assess the City's water and sewer service situation, the potential impacts of their wastewater treatment plant on the unincorporated rate payers, and recommendations for remedies. He asked that the Board be clear with County rate payers through a published report on what was transpiring with the water and sewer rates, and what could be done to ensure the City's rates were fair, transparent, and predictable. County Attorney Dylan Reingold commented that the City's staff along with County staff have been working hard to come up with a franchise agreement, and anticipated bringing back an agreement to the January 17, 2023 meeting. He read an email from the City's Manager Monte Falls, for clarification on the franchise fee and equalization charge issue. A discussion followed on the franchise fees among Mr. DeMuth, County Attorney Reingold, and County Administrator Jason Brown. County Administrator Brown clarified the franchise fees were not set aside for the City's utility issues, but put in place to offset property taxes in the unincorporated area. Mr. DeMuth concluded there had not been a franchise fee agreement since 2017, and felt the fees should be returned back to the rate payers. No Action Taken or Required Indian River County Florida Page 13