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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2024 Vero Beach resident Anthony Brown praised the CSAC's excellent work serving the community. He acknowledged the incredible people on the committee and urged others to recognize the positive impact of the funds spent. He expressed his offense at personal vendettas against the process and emphasized that the committee was doing excellent work funding Children' Services, which could use more funding. Indian River School Board Vice Chair Peggy Jones, speaking as a resident and not on behalf of the School Board, emphasized the community's deep care for non-profit organizations. She highlighted that everyone on the committees including herself, was there for a specific reason - to help the County's youth and adults. This was what made a community unique in terms of accountability. Ms. Jones further underlined that the members of committees such as the CSAC have very high expectations and were accountable to the students. Ms. Jones urged the Board to prioritize the children's well-being while making decisions regarding CSAC. She stressed that the most critical issue was ensuring that the children were taken care of, which should be the guiding principle in all decision-making processes. CSAC member Robert (Bob) Schlitt recommended that the Board approve the 10% increase in the millage rate. He believed that Indian River County had an opportunity to become a beacon for children's services in the state. He stated that staff annually reviewed every program funded and provided information to citizens about the services available to children and families. Sheriff Eric Flowers stated he felt compelled to address the crucial issue of government funding for youth programs. He stated whether we choose to invest in organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, Moonshot, or other charitable causes such as Healthy Start, the fact is that we will be spending money on these children in one way or another. If we neglect to provide them with positive outlets, they may end up on the streets, potentially engaging in criminal activities. Investing in charitable causes that benefit our youth was a better use of our tax dollars than having law enforcement interact with them. Sheriff Flowers stated his support for increasing funding for youth programs and saw it as a step in the right direction. The following spoke against the 10% increase: Vero Beach resident Susan Mehiel believed that children's charities were still important, although it was unclear whether their funding and resources had improved the problems that children face. She believed early intervention to Indian River County Florida Page 16