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BOOK S. When restored, and qualified for historical recognition and the National Register of Historical Places it becomes eligible for additional monetary state grants. Citrus County, supported by visionary county leadership, over a ten year period applied and received four grants in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore its old courthouse. DeSoto County received over $600,000.00, Other courthouse, older than the old IRC courthouse with the timely and strong support of visionary county officials have received hundreds of thousands of dollars for restoration. IRC Boards seem to lack both vision.foresight and appreciation for the history of IRC and Vero Beach. 6. Destroying its integrity as an historical entity could eliminate Vero from consideration for the "Main Street Historical Approach which provides additional grants to help the economic revitalization of Historic Commercial Areas such as downtown Vero, It will also reduce its chances of receiving future restoration grants from the state. 7. It will preserves a historical legacy of the past for present and future generations, 8. Restored it can act as a Youth Center(strongly advocated by hundreds of mothers), also for the approved Teen Court Center for trouble youth supported by Judge Vocelle or a combination work center for the disabled. 9. Become a Satellite campus for IRC Junior College, 10.'Used to house an expanded historical and citrus Museum, both have exceeded their current space and areas. 11. House an Art Museum and Cultural Center as well as a visable and readily available Tourist Center. 12. House a sports museum for players and announcers, Central Florida famed for its Spring baseball training camps and the Sportcasters' Hall of Fame and Museum, internationally known, would help draw many thousands of daily tourists and visitors to Vero. 13. To relocate "stand-alone" offices, i.e., Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Emergency Services to the vacant Old Crth or related court buildings. 14. Unneeded space, can be used to produce income by renting or selling non -historical buildings to both private and non-profit organizations. 1S. When the property was sold to the County by the City of Vero Beach, the deed required that the property be used for a courthouse, otherwise the property would be returned to the City. In my opinion, county officials do not have the right to destroy the Old Crth. It should be the decision of IRC residents and taxpayers. 16. The deteriorated condition, due to the negligence of county officials, and the high repair cost of the Old Crth. became the main issue.'The non -historical buildings, the Annex and Attorney's building, requiring minor repairs, could have been used in the last two years by the County, to relieve overcrowed condition at the Administration building. 17. The major failure to gain the 1996 State Grant for the restoration of the Old Crth lies with the Cty Board. no one else. It does not prevent submitting future restoration grants, or did not prevent the practical and effective use, or sale of the other vacated court buildings. The income could have been used to repair the Old Crth. at no cost to the taxpayers. How long will taxpayers be fooled? Is a new multimillion dollar administration building on the horizon? Negligence has costed the taxpayers, hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost value, revenue and use. Past Boards had been just as adamant about restoring the Heritage Center, a viable Vero legacy enjoyed by visitors and residents alike. 99 PnE17 Mr. Masi presented his view that the old courthouse building should be put on the National Register of Historical Places and then additional grants for restoration could be acquired. He felt the Press Journal has been doing a wonderful job with its coverage on this issue. SEPTEMBER 17, 1996 48