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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final July 2, 2024 intended for the Summer Transition Enrichment Program (STEP) was not fully utilized due to paperwork issues and funding challenges with the school district. He noted an investigation was ongoing, and there was a potential for $128,000 to be redirected to the program. He expressed concerns about conflicts of interest at the grant subcommittee meetings. Nine out of the 14 members had conflicts of interest, with four having multiple conflicts. He stated that Attorney Bill DeBraal advised that it was permissible for these members to vote for the organizations they had conflicts of interest with, as long as the voting was done as a group and not individually. Attorney DeBraal reminded Mr. Demuth that in the final vote, it was explained that some agencies were selected to receive funds from three categories. The vote of the committee members did not specifically benefit any particular agency; it was intended to improve all of them. Therefore, it did not present a conflict of interest. It was similar to when a Commissioner with a brother as a firefighter votes to approve a contract that benefits the brother and 200 other firefighters and union members. This type of conflict does not help just the individual because the vote was for the benefit of the group. Mr. Demuth continued by stating that the CSAC committees must be significantly reformed to eliminate conflicts of interest. He believed this issue should be examined closely, as it does not serve the public well and was not an appropriate way to allocate public taxpayer dollars. Health Officer for Indian River County Miranda Swanson remarked that the CSAC has grown and changed over past 17 years. The progress made in the last year has been substantial. She expressed her thanks to all for the support and hard work this year, especially to Ms. Emerson and her staff. CSAC member Anthony Brown expressed concern about the criticisms directed at the CSAC. He emphasized the professionals' dedication and commitment to allocating funds to the appropriate sources. Brown also commended the positive changes implemented under Ms. Emerson's leadership. He stated it was disheartening to hear the committee's hard work disparaged, and encouraged everyone to stay focused on their mission despite the negativity. Pelican Island Audubon Society Board Chair Richard Baker emphasized the importance of children in the community, and that it was essential to focus on educating and engaging kids. Despite significant changes in the children involved, Mr. Baker noted that it was challenging to demonstrate the effectiveness of the programs and emphasized the need to disseminate information to showcase their Indian River County Florida Page 19