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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final September 10, 2024 Dana King, a resident of Vero Beach, shared an African greeting: "Casan Anda." She noted it was a Swahili greeting by the Maasai Warriors, which meant, "How are the children?" It symbolized the value placed on children and reflected society's overall well-being. She expressed concern about the well-being of children in Indian River County, citing the school district's past failure to comply with the 1967 desegregation order. She also addressed housing gentrification and redevelopment issues, emphasizing the impact of neighborhood conditions on children's future prospects. She urged community leaders to address these disparities. Chairman Adams stressed the importance of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan in addressing the community's concerns and safeguarding its identity. She highlighted the increasing worries about issues like gentrification and encroachment, and emphasized the need to preserve the community's heritage for its continued growth and vitality. Chairman Adams also expressed gratitude for the input from the speaker and underscored the significance of protecting and respecting diverse neighborhoods and communities. She mentioned that staff had been developing new ideas to tackle the concerns related to the Neighborhood Plan and were working on an update to identify obstacles and expedite progress. She requested the staff to present this as an agenda item for one of the October meetings, providing an update, thoughts, and ideas to address the concerns that were raised. She stressed the importance of addressing this in October to prevent further delays. Commissioner Moss remarked that the lack of progress over the past twenty years was concerning. She believed both sides could cooperate in good faith to address the Gifford Neighborhood Plan. Chairman Adams underscored the necessity of engaging in a conversation in October to gain insight and feedback from the community regarding the County's intended direction. She expressed her commitment to facilitating this dialogue with staff and ensuring preparedness to address completed and outstanding tasks, as well as the underlying rationale. Additionally, it was important to note that moving forward would require making policy and budget decisions. No Action Taken or Required The Chairman called for a recess at 11:20 am and reconvened at 11:31 am with all members present. C. PUBLIC NOTICE ITEMS Indian River County Florida Page 16