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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final September 10, 2025 Wilfred Hart urged the Board to fully fund the Sheriff's Budget and the organizations seeking financial support to ensure their survival. Charles Hoffinan noted that a business could not remain viable without annual increases and increased efficiencies; however, he believed that continual increases could become excessive. He emphasized the importance of not only increasing funding for specific programs but also creating efficiencies within the budget. Barbara Miles raised concerns about the County's growth and the need to hire more deputies. She received confirmation that there were no new position requests in the Sheriff s Budget. Leticia Wood stressed the importance of addressing the budget to include raises for Sheriffs Deputies. She pointed out that neighboring counties were offering higher salaries, which risked the County losing its deputies to better -paying opportunities. She emphasized that these men and women put their lives on the line every day, and their value could not be measured in monetary terms. Renee Reya, who had worked in the Sheriffs Office for 21 years stated that many deputies had gone without a raise for seven years, which had hindered pay growth within the Sheriffs office. She acknowledged that Sheriff Eric Flowers had made diligent efforts to resolve this issue, but it has been a gradual process. Additionally, she raised a critical concern about employee retention, stating that since the Board's last meeting, she had lost one employee and was about to lose another that Friday due to pay concerns. Dale Dawkins shared a personal story from his past about a Sheriff's Deputy who went a mile for him, just one example of how deputies in the community went above and beyond their duties. He believed that pay increases would significantly affect the morale and well-being of the deputies. He expressed frustration at the negative portrayals on TV, stating that this did not represent Vero Beach. The law enforcement community was part of the family, and they wanted the leaders to take care of them. Phil Daughtery, a Detective with the Sheriffs Office and President of the Deputies' Union, opened his address by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to discuss potential funding for the Sheriffs Budget. He acknowledged the concerns raised during the meeting. He sought to clarify a few essential points about the Sheriff's Indian River County, Florida Page 4