Subject:
Title
Re-Appointment of Members and Alternates to the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee and Permission to Advertise for Volunteers to Fill Vacant Seats.
End
Fiscal Impact:
No Cost
Dept/Office:
Natural Resources Management
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners: (1) Review meeting attendance records, resumes and applications of Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) members seeking re-appointment; (2) Reappoint COC voting members and alternates recommended by the Space Coast League of Cities; (3) Consider reappointing voting members and alternates previously ranked and appointed by the County Commission and willing to continue their service; (4) Consider promoting an alternate to fill a vacant voting member seat; and (5) Authorize staff to advertise for new applicants for specific seats representing vacant fields of expertise on the COC.
End
Summary Explanation and Background:
On August 23, 2016, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 16-15 for the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan and Trust Fund. The Ordinance called for establishment of a Citizen Oversight Committee (Committee) to make recommendations to the County Commission regarding annual updates to the Save Our Indian River Project Plan that is funded by the half cent Save Our Indian River Lagoon sales tax. The Committee structure consists of 7 members and 7 alternates representing 7 fields of expertise: Science, Technology, Economics/Finance, Real Estate, Education/Outreach, Tourism, and Lagoon Advocacy. Terms are for 2 years, after which members and alternates can be re-appointed or replaced.
Half of the Committee is nominated by the Space Coast League of Cities and half the Committee is selected by the County Commission, with all seats appointed by the County Commission. If replacement members or alternates are required, the entity who selected that member can:
1) upgrade the alternate to the member seat,
2) choose a replacement from the existing pool of applicants, or
3) request a new call for qualified citizen volunteers.
On October 10, 2022, the Space Coast League of Cities met and recommended reappointment of 2 voting members (Stephany Eley and Dr. John Windsor), reappointment of 4 alternates (Charles Venuto, David Sherrer, Laurilee Thompson and Eric Mannes), and promotion of one Board-appointed alternate (Todd Swingle) to a vacated, League-selected voting member seat. These citizen volunteers, their expertise, roles and time on the Committee are provided below.
|
Citizen Volunteer |
Expertise |
Role |
Time on Committee |
|
John Windsor |
Lagoon Adv. |
Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Stephany Eley |
Education |
Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Todd Swingle |
Finance |
Promote to Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Charles Venuto |
Science |
Alternate |
Since December 2016 |
|
Laurilee Thompson |
Tourism |
Alternate |
Since March 2019 |
|
David Sherrer |
Technology |
Alternate |
Since May 2021 |
|
Eric Mannes |
Real Estate |
Alternate |
Since March 2022 |
The County Commission is also requested to consider reappointment of the following members and alternates ranked and appointed by the County Commission, who are willing to serve for the next two-year term:
|
Citizen VolunteerExpertiseRoleTime on Committee |
|
|
|
|
David Lane |
Tourism |
Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Lorraine Koss |
Science |
Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Vinnie Taranto |
Technology |
Member |
Since December 2016 |
|
Vacant |
Real Estate |
Member |
|
|
Terry Casto |
Lagoon Adv. |
Alternate |
Since December 2016 |
|
Kimberly Newton |
Education |
Alternate |
Since August 2020 |
|
Vacant |
Finance |
Alternate |
|
For filling the vacant Real Estate Member seat, the County Commission may consider promoting the alternate, Eric Mannes, or advertising for new applicants. If the County Commission chooses to promote Eric Mannes to the Board’s vacant voting member seat, this would create a vacancy in League of Cities’ alternate seat.
Staff requests permission to advertise vacancies not filled through term renewals or promotions. Applicants for the Board’s vacant seats will be brought directly to the County Commission for ranking and appointment. Applications for vacant League of City seats (if any) would be provided to the Space Coast League of Cities to review, and their selection would be brought to the County Commission for approval.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
None