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 alternates to fill vacant voting member seats; 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 November 9, 2020, the Space Coast League of Cities met and recommended reappointment of their 3 voting members and 4 alternates.
|
John Windsor |
Lagoon Adv. |
Member |
Since 2016 |
|
Courtney Barker |
Finance |
Member |
Since 2016 |
|
Stephany Eley |
Education |
Member |
Since 2016 |
|
Vinnie Taranto |
Technology |
Alternate |
Since 2016 |
|
Charles Venuto |
Science |
Alternate |
Since 2016 |
|
Dennis Basile |
Real Estate |
Alternate |
Since 2019 |
|
Laurilee Thompson |
Tourism |
Alternate |
Since 2019 |
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:
|
David LaneTourismMemberSince 2016 |
|
|
|
|
Lorraine Koss |
Science |
Member |
Since 2016 |
|
Terry Casto |
Lagoon Adv. |
Alternate |
Since 2016 |
|
Todd Swingle |
Finance |
Alternate |
Since 2016 |
|
Kimberly Newton |
Education |
Alternate |
Since 2020 |
|
Vacant |
Technology |
Member |
|
|
Vacant |
Real Estate |
Member |
|
For filling the two vacant voting member seats, the County Commission is requested to consider upgrading the alternates, Vinnie Taranto and Dennis Basile to the voting member seats for Technology and Real Estate, respectively. Attached is a letter from the Citizen Oversight Committee to the County Commission regarding the benefits of promoting alternates who are most familiar with previous direction from the Board and the delicate balance of adapting to new information, challenges and opportunities while ensuring consistency with the enabling ordinance for the surtax and maintaining public trust.
For the remaining vacancies, staff requests permission to advertise for new applicants. If the County Commission chooses to promote alternates to voting member seats, this would vacate League of Cities’ alternate seats. New applications would be provided to the Space Coast League of Cities for their review and their selections would be brought to the County Commission for approval.
Clerk to the Board Instructions: