City Council Regular Meeting Agenda (PDF) — Minutes

CITY OF VERO BEACH, FLORIDA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026 - 9:30 A.M. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, VERO BEACH, FLORIDA Reverend Deke Miller of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church gave the invocation. PRESENT: John Cotugno, Mayor; Taylor Dingle, Vice Mayor; Linda Moore, Councilmember, John Carroll, Councilmember and Aaron Vos, Councilmember Also Present: Monte Falls, City Manager; John Turner, City Attorney and Sherri Philo, City Clerk 1. CALL TO ORDER A. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Cotugno led the Council and the public in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. B. Roll Call The City Clerk performed the roll call. 2. PRELIMINARY MATTERS A. Approval of Minutes 1. Regular City Council Minutes – February 10, 2026 Mr. Vos made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 10, 2026 regular City Council meeting. Vice Mayor Dingle seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. 2. Special Call/Workshop City Council Minutes – February 3, 2026 Vice Mayor Dingle made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 3, 2026 Special Call/Workshop City Council meeting. Mr. Vos seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. A. Agenda Additions, Deletions, and Adoption. Vice Mayor Dingle made a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. Mrs. Moore seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. B. Proclamations and Recognitions by Council. 1. 211 Awareness Month – February, 2026 1 02/24/26 City Council

Mr. Vos read and presented the Proclamation. 3. CONSENT AGENDA (include amount of expense) Mr. Carroll pulled items 3-A) and 3-C) off of the Consent Agenda. Mrs. Moore made a motion to approve item 3-B) of the Consent Agenda. Vice Mayor Dingle seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. A) Change Order 2 to Work Order 20 for Hanson Professional Services to Provide Construction Administrative Services for the Terminal Building Rehabilitation Project ($99,778.00) Mr. Carroll asked is the 365 day extension inclusive of all construction at the terminal. Mr. Todd Scher, Airport Director, answered yes. Mr. Carroll referred to the staging area. He questioned in reading the documents, there was not a staging area set up for the contractor. Mr. John Thompson, of Hanson Professional Services, said that was correct. Mr. Carroll said in the scope some of the terms state up to 20 additional days of work. Mr. Thompson said they had an assumed number of days for construction so every time the contractor added a day with a change order, they would request a day to extend. He explained that at the time the scope of work was put together, he thought there were eight (8) potential change orders and now they were up to 22 with another three (3) coming. Mr. Carroll questioned if those dates were documented by field reports. Mr. Thompson said that was correct. Mr. Carroll asked because there were no drawings attached to this, would it include the reworking of the entrance. Mr. Thompson said it was anticipated to be included, however they were looking at the remaining funds for the project to determine if that would be included in this contract or in a future contract. Mr. Carroll asked is the driveway going to be in the modifications at this point. Mr. Thompson said at this point, they were not sure. He said it looked like it might be removed in order to prioritize other things at the Airport. 2 02/24/26 City Council

Mayor Cotugno asked is the design for traffic flow going west completed. Mr. Thompson said they have conceptual designs and completing it would depend on other contracts of work that would be coming before the City Council in the future. Mr. Carroll asked if they approve this today, are the two (2) west bound lanes going to be a part of this where they would see them in place in December, 2026. Mr. Thompson thought that they could be restriped to make it one (1) way. Any more extensive modifications planned would be completed under a different task order that is pending. Mr. Carroll said that he was okay with restriping it. Mr. Vos asked is there someone on site every day. He questioned what they were doing. Mr. Thompson said they do have someone on site the majority of the days in order to keep the contractor honest. Mr. Vos said if he was a General Contractor he would not be on the site every day watching the crew. He said this was a concern that he had. Mr. Thompson said this was their only active construction project at this point. However, they worked it so that they were trying to minimize the expense to the City. So, because they had a job at Walking Tree Brewery, they had one (1) person who spent half of their time at Walking Tree Brewery and the other half of their time at the Airport. Mr. Scher said if this project seemed convoluted, it was because another company did the design, which started before Breeze Airways. Now with the proliferation of airline passengers, they have to jump into the project and address things that they never would have imagined back when the design started. They think it was prudent to address the needs as they come up within the current project if they can. Mayor Cotugno assumed that once they reach a certain number of enplanements there would be a whole new set of rules from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Mr. Scher said there are some and most of them that affect this project have to do with ADA requirements. Mr. Carroll made a motion to approve item 3-A) of the Consent Agenda. Mr. Vos seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. B) #2026-EG-323, Grant of Electric Easement to Florida Power & Light (FP&L), Airport Terminal / 3400 Cherokee Drive This item was approved. 3 02/24/26 City Council

C) PFAS Treatment Pilot Study – CHA Consulting, Inc. – Work Order 12 Mr. Carroll said they received the final report for PFAS this morning. He asked is this request for the City Council to approve the work order that has already been completed. Mr. Rob Bolton, Water and Sewer Director, answered no. He explained that they were looking to do another pilot project based on the recommendations of the report that the City Council just received. He then gave some history on PFAS. He said that PFAS has been around for decades. There is Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) made by Dupont and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) made by 3M. Back in 1938 while Dupont was working with General Motors on Freon they discovered Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which was Teflon. In order to make PTFE they had to start with PFOA. It took them seven (7) years and then Teflon was launched. In 1963 the Navy wanted something to combat gasoline fires and one (1) way to do that was to kill the oxygen. So, they worked with 3M and produced a product from PFOS, which was the Aqueous Firefighting Foam. In 1967, the Navy patented it and it was mandated that they use this on every ship. He said both products have been around for a very long time. It wasn’t discovered until around 1999, that this was toxic. He said that PFOS and PFOA is everywhere. The good news is that this is no longer produced. He reported that in the American population in 2002/2003 PFOS was found to be about 30 parts per billion in your blood and is now down to five (5). PFOA was about five (5) parts per billion and was now down to one point eight (1.8) parts per billion. He said people are either ingesting it through water or eating it through some type of food product. It can be in the air, in the wrappers of food products, etc. He said the government was notified in 2000 of an issue and now 24-years later they are finally enacting a regulation. He said the government did not have a certified testing for PFAS until 2009. In 2013, the City performed the Unidentified Contaminant Monitoring Report and tested for PFOA, PFOS, and a few other products. However, the minimum reporting limit at that time was 20 parts per trillion for PFOA and 40 parts per trillion for PFOS. In 2013, the City reported that their numbers were below the required levels. Between 2013 and 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency lowered that level. So now, the City is testing to a number above that. The City is now required to do something and their deadline is April, 2031, and they will meet the deadline. Vice Mayor Dingle made a motion to approve item 3-C) of the Consent Agenda. Mrs. Moore seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS A) ORDINANCES B) RESOLUTIONS 1. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real 4 02/24/26 City Council

Property Located at 965 26th Street, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. The City Clerk read the Resolution by title only. Mrs. Moore made a motion to approve the Resolution. Mr. Vos seconded the motion. Mayor Cotugno opened and closed the public hearing at 10:21 a.m., with no one wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 5-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. 2. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real Property Located at 709 Shores Drive, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. The City Clerk read the Resolution by title only. Mrs. Moore made a motion to approve the Resolution. Mr. Carroll seconded the motion. Mayor Cotugno opened and closed the public hearing at 10:21 a.m., with no one wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 5-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. 3. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real Property Located at 5125 Trade Winds Drive, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. The City Clerk read the Resolution by title only. Mr. Vos made a motion to approve the Resolution. Vice Mayor Dingle seconded the motion. Mayor Cotugno opened and closed the public hearing at 10:22 a.m., with no one wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 5-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. 5 02/24/26 City Council

5. PUBLIC COMMENT (3-minute time limit) Mr. Ken Daige said that he attended a dinner last night and someone from Washington, D.C. spoke on how a lot of their rights were being taken away. He said that he read HB 1143 and SB 1342 and he hoped that the City has been following them. He said it was more control being taken by Tallahassee, which he was very upset about. He hoped that they could address this because what caught his attention was that it stated certain application procedures for certain development of certain counties and certain cities. He said it was not clear what they were talking about. He said they are losing their rights as a local government. He said they need to maintain local control. His hope was that the City has been reaching out to their local Senator and Representative to let them know where they stand as a City. He said they are losing their rights and they need to fight back. Mayor Cotugno closed public comments at 10:26 a.m., with no one else wishing to be heard. 6. CITY COUNCIL MATTERS A) NEW BUSINESS 1. In Consideration of a Voluntary Audit by the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – Requested by Vice Mayor Taylor Dingle Vice Mayor Dingle read a prepared statement. He said, “I believe this step to mark a new beginning for them all. A chance to close once and for all, a chapter too long burdened by doubt, mistrust, and division. He said they may think what he is proposing was too bold and that the risk is too great and that is a valid concern to have. Honestly, it is the right concern for any elective body to have. But, the question before us is not whether we dare to act. It is whether we dare to believe in ourselves. The City of Vero Beach has earned that right. We have governed with restraint, have lived within our means, and have kept our obligations to the taxpayer. Our millage rate stands among one of the lowest in the State. Not by accident, but by choice. Not by chance. That record gives us the right and the responsibility to lead by example. To show that good government does not hide from scrutiny, but welcomes it. That confidence is not declared in speeches or words alone, but demonstrated through action. Let’s also be honest with the difficult road that may lie ahead. Just a week ago we talked about the challenges we could face without property taxes, including the possibility of cutting essential services to make ends meet. Something that is becoming unfortunately very close to a very real reality. We discussed eliminating lifeguards, the idea of paid parking, and a historical landmark, such as the Humiston Boardwalk, short of being completely funded. My question to you is, wouldn’t this help us avoid those outcomes if there is another way. Will we want to know before making these painful cuts whether we can preserve these services. God forbid if that day were to ever come and those difficult decisions had to be made, don’t our residents deserve to know we truly had no other option. There are those who fear the process I am proposing who 6 02/24/26 City Council

see it as a threat, rather than a test. But, transparency is not a threat to honest government. It is proof of it. Efficiency is not an enemy of public service. It is its ally and accountability and does not weaken democracy. It renews it. Councilmember Carroll raised a concern about citizen’s private data with this process. The only sensitive information shared with me (Vice Mayor Dingle) was staff’s salaries and certain benefits. Information that is already public record. A comment was made from the public about how this could be a waste of staff time. It would be minimal because they (Florida Department of Government Efficiency) already have all of our data and all of our spreadsheets from their prior request. There was also a concern raised during public comment about whether the task force could alone cut existing or future City projects. They conduct the audit at no expense to us, present their findings to this Council, and this Council alone takes, if any, action. I have spoken with others who have taken this step. They did not fear it, they welcomed it because when you know your books are in order, you don’t fear the light. You invite it in. I know I bring fewer years of experience to this Chamber, but I bring what every generation must bring to its moment of choice and that is the willingness to stand and to act. It is not too late for all of you to choose courage over caution. It is not too late to send a message that we believe in honest government and that we are not afraid to prove it. I say let us be confident without being careless. Let’s be bold without being reckless. Let’s trust in the City, trust in the staff, and trust in the principles we claim to serve. I am here to say that I am all in and that is not as a gamble, but a vote of confidence. How say you.” Mayor Cotugno asked so, do you have a resolution or a motion. Vice Mayor Dingle said that he would like to hear the Council’s comments if they have any. Mayor Cotugno said that he would need to have a motion. Vice Mayor Dingle asked how about public comment. Mayor Cotugno said that he needs to have a motion. Vice Mayor Dingle said that he wanted to know from staff, if they prepared all the information (referring to a packet placed on the dais, which is attached to the original minutes), why didn’t he receive this beforehand. Why was he just seeing this now. He cautioned the Mayor and the City Council if they choose to go in this direction and if they were trying to shut him down or to silence him, to listen to him. That this was coming from his heart. He believed that this was the right course of action. Time after time, he hears that they have a lean budget. That there is no fat. He asked what are they hiding if they don’t go through with this. They (Florida Department of Government Efficiencies) have our data and our spreadsheets. All they have to do is express their willingness for them to audit us. He asked if any of them reached out to any elected officials that has gone through this process and has volunteered. He said that his hands were clean on this. Vice Mayor Dingle made a motion that the City of Vero Beach requests a voluntary audit by the Florida Department of Government Efficiency. 7 02/24/26 City Council

The motion died for lack of a second. 2. USA Artwork on Wastewater Treatment Silos – Requested by Councilmember Linda Moore Mrs. Moore reported that Mr. Bolton approached her a few months ago asking if she could get quotes from artists to paint USA on the silos at the Wastewater Treatment Plant at the corner of Aviation Boulevard and US1. She said when the Blue Angels fly in for the Airshow in May they would be flying right past them. She thought this was a great project. She then showed markups of the design (attached to the original minutes). She said that staff liked the top markup of USA. She reported that Mrs. Brook Malone designed these and also placed Palm Trees on them, however staff did not like them. Mr. Bolton reported that he was approached by their electrician, who was working around the silos and said that they should paint USA on them. Mr. Bolton then approached Mrs. Moore. They received pricing from three (3) different vendors with three (3) different ideas. He said the middle bid had the best artwork so they questioned if they could use the artwork and go with the lowest bidder, which was kind of where they were at. He said the middle vendor was Mrs. Malone, who would be assisting with the project because they want to be sure the scale of the letters to the towers are correct. Also, he was told that once the letters are on the silos they could put in some lights to shine on the silos so that everyone driving on US1 and Aviation Boulevard would be able to see them. He noted that he did explain to Airport staff that the silos were partially lit and these lights would just add a little more lighting. Mrs. Moore made a motion to approve the top concept of the USA letters without the Palm Trees to be painted on the silos located at the Water Treatment Plant. Mr. Vos seconded the motion. Mr. Carroll said that he didn’t have any problems with having murals, however he felt that the City should have a process, such as qualifications, paint specifications, etc. Mr. Bolton noted that they do have the paint specifications for this project. Mr. Carroll said the preliminary Resolution that Mr. Turner was working on routes this through the Architectural Review Committee. Mrs. Moore said the Resolution was about privately owned buildings, which was totally different than what they were doing. She said if he wanted to regulate publically owned buildings that seemed sensible to her. However, they were not in the business of telling private businesses what they can and cannot do with their buildings. She said there were red lines all over the Resolution in her mind. She said if Mr. Carroll wanted specifications on the paint they could make that happen, but right now they were approving the design. The City Council was approving it. Not the Architectural Review Committee. She didn’t 8 02/24/26 City Council

know how many more layers of regulations Mr. Carroll wants to put on stuff, but for her, she felt this was a sufficient amount of layers for this particular project. Mayor Cotugno said going forward they are going to need some kind of a process to approve these, but they have approved wrapping signal boxes like the one that they did Downtown. He said they are going to have to address these going forward as people want to paint murals on buildings. Points have been well made and they probably should look at it sooner than later. Mayor Cotugno opened public comments at 10:47 a.m. Mr. Daige said it looked very nice and he hoped that they would pass this. He felt that people would love seeing this and it is a great time with the Blue Angels coming here. He said to go for it. Mayor Cotugno closed public comments at 10:48 a.m., with no one else wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 5-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. B) OLD BUSINESS 1. Continue the Discussion on How to Communicate the Effects of Eliminating or Severely Reducing of the Property Tax Revenue would have on the Services Provided by the City – Requested by Mayor John Cotugno Mayor Cotugno said they recently held a Special Call meeting regarding property tax and he didn’t know if the City Councilmembers had done any research on this. Mr. Vos said part of his outreach was a recommendation by the Treasure Coast Regional League of Cities that they reach out to the Chamber of Commerce to let the businesses know what the impacts would be. Also, all the clubs and charities that could be impacted due to increased fees. He said there was a loose nit voting community that has a high level of communication on Facebook, etc., He said these were just a few. He said it is how you get the information out to the people who are renting. If the tax shift goes from homesteaded properties to non-homesteaded properties, they are going to see the impact. It is how do they get this information out. Mrs. Moore said rentals have already been impacted because of the cost of property insurance. She said there were several people that frequent her restaurant who have small rental properties that they rent to restaurant workers. She said the price to rent has gone up because of the hit they are getting because of insurance. Another concern that she has was that it has only been within the past few years that the City has been able to get caught up on road maintenance and she would hate to see this stop, which it will because that will be 9 02/24/26 City Council

one of the first things to go because there is not going to be enough money in the budget. She didn’t know how to get this news out to the public other than have people write about it in the newspapers. She said it would be great if they had some type of social media campaign. Mr. Carroll said the most important thing they have to do is have a united front. He said they had three (3) separate Power Point presentations at last week’s Special Call meeting and they were all good and had a lot of information. It is obvious that there is a lot more information that they can put out. He said what he would like to know today was if they would be presenting the same talking points if they decide that they were going to go out and make presentations to different venues. He said that he is a Rotary member so he has access to present information to the Rotary Club. He felt that they should come up with some talking points to be sure that they were covering the same bases. Mayor Cotugno agreed. He said part of this launch was during “Let’s Talk Vero,” which is scheduled on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. He reported that he, the City Manager, County Commissioner Daryl Loar, and Mr. Lance Lunceford of the Taxpayer’s Association would be discussing this and the impact on not only the City, but also the County. He noted that this event has already been sold out. He asked do they want to continue this outreach to the community. He asked do they want to do more forums at different venues, such as the Community Center, and possibly a community zoom meeting, where they could go over the impact of a significant reduction or elimination of the property taxes on the City, how the City would have to react to it, and the impact on the community. He asked how proactive do they want to get in order to get the word across. He didn’t think it was necessary to call another Special Call meeting. Vice Mayor Dingle said they need to take into consideration when the Legislative Session ends in Tallahassee, which was three (3) weeks. Mayor Cotugno said it ends in three (3) weeks, which means they would have to sprint on this because the minute a Bill has passed and signed it goes to Referendum. Once it is signed by the Governor they have to stop. Mrs. Moore asked when does the Senate vote on the Bill. Mayor Cotugno said they don’t have a matching Bill yet. Mr. John Turner, City Attorney reported that House Joint Resolution (HJR) 203 has the most traction, which was the elimination of non-school property for homestead. This passed the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 80-30. It has now been sent to the Senate for their consideration. However, the Senate has not released a property tax plan at all. Mr. Vos referred to a table that he presented to the City Council at their Special Call meeting (attached to the original minutes). He noted that this information came straight from the Property Appraiser’s Office. He noted that the impact was about $2.1 million the 10 02/24/26 City Council

first year and the subsequent year it approaches $4 million. In looking ahead, he felt they might want to hold a workshop meeting to discuss the contingencies that they need to do, such as relooking at how they were upgrading their Parks. Mayor Cotugno said so the number they currently collect in property taxes would drop down over ten years. Mr. Vos said it would be over ten years and after the 10th year it would 100% eliminated. Mayor Cotugno said they would lose about 20% of the total General Fund revenue and 50% of the revenue they receive from property tax. He said this was a big hit, especially when you only have a $36 million General Fund. He asked the City Council how aggressive they wanted to get in educating the community on the impact that this will have. He asked if they wanted to invest some funds to try to get the word out. Mr. Carroll and Mrs. Moore answered yes. Mr. Carroll said that he watched the Senate President and a couple comments that he made was that he thought the phase in portion was a good idea and was keen on not reducing funding for law enforcement. Also, they have not made a decision on their stance on this Bill or any other Bill. It sounded like they were anticipating a Special Session just on this item. He said even though the Legislative Session ends in three (3) weeks, he thinks it is going to take longer. Mrs. Moore suggested that if they were going to allocate funds that they bring in a firm, such as Vero Beach Social Media, to run a campaign to get the word out. Mayor Cotugno agreed. He said that he would put something together. Mr. Vos said there also is the collaboration with their sister cities and the County. Mr. Carroll asked how much discretionary funds do they have available. He asked do they have $25,000. Mrs. Moore said that she was going to suggest $10,000. Mayor Cotugno said $25,000 would be great, but he felt that $10,000 was reasonable. Mrs. Moore said it depends on how much time they were going to run the ads. If it was three (3) weeks $10,000 was fine. Mr. Monte Falls, City Manager, felt if they do that, then they see what the Legislature does and if they go into Special Sessions that would give them more time, but they would have this initial three (3) weeks to try to get the word out. He said if the City Council wants to give staff $10,000 or $15,000 they would make it happen and would report back. 11 02/24/26 City Council

Mrs. Moore made a motion that they allocate $15,000 to hire a public relations company just to get the communication out. Mr. Carroll seconded the motion. Mayor Cotugno opened public comments at 11:05 a.m. Mr. Daige thought this was a great idea. He said something they could do right now was when they give their overview of this tax situation at “Let’s Talk Vero” that they speak clearly, quickly, and open the floor for questions. Also, he would suggest that they video tape this and put it on the City’s webpage and television station. He said the firm they choose could pull snippets off of this to utilize for advertising. He also suggested that they hold a Town Hall meeting in the evening so people can come in to speak. Mayor Cotugno closed public comments at 11:08 a.m., with no one else wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 4-1 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle no, and Mayor Cotugno yes. 7. PUBLIC NOTICE ITEMS FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEARING A) Public Hearing will be heard on March 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. An Ordinance of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Relating to Septic Tank Effluent Pump (“STEP”) Systems; Creating New Sections 78-49 Through 78-55 of the Code of the City of Vero Beach, Florida (“City Code”) to Provide Incentives for Installation of STEP Systems; Amending the Existing Water and Sewer Rate Structure to Address STEP Systems; Providing for a Business Impact Statement; Providing for Conflict and Severability; Providing for Codification; Providing for Correction of Scrivener’s Errors; Providing for Ratification of Certain Existing Ordinances; and Providing for an Effective Date. The City Clerk read the Ordinance by title only. She reported that the Public Hearing on this Ordinance would be heard on March 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. 8. CITY CLERK MATTERS A) Lien Reduction Request – 3655 Flamingo Drive Ms. Sherri Philo, City Clerk, reported that this is a request for a lien reduction for 3655 Flamingo Drive and Chief Currey would be speaking on this item. Mr. David Currey, Police Chief, reported that the authorized representative, Mr. Andrew Bocchte, submitted the Request for a Lien Reduction and is present for today’s meeting. Also present is the Estate Representative, Ms. Judy Mace. The request is to reduce the current lien of $180,650.00 to zero. He reported that there were two (2) Code Enforcement violations. The violators and owners were Mr. Melvin C. Miller, II, who is deceased, Mrs. 12 02/24/26 City Council

Maureen Mead Miller, and PNC Bank. He noted that Mrs. Miller was also deceased, but was not at the time. The Code Enforcement citations that were issued were for a stagnant unsecure swimming pool and sewer use restrictions. The first citation was for the swimming pool violation and was issued on May 4, 2020, with the correction date of May 12, 2020. This case went before the Code Enforcement Board on June 12, 2020, and the Board allowed an additional 14-days to come into compliance. The case went back before the Board on December 10, 2025, for the Board to find compliance on November 12, 2025. The total penalties for this case came to $100,500. With the second violation of sewer use restrictions, they received two (2) warning citations. The first warning citation was issued on February 12, 2021, and the second warning citation was issued on March 2, 2021. A citation was then issued on June 3, 2021. This case went before the Code Enforcement Board on August 11, 2021, and the Board allowed an additional 10-days to come into compliance. The case went back before the Board on December 10, 2025, for the Board to find compliance as of November 7, 2025. The total penalties for this case was $80,250. He reported that on April 21, 2020, Lieutenant Matt Harrelson received a call from a neighbor regarding the foul odor and black pool. Lieutenant Harrelson contacted Mrs. Miller and provided her with local pool companies to resolve the problem. Mrs. Miller was the owner of the home, however she was residing in St. Petersburg and her son, Mr. Sam Miller, was living in the home alone. On May 5, 2020, the pool had not been taken care of and Lieutenant Harrelson advised Mrs. Miller that there were two (2) Code Enforcement complaints. He said Lieutenant Harrelson, the Vero Beach Police Department, Code Enforcement, as well as the neighbors spent hundreds of hours responding to complaints since March, 2018. The complaints were for code enforcement issues and the welfare of Mr. Sam Miller. He reported that the Trust, PNC Bank, was aware of the violations. Lieutenant Harrelson spoke to Trust Board members on several occasions over a period of time to correct the violations. With the direction and guidance of Lieutenant Harrelson, the Trust paid thousands of dollars for debris cleaning after Hurricane Milton in October, 2024. He noted that this showed that they were more than capable of correcting the prior violations. In early 2025, a guardianship was established for Mr. Sam Miller. Ms. Mace was appointed Emergency Temporary Guardian of the Ward on February 28, 2025. He said this would not have been done if it wasn’t for Lieutenant Harrelson being the petitioner. He said most of what had been done would not had been done without Lieutenant Harrelson, the help of Code Enforcement, the neighbors, and the help of the Police Department. He reported that corrective actions of cleaning the swimming pool, securing it with a fence and servicing the septic system were also facilitated by Lieutenant Harrelson. He said they were able to get Mr. Sam Miller help, which he deserved and needed. His recommendation was not to reduce the penalties. The total penalties owed was $181,011.00. Mr. Carroll said if he was not mistaken, during the hearings before the Code Enforcement Board there were representatives present for at least one (1) of the hearings. Chief Currey said there was a representative present at the June 10, 2020, Code Enforcement Board hearing. He thought that Attorney Bocchte was present at the December 10, 2025, Code Enforcement Board hearing. He didn’t know if anyone appeared 13 02/24/26 City Council

at the other Code Enforcement Board hearings. It was his understanding that the house is for sale and they do have potential buyers. Mr. Carroll asked was Lieutenant Harrelson communicating with the owner by telephone. Chief Currey said that is correct. Mrs. Moore said in 2024, when the Trust payed to have the debris removed, the swimming pool was still stagnant. Chief Currey said that is correct. Mayor Cotugno said that he lives two (2) doors away from this property. A lot of his neighbors have been there for a long time and they remember when this was a showcase property. Their concern was about Mr. Sam Miller. He said it was sad what happened with Mr. Sam Miller and what has happened with the property. He said the house is for sale and whoever purchases the property, whatever they do would only be an improvement. Chief Currey said it seems like Mr. Sam Miller was in the best shape that he has ever been in. Mayor Cotugno said that he appreciated what Lieutenant Harrelson did. He felt without his intervention, who knows what would have happened with Mr. Sam Miller. Mr. Andrew Bocchte, Attorney, said that he works with Ms. Mace, who is the personal representative of the Estate of Maureen Miller, as well as the primary guardian of Mr. Sam Miller. He thanked the City for the time and work they did to get them on the agenda today. They appreciate Chief Currey’s time, as well as Lieutenant Harrelson’s time and efforts with this situation, along with City staff and Code Enforcement. They respect the City’s process and the public safety purpose behind it. He reported that when Ms. Mace was appointed in her roles, they acted quickly to bring the property into compliance. He said the report references that notices were sent to PNC Bank and used language that may suggest PNC Bank was positioned as fiduciary during this relevant period of time. He noted that PNC Bank’s role was limited to a bill paying service and not a fiduciary. Also, the report states that Lieutenant Harrelson facilitated certain corrective actions and they want to acknowledge his professionalism, his empathy, and his compassion for the wellbeing of Mr. Sam Miller and thank him for everything that he has done to get Mr. Miller in a better place. He reported that the swimming pool was serviced in April, 2025, a fence was installed on November 3, 2025, and the septic was serviced on November 7, 2025. Once Ms. Mace had access to funds and was appointed in her role they acted as quickly as possible. They acknowledge the gravity of these violations. They respectfully ask the City Council, given the extraordinary circumstances, to reduce the lien to protect the funds for Mr. Sam Miller’s long term care and support. He said there was no extra revenue stream for Mr. Sam Miller and they have to preserve what they have. Every dollar towards this lien is a dollar that could be used towards the long term, intensive care and support for Mr. Sam Miller. 14 02/24/26 City Council

Ms. Judy Mace, Guardian for Mr. Sam Miller, thanked the City of Vero Beach for hiring Lieutenant Harrelson. She didn’t doubt that Mr. Miller was alive today because of Lieutenant Harrelson. She said that she wanted to tell the City Council about Mr. Sam Miller, the person. When she was finally able to get into the house after Mr. Sam Miller left for treatment, she found piles and stacks of mail. He had not opened the mail since 2020. It took days to get through everything. That was when she found out about the code violations, she discovered that he hadn’t filed his income taxes since 2018, etc. There were notices from the IRS, Social Security notices, foreclosure notices, etc. She said that Mr. Sam Miller was flying under the radar because the Trust was sending him a check every month and his utilities were paid automatically and his groceries were delivered to his house. She said someone should have been there for him, but he didn’t have anyone. His mother and father passed away, he doesn’t have any siblings, and he doesn’t have any friends. What amazed her the most was if you look at his finances, he had the money to pay his bills. He just didn’t do it. She said they have been very careful in spending Mr. Sam Miller’s money. He is only 34 years old and is going to need help for the rest of his life. She did not think that he would ever work, he won’t get social security, and he doesn’t have a pension. This was all the money that he has. She said they were selling the property and they do have a buyer, which she thought they would be closing on Friday. She reported that Mr. Sam Miller owes $632,000 in back mortgage payments, so whatever the property sells for that money comes off the top. He does not have a big pot of money to work with and he didn’t do this on purpose. Her job is to protect and preserve the assets for Mr. Sam Miller and she is also his guardian and she cares about him. Mr. Carroll asked who showed up at the Code Enforcement Board hearings to request additional time. Mr. Bocchte said they were not aware that anyone appeared. Mrs. Moore asked if PNC Bank was incapable of taking care of the pool, who took care of hurricane debris. Ms. Mace said the duty of PNC Bank was only for the custody of the assets. Mrs. Moore asked did Mr. Sam Miller hire someone to take care of the hurricane debris. Ms. Mace answered no. She said Lieutenant Harrelson worked with Mr. Sam Miller to remove the debris. Ms. Mace said they have the funds to pay the fines, but she did not want to. Mr. Vos questioned what would the neighbors say in general. Mayor Cotugno said the whole thing boils down to Mr. Sam Miller. He said the neighborhood tried to take care of him. 15 02/24/26 City Council

Chief Currey said they clearly care about Mr. Sam Miller or they would not have put in the time and effort in to help him. They clearly reached out to his mother in 2020, and told her there were violations that need to be taken care of. This has never been about Mr. Miller. They knew that he could not fix the problem. He said with no disrespect, but they were coming in on the 11th hour. Mayor Cotugno asked when did his mother pass away. Ms. Mace said that she passed away in 2022. Mr. Bocchte noted that his mother also experienced significant health challenges while she should have been dealing with the Code Enforcement violations. He said that he knows it seems like they were here at the 11th hour, but they jumped on this as fast as they could to try to preserve and protect what they can for Mr. Sam Miller and they know it is going to be a long-term care plan for him. Mr. Carroll said one (1) of the big problems and it comes up every time was that they were making decisions on the dais based on people’s failure to perform basic services of the upkeep of their home, which affects the neighbors around them. He said the neighbors were suffering with the smell of the swimming pool for eight (8) years. He tries to put himself in their shoes and question if it was reasonable to reduce the lien because of the failure of the individuals to maintain the property. Mrs. Moore said that she agreed, however who was guilty in this situation. She didn’t know who they were holding responsible. She questioned was it Mr. Sam Miller. She said that he was the one they were fining and was the one who has to pay. This felt different to her than most of the lien reduction requests because the person they were punishing was the person least deserving of punishment. She agreed with Mr. Carroll that it was unforgivable that this dragged on as long as it did. She asked who was the responsible person. It sounded like there wasn’t one. Mr. Carroll said that was the reason why he was curious on who showed up at the hearings. Mayor Cotugno said that Mr. Sam Miller was left there and if it wasn’t for the neighbors and Lieutenant Harrelson nothing would have been done. He said personally, based on what he knows of Mr. Sam Miller and the relationship that he had with his neighbors, he could not waive the entire fine. However, he would entertain reducing it by half. Mrs. Moore said she would support that. Vice Mayor Dingle agreed. Mayor Cotugno made a motion that the City Council, representing the City of Vero Beach Council accept 50% of the total lien as fulfillment of the lien. Mrs. Moore said that would come to $95,009. 16 02/24/26 City Council

Mr. Vos suggested $95,000. Mayor Cotugno amended his motion to reduce the lien at 3655 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963 to $95,000. Vice Mayor Dingle seconded the motion. Mayor Cotugno opened and closed public comments at 11:51 a.m., with no one wishing to be heard. On a roll call vote the motion passed 5-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, Vice Mayor Dingle yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. 9. CITY MANAGER MATTERS (include amount of expense) (Staff/Consultant special reports and information items) 10. CITY ATTORNEY MATTERS 11. COUNCILMEMBER MATTERS A. Mayor Cotugno’s Matters Mayor Cotugno reported that on February 16, 2026, Moonshot held their premier at Riverside Theatre and CBS 12 did a seven (7) minute spot on their P3 relationship with the School District of Indian River County and the success they have had in bringing reading levels up and bringing the schools up to levels to the fact that they were ranked #5 in the State. He felt this was something that the City and the County could be truly proud of. He then reported that Downtown Friday is this Friday and he would be there in the “Ask the Mayor” booth. B. Vice Mayor Dingle’s Matters 1. Called Higher – Mrs. Jenn Eliason Mrs. Jenn Eliason, of “Called Higher,” reported that they were a faith based non-profit youth ministry and the core of what they do was to immerse teams in the Indian River Lagoon and to give them the opportunity to cultivate character and maturity. They work with eight (8) year olds through young adults. She said that she was present today to invite them to a movie. She said it features nine (9) boys and their nine (9) months of training and what they were training for was to sail to and from the Bahamas and to do missionary work there. She reported that the movie would be shown at the Majestic Movie Theatre and is open to the community. She then showed a trailer of the movie. Vice Mayor Dingle excused himself from today’s meeting at 12:00 p.m. C. Councilmember Moore’s Matters 17 02/24/26 City Council

Mrs. Moore referred to a small diagram that she placed on the dais (attached to the original minutes). She said for full disclosure, 36th Avenue is her street. She reported that for several years people in her neighborhood have been asking to make where 18th Street meets 36th Avenue a three (3) way stop. She said this area is by Rosewood Elementary and the children walk home this way, which there is no sidewalk so the children have to walk on the road. She said people use 36th Avenue to go from 16th Street to Route 60 and they drive very fast. She felt that if they went through the normal channels to put in a stop sign, it would turn out that there was no need for a stop sign because there was not enough traffic. However, there was a need for a stop sign there because it is near a school and the children are always out in the street. She said as a matter of planning, the City Council would be able to approve a three (3) way stop. She asked the City Council if they could put a three (3) way stop at the intersection of 36th Avenue and 18th Street. Mrs. Moore made a motion to put a three (3) way stop sign on the corner of 18th Street and 36th Avenue. Mr. Carroll seconded the motion. Mr. Falls asked Mrs. Moore if she would amend her motion and add “as a planning function.” Mrs. Moore amended her motion that they put a three (3) way stop sign on the corner of 18th Street and 36th Avenue as a planning function. Mr. Carroll seconded the amended motion. Mayor Cotugno opened public comments at 12:04 p.m. Mr. Daige said that he was in favor of this. On a roll call vote the motion passed 4-0 with Mr. Vos voting yes, Mrs. Moore yes, Mr. Carroll yes, and Mayor Cotugno yes. D. Councilmember Carroll’s Matters Mr. Carroll reported that last April he received a telephone call from his Alma Mater, Georgia Tech, and they asked if he would accept the Ken Hyatt Distinguished Leadership Speaker appointment for the following year. So, he recently went to Georgia Tech and gave a speech to the students and professors. He said it was a great experience and a lot of fun. The most important question that they asked was how AI was going to affect their engineering career. He explained to them that if they put themselves in a box it was going to affect them a lot, but if they were willing to move around and move from corner to corner like any other engineer has done to be successful they will do fine. E. Councilmember Vos’s Matters Mr. Vos reported that he met with each Indian River County Commission member either by telephone or in person to discuss the July 4th event. It was his understanding that they have received some sponsors. 18 02/24/26 City Council

Mayor Cotugno reported that Cleveland Clinic, Piper, and the Chamber of Commerce have sponsored the event. Mr. Vos said it should be a great event. He said all of the County Commissioners were in support of the July 4th effort, which was a community effort, not just a City of Vero Beach effort. He reported that he invited the City of Fellsmere, the City of Sebastian, the Town of Orchid, and the Town of Indian River Shores to participate in the parade. He then reported that at the last Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting he was appointed Vice Chairman. They also approved the safety targets, consideration of the Transit Development Plan (TDP), the annual update, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the amendment to the Save our Schools Program agreement. He reported that another item they discussed was the list of priority projects. The request was to swap some priorities between 82nd and Aviation Boulevard and it was voted down. He then reported that at the last Treasure Coast League of Cities (TCRLC) meeting there was some lively discussions about Board appointments and the question was if you had to be a member of the TCRLC and the answer was no. He reported that Mr. Campbell Rich briefly touched on the City of Stuart’s search for a new City Manager. He suggested that they reach out to them to see if their Interim City Manager would be interested in possibly a consulting role for the City with financing. Mr. Falls said they do have a couple open positions in the Financing Department. Mr. Vos said that he thinks that he has about 20-years in experience. He then reported that the TCRLC also were holding workshops to help get the information out on the impacts of the Ad Valorem tax. He then reported that there was a pitch from Kalman Fiber who has two (2) projects in Vero Beach and they want to get more in depth. They also discussed crisis planning. It was their recommendation to have a crisis management plan with a subject manager expert, depending on what was going on. He then reported that the Economic Development Zone Committee (EDZ) has a Special Call meeting this afternoon to go over the Oslo corridor. He said that he has attended two (2) sessions on the Oslo Corridor. 12. ADJOURNMENT Today’s meeting adjourned at 12:19 p.m. /sp 19 02/24/26 City Council

CITY OF VERO BEACH, FLORIDA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026 - 9:30 A.M. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, VERO BEACH, FLORIDA Reverend Deke Miller of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church will give the invocation. A G E N D A 1. CALL TO ORDER A. Pledge of Allegiance B. Roll Call 2. PRELIMINARY MATTERS A. Approval of Minutes 1. Regular City Council Minutes – February 10, 2026 2. Special Call/Workshop City Council Minutes – February 3, 2026 A. Agenda Additions, Deletions, and Adoption. B. Proclamations and Recognitions by Council. 1. 211 Awareness Month – February, 2026 3. CONSENT AGENDA (include amount of expense) (The matters listed on the consent agenda will be acted upon by the City Council in a single vote unless a Councilmember or a member of the public requests that a specific item be considered separately). A) Change Order 2 to Work Order 20 for Hanson Professional Services to Provide Construction Administrative Services for the Terminal Building Rehabilitation Project ($99,778.00) B) #2026-EG-323, Grant of Electric Easement to Florida Power & Light (FP&L), Airport Terminal / 3400 Cherokee Drive C) PFAS Treatment Pilot Study – CHA Consulting, Inc. – Work Order 12 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS A) ORDINANCES B) RESOLUTIONS 1. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a

Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real Property Located at 965 26th Street, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. 2. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real Property Located at 709 Shores Drive, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. 3. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Establishing a Special Assessment Lien in the Amount of $5,400.00, for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) System to Serve the Real Property Located at 5125 Trade Winds Drive, Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida; Providing for an Effective Date. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT (3-minute time limit) 6. CITY COUNCIL MATTERS A) NEW BUSINESS 1. In Consideration of a Voluntary Audit by the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – Requested by Vice Mayor Taylor Dingle 2. USA Artwork on Wastewater Treatment Silos – Requested by Councilmember Linda Moore B) OLD BUSINESS 1. Continue the Discussion on How to Communicate the Effects of Eliminating or Severely Reducing of the Property Tax Revenue would have on the Services Provided by the City – Requested by Mayor John Cotugno 7. PUBLIC NOTICE ITEMS FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEARING A) Public Hearing will be heard on March 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. An Ordinance of the City of Vero Beach, Florida, Relating to Septic Tank Effluent Pump (“STEP”) Systems; Creating New Sections 78-49 Through 78-55 of the Code of the City of Vero Beach, Florida (“City Code”) to Provide Incentives for Installation of STEP Systems; Amending the Existing Water and Sewer Rate Structure to Address STEP Systems; Providing for a Business Impact Statement; Providing for Conflict and Severability; Providing for Codification; Providing for Correction of Scrivener’s Errors; Providing for Ratification of Certain Existing Ordinances; and Providing for an Effective Date.

8. CITY CLERK MATTERS A) Lien Reduction Request – 3655 Flamingo Drive 9. CITY MANAGER MATTERS (include amount of expense) (Staff/Consultant special reports and information items) 10. CITY ATTORNEY MATTERS 11. COUNCILMEMBER MATTERS A. Mayor Cotugno’s Matters Sponsored presentation items by the public (10-minute time limit) B. Vice Mayor Dingle’s Matters Sponsored presentation items by the public (10-minute time limit) 1. Called Higher – Mrs. Jenn Eliason C. Councilmember Moore’s Matters Sponsored presentation items by the public (10-minute time limit) D. Councilmember Carroll’s Matters Sponsored presentation items by the public (10-minute time limit) E. Councilmember Vos’s Matters Sponsored presentation items by the public (10-minute time limit) 12. ADJOURNMENT ADDITIONAL MEETING INFORMATION Public Participation. Excluding ministerial/administrative matters and certain quasi-judicial proceedings, the Council will provide an opportunity for public comment prior to the Council taking final action on an agenda item, including those matters on the consent agenda, and other propositions or items not specifically listed on the meeting agenda on which the Council proposes to take final action at the meeting. Addressing the council generally. After first securing permission from the presiding officer, any person may address the council, in the manner specified herein at the appropriate times where oral communication is permitted as provided in the order of business appearing on the agenda adopted for the meeting.

Manner of addressing council; time limit. Each person recognized by the presiding officer and granted leave to address the council shall step up to the microphone and state his or her name for the record. Speakers shall confine their remarks to the subject of the agenda matter then under discussion by the council. Unless additional time is granted by majority vote of the council, persons making a councilmember-sponsored presentation under “presentation items by the public” shall limit such presentation to ten (10 minutes; persons speaking on any agenda item or other proposition shall limit their address to three (3) minutes; and persons speaking at the “public comment” portion of the agenda shall limit their address to three (3) minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the council as a body and not to any individual member thereof, nor to members of the audience. No person other than the council and the person having the floor shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of the council, without the permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked a councilmember except through the presiding officer. The presiding officer may limit immaterial, unnecessary, or redundant comments, presentations, or requests. Once a motion is made by a councilmember, no person from the audience shall address the council. Meeting decorum. No person shall make any personal, impertinent, slanderous, obscene, profane, inflammatory, untruthful, irrelevant, or immaterial remarks, or become boisterous while in the council chambers, or incite violence or fighting, or otherwise disturb the meeting, whether or not while addressing the council. Heckling or verbal outbursts in support or opposition to a speaker or his or her remarks and displays of anger, rudeness, ridicule, impatience, lack of respect, and personal attacks shall be prohibited. Record for appeal. This is a public meeting. If a person decides to appeal a decision made by the Council with respect to any reviewable matter considered at such meeting, he or she will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, he or she is responsible for ensuring that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Persons with special needs. Anyone who needs a special accommodation for this meeting may contact the City’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator at 978-4920 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. *Invocation. An invocation that may be offered before the official start of the Council meeting is and shall be the voluntary offering of a private citizen to and for the benefit of the Council pursuant to Resolution No. 2013-30. The views and beliefs expressed by the invocation speaker have not been previously reviewed or approved by the Council and do not necessarily represent their individual religious beliefs, nor are the views or beliefs expressed intended to suggest allegiance to or preference for any particular religion, denomination, faith, creed, or belief by the Council or the City. No person in attendance at the meeting is or shall be required to participate in any invocation and such decision whether or not to participate will have no impact on his or her right to actively participate in the public meeting. Meeting televised and recorded. Council meetings may be broadcast live, recorded, and replayed on Comcast cable Channel 13, AT&T Channel 99 and on the City’s website www.covb.org.