Port Canaveral commissioners seek support from County Commission for Jetty Park land deal

Port Canaveral commissioners are encouraging supporters of Jetty Park to urge their county commissioners to vote in favor of a proposed land deal between the two government bodies.

Port commissioners voted 5-0 on May 30 to pay the $862,950 purchase price sought by the County Commission as a way to guard against the county selling the 9.61 acres of county-owned land within Jetty Park to a private developer.

But now county commissioners have to ratify the deal as well at their meeting that begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the County Commission meeting room at the Brevard County Government Center, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Building C, Viera.

And, with a "supermajority" vote of at least four of the county commissioners required for approval, the deal isn't a sure thing, because Commissioner John Tobia already has indicated he will vote no. Tobia said he is not satisfied with the $862,950 sale price, and would be voting against the deal because he believes it is below the fair market value for the property.

"One of the county commissioners … demanded that we purchase it, then decided not to support the purchase publicly in the newspaper," Port Commissioner Bob Harvey said during his commissioner remarks at the end of the June 27 Canaveral Port Authority meeting. "I would encourage the citizens, especially those who came here and asked us to purchase the land, I would encourage you to remain engaged with, now, the County Commission, to see that this deal goes through. Let them know how you feel — just like you did for us."

More:Battle over Jetty Park: How $862K land deal protects Port Canaveral park from development

More:Brevard County Commission tells port to pay up or leave disputed land at Jetty Park

Canaveral Port Authority Secretary/Treasurer Tom Weinberg echoed Harvey's concern, noting that, under county rules requiring the supermajority vote, "if Commissioner Tobia, who stated he's not going to support it, gets a second vote — deal off."

"You are absolutely correct," Weinberg told Harvey. "Time to be heard from."

Under terms of the proposed deal, the port agreed to restrict the use of the property to public park and recreation use. Additionally, the county would reinvest money it gets from the land deal to beachfront infrastructure improvements to existing county beach properties.

On Friday, Tobia said he would be willing to vote for the deal if the port didn't charge Brevard County residents for vehicle entry into Jetty Park.

"At least one port commissioner, Commissioner (Jerry) Allender, indicated during a meeting that he would be willing to flip this property to developers," Tobia said. "I am glad the sailors at the helm of the port are now sobering and are willing to restrict this land for use as a park. If the port is willing to agree not to profit off the backs of county residents by charging them for access, I will support this sale."

Port Authority Chairman Wayne Justice, meanwhile, maintains that “Port Canaveral will continue to be fiscally responsible to remain a solvent entity. The Canaveral Port Authority will honor the mutually unanimous proposal and continue to serve the Canaveral Port District.”

Jetty Park was never threatened with closing, since the port already owns the other 35.4 acres of the recreation area and campground, and the port operates the facility.

But, if port commissioners didn't accept the county's offer and the port no longer had access to the 9.61 acres the county owns, Port Canaveral would have lost parking spaces and would have had to establish a different public entrance to Jetty Park.

Since 1995, the county had leased the 9.61 acres to the port for $1 a year. But the port's 20-year lease of the county land expired on Dec. 31, 2015. Since then, the county and the port had not been able to reach a new agreement to either extend the lease or for the port to buy the land from the county.

So county commissioners in May voted 5-0 to direct county staff to put the property out to bid if the port did not agree to buy the land from the county for $862,950. That was the county's original purchase price for the parcels that now make up that land.

The land in question includes the main entrance road into Jetty Park and a parking lot.

The port-owned 35.4 acres at Jetty Park includes a campground, a fishing pier, a restaurant and other facilities. Jetty Park also is a popular viewing spot for rocket launches.

GOP picnic, straw poll is Sunday

The Republican Party of Brevard County is holding its Republican Family Picnic and Straw Poll from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., Melbourne.

“I can’t describe how thrilled we are to be having this great, fun event, sponsored by the Brevard Republican Party Council of Clubs,” said Brevard Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rick Lacey, noting that it's being held in advance of the Aug. 28 primaries that include a number of local GOP races.

Brevard Republican Executive Committee members Trish Fowler and Monique Miller are co-chairs of this event. 

Republican candidates and elected officials will be at the event for a meet-and-greet and to answer questions.

A straw poll will be conducted by the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Admission is free, and there will be entertainment by DJ Dave Parker, as well as raffles and prizes. Barbecue food and drinks will be available for sale.

Crisafulli, Posey back Parker for school board

Two prominent Republicans — Steve Crisafulli and Bill Posey — have endorsed Charles Parker in the nonpartisan race for Brevard School Board in District 2.

Crisafulli, a resident of Merritt Island, is local businessman and former speaker of the House of Representatives. Posey, a resident of Rockledge, is a congressman representing House District 8, which includes all of Brevard and Indian River counties and part of eastern Orange County.

Parker also has been endorsed by the Space Coast Association of Realtors.

Parker is running against Cheryl McDougall and Frank Sullivan in a nonpartisan primary on Aug. 28. If one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, that candidate will be elected. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent, the top two candidates will face off in a runoff election on Nov. 6.

The incumbent, John Craig, did not file for re-election, saying he would like to focus more time on his two children and their education. 

More:Three Brevard school board seats on primary ballot this August

Parker, a Republican, started teaching in 2004 after careers in tourism, aerospace and the ministry.  He has taught world cultures and English, and currently teaches engineering as part of Merritt Island High’s da Vinci Academy of Aerospace Technology, in which he also is the director.

McDougall is a licensed social worker.

Sullivan is a former Canaveral Port Authority commissioner and businessman.

District 2 includes Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and Patrick Air Force Base, as well as parts of Cocoa and Rockledge. 

“I have seen Charles interact with his students firsthand,"  Crisafulli said in a statement. "His commitment to their success is clearly his No. 1 goal as a classroom teacher. With this commitment and his extensive experience in our schools and in our community, my family and I feel that there is no better choice to represent District 2 on the Brevard County School Board than Charles.”

Posey said Parker would be a great addition to the Brevard School Board.

“I have known Charles for nearly 20 years and have seen firsthand his dedication to Brevard’s students through his work on the Children’s Services Council and as a STEM teacher in high school. He will have my vote,"  Posey said in a statement. 

STEM programs include science, technology, engineering and math.

School board members serve four-year terms and have an annual salary of $40,080.

So far, the Brevard Federation of Teachers union has not endorsed a school board candidate for the District 2 seat. 

Ellis endorses Nye over Altman

Brevard County Clerk of Courts Scott Ellis has endorsed Matt Nye over incumbent Thad Altman in the Aug. 28 Republican primary for Florida House in District 52.

The winner will face Democrat Seeta Durjan Begui in the Nov. 6 general election.

"I’ve known Matt for nearly 10 years, beginning with his efforts to put on the massive Tea Party rallies we had in Brevard County,” Ellis said in his endorsement statement. “Matt is a long-standing proponent of limited government, and will not be swayed nor bought by any interests seeking special favors or the expansion of government control over our lives. Matt has consistently fought for us at the local level to encourage practical spending, not ribbon-cutting funding designed for back-slapping publicity photos.”

More:Nye fires salvos as GOP challenger for Rep. Altman in 2018

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Ellis also cited Nye's work in providing information to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that helped lead to the arrest of former Brevard Clerk of Courts Mitch Needelman on political corruption charges related to the awarding of court contracts in exchange for campaign contributions. Needelman was convicted in October, but Judge Marlene Alva overturned that conviction in March over allegations of jury misconduct and ordered a new trial for Needelman. 

“On the issue of overreaching government and taxation, one would be hard-pressed to find two more polar opposites than Matt Nye and Thad Altman,” Ellis said. “I highly trust Mr. Nye to work against expanding the reach of government in Tallahassee, while assessing state expenditures and directing them to priorities, not pork barrels. I can't think of anyone in our county I would rather see in the Legislature than Matt.”

Nye, a resident of Suntree, is a regional director for Verteks Consulting, a provider of voice and data networks.

Nye organized the Brevard Tea Parties, and now serves as chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, the national parent organization of the local Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida, which he founded in 2008.

Altman, a resident of Indialantic, served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008. He served in the Florida Senate from 2008 to 2016, but could not seek re-election there in 2016 because of term limits. So he ran for the Florida House District 52 seat in 2016 and won.

Altman's also is president and chief executive officer of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation. 

Begui, a resident of Melbourne, is president and chief executive officer of Seeta Media, as well as a radio show host, nurse and author.

House District 52 includes Melbourne, Melbourne Village, Palm Shores, Suntree and Viera on the mainland, as well as Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Patrick Air Force Base, Satellite Beach and South Patrick Shores on the beachside.

Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY. 

His Political Spin column appears Sundays in FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649

or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

Facebook: /dave.berman.54

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