SBA announces disaster loan options for hurricane survivors in Florida

The Brevard County Commission convened on April 22, 2025, to address several key agenda items, including disaster recovery efforts and the search for a new county manager. The meeting began with a presentation from Carly Cook, a public affairs specialist from the Small Business Administration (SBA), who provided updates on disaster loans available for survivors of Hurricane Helene and Milton. Cook emphasized that both physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are accessible to affected individuals and businesses, with application deadlines set for April 27 for physical damage loans and June 30 for EIDL, followed by a 60-day grace period.

Following the disaster recovery discussion, the commission moved to item I1, which involved a request for approval of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consulting services to assist in the search for a new county manager. Staff outlined the proposed scope of services and selection criteria, seeking approval to advertise the RFP and establish a selection committee. The committee would consist of the director of human resources, the county attorney, and a commissioner or designee.

Commissioner Atkinson raised concerns about the transparency of the selection process, advocating for a more public approach rather than a closed committee. He proposed amendments to the RFP, including eliminating the "cone of silence" that restricts communication during the selection process, increasing the frequency of updates from biweekly to weekly, and requesting samples of previous work from consulting firms. The discussion highlighted the importance of community engagement and the need for a timeline to ensure a new county manager is in place by the start of the new fiscal year.

After deliberation, the commission voted to approve the RFP with amendments, including a timeline for hiring a new county manager. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting then transitioned to item I2, where Commissioner Atkinson proposed a statement of legislative intent to allocate an additional $3.3 million to the Brevard County Fire Rescue (BCFR) budget for the fiscal year 2026. The commission agreed to consider public input before finalizing the proposal.

Overall, the meeting underscored the commission's commitment to disaster recovery and effective governance, with a focus on transparency and community involvement in the decision-making process. The next steps include finalizing the RFP for the county manager search and preparing the budget allocation for BCFR.