Two public commenters addressed the board during the Sept. 10 public comment period on the revised tentative budget.

Space Coast United Soccer Club: Ali Goff, president of Space Coast United Soccer Club, told the board the organization's roughly 9,000 members strongly support a proposed $20 tax increase to accelerate construction of recreational fields, including seven acres at the north end of Viera Regional Park that have been delayed for years. Goff said the club had to turn away about 350 children this year because of insufficient field capacity and described the proposal as a community investment in youth programming and character development. "If we wait another 2 to 5 years, we're continuing the pattern of neglect," Goff said.

Allegations and request for investigation: Pam Avery, a long-time Brevard County resident and small-business owner, delivered a packet to the commissioners and said she had researched district-level decisions. She said the North River Economic Development Zone previously brought $3.5 million per year to District 1 and claimed, "we lost over $56,000,000 in economic development and growth" after actions by the District 1 commissioner. Avery criticized a reported $92,000 renovation and other expenditures and asked the board to "please give clear direction tonight to the county manager and county attorney's office and to investigate and document the District 1 commissioner." The chair accepted the materials for the public record; the board did not take investigative action during the meeting.

Why it matters: Public commenters asked the board to consider the budget's revenue measures in light of facility needs and to respond to alleged conduct by an elected official. Commissioners did not take immediate investigatory action on Avery's request during the hearing; the comments were entered into the public record.

Ending: The public records staff retained handouts and the board moved on to subsequent agenda items; no formal board motion to investigate was made at the meeting.