John Tikhanik, Indian River County administrator, outlined his office’s priorities and recent projects in an interview on the county’s “Sunny Side of IRC” program, saying he oversees department directors and coordinates policy for the Board of County Commissioners.

“As the county administrator, I’m essentially the chief policy adviser for the the Board of County Commissioners,” Tikhanik said, describing a role that includes managing the budget, working with department heads and staying connected to residents through public engagement and surveys. He said the county employs “about 1000 or so employees,” with the bulk doing the agency’s day-to-day work.

Tikhanik highlighted several completed and ongoing projects. He said work is underway on beach renourishment identified as Sector 4 and Sector 5, which will include stretches of Vero Beach and areas north of the city. He emphasized the importance of maintaining beaches for tourism.

Other projects Tikhanik cited included an expansion at the public library, a record caseload for veteran service officers, community and children’s services funding, the Sandridge Golf Course clubhouse project financed through a bond issuance, and construction work on Fire Station 15. He also pointed to the county’s first parks master plan, adopted to guide needs over the next 10 to 15 years.

On partnerships and intergovernmental coordination, Tikhanik described meetings with state lawmakers (he named Sen. Grahl and Rep. Brackett), collaboration with the City of Sebastian on a septic-to-sewer program, and regular discussions with Vero Beach city manager Monte Falls on joint projects such as the Jackie Robinson Training Complex and Humiston Boardwalk.

Looking ahead, Tikhanik said planning work is focused on managing growth around a major interchange in the Oslo Corridor and continuing road maintenance using data to prioritize critical routes. He also said voters approved authorization for the county to borrow up to $50,000,000 to acquire environmentally sensitive land for conservation and that several land acquisitions are already in progress. He noted the county has acquired property to expand a humane society shelter.

Tikhanik described how the county measures success: a mix of quality-of-life indicators, customer service feedback and departmental performance metrics reviewed on a quarterly or monthly basis. He said public workshops and commissioner priorities guide which projects are advanced.

The episode closed with Tikhanik thanking students at Vero Beach High School. The county’s program said future episodes will feature county commissioners and district programs.