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Vero Beach council reviews priorities: ERP upgrades, stormwater, wastewater, Humiston Boardwalk funding gap
Summary
Councilors reviewed a prioritized list of goals and objectives—placing systems modernization, stormwater, wastewater and downtown projects near the top—and were told the Humiston Boardwalk project remains about $2.15 million short of needed funds.
The Vero Beach City Council spent the bulk of the meeting reviewing a planned list of priorities for the coming year and asking staff to return with next steps on several items, including modernizing financial and back‑office systems, addressing stormwater, advancing wastewater projects and wrapping up marina permitting.
The mayor presented what he called a report card summarizing 13 items from the prior year and proposed that a modern ERP and stabilization of back‑office processes remain the council’s top priority. "We need to implement a modern ERP and stabilize our critical back office processes," the mayor said, noting the systems predate current terminology and need updating.
Councilors discussed succession planning for several charter and senior positions and the value of hiring an assistant city manager or a capital‑project manager to provide continuity and oversight. Members also debated whether the city should create an in‑house building department; some councilors called the cost excessive and questioned resident appetite, while others suggested improved service from county partners could be pursued instead.
Staff briefed councilors on wastewater and stormwater planning: a rate study is planned after the new year and bond preparation will follow to fund a wastewater treatment project, with milestones aimed at 2026–2027. The council also heard that the Humiston Boardwalk project faces a shortfall of about $2,150,000 and that staff will seek state and partner funds to close that gap so construction can begin after turtle season.
Councilors asked staff to prioritize work, return with refined budgets and schedule a follow‑up meeting in January to adopt formalized priorities and any necessary resolutions.
