Election Results, Help Pull Invasives, and More
November 7, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on Tuesday with 62% of the vote, clearing the 60% threshold. In Indian River County, 64.5% voted yes.
We're disappointed. IRNA's board opposed the amendment unanimously, and we spent five months explaining why. But voters have spoken, and we agree that the cost of living in Florida has been out of control. Now the work turns to limiting the damage from this vote.
The hole in the budget
County Administrator John Titkanich estimates Indian River County will lose $22 million in the first year and $41 million the year after, about $63 million over two years, out of a budget of roughly $598 million. The county has already laid off seven employees and drawn up $97 million in proposed cuts. That list is no longer hypothetical.
Fewer firefighters, longer waits
Property taxes are the largest funding source for the sheriff's office and fire rescue. Indian River County Fire Rescue alone could lose $15 to $20 million. In Martin County, officials warned the amendment could cost 1 in 3 firefighters their jobs. The Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Professional Firefighters both warned of fewer deputies on patrol and longer waits for an ambulance. The state has offered no plan to replace that money.
The savings may not stick
The services don't go away when the revenue does. Counties and cities can raise millage rates, add fees or lean on special assessments to fill the gap, and any of those can eat into the savings homeowners were promised. Costs shifted onto businesses and rental property come back to all of us through prices and rent.
The lagoon pays too
The St. Johns River Water Management District, which covers the Indian River Lagoon, will lose about 30% of its property tax base. Nearly every local water quality win, from septic-to-sewer to stormwater projects, depended on local dollars or used them to bring in state and federal grants. Clean water now has to compete for a much smaller pot.
What you can do
The hard choices will be made in public, at county and city budget meetings. Show up, or write in. Tell commissioners what matters most to you, whether that's fire rescue, septic-to-sewer, conservation land or something else. If you don't speak up, someone else will set the priorities.
Ask your state legislators what their plan is to protect public safety and the water management districts. They put this amendment on the ballot, so they should help fix what it breaks.
IRNA will be reading every budget line and reporting back. This is not the end of the fight, but the beginning.
Congratulations to Our Newly Elected Officials
The votes are counted, and IRNA congratulates everyone elected on Tuesday. Running for local office means long hours, public scrutiny and a lot of time away from family. We’re grateful to everyone who stepped up, win or lose.
Indian River County Board of County Commissioners
Deryl Loar
Jennifer Pippin
City of Sebastian City Council
Sherrie Matthews
Deborah "Deb" Shellenberger
City of Vero Beach City Council
Linda Moore
Aaron Vos
Tracey Zudans
Democratic candidate Darren Soto has defeated Republican challenger Dan Green to secure Florida’s newly redrawn 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Robbie Brackett was also reelected to the state house. You can see the full election results from IRC here.
We also thank everyone who is leaving office, for their years of service to our community.
The decisions ahead aren’t easy. Here’s what’s on the table:
Water supply. The county is planning its groundwater supply for the next 20 years.
Septic-to-sewer. Homeowners face real costs as the state’s 2030 deadline approaches.
Annexations in Sebastian. Annexations are reshaping the city’s future.
Vero Beach. The council has Three Corners and its waterfront to settle.
Land use. Overlay districts, comp plan changes and conservation land purchases will shape what our county looks like for decades.
Budgets. Every local budget will have to balance holding the line on taxes with protecting public safety and the Indian River Lagoon.
IRNA looks forward to working with every one of our new and returning officials. That’s how we work. We read the agendas, show up to meetings, put our comments in writing and try to bring solutions, not just objections. When we agree, we’ll say so. When we don’t, we’ll say that too, respectfully and on the record.
We hope you’ll get to know your new representatives as well. Attend a meeting, send a note of congratulations, or tell them what matters most to you about where you live. We'll update our list of elected official contact information as officials are sworn in.
Congratulations again to all of our winners. We’re glad you’re here, and we’re ready to get to work.
Sebastian, FL considers half-billion-dollar septic-to-sewer conversion (TCPalm) - The Sebastian City Council rejected Indian River County's high-cost estimates to convert more than 10,000 properties from septic to sewer under a state environmental mandate, voting instead to seek alternative solutions that lessen the financial impact on homeowners.
Will Indian River save Old Florida Blue Cypress Lake from FPL solar farm? (TCPalm) - The Indian River County Commission voted to expedite an environmental review of 800 acres near Blue Cypress Lake in an effort to acquire and protect the woodland habitat from being cleared by Florida Power & Light for a solar farm.
Central Beach hit hard by King Tide (Hometown News Treasure Coast) - Severe erosion and coastal flooding from recent king tides, strong onshore winds, and rough surf have damaged Vero Beach shorelines and prompted city crews to replenish vulnerable areas while keeping most beaches and infrastructure accessible.
Between Vero Beach and Buc-ee's, new town plan on agenda (TCPalm) - Laurence Reisman argues that while Indian River County's proposed West Oslo Overlay District offers thoughtful design standards to manage impending growth near Interstate 95, residents must participate in upcoming public hearings to ensure officials properly execute the plan and preserve the community's quality of life.
Pull Some Invasives: Weed Wrangle Nov 14
Weed Wrangle is back on Saturday, November 14, from 9 to 11 AM at the City of Sebastian’s Stormwater Park, and IRNA is looking to help Pelican Island Audubon with finding volunteers to pitch in.
It’s the next of four Weed Wrangles funded by a new Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) grant shared by IRNA, Pelican Island Audubon, and the City of Sebastian. Volunteers pull air potato vine, Brazilian pepper, caesarweed, wedelia, and other invasives that crowd out native plants and the wildlife that depend on them. You’ll learn how to identify each one and get rid of it safely (air potato spreads through little aerial “potatoes” called bulbils, so every one you bag counts).
It’s good practice for home, too. The first rule of Florida-Friendly Landscaping is “right plant, right place,” and several of these invaders (wedelia and air potato especially) show up in yards all over the county. Learn to spot them Saturday morning, then go check your own yard. Swapping them for natives means less water, less fertilizer, and less runoff headed for the lagoon.
To volunteer, email Missy@IndianRiverNA.com.
November 2026 Environmental Learning Center (ELC) Newsletter: The Environmental Learning Center highlights its November and December events, including its signature holiday celebration, WinterGreen Night Lights, new Nature Encounters campus tours, environmental education programs, and seasonal experiences for all ages that inspire connection with nature and the Indian River Lagoon.
Florida dengue cases surge to historic levels. How to avoid it (Sarasota Herald-Tribune) - Florida has recorded 485 locally acquired cases of dengue fever in its largest outbreak in decades, prompting extended local emergency measures, increased mosquito control efforts, and health warnings across multiple counties.
Florida's dry season opens under water (WUFT) - Historic rainfall surpassing 1-in-1,000-year thresholds has triggered severe flash flooding and local emergencies across Florida's east coast, signaling a potentially volatile winter pattern influenced by a strengthening El Niño.
Flood waters slowly recede after high-water rescues in Port St. Lucie (TCPalm) - Thirteen inches of rain fell along I-95 in Indian River County on November 2, a 500-to-1,000-year event. Beyond the flooded roads and yards, all that runoff carries fertilizer, septic leakage and sediment into the lagoon. We’ll be watching water quality closely in the weeks ahead.
How Florida Democrat Darren Soto won district GOP redrew for Republicans (TCPalm) - Congratulations to Rep. Darren Soto on his reelection. Indian River County is new to Florida’s 9th Congressional District, and we’re glad to hear he plans to open a regional office in Vero Beach. IRNA looks forward to working with him on Indian River Lagoon restoration and the water issues facing our county.
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