Louis Hannah, a longtime resident of East Chrisop Fly Road, voiced his discontent with the speed bumps. Hannah, who has lived in the area for 28 years, criticized the decision-making process, stating, “it felt like we weren’t supposed to know about it beforehand.” He further argued that the only residents consulted were those within a half-mile radius of Judson Road, excluding many affected by the changes. Hannah emphasized, “when something is arbitrarily taken away, what is offered in return should be equal to or better than what we lost,” pointing out that Judson Road is not a viable alternative due to its poor condition. He called for law enforcement to address the speeding issue directly instead of imposing speed bumps on the entire community.

Concerns about potential conflicts of interest were raised by Hannah, who questioned the integrity of the approval process. He suggested that the resident who initiated the process leveraged connections within the county to expedite the installation. In response, a commissioner clarified that the speed bumps were approved based on an 85% approval rate from affected residents, as required by county code. This response did not appease Hannah, who insisted that residents east of Judson Road should have had input, stating, “I am very much affected; we’re all affected.”

Following Hannah’s remarks, Terrence White, another resident, echoed similar concerns. White, a former firefighter, highlighted the practical issues posed by speed bumps, such as delays to emergency response vehicles and the potential dangers for children on school buses. He remarked, “the children in the back seat get launched almost to the ceiling of the school bus,” drawing attention to the broader implications of road modifications on community safety.

The issue of speed bumps was not limited to East Chrisop Fly Road. Another resident expressed frustration over the installation of speed humps on Joseph Court without prior notification, citing excessive wear on vehicles and difficulties in transporting livestock. This resident pointed out that Joseph Court qualifies as a dead-end road, where county policy prohibits speed humps. Robert Adams, a resident of Chris Foy Road, also petitioned for the removal of speed humps, arguing that five speed humps in a short stretch of road were installed without proper consultation. Adams challenged the commissioners to experience the daily inconvenience of navigating multiple speed humps themselves.

In response to these concerns, a commissioner suggested running a survey to gauge public opinion on the matter, with residents agreeing to abide by the survey’s outcome.

In addition to the speed bump controversy, Dr. Allan Miles raised significant safety concerns about the lack of urgency in installing a traffic light at the intersection between Vieira High School and a new middle school. Miles pointed out the dangers for students, veterans, seniors, and pedestrians converging at this intersection, noting that a traffic light is not slated for installation until 2025, which he deemed insufficient for current safety needs.

Another issue discussed was the proposal to amend the Brevard County Home Rule Charter to align school board residency districts with County Commission districts. A commissioner noted that the school board had voluntarily voted to align their district boundaries with those of the County Commission, which would save taxpayers approximately $30,500 every ten years and reduce confusion among voters. Despite the financial and administrative benefits, the motion to adopt a resolution proposing this amendment failed, with timing suggested as the primary reason for its rejection.

The commission also addressed a letter to the city of Palm Bay regarding the low-income senior citizens’ homestead tax exemption. A commissioner noted that Brevard County had enacted this exemption in 2007, allowing seniors aged 65 and older to receive an additional homestead exemption of up to $50,000 on their property taxes. The need for this exemption was underscored by rising tax rates in Palm Bay, which were projected to increase nearly 7%. The motion to authorize the chair to sign the letter on behalf of the board was approved.

Another topic discussed was the Port St. John Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, where partial funding for a Phase 2 study was requested to secure a $700,000 federal grant. The grant is important for addressing the current overcapacity issues at the plant, which is operating at nearly double its capacity. The board approved the funding for the wastewater treatment study, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure improvements.

The meeting also included recognition for a county employee, Morgan Roth, for her contributions to the University of Florida’s Brevard County team, particularly in strengthening marketing efforts and managing the Farmers Market.