During the meeting, the board discussed the longstanding filing fee, which had been $15 for four decades. A comparison was made to inflation rates, showing that $15 in 1985 equates to approximately $45 today. This adjustment places Brevard County in line with many other counties where filing fees have been set at $50. The conversation highlighted that a portion of the VAB’s expenditures is currently subsidized by taxpayers, with filing fees covering only 10 to 20% of the costs. Raising the fee is expected to offset some financial responsibilities shared by the county and the school board.

One board member noted that the increase could discourage frivolous petitions, particularly those where applicants fail to appear for their hearings, which still incur preparatory costs for the board. However, it was acknowledged that the new fee would still fall short of covering the entire budget, which would require a higher fee.

In other business, the board addressed a recent lawsuit filed against it by a petitioner. The legal action was dismissed as the VAB was not the appropriate party to be sued. A motion for sanctions against the petitioner was considered but ultimately not pursued, as the potential recovery of legal fees was deemed uncertain and likely not cost-effective. The board decided that pursuing such fees might not be in the best interest of public resources.