Has Commission Chairman Joe Flescher Chosen Social Welfare Before Public Safety?
Chairman Flescher tells Sheriff Flowers, Your budget comes “from what is available.”
In Indian River County, the big conservative message is “We are not going to raise your taxes.”
Part of not raising taxes, though, is that the government practices disciplined spending. Locally, they are not requiring residents to pay unnecessary fees for services. It’s based on the guiding American principle that government should be limited only to performing certain prioritized functions. In Indian River County, the concept of limited government carried out by electoral representatives seems lost on the current commission members. Banal government services come before the safety of the public. In the Sheriff’s budget discussion during the County Commission Budget Workshop, one person, above all others, enunciated this position. It was the 5-term republican Commission Chairman, Joe Flescher.
After County Administrator John Titkanich critiqued Sheriff Eric Flowers’ 2025-26 proposed budget with faulty analysis that later caused a stop to the debate, Chairman Flescher made his comments. He spoke of his time as a deputy. In an attempt to emotionally connect with a packed chamber of IRCSO officers and civilian staff, Chairman Flescher shared how his first job as a sworn officer had him “almost cash the big check,” adding, “I believe you can’t do a salary study. You can’t do a rate study for anybody who is wearing a uniform. You have to do what you can do for them because it is a very difficult position to say, 'What is your life worth?’”
“Survival and sustenance”
Then he moved to explain his view of the county’s priorities. He summarized, “We also have to look at the greater good of all our citizens, the 170,000 citizens that we are accountable for, to provide that element in addition to other services.”
During public comment, one citizen complained vociferously by literally wheeling into the chamber a new recycling bin, stating the commission just spent $13 million enforcing universal trash collection requirements on the citizens of Indian River County. He preferred that they would have given that money to the sheriff. The fees translate to $223.20 annually for single-family homeowners. They are subject to annual Consumer Price Index increases.
Furthermore, the proposed 2025-26 budget by Administrator Titkanich includes $5.9 million to various non-profits. The Humane Society got a 10% increase to $670,241. Some NGOs have employees on committees recommending to commissioners their very own programs.
Chairman Flescher continued with his opening statement. He declared, “I believe that the sheriff, before he speaks, should be given whatever we can do from our budget from what is available - but we should not exceed it.”
The chairman was referencing that he was against raising the millage rate, which hadn’t been done since 2019, when it received a 2.5% increase. The current rate is 3.5475 mills. Chairman Flescher emphasized, “We can’t exceed it. We can’t raise the mill rate. We can’t burden the taxpayer because they need to have other elements of survival and sustenance that we provide as well.”
Chairman Flescher closed, "And these are harsh economic times.”
Again, Sheriff Flowers defends his budget
No other commissioner commented after his opening statement. A reticent chill entered the room after the monotone and comfortless statement by Chairman Flescher. The room was full of IRCSO employees supporting the Sheriff’s proposed budget of $93.5 million, which is an increase of $14 million. In his response, Sheriff Flowers opened with a lesson in civics that Chairman Flescher had forgotten in pursuit of supplying 170,000 citizens “elements of survival and sustenance.”
He mentioned how his budget is required to be filed by May 1st, the earliest of the constitutional officers. Counties are required to fund the 5 officers, who are the Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Court, Property Appraiser and Sheriff’s Office. “It is my belief that the reason my budget is due before all other budgets are due is because it should be the foundation of the entire county’s budget,” stated Sheriff Flowers. He added, “It should be the first building block that is laid before you guys make any other decisions. My belief in that [principle] is because none of the things happen without the work of the men and women of law enforcement and other first responders.”
Sheriff Flowers went on to tell the Commission that if his deputies leave, crime will increase and there won’t be a need for any services. He also demanded, according to Florida statute, a written reply of what the Commission wanted him to cut from his budget. He said, “If you choose to fund one penny less than what I am asking for, you are required by this statute (FL statute - 30.49) to provide me, in writing, what I am suppose to cut.”
The evolution of a budget impasse
It is no secret that Sheriff Flowers has asked for record-breaking increases in the his budget. Over the last 4 years, he asked for increases of $10.7 million for 2022-23, $8.3 million for 2023-24, $9.8 million for 2024-25, and $14 million for 2025-26. Most of the increases were not only to give raises to personnel but also to build up the force of deputies. In his remarks, Sheriff Flowers stated that $9 million is allocated to personnel wage increases.
IRCSO has 563 employees. In 2021, IRCSO implemented a step plan, which gives 4% increases annually for years served. In the following years, there was hiring and training of new deputies. The department staggered the hires to avoid budget shortfalls. The Sheriff changed giving pay increases on October 1st for employees. The raises would apply on anniversary dates to spread out personnel expenses. The fight has been ongoing for Sheriff Flowers and the men and women of IRCSO.
In 2023, a large contingent of deputies came out supporting the budget. One 17-year veteran of the IRCSO, Deputy Kathy Gibson, addressed the Commission. Deputy Gibson was the union representative. She spoke about the crisis of recruiting new deputies and retaining great talent they have trained. It was mentioned by another deputy, Roger Harrington, that the IRCSO was triple accredited under Deryl Loar. He addressed Commissioner Loar commenting how proud he was when the IRCSO achieved the status. With the accreditation, freshly trained deputies from Indian River became highly sought by other agencies for their certifications and skill set. Deputy Harrington said, “We cannot lose our young deputies.”
Yet, while competitive pay was being discussed, strain on the budget was being caused by another more insidious force: inflation. During his speech for 2022-2023, Sheriff Flowers noted that staffing in 2010 was at 544 personnel compared to 519 in 2022. After asking for $10.7 million, he and the county administrator, Jason Brown, came to an agreement on a $7.25 million increase. With gratitude, the Sheriff stated that it allowed him to hire 28 new deputies and give non-union employees a 7% increase. Yet, in that speech, he also noted a Consumer Price Index of 9.1%. Inflation had caused operational costs to soar.
On Wednesday, the chamber was again packed with deputies hoping beyond hope for a competitive wage. Administrator Titkanich had only recommended a $4.7 million increase. In advocating for his $93.5 million budget, Sheriff Flowers emotionally claimed that civilian employees were on food stamps because their salaries were not keeping up with inflation. It was backed up by employees in IRCSO who spoke in favor of the budget. In watching the bizarre exchange between Chairman Flescher and Sheriff Flowers before a room full of career law enforcement, the average citizen came away thinking some IRCSO employees might be knocking on Chairman Flescher’s door for WIC cards, mortgage subsidies, and other ‘elements of survival and sustenance.’ Sheriff Flowers concluded, “We should not be the scraps at the end of this budget process. We should be the first block that is laid down before this county builds on anything else. Because without them, nothing else happens.”
There was a great divide. During public comment, some citizens viewed it as personal against the Sheriff. Yet, this problem of paying IRCSO deputies has a history before Sheriff Flowers was first elected in 2020. In 2018, Sheriff Deryl Loar was also seeking a raise for entry-level deputies from $38,950 to $42,000. Ironically, Joe Flescher wanted to fund Sheriff Loar’s entire budget in 2018. Yet, the Commission and Sheriff Loar were still apart. The Sheriff’s budget is usually above 50% of the Indian River’s general fund. In the world of first responders, a sheriff or fire chief wins if they can recruit and retain good people. Last year, the Commission gave the fire department wage increases to remain competitive.
Commissioner Laura Moss said in 2023 during the discussion of the Sheriff’s budget, “We don’t exist without you. What do I mean by that? You can’t have an elected government. You can’t have a democracy unless it sits on a foundation of law enforcement.”
Does that still hold true?
This is crazy crime is out of control these men risk their lives everyday . GIVE THEM THE MONEY!!!!