TIP meeting: minutes approved, Jan. 26 meeting set; membership item to be placed on Jan. 26 agenda

Members of the Brevard County prevention planning group approved the Sept. 29 meeting minutes at the start of the Nov. 10 session. Rebecca T. Bear moved to approve the minutes and Omar Bola seconded; the chair called the voice vote and the minutes passed.

During new business, the group discussed the 2026 meeting schedule and asked staff to propose alternate dates for meetings that fall on holidays or during graduation season. The body voted to set the next meeting for Jan. 26, 2026; the motion was moved and seconded and the vote recorded as approved.

Public comment included Laura McCarthy of Brevard Recovery Fest, who announced free county recovery events planned for May 12 and Sept. 12, 2026, and described an internal recovery‑program policy change after it learned a leader used medical marijuana. Members discussed employer policies on impairment and how organizations are handling medical‑marijuana cards among staff and volunteers.

Staff agreed to place an item on the Jan. 26 agenda to consider at‑large membership for Brevard Recovery Fest pending receipt of a written letter of request, and to circulate membership process language to clarify eligibility and next steps.

Member reports covered a range of county services: DCF gave September intake and out‑of‑home‑care figures and noted 14 fatalities reported to the hotline so far in 2025 (versus 10 in 2024); the Department of Juvenile Justice reported caseload numbers, and CareerSource confirmed the Rockledge Center closed Oct. 13 and that services continue at several other locations. Under Sheriff Doug Waller of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office introduced Chief Administrative Officer Brett Carmen and asked for advance notice of topics for future reports.

There were no formal funding decisions at the Nov. 10 meeting. The chair called for adjournment; a motion to adjourn passed and the meeting concluded.