Last Update: Monday, 4:13 p.m.
VERO BEACH — With an open seat on the Vero Beach City Council, candidates who ran — and lost — in the Vero Beach municipal election Nov. 3 are weighing their options after Councilman Charlie Wilson’s ousting.
The apparent front-runners for being named Wilson’s replacement are Ken Daige and former councilwoman Debra Fromang — both of whose names keep popping up as contenders. Daige was the third-place finisher in the municipal election race behind Wilson and newly elected Brian Heady, while Fromang placed fourth. The remaining four members of the Vero Beach City Council Tuesday are expected to discuss how to fill the seat.
“It was the right decision,” said former councilman Bill Fish of Judge Paul Kanarek’s decision Monday to remove Wilson from the city dais, adding that he thought it was unethical for Wilson to run in the first place.
Fromang said she was in a meeting Monday afternoon and disconnected when called for comment about the possibility of her being appointed to council.
“It’s unfortunate we have to go through this,” Daige said of the upheaval the election challenge caused.
He said he is still interested in serving on the council, “that’s why I ran for office.”
Daige also said it will be up to the city to appoint someone to serve and it will be up to the council whether it “chooses to be political or goes with the vote of the people, which would be the next top vote-getter.”
Fish, who finished in last place in the election, said he has no interest in serving again on council by filling Wilson’s now-vacant seat. He explained that his full time job would keep him from being able to adequately serve on council.
Jack Shupe, however, said that he would be interested to serve as a city councilman but that he would wait and see what the council decides.
“I’ve read the scenarios,” Shupe said of the ways the council could go about selecting an interim council member, adding that it would be inappropriate for him to say what method the council should take.
Shupe finished in fifth place in the race.
Susan Viviano, who finished sixth out of seven, did not immediately return a call for comment on the issue.
Election Results
Charlie Wilson
1,063
Brian Heady
934
Ken Daige
813
Debra Fromang
555
Jack Shupe
379
Susan Viviano
291
Bill Fish
277
