VERO BEACH — Charlie Wilson, a lightning rod since he won and then lost his seat on the Vero Beach City Council, is set to announce today his future plans.
Wilson must decide if he will appeal the Dec. 7 ruling that removed him from office because he did not meet residency requirements, return to private life or continue in some other forum to fight for the causes that swept him into office.
In his month as a Vero Beach Councilman, Wilson put front and center working on the city’s utility rate woes by starting the process to see if Florida Power and Light would be interested in selling the power plant.
“People are telling me that I have no right to even consider not appealing the ruling and that I would be seen as giving up,” Wilson said. “They’re telling me that this decision over Florida Power and Light will determine the future of Vero Beach and the direction that this city will take and whether or not their kids will be able to stay in Vero Beach and live in Vero Beach and open businesses in Vero Beach — or they will have to leave and go somewhere else.”
Wilson has spent a tumultuous five weeks where he was swept into office with the most votes on the electric issue, forced a 3-2 vote to get the council to allow Florida Power and Light to open talks with the city on buying the power plant, removed from office by court order, investigated for an alleged homestead violation (for which he was cleared) and even had his car stolen over the weekend.
If he were to appeal the removal ruling he could ask to be returned to office until the case is decided which could take months.
He will make his announcement at 2 p.m. at City Hall.
What do you think? Should Charlie Wilson stay and fight? Share your thoughts in the comment section.