VERO BEACH – The Vero Beach City Council has one less candidate to consider for the open seat on the dais after Roger Rudd announced Monday morning that he was withdrawing his application.
Rudd serves as a member of the city’s Finance Commission. He refused to give a reason for changing his mind on being considered for ousted Councilman Charlie Wilson’s seat.
“I’m removing myself,” he said. “That’s all I have to say.” The pool of candidates vying for a seat at the dais is now at five.Those candidates include municipal election candidate Ken Daige, who finished in third in the Nov. 3 race, Vero Beach advisory board and committee members, and business owners.
Upon Wilson’s removal from council on Dec. 7, the City Council instituted a process to fill the opening by allowing interested parties to submit an application with the City Clerk. The candidates will be interviewed by the council members individually in early January, with the top three to be questioned in public Jan. 12, after which the council would make its selection.
Vero Beach residents who have filed to be considered for a seat on the council dais, in addition to Daige, include Recreation Advisory Board member Tracy Carroll, Planning Commission member Richard Kennedy, and real estate agents Al Benkert and William Mills.