VERO BEACH — Three candidates running for the District 2 seat on the Indian River County Board of Commissioners squared off Wednesday during the Republican Women of the Treasure Coast’s monthly luncheon.
Commission incumbent Joe Flescher, former Sebastian City Councilwoman Dale Simchick and former Vero Beach City Councilman Charlie Wilson fielded questions from the luncheon’s attendees during a forum that sparked rebuttals from candidates and guests alike. “I put on my raincoat for the mudslinging,” Simchick said at one point during the forum. “I don’t think people want that kind of campaign. I don’t think people want that type of representative.”
Her comments came on the heels of Wilson’s statements pertaining to the Indian River Neighborhood Association and what he believes is the organization’s attempt to stymie growth and jobs in the county.
“We constantly have to battle the Indian River Neighborhood Association,” Wilson had said immediately prior to Simchick’s statements about mudslinging.
Earlier in the debate, Wilson charged that Simchick had been endorsed by the IRNA, which she refuted.
She said she has not received the organization’s endorsement, though she would welcome it, as she would the teachers’ or firefighters’ unions.
Both Wilson and Flescher said that they are neither seeking nor would accept an IRNA endorsement.
Flescher said the IRNA is a special interest group that has “historically been no growth and anti-business.”
“Let’s talk about the issues,” Simchick said, trying to get the debate back off the IRNA.
At another point during the debate, Wilson called out Commissioner Gary Wheeler, who was in the audience, as being the only commissioner to vote for increasing impact fees on businesses — an issue that came up at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
Wheeler was given the opportunity to address Wilson’s comment, telling the audience that Wilson had taken the board’s meeting out of context and invited the audience to watch a replay of the board meeting to see why he voted the way he had. He also asked anyone to ask him about it after the luncheon.
Wilson’s comment about Wheeler stemmed from a 4-1 vote at the Board of County Commissioners to extend the suspension of five impact fees for both commercial and residential developments. Wheeler voted against the extension, saying he was “willing to give it a shot” initially, but when county staff reported the extension did not spur as much development as they had hoped, the commissioner concluded it was cost effective.
The three commission candidates were peppered with questions from Sebastian resident Damien Gilliams.
Questions asked included:
If candidates would support spending state dollars on buying land,
If they would consider “going after” non-profits that buy real estate to get them to pay property taxes,
What they would do to make the 300 acres of preserve/park land behind Sebastian City Hall generate money,
And who the candidates report to first — their constituents or their political backers.
To a one, the candidates said they would not support seeking property taxes from non-profits and they report to their constituents.
Flescher said that the land-buy question in Sebastian and the profitability of the land behind Sebastian City Hall aren’t up to the county commission — they are city issues.
Both Simchick and Wilson said they would not support buying the Sebastian land Gilliams asked about.
Wilson said of the City Hall land, he didn’t know.
Simchick said the city could send out requests for proposals from businesses — such as horse stables — to maybe provide services on the parkland.
The three candidates expect to participate in future debates and forums throughout the political season leading up to the Aug. 24 primary.
Candidate Carolyn Corum was not allowed to participate in the Republican Women’s forum because she recently changed her political affiliation from Republican to Independent.
She will face the winner of the Republican Primary and Democrat David Snell in the Nov. 2 General Election.
For more about Corum’s party swap, click HERE.
