INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — In an exercise that took only a matter of minutes, the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners Tuesday elected Bob Solari as chairman of the county’s governing body and Gary Wheeler as vice chairman.
Solari was nominated by Wheeler and as the only nominee was put into the leadership position by a 5-0 vote. Wheeler was nominated by outgoing chairman Peter O’Bryan and also as the only nominee was elected unanimously.
“I want to thank Commissioner O’Bryan, it was a pleasure serving has his vice chairman last year,” Solari said.
Wheeler also congratulated O’Bryan and his predecessor as chairman, Wesley Davis.
“Commissioner O’Bryan and Wesley before him were exceptionally good chairmen,” Wheeler said. “Commissioner O’Bryan ran one of the most open meetings in this county that I have seen in many years.”During his time as chairman O’Bryan encouraged public comment and allowed speakers at the podium to give full voice to the issues they wanted to address with the commission.
In other county business, O’Bryan and Commissoner Joe Flescher were sworn in after their successful campaigns earlier on Nov. 2.
