INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two, maybe three, cities in Indian River County will be holding elections this November to determine who will serve on their city councils. Vero Beach and Sebastian will definitely hold elections, while there is still a question mark over Fellsmere.
The qualifying period for the municipal elections runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 9.
Already, one candidate has prequalified for the Sebastian City Council race and two have prequalified in Vero Beach.
In Fellsmere, only incumbents Mayor Susan Adams and Councilwoman Sara Savage have pulled the necessary paperwork for filing. If no one else qualifies for the race, the Fellsmere City Council members will automatically return to their seats at the dais.
“We’ll see what happens,” Fellsmere City Clerk Deborah Krages said.
In 2010 and 2009, no city council elections were held due to the lack of challengers. However, the city did hold elections for county seats and a referendum on tax abatements.
To qualify for the Fellsmere race, contenders must have lived in Fellsmere for 6 continuous months immediately prior to filing. The qualifying fee is $25, which goes to the city, plus 1 percent of the City Council salary – or $48 – which goes to the State of Florida.
City Council members are paid $400 a month. The mayor, who is chosen by the council, receives $500 a month.
In Sebastian, one resident – a challenger – has pre-qualified for the election and has until the end of the qualifying period to finalize her paperwork.
Amber Miller, 31, plans to challenge the incumbents for a seat at the Sebastian City Council dais.
Candidates must pay a $25 filing fee plus 1 percent of the council’s annual salary – or $36. Council members receive $300 a month and the mayor – like Fellsmere – is chosen by the council. The mayor earns $450 a month.
Others have picked up the paperwork but have not yet returned it, according to Sebastian City Clerk Sally Maio. She declined to give a number.
Three seats are open in Sebastian, those currently held by Vice Mayor Don Wright and council members Andrea Coy and Eugene Wolff.
“I hate to make predictions,” Maio said when asked how large the field might grow for the Sebastian race.
Maio said it could be possible the city could have the same size field as that of 2009 – when three seats were open and had eight candidates.
But then, given only one pre-qualified candidate, the field could be smaller.
Maio said that could be a sign of a smaller field or that candidates are considering the possibility of serving longer than two years if the related charter question about term length passes.
Along with selecting council members, Sebastian residents will be tasked with deciding eight charter questions. The charter is the governing document for the city. Such questions include setting term limits for council members and extending terms to four years instead of two.
“That’s a big commitment,” Maio said of the potential 4-year terms.
In Vero Beach, voters will not only be electing two people to serve on council but will also be asked whether or not the city should be allowed to lease the property where the electric plant sits in the event the plant were sold to Florida Power and Light or another power company.
Vero Beach City Clerk Tammy Vock said the referendum question might help to get more voters out to the polls in November, noting that turnout was in the low 20 percent range last year – a time when historically more voters cast ballots due to the sheer number of elected offices.
“It would be nice to have 25 percent (turnout),” Vock said for this November’s election.
Currently Councilman Brian Heady and Vero Beach Finance Committee member Richard Winger have pre-qualified for the race.
Others have picked up the paperwork but have not turned it in, according to Vock, including incumbent Councilwoman Tracy Carroll.
This is only the second year that Vero Beach has had an official qualifying period for its municipal elections, Vock said. Last year, in going over the city’s rules and procedures, the City Clerk and City Attorney’s offices decided to implement a period and made it consistent with that of Fellsmere and Sebastian.
Before having an official timeframe to work from, candidates could file for the next election the day after having lost the race.
Vero Beach candidates pay a $50 fee to the city and, per state statutes, 1 percent of the annual City Council salary – or $108. City Council members earn $900 a month, while the mayor – chosen by the council – earns $1,125 a month.
Those wishing to qualify for the November races are encouraged to go to their city’s City Clerk’s Office to pick up the paperwork and get any related questions answered.
Sebastian’s City Clerk’s Office will be closed Friday, Aug. 26, due to a furlough day and all City Halls will be closed Monday, Sept. 5, for the Labor Day holiday.
