VERO BEACH — Long-time Indian River County resident and Republican Executive Committee member Bea Gardner filed paperwork on Thursday to run for the seat on the Board of County Commissioners being vacated by Gary Wheeler in November.
Adopting the campaign slogan, “I’ll be looking out for you,” Gardner joins Republican Tim Zorc in the race for the seat which represents the area of the county just west of Vero Beach to the ranch and grove areas and finally to the western county line.
Gardner ran for this seat in 2008 in a three-way Republican primary against Wheeler and challenger Gary Parris and she got nearly 17 percent of the vote.
Most countywide campaigns are launched a year prior to the August primary, so Gardner said she will be playing catch up with regard to collecting signatures as to avoid the $3,300 filing fee.
“It will be near impossible for anyone to get the 930 petitions signed and turned in before the closing date of May 5, but I am going to try,” Gardner said Thursday.
She started that effort in the lobby of the Indian River Neighborhood Association luncheon at C.J. Cannon’s to honor Wheeler.
“It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it matters that you are willing to participate in the process in hopes of getting the best possible government there could be in Indian River County,” Gardner said in a statement to the press on Thursday.
Gardner said in the campaign launch announcement that she plans to keep writing her “Bea-isms” blog and to stay involved in her radio show.
She listed keeping taxes low and creating jobs as two important parts of her platform. Gardner cited honesty, fairness and “doing the homework necessary” as promises she would make to the voters who trust her with the opportunity to lead.
A graduate of Lehman High School in Canton, Ohio, Gardner worked as an interior designer for 20 years and then moved to the Vero Beach area in 1990 and owned Encore Furniture downtown. She also worked as a recruiter for the Vortechs Group before retiring.
Gardner’s community involvement includes being a founding member of Keep Indian River Beautiful and being active in the precursor to the Main Street Association. She is a past president of the Republican Club of Indian River County and has been active in Toastmasters and the Taxpayers Association of Indian River County.
The primary election is scheduled to be held on Aug. 14 . No Democrats or Independents have filed to run to date.