VERO BEACH — Former City of Vero Beach Finance Director Steve Maillet, 61, died at home Wednesday morning. The death has been ruled a suicide according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Maillet was reportedly in the very advanced stages of cancer affecting the throat and jaw area, having been diagnosed after his retirement from the city.
Deputies were called out in the early morning hours of Wednesday to the home owned by Maillet and his wife, Sandra, on the 3000 block of Par Drive, just outside the Vero Beach city limits.
News of Maillet’s death circulated at City Hall on Wednesday morning, but as of Wednesday evening, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jeff Luther said he could not confirm any information about the incident because there had not yet been a positive identification of the deceased and next of kin had not yet been notified.
Maillet worked for the City of Vero Beach for 26 years. After announcing his retirement in March 2010, Maillet stayed on for another year and a half to help the city through two very tough budget seasons. He finally exited late last summer after his replacement, Finance Director Cindy Lawson, assumed the post at the end of July.
In recent weeks, Maillet is said to have kept in touch with friends and former co-workers over the telephone as long as he could speak, and then by email after the disease prevented him from communicating verbally. Knowing the end was near, he reportedly had begun saying some good-byes.
Maillet attended Georgetown University and worked his way through college as a cashier at a Safeway grocery store. He graduated with a degree in international affairs and, according to his city personnel file, was called in to participate in some international projects with China. Maillet also served as a payroll sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard and. A career in politics seemed to be in his future.
He moved to Florida in March 1980 and moonlighted as a night auditor at a Holiday Inn while earning a second degree in accounting at Rollins College’s Brevard campus.
With that training under his belt, Maillet started his career in city government more than 30 years ago. While working as an internal auditor and budget analyst for the City of Melbourne, Maillet applied for an operations accountant job with the City of Vero Beach and was hired in April 1985.
As Vero Beach finance director, Maillet oversaw approximately $140 million in the city’s various budgets and funds and supervised employees in the accounting, budget, information systems, purchasing and warehouse divisions of the Finance Department, including cashiers who collect utility payments.
Maillet learned the job and all the city accounting systems from his predecessor, Tom Nason, who moved into the position of Assistant City Manager and handed over the finances to Maillet. Maillet was the second of only three finance directors to serve in the city’s 90-plus year history.
Maillet’s position often placed him squarely in the middle of controversies at city hall, but he never shied away from a good debate, whether over city finances or city politics.
A staunch defender of the city government, Maillet was known to give lengthy and sometimes acerbic speeches from the podium at public meetings when someone attacked the staff or its decisions. He was also famous for his sense of humor.
“He always had something witty and he always had a nice comment. He always had a good and interesting perspective on things,” said Councilman Jay Kramer, who worked closely with Maillet on utility issues and other city business while he was mayor.
“He definitely was a historical resource and if you ever wanted to know anything, he would pull out a newspaper clipping and show you,” Kramer said. “My sympathies go out to Steve’s family.”
A gathering will be held for Steve Maillet from 3:30 to 5 p.m., with a memorial service following at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 1, at Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home, located at westbound State Road 60 and 20th Avenue, in Vero Beach.