SEBASTIAN — For the first time in the Taxpayers’ Association of Indian River County’s history, the group met in Sebastian for a City Council candidate forum, posing several questions to the five people vying for three seats at the council dais.
Candidate were asked what they believe to be the role of local government and the types of services said government should provide; if government needs more business people and if it should be run as a business; if government should be involved in investing in the private sector – “picking winners”; if the city’s working waterfront project is an example of government exceeding its purpose; if the Seven50 regional planning organization undermines local government; and if the city should or has revamped its benefit packages to transition from defined benefits to defined contributions.
Those running for Sebastian City Council include the three incumbents, Mayor Bob McPartlan, Vice Mayor Don Wright and Councilwoman Andrea Coy, and two challengers, former councilman and mayor Richard Gillmor and Sebastian businessman Damien Gilliams.
Most candidates stuck to the questions at hand, answering in the one minute allotted for each.
When asked about to the role of government and the services it should provide, each agreed that public safety and maintenance of the city’s quality of life were key – except for Gilliams.
Instead of answering the question, Gilliams told the mostly Vero Beach crowd that he’s never been a politician, unlike his fellow candidates, and then raised the issue of the council having increased stormwater fees and not insisting on recycling service in the new Waste Management franchise agreement.
Wright told the crowd of about 70 that government cannot run as a business because it does not have the profit motivation businesses have, nor should it be getting itself into profit enterprises. However, governments should manage their budgets and expenses – like businesses – “that’s where municipalities have not done their job,” Wright said, adding that he feels Sebastian has been working to that end in the last few years.
“Government isn’t a business, but there are things government can learn from business,” Gillmor agreed. He added that he believes Sebastian should offer a reward to its employees who find ways for the city to save money and efficiencies.
McPartlan told the Taxpayers’ Association that he is a supporter of the city’s working waterfront project, despite the criticism received from a small group of citizens. He said that while he couldn’t support large investments in the private sector – like that of the failed Digital Domain project in Port St. Lucie – a small scale investment like that of the working waterfront is appropriate.
“It’s something Sebastian can be proud of,” McPartlan said.
Coy agreed, noting that such small investments help to generate jobs and attract people to the community, which benefits the entire city.
“I think it’s essential,” fellow incumbent Wright said. He pointed to the city’s investment at the municipal airport, building hangars that are attracting businesses and jobs.
Gillmor had a single-word answer: “No,” while Gilliams said, “Definitely not.”
As for whether the candidates see the working waterfront project as government overreach, all but Gilliams said they support the project and not government overreach.
Gilliams, however, criticized how the project came to be – that it had not been put out to bid properly and proper disclosures were not given.
“It’s deceitful,” he said.
Taxpayers’ Association Vice President John Kistler said after the candidate forum that he was pleased with how the event turned out.
“We were ecstatic,” he said of having nearly double the audience of a regular monthly luncheon.
“It is important for Sebastian” to have these candidate forums, he added, noting that he and the group’s president, Glenn Heran decided that the organization really needed to host a candidate forum in Sebastian – branching out from Vero Beach.
The group now anticipates holding an annual Sebastian City Council candidate forum moving forward.
To hear the candidates’ responses to all the questions posed, be sure to watch the attached video.
