INDIAN RIVER SHORES — Indian River Shores Town Councilman and long-time former Mayor Tom Cadden has resigned from office, citing personal reasons, effective immediately.
Shores Mayor Brian Barefoot announced Cadden’s resignation Wednesday during a Town meeting. On Monday, Cadden formally notified Barefoot of the move in a letter.
“I regret to inform you that I have to resign from the Indian River Shores Town Council. As you are aware, I have had a personal situation arise that requires the vast majority of my time. Because of this time commitment, I must resign effective Nov. 17, 2014,” the letter states.
It is widely known among those close to Cadden that his wife, Joan, has been suffering from an extended illness and Cadden has been at her side while remaining very active in the Town government.
Cadden, 81 and a full-time resident of the Sea Colony community in the Shores, was re-elected to the Town Council in March 2011 and selected as Mayor after sitting out the required two years beyond his eight-year service to the Town from 2001 to 2009, during which he also presided as Mayor.
But that two-year break was no vacation for Cadden, as he worked as the Shores’ key advocate on both electric utility and water-sewer issues. Cadden was influential in brokering a deal with Vero Beach Utilities to reduce water, sewer and reuse water rates for Town residents via Vero converting the Shores to the Indian River County rate structure.
Cadden is probably best known for his staunch support for the sale of the Vero electric utility. A Florida Power and Light customer himself, as he resides in the northern portion of the Town that is served by FPL, Cadden has been an outspoken advocate of getting all of his neighbors the same low electric rates that he pays at home.
Most recently, Cadden urged his fellow Shores residents to financially support Vero Beach City Council candidates who were committed to finding a way to complete the utility sale to FPL.
Through the years, Cadden has been a trusted advisor to local political leaders and has worked behind the scenes to help many successful candidates at various levels of government raise campaign dollars in the Shores.
Cadden served many years in the leadership of the Florida League of Cities and also kept a close eye on oceanfront residents’ interests through his service on Indian River County’s Beaches and Shores Preservation Committee.
His term would have been up in March. According to the Shores code, the Town Council may appoint a replacement for Cadden, to serve until the next regular election.
Town Manager Robbie Stabe said Wednesday that the Town would be seeking qualified applicants for the position, and that anyone interested could pick up paperwork at the Indian River Shores Town Hall.
Cadden’s seat and the seat of John’s Island resident, Councilman Dick Haverland are scheduled to be on the March 11.
The qualifying period for candidates who wish to run for either of the four-year term seats is from Jan. 12 to Jan. 16.
