Depending on which side of the debate you stand, you’re either excited about the prospects of the Keep Vero Vero old guard regaining control of the City Council, or you’re worried we’re about to return to the days of Vero city governments that have mucked up so many things over the years.
There’s reason for worry.
As November approaches with one incumbent having announced he will not seek re-election, a second still deciding whether to run again and the fate of 35 acres of lagoon-front property to be determined, the stakes are high.
And those in the Keep Vero Vero crowd know it.
They know if their side wins, change once again slows to a crawl.
“I’m really afraid that’s what’s going to happen,” City Councilman Harry Howle said, “and that would be awful for everybody.”
Certainly, it would be far different from what we’ve seen the past few years, when Howle was joined on the City Council by Val Zudans and Lange Sykes, both of whom shared his governing philosophy of embracing the private sector and pursuing smart development to generate sorely needed tax revenue.
All three men, in fact, ran for their council seats and, along with Laura Moss, were elected to orchestrate the sale of the city’s electric utility to Florida Power & Light – a long, drawn-out process that was frustrated for years by Keep Vero Vero’s vocal minority.
In December, the council finally accomplished its mission, selling Vero Electric for $185 million.
Since then, however, the panel has been divided, particularly on issues of growth and land use, with Zudans and Howle on one side and Moss teaming with Tony Young on the other.
Sykes often was the swing vote on such issues, until he completed his term and was replaced by Robbie Brackett, who appears to have inherited his predecessor’s role.
But the direction of the City Council could change drastically in November: Howle isn’t seeking re-election, and Zudans said he hasn’t yet decided if he will seek another term.
“I have no desire to be on the City Council,” said Zudans, now the mayor. “I ran because I wanted to sell Vero Electric. We’ve done that. We’ve done a lot of good. This City Council has solved more problems here than any council in memory, and we’re not finished.
“That said, I’d rather not run again,” he added. “If we can find the right people to run, I’ll do everything I can to help. If we can’t, I’ll probably run, especially if there’s an issue that’s significantly going to impact the future of our city.”
Could the fate of Centennial Place, the lagoon-front property now containing the Vero’s shuttered power plant and wastewater treatment plant, provide such an issue?
Yes, Zudans said, but only if the City Council is poised to make pivotal decisions about that property in the next two to four years.
As it stands – because of the required planning, referendum and site preparation – there’s little chance we would see any development of the property for at least five years even with an ambitious City Council.
But if Zudans joins Howle in not seeking re-election, there’s a real chance they would be replaced by candidates aligned with the Keep Vero Vero faction and supported by the Indian River Neighborhood Association, which has deep pockets and can wield influence.
And if that happens?
“We probably go backwards,” Zudans said, explaining that City Council candidates not backed by the IRNA must overcome their opponents’ built-in votes.
“If you’re not with them, you start out behind,” he said, “and as we’ve seen, these elections can be decided by a couple of hundred votes.”
The greater challenge, though, is attracting candidates, especially younger, still-working candidates who believe Vero Beach can continue to develop in ways that enhance our community without destroying its small-town charm.
Let there be no doubt: With Zudans, Howle and Sykes on the dais, the City Council has looked noticeably different in comparison to past councils, and it has governed accordingly, not hesitating to push for progress when appropriate.
But will similar candidates choose to run – and can they win – in elections not tied to a single issue, such as the electric utility sale?
“So far, there’s nobody,” said Howle, who plans to devote more time to his insurance business when he leaves the council. “I’ve approached some people who share my philosophy, but they either don’t live in the city or they’re not interested.
“If we could get more people in their 40s and 50s to come to our meetings, it might help get them interested in running,” he added. “But most people in that age group have kids and jobs, and they just don’t have the time.
“It’s a lot easier for someone who’s retired.”
While the fate of the lagoon-front property could be the impetus needed to spur interest from new candidates – if developed wisely, that tract could give Vero Beach an attractive riverfront with public amenities like other towns up and down the Treasure and Space coasts – Moss said she’d prefer council members not be focused solely on a single issue.
“I don’t think that’s good for the future of the city,” she said. “What we do with that property is important, and whoever gets elected in November will play a role in making those decisions. But serving on the City Council should be for people who love the Vero Beach and are dedicated to making it better in every way – not just one.”
As of Monday, even with the possibility of two open seats without an incumbent, no one had picked up the necessary paperwork to run for City Council.
“I haven’t heard of anybody even thinking about it,” Moss said.
You can be sure the Keep Vero Vero bunch are thinking about it – and that they’ll back candidates for both seats in an effort to reclaim control of the City Council, especially with the future of that lagoon-front property hanging in the balance.
“Throughout the history of Vero Beach, our City Council has had a track record of flip-flopping between very good and abysmal,” Zudans said. “Bad councils have cost our community $100 million in bad decisions. My concern is that the next City Council will botch a decision that will haunt us for the next 100 years.”
