With one week left to qualify, only two candidates had filed paperwork to run for three Indian River Shores Town Council seats up for election on the November ballot.
Incumbents James Altieri, an attorney, and Bob Auwaerter, a retired Vanguard executive and analyst, are running for re-election, but John’s Island resident Mary Alice Smith, who was elected in 2020, has decided not to seek another four-year term. As of press time Monday, no one had filed to run for that third seat.
Town residents might mistakenly think that Auwaerter is term limited this time around due to his length of service to the town, but Town Clerk Janice Rutan explained that Auwaerter’s time in office, when added up, does not make him sit out this election.
“Bob Auwaerter was first elected Councilmember in 2016. He served on Town Council until his ‘resignation to run’ for Indian River County District 5 Commissioner became effective (11/2020),” Rutan said.
“On Sept. 23, 2021, Mr. Auwaerter was sworn in to fill the unexpired term (November 2024) of John McCord who resigned from the position he was elected to in November of 2020. The Town Charter requires that the appointment to fill the vacated seat is only until the next general election (2022) at which time the person appointed, or any other person who qualifies, becomes elected to the vacated seat until that seat would have been subject to election had the vacancy not occurred (2024),” Rutan said.
“In 2022, Mr. Auwaerter qualified for the seat and was elected as there was no opposition.
He then served for the remaining two years of Mr. McCord’s original term. That seat is now up for reelection. Mr. Auwaerter has qualified to run for the ensuing four-year term (2024-2028),” she said.
Citing the town’s rules, Rutan said, “No member of the Town Council shall be eligible for reelection to the Council who will have served eight or more consecutive years as a Councilmember at the expiration of his then current term. Councilmember Auwaerter has not served eight or more consecutive years.”
The qualifying period for Indian River Shores Town Council closes on July 26. Shores Town Council members are volunteers who do not receive a salary or benefits.
