VERO BEACH — Councilman Randy Old, who was sworn into office on Monday, was selected Tuesday night to represent the City of Vero Beach on the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) board, replacing Councilwoman Pilar Turner.
The FMPA is the statewide power co-op to which Vero is perpetually tied into high-priced power contracts, and the organization that has thus far refused to allow Vero to exit the organization and sell its utility to Florida Power and Light.
Turner has served for nearly two years, where previously a paid employee of Vero electric served on the FMPA Board. In her tenure, Turner has been rather outspoken and has questioned some of the spending, reporting and speculative investment practices of the FMPA.
Mayor Dick Winger said he wanted Old to take over the FMPA board position as part of a discussion on assigning various board and commission seats as the council does each November after an election re-shuffles the makeup of the council.
“I think we’re at the stage that a change can’t hurt anything and if she’s broken her heart at it,” Winger said, referring to Turner.
After going to Orlando and sitting through meetings every month, Winger said, “I don’t think there’s been an inch of movement.”
Turner’s supporters say that she’s served to put some pressure on the FMPA to at least understand Vero’s position in wanting to seek reduced utility rates for its customers. On the other hand, Turner’s critics have accused her of being polarizing, or of serving to alienate the FMPA staff or the other members, who are mostly utility directors from other municipal electric utilities.
Old said that he has taken an interest in the FMPA and would be willing to take on that board appointment.
“Good luck, you’ve got the worst one,” Winger said.
