MILT THOMAS

On July 22, 2013, Mark Schumann and I met with Tim Zorc and his wife, Laura at Zorc’s county commission office. He asked for the meeting to discuss my recent story, “Is there more than meets the eye here?”

Zorc feels he has been unfairly targeted from the time he announced his candidacy, especially regarding his perceived relationship with Charlie Wilson. He felt that many assertions in the story were mistaken or misleading and he wished to clear them up. This is a recap of that meeting:

 InsideVero:  We wrote about Zorc’s request at a recent county commission meeting to create an economic development “Welcome branding” fund separate and apart from the Chamber of Commerce, which is the county’s designated economic development agency. He did not discuss this in advance with the Chamber, nor with the Economic Development Council, where he is the commission’s liaison. He has frequently criticized the EDC for not responding to his 12-point goals and objectives suggestions presented at his first meeting with them. He did not work more closely with the Chamber because he felt Economic Development Director, Helene Caseltine, already had too heavy a workload. We stated in the story that he thought of the branding idea at a recent meeting he and Caseltine attended.

Zorc: He thought of the idea at a seminar for newly elected county commissioners and Caseltine was not in attendance. He admitted not discussing his branding idea with the Chamber before presenting it at the county commission meeting.

NOTE: His branding proposal was dropped at a subsequent commission meeting and Zorc was asked by Commission Chairman Joe Flescher to work out his differences with the Chamber. They met last week.

InsideVero: Zorc was invited to meet with Chamber President, Penny Chandler as a candidate but declined. He was then invited to a December 6, 2012 Governmental Affairs Committee meeting after the election and did not show up until he was called by Peter Robinson.

Zorc: He said he never received an invitation to either event, but came to the Governmental Affairs meeting after receiving a call from Peter Robinson.

InsideVero: After the meeting we asked Chandler about this and she produced the invitation sent to all political candidates to attend a “Politics in the Park” event, which Zorc did attend.  Chandler also produced copy of a letter to Zorc inviting him to the Governmental Affairs meeting on December 6 and several emails to members of that committee confirming his acceptance of the invitation. One of the committee’s co-chairs is Cathy McKenzie, who Zorc identified in our meeting as a long time acquaintance and friend, saying “I would certainly have gone if she was there.”

  InsideVero: Economic Development Director, Helene Caseltine, and Economic Development Council Chairman, Beth Mitchell met with Zorc at his office to discuss all 12 of his suggested goals and objectives.

Zorc: They did meet, but only discussed three of the objectives.

InsideVero:  Zorc asked County Attorney, Alan Polackwich, about forming a new economic development advisory committee.

Zorc:  He never asked Polackwich about forming a new ED advisory committee, but did speak to him on behalf of some private citizens who wanted to help with economic development but didn’t feel they could work with the Chamber. “I did ask Alan how can these people organize themselves?”

InsideVero: Wilson and Zorc were business partners in his Asset Research and Recovery company that works to obtain impact fee refunds from the county.

Zorc: He denies he was ever a business partner of Charlie Wilson in any business. However, he did assist Wilson as an independent contractor in negotiations between Impact Fee Consultants and the Vero Beach Museum of Art to obtain an impact fee refund. That assistance ceased when Zorc announced his candidacy for county commissioner. In a lawsuit between the Museum and Charlie Wilson over commissions on that refund, Zorc was identified as Senior Vice President of Impact Fee Consultants. Zorc says that may have been how he presented himself to the Museum executive director, but his relationship with Wilson was only as an independent representative, again until he announced his candidacy.

InsideVero: It is widely speculated that Wilson served as Zorc’s “unofficial” campaign manager and the two share very similar views on a variety of issues.

Zorc: Wilson had nothing to do with Zorc’s campaign and any perceived relationship with Wilson is purely coincidental. When asked in the interview if Zorc would ever support Wilson for a position with the county, he responded, “It would have to be snowing in Vero Beach for that to happen. You can hold my feet to the fire.”

InsideVero: Wilson is involved with Zorc’s recently proposed lagoon advisory committee.

Zorc: “Wilson has no involvement and will not have any today or in the future.” Zorc and his wife, Laura, both felt that all the speculation about his relationship with Wilson was an effort in support of Tony Donadio, his opponent in the last election. Donadio has already stated that he plans to run again in four years and the Zorcs feel this Wilson speculation is fueled by Donadio supporters.  That could be true in part, but the perception of a relationship between Zorc and Wilson  goes far beyond any one group.

Also, we have been unable to interview the person at the center of speculation, Charlie Wilson. (see the reasons in our story “Who is Charlie Wilson?” at http://insidevero.com/2013/08/01/who-is-charlie-wilson/ )

To read the story “Is there more than meets the eye here?” go to http://insidevero.com/2013/07/16/is-there-more-than-meets-the-eye-here/