COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
On August 8, Vero Beach 32963′s editorial page carried the following: “Frankly, we don’t see how Tracy Carroll wins re-election. We backed her for her first run for office in 2009, when she championed getting Vero Beach out of the electric business, and supported her re-election bid in 2011…But she has a variety of other problems of her own making. Like many others, we are troubled by the sight of a Vero elected official in effect thumbing her nose at city employees attempting to enforce a municipal ordinance against renting out a home she owned in a residential neighborhood by the week. Our preference would be to see Carroll announce her intention to retire from the Council at the end of her current term, and make way for a strong electable pro-sale candidate to take her place.”
Having had that do say about the Vice Mayor, if the island weekly endorses Carroll in the coming election, it will be at least the third time the newspaper’s editors have joined the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers editorial board in rising above principle.
About Richard Winger, the island tabloid editorialized, “Winger, who has expressed reservations about the sale to FPL, has generally acquitted himself well in his first term in office, and seems likely to easily win re-election. But were he to join council member Jay Kramer, whose term also is not up until November 2014, in voting to kill the sale, Tracy Carroll or the person filling her seat would wind up as the key third vote on an issue of critical importance.”
As Inside Vero reported earlier this week, according to transactional attorney John Igoe, neither Vero Beach nor Florida Power & Light has the option to simply “kill” the sale. “There is no ‘opt out’ for $5 million on either side of the Agreement between the City of Vero Beach and FP&L,” wrote transactional attorney John Igoe in response to an inquiry from Inside Vero. “The City cannot vote to pay FP&L $5 million to terminate the Agreement. Each side has the remedy of specific performance, meaning either party could get a court to require the other party to perform its obligations under the Agreement,” Igoe added.
In addressing the Indian River County Commission recently, FPL spokesperson Amy Brunjes, wife of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper Papers publisher Bob Brunjes, confirmed that the sale of Vero Electric is all but a done deal. “We expect to complete the sale in late 2014,” Brunjes said.
The same message began arriving in mailboxes across the city this week, in a post card/love note from Florida Power & Light. “Regulatory approvals are also moving forward. We’ve filed an application to serve the Vero Beach community with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and we expect to file with the Florida Public Service Commission later this year. We expect to complete the sale in late 2014,” the company’s post card read.
Whether the sale of Vero Electric can be concluded is a matter now in the hands of third parties such as the Florida Municipal Power Agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Florida Public Service Commission. As Igoe has made clear, Vero Beach has a signed, binding contract with FPL. Along with a few militant utility activists, the island weekly is seems addicted to confrontation. Though they have prevailed in the public debate over selling the electric system, they seem intent on continuing to fight a battle they have already won.
At the semi-forum held last Thursday evening, the one at which Amelia Graves was not allowed to speak, the candidates were asked if the would put a “YES” or a “NO” sign in their yard, if the referendum were held today. This is like asking someone if they would vote for John Kennedy or Richard Nixon. For heaven’s sake, the election is over. Why can’t those in the pro-sell crowd graciously accept their victory and move on? Their behavior smacks of McCarthyism. Either you see it their way, or you are evil or incapable of making an intelligent decision.
In as much as the sale of the city’s electric system is no longer in the hands of the Vero Beach City Council, there must be something else behind the switch in the island tabloid’s tone toward Carroll since their August 8 call for her to step aside. Only time will tell.
Indian River Guardian 
More than just the sale of the utility should be on the minds of the voters. They should be deciding on whether they want to continue to have a Vice-Mayor who has been arrogant to the constitutents, thumbs her nose at the rule of law in her personal decisions and has proven to not be an effective representative for a city noted for its charm.
There are many reasons to not re-elect Tracy Carroll. It has been stated by many people and even 32963 has written that electing her would be a mistake. When 32963 states”she has a variety of problems of her own making” they are correct and are being kind in their assessment of her. I believe she takes pleasure in creating controversy. Despite overwhelming support to keep the dog park she took delight in voting to do away with it. She was the only council person to do so. She will do anything to maintain her rental income even to the point of flaunting our established codes . Because of her the city will be forced to spend thousands of dollars to protect us this from transient rentals.She has caused great harm to Vero inorder to promote her self interest.
Don’t be surprised if it costs the City $50,000 to go to court to stop the Carroll’s short-term rental shenanigans.
Ms. Carroll’s ability to continually “spend” more of her constituents money now by suing the community who put her into office to satisfy and add to her and her husbands pockets by renting a home which can not be supported by her meager council pay, only shows the public what she really is about….a “me…me…me” mentality. She wants to change what has always been part of this community and that is secure neighborhoods. Her willingness to change our local codes to appease and wet her appetite for more money and power really gives us all a good view on what she is all about.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT THAT MR. HEADY WAS GETTING AT AND NOW YOU PICK UP ON. SPECIFICALLY, THAT MRS. CARROLL NEEDS TO SUBSIDIZE HER “MEAGER” COUNCIL PAY BY RENTING HER HOME SHORT-TERM. THE CARROLLS ARE HARDLY INDIGENT AND I THINK THIS ENTIRE EPISODE WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT AS AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE CITY VACATION RENTAL RULES CHANGED TO MIRROR THE STATES INTERPRETATION. MS. MAYFIELD AND THE CARROLLS MUST HAVE DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE AND SINCE MS. MAYFIELD OBVIOUSLY PUSHED FOR THE STATES INTERPRETATION, WHO BETTER TO TEST AND CHANGE THE RULES THAN A GUY WHO HAS MADE A CAREER OUT OF CHANGING EXISTING ZONING LAWS HONESTLY, I THINK THE CARROLLS WOULD DO BETTER FINANCIALLY JUST RENTING THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME ON A YEARLY LEASE. IT IS SELDOM RENTED BY THE WEEK, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL I GET THE FEELING THAT THE CITY MAY WELL LOSE THIS FIGHT. WE WILL ALL KNOW SOON ENOUGH.
Anthony
If you do not know this by now, the Carroll’s short term rental home is the second rental home in foreclosure. They may not be indigent as you state, but hardly can they manage what they have financially. To change the codes would help them to charge $1000.00 for a three day weekend stay. Just sayin,
How can the home be in foreclosure? They have a 3 million dollar waterfront property with a 30 year engineering and inspection business in Fort Lauderdale. Come see the magnificent office at 826 NE 20th Ave in Ft Lauderdale ..And they have a second business address in Vero Beach . They are making “hand over fist”. Must be spending too much money on the beauty salon because she looks perfect in those you tube videos posted here.