NEWS ANALYSIS

MILT THOMAS

Last August, Inside Vero reported on the relationship between County Commissioner Tim Zorc and civic activist Charlie Wilson. At that time, Zorc told Inside Vero that the only relationship that existed between the two of them was on a 2012 deal between Wilson’s Impact Fee Consultants and the Vero Beach Museum of Art. Zorc said he represented Wilson as an outside consultant on that deal and withdrew from any involvement once he announced his candidacy for county commission. As it turned out, the Museum was awarded a $100,000 check from the county. Wilson then filed suit against the Museum for what he claimed was his commission on that deal of $25,000.

As an addendum to that story, an attorney representing Wilson’s former firm, Asset Research and Recovery, sent a letter claiming that Wilson had violated a non-compete agreement he had with ARR in winning a settlement for the Museum under his new firm, Impact Fee Consultants. ARR claimed the commission belonged to them and if paid to them, they would then donate it.

In September, Inside Vero met with the partners of Asset Research and Recovery, who said they never received any commission, nor any response to their letter. Upon checking with the county finance department, we learned that the commission had been paid to Impact Fee Consultants.

Upon further investigation, Inside Vero learned that Commissioner Tim Zorc had followed up with the finance department frequently about payment of that commission during the time it was being processed.

Inside Vero sent an email to Commissioner Zorc on October 7 asking if his follow-ups were based on whether he was due part of that commission check for his services in 2012 or was he following up on behalf of Charlie Wilson. I followed up with a phone call on Wednesday, October 9, leaving a message.

Depending on his response, the issues raised would be if he followed up on the commission for payment of his services, he would have been required to recuse himself on any commission votes relating to impact fees from the time he took office in January 2013. On the other hand, if he was following up on behalf of Charlie Wilson, it would indicate a relationship exists beyond the one Zorc says ended in 2012 when he announced his candidacy.