PAT LAVINS

For the fifth consecutive election since 2005, Andrea Coy won re-election to the Sebastian City Council.  Not even taking time to savior her victory, Coy was hard at work immediately following the certification of the election results to ensure the success of the Sebastian Clambake scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10 at the Sebastian Riverview Park.

In responding to what Coy felt were the top priorities for her new term, she said that the “first priority had to be the hiring of a new City Manager to replace Al Minner who is leaving to accept a job in Leesburg.”

Coy wants to find a city manager who shares her commitment “to making improvements to the City of Sebastian.”  It is her belief that staffing levels have been cut over the years so that additional reductions in personnel would make it difficult to fulfill the needs of the city residents. Even if it takes months to find the appropriate candidate, Coy wants to ensure that the next city manager will be someone who is an innovative thinker and who will work to meet the needs of the residents.

Coy’s second priority is to work day and night if necessary with federal, state, county and local civic leaders to improve the quality of the Indian River Lagoon. With emphatic sternness, she said “I will take my case to lobby whoever is necessary to protect our lagoon.”

Priority number three for Coy is one which is asked about most often by city residents and that is the ditches and swales need to be brought up to speed in order to save money.  The contractor who had been hired to address this problem had been terminated and a new contractor will soon take over the project.  It is Coy’s intention to “make sure that the contractor meets all the contract specifications in a cost-effective and timely fashion.”

City Clerk Sally Maio stated, “The new council will be sworn in on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 and there is a six page agenda for the first business meeting of the new City Council.”  Joining in the swearing will be Bob McPartlan, and Richard Gillmor.  Bob McPartlan easily won re-election and former City Councilman Richard Gillmor won a close contest over Don Wright who has declined to challenge the election results.

When asked what she attributed her renewed vote of confidence that she continues to get from the voters, Coy stated, “They know that I am fighting each and every day to make Sebastian a better place to live.”

As a retired U. S. Army Master Sergeant, Coy has worked with seven non-profits and gotten to know large groups of voters with differing priorities.  The voters in return know that she works tirelessly on their behalf.

Coy through her long public service career in elected office has accomplished many things.  However, the one accomplishment of which she is most proud of is the Senior Activity Center of Sebastian.  This facility provides social recreational opportunities to more than 200 people.  The cost to the City of Sebastian is essentially only to cover the costs of the utility services for the non-profit organization that charges no membership fees.  The center became a reality by “working closely with the business community that provided funding, offered discounts and made donations of needed items to create a safe and secure environment for seniors to enjoy the company of their peers.”

In responding to her personal career goal, Andrea said she “never wanted to be one of those people whose heads get too big for their hats.”   As someone with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education, Andrea is fully prepared to educate politicians at the federal, state, county and local level about why it is so important to protect the Lagoon.   Thus, she is ready to once again roll up her sleeves and work tirelessly to meet the needs of the voters.