ED TAYLOR

The well-known Mark Twain quotation “Everybody talks about the weather nobody does anything about it!” can also be applicable to city government when it comes to community involvement and service on volunteer committees. Vero Beach Mayor Dick Winger would like to see a change in that attitude. In a recent interview the mayor stated that he would like to see more Vero Beach residents, who are eligible, to participate actively in the day-to-day operations of the city. The mayor encouraged citizen participation in committees who advise the council on numerous issues stressing that such involvement would provide a good background for eventual election to the city council.

There are currently numerous advisory panels and commissions that meet regularly to address issues and make recommendations to the elected council. These are volunteer positions and most require city residency, however, some commissions will allow Indian River County residents as members if they meet certain qualifications that would be vital to the commission. For instance, a county resident could participate as a member of the Architectural Review Commission if that person was in fact an architect.

There are currently 16 active advisory and/or regulatory commissions serving the Vero Beach City Council. The current Code Enforcement Board is facing possible modifications. Other commissions and/or panels that meet on a regular basis include; the Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary Advisory Committee, which reviews proposed memorials to be constructed on the site, the Youth Advisory Commission, the Tree and Beautification Commission, the Marine Commission as well as commissions focusing on utilities, finance, and the municipal airport.  There are certain qualifications for membership on each commission based upon specific areas of interest and expertise related to the focus of the advisory panel.  The Utilities Commission is open to both city and county residents and also requires that at least one member be a resident of Indian River Shores.

The Planning and Zoning Board is a regulatory advisory panel and serves as the local planning agency as mandated by Florida Statutes.  It is open only to city residents. Other regulatory panels include the Board of Building Appeals and the Historic Preservation Commission which are both voluntary but do require certain levels of expertise prior to appointment by the city council.

In addition to the Planning and Zoning Board there are two other statutory boards dealing with fire and police pensions.

Ordinarily a person who is seeking appointment to a board or advisory panel should first contact the city clerk to determine what positions are available and the qualifications necessary to sit as a member. The next step would be to then fill out the necessary applications for review by the city council.  The council makes the actual appointments to each commission or panel.

The mayor emphasized that he would like to see more young people get involved in these advisory and regulatory panels, especially young professionals who would meet the qualifications required by some specific panels.  He stated that he would like to see applicants who have a long time relationship with Vero Beach become more civically active.

Mayor Winger first became familiar with Vero Beach when his parents moved here in 1971 and became a full-time resident close to 12 years ago.  Winger likened civic pride and participation in local government to service in the military.

“I am in my 70s and Craig (Fletcher) is also in his 70s,” the mayor said.  “We want to chart the future for prosperous and well managed growth of our city. I believe this will require active citizen participation in all areas of city government.  The future is everything.”