COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

Charlie Wilson rode into office in 2009 on a wave of anger and discontent over historically high electric rates.  Frustrated voters were also persuaded by Wilson’s assurances the City would net some $80 million to $90 million on the sale of its electric system.  That promise never materialized. In fact, had the sale gone through, the City would have been left empty-handed and its 34,000 customers would have been stuck with a $26 million bill from FPL.

Wilson, the merchant of discontent, was removed from the City Council by court order after just one month in office.  In that short time, Wilson was instrumental in inviting Florida Power & Light to take a run at buying Vero Electric as the first step in the utility giant’s attempt to expand its customers base by acquiring municipal utilities.

Now, some five year later, the power sale, which has been orchestrated by FPL every ill-conceived step of the way, has fallen apart.  Despite the meltdown of the power deal, Wilson is sounding more like a candidate with each passing City Council meeting.  Apparently living in his own fantasy land, untethered from reality, Wilson seems to believe Humpty Dumpty can be put back together again.

Should Wilson make another run for a seat on the City Council, this time will likely be different.  People have grown weary of the five-year-long struggle.  In fact, about all the City has gotten for its efforts is a stack of legal bills soon to top $2 million.

This time around, the public is also wiser to FPL’s ways.  Most importantly, Wilson’s brand of angry, confrontational politics has run its course.  The bloom is off the rose for Karl-Rove-style politicians like Wilson, who deal in half truths and who traffic in fear and anger.

During Wilson’s regular 10-minute campaign appearance at today’s City Council meeting, the self-described “Professor of Political Baloney” argued that the Florida Municipal Power Agency board of directors has it within its power to unilaterally make contract changes that could keep the power sale alive.  As is so often the case with Wilson, he was wrong.

Schef Wight, an attorney now working with the City on the power sale, patiently explained the facts.  “The FMPA is not only responsible to its membership. It is responsible to the bondholders and the bond trustee. If they were to act as if they were going to try to amend the contracts, the approval of the bond trustee would have to be given. Also, under the bond resolution I’m sure that the bond trustee, and the counsel for the bond trustee and the bond insurer and the consulting engineer would all have to sign off on that,” Wright explained.

At several points during Tuesday’s Council meeting, Wilson seemed determined to prove his claim that he is “the world’s worst lawyer.”

Wilson argued that the City has grounds to take the FMPA to court.  Again, Wright corrected him.  “I think a direct challenge to the validity of the contracts themselves would be meritless,” Wright said.

Wright also dismissed Wilson’s assertion that the FMPA has breached its contracts.  “I think that if you tried to bring such an action, you would be met with a motion to dismiss that would most likely be granted,” Wright countered.

In the interest of keeping the pressure cooker that is Charlie Wilson from exploding, it is probably wise for the Mayor to continue to give him his 10 minutes before the cameras each meeting.

Councilwoman Pilar Turner, who like Wilson prefers confrontation to collaboration, has taken Tracy Carroll’s place throwing low blows from the dais and saying whatever she thinks will make her point, with little if any regard for the truth. Attacking the very organization whose help Vero Beach will need in cutting rates, Turner accused the Orlando Utilities Commission of “throwing Vero Beach under the bus.”

Turner was equally undiplomatic recently when, as the City’s representative to the Florida Municipal Power Agency, she accused the FMPA of “pulling the rug out from under Vero Beach.”

Like Tracy Carroll, Turner seems to have believed much of what she heard from the folks at FPL, who, themselves, seem to believe that if they want something bad enough it’s theirs, contract law be damned.

While looking for anyone but herself to blame for the failure to conclude the power sale, Turner cannot admit that she, Carroll and Craig Fletcher stumbled down a dead end road, drunk on FPL Kool-Aid. Who can forget the image of the Troika, all grinning like Cheshire cats after putting their names to contracts that should never have been signed because they simply can never be executed?

Jay Kramer and Richard Winger knew better than to sign on to a contract full of blanks and holes, just as they knew the power purchase agreements were flawed. In exchange for their good advice, all they got from Carroll, Fletcher and Turner was disrespect.

Make no mistake about it. The next election will be as important as the last.  Three seats will be decided, which means the rational majority of Jay Kramer, Amelia Graves and Richard Winger could be lost.  People who care about preserving the quality of life in Vero Beach must not allow the likes of Turner and Wilson, and whoever else FPL might persuade to do its bidding, to ruin the spirit and the character of this beautiful community.

Editor’s Note: Inside Vero recently made a public records request of Councilwoman Pilar Turner for documents related to utility legislation supported by the Indian River County Commission and State Rep. Debbie Mayfield but opposed by the City.  The public records request also covered documents related to the County’s and FPL’s successful efforts to slide $200,000 in the state budget at the last minute to pay for an audit of the FMPA.  Turner provided two highly redacted pages of notes taken during the May 15 FMPA meeting in Orlando.  

Inside Vero has since requested copies of all notes taken by Turner during FMPA meetings she has attended since being appointed as the City’s representative to the board.  Turner has yet to respond.