COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
Sounding as if he is in a position to decide what can and should be done to salvage Florida Power & Light’s attempted acquisition of Vero Electric, utility activist and city council candidate Charlie Wilson said today, “I will absolutely not get over it…I am willing to do anything, and I mean absolutely anything, to get out of these contracts.”
Wilson made his strident remark while addressing the Utilities Commission this morning.
Planning and Zoning Board Member, Mark Mucher, followed Wilson to the podium during public comment time. Mucher questioned the wisdom of decommissioning the power plant.
According to City Manager Jim O’Connor, it is costing the City more than $4 million a year to operate the plant.
A fellow founding board member with Wilson in the new Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce, Mucher focused on the short term costs of laying off employees. Ironically, Mucher has long argued the city should reduce its employee count and should concentrate on delivering only “essential services.”
Indian River Guardian 
If Charlie Wilson is indeed going to do “absolutely anything” to have FP@L provide our electrical needs, perhaps he is willing to write his personal check to cover all of the expenses.
When someone claims they will do anything to accomplish a mission that, at best, is not essential to our well-being, I am seeing red flags. I am concerned and uneasy. Pat Lavins makes a good point–let Charlie fund every bit of the cost – but make sure he pays with cashier’s check.
Don’t these characters, Mucher and Wilson have jobs? Seems like they have a lot of time on their hands to attend all these government meetings to speak to an issue ( the sale of the Elect. Utility) that the public is now being informed is on life support and just a matter of time before the plug is pulled.