Update: Though the utilities at the address Charlie Wilson now gives as his permanent residence within the City of Vero Beach were not placed in his name until September 19, 2013, Wilson did provied the City Clerk’s office with a copy of a lease on the property with showing an effective date of August 20. Wilson also provided a receipt for a rent payment dated August 20, 2013 and a copy of a voter registration card. In as letter received by the City Clerk’s office July 25, 2014, Wilson wrote, “It should be noted that the landlord owner of this property kept the utility in his name until the end of his billing period. The account was transferred in September and is not intended to prove the original date which is shown in the lease but to show continuous occupation at that address since the electric utility was transferred.
MARK SCHUMANN
Within a month of winning a seat on the Vero Beach City Council in 2009, Charlie Wilson was removed from office for failing to prove he had lived within the city for at least one full year prior to the qualifying deadline. Wilson, who has described himself as the world’s worst lawyer, but who has no law degree, offered Circuit Court Judge Paul Kanarek a novel interpretation of the city’s code. Essentially, Judge Kanarek ruled that Wilson’s argument was an affront to reason and ordered him removed from office.
These days, Wilson is wearing his hair shorter, appearing before the city council and the television cameras sporting a business suit, is now introducing himself as “Charles,” and is no longer giving his official address as a post office box. For the longest time, Wilson went before the city council offering as his address, post office box 651114. More recently, Wilson has told the city council he lives at 2134 18th Avenue in downtown Vero Beach.
Documents provided by the City Clerk’s Office in response to a public records request suggest that despite Wilson’s recent makeover, history may be repeating itself. Utilities Department records reveal that the utility services at 2134 18th Avenue were not put in Wilson’s name until September 19, 2013. Prior to that date, the utilities at Wilson’s claimed address were in the name of Paul Schwankbec. With the filing deadline for this year’s electing being September 5, Wilson may have established his Vero Beach residency too late to qualify to run in this November’s election.
According to Section 30-3.b of the City Code, to qualify to run for a seat on the city council, a person must have resided in the city continuously “during the one (1) year immediately preceding the last day of the qualifying period as set forth in article II of the Charter of the city.”
Below is the affidavit Wilson will have to sign if an when he qualifies to run for election to the city council. In order run, Wilson will have to demonstrate proof of residency at some other address within the city prior to September 19, 2013.
Indian River Guardian 
Not to defend Mr.Wilson, but if a person rents from someone else – has a signed lease but the owner is taking care of basic utilities-would the renter, if he stayed long enough (a year or better)be eligible to run for office? Proof of occupancy – looks like it could be changing D.L. address, changing address on credit cards, bank accounts, car insurance. Just asking.
Sure, Cathy, Charlie could have lived at his current address before actually switching the utilities into his name. He might even have lived at another address within the city prior to Sept. 5, 2013 and prior to moving into his current address. It will be interesting to see what proof he has that he did, in fact, live within the city limits prior to Sept. 19, 2013, the date when the utilities at his current address were put into his name.
I would not be surprised if history repeats itself.