MARK SCHUMANN

According to City Clerk Tammy Vock, with Councilwoman Pilar Turner having filed papers this afternoon to run for re-election, there are now five candidates in the race for three seats on the Vero Beach City Council. Brian Heady, Vice Mayor Jay Kramer, Randy Old, Turner, and Charlie Wilson will all be on the ballot Nov. 4. The qualifying period ends Friday.

Turner has been the Council’s strongest proponent for pushing forward with the proposed sale of Vero Electric to Florida Power & Light. Despite the rising costs to the City and its residents, Turner has urged her fellow Council members to join the Indian River County Commission and the Indian River Shores Town Council in working through the Florida Public Service Commission and the courts to force even a partial sale.  Turner has advocated the City somehow join the Shores in its lawsuit against the City, which would make the City a party to a lawsuit against itself.

Originally a proponent of leasing or selling Crestlawn Cemetery, Turner recently voted with her fellow Council members to put before voters a proposed Charter Referendum that would require the public’s approval, and not a simple majority of the City Council, to sell the Cemetery.

In preparation for the sale of the City’s electric utility, Turner has pushed for deep budget cuts, and has been a strong proponent of benchmarking to assess the City’s staffing and spending.

A strong proponent of limited government, Turner opposed the City’s renewed water and sewer contract with Indian River Shores, and has argued for selling the water and sewer utility to the County.