MARK SCHUMANN

Now that Jack Shupe, a member of the Utilities Commission, has entered the City Council race, Vero Beach voters will have at least six candidates to choose from to fill three seats of the City Council. Vice Mayor Jay Kramer and Councilwoman Pilar Turner are running for re-election. They are joined in the race by Shupe, Randy Old, Brian Heady and Charlie Wilson.The qualifying period ends Friday at 5 p.m.

Shupe, who served as Director of Cartography for the National Geographic Society from 1965 to 1999, ran for the City Council in 2009. At the time, Shupe, widely considered among those committed to preserving the special character of Vero Beach, faced strong opposition from a united front to sell Vero Electric to Florida Power & Light regardless of the cost to the City, its residents and taxpayers. In a year when frustration over high electric rates dominated the public debate, voters elected Charlie Wilson and Brian Heady, both of whom advocated selling the city’s electric system to FPL, virtually without question and without knowing the ultimate terms of the deal.

Given the changing terms and rising costs, many voters have become more leery of the proposed electric sale. Other issues, including maintaining municipal services, shoring up the City’s financial position and protecting Crestlawn Cemetery and other public lands form sale or lease without voter approval, are now central to the larger debate about the City’s future.

In addition to currently serving on the Utilities Commission, Shupe was a previously a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission.