COMMENTARY

“This latest quote attributed to Carroll further demonstrates she can be as insufferable in victory as she is intolerable in defeat.”

MARK SCHUMANN

Today, island weekly reporter, Lisa Zahner, wrote that, with the recent circuit court ruling affirming the Code Enforcement Board’s decision in the Carroll short term rental case, the City “is left with no ability to prevent owners of homes in the Central Beach from offering them for rentals of any length an unlimited number of times a year.”

Zahner’s story does not exactly cover all the important bases, for according to Planning and Development Director Tim McGarry, the City Council will hear next Tuesday from special counsel, Susan Trevarthen, on a number of options, including clarifying city code regarding the scope of the Code Enforcement Board’s authority, and possibly appealing the circuit court’s decision to the 4th District Court of Appeals.

Zahner’s story included a classic Tracy Carroll quote, combative and drenched in mean spiritedness. This latest comment attributed to Carroll further demonstrates she can be as insufferable in victory as she is intolerable in defeat.

Last year, after losing her re-election bid to Amelia Graves, Carroll was quoted in the island weekly saying, ““It was a toss-up between Dick Winger’s little acolyte (Amelia Graves) and me, and I lost.”

Zahner’s story, posted today on VeroNews.com, quoted Carroll as saying, “Since 2004 (McGarry did not join the City’s staff until 2006) with the illegal Riomar building moratorium and simultaneously to my firm beginning doing business in Vero Beach, Mr. McGarry has conducted a vindictive campaign against both my company and against me personally. He has attempted to render judgments not in line with either the law or his duty to the city.

“Though his paycheck comes from the city, it is clear that he reports to the Indian River Neighborhood Association. He has now again lost the City of Vero Beach a great deal of time and money and it will be up to Jim O’Connor if Mr. McGarry continues in his position or resigns gracefully.”

Zahner’s story lacked any input or comment from McGarry.

City Manager Jim O’Connor said this morning he retains confidence in McGarry. “Tim is our planning director, and his job encompasses a whole lot more than regulating short term rentals.  Besides, the City Council that decided to appeal the Code Enforcement Board’s decision, not Mr. McGarry.”

O’Connor mentioned a number of initiatives McGarry is spearheading, including updating zoning regulations and codes and working with a number of neighborhood association on overlay districts.

Based on Carroll’s comments, it would seem she, along with city council candidate, Charlie Wilson, would like to make the IRNA an issue in the current election. The IRNA has endorsed Jay Kramer, Randy Old and Jack Shupe.

Though the civic group endorsed Pilar Turner in 2012, its leaders have clearly lost confidence in Carroll’s former tag team partner.  As a troika, Carroll and Turner, with occasional help from Craig Fletcher, challenged anyone who came before the Council expressing views opposed to their own.

See also: Appeals court affirms code enforcement board’s ruling in carroll case