Mark Schumann

Organization supporting Howle, Turner has yet to register with City Clerk’s office

Alliance for Better Florida Communities, Vero Beach based electioneering communications organization, mail out a slick post card supporting city council candidates Harry Howle and Pilar Turner. The organization, clearly engaging in political activity is a municipal election, has not yet registered with the City Clerk's Office.
Alliance for Better Florida Communities, a local electioneering communications organization, mailed out a slick post cards supporting city council candidates Harry Howle and Pilar Turner. The organization, clearly engaging in political activity in a municipal election, has not yet registered with the City Clerk’s office, or with the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections.

MARK SCHUMANN

In a year when there have already be a number of complaints filed with the Florida Elections Commission over residency issues and compliance with laws governing political signs, there may be yet another complaint rising out of the current Vero Beach City Council Election.

Alliance for Better Florida Communities, an electioneering communications organization with the registered address of 165 Ocean Way, mailed out a slick post card urging voters to support candidates Harry Howle and Pilar Turner.

The group has yet to register with City Clerk Tammy Vock’s office, or with the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections.  According to the Florida Division of Elections handbook for electioneering communications organizations, Alliance for Better Florida Communities should be registered with and reporting its fundraising and spending to City Clerk Tammy Vock’s office.

Below is the section of the state-issued handbook explaining the laws governing campaign finance reporting for electioneering communications organizations such as Alliance for Better Florida Communities.

Election Handbook

Alliance for Better Florida Communities has also yet to report expenditures and contributions to the Division of Elections.

Alliance for Better Florida Communities 3

 

According to the Division of Elections website, the group formed on Sept. 11 of this year.

 

Alliance for Better Florida Communities 2

Last fall, when Glenn Heran spent some $40,000 in FLP contributions to Citizens for a Better Future, he registered the group with Vock’s office.  The previous spring, when spending some $90,000 in FPL contributions to Citizens for a Brighter Future, he also registered that group with Vock’s office.  The FPL money was used to encourage voter approval of the purchase and sale agreement between the City and FPL and to support Tracy Carroll in her failed bid for re-election.

The group, whose registered agent is listed with the Florida Division of Elections as Trina Mangano Balch, has yet to register with City Clerk Tammy Vock.  The group gives at its address 165 Ocean Way, a residence in the Seagrove subdivision south of the city limits. According to the Indian River County Property Appraiser’s website, 165 Ocean Way is owned by Carla Grune (1/4 owner), Guerry Grune (1/4 owner) and Frederick Ehrsman (1/2 owner).

Alliance for Better Florida Communities 1

20 comments

  1. Ah yes. Another group of people who do not live in the City of Vero Beach but want to put there two cents in our election. Is there no limits to what FP&L will do to bankrupt our city? I can hardly wait till we get the whole story on these guys.

  3. It does not matter what the name….”Citizens for a Better Future”….”Citizens for a Brighter Future”….”Alliance for Better Florida Communities”..it all smells of FPL money all over it, along with Heran, Faherty, Wilson, Stump, Mucher, Solari. The VOTERS of Vero Beach told FPL the last election to take their money and go by getting Tracy Carroll out of office….so, here we go again….and the beat goes on and on and on…..

  4. Strange ,but Charlie Wilson is not in the Howle,Turner campaign picture Seems like they are running as far away from Charlie as they can and as fast as they can. I do not blame them based on Wilson”s past actions and history.

  5. Noting the flyer regarding Turner and Howe, The third (remember the three stooges?) seems to be absent on the flyer. But Charlie came out with his own BUSINESS CARD?????sayng Clean the lagoon, sell Our Electric and then stop the train. Where did he get the money for the mailout? Since his condo foreclosure in not alive and well,, “I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE, his financial situation should be of some concern to him.. But not having Wilson Russell on the flyer leads me to believe that Howe and Turner are trying to keep their distance from him. And Amy Brunjes FPL letter is nothing more than election propaganda even though she is not endorsing candidates, she is promoting a false sense that the FPL deal can be resurrected. Since her specific comment states the sale is in the hands of our elected officials and they will continue to work with the City’s leadership without naming names-is she not endorsing the pro sale candidates of Turner, Howe and Wilson? I guess it is worth filing an election complaint against her. I don’t have a problem in doing that, but I would appreciate how others feel regarding what she has done. I am not sure if FP&L should have any influence in our local elections. Will see if there is any further comment on this and I’ll go from there…………I voted today. I have lived in Vero Beach since 1985. Even 32963 stated on their front page “The FPL deal is dead, but there are still those that are picking on the carkus. When we wake up on 6 nov, we will get what we deserve..

  6. Someone needs to write a book about FPL’s actions on buying our local politicians. It is so blatant it is ridiculous and with our local daily newspaper in their pocket it really makes a great story on how large corporations are destroying and controlling our political system. The founding fathers never had this in mind or there would have been protections written in
    the Constitution.

    President Eisenhower warned us in his farewell address that the military industrial complex he created to win WWII had become way to powerful. FPL’s and the press journals actions and interference in our local elections is a perfect example of this.

  7. “Any electioneering communications organization that would be required to file in two or more locations need only file with the Division.”

    Did you check to see if they filed with the Division?

  8. If the Alliance for Better Florida Comminities were involved in statewide or multi-county races, they could do all their reporting with the Division of Elections. The group only formed Sept. 11 of this year, so ther certainly we’re not involved in and multi-county or statewide races during the August primary. The only race the appear to be involved in at present is the Vero Beach municipal election. Having said they, they have yet to report contributions and expenditures to the state, the county supervisor of elections, or the city clerk. It’s all there in the story.

  9. The address for this “committees” is in a residential house. It is not homesteaded and the mailing address is out of state.

  10. Out of state? The address given in in the 32963 zip code, south of the city limit in the Seagrove subdivision.

  11. More out of town people getting involved in our local election. Turner and Howle have a lot of explaining to do to the residents of the city. Where is this year’s money coming from? Remember last year when FPL provided lots of cash that ultimately got to Tracy Carroll’s campaign in her losing effort.

  12. If you look on the property Appraisers site the mailing address for the owner is out of state.

  13. Note to Turner and Howle, you are running for City Council, that’s CITY, not Indian River County Council! See the first line of the ad.

  14. The 1/4 owners of the 165 Ocean Way, Vero Beach, FL 32963
    Guerry L. Grune and Carla O. Grune of Virginia Beach, VA
    Their profiles (with pictures) at: http://www.epatentmanager.com/Team/team.htm
    Their website: http://www.ePatentManager.com
    Their website description: Provides intellectual property management and consulting services.

    More information the Grunes:
    http://www.advancedbackgroundchecks.com/d/GUERRY-L%20DR-GRUNE/180210141
    http://www.advancedbackgroundchecks.com/d/CARLA-OWEN-GRUNE/180210152

    —-

    The 1/2 owner of the 165 Ocean Way, Vero Beach, FL. 32963
    Frederick Ehrsam of Virginia Beach, VA

    Information:
    http://www.advancedbackgroundchecks.com/d/FREDERICK-EHRSAM/1046417672
    Above the link – same phone number with Guerry Grune (area code of 757 located in the Virginia Beach, VA area)

    —-

    Information about Trina Mangano Balch
    Last known address (2013): 5145 Sapphire Lane, SW Vero Beach, FL 32968
    Download pdf file (2.3 MB) and see page 30 of the US Lacrosse Women’s Game Officials Policies and Procedures Manual at:

    Click to access 2013-womens-officials-policy-manual.pdf

    Property information on 5145 Sapphire Lane, SW Vero Beach, FL 32968
    http://ircpa.org/Data.aspx?ParcelID=33392800007000000045.0

    Information about Adam 18, LLC., owner of 5145 Sapphire Lane, SW Vero Beach, Fl 32968:
    http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail/EntityName/flal-l09000046133-51d154b3-796c-4730-9180-c11d9e8800af/adam%2018/Page1

    Photos of Trina Mangano
    http://thawklacrosse.com/referee_stuff.htm
    http://thawklacrosse.com/photos.htm

    Applied for marriage license with Donald Balch (2007)
    http://www.tcpalm.com/news/courthouse-news_20140527173656987

    —-

    Please remember what Sergeant Joe Friday said: Just the facts.

  17. From St Edwards’ School – Meet the Faculty web page:

    http://www.steds.org/Faculty?rc=0

    and click on B (last name) under Teacher Directory:

    Name: Trina Balch
    Dept: LS Physical Education, Library
    Title: LS Librarian/ LS Phys Ed Teacher
    Business Phone: (772) 492-2335
    Education: Rollins College – B.A.

  18. Charlie Wilson has to be furious with Turner and Howle for not letting him be pictured in their campaign flyer .We all know how he loves to take as much tv time as possible when ranting at council meetings. He loves face time more than any politician in Vero.To get this “slap in the face” from Howle and his old buddy Turner has to hurt him deeply. I wonder if his old buddy Tracy will let him down. After all he did support her last year. We do know she will be supporting Turner ,since Turner supported her with the short term rental issue. Turner was the only one to vote “NO” to appeal the Code Enforcement Board’s decision. Vero will never be the same., Thanks Pilar and Tracy.

  19. Trina Balch’s business: Ref Check LLC (reference check or referee check?)

    http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail/OfficerRegisteredAgentName/flal-l08000056336-e1c2b6ad-a7b8-4b42-885a-8d19145a6a5e/balch%20trina/Page1

    Detail by Officer/Registered Agent Name
    Florida Limited Liability Company REF CHECK LLC
    Filing Information
    Document NumberL08000056336 FEI/EIN Number262800056 Date Filed06/06/2008 StateFL StatusACTIVE
    Principal Address
    165 OCEAN WAY
    VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    Changed: 09/09/2009
    Mailing Address
    165 OCEAN WAY
    VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    Changed: 09/09/2009
    Registered Agent Name & Address BALCH, TRINA M
    165 OCEAN WAY
    VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    Name Changed: 02/11/2013

    Address Changed: 09/09/2009
    Authorized Person(s) Detail Name & Address

    Title MRS.

    BALCH, TRINA M
    165 OCEAN WAY
    VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    —-

  20. Campaign Contributions to Alliance for Better Florida Communities

    Filed: 09/20/2014 – 09/26/2014

    09/23/2014 5,000.00 GEORGE E. WARREN CORPORATION 3001 OCEAN DRIVE SUITE 203 VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    09/23/2014 400.00 THE HILL GROUP 3880 39TH SQUARE VERO BEACH, FL 32960

    09/23/2014 300.00 820 MEDICAL BUILDING LLC 3880 39TH SQ VERO BEACH, FL 32960

    09/23/2014 300.00 JPH DEVELOPMENT CORP 3880 39TH SQ VERO BEACH, FL 32960

    09/23/2014 500.00 SMITH ELSON 1320 LITTLE HARBOUR DRIVE VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    09/23/2014 500.00 RIVERFRONT PACKING COMPANY, LL P.O. BOX 39 VERO BEACH, FL 32961

    09/23/2014 350.00 SAMUEL A. BLOCK, P.A. 1555 INDIAN RIVER BLVD, SUITE B-125 VERO BEACH, FL 32960

    09/23/2014 500.00 HOGAN AND SONS, INC P.O. BOX 880 VERO BEACH, FL 32961

    09/23/2014 250.00 INSITE SOLUTIONS, INC 5070 N. HIGHWAY A1A SUITE C-1 VERO BEACH, FL 32963

    09/23/2014 500.00 IMG CITRUS, INC. P.O. BOX 123033 DALLAS, TX 75312
    ————
    8,600.00

    Note: The Hill Group owned by Toby Hill of the Indian River Tea Party

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