COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
Indian River County Commissioner Bob Solari’s refusal to participate in a regional effort to save the Indian River Lagoon makes one wonder if the Commissioner may be losing touch with political reality, as well as with the plight of the Lagoon.
Solari’s bizarre comments this week on the Steve Meyer radio program further underscore the concern that the Commissioner may be dwelling in an alternate universe.
Performing his role as Indian River County’s demagogue-in-chief, Solari likened Vero Beach City Councilman and Indian River County Republican State Committeeman Jay Kramer to “an apologist for ISIS terrorists.”
Solari went on to argue there is no longer room in the Republican Party for “progressives.” Accentuating his black-and-white view of the world, Solar several times used the phrase, “ultra-liberal progressives.” Apparently, in Solari’s world, there are those who agree with him, and then there are those who are wrong.
In explaining this week why the Indian River County Commission should not participate in the new Indian River Lagoon Council, Solari said that after leaving the organizational meeting of the Council, “I thought I’d have to pull my car over and puke.”
Confirming his abhorrence for “sustainability,” Solari this week joined fellow Commissioners Peter O’Bryan and Wesley Davis in approving the County’s continued effort to seek permission from the Army Corps of Engineers for making “Improvements” to the Oslo Boat Ramp.
Ironically, when Solari first ran for the Indian River County Commission, he presented himself as a friend of the Lagoon. True Lagoon advocates are now having a hard time buying Solari’s self-assessment.
Solari, who fancies himself as “Mr. Conservative,” serves on a County Commission that not long ago increased taxes and gave members of the Teamsters Union a raise. If nothing else, Solari is a bundle of contradictions.
With demagogues like Solari using their radio time to attack other local leaders, it should should come as no surprise that Indian River County has a growing statewide reputation as a community where local government officials do not work well together.
Indian River Guardian 
I know how Solari feels, every time I hear what Solari states at the county meetings, I too want to pull over to the side of the road and do you know what. It is about time serious people start talking about eliminating the county level of beaucrats.
When there are strong winds in Vero, I think Bob Solari, the Vero windbag. He is no friend of the lagoon. Solari should be ashamed of himself. We, and future generations will suffer because of him thus all anti lagoon politicians must be removed from office when they are up for reelection. His low class remarks aimed at Jay Kramer are the words of a nasty man.
Do you think that at the last minute he will jump in the race for the State rep. seat, and try to knock Jay Kramer out of the running? That might account for the Kramer bashing on an ongoing basis.
Bea, I have heard rumors, nothing more than that, of Solari’s ambition to run for the State House. He claims otherwise. As Solari surveys the field of candidates vying for the House seat to be vacated by Debbie Mayfield in 2016, the philosopher-prince may eventually conclude that he, and only he, is capable of representing the extreme far right interests of the “Republic of Indian River County.” It could be, though, that Solari is avoiding making any commitments so that he will available to be drafted to head the Republican presidential ticket, should all the current candidates falter.
Mark, You are being kind by referring to Solari,in jest ,as the philosopher prince. I think a better title for him would be Prince Useless the First.
To publicly call anyone an “apologist for ISIS terrorists” is beyond the bounds of human decentcy. Mr. Solari owes Jay Kramer and. all residents of Indian River County a public apology. I would hope that during the next meeting of the County Commission Mr. Solari is censured by his fellow commissioners. He should be ashamed of himself. Terrorists behead people. .