MARK SCHUMANN

Vero Beach Mayor Richard Winger, who is seeking a third term on the city council, today reported a total of $13,255 in campaign contributions through July 10.  The extent of Winger’s growing war chest was revealed in a regularly campaign finance report filed with the city clerk’s office.

Winger has said his priorities are to, “keep Vero Vero, address the Lagoon crisis and encourage cooperation among local governments.”

Though it is widely speculated Councilwoman Amelia Graves will also run for re-election, she has not yet formally announced her intention to seek a second term.

In his regular “Utility Update” email newsletter, utility activists Steven Faherty routinely accuses the current city council, with the exception of Pilar Turner, of blocking the sale of Vero Electric.

Winger counters that the sale is stalled, not because of council action or inaction, but because the city’s contracts with the Florida Municipal Power Agency and the Orlando Utilities commission are “under water.” According to Winger, for the price FPL has said it can pay for Vero Electric, no one is willing to assume Vero Beach’s contractual obligations to support three FMPA power projects and to buy wholesale power from the FMPA and the OUC.

Faherty’s fellow utility activist, Glen Heran, has previously pushed for passage of referendums on the sale and has supported pro-sale city council candidates through electioneering communications organizations heavily funded by FPL.  It is also widely speculated that local utility activists will seek to recruit candidates to challenge Winger and Graves in the fall election. These challenges will likely benefit from generous indirect financial support from FPL.