GUEST COMMENTARY

BEA GARDNER

What’s wrong with this picture? There is no diversity in the Indian River County Commission. The only visible thing of difference is the color of their ties.

Where have all the women gone? I remember Caroline Ginn, Sandra Bowden, Ruth Stanbridge, Carolyn Eggert, and Fran Adams. Well, I guess all we can hope for this time around is Susan Adams – former Mayor of Fellsmere and daughter of former Commissioner Fran Adams. You go girl…With Fellsmere on the move she would be a wise choice for District 1.

I see that in the Property Appraiser race Wesley Davis has raised twice as much money as longtime incumbent David Nolte and you know what that means. That means his campaign manager, Charlie Wilson will probably take his 15% cut right off the top of all moneys raised during his campaign. That’s right, for every dollar that is donated to the Davis Campaign about 15% goes to the campaign manager….At least that is what the Roo has always charged in the past to manage a campaign. But, that’s not the only way he will make money off the Davis campaign. All the media advertising, radio, TV, signs etc. is usually wholesaled to the campaign manager and then retailed to the candidate. As I recall, Charlie Wilson says he has frozen his Media Company and no longer pays taxes to that entity so….how will he justify his income  from the Wesley Davis campaign? Hmmm. Just asking.

Looks like Jay Kramer has a ways to go to catch up with Commissioner Solari in  the money part of the race but…from what I am hearing the Salami is not as well liked as he would like to think he is. Believe me, he has taken us down a path of slight destruction with a few biggies like the Oslo boat ramp, the law suit against the City of Vero Beach which is in the very district that he is supposed to be representing, and the most egregious action, or shall I say non action, is his lack of support for the lagoon. As you might remember, the Salami was the Commissioner who urged his fellow commissioners NOT to participate in the regional Indian River Lagoon Council.

Joe Earman has surged ahead of Zorc the Dork with campaign contributions. Earman sits with $7,772.33 to Zorc’s $3,700.00. Mark “the hair guy” and Chuck Kirby are falling way behind in campaign contributions with barely $1,000.00 in each of their campaigns. Go Joe Go. These four District 3 candidates have already had their first public showing with a forum at one of the Republican Women’s clubs. I heard that the “hair guy” was pretty much of a buffoon and I am hearing that he stands a zero chance of winning that seat.

It will be a shame if Zorc the Dork wins another term because if that happens the State of Florida will be paying him a retirement for the rest of his life and that would make him a burden to the taxpayers. When he ran the first time the Pee Pee Jay, asked all of the candidates if they had ever filed or gone thru a bankruptcy and he said no on his paper work. Also, and this is on file at the Supervisor of Elections office, at the time of his first campaign he was over four million dollars in debt. Hmmm. How does that make you feel about the guy who will be overseeing the County Budget as he asks for yet another term? Apparently, he is in the middle of a personal bankruptcy. I guess when you can’t make it in the real world you run to the government for a job and voila, you are in the bucks again. His wife will join the government gravy train soon with her unopposed run for the  school board, District 3 seat. Yep, soon we will have Zorc the Dork and Mrs. Dork unless a cool, calm guy like Joe Earman comes along and slowly but steadily can give the Dork a run for his money.

If you analyze this last financial report closely you might get a different picture of this race. Zorc the Dork raised about $3,700 with the help of only three (3) donors plus his mother while Joe Earman raised over $7,000 from about 17 contributors. I’ll take 17 contributors over three any day. Go Joe Go.

Erin Grall has about $84,000.00 in her campaign treasure chest and her opponent Lange Sykes has raised slightly more than Grall. This is a race to watch. I predict it will be a close race with Grall eking out a win. It’s been said that Lange Sykes is just one more puppet for FPL so what does that say if Grall wins. That probably will tell us that FPL is not very good at picking winners. My money would be on Grall. She is a brilliant attorney and has groomed herself into being not only ready for this job but very able to do the job. It just depends if we want capable or puppet…just saying.

I tend to put a little emphasis on who and how a campaign is managed and Lange Sykes campaign manager is Matt Mohler who is a paid consultant for All Aboard Florida. Hmmm. Yikes for Skyes on that one– but, I will say that at least Matt Mohler is a notch or two or maybe three above Wesley Davis’ campaign manager – Charlie Wilson. I think Matt Mohler probably charges more than the Roo to run Sykes campaign. Last I heard, Charlie Wilson/aka Captain Kangaroo charges about 15% of campaign funds raised to run a campaign. I say this based on what Mohler charged Harry Howle  when Howle ran for City Council last year. If Mohler was able to charge Howle about $18,000 just think what he will be charging Sykes. Yikes.  And, I’ll bet Mohler’s Front Line Strategies is a lot more active than Charlie Wilsons’ not active Media Arts. Just guessing of course and LOL.

Oh, since today was the last day for filing for Vero Beach City Council and Harry Howle did file this afternoon….I wonder if Matt Mohler will be running two campaigns in Indian River County at the same time – Yikes Sykes and Harry Karry? That would be a wise move for Mohler and his Front Line Strategies since he could milk FPL and AAF for campaign contributions and kill two birds with one stone.

Speaking of last minute trouble makers – listen to this. At the last minute Damien Gilliams filed to run for Sebastian City Council. Now, on the surface that seems like a normal thing to happen, after all, Damien is to Sebastian what Brian Heady is to Vero Beach – a perennial candidate.  But, do you realize that by Damian running in this race it will cost the City of Sebastian $35,000? How’s that you say? Well, up until this last minute filing by Gilliam’s, the three incumbents, Andrea Coy, Bob McFarland and Richard Gilmore were the only candidates and no election would have had to take place. Since Gilliams got in the race it will cost the City $35,000 to run the election. Hmmm.