COMMENTARY
The last development Vero Beach needs now is adoption of a poorly conceived change to the City Charter than would give outside interests such FPL and Indian River Shores residents 50% more time for the quislings the manage to elect to the City Council.
MARK SCHUMANN
Vero Beach voters are being asked to increase by 50% the length of terms for City Council members. And where did this not-so-bright idea originate? At least publicly, the current proposal for extending Council terms from two to three years was raised by FPL-sponsored candidates Laura Moss, Harry Howle and Lange Sykes, and then supported by there occasional ally Tony Young.
Beyond the four Council members who would like longer terms, the term-extension idea does not seem to be gaining traction. In fact, both local newspapers – the “Indian River Shores” island weekly, and the Press Journal – have advised voters to reject this obvious power grab.
If Council members are serving the public well, they can presumably be re-elected. (There are exceptions, of course. Last fall, Randy Old lost his re-election bid by 27 votes Lange Sykes, an uninspiring, uninformed, and ill-prepared candidate who was heavily supported by FPL and Indian River Shores interests. Sykes only advantage over Old was his commitment to serve the interests of FPL and Shores residents over the needs and interests of people of Vero Beach.)
If Council members are not following the public will and and not looking out for the best interests of the City and its residents, they should be turned out of office after two terms, if not removed sooner by a re-call initiative.
The last develoopment Vero Beach needs now is adoption of a poorly conceived change to the City Charter than would give outside interests 50% more time for the quislings the manage to elect to the City Council.
Indian River Guardian 
Three year terms do little to help citizens. The beneficiaries of longer terms are those who seek to buy elections with the increased cost necessary to influence elected officials.
County Commission has four year terms and it is bad enough the press hardly ever prints what our county commissioners are up to. With two year terms rarely do you see anything in the press about our city council. When it comes to the sale to FPL, the press is all over the discussion to persuade us into accepting the sale to FPL, and the current city council has spent most of its time on the FPL sale.
Three and four year terms are bad news as long as we have a biased press, corporation-paid campaigns, and candidates willing to sell their campaigns to the highest bidder just to hold a seat on the city council or county commission.
Keep the politicians” feet to the fire” by having them run every 2 years.