Mayor Dick Winger with his wife Bobbie and grand daughter Erin Winger

We must Keep Vero-Vero! ™

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT TO ME!

We are blessed to live in this special part of the world called Vero Beach—a small beachside neighborhood community and a vibrant communal life with elements of “Old Florida.” While our community has many resources, it faces many challenges.

With challenges to Keep Vero-Vero ™, we are at a crossroads. I want us to make sure we take the right path in this crucial election by advocating the following positions:

• Save the Lagoon: We are the Treasure Coast leader in improving the water quality of the Indian River Lagoon, due to our efforts to implement a Step System program to reduce septic tank pollution from entering the Lagoon. We are also exploring a Storm Water Utility to filter and end run-off of muck, oil, clippings and nutrients that are harmful to the lagoon. Additionally, we implemented a fertilizer ban ordinance.
• Keep Vero-Vero: To maintain our special small city with its parks, festivals, parades, theater, recreational opportunities, excellent police and fire protection, outstanding life guards, and without clutter or high rise buildings, while maintaining our infrastructure and strengthening our City finances.
• Support our Police: We need to add two patrol officers, replace worn cars and equipment, and respect the fine job of our police force.
• Reduce power rate: We continue to pursue what is a crucial and difficult task of selling our electric utility to achieve lower electrical rates. We are impeded by our Florida Municipal Power Agency contracts; and while we and Florida Power and Light have not found a path to overcome this, we should not give up trying. While we pursue these efforts, it is imperative to continue to reduce rates all we can, by lower wholesale rates from the Orlando Utility Commission, closing our “Big Blue” electrical plant, and cutting costs (in the last two years rates are down 6.7%.)

The current City Council inherited a bad hand, stretched from a deteriorating infrastructure and parks, to worn out equipment; in my opinion because the issues had been kicked down the road.

This City Council has changed an unfunded pension gap to a defined contribution plan and have implemented a “use-it or lose- it” vacation and sick pay policy. We have brought in best management practices and are overhauling our computer information and billing systems.

But with that said, perhaps the best thing this City Council has done is to encourage Working Together ™ with the many civic groups who contribute time and money for the best in parks, festivals, community activities, volunteerism, sports activities and neighborhood rejuvenation.

Vero Beach gets better and better because of you and I would like to continue to be part of our communal effort to keep and improve Vero Beach as the special place it is.

For more on my campaign please go to:

dickwingerforcitycouncil.com

This is a political statement approved by the Campaign of Richard Winger for City Council.