I wrote an article entitled “Update on The Sale of Vero Electric” that came out in the last couple of days and it said “Vero has proven that it cannot run a utility” and I meant that the complicated task of running a $100 million utility business was too complicated for a City Council that turned over every couple of years. It needed a structure of people who knew the business, a Utility Authority, or a consulting agreement with a Utility Management Company who could help the City Council make good decisions.

In no way was I criticizing the City of Vero Beach employees of the utility, in fact, I should have commended them for putting up with our community for the past 10 years while this keep/sell debate was raging and jeopardizing their jobs. I have spent a good deal of time talking to staff trying to understand the situation, rode around with Ted Fletcher just after the last hurricane, and have tremendous respect for him, Tom Richards before him, and his whole unit.

I was criticizing City Council people like me, not knowledgeable people in Vero Electric. My apologies.