Election results 2018: No changes to Fellsmere City Council; Joel Tyson, Fernando Herrera, Jessica Salgado retain seats

FELLSMERE — All three incumbents will spend another two-year term on the City Council in the city's first contested election in five election cycles. 

Incumbents Fernando Herrera, Jessica Salgado and Joel Tyson received the most votes in Tuesday’s election, with local business owner Jerry Renick unsuccessful in his bid to unseat the incumbents. Renick indicated he wanted to get more involved in city government and thought a seat on the council would be a good way to serve his community. 

Herrera was the top vote-getter with 31.33 percent. Salgado earned 29.99 percent and Tyson received 23.30 percent. Renick received 15.38 percent of the vote.

Election results are unofficial until certified by the Canvassing Board.

Tyson, who has been on the council for most of the past 20 years, is at 86 the oldest public official in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties.

He said he wants to continue the expansion the city has been undergoing for the past decade, with large tracks of former county agricultural land annexed into the city.

The City Council annexed 8,800 acres or 13.75-square miles of Corrigan Ranch property into the city and reclassified 7800 acres or 12.16-square miles as low density, mixed use in the city’s comprehensive plan, allowing for future residential development.

It also approved a 1,000-acre mineral mining operation on the land that will provide sand for beach re-nourishment throughout the county.

All three incumbents spoke of improving the quality of Fellsmere’s roads, many of which are unpaved and subject to flooding. Salgado said it's critical to pave more roads and add street lights in certain areas of the city.

Herrera said he will continue to work hard on improving safety and security issues within the city. He will continue to work closely with the police chief to eliminate some of the quality of life issues that still exist in the largely rural area.

More: 3 Fellsmere incumbents run for re-election

Water quality remains a top issue in Fellsmere, with the city just two months into a 180-ban on spreading bio-solids on ranches in the agricultural community. In August, the town agreed to the ban while scientists investigate whether the increasing phosphorus pollution and toxic algae bloom in Blue Cypress Lake is caused by runoff from Class B bio solids. The county imposed a similar ban last July.

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