Melbourne Beach candidates outline priorities on stormwater, short-term rentals, fire services and civility at League forum

Four candidates for two Melbourne Beach town commission seats outlined priorities on stormwater, short-term rentals, fire services, taxes and civic decorum at a League of Women Voters forum where residents posed questions and candidates gave opening and closing statements.

The forum, organized by the League of Women Voters of the Space Coast and moderated by Michael Kemp, drew candidates Dr. Terry Cronin, Bruce Larson, Sherry Quarry and Steve Walters. Each candidate described what they would seek to change during a three-year term and answered audience questions on topics that voters identified as urgent.

Why it matters: Voters asked for specifics on recurring local concerns — aging stormwater pipes and drainage basins that drain to the Indian River Lagoon, the impact and enforcement of short-term rental rules, whether Melbourne Beach should move from a largely volunteer fire department to a paid or hybrid model, and rising local taxes. Candidates’ answers give voters a comparative sense of how each would prioritize spending, enforcement and intergovernmental relationships if elected.

On short-term rentals, all four candidates said regulation and enforcement are priorities but differed on remedies. Sherry Quarry said short-term rentals are “a…