Elected Officials and Council — Vero Beach, Florida

Vero Beach City Council governs through a council-manager structure, with Mayor John E. Cotugno confirmed in office as of March 2026.

Council Structure and Authority

Vero Beach operates under a council-manager form of government, in which the City Council serves as the legislative branch responsible for approving ordinances and resolutions and setting city policy. The Mayor is not directly elected by the public but is instead chosen by and from among the members of the City Council, as described on the City of Vero Beach Council page. This structure separates the political functions of the Council from the day-to-day administrative operations of the city, which are delegated to a professional City Manager.

The Council also appoints the City Manager, who is accountable to the Council for the administration of city departments. As confirmed by the City of Vero Beach's official website and corroborated by February 2026 news coverage, Monte Falls serves as City Manager. The City Council, in turn, defines the policy framework within which Falls administers municipal operations, including departments overseeing utilities, public works, parks, and planning.

Current Officials

As of April 30, 2026, the City of Vero Beach's official website and the March 10, 2026 City Council minutes confirm John E. Cotugno as Mayor. Cotugno was first elected to the City Council in 2021 and was subsequently elevated to Mayor by his fellow council members, a process consistent with the city's charter structure. The November 4, 2025 City Council minutes also document the presence and roles of Mayor Cotugno and Vice Mayor Moore at that meeting.

City Manager Monte Falls was confirmed in his role by the official City Manager page and referenced in a February 2026 WFLX report covering the city's preparation of residents for potential property tax adjustments under Florida legislation. Falls oversees the administrative operations of the municipality under the direction of the Council.

The City of Vero Beach's Council page at covb.org is the canonical source for current council membership, contact information, and meeting schedules, as the full roster of council members beyond the Mayor and Vice Mayor is subject to change through elections and appointments.

Mayor
John E. Cotugno
City of Vero Beach / March 2026 Council Minutes, 2026-04-30
Vice Mayor (Nov. 2025)
Moore
City of Vero Beach Council Minutes, Nov. 4, 2025, 2025-11-04
City Manager
Monte Falls
City of Vero Beach / WFLX, 2026-04-30
Mayor First Elected to Council
2021
City of Vero Beach Council Page, 2026-04-30

Recent Council Decisions

The City Council approved a $36 million budget for fiscal year 2025/2026 in September 2025, establishing a millage rate of 2.9816 — an increase of 7.72 percent over the prior rate — according to Hometown News. This action set the funding framework for city departments and capital programs through September 2026.

In March 2026, the Council acted on a federal appropriations request totaling $23.5 million across five projects. The request, documented in the March 10, 2026 minutes, encompassed improvements to a water reclamation facility, a boardwalk, and park enhancements. The same March 2026 minutes also reflect Council-level engagement with the Three Corners waterfront redevelopment project, which by that point had the selection committee's unanimous recommendation of Clearpath as lead developer, as reported by WFLX in March 2025.

Additional economic development items before the Council in 2026 include a Diversified Aviation $14 million hangar investment at the municipal airport and a $34 million hotel project, both referenced in the March 2026 council minutes. These items illustrate the Council's concurrent engagement with infrastructure, land use, and private investment decisions across the city.

Advisory Boards and Commissions

The City Council is supported by several appointed advisory bodies whose recommendations inform ordinances, land-use decisions, and policy development. The City of Vero Beach's Government page and the Agenda Center list active bodies including a Planning and Zoning Board, a Historic Preservation Commission, a Marine Commission, a Utilities Commission, and the Three Corners Selection Committee — the body that evaluated competing developer proposals for the city-owned waterfront redevelopment site.

The Three Corners Selection Committee's role was particularly visible during 2024 and 2025. It received developer proposals on February 1, 2024, ranked them on April 26, 2024, and ultimately voted unanimously in March 2025 to recommend Clearpath as lead developer after the city reissued its request for proposals following an earlier selection process, according to the city's Three Corners project page and WFLX.

The city also operates CTYVB 13, a municipal government access television channel, which the City of Vero Beach's Government page identifies as the outlet for broadcasting Council meetings and related civic programming to residents.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs Used for: Population (16,785), median age (52.6), median household income ($67,351), median home value ($392,500), poverty rate (14.4%), unemployment rate (2.8%), labor force participation (64.2%), housing tenure rates, median gross rent ($1,197), educational attainment (20.8%)
  2. Historic Preservation - A Brief History | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/260/Historic-Preservation---A-Brief-History Used for: 1919 incorporation as City of Vero; 1925 creation of Indian River County and renaming to Vero Beach on June 1, 1925; Henry T. Gifford early settler and merchant; county seat designation
  3. Mission and History - McKee Botanical Garden https://mckeegarden.org/mission-and-history/ Used for: McKee Jungle Gardens founding by Arthur McKee and Waldo Sexton; 80-acre hammock; William Lyman Phillips design (Olmsted Brothers firm); Garden Conservancy national significance recognition
  4. McKee Botanic Gardens | Trust for Cultural Landscapes (TCLF) https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/mckee-botanic-gardens Used for: William Lyman Phillips design; 1932 public opening; 1998 National Register of Historic Places listing; Indian River Land Trust 1995 acquisition; 2001 reopening
  5. Vero Beach Centennial | Indian River Magazine https://indianrivermagazine.com/vero-beach-centennial/ Used for: Dodgertown hosting Dodgers for 61 years from 1948 to 2008
  6. The History of Vero Beach | Indian River Magazine https://indianrivermagazine.com/the-history-of-vero-beach/ Used for: 1919 Florida Legislature incorporation date; 2013 renaming of Vero Beach Sports Village to Historic Dodgertown
  7. Jackie Robinson Training Complex | MLB.com https://www.mlb.com/robinson-training-complex Used for: Jackie Robinson Training Complex managed by MLB; year-round amateur development role
  8. Economic Development - Indian River County Chamber of Commerce https://indianrivered.com/ Used for: Piper Aircraft headquarters in Vero Beach/Indian River County for nearly 100 years; leading general aviation aircraft manufacturer characterization
  9. Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital Committed to Serving All Residents of the County | Cleveland Clinic Newsroom https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2024/12/17/cleveland-clinic-indian-river-hospital-committed-to-serving-all-residents-of-the-county Used for: 322-bed hospital; one of Cleveland Clinic's five Florida hospitals; major employer and comprehensive medical services characterization
  10. Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital Rankings & Ratings | U.S. News & World Report https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/fl/indian-river-medical-center-6391120 Used for: Best Regional Hospital designation; high-performing in 9 adult procedures; ranked 28th in Florida
  11. Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL Economy at a Glance | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.fl_sebastian_msa.htm Used for: Sebastian-Vero Beach MSA economic anchor industries (healthcare, retail, accommodation/food services)
  12. Three Corners Master Concept | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/504/Three-Corners-Master-Concept Used for: Three Corners Project RFP process; February 1, 2024 proposal submissions; Selection Committee ranking April 26, 2024; developer selection timeline
  13. Three Corners - SūDā Group Chosen to Lead Riverfront Development | Vero News https://veronews.com/2024/05/28/three-corners-suda-group-chosen-to-lead-riverfront-development/ Used for: SūDā Group initial selection May 2024; construction expected around 2030
  14. Vero Beach Committee Recommends Clearpath to Develop Three Corners Project | WFLX https://www.wflx.com/2025/03/31/vero-beach-committee-recommends-clearpath-develop-three-corners-project/ Used for: Selection committee unanimous vote recommending Clearpath as lead developer, March 2025
  15. Three Corners: Two Developers Vie for Multi-Million Vero Beach Project | CBS12 https://cbs12.com/news/local/three-corners-two-developers-vie-for-multi-million-vero-beach-project-development-florida-march-real-estate-building-shops-movie-indian-river-lagoon-april-1-2025 Used for: Three Corners planned components: restaurants, shops, hotel, marina with 100 slips for yachts up to 125 feet, meeting hall, music venues
  16. Community Partnership Brings Medical Education to Indian River County | VCOM https://www.vcom.edu/news/2024/09/04/community-partnership-brings-medical-education-indian-river-county Used for: VCOM and Indian River County Hospital District agreement, September 2024, to bring VCOM educational facility to Indian River County; Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital collaboration
  17. City Council | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/283/City-Council Used for: John E. Cotugno as Mayor; council-manager government structure; City Council as legislative branch
  18. City of Vero Beach City Council Minutes, November 4, 2025 | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11042025-1852 Used for: Confirmation of Mayor Cotugno and Vice Mayor Moore in November 2025 official minutes
  19. Government | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/27/Government Used for: City advisory boards and commissions list; CTYVB 13 municipal government channel; Comprehensive Plan reference
  20. City Council Agenda Center | City of Vero Beach, FL https://www.covb.org/AgendaCenter/City-Council-2 Used for: Three Corners Selection Committee; range of city advisory boards listed
  21. Riverside Theatre - Vero Beach https://www.riversidetheatre.com/ Used for: Non-profit professional theater; Mainstage productions; NIGHTLIFE programming; Riverside Park location; programming scope
  22. Riverside Theatre | U.S. News & World Report Travel https://travel.usnews.com/Vero_Beach_FL/Things_To_Do/Riverside_Theatre_65296/ Used for: Largest professional theater in Florida characterization
  23. Vero Beach Florida - Attractions & Things to Do | Visit Florida (Official State Tourism) https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/central-east/vero-beach/ Used for: Hibiscus Festival (live music, food, art); Jackie Robinson Training Complex reference; Riverside Theatre programming
  24. A Brief History of Vero Beach, Sebastian & Indian River County | VeroBeach.com https://verobeach.com/vero-beach-community/a-brief-history-of-vero-beach-sebastian-fellsmere-indian-river-county Used for: 1919 charter; 'Vero, Where The Tropics Begin' slogan
Last updated: May 1, 2026